Hello, fellow bookworm!

In today’s post, I want to go deeper into the world created by ‘The Boys’ written by Katie Hafner. 

Let me share with you the book description:

A tour-de-force novel about love, the yearning for connection, and the ways in which childhood trauma plays out in adult life.

When introverted Ethan Fawcett marries Barb, he has every reason to believe he will be delivered from a lifetime of solitude. One day Barb brings home two young brothers, Tommy and Sam, for them to foster, and when the pandemic hits, Ethan becomes obsessed with providing a perfect life for the boys. Instead of bringing Barb and Ethan closer together, though, the boys become a wedge in their relationship, as Ethan is unable to share with Barb a secret that has been haunting him since childhood. Then Ethan takes Tommy and Sam on a biking trip in Italy, and it becomes clear just how unusual Ethan and his children are—and what it will take for Ethan to repair his marriage. This hauntingly beautiful debut novel—a bold and original high-wire feat—is filled with humor and surprise.

What Resonated with Me

Ethan’s character becomes deeper and deeper as I turned every page. I found myself emotionally invested in his history, struggles, and growth. I also like Barb, too. She helped Ethan opened to a new world of family and traveling. Her parents were adorable. 

***

The vivid descriptions of the people, places, and events drew clear pictures in my mind. I could almost see Ethan, Barb, and other secondary characters, hear the voices of people at a family event, and feel as if I was at the Mutter museum. 

*** 

The Boys weaves in themes of family throughout the first few chapters. It made me reflect on the importance of love and family in order to thrive. 

Ethan had a strong aversion of traveling, like I do, and Barb and her family encouraged him to expand his horizon. It’s just nice that he found people who understood him and helped him spread his wings, fly, and explore the world. 

Memorable Quote

One quote that stood out to me today was:

“Ethan, you can’t spend the rest of your life hiding from experience,” she said. “And in order to have experiences, sometimes you just have to get on a plane and go somewhere.”

Thoughts and Reflections

I have read until the middle of chapter 7. 

I am actually surprised that could identify with Ethan who was shy, awkward, introvert, but opened to new experiences. 

I also don’t like traveling like he did but Barb’s family convinced him to. 

And me, too. 

I think I need to go out of the house or out of town in order to expand and flourish. 

I get it, but fear would just appear and stop me. 

I think I have to face my fears of traveling. 

🙋‍♀️ Questions

Do you like traveling? Any tips?

I’m excited to know more about Ethan and his trip.

Join me next time for more insights and discussions.

Everyone Has What It Takes by William Kenower

⭐⭐⭐☆☆

William Kenower’s Everyone Has What It Takes shows that the life of a writer is not a walk in the park. Internal and external pressures shape the road to success into a meandering course. Be that as it may, the writer continues the journey to fulfill one purpose- to write stories with love. 

Kenower shared a lot of his experiences and thoughts about writing, getting published, fame, and money that are beneficial to new and veteran writers. Even though the personal stories are lengthy, profound insights can be gleaned from them.  I like the message of this book. With love, everyone has what it takes to write. 

I love writing but I don’t see myself as someone who could write well, write a book and have it published. After reading the book, it encourages me to continue stringing words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and paragraphs into a composition despite the level of my ability. Who knows? I might become a published author eventually. 

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House, Writer’s Digest Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

A Life, Freed by Tracy Hewitt Meyer

⭐⭐⭐☆☆

A Life, Freed, the third book of Tracy Hewitt Meyer’s Rowan Slone book series, is a deeply-felt story about Rowan Slone, a freshman college student,  who has just started her new life after struggling through her grim past. Little does she know, the new chapter of her life will be brimming with new challenges that strain her studies and her relationship with her family, best friend, and new boyfriend. 

The novel is well-written and easy to read. The heavy themes of betrayal, doubt, suffering, family drama, and postpartum depression left despair in my heart. Even so, the unfortunate events that Rowan experienced bring forth her strengths– resilience, compassion, and determination– making her more relatable. There are parts that, for me,  are rushed especially some of the events toward the ending but as a whole, I appreciate the story. Rowan Slone is a reminder that despite the trials we face in life, with hope and perseverance, life will become better eventually. 

Thank you BHC Press and LibraryThing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee

Here’s my review of the first book- The Thousandth Floor

 ⭐⭐⭐☆ ☆ 

The teen drama continues as Leda Cole, Avery Fuller, Watt Bakradi, and Rylin Myers hide the secret that can ruin their lives.  The new character, Calliope Brown, brought fresh excitement to the story with her interesting background and job description. McGee also added more futuristic features to the world she created. I enjoyed the first book more but The Dazzling Heights is still fun to read.

The Towering Sky  by Katharine McGee

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 

Among the three books of The Thousandth Floor series, The Towering Sky is my most favorite. There are so many unexpected events that I didn’t see coming. It was an interesting journey to follow the story of the different teenagers who got caught in a web of lies, found who they really are, and chose their own path in life.

Back of the Yard  by Meg Lelvis

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 

A story with heavy themes such as family drama, depression, alcoholism, and mental health, left me teary-eyed even though there’s more telling than showing. 

This book shows the power of a mother. Abandonment and rejection from a mother is a great force that can make or break a child’s life. However, it’s not the end of the world for the child. With love, forgiveness, understanding, and determination, life can be better. 

Thank you Black Rose Writing and LibraryThing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Master of One by Jordan Raynor

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a life-changing book. I have been wondering all my life what is the ultimate purpose of my existence and this book gave me the answer. It also provides ways on how to find the right path for me to fulfill the purpose of my life. Highly recommended to those who are still looking for their North Star.

.

⭐⭐⭐☆☆

Simple but poignant, Lois Lowry’s second novel published in 1978, Find a Stranger,  Say Goodbye, is a young adult fiction about an adopted teenage girl searching for her biological mother. 

Natalie Armstrong had a loving family, an understanding boyfriend, great friends, and a bright future. What could be better? She stood out because of her good looks and intelligence; still and all,  she doubted whether she’s lucky or not. Something was missing in her life, something that scared her. But she must find it, face it, and know the truth once and for all. In the summer before going to college, she put considerable effort into finding the answers to the questions she had posed.  Who was she? Why did her mother give her up? Who was her real family?  

Find a Stranger, Say Goodbye is a light and wholesome read. Natalie’s journey in searching for her mother is logical and easily done but the surprising turnaround of the events added zest to the well-written storyline.

The multidimensional main characters and essential minor characters render an engaging tale. I love Natalie’s free-spirited adoptive mother, Kate Armstrong,  whose spontaneousness led to making do-it-yourself projects that sometimes ended up being monumental bloopers. One hilarious example was when she had decided to make dandelion wine out of the blue. In her nightgown one early morning, she gathered dandelions without permission from the garden of their neighbors who were on vacation. Kate was laughing when she shared the details of her morning adventure with Natalie and her friends. She later confessed that she had realized she didn’t know how to make a dandelion wine so she threw all the bright yellow wildflowers into the garbage disposal. Kate has a colorful personality but she’s a loving and caring mother to Natalie. This was the reason why Natalie’s boyfriend and friends wondered why she had to find her real mother.  

Besides Kate, her mother, Tallie Chandler, is also an interesting character. She is as carefree as her daughter. Tallie was supportive of her granddaughter’s plan despite hurting the latter’s parents in the process. Natalie’s grandmother imparted her wisdom enwrapped in quotable lines that are worth remembering. 

Natalie’s biological mother, Julie Hutchinson is intimidating with her fashionable, immaculate, and eloquent aura. She welcomed Natalie into her life and even asked her daughter to become a model like her but Natalie declined. Their meeting in New York was revealing about what their relationship was going to be like, mutually exclusive. 

Natalie found the answers eventually and everything became clear.  “You have to sort everything out. You have to figure out what you want to hold onto. You have to acknowledge what is and what was. And sometimes what never was, at all.”

Find a Stranger, Say Goodbye is a great book for those who are looking for a short, heartwarming, and wholesome read.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think of the title of the book, Find a Stranger, Say Goodbye? 

2. Describe Natalie Armstrong.

3. Describe Natalie’s adoptive family. 

4. What do you think about Gretchen’s speech?

5. Natalie was resolved to find her real mother despite gentle objections from her friends and her boyfriend. If you were Natalie, would you feel the same?

6. Tallie said that sometimes you have to hurt the people you love in order to keep yourself whole, do you agree with her? Why or why not?

7. Describe the meeting of Natalie and her real mother. 

8. If you were Natalie, would you accept your real mother’s offer? Why or why not?

9. Do you find the plot twists good enough to make the story interesting?

10. Which part of the story was your favorite? Why?

Further Information

Title: Find a Stranger, Say Goodbye

Author: Lois Lowry

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Clarion Books; Reprint edition (April 26, 1978)

Publication Date: April 26, 1978

Print length: 197 pages

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003JFJHS4

Quotes

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bellebird James explores the themes of family, duty, and betrayal in the contemporary romance novel, Bloom, through the character, Izzy, who is torn between the conflicting demands of legacy and love. Refusing to compromise, she got lost in the labyrinth of deceit that she created, ultimately discovering the liberating power of authenticity. Set against a breathtaking natural backdrop, the story offers a unique combination of enemies-to-lovers romance and the power of being true to yourself. 

Bellebird James is a writer from New Zealand where she lives with her husband, 2 children, and their dog. She’s obsessed with coffee, the sun, chocolate fish, and mountains. The other novel that she wrote is The Art of Loving Libby Green. 

Book Description

A Sweet YA Romance

I’ve spent my life chasing a dream. What if it’s the wrong one? 

For as long as she can remember, Izzy has been following in her father’s footsteps all the way to law school—just the way her mother wants. But ever since his death, the path ahead has been less clear. When a summer job as a landscape designer shows Izzy a glimpse of an alternative future, she buries that idea as deep as the roots of the plants she loves working with.

Then Izzy meets Nico. With his annoying emoticon smile and botanical tattoos, Nico is everything Izzy isn’t—irritatingly disorganized, cheerfully rebellious, and a law school dropout. He’s also her responsibility to train while they repopulate the local woodland with saplings, and a respite from Izzy’s increasingly tense home life.

When the forest her father passionately defended comes under threat, Izzy and Nico join forces and learn they have more in common than either of them imagined. But as Izzy struggles to stay true to her father’s memory, her mother’s expectations, and her growing friendship with Nico, she finds herself tangled in lies. 

And if the truth comes out, Izzy could lose much more than her law school dream …

Discussion Questions

1. When you read the title, Bloom, what came to your mind?
2. Describe the relationship between Izzy and her mother.
3. What is the legacy of Izzy’s father?
4. How does Izzy protect her father’s legacy? What does this tell about Izzy?
5. Describe Nico. What was Izzy’s first impression of him?
6. What is his significance in reaching Izzy’s goals?
7. What is the most pervading theme of the story? Why?
8. What is your favorite part of the story? Why?
9. What is your least favorite part? 
10. What do you think about the ending?

Quotes

• The vivid descriptions of the gardens, bike trails, and mountains transported me to the places in the book. It helps me appreciate nature and nature activities more even though I am not an outdoorsy person.
• The two main characters, Izzy and Nico, are interesting and relatable. Izzy didn’t like Nico in the beginning because of his juvenile style and confidence. But gradually, because of Nico’s charm, Izzy’s perception of him shifted. Their similarities magnetize them together, while their differences spark witty banters and romantic encounters. 
• The storyline is strong and suspenseful, interspersed with fun, romantic scenes.The theme is solid as the events are held together by a deeper message of legacy, love, family, nature, and the truth. 

What I Loved The Least

• Izzy’s story is heartwarming, but heartbreaking at the same time. Her singular goal was to make her mother happy. She would do anything to fulfill her mother’s wishes but this created a painful conflict. Fulfilling his father’s legacy was important for Izzy but it would disappoint her mother. This conflict got me curious about her mother. Why was she what she was? I wish the author delved deeper into her mother’s history and motivations. 

Summary

Many believe that family is the most important thing in the world, but what if they become impediments to authenticity? Bellebird James delves into the intricate journey to finding one true self in the midst of the complex family affairs and romantic encounter in her book, Bloom. It offers a heartwarming story of Izzy riddled with fun in the backdrop of a natural setting that comes real as the reader turns each page. 

James created a realistic setting by describing natural places. I enjoyed imagining the mountains, the bike trails and the garden. I’m not an outdoorsy person but I still enjoyed the warmth of the forest and the plants. It’s a great backdrop to an intense battle between saving what once was there and what could make it more modern. 

The love story of Izzy and Nico made my heart flutter. I enjoyed the turn of events from when they didn’t like each other in the beginning to when they fell in love. They grew on each other, realizing they also have things in common. But, the conflict ensued when they faced the question that asked them to choose their true self. Eventually, the masks and lies melted away and what’s left is their authentic love. 

James created interesting characters. The main characters are well-rounded while others are just round enough. But I got more intrigued by Izzy’s mother. She was the number one factor that affected Izzy’s decision to pursue her dream. But Izzy would do everything for her mother. Her mother was kind of distant from her, closed and protective of her emotions. She seems fragile, so Izzy wants to fulfill her mother’s dream for her. I wanted to know her more, like her history why she acted the way and she did. 

Bloom gave me a great reading experience. I love the setting and the romantic story of Izzy and Nico. It’s easy to read and memorable. If you like nature, a heartwarming family story, and a fun romance, this book is for you. 

Thank you, Bellebird James and BookSirens for the ARC and the chance to share my opinions. 

Further Information

Bellebird James’ Website: https://bellebirdjames.com/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bellebirdjamesauthor/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellebirdjames 

Book Information:

Bloom by Bellebird James 

Published on June 15, 2023, by Bellebird James Author Limited 

289 pages (eBook)

Find it here:

Goodreads

       Lois Lowry, the author of the award-winning novel, The Giver,  introduces another community built by people after the ruins in Messenger, the Book 3 of The Giver Quartet. 

       Lowry once again underlines the significance of sacrifice for society through the life of Matty, the young boy in Gathering Blue.  Matty changed from being an untrained tyke to being a responsible and educated member of the Village. 

       Fairness, respect, and freedom were the values they wanted to foster in the community but greed slowly crept in as the people got deeply involved in trading with the mysterious trademaster. 

       A seemingly dark power overtook the hearts of the citizens, influencing them to close the village to newcomers. At the meeting, some people expressed that it was time to close the borders to protect their resources. “They have too many needs. We don’t want to take care of them.” The majority voted to close the village in three weeks. 

       Afraid that Kira might not be able to enter the Village, Matty went to fetch her who was still living on the other side of the forest.  Time was of the essence but the Forest was not cooperating.  Kira and Matty grew weak and wounded in the middle of the dark, gruesome forest, and Matty had to make a decision to save Kira and the village. 

Thoughts…Thoughts…Thoughts…

       The Messenger is a well-written tale of a boy who had been living with Seer, the blind man who took care of him since he was a young child. The intention to bring his daughter home reveals his love for Seer whose wish was for her daughter to live with them in the Village.  The urgency and the danger of his mission made the story exciting but the ultimate sacrifice that Matty did was heartbreaking. Lowry made the story memorable. 

       The book made me see how greed and selfishness could change society. Why? The people who traded a part of themselves in exchange for a gaming machine or a fancy coat, for example, became more focused on themselves, disregarding the needs of other people. For this reason, they voted to close the border by building tall walls around the community. 

       I think young readers would enjoy this story. This is also a good material to teach them about dissent, responsibility, sacrifice, bravery, leadership, and love. 

Discussion Questions 

1. When you hear the word “messenger”, what comes to your mind?

2. How important is the role of Matty in the community?

3. Leader said that our gift is weaponry. What do you think this means?

4. How did you feel when Kira and Matty with Frolic passed through the forest?

5. What was Matty’s ultimate sacrifice?

Further Information

Title: Messenger (Giver Quartet, Book 3)

Author: Lois Lowry

Genre:  Young Adult Fiction

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers (April 26, 2004)

Publication Date:  April 26, 2004

Print length: 194 pages

ASIN: B003JTHWKK

Quotes

    In her debut novel, The Thirteenth Tale, British writer, Diane Setterfield, crafted a peculiar, Gothic tale about the twisted life of a family living in a monstrous Angelfield House. The Thirteenth Tale is Setterfield’s breakthrough novel as it has sold more than three million copies in 38 countries and got her to win the Quill Award, Debut Author of the Year in 2007. In 2013, the story was turned into a BBC film with the award-winning scriptwriter, Christopher Hampton, and award-winning actresses, Olivia Colman and Vanessa Redgrave. Setterfield was an expert in nineteenth-century French literature before shifting to writing novels. Her literary style in the writing of The Thirteenth Tale is influenced by Gide, the father of modern French literature.

OVERVIEW

    In The Thirteenth Tale, popular, prolific writer, Vida Winter, had a secret life that she meant to bury forever. But, as she was dying, she divulged her secrets by telling the missing thirteenth tale of her book Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation, a compilation of common stories about princes, peasants, and maids with dark twists. The title was changed to Tales of Change and Desperation since it only contained twelve stories.

    Margaret Lea was handpicked by Winter to write the latter’s story. She almost gave up the opportunity but Winter was able to convince her after saying the word ‘twins ‘. The sound of the word echoed in her heart and triggered a painful part of her own history. She acquiesced and, beyond her awareness, she was hauled into a rabbit hole filled with grotesque stories of a ghost, loss, survival, identity, and love.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

1. Vida Winter was a virtuoso in creating stories that are not necessarily true. How did this affect her credibility?
2. As a biographer, what was Margaret’s attitude toward Vida’s stories?
3. Describe the Angelfield House and its symbol in the story.
4. Are there questions left unanswered in the book? What are these questions?
5. Discuss the realizations of the main characters at the end of the story.

QUOTES

“There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic.”

— Margaret, Page 8

“People disappear when they die. Their voice, their laughter, the warmth of their breath. Their flesh. Eventually their bones. All living memory of them ceases. This is both dreadful and natural. Yet for some there is an exception to this annihilation. For in the books they write they continue to exist. We can rediscover them. Their humor, their tone of voice, their moods. Through the written word they can anger you or make you happy. They can comfort you. They can perplex you. They can alter you. All this, even though they are dead. Like flies in amber, like corpses frozen in the ice, that which according to the laws of nature should pass away is, by the miracle of ink on paper, preserved. It is a kind of magic.”

— Margaret, page 17

“All children mythologies their birth. It is a universal trait.”

— Vida, Page 26

“There are times when the human face and body can express the yearning of the heart so accurately that you can, as they say, read them like a book.”

— Margaret, page 228

“It’s better not to have a story at all, rather than have one that keeps changing.”

— Aurelius, page 392

WHAT I LOVED

• The prose of the novel is like a smooth-riding road that makes the reading journey easy but memorable. The descriptions brought to life the people and places. One scene that I couldn’t forget is the room of Charlie after he made himself reclusive and stayed in his room for several months. As Setterfield described the room, I wrinkled my nose as if I could smell the filth.

• Vida Winter was living up to her character as an author. She was indeed a great storyteller, ingenious and stealthy. The twist in her own history confounded me, asking myself why I missed seeing it coming.

• Margaret Lea took every story of Vida Winter with a grain of salt. She analyzed the word used by the storyteller, the characters involved in the story, and the little details she encountered along the way that gave clues to the deeper side of the story. I liked her for being perceptive.

• I loved the story of the ghost in the house which is the trickiest part of Vida’s history.

WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE

• While the story of the Angelfield House and the people living in it was heart-wrenching, I couldn’t place the character of Aurelius into their fold. I felt detached from his story which  seemed rushed. I was hoping to know him more.

SUMMING-UP

    Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale brings readers an eerie experience through the story of twins, a ghost, and the people that came before them in the huge house with an unexpected twist in the end. The author makes the characters come alive and places become vivid with her skillful technique in describing them. The well-written story is also telling of what happens when the very basic need of a human being is not met — the love of a family.

    Even though I was not captivated by all characters, some left a great impression on me especially the two narrators, Vida and Margaret. Vida’s stories are more than their face value. Discernment is crucial in identifying which parts of her stories are the truth and which are the lies. On the other hand, as a reader, Margaret reminded me to be careful in believing all the details of Vida’s lore.

    All in all, the book was a great read. The Thirteenth Tale is one of the most unique stories I’ve ever read. It encompasses a wide range of themes such as identity, family, belongingness, survival, and love. It has a different kind of scariness that is rooted in the depiction of the dark side of humanity set in a huge dwelling of anger, madness, and filth, which the storyteller adeptly used in conjuring a tale that appears to be haunting.

    Readers who love stories about family and loss with a Gothic feel would surely enjoy The Thirteenth Tale.

FURTHER INFORMATION

More resources:

Book Information:

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Published on October 9, 2007, by Washington Square Press; First Trade edition

432 pages (Paperback)

Find it here:

On the Origin of Being is a love letter from Mother Nature, desperate to send humankind a crucial message. The book is not laced with mysticism, but as a reader, I couldn’t help but imagine that Mother Nature possessed the minds of the authors, Luke Comer and Jenny Powers, to warn us of the consequences of our modern lifestyle— like the relentless stress of overwork, the social disconnection driven by our digital dependency, and the normalcy of unhealthy diets, causing us our daily miseries. 

The world is moving so fast but our bodies are evolving slowly, and the effect of this can be seen at home, at school, and in workplaces. For instance, our body needs 8 hours of sleep to function at its optimum but sometimes our children have no option but to sleep for 4-6 hours because, after school, they have to do their homework until the wee hours. The book greatly explains the tug-of-war between modern life and our primal bodies and how it is ripping us apart. But, thankfully, the clues on how to navigate our modern lives without compromising our health can be learned from the lives of our ancestors, especially the hunter-gatherers, who didn’t suffer from modern health concerns such as heart issues, weight issues, and diabetes. We are designed to adapt to our environment to survive and thrive. This ability is encapsulated in our genes passed on by our ancestors. Mother Nature is still looking out for us but will we take heed of her cautions?

On the Origin of Being is written by Jenny Powers and Luke Comer. Jenny Powers is a scientist with a PhD in Immunology. She’s interested in discovering human nature and the heritage of our ancient people. She’s also a wife, mom, and writer living in Colorado with her family. On the other hand, Luke Comer is an independent producer, writer, and director who grew up in small-town Alabama and later attended Oberlin College. In his youth, he loved outdoor adventures, rock bands, and reading books. The challenges he faced in his late 20s and early 30s, led him to heal through yoga, nutrition, psychedelics, and other modalities. He supports artistic and alternative cultures in Colorado, fighting government prejudice.

On the Origin of Being won two awards: The Book Fest’s 1st Place Award Winner in non-fiction, Science – Health and Fitness, and the 2025 Book of the Year Award given by the Best Holistic Life Magazine.

Overview 

There is one thing to which every person is destined to become…

Aristotle encased this in one word — eudaemonia, to flourish and live a “full and satisfying life”

To fulfill this purpose, nature manipulates the mechanisms in the human body by using evolutionary forces to ensure that the human species can live and survive through time. The genetic code embedded in every human influences the cells, bodies, and brain to support life and pass the human attributes to the next generation. 

We are programmed to grow and flourish with our abilities to think, to communicate, and to solve problems. 

But there’s a catch…

All these are possible if we are in a “dynamic state of health. 

However, as time went by, geography and climate changed, homo sapiens left the hunting-gathering life and adopted agriculture that gave way to a modern life that led to the development of farms, landlords, and jobs. 

And things took a bad turn…

Inequalities in income, wealth, and well-being along racial and class lines became rampant. 

Many of us feel plagued by profound dissatisfaction, depression, addiction, and despair – the detrimental side effects of modernity. 

Are we just going to be swept away by the rapid pace of modern life? 

There are no easy answers… But we have to move forward…

Of this, we can be sure…

We are also designed to adapt…

And this book, On the Origin of Being, will help us understand the traits and behaviors that our ancestors passed on to us. Their sleeping patterns, diet, work, and rest will help us understand ourselves and adjust to our present-day environment. This shrinks the gap between our primal self and the modern self. 

Discussion Questions 

1. Based on the lifestyle of the hunter-gatherers, explain why they were healthier than modern people. 
2. What led to the population boom?
3. How did the human diet change over time?
4. Cite three things that modern people can learn from hunter-gatherers regarding food and diet. 
5. What mechanism in the human brain follows the movement of the Earth and how does this affect sleep?
6. How does sleep deprivation affect muscle recovery and sustained physical effort?
7. What steps can you take to take responsibility for your sleep?
8. What is “workism”?
9. How does modern-day work affect the overall health of a person?
10. What are the recommendations of the authors for living a good life?

Quotes

• Reading a book about people in ancient times, human biology, history, facts, and figures can be daunting. Although I incorporated non-fiction books that talk about difficult topics such as consciousness, physics, and brain science in my reading life, there is still a feeling of inadequacy in reading and fully understanding the content of these books. The one thing that sustains me is my curiosity about the world and the processes that support the existence of living and nonliving things. In this book, On the Origin of Being,  the authors used easy language and simple organization of ideas that make historical, scientific, and statistical facts easy to digest, which gives me the confidence to enjoy it. 
• The book fascinated me with its premise that the modern world is moving so fast that our biology can’t keep up. This is why our bodies can’t survive without enough sleep and proper nutrition. The book clearly and comprehensively explains the evolution of human biology and the environmental changes that forced human beings to modify their sleeping patterns, their lifestyle, and their diet to accommodate modern demands. The consequences of these modifications are manifested through chronic diseases and other health issues. 
• The book is not all doom and gloom. Instead, it provides insights and practical tips on how to live the modern life without compromising our health. At the end of every chapter is a list of things that we could do to improve our sleep, nutrition, and work and rest. 
• I appreciate the book so much because it introduced me to the hunter-gatherers whose lives were attuned to nature and their true needs. The book claims that they are healthier than modern people as the hunter-gatherers were constantly on the move to find food, spending the energy that they got from their food in physical activities, and they didn’t experience the stress of structured work or modern living.

• There isn’t anything that I didn’t like about this book. However, the book discusses that human beings evolved from monkeys, which may not align with everyone’s beliefs. I encourage readers to approach this section thoughtfully and consider it as part of the book’s overall perspective. 

There’s no mysticism in the book, On the Origin of Being, but I’d like to think that Mother Nature possessed the minds of the authors, Jenny Powers and Luke Comer, to remind us to look back and learn from our primitive ancestors who hold the key to understanding our biology and give us clues on how to live our lives without endangering our health in this day and age. This book is Mother Nature’s love letter to us.

On the Origin of Being takes us back to the early times when people lived a simple life of hunting and gathering. Although it tells the history and the evolution of human beings from primates, it focuses on the lifestyle of the hunter-gatherers particularly their sleeping patterns, diet, work, and rest. Then, the authors juxtaposed this with our modern lifestyle, highlighting the differences in the ways we live. It was also established that the genetic code that helped humans thousands of years ago to adapt, survive, and thrive is still encoded in us that’s why there is still hope to fulfill our purpose, which is to flourish, in modern times. Since a ‘dynamic state of health’ is necessary to make this happen, the book provided lists of practical recommendations for adjusting our modern lifestyles to accommodate our biological needs, which I appreciate the most. 

Reading this book can be intimidating because of the history, dates, facts, statistics, and scientific terms included in the content, but the authors were able to present their ideas with supporting details in an organized way. This increased my confidence to finish the book as the topics and ideas were easy to follow. 

There is one thing, though, that you need to be aware of. The book explains the evolution of human beings from primates, which may not match everyone’s beliefs. So, I invite you to read this part thoughtfully and view it as part of the book’s overall message. 

Overall, On the Origin of Being is an interesting book that propounds the real state of people living in the world of modernity expressed as stress, chronic disease, or mental health issues. Modern life is fast and exhausting. This book is highly recommended to those who are looking for answers to navigate modern living without affecting their overall well-being. Thank you, Luke Comer and Jenny Powers, River Grove Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the Advanced Reader’s Copy of the book and to share my honest thoughts. 

On the Origin of Being Official Website

On the Origin of Being by Luke Comer and Jenny Powers

Published on June 24, 2024, by River Grove Books; 1st edition 

298 pages (eBook)

Find it here:

Sources

Bio – on the origin of being. (2020, May 27). On The Origin of Being. https://www.ontheoriginofbeing.com/bio/

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Novelist, poet and scriptwriter, Gail Aldwin has been writing for over a decade. Her first two coming-of-age novels were runners-up in the Dorchester Literary Festival Writing Prize 2020 and 2022. Gail was awarded a creative writing PhD in 2018 and still laughs whenever she’s called Doctor. She has appeared at Bridport Literary Festival, Stockholm Writers Festival and the Mani Lit Fest in Greece. Her psychological suspense mystery The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is published by Bloodhound Books. Gail splits her time between a tiny flat in South West London and a home overlooking water meadows in Dorset.

BLURB

A true-crime podcaster investigates a decades-old suspected abduction, in this powerful psychological suspense novel.

1979 Sixteen-year-old Carolyn Russell grows increasingly infatuated with her school mathematics teacher who is also giving her private lessons. Then she disappears.

2014 Struggling journalist Stephanie Brett creates a true-crime podcast focused on the disappearance of Carolyn Russell. By digging deep into this mysterious cold case, her confidence and flagging career are boosted. But after she confronts the suspects—and talks to a potential witness—the leads dry up. However, Stephanie refuses to let the story rest . . .

Can a small-time journalist with a shoestring podcast really hope to reconstruct the ultimate fate of Carolyn Russell after all these years, or are some secrets best left buried? 

‘Takes hold of the head and the heart and simply does not let go’ Jacquelyn Mitchard, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Good Son

‘Captures the zeitgeist for each period with telling accuracy’ Suzanne Goldring, bestselling author of My Name is Eva

‘A rare and thrilling book that manages to be thoughtful and intelligent’ Joanna Barnard, author of Hush Little Baby

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

1. What was your first impression of the book cover?
2. Describe Stephanie Brett.
3. Describe Carolyn Russell.
4. What do you think about podcasts? Is it a good idea to discuss cold cases on a podcast? Why or why not?
5. How did Stephanie’s podcast help in solving the disappearance of Carolyn Russell?
6. What was the contribution of Carolyn’s family relationship to her case?
7. What were your predictions about the ending of the story? 
8. Did the ending change your impression of the main characters? Discuss. 
9. Which points in the story kept you turning the pages?
10. What do you like the most about the book? Discuss. 

QUOTES

Facebook was the last place she should be spending time when feeling like this: inadequate. – on Stephanie

There was something enigmatic about Carolyn’s smile but Stephanie couldn’t put her finger on it.

Dangerous activity. You never know what you might unearth. – Doug

I loved every minute of being needed. – Carolyn

Like magic, the answer flew from my lips. By the time we reached ten times nine, I let my touch linger on his pinky. The closeness of the moment held me in a trance. – Carolyn

WHAT I LOVED THE MOST

• The fully developed main characters make the story relatable and interesting. The story is told in a dual timeline, alternating between the perspectives of Carolyn Russell and Stephanie Brett. Through her thoughts, actions, and choices, Carolyn could be seen as a typical teenager who had angsts and dreams but her relationship with her family, friends, and other grownups in the community deepened the complexity of her life which was rooted in the unfulfillment of her needs: love, attention, and guidance. This lack paved the way for Carolyn’s doom in the end. On the other hand, Stephanie is shown to be resilient, creative, and brave in facing the consequences of a life-changing event. She fell but she was able to rise from the challenges by using her skills to the fullest. Early in her career, she almost lost her job as a journalist after giving wrong information about the disappearance of Carolyn Russell. Decades after, still guilty about her mistake, she was resolved to investigate the cold case again through a podcast. Her drive to find leads, interview people, and piece clues together moves the story forward and keeps me interested in seeing if Carolyn Russell would be found in the end. Creating good and memorable characters is one of Gail Aldwin’s strengths as a writer. 
• The length of the book affects the pacing of the story. The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is just long enough to develop the characters and the plot. The author threw interesting clues at the right places, nurturing curiosity and suspense.
• The story is fresh and relevant as it included podcasting, a modern version of a radio program. Podcasts are popular nowadays since the Internet and streaming services are common. It’s a convenient way to get information or entertainment from thousands of podcasts which range from comedy to true crime as one can download the audio files and listen to them anytime, anywhere. The author got hooked on true crime podcasts in 2020 which inspired her to write the book. She showed how a podcast came to be. Interviews with people who are linked to Carolyn and discussions of the events that led to her disappearance added more depth to the story.
• The author layers the story with different themes that make it multidimensional– teenage life, the quest for love, family, loneliness, and the exploration of human emotions and experiences. 

WHAT I LOVED THE LEAST

• The intensity of the thrill and suspense is on the mellow side. However, I still enjoyed the story because the characters and plot are well-developed and the writing is engaging. The story made me form my predictions along the way but they were all wrong. The twist at the end was the most shocking and definitely the best part of the book. 

SUMMING-UP

Have you ever made a mistake many years ago that you still felt guilty about? Sometimes it’s hard to move on because you keep playing the mistake in your mind over and over again. Guilt could make you critical of yourself but it could also drive you to take action to make amends for your mistakes. 

In Gail Aldwin’s new novel, The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell, Stephanie Brett, a journalist who felt guilty about misreporting the disappearance of Carolyn Russell in 1979, decided to set things straight. When she got the chance, she reinvestigated the cold case through a podcast. Decades later, no body had been found and no perpetrator had been indicted. Could she get more leads and ultimately solve the case? Could she redeem herself? 

One of the things that I love about The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is its well-developed characters and plot. It is told from the alternating perspectives of Stephanie Brett and Carolyn Russell which made the story more interesting and relatable. Carolyn’s teenage angst, lack of maternal love and attention, and her propensity to fulfill this lack in dangerous ways build up the tension, while Stephanie’s journalistic skills, keenness, and bravery raise the anticipation of the next events. For me, strong characterization is one of Gail Aldwin’s strengths as a writer. She’s also able to nurture curiosity and excitement by throwing intriguing clues at the right places and in between multifaceted themes, which include the vulnerability of teenagers, family dynamics, the power of media, friendship, and social issues.  

The novel contains an element of timeliness as well. The use of a podcast in revisiting the unsolved case gives the story a fresh perspective. Podcasts are common these days and they range from comedy to true crime. Listeners can download and listen to them anytime, anywhere. The author was inspired to write the book after listening to true crime podcasts in 2020 when she was in Uganda where she volunteered at a refugee settlement. In her novel, she showed how a podcast came to being and how it added more depth to the story.

As for the thrill and suspense, the intensity is on the mellow side but I still enjoyed the story because it made me form my own predictions along the way; predictions that turned out to be all wrong. The twist at the end was the most shocking and definitely the best part of the book. 

I highly recommend The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell. It is a well-written, suspense novel that rips your heart in the beginning, then blows your mind in the end. 

Thank you, Gail Aldwin and Bloodhound Books for the opportunity to read your book and share my honest thoughts. 

FURTHER INFORMATION

Gail Aldwin’s Website 

Instagram

Twitter

Book Information:

The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell by Gail Aldwin

Published on July 3, 2023, by Bloodhound Books – crime, thrillers, and mysteries (3 July 2023)

310 pages (eBook)

Find it here:

Goodreads  

    Byrd Nash shows how three siblings got over their troubled past in her book, A Spell of Rowans, a mystic, magical realism about family, dark magic, and murder.   

    The author brings us to a small town unknowingly gripped by the surreptitious, evil business run by Rachel Rowan. When she died, the Rowan siblings returned, and this made the authorities questioned not only her death but also harked back to the issue of the old cold case murder of their father, Victor. It had been going around town that the three siblings had something to do with it. This aggravated the emotional turmoil in the family.    

    These many challenges that the Rowan siblings faced stirred a lot of emotions in me;  anger at how their mother treated them when they were still young; sympathy for the siblings who had to deal with difficult situations because of the death of their parents; fear that the justice would not be on their side; fascination about the power of an empath; curiosity about their neighbors’ reaction and reception to the siblings’ power;  and hope that everything would end up well for the family and for the town. With all these emotions that I felt while reading, I could say that the book is difficult to forget.    

    Another thing that I liked which surprised me was the romantic part of the story. We have this word in Filipino that describes romantic excitement or the feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you see your crush or someone being romantically sweet to another person. The word is “kilig”. The romantic story definitely has a kilig factor for me. The author was able to fuse this part into the main story well.   

    Also, the twist in the story was unexpected. I didn’t see it coming until the author revealed the person who started all the chaos in Rowans’ lives. 

    On the other hand, there’s one thing that I wished to know, the history of their mother. I wanted to understand why she became wicked not only towards her children but also to their neighbors. 

    I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this book. If you are into magical realism, this book is for you.

    I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Byrd Nash and Book Siren. 

Contents

Neanderthals were sometimes thought of as primitive, dumb, or barbaric. That is how many of us picture them– just as we’ve seen in movies and TV shows featuring a primitive man covered in animal skins, walking hunched over, and uttering two-syllable words in a guttural voice.

But the book, Kindred, tells us a different story. It doesn’t only describe the physical, social, and cognitive aspects of Neanderthals but also provides significant information about who truly they were based on Neanderthal bones, rock shelters, tools, and other evidence that were discovered in caves from Europe to Central Asia. Contrary to common beliefs, Neanderthals walked upright, were intelligent, and were creative in their own way.

Kindred is written by Rebecca Wragg Sykes, an archaeologist and writer who is passionate about human history and prehistory. She focuses on the lifestyle, behavior, and ancient technology of early humans, especially Neanderthals. She aims to make history easy to understand through her books and talks and to bring people together.