Tag: Book Review

What If the Stranger is God?

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A Book Review

The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

I doubt I have to say how much I love Mitch Albom. At this point, many of you should be well aware. Lol! If you’re a good writer, I look forward to your work. If you’re a great writer, I pine over it.

Mitch has proven to be a great writer; the older he gets, the better he becomes. I hope I’ll be reading his work for many years to come.

The Stranger in the Lifeboat is such a touching story. It made me think about the many times I doubted God after asking for help and for signs about things of which I was unsure, and God never left my side even during my faltering faith.

He remained. He is.

Here is the review for this incredible piece of literature:

“God Gifts Us What We Need

And He does so when we need it. This book shook me to my core. Ten people, shipwrecked and forced to spend multiple days with each other on a lifeboat miss out on the opportunity to live because they would not believe.

How can you read that and not be stunned? After a glorious yacht (The Galaxy), owned by multimillionaire, Jason Lambert, explodes, he and nine other people are tasked with a challenge from the Lord: believe in him, vocalize it, and they would be saved.

As I read through the pages and learned the stories of each character’s life, I had hoped that someone would gather up everyone and create an atmosphere devoted to believing the Lord was on board with them, and they could be saved.

I was wrong. No one believed hard enough. And those who did believe, only did so when sprinkles of miracles were placed in order by the Lord, Him/Herself.

Everyone wanted to get out of the situation in which they had been placed, yet no one had the heart and faith to rally the other beings so a longer life could be extended to each of them.

You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll shake your head in total disbelief at the things that occur in this book.

Mitch Albom has crafted a fictional story that feels real and will stun the reader without a doubt. This is the kind of book you read and then tell a friend to tell a friend and so on until a long line of avid readers have connected through these words.

I truly enjoyed The Stranger in the Lifeboat, and I know you will, too.”

I believe we are given helpful tools when we least expect them. This book was/is my helpful tool.

Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?

Remembering My Happy Place

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A Book Review

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

When I was a child, before I became an adult before my time, it didn’t take much to put a smile on my face. I was active; I played sports, read many books, did a ton of writing, and watched movies/famous television shows.

And of course, I tore up and down the city streets with my friends, but I ensured I was inside before the street lights came on.

So, it’s no wonder, I would find myself nesting inside my happy place while reading Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It is a beautiful place to be, and while I’m in my forties now, I feel a stronger connection to all things pure & serene.

Below is the review I did for this incredible work of fiction by such an amazing writer who was well before his time:

“Reading This Brought Back So Many Memories

And I was in my happy place for the entire reading of this book. Roald Dahl was such a master of words and personification. He truly painted so many vivid and distinctive images in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

This book is a stress-reliever. I laughed and slapped my knee at some of the verses shared by the Oompa-Loompas of the mischievously selfish and rude children. Everything about the book transported me to my grade school years.

I imagined myself in the children’s shoes; taste-testing many of Mr. Wonka’s unique creations and drinking from a chocolate river. My sweet tooth was ignited with every turn of the page.

It brought back so many memories of enjoying Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. I found myself linking some of the scenes in the movie to a lot of the scenes described in the book.

I knew I would enjoy every moment of reading this book, and I am glad I did so.

If you feel like being nostalgic and traveling down old roads of yore, I recommend Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You’ll definitely be happy you went along for the ride!”

During these current times, while fires blaze and wars continue to rage on, we could all use more happy places.

Honeysuckle Heat Is Full of Passion & Heartache

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A Book Review

Honeysuckle Heat by Michele Lee Sefton. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

Recently, I read Michele Lee Sefton’s novella, Honeysuckle Heat, and was left feeling a bit bothered by both characters. Before you ask, this is a good thing.

I had become invested in their love affair, their actions, and the one-sidedness and obsessiveness of their relationship. I felt bad for Matthew and total contempt for Jacqueline. Michele developed layered characters who are believable and easy to relate to.

Here is the review for it:

“Short, Sweet, & Devastatingly Good

Honeysuckle Heat is a novella that starts off passionate and strong but rolls into details of a man obsessed with a woman who appears to be self-centered and narcissistic.

Matthew, I thought, was such a layered character who devoted his love, time, and care to a woman, Jacqueline, who only seemed satisfied when the world revolved around her.

I thought the author did a great job sharing their personalities and crafting their story around the occurrences surrounding their complicated relationship.

I felt sorry for Matthew because he was so blinded by Jacqueline’s beauty and body that he couldn’t tap into how one-sided their brief reunion was.

I was happy with the turn of events at the end. It was unexpected, but definitely comforting to read. It leaves me wondering what will happen for both of them in the near future.

This is another great read by Michele Lee Sefton, allowing the reader to see the sensual side of her creative mind.”

If you’re a fan of sensual, passionate, love/like/lust, this book is one you should read. You will definitely become just as invested as I did.

A World of Limitless Dreams

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A Book Review

Flit Flutter Float by Gail Boenning Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

Gail Boenning is a writer/artist I became acquainted with on one of my used-to-be-favorite writing platforms, Medium. She is intentional with her word selection, fluid in her delivery, and a great artist, too.

I reviewed another book of hers in December of last year—POISE: Facing Cancer with Grace and Resilience, but did not share it here. You can read it via Amazon by clicking on the link. But here is a blurb about it just to heighten your curiosity:

Gail’s story in bite-sized vignettes was helpful and fulfilling. I felt as though I was walking right along with her throughout every phase, but not directly–indirectly. I was an outsider looking in, and I enjoyed my time spent there.

It was of no surprise to me that Flit Flutter Float (a playful guide) would be just as enjoyable. I was wOWed, sent to my #happyplace, and remained there the entire time.

The review:

“A Bit of Sunshine During These Gloomy Days

Gail never ceases to amaze me! I am happy to see her take her art to a whole new level. In Flit Flutter Float, she offers 33 fun, philosophical, and witty micropoems that remind us to be limitless.

For each poem, there is an animal with a suitable name, a quirky dilemma, and an airtight solution. The illustrations made me smile, and I connected with a number of the poems shared. I would venture to say the book is definitely for ages 13 and older.

Some of the references may go over the younger ones’ heads, but I am certain anyone can take delight in the art shared.

I could read this over and over again, and I have this feeling, I would never tire of it.”

If you need some light reading with a playful air about it, too, I highly recommend Flit Flutter Float.

If Only I Had a Portable Door

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A Book Review

The Portable Door by Tom Holt. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

I had never read anything by Tom Holt before, but after watching the movie for The Portable Door, I felt compelled to read the book. It seemed appropriate to do so.

Knowing how I am and what I would feel if I didn’t read the book, I bit the proverbial bullet, carted it, and then eventually made the purchase.

Below is the review I submitted for Amazon:

“I Should Have Read the Book Before Watching the Movie

However, I only found out about the book by watching the movie, so . . . there’s the rub. As phenomenal writing goes with a splash of wit, a dash of sarcasm, and vividly created scenes, The Portable Door (Book 1 of 8), is a fantastic read.

But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that I much prefer the movie versus the book. In the book, it took a while to get to the “good stuff,” and I found myself trying to link one story to another and another to another, and it felt like more of me putting a jigsaw puzzle together than reading a book.

This was not a deterrent, though, just a bit of a challenge.

Around Chapter 8 is where I became quite invested in most of the characters and the author’s way of bringing each of them to light. There is magic, mystery, sexual innuendoes, debauchery, and madness flooding the pages. Once I was into the thick of it, I couldn’t look away.

It’s a great read that has persuaded me to check out the rest of the books in the series.”

I think it’s such an intriguing concept to have a compact door you can just flip out, affix it to a hard surface, open it, and say the name of the place you wish to go, then step through the door and you’re there!

People, that’s far more than magic, that is approved sought-after sanity.