Pre-Pub Party for...Gooseberry Island by Steven Manchester

Hi guys and gals!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we are exploring a soon to be released title (IN STORES 01/06/15!) from one of my favorite authors.  No, really!  Every work of his that I've read thus far has been memorable, moving, and touched my heart....and yes, I've read more than one.  Let's see there was Twelve Months, Goodnight Brian, The Rockin' Chair, Pressed Pennies....need I go on?  Every one was a jewel in its own right and now, we're adding another one to the crown.  Ladies and gents, please join me in a pre-pub celebration for today's book of choice....

Gooseberry Island

by

Steven Manchester

9781611881806

The Story Plant

About the book....

They met at the worst possible moment…or maybe it was just in time. David McClain was about to go to war and Lindsey Wood was there at his going-away party, capturing his heart when falling for a woman was the last thing on his mind. While David was serving his country, he stayed in close contact with Lindsey. But war changes a person, and when he came home very little had the same meaning that it had before – including the romance that had sustained him. Was love truly unconquerable, or would it prove to be just another battlefield casualty?

AMAZON    |    BARNES & NOBLE    |    iBOOKS    |    KOBO    |    INDIEBOUND 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stick to my previous assessment of this author's work....pure genius.

Here we have another touching story that is sure to move many readers.  The lead characters are beyond relatable, in fact you may even recognize your friends, family, or yourself in THEM.  This time around, we have two star crossed potential lovers who meet at a crossroads in both their lives.  She has pretty much given up the search for love and he is shipping out soon for a year long tour with the Rangers (also jilted by love).  They are both looking for something more than a coupling or a few good nights.  They are looking for forever...and little do they know that it is also looking for them.  The thing about dreams come true though is that often times it's not as imagined; saying this story is a case in point would be an understatement.  They are given just one night before the distance between them would be measured in miles followed by heartbeats.  One night to forge a connection worth sustaining.  Does it work?  Sure...in the sweetest way possible but also the most tragic.  The connection that's made will carry them in each other's hearts for many moons to come but whether or not they actually end up together is something that only the stars know for now....

I can't say enough of this story.  It really hits a nerve with the war time stories and the reality of what goes on can be overwhelming....both during and after.  One issue given suitable coverage is PTSD....or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  It's a condition the many war vets suffer from and can be just as debilitating as a flesh wound.  The fact of the matter is that it's nothing to be ashamed of and asking for help in dealing with it is a sign of courage in my eyes from what I've read.  I'm not the only one either.  Keep reading, there's a special promotion from both the author and publisher in relation to this towards the end of the post....

In conclusion (because if I don't draw one, I'll keep going and going and going), if you like reads with heart, have a sense of something bigger than yourself, and love stories you can step right into for better or worse, THIS is the book for you.  It's a feast for the heart and mind as well as a call to those suffering the effects of PTSD to seek the help they need.  Recommended read for older teens and beyond...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the author...

After returning home from a difficult tour of duty in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, I stepped back behind the walls of a Massachusetts penitentiary where I battled each day as a prison investigator. Needless to say, there was great negativity in my life at that time, and very little opportunity to heal from my wartime demons (or pursue my dreams of being published). I finally decided to return to college to finish my degree in Criminal Justice. During one of the classes, my professor, Barry McKee, detailed police work, but barely touched on other topics. I finally raised his hand and asked, “As the criminal justice system is so vast, what about the courts, probation, parole – corrections?” Barry smiled and told me to see him after class. I thought I’d done it! In his office, Barry explained, “Except from the slanted perspectives of inmates, there’s no real written material out there on corrections, or prisons.” Barry smiled again and then dropped the bomb that would change my life forever. “If you’re so smart,” he said, “why don’t you write it?” It was the last push I needed to get writing. Nine months later, I placed the first draft of 6-5; A Different Shade of Blue (under the pen name, Steven Herberts) on Barry’s desk. From then on, I was hooked. I was a writer.

When not spending time with my kids and wife, I’m either writing, teaching, or promoting my published books/films.

SITE   |    FACEBOOK

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to author Steven Manchester for the chance to feature his work yet again as well as the review copy.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, or anything else that may have crossed your mind in relation to this post, feel free to click the links included above.  This title is set to release TOMORROW, January 6th, 2015 via The Story Plant, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.  Oh, and one more thing....

The Story Plant is running a special promotion that they are hoping to send VIRAL...and trust me, you'll want to help.  

From now until January 31, 2015, we will donate $1 to the Wounded Warrior Project for every copy of Gooseberry Island that is pre-ordered and sold. All you have to do is email us a copy of your receipt and we will make the donation. In addition to that, we will also donate a copy of the e-book to returning soldiers, one donation for each copy sold.

Until next time...happy reading!

Become a part of....The Collection of Heng Souk by S.R. Wilsher

Greetings fellow readers!

Welcome back to the site that aims to please the reader in you every day of the week, Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

 Okay, so the likelihood of me appeasing everyone’s reading interests EVERY day is a bit far fetched, however that doesn’t mean that A) I can’t try, and B) I won’t succeed in some fashion at least.  Take today’s featured title…it’s an ebook (1 point for reading outside my favored box) with a distinctly historical tinge (2 points) dealing with violent acts carried out in times of war (3 points) that lends to us a new perspective, whether we sought it or not (I’d add another point, but I think you see where I’m going with this ^_^). An ebook specifically for the much older teen or adult reader, I give to you today’s title of choice…

The Collection of Heng Souk

By

S.R. Wilsher

For those of you that frequent the site, you know my preference of reading format…and no, I’m not going to launch into my usual spiel about how I prefer tree books to ebooks etcetera etcetera (though I guess I sorta did just by mentioning it…hmm…).  The reason this holds some significance is because this book was an EBOOK; something I struggle with not only checking off my list but also retaining, and general enjoyment.  This one?  HAD.  ME.  HOOKED.  See why I said there was significance?

Honestly speaking, though I’ve read more than I’d prefer of this format in the past (long live the TREE BOOK!)…what can I say, I’m a lover of the written word at heart, if it speaks to me, I simply can’t say no….or at least try not to…I can’t truly remember the last time I was THIS involved in a book.  See, for me (yes, here I go again), ebooks are convenient if A) I’ve finished my current read, or B) it’s the only option available for reading/reviewing a title; in this case, it was the latter…but oh how I wish it wasn’t. 

It begins with a death and ends with death, and if you can guess the in-betweens, you’re not paying close enough attention to the story unfolding.   There is SO MUCH MORE going on here, so many lives affected, I highly recommend staying in the moment no matter how much it furrows your brow.  The story straddles both somewhat current times and that of the Vietnam War, centering on Sun, niece to infamous war veteran Heng Souk, just after the passing of her father.  His standing as a hero or criminal is dependent on your view of the situation and word to the wise, be prepared for your standing to be challenged several times throughout the story.  It’s that whole “walk a mile in another man’s shoes” business…very telling, very humbling, very interesting results.  Anywho, traversing their home city of Hanoi, she seeks out her estranged uncle in order to accomplish the last wishes of his brother…the delivery (or return?) of a package whose contents are deadly in ways one wouldn’t imagine, both to the present AND the past.  The wounds it will reopen are many, the paths it will shine a light on are littered with past transgressions and future mistakes, but despite the hardships and discoveries hiding just within the shadows, the journey is worth it in the end for all involved. 

This tale packs a serious punch.  I had to remind myself at times that it is a work of Fiction because despite it being my step Dad’s tendency, not my own, to read/study war times, it FELT real….scary real...and I was hooked.  The story captures you, blinds your sensibilities and turns your reality upside down...at least whilst within the e-pages.  One moment you know who the “bad guy” is and the next, you’re questioning that snap decision because you’re seeing it through different eyes and different circumstances.  Any one of the characters can be seen in both lights.  Sun, Heng, Thomas, Ephraim…each plays both roles at some point or another in their life stories.  I found it funny, no…that’s not the right word…perhaps unexpected, that a seemingly secondary character is actually the heart of one of the multiple stories within.  I liked the combination of current events, recollections and journal entries; they worked seamlessly together and yet made their mark individually.  It can be hard for an author to get readers to connect with one set of characters following one plot line, let alone two, nay three that eventually overlap, intertwine, and burst into a fiery ball of words that you’ll be hanging on to every syllable of.   Don’t believe me?  Well then, I guess you’ll just have to read it, huh…. *smirk*

In the end, a read I would highly recommend to Fiction and History fans alike.  There’s unseen danger and mystery, lovers found and left behind, deeds to reconcile and fates to accept….all adding up to several lives being changed in ways they never even fathomed.   Contemplating the meaning of the title will take you many places, all of which warrant exploration in conversation…something to definitely consider if selecting for a book group read.  It’s an amazing journey both heart wrenching and unnerving in the same breath, but one thing’s for sure, you won’t leave the story with the same impression of any of the characters you began with.  Bookmarks up to this author indeed.  

Ebook for review received courtesy of author S. R. Wilsher.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as the author’s other works, be sure to stop by their official site.  This ebook is available now so be on the lookout for it on a virtual shelf near you...to help you on your quest, here's a quick link or two....

Until next time…happy reading!

High Hopes: Betti On the High Wire by Lisa Railsback

Hello again!

Hope your week is treating you well...if not, Friday is just over the horizon.  See it?  Right there!  That little speck that keeps getting brighter and brighter.  ^_^  For a little dose of added fun to your day, don't forget to check out the contest listings in the sidebars!  Right side has current ones right here on the site...and on the left side we have a selection of a few around the blogosphere.  Moving on...

Yesterday's post featured a book that showed us that even in times of darkness, there are sources of unexpected light.  Today's post, along the same lines but in the genre of Children's Fiction and dressed with a story not to be missed.  It came to my attention back in July when the Got Books? Event was in full swing.  I had read another book by the author (Noonie's Masterpiece) and having enjoyed it thoroughly was asked if I was interested in this new publication.  A brief research trip around the web later and I was in.  The only thing I didn't realize...how a heavier a topic was actually at the root of the book; a good yet unexpected surprise.  Without further adieu, today's book of choice is....

Betti On the High Wire

by

Lisa Railsback

Babo is a child of the circus.  With stars in her eyes and her steadily walking the high wire, she has hope in a time of hopelessness.  You see, she lives in a place with other "leftover" kids amid the burned remains of a circus that was and a war that still is.  The BOOM BOOM BOOM of bombs and shots nearby are nothing new to those living in this war torn country; the recent visits from the Melons are though.  The Melons promise to help...bring peace to their country, safety to their numbers, none of which has been seen to date, so when their visits grow in frequency, it is certainly cause for alarm....or so Babo believes.  After their visits, their numbers always begin to wane as they loose one child or another to "Amer-eeka" and the Melons.  This visit....Babo has caught one couple's interest.  Babo has no interest in changing her name to Betti or leaving her makeshift family and friends; after all when her parents return, how will they find her?  The next step she takes will change her world in more ways than one...forever....

A wonderful story from start to finish, filled with imagination, hard earned life experience, and hope, it's hard not to fall into step with young Betti.  With vivid detail even in a broken language, you get a view of the world through young eyes that have seen much in a short time.  Speaking of short, the chapters are set up for easy reading (short and sweet), but the over length allows it to be finished in an afternoon, thus facilitating those readers that simply can't bear to part with her story.
So why is this book getting such a high rating (not number wise on here, but high praises)? Because it is simply that good. It's not that it's a wildly made up fantasy about sparkly paranormal creatures (YAY, Twilight!) or shape changing critters...though I love stories about both and the little girl in this story DOES have quite an imagination, after all she is born of the circus, is she not?  Her mother being the tallest woman in the world with a tail, and her father the green alligator man.  It's not that it's a true story being recounted breath by breath...though it certainly could be and is in some fashion for many out there, sad as that may be.

The reason it IS...is in the way the story speaks straight to your heart....bypassing the mind and thought process that begs you to straighten out misspoken words (Betti has to learn English, there's a learning curve...and yet her reasoning in the mean time about things ranges from funny to logical), or make sense of non-sensible situations (Betti's stories both old and new all have a kernel of truth....extracting it is the adventure). It speaks in a language that we can all understand on some level. It combines the storytelling abilities of young Betti (which are certainly wonderful if scary true at times) while delivering a truth about her and her life that's inevitable. You see it coming...that realization that dawns in her young mind...and yet not as you are held captive by the level of emotions released page by page. 

You can't help but feel for her as she struggles to come to grips with all the new-ness around her while coming to an understanding about the past.  The fact that one of her friends (George) from the circus camp ends up being adopted by someone in her neighborhood certainly helps her in the beginning (so she has someone that understands her and where she comes from...truly), but adds to her frustrations as he seems to be falling into his new life gracefully while she flounders.  The turmoil Betti experiences trying to stay true to her "circus" self while carefully avoiding enjoyment of new activities, friends, and family...though this last one sneaks up on her....is enough to make you want to reach through the pages and give her a hug.

***POTENTIALLY SPOILERISH*** (It won't ruin the story for you, but in case you don't want to know about a little extra note about the way Betti's story is laid out, avoid this paragraph.)***  Another aspect of the book certainly worth a mention is the lack of location.  As you are reading, you're bound to look back time and again to try and recollect the country she is from.  Try as you may, you won't find one (believe me, I looked!).  This was actually something done entirely according to plan (and executed quite well, if I may add) on the part of the author.  The reason behind it is listed in an author's note section at the end of the story.  According to the piece, she didn't want to bring a spotlight to one area or another with this story...rather, ALL those suffering in places ravaged by war.  It leaves the story as something that can be related to by readers worldwide in times of war and times of peace. ***POTENTIAL SPOILER OVER***

Certainly a story that children can enjoy with it's recounting of circus life, the "lie berry" and "fow tins" (just a few of the fun new words Betti learns)...but also a very touching book for the adult reader with whom the real world tragedies may echo even deeper.  It's not often you get a healthy dose of reality in a fiction novel that still leaves you with smile on your face and dreams of a better tomorrow.

ARC for review courtesy of author Lisa Railsback and Dial Books for Young Readers, and imprint of Penguin Group USA, Inc.  (THANKS!)  For more information in the author's current works, check out her website.  To find out more about this title and the other treasures in their current catalog, visit the publisher's site, or follow along on Twitter.

Until next time....happy reading!