Peace is found within...: KARINA by E.B. Mann

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're burning the midnight (okay, so heading towards midnight) oil as we cram as much as possible into our one day off.  No seriously...a little sleep, a bit of shopping, a stop off for some lunch, READING (of course!), and now some blogging.  Whew! I'm tired just typing it and I lived through it so, you know...definitely tired, but still, I had my fun along the way.  Speaking of which, back to that last checklist item of blogging...

GET READY because here comes a late breaking review!  Why?  Well because, frankly, I'm low on time and sometimes a review without a specific due date gets shuffled here, there, and everywhere, including the actual post time.  Gotta love flexibility and with that being said, I'm asking you to keep an open mind as we dive into today's chosen title.  It calls home Middle Grade, but with the topics of discussion, I'd gauge it as the older end of that group or even Young Adult, but any way you classify it, you're in for an interesting read.  Ready or not, here comes today's book of choice...

Karina

by

E.B. Mann

About the book...

For Karina Morgan, every day is another chance to be bullied by the pretty girls at school–all because of an accident when she was just a baby that left her horribly scarred. Her life seems hopeless, until she stumbles upon a mysterious cave near her home. What she learns from the cave's extraordinary inhabitants will change her perspective–and her life–forever.

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A much headier tale than I initially imagined, but filled with the positive message of "reader, heal thyself".  Karina was hurt by the world, once upon a time, but that hurt, that accident, created a rift in how she approached life. The world was no longer her oyster, but an oyster farm, out to get her when she least suspected. One day, she stumbles upon the door to her inner voice (stay with me) and after this initial discovery, she is changed. She no longer sees simply the ugliness of the world, but the hidden battle between our true selves and that which we present to the world. Visit after visit, she comes to understand that while her skills for "seeing" are unique, that inner realm exists for each person, if only they'd look deep enough within to find it, trust that little voice to guide them in the right direction. She finds it's something she can help others with, but not simply show them, as the journey to that level of understanding is very personal, and the path to get there varied. By book's end, she's covered much ground within, allowing her to better accept the coming changes in her life as beloved people say goodbye and her future looms on the horizon...and although it does have its sad moments, it also has times of great joy and happiness, making it not something to dread but to look forward to. Word to the wise, you have to go into this one with an open mind because if you don't believe in the concepts presented (reincarnation, the circle of life, the power of positive thinking), or at the very least accept that others do, it won't reveal its true colors, because although it is fiction, it deals with something "real world" enough that completely suspending your beliefs can be a challenge. Despite the heavy concepts covered, I did rather enjoy my time between the pages. Exploring Karina's "world" was breathtaking, making you take a moment to bask in its otherworldly beauty while it also made you stop and think, contemplating just how it could possibly be.  Overall, a curious read from start to finish, but it had enough heart to bring all the feels of the moments presented a dozen times over.

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About author E.B. Mann...

Hi! I'm a novelist and mom of one, who thinks the world would be a fascinating--and possibly much better--place if girls were in charge. I'm interested in anything that can help explain why we're all here on this planet or bring a tear to my eye.

SITE

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Special thanks to author E.B. Mann for the copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, or the author, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

The Dog Behind Me by David Belisle

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're diving between the pages of an ebook that struck a chord in my wide ranging curiosity when it arrived in my inbox.  It's from a new-to-me author, but happens to be the FIFTH release in his published repertoire and while the title may raise an eyebrow or two, the story is much deeper, much darker, and much more insightful than at first you might think.  So, SIT...STAY...and get ready to meet today's title in the spotlight...

The Dog Behind Me

by

David Belisle

About the book...

Jake Belvedere grew up without the father he desperately needed. High school diploma in hand, he reaches out to his father, who reluctantly takes him into his Brooklyn apartment. Jake returns home six months later however, his father having cut the cord, severing their relationship. The 18-year-old struggles to understand.

Shortly thereafter, his father dies of a heart attack. A distraught Jake spirals downward out of control, landing on the cold, unforgiving streets of Calgary.

Seven years pass. A black Labrador retriever happens upon Jake. The stray dog is the reincarnation of his father -- a fact all too obvious for the Lab, but lost upon the young man. The two begin a journey of survival and a second chance at the relationship they never had.

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If you're thinking this is going to be a light and fluffy read, think again.  

The story follows Brian aka D.B. aka Buddy aka a lot of other names befitting man's best friend (sorta) from his new start in life, or rather his NEXT life....as a dog.  Yep, that's right.  The old guy bit it on the shores of California after living hard-ish, fast-ish, and most certainly neglecting his own health as well as the well-being of the family/friends that surrounded him.  I know, it sounds harsh the way I phrased his demise, but really...he wasn't the greatest of men.  Good thing he has a second chance then, right?  I mean it makes sense that his spirit is imbued in the four-legged friends we turn to, depend on, care for, and ultimately love as much as they love us, when his reality was so much different.  Perhaps he'll learn a lesson or two...and eventually, he might be able to TEACH a lesson or two as well.  Who exactly would be the student of a dog?  How about his wayward son...thrown off course by his father's death in such an extreme way, it'll take a miracle to bring him back to port...or perhaps not.  Maybe all he needs is the right furry friend, and the kindness of a stranger (Holly) to  kick start the change in outlook he needs to pursue his potential (or even regular bathing) once again?

I admit, on the whole, it wasn't a bad story.  I think the grittiness of the story will hep reach a larger audience while showing all too well how people are affected differently by change.  It encourages us to reach out to our fellow man because you never know who that struggling person on the corner was before their change in situation or who they could be one day...yet in the mean time, they ARE still a person, situation be darned.  There's definitely a "seize the day" quality to it, so that regrets are not what we are tallying in our final moments, as well as a high esteem for man's best friend and the lessons they can teach us.  What I found funny though is that I enjoyed looking at life much more through Buddy's eyes than Jake's...perhaps it was the wisdom Buddy had already obtained versus the extreme nature of Jake's dive off the reality wagon into ambiguity, but I felt much more for Buddy's plight than Jake's.  In hindsight, I see it was the only way he knew how to deal, but for my conscious mind, it was hard to break away from the thought that he did this to himself...punished himself for something that was never his fault.

In the end, it was a curious read that will have you looking at your fellow man with new eyes and a greater respect for the history they hide beneath their veneer.  Recommended for adult readers.

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About the author...

David Belisle is a novelist and screenwriter in search of the next Great Guffaw. Like getting splashed with a bucket of Gatorade, it's a good time that sticks with you. A Scrabble-playing, fantasy sports buff, the Calgary-based Belisle has sharpened his pencils in New York, Nebraska and the always fun to pronounce Flin Flon, Manitoba.

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

TWITTER

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Special thanks to author David Belisle for the ebook for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or his other works, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title just celebrated its BOOK BIRTHDAY earlier this month (August 5, 2017), so click on over to your favorite online retailer to download your copy today.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!