Robin Goodfellow's Blog, page 10
October 3, 2023
Book Review for I Look to the Gentle Rain: A Book of Poems and Writing Prompts for the Aching Heart by Liz Newman
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
I Look to the Gentle Rain: A Book of Poems and Writing Prompts for the Aching Heart, by Liz Newman, is a poetry collection about Newman coping with her father’s death and finding comfort in the sorrow. The collection is separated into four sections. Section One: The Tender Ache described the raw emotions coursing through her when her father died. Section Two: The Ebbs and Flows illustrated her struggling to deal with her loss, with some days more manageable than others. Section Three: The Gentle Rain encourages poet to mourn, and to hold space for beloved memories, even if she can no longer recreate them. Section Four: The Hope That Grows reveals that even though Newman continues to feel her father’s presence, she also treasures him and connects with others who loved him just as much as she did. Alongside this collection are exercises that may support those who are experiencing grief.
Newman’s grief is palpable. The lyrics she uses accurately show the torrent of emotions that wash over someone when they lose a loved one. Despite that, she also knows to hold space for herself. I love the line, “I’m hurting, but I’m here.” This line alone means a lot to me, mainly because when a disaster, emotional or natural or otherwise, almost everyone will leave. It’s the ones who stay that you know are true friends. This, of course, includes being there for yourself, and letting yourself feel, even when it hurts to do so. Some people can’t do that, and that escape turns into an addiction (alcohol, work, eating, sex, etc.). But for those, like the poet, who can hold space for herself in her heart, they strengthen themselves and build resiliency. I feel there were times Newman doubted her ability to manage her grief, but she did.
What’s more, I like how realistic Newman is with her grief. Unbeknownst to many, grief doesn’t come in stages; sometimes a person will be angry, and then accept the death, before getting mad all over again. Sometimes the depression doesn’t fade. Sometimes the pain is just too unbearable you have to shove your feelings away and focus on something else, just until you’re ready to express them again without overwhelming yourself. The exercises towards the end of the book definitely helps with that.
As such, I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
October 2, 2023
Book Review for Bittersweet Injuries by Kateri Stanley
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
Bittersweet Injuries, by Kateri Stanley, is an urban fantasy about an angel who, despite her mistakes and growing recklessness, embraces her humanity, and in doing so, falls in love with a human. Marcus is a retired therapist who receives a mysterious text inviting him to meet up with an equally mysterious person. After realizing the text had come from an ex, Lilly, an angel, the two meet up and decide to rekindle their relationship. As Marcus tries to cope with Lily’s abrupt return to his life, Lily attempts to watch over her new assignment, Marcus’s son Greg. Her self-control is tested when Greg starts drowning in self-loathing, which is slowly feeding into a tragedy no one could see. Unable to no longer turn a blind eye, Lily and Marcus must find a way to save Greg despite the sins he’s committed.
To be completely honest, although Lily saving Marcus was a good start to their relationship, killing his mother was not. And no matter how twisted it seems, Lily killing Greg seemed just as malevolent. It speaks volumes to Lily’s anger; even though she thinks she’s doing the right thing, she isn’t giving anyone chances. She just can’t see beyond her own needs and the damage she’s causing. I need to agree with the Snake here: Lily is the perfect embodiment of wrath. She allows her emotions to overtake her, doesn’t think of anything other than how to satisfy her needs, even if it doesn’t seem like it at first. Her entire character actually reminds me of a conversation I had with my husband. While volunteering at a crisis shelter, I told him about the women and men who came through there, fleeing domestic violence relationships. He told me he could never work at a place like that, since all he’d be doing is hunting down the abusers and giving them their just desserts. I asked what he meant by that, and he never did clarify, but I knew what he wanted to do.
Interestingly enough, I consider Marcus the complete opposite, at least until Lily showed up. Rather than giving into his emotions, he practiced self-restraint, and was able to live a better life because of it. He didn’t necessarily move on from Lily, but he was able to build a respectable life for himself. I appreciated the relationship he had with Nell, and how patient he was when Greg fell into drugs. It’s heartbreaking to see him almost being forced to turn his back on his son. At the same time, I could understand just how frustrated he was. I’m not gonna lie; recovering from substance misuse is no joke. There’s gonna be a lot of relapses, a lot of lies, a lot of hurt and pain, and unfortunately, that’s a part of the process.
I enjoyed the emotional intensity built up throughout the book. I liked how Lily wasn’t glorified for her actions, and how, despite her thinking she was doing the right thing, she was still punished. I liked how Marcus was able to find some semblance of peace, even though his ending wasn’t what I envisioned for him. And even though addiction is, in and of itself, isolating, I loved how Greg’s family came together in the end, even though it was too little, too late. Although there were some side plots that were rushed, and the sex scenes could’ve been fleshed out more, I enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more from the author.
For now, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5.
September 30, 2023
Book Review for Beneath Gehenna by Benjamin X. Wretlind
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
Beneath Gehenna, by Benjamin X. Wretlind, is a dark dystopian about a man living through an apocalyptic nightmare and surviving in spite of the pain and loss. The book is separated into five parts. Part I: Gehenna is Nigh introduces Geoffrey Alan Thompson, a wealthy middle aged man and his insufferable wife Portia, who flee to New Eden after receiving an ominous warning. Part II: New Eden describes the new environment the ultra-rich and wealthy have found themselves in, and how Alan, despite his wealth, is still at the bottom of the social ladder, similar to his early days of financial difficulties. In Part III:The Mission, the end of the world becomes an impossible reality as communication lines are cut and New Eden becomes isolated from the population. During this time, Geoffrey, alongside a trusted group of friends, takes it upon himself to try and find some semblance of life on the outside. In Part IV: Our Hell, Geoffrey and his friends finally understand the hell that has descended upon the world, as a mysterious phenomena forces themselves to relive the traumas of the past. Finally, in Part V: The Return, Geoffrey returns to New Eden to report his findings, only to discover that New Eden has fallen, replaced by a fragile monarchy that is unable to fend for itself.
I loved the similarities between Geoffrey and the other characters, more specifically Elisa. I liked how everyone on the ship had come to escape something, whether it be the literal end of the world, or a domestic violence situation, or poverty, or homelessness, or whatever else society decided to toss into the fire. It’s funny how then, once he steps off the ship, he and all his friends are confronted with the same problems they were trying to run away from. That being said, Portia interested me more than she should. She came from nothing. She knew it, and she knew how hard it’d been. She didn’t want to go back to the same situation she’d been in, but on the other hand, she fully expected other people to take care of her, like a child who read too many fairytales. All this time she’d been cheating on Geoffrey, I wonder if it was because she wanted to see who could provide for her. She wanted to come up with a safety plan in case something happened to Geoffrey, or if he wanted to divorce her. Was she smart about it? No. Was she spoiled? Yes, but she relied on what she knew what to do.
The concept of Gehenna being some sort of purgatory reminded me of a sermon I listened to once, that people grow when they’re thrown into the fire. Because people are supposedly naturally resilient, surely they’d be able to mold themselves into something great. This, unfortunately, is a bit of a stereotype, albeit a positive one. I’ve only started working as a therapist and already I can tell that some people just can’t handle the burdens life throws at them. Whether it be an addiction, or a phobia, or a trauma that haunts them so, they’re doomed to stay in their own personal hells until they find a way out. Time isn’t linear; the past stays with us until we get over it, or we find a way to cope with it.
There was a lot going on in this book, and while the storylines were all interesting, I wished they were more fleshed out. For instance, I would’ve wanted to know what was going on in the ship when Geoffrey and his friends left. I would’ve liked to see the outside world when Gehenna descended. I would’ve wanted to explore the depths of Mezzanine, as well as how the upper classes interacted with the lower classes. While I did enjoy seeing through Geoffrey’s lenses, despite his daring attitude (I mentally cheered when he stood up to Portia), I felt the story could’ve benefited if there were other character POVs to build up this horrifying yet fascinating world.
As such, I would give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Book Review for The Forestwomen: A Journal, A Journey by Sissel Wage and Illustrated by Ivan Josipovic
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
The Forestwomen: A Journal, A Journey by Sissel Wage and illustrated by Ivan Josipovic, is a journal dedicated to encouraging the reader to look at their environment and learn from it. Each page delves into different nature exercises that the reader can utilize to be more grounded in the present. Moreover, the reader can write about these experiences in the journal, thus promoting further reflection.
Do you remember The Shadow Work Journal everyone’s talking about on Tik Tok? This journal’s like that, but provides a more relaxed approach to your mental health, rather than assaulting you with trauma, tears, and more tears (although I do admire that approach). The illustrations provide a whimsical atmosphere for the reader to nourish their mental and emotional health. I do feel that this journal is more appropriate for safety planning and goal setting, rather than working through previous past wounds, but it can definitely help declutter your brain. It can help you set priorities that you’ll later benefit from down the road, and identify values that are most important to you.
I also like how Wage encourages the reader to learn from a plant’s habitat, rather than any metaphysical properties forests have. The market is already saturated with plant meanings that, while seems lovely, have nothing to do with how the plant grows or behaves in the environment. I loved the scientific terms that Wage uses, and the parallels she makes with humans. I especially love the way she uses mycorrhizae which, for those of you who don’t know, are fungi that form symbiotic relationships with plants and break down nutrients for them. She compares this to that of breaking down challenging goals into more manageable ones. True, nature can be cruel, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find any lessons in them.
What interests me the most about this journal is the title. It reminds me of earth spirituality that is predominantly female led. Then again, women have had a history of being accused as witches, and oftentimes we’re closer to the “womb of the earth” than men are. Or at least that’s the stereotype. Regardless, it’s a good book if you’re looking for some empowerment. Personally, I would’ve liked to see more mental health journals like these catered towards men, but that’s just me.
As such, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Book Review for Words for Self-Confidence by Hollie Grace
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
Words for Self-Confidence, by Hollie Grace, is a poetry book dedicated to positive affirmations designed to help get the reader through the day. True to her name, the author gently reminds the reader that it’s okay to make mistakes and to be human, rather than chase other people’s perceived perfections. From The Tapestry that is Our Lives reminding us of the big picture, to This Will Past helping us weather the storm, Grace shows readers how to rely on themselves and others for their mental and emotional well-being.
When a mental health professional deals with a crisis, the first thing we ask if whether or not that person has someone to call and if they’re willing to call them. It’s an important part of staying safe, just suicidal thoughts subside and they feel they’re no longer a danger to themselves (or others). As such, I enjoyed how much emphasis Grace puts on communities. This is especially true in the poem, The Potters and the Clay, and how we help shape each other’s lives “to come out on the other side, solid and beautiful.” There’s a lot of homeless in my town, and a lot of churches, medical professionals, and counselors, myself included, work together to ensure that these individuals are safe and protected, just until they get back on their feet. Know that I’m definitely using this poem to remind my colleagues this is why we work together.
Moreover, I enjoyed the therapeutic aspects of the poetry. One of the poems, Oh Simple Pleasures, and the aforementioned This Will Past is straight up mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Grace encourages her audience to be flexible in their thinking and, despite the dark times, to continue to focus on the light. It’s what a lot of therapists try to encourage their clients to do. I can definitely see this book in a substance misuse counseling setting, as well as a domestic violence shelter, where the residents are in desperate need of encouragement and support.
As such, I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
If any of you need assistance on how to write a safety plan, click here.
If any of you need hotline numbers (for crises, like someone wants to hurt themselves or others), click here.
Book Review for Words for Self-Confidence by Hollie
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
Words for Self-Confidence, by Hollie Grace, is a poetry book dedicated to positive affirmations designed to help get the reader through the day. True to her name, the author gently reminds the reader that it’s okay to make mistakes and to be human, rather than chase other people’s perceived perfections. From The Tapestry that is Our Lives reminding us of the big picture, to This Will Past helping us weather the storm, Grace shows readers how to rely on themselves and others for their mental and emotional well-being.
When a mental health professional deals with a crisis, the first thing we ask if whether or not that person has someone to call and if they’re willing to call them. It’s an important part of staying safe, just suicidal thoughts subside and they feel they’re no longer a danger to themselves (or others). As such, I enjoyed how much emphasis Grace puts on communities. This is especially true in the poem, The Potters and the Clay, and how we help shape each other’s lives “to come out on the other side, solid and beautiful.” There’s a lot of homeless in my town, and a lot of churches, medical professionals, and counselors, myself included, work together to ensure that these individuals are safe and protected, just until they get back on their feet. Know that I’m definitely using this poem to remind my colleagues this is why we work together.
Moreover, I enjoyed the therapeutic aspects of the poetry. One of the poems, Oh Simple Pleasures, and the aforementioned This Will Past is straight up mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Grace encourages her audience to be flexible in their thinking and, despite the dark times, to continue to focus on the light. It’s what a lot of therapists try to encourage their clients to do. I can definitely see this book in a substance misuse counseling setting, as well as a domestic violence shelter, where the residents are in desperate need of encouragement and support.
As such, I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
If any of you need assistance on how to write a safety plan, click here.
If any of you need hotline numbers (for crises, like someone wants to hurt themselves or others), click here.
September 17, 2023
Abandoned Things by Chani Lynn Feener
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
Abandoned Things, by Chani Lynn Feener, is an urban fantasy about an author who must contend with the horror of potentially ruining thousands of lives for his story, and hopelessly falling in love with one of those lives. Frankie is a best selling young adult novelist who became famous for the Silver and Gold Volumes. Things come to a head when a rather important side character, Rook, Prince of the Bronze Kingdom, suddenly comes to life. Amidst the confusion, Frankie and Rook must find a way to save Rook’s world from Talia, the Queen of Iron, before Frankie loses himself to Rook, as well as the story he created.
Frankie is living my worst nightmare. I don’t care if Rook’s sexy, or that he’s good in bed, or that they live happily ever after; if my characters came to life, they’d kill me for all the shit I put them through. As Rook put so eloquently, if the four kingdoms are real, then Frankie is singlehandedly the reason why so many lives were lost. That being said, I enjoyed Rook and Frankie’s interactions with one another; they were funny, and I was glad to see Rook growing as a person, that even though Frankie denied his existence, he continued to act without his approval. Rook even acknowledged him as his creator, and yet acted of his own accord. He was rebellious, and that was something I enjoyed. True, it got them both into some tricky situations, but it was through Rook’s ingenuity that Frankie was able to survive.
The entire book reminds me of a Greek legend, Pygmalion and Galatea. It’s about a sculptor named Pygmalion who fell in love with his sculpture, Galatea. After seeing his sincerity, Aphrodite takes pity on the poor man and grants him his desire. Similarly, although Frankie thinks Sage was his type, he binds himself to Rook through his own trauma. There’s a reason why he gave Rook his necklace after all. And in a way, when Rook’s father attempted to take control of Frankie, it could be viewed as Frankie’s past coming back to haunt him. From the scenes Feener’s shown us, his parents gave him a rather messy childhood, and through the confrontation with the King of Iron, it seemed Frankie was trying to find his strength in his creations. While I don’t necessarily think that Rook should’ve permanently remained in the real world, I’m still pretty happy with the ending overall.
As such, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
A Little Owl House Publisher
I received the books mentioned in this post for free. This does not affect my experience in any shape or form.
If you’ve been following this blog, then you know I’m fond of poetry, children’s books, picture books, and everything in between. So when I was exposed to this publisher, I was rather taken by it. At that point, I read some of the books, and I absolutely enjoyed them. The gorgeous, almost whimsical depictions, coupled with musical lullabies from the poems themselves, give the reader a magical experience that brings the words to life. From Alone by Edgar Allen Poe to Poems of Witchcraft by Emily Dickinson, I was enamored. It reminded me less of books and more like works of art.
Moreover, I could definitely see myself having these books in my classroom, or even in my mobile clinic. Despite the all encompassing style, the poems work well with the illustrations. The poems are broken up in a way that helps younger readers understand. They’re darkly whimsical enough to hold a child’s attention (especially the creepy ones), and you can use these books to later help children explore other poems or authors related to the genres. And yes, while the books are, again, beautiful, they can also provide important foundations to literature. The website also almost reminds me of those Free Little Libraries I see around my community
I would recommend this publisher to any teacher or tutor who enjoys reading, and even any parent who wants to start their child early. For mental health professionals who work with children and adolescents, I would encourage you visit this site as well; we all know books can provide an escape to the harshness of life, and the illustrations in the books can provide even further reprieve, if only for a little while.
Learn more about the publisher here:
Book Review for Gin, boys, Broken Hearts and Hats: Poems by Dorothy Parker
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
Gin, Boys, Broken Hearts and Hats: Poems by Dorothy Parker is a poetry collection filled the poet’s lyrical wisdom and alongside that, illustrations of the deceptions Parker was faced with in her life. Each of the poems illuminate the time period Parker grew up in, as well as her general attitudes towards men, women, and love in general. From Love Song to Unfortunate Coincidence, readers will enjoy the sharp, sardonic legacy that the poet cultivated.
The collection reminded me of The Great Gatsby, and within it, the illusion of the American Dream. My parents were immigrants, and when they came here, like everyone else they bought into the promise of a house, 2.5 children, having a business and a good retirement, absolutely everything. During that time, although my parents pushed me to work hard and study, my mother in particular wanted me to find a good husband. She’d been through a lot, and she didn’t want to see me go through what she did, so for a while I bought into it too. And then of course, life happens, and suddenly, the fairytale doesn’t seem too attainable. Then life continues to happen, and before long, I’m left picking up pieces I didn’t think could be broken.
It reminds me of a line from one of her poems. They’d alter all that they admire. They make me sick. They make me tired. It’s funny; even though America’s supposed to be the land of the free, it puts a lot of restrictions on its citizens, in particular women. The collection also reminds me of Paris Paloma’s Labour, in which the song goes into how hard women work to meet men’s unrealistic standards. It’s a heartbreaking lesson our daughters will need to learn. But better now when they’re young than when it’s already too late.
I absolutely love Dorothy Parker, and I feel that the publisher did this collection justice. All in all, I would give this book a rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.
Book Review for Monotone Masquerade by George Veck
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
Monotone Masquerade, by George Veck, is a psychological drama about children who are struggling to find their way, all the while trying to back what they believe they’ve lost. Justin is the fifteen year old son of Wendy Billings, who lies to the government about her son’s “disability” in order to cash in his checks. Darcy is a teenager who, from a mixture of trauma, narcissism, and delusional self-confidence, works drug routes as a way to support herself and her self-esteem. Blake is the forgotten spoiled child of the town dentist, while Dafydd is forced to contend with more violent ones. They, alongside other children, endeavor to survive in the midst of a society of adults that care more for themselves, rather than them.
I’m not going to lie: Justin’s story broke me. He was still able to succeed in spite of all his mother’s done to him. If I were in his shoes, I would’ve done the same thing. And despite Darcy’s anti-social tendencies, I can find myself empathizing with her situation as well, even though, as a counselor, she’d probably be classified as a “difficult client.” I liked seeing their interactions with one another, and despite their struggles and contrasting personalities, each of them have something to prove, whether to themselves or others. That being said, I’m rather depressed at what happened with Justin; he had a lot more potential, so it disappointed me when I saw him fail. I’m glad that he’s (somewhat) okay in the end, but I would like to see where his story goes next in the future.
Very much like the real world, there are parents who will ruin the lives of children, their own and others, just to start fresh. It doesn’t matter if it’s intentional or not; oftentimes we overestimate our children’s resilience. I’ve known parents who were willing to give up their children to the system just to indulge in their addictions, whether they be drug or alcohol related or love, under the guise that “oh, they’ll be fine.” It’s that attitude that destroys them in the end. A lot of societies want to believe they care for children, as well as different religious texts and the like, but the reality is far from it. We like to spout these ideas of justice and equality for everyone and having safe spaces for kids, but in truth, many adults just want them out of their hair. That being said, I did find Blake annoying at first, but he stepped up (ironically enough, for most of my clients who are homeless and wanting to work, I usually take them to a construction company. It’s good pay).
Overall, I enjoyed this book more than the first. I liked how relatable the characters were, and how accurate the struggles were especially when they feel lost. It calls back to the environment in my own community and how, despite all the “help” around, people still lose their way. As such, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
