Robin Goodfellow's Blog, page 3

Book Review for The Roots Run Deep by Chris Strong

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.

The Roots Run Deep, by Chris Strong, is a bittersweet, psychological drama about learning to treasure life despite the mental agony life throws at you. West, Izzy, Buddy, Sean, and June are childhood friends who promise each other they will one day go to Mt. Hood. As responsibilities overtake their childhood, with adulthood twisting them into the bleak realization that innocence won’t last forever, Izzy is consumed by his inner demons. When the group learns of his suicide attempt, they decide to make due on their promise and show Izzy that there are things worth living for, even if they might not believe it themselves.

I love how close everyone is, even after they’ve gone and grown up. My husband was a military brat, and he’d never been able to motivate himself to have relationships outside of his family until he hit Texas. I’m guilty of letting friendships die; if you’re not physically near me, you might as well not exist. So I appreciate the way Sean reached out to everyone. It’s the same with Buddy and June; they’re largely successful in their own way, and even though the loneliness was barreling down at them, they refused to give in. They kept moving forward. They chose to be connected to people. It was even reflected in the professions they’ve taken.

The same can’t be said for Izzy and West. I feel that by the time West decided to go on his vacation, he was probably headed down the same path Izzy was. It might not be to the same extent, but he was isolated. Shame haunted him, and even though he tried to play the clown, he was clearly hurting just as much as Izzy was. I like how open-ended Strong made West’s ending; he might not know what his purpose is, but he is able to move forward. He is relatable in a way that stings, but he also shows that even if you’re stalling, life goes on. The world will continue spinning with or without you. Whether or not you decide to join the bandwagon is up to you. 

Strong deals with grief in this book in a way that respects the characters and the readers. As a child, the world is in the palm of your hands. Sometimes you’re so overconfident that you dive headfirst without understanding what you’ve signed up for. Other times, you’re desperate for some path, any path, and you decide to follow the one your parents have handed to you. And even still, there are times you’re lost, and confused about everyone and everything around you. You don’t know who you are, don’t know who to trust, and life is threatening to take you under. I don’t think people realize the amount of pain that older folks go through and the regrets that they have. Would they have done something different when they were younger? Do they wish to go back to a time when things were more simple? I’m not sure. My husband does a lot. Regardless, it’s a grief that every adult goes through. I guess that is why you need loved ones to keep you grounded, a community you can call your own. It prevents you from getting swept away. 

And not to spoil anything, but I find it ironic that the person closest to death is the one that has the most life to live. 

I enjoyed this book, and as such, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

Book Review for Royally Arranged by Amber Malloy

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.

Royally Arranged, by Amber Malloy, is a billionaire arranged romance about learning how to work with and love someone despite their flaws. Astoria Richards, CEO of Noire Cosmetics, agrees to an arranged marriage with the King of Calor Dunas, Rafael Castille. What starts as a business proposition turns into something more when Astoria realizes there’s more to the widowed royal than meets the eye. Rafael “Rafa” Castille agrees to marry Astoria as a favor for his twin brother, Paulo, after he falls ill. Despite his grieving, Rafa finds himself falling in love with Astoria, which scares him. When the two are confronted with the corruption plaguing Calor Dunas, they must find a way to root out the deception to bring peace to the country and their lives.

I appreciate how professional Astoria is, especially with her philanthropic pursuits and business. I like that she leverages her connection to do the most good. I feel that she’s definitely someone Rafael can learn from; he values her abilities despite not knowing her for long. Moreover, I enjoy that Rafael is falling in love again. That his brother is the one pushing him towards being in a healthy relationship has definitely helped me root for this couple. That being said, personally, if I were in Astoria’s shoes, I wouldn’t have gone back to Calor Dunas with him; he’d have to get on his knees before I would even consider speaking to him, let alone being his Queen. 

The other thing that I can’t stand was Quincy. I understand that he is Astoria’s cousin and played a part in why Astoria is so confident now, but his mannerisms and entitled attitude got to me. Big time. He was fun at first, but his behavior became tiresome the more I read about him. By the time the ending arrived, I was like, “Why’re you even here? What’re you even for?” Because even though she has a lot on her plate, Astoria can handle herself. She doesn’t need another headache to worry about. 

That being said, I do like how Malloy handled Enzo and his plot. More often than not people disguise their intentions under a veneer of being your knight-in-shining-armor. It’s an easy way to lure someone into a trap, psychologically or otherwise, an abuse of power that happens too often in governments. So I’m happy Astoria was able to root the problem out before could take hold. Of course, she has the Committee to contend with, but she can handle it with Rafael. 

The book was okay, for the most part. I do like Astoria as a character, and Astoria and Rafael can work as a power couple. However, some of the choices these characters make are questionable at best and at worst, detract from the story as a whole. Moreover, the sex scenes were a bit cringe at times, so much so that I had to stop and reread the sentence. As such, I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars. 

Giveaway

The author, Ms. Amber Malloy, has decided to host a giveaway for a $10 Amazon/BN gift card! Click here to enter!

Book Review for My Enemy’s Boyfriend by Linda Kage

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.

My Enemy’s Boyfriend, by Linda Kage, is a paranormal new-age romance about letting go of the past, no matter how painful it may be. After celebrating Damien finding his true love, Hudson is left with a girlfriend he doesn’t want to keep his job at a restaurant where he hopes to become a chef. When he starts to experience strange symptoms, such as headaches, he is left scrambling, trying to find answers that might no longer exist. Meanwhile, Faith is reeling from a former friend’s betrayal, from getting her paper plagiarized and almost expelled from college, to finding out her crush had been snatched away. Despite the chaos, Fath tries to keep her head down and finish school, only to run into said crush at the restaurant where she is waitressing. So begins a turbulent tale of humor, comedic stalking, and unwitting horror as Hudson and Faith try to navigate their way through the shitshow life dumped on their laps. 

Just like in Damien and Oaklynn’s relationship, Hudson and Faith’s strengths lie in their friendship with others. I loved how easily the group accepted Faith and how far they would go against Hudson’s wishes to keep him and Faith safe. True, it might not be the best option at the moment, but it’s better than letting him die alone. It’s something I can’t help but respect, especially in my line of work; clients who struggle with self-harm tend to isolate themselves from their loved ones. If you add substances to the mix it can get dicey. So for Hudson to practically force himself to rely on them even though he wants to run and hide says a lot about his maturity. It’s the same with Faith; true, their initial connection might seem a little immature, but it developed despite its short time frame. I felt like both characters were fleshed out, and though the circumstances might’ve been goofy at times, they gave me a reason to root for their happy ending.  

But the flaws that were plaguing Vacancy are present here. It feels like I’m reading a young adult novel, from the mean girl on campus who can control whomever she wants just by flaunting her money and status to the untouchable hotties that no one can seem to get to know. There’s less sex present in the second book than in the first, but it seems like Kage thinks all college students have on their minds is sex. To be fair, this is the case for some, but in my opinion, the mindset seems to detract from Hudson and Faith’s relationship rather than add to it. 

However, Kage definitely knows how to add humor to the situation. I like the idea of a priest coming there to exorcise a ghost, only to bail and say,” You’re on your own” with a mischievous spirit chasing everyone around with a knife. I also enjoy the concept of a stalker’s “prey” breaking into said stalker’s house to rearrange everything and cook meals for them. 

As such, I would give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars. 

Grab the book here!

About the Author

Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy.

Published since 2010, she first went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature, then graduated with a Bachelor’s in Arts-English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.

She currently lives with her husband, two daughters, a cat named Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas.

She started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club, then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now, she’s all over the place with her romance reading tastes.

A few of her favorite things have been: Stranger Things, Supernatural, Cheers, Teen Wolf, Umbrella Academy, Outlander, Yellowstone, Grey’s Anatomy, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Shawshank Redemption, Dirty Dancing, Harry Potter, Tangled, A Walk to Remember, Dr. Pepper, Roast Beef with mashed potatoes and onion rings, the poem “Equipment” by Edgar A. Guest, and To Kill a Mockingbird

Book Review for Vacancy by Linda Kage

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.

Vacancy, by Linda Kage, is a new adult paranormal romance about learning how to overcome grief. Oaklynn is in a predicament; her best friend and girlfriend are kicking her out after realizing she’s listened to one too many sexual encounters and/or arguments. After walking around the Haverston College campus, she finds a vacant room owned by Thalia, who charges her a whopping $400 a month. Oaklynn celebrates her now affordable college residence, not realizing the dark history behind her discovery. Damien, on the other hand, finds himself questioning an arguably hot but crazy woman living in his deceased sister’s dormitory. He further challenges her sanity when she tells him that Thalia is her roommate despite his older sister being dead for over ten years. Damien realizes that Oaklynn might have a gift and decides to try to contact his sister through Oaklynn in secret, only to fall in love with her in the process.

I enjoyed the friend groups that both Damien and Oaklynn have. True, they’re cute together, but their friends are the primary reason why they’re as strong as they are. While I do feel that Jay cares for Oakylnn more than she’s letting on, her worrying about Oaklynn speaks volumes as to what female friendships could look like. The same can be said for the six around Damien. Although they make crass jokes from time to time, you can tell how much they care about Damien. They’re just as defensive of him as Jay is of Oaklynn. You get the sense that they really are family.

Something I laughed at was how much shit Jay and Damien gave Oaklynn for letting her crush guide her behavior. My husband did the same thing when I first came to his hometown. My mother-in-law even told me that I was lucky his family wasn’t a bunch of serial killers. Did it go over my head at the time? Yes. Do I care? Not particularly. The recklessness worked, didn’t it?

However, I wasn’t fully immersed in the story, and part of it was the number of cliches that Kage shoved into the plot. I doubt the seven would make that much of an impact on a bunch of newly turned eighteen-year-olds, even if they were handsome. It reminded me of a high school setting more than a college one. Moreover, although the ending was funny as hell, I cannot buy Oaklynn being close with her mother to the point where she’d call her about her mysterious powers. She rarely mentioned her mother at all in the story, if ever. I also felt Kage resolved the plot about Thalia’s murderer too quickly; the mystery and edge didn’t have enough time to get fleshed out. If anything, it was almost like a genre whiplash, going from spicy erotica to thriller mystery. It needed to be more integrated. 

I did like this book and will be reading more in the series. The relationships are solid, and the character development is adorable and humorous. But certain plot lines could’ve been more fleshed out to where it felt more cohesive. So for now, I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars. 

Book Tour: The Dark Courts by Vyvyan Evans

A genre-blending dystopian, sci-fi mystery-thriller that will make you think about communication in a whole new way.

Five years after the Great Language Outage, lang-laws have been repealed, but world affairs have only gotten worse. The new automation agenda has resulted in a social caste system based on IQ. Manual employment is a thing of the past, and the lowest soc-ed class, the Unskills, are forced into permanent unemployment.

In a world on the brink of civil war, a deadly insomnia pandemic threatens to kill billions. Lilith King, Interpol’s most celebrated detective, is assigned to the case.

Together with a sleep specialist, Dr. Kace Westwood, Lilith must figure out who or what is behind this new threat. Could the pandemic be the result of the upskilling vagus chips being offered to the lowest soc-ed class? Or are language chips being hacked? And what of the viral conspiracy theories by the mysterious Dark Court, sweeping the globe? Lilith must work every possible angle, and quickly: she is running out of time!

While attempting to stop a vast conspiracy on an intergalactic scale, Lilith also faces shocking revelations about her origin, coming to terms with her own destiny.

About the Author

Dr. Vyvyan Evans is a native of Chester, England. He holds a PhD in linguistics from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and is a Professor of Linguistics. He has published numerous acclaimed popular science and technical books on language and linguistics. His popular science essays and articles have appeared in numerous venues including ‘The Guardian’, ‘Psychology Today’, ‘New York Post’, ‘New Scientist’, ‘Newsweek’ and ‘The New Republic’. His award-winning writing focuses, in one way or another, on the nature of language and mind, the impact of technology on language, and the future of communication. His science fiction work explores the status of language and digital communication technology as potential weapons of mass destruction. You can learn more about him here:

Author website: https://www.vyvevans.net/Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@vyvevansTwitter: https://twitter.com/VyvEvansFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vyvyan.Evans.AuthorInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nephilim_publishingGiveaway

The author is giving away paperback copies of the first and second book of the series! Click here to enter!

Book Review for The Devil’s Lieutenant by Shervin Jamali

I received this book for free. This doesn’t impact my review in any shape or form.

The Devil’s Lieutenant, by Shervin Jamali, is a supernatural horror about a man who seeks justice, no matter how undeserving he is. Michael is a former cop who witnessed his wife murdering his son. After realizing his family is trapped in Hell, Michael decides to make a deal with the Devil, promising him five corrupt souls in exchange for their entrance to Heaven. As Michael begins to perform his duties as the Devil’s Lieutenant, he has to contend with his own fading innocence, spiraling into fits of blissful rage and alcoholism. 

Jamali effectively shows that many people aren’t born evil. Many think going through trauma will produce “diamonds in the rough”, as my mother-in-law puts it, survivors who are willing to do whatever it takes to protect others from going through the same things they went through. But that’s just not true. Others don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. The abused can turn into an abuser if they’re in the wrong environment. I also enjoyed how nuanced Jamali portrays morality; I don’t think righteousness exists, so it’s nice to see that just because we think something’s right doesn’t mean it truly is. 

Michael exudes this concept. He was a cop, the supposed figure of justice. So, with how helpful the news has been lately, of course, he’d go off impulse, no matter how much worse he makes things; after seeing his wife cradle his son’s dead body, he has no problems executing her. When he realizes what has happened, he jumps at the chance to redeem himself. Although he questions the Devil somewhat (because that’s obviously what you do in this situation), once again, he gives into his emotions. For all the pain he’s caused to himself and others, he’s forced to see things for what they are, not just in black and white. He has to take accountability for his actions, rather than put them off on someone else. 

While I wish the consequences were more permanent, this was a good book that showed what it meant to reconcile with the things we have left and to learn how to truly regret the suffering we’ve inflicted. As such, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. 

Book Review for Collared: Serré by Lola Malone

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form. 

Collared: Serré, by Lola Malone, is a dark, romantic novella about being remolded into something carnal. The Saint-Laurent Boarding College for Boys is home to the Alpha Fraternarii, a secret society for boys and men dedicated to ruling the world through blood, money, and sex. Students are given a special opportunity to join the society through a hunt, where the last survivor standing receives the honor. A young man named Thurel Aubert gets invited to join the hunt, unknowingly walking into the arms of an obsessed predator.

Malone definitely has me interested in the series. For one thing, it’s entirely plausible that the absurdly wealthy have a clandestine network of sex partners ready and willing for them to exploit (the weird thing is that it’s all somewhat consensual for the most part. Then again, you can thank Weinstein and Maxwell for that). Additionally, I adored Thurel and Maël’s dynamic; I swear he’s human, but Maël presents himself as this demonic character who will stop at nothing to “devour” Thurel. It reminds me of paranormal romances where the predator engages in primal play with their victim/lover. 

I’d like to know more about the world. I’d want to see how much abuse is rife within this dark romance, and whether or not either Thurel or Maël make it out with their souls intact. They’re young right now, so even though Maël is clearly seeped in the dark longer than Thurel, I’d like to hope they might somehow make it out. Currently, the school appears to cater to the filthy rich, corrupted, and abusive alike. I’d have to see what happens next. 

So for now, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. 

Book Review for Can’t Hide Forever by Laurel Marcie

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.

Can’t Hide Forever, by Laurel Marcie, is a stalker romance about finding the boundary between good and evil, love and delusion. The book is separated into 2 parts. Part I introduces Ava Cain, an up-and-coming detective who saves others by putting herself in jeopardy. After nearly losing her job, she agrees to mandatory counseling sessions with Dr. Jackson Keller, a therapist who carries a horrific obsession for her. Part II details the struggle that both Ava and Jackson must face after certain details come to light, and are confronted with their inner demons.

I giggled when I read the dedication. “For all the girls who want the nice boy and the mashed psycho in one man”, I say Amen. It badly reflects on my reading habits, but I sincerely do not care. Also, as a professional courtesy, this book does not reflect my opinions on client/therapist boundaries. I do not condone or recommend Jackson Keller’s actions to any client. 

But I loved this story. I truly do. I like the pain that Ava and Jackson have to confront within themselves to be together. I like how horrible they are to each other and themselves, as well as the attraction they have for one another. Moreover, the darkness in Ava is already there, and although Hyde isn’t able to fully corrupt her, they found a compromise that allows them to live out their true selves. The fact that they were both seen as objects, Jackson with Dr. Blackwood and Ava with her stepfather, made it all the sweeter when they grabbed the reins in their respective pasts and clawed their way out.

I also enjoyed Marcie paying homage to stories like Jekyll and Hyde and Cain and Abel. Jackson struggles between two sides of himself and oftentimes mirrors the conflicts that each mental health professional faces. It’s why we stress so much about self-care, why we emphasize the importance of boundaries, and making sure you’re in a good head space before you dive into someone else’s shadows. Contrary to popular belief, therapists don’t need to have all their ducks in a row to perform therapy, but if they don’t, it makes it that much harder to help someone. After all, you wouldn’t be able to provide a listening ear if you’re too busy disassociating from a session.

Lily is a different story. She’s the white sheep of her foster family and someone Ava places on a pedestal. It’s apparent she wants to protect her, but so much of Cain’s murderous energy resides within her. Additionally, Ava would never hurt Lily. But she does represent a dark justice that comes when you need to take matters into your hands. She’s more like Hyde than she realizes, and at the end of the day, it’s her willingness to forgo the system and forgiveness that pushes her. Rather than put faith in something higher than herself, she chooses to rely on herself. And I can certainly respect her for it.

As such, I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars. 

Book Review for a broken vase, envenomed by Bert S. Lechner

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form. 

a broken vase, envenomed, by Bert S. Lechner, is a poetry collection detailing Lechner’s emotional journey from leaving his abusive partner, to slowly regaining his confidence and independence. Poems such as “it hurt” provide a brief yet devastating picture of how much the abuse had affected him, while “road” shows the roadblocks Lechner faced when he was healing. The constant questioning and slow acceptance of himself speaks volumes to how many times he’s restitched his heart together, an authentic depiction of what it takes to finally cope with their trauma. 

I have a few loved ones in my family who are diagnosed with Autism and/or Asperger’s, and I understand how easy it can be to take advantage of them. I constantly ask myself whether or not I repeat harmful behaviors towards them, and when I read this collection, I’m reminded why. Is it the most productive use of my time? Not really. But does it keep me accountable? I hope so. 

One of the poems that spoke most to me was “wings”. Although a couple of the poems in the theme had specified being trapped by love, I especially loved this one because it emphasizes the concept of the broken bird, and rather than intimate partner violence, it reminds me of a parent abusing their child. They force a neurodivergent child to conform to neurotypical expectations, and when, surprise, they don’t, they’re beaten for it. My elementary school did it to my younger sister, and if my father hadn’t stepped in, I don’t know what would’ve happened. 

Yet another poem that I find clients asking about is “I need to know.” So many clients dream about confronting their abusers, but sometimes they don’t get the chance. Sometimes they end up not doing it because they’re too afraid or triggered, while others have abusers who will deny it until the end of time. To this day, there may still be abusers whose families continue to take their sides, regardless of the evidence presented to them. The most comfort I can offer is indirect, whether it be having them speak to the air as if the abuser is in the room or writing a letter and burning it if they so choose. 

This collection is hauntingly beautiful as it is gruesome and very much needed at the forefront of those discussions. While domestic violence and intimate partner violence are discussed a lot with women, people of color, and more recently, LGBTQ+ populations, intimate partner violence and domestic violence with neurodivergent individuals aren’t as discussed as often as they need to be. 

As such, I am giving this collection a 5 out of 5 stars. 

Book Review for The Compassion Antidote by Catherine Taughinbaugh

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.

The Compassion Antidote, by Catherine Taughinbaugh, is a self-help parenting book about learning how to help a child diagnosed with alcohol and/or other substance misuse disorder. The book is separated into 4 parts. Take Heart begins with Taughinbaugh’s experiences of when she first discovered that her child struggled with substance misuse, and explains Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CARF), a technique based on therapeutic approaches such as Motivational Interviewing, Applied Behavioral Analysis, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Compassion delves into the importance of meeting with your child where they’re at, and the steps you take to build rapport. Connecting utilizes CRAFT to communicate with your child effectively and without judgment. Finally, Gratitude and Hope explores the importance of self-care and emphasizes the importance of providing to both your child and yourself.

There were times when I definitely could’ve used this book in my own counseling practice. More often than not, parents whose children are diagnosed with a co-occurring substance misuse disorder and mental health disorder usually aren’t equipped to help guide them, despite their best intentions. Taughinbaugh provides a framework for how these parents can best help, at the very least, build rapport with their children and influence them toward positive outcomes down the road. Additionally, CRAFT is an integrative approach that allows parents to tailor the approach to their child’s needs without sacrificing themselves. This definitely plays into the “incarceration without recovery” gameplay and how it will create a horrific cycle that lowers success rates. For Taughinbaugh to tell parents too that they are not to blame for their children’s substance misuse was a breath of fresh air; although a majority of people who have substance and/or alcohol misuse disorders have some trauma, that doesn’t necessarily mean they came from a broken home. 

Much of the language in this book reminds me of the professional jargon my coworker uses whenever we have family meetings. She’s a certified family partner, and she’s wonderful. 

While I agree with most of the author’s philosophy, I would’ve loved for Taughinbaugh to touch basis on other techniques like harm reduction so parents can breathe easier and be more knowledgeable about different therapeutic approaches. I know so many parents who, despite their best intentions, demand complete abstinence from substances that, at the time, aren’t believable (i.e. you can’t die from an opioid withdrawal, but you can from an alcohol withdrawal). Including a list of common substances misused and their side effects from withdrawal could also be beneficial for these parents.

That being said, I enjoyed this book and will be recommending this to parents and other caregivers. For now, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.