I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
TRIGGER WARNING: Content in these poems deals with themes of self-harm, including unaliving oneself. Reader discretion is advised.
Author and poet LindaAnn LoSchiavo shares an honest and heartfelt collection of poems directed at a personal loss from suicide in the book “Felones de se.”
The Synopsis
With a sprinkling of dark humor and a full measure of
compassion, “Felones de Se: Poems about Suicide” is
surprising, quirky, and a riveting read. Inspired by actual
suicides, one of them a blood relative, these poems are
resonant, impossibly moving, bittersweet, and strange.
The Review
While a touchy, heartbreaking, and taboo subject, the poet in this book skillfully captures the depth of emotion and confusion that often surrounds the taking of one’s life. The honest depiction of both those who take this action and those left behind in the wake of those decisions will resonate with many people affected by this real-life tragedy. The author captures the complexity and heart surrounding this subject in such a short amount of time.
What stays with the reader the most is the beautiful prose for which the author writes and the stories behind these poems. The collection ranges from personal experiences with a lost loved one to national cases that captured the public eye and more. The artful way the author uses imagery in the writing style of this collection and the haunting dive into the mindset and emotional wave that takes over in those moments will stay with the reader.
The Verdict
Haunting, moving, and engaging, author LindaAnn LoSchiavo’s “Felones de se” is a must-read chapbook and poetry collection. The author’s skill in writing this collection and the sensitive yet honest depiction of this subject will stay with the reader, and the emotional weight will be felt long after the book ends. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Native New Yorker LindaAnn LoSchiavo, a four time nominee for The Pushcart Prize, has also been nominated for Best of the Net, the Rhysling Award, and Dwarf Stars. She is a member of British Fantasy Society, HWA, SFPA, and The Dramatists Guild.
Books: “A Route Obscure and Lonely” [Elgin Award winner, Wapshott Press]; “Women Who Were Warned” [Cerasus Poetry, 2022], “Messengers of the Macabre” [Audience Askew, 2022, co-written with David Davies], “Vampire Ventures” [Alien Buddha Press, 2023], “Felones de Se: Poems about Suicide” [Ukiyoto Publishing, 2024], “Apprenticed to the Night” [UniVerse Press, 2024], and “Always Haunted: Hallowe’en Poems” [Wild Ink, 2024], winner of The Chrysalis BREW Award for Excellence.
In 2023, her poetry placed as a finalist in Thirty West Publishing’s “Fresh Start Contest” and in the 8th annual Stephen DiBiase contest.
LoSchiavo is a Prohibition Era historian and her Texas Guinan film won “Best Feature Documentary” at N.Y. Women’s Film Fest (Dec. 2021).
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A toxic family dynamic threatens to burst in an explosive way in author George Veck’s “Ogwen Blues”.
The Synopsis
Fifty-year-old football referee Colin Tudur has endured a pitiful, people-pleasing existence up in the mountains of north Wales. But his time has come! Now finally chasing his dream, he quits his steady job and commits to full-time training, itching for promotion to the Welsh Premier League and the chance to ref on S4C. But such selfishness far from serves his parasitic, coercive wife Clare and stepson Dale, who have long grown dependent on his salary.
Now thwarted in his pursuit of freedom by North Wales’ second-home owner induced housing shortage, twenty-year-old Dale’s forced to wallow in the family’s toxic, co-dependent bubble. Someone’s bound to break…
Hard hitting and fiercely raw, Ogwen Blues charts their plight to thrive in an area starved of adequate opportunities.
The Review
A genuinely compelling and thought-provoking read, author George Veck once again captures the raw, visceral, and emotional tidal wave that often overpowers everyday people in harsh living environments. The culture and social aspects of life in Northern Wales are skewed by the toxicity of this family dynamic and the chilling nature of the drug trade and life lived immersed fully into the world of drugs. The author creatively weaves the tension and heavy atmosphere into the narrative, allowing the painful memories and layers of the family’s toxic history to manifest and bloom naturally on the page.
The heart of this narrative is in the character development and powerful themes the author explores. The narrative allows the reader to look behind the curtain of life in Northern Wales and glimpse the dysfunction within this family unit. The raw, nearly overwhelming nature of human cruelty and the viciousness of drug use skillfully bring this story to new heights and allow the reader to explore the complex depths of human relationships and the cruel nature of life itself.
The Verdict
Memorable, honest, and gritty, author George Veck’s “Ogwen Blues’ is a must-read suspense thriller. The seamless blend of action, drama, and suspense will keep readers invested in the developing story, and the emotional rollercoaster that these characters find themselves on will make the chilling events of the narrative stay with readers long after that final page. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Born in Hastings but raised in North Wales, George mostly writes gritty crime fiction set in Wales.
His inspiration partly derives from political greed, and the plights of those who suffer as a result; whether that’s from mental health issues our criminally underfunded health system won’t treat, housing shortages, domestic abuse, or living in crippling poverty without hope.
As of 2024 George has published six books. Dark domestic thriller Belabour is his latest.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A woman hurt by the man she loved seeks to reinvent herself through casual acquaintances, but finds a man who wants more from her than she is willing to give as she struggles to find within herself the strength to open her heart up again in author Ruth F. Stevens’s “My Year of Casual Acquaintances”, the first book in The South Bay Series.
The Synopsis
When Mar Meyer’s husband divorces her for another woman, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it’s not easy to start over, Mar is young-looking, fit, and ready for new adventures – as long as she can keep things casual.
With each passing month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next. Among them: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical consultant, a kindly older gentleman . . . and Charlie, a handsome best-selling novelist who wants more from Mar than she’s able to give. She learns something new from each encounter. But can she change enough to open herself up to happiness and true connection?
Surrounded by an ensemble of quirky, endearing characters, Mar follows a tortuous and unpredictable path as she navigates the first year of her reinvented life. My Year of Casual Acquaintances is packed with laugh-out-loud moments mingled with scenes of loneliness and self-doubt that will put a lump in your throat.
The Review
What a compelling and engaging read. The author expertly weaves together a story that is equal parts women’s fiction and character-driven narrative. The rich dialogue and atmosphere the author gave this story gave the reader a sense of familiarity and relatability to the narrative and the characters. The tension and tone the author establishes for the protagonist are great motivators for the character’s arc overall, something readers will instantly connect with.
The heart of this narrative rests with the heartfelt themes and the strong character dynamics at play here. The heartbreak of losing a relationship, especially in the way that Mar has, plays well into the character’s sense of reinvention and the themes of friendship, love, and identity, playing off one another often in life. The balance that the author finds in Mar rediscovering who she is and the ability for her to open her heart to new possibilities in the face of betrayal makes this such a tremendous read.
The Verdict
Thoughtful, engaging, and memorable author Ruth F. Stevens’s “My Year of Casual Acquaintances” is a must-read novel. The character-driven and character-focused story helps elevate the overall narrative, and the slight inclusion of romance allows the reader to relate and root for this protagonist as her journey progresses slowly. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Ruth F. Stevens likes to create stories that will make readers laugh and cry. A former public relations executive in New York and Los Angeles, she is a produced playwright and author of a previous novel, Stage Seven, which was a featured selection of national online book club and Alzheimer’s awareness organizations. Ruth is a proud member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the Dramatists Guild of America and serves as a volunteer and acquisitions editor for AlzAuthors.
Ruth lives in Torrance, California with her husband. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, hiking, hip-hop and fitness classes, yoga, Broadway musicals, wine tasting, leading a book club, and visiting her grandsons in NYC. Visit Ruth at https://ruthfstevens.com and consider signing up for her monthly newsletter to receive publishing updates, book reviews, and special offers.
Join us at The Muffin when we celebrate the launch of Ruth F. Stevens’ book My Year of Casual Acquaintances. We’ll be interviewing the author and giving away a copy of her book.
