A Mother’s Book of Blessings

Mothers book of blessing Author: Natasha Tabori Fried and Lena Tabori

Publisher: National Geographic

Release Date: March 27, 2018

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A delightful, inspiring compilation for all mothers to read and remember the joys of motherhood even through the trying times.

A Mother’s Book of Blessings is a fun and delightful gathering of stories, poems, psalms, and quote’s about what it means to be a mother. With each writing comes a beautiful piece of art to illustrate the journey as well. There are classics that we have all heard as well as new bits of wisdom sprinkled throughout. The topics covered throughout include, Mealtimes, Bedtimes, Holidays, Birthdays, New Moms, Weddings, Gratitude and so much more that will celebrate the moments big and small throughout a mother’s life.

These books are always enjoyable to look back at after becoming a mom. So many times we get wrapped up in the busyness of our day-to-day activities that we forget to enjoy the little moments that mean so very much. Several of the quote’s I had heard and read before but a few were new and very inspiring. The art was very generic and leaves a lot to be desired as far as diversity goes. While the art is not very diverse, the writings are from a nice mixture of sources including Christian writings, Native American, Jewish, Muslim, Irish and even good old Dr. Seuss. This is a great gift for a new mother or even for grandmothers who will enjoy sitting and reminiscing about all the good times they have had with their loved ones. Book collectors will also enjoy adding this to their collection for the quotes and pictures throughout. With the broad range of topics covered, there is something inside for everyone to enjoy and be able to take away a little nugget of wisdom to help brighten their day.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Solo

Author: Kwame Alexander

Publisher: Blink YA Books

Release Date: August 1, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A stunning tale of finding one’s self and realizing the most important things in life. Told in poetic verse, Solo is a tale that is touching and real down to the heart.

Solo is the story of Blade Morrison, a seventeen-year-old of a rock star that has fallen from grace. Blade is tired of living the life of glitz and glamour and wants to find more in life. His mother died when he was nine leaving him and his sister to deal with the aftermath of their father’s addictions. When Blade discovers a deep held secret within the family, it threatens to throw everything into a tailspin and threaten his relationship with everyone around him. This sets him on a journey across the country to discover the truth about who he is and how that will shape the rest of his life.

Solo is one of the clearest examples of not judging a book by its cover I have ever read. The premise sounded very interesting, but when I opened and realized it was told in poetic verse I was initially turned off. Poetry is usually not my kind of thing. I have a hard time getting into poetry and the flow of the story told that way. I decided to give Solo a chance and as the story progressed with each poem, I found myself entranced and pulled into the story. There was such an intimacy to the characters and the way they interacted with one another. I read this in one day and enjoyed the flow much more than I imagined I would. This is the type of story that is for poetry readers, but also for those that enjoy a good story with heart and will leave readers thinking of their family and friends in a different way. So, if you are like me and open the pages of this book and think it isn’t going to be your cup of tea, give it a few pages and enjoy the story for what it is. You won’t be disappointed!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Ergon

ergon Author: George H.S. Singer

Publisher: Wordtech Communications

Release Date: June 18,2016

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Filled with integrity, interest, and prose, Ergon takes you through life’s beginnings, travels, and finality.

George S. Singer has filled his debut poetry collection with several different phases of life. There is coming of age descriptions as well as transitional life periods. However, Ergon doesn’t just discuss life’s phases, but also delves into daily routines for different aspects of life. One of which is life in a Buddhist monastery. Each poem has depth and also sparks a bit of thought from the reader.

I truly enjoyed this collection. To be honest, I haven’t reviewed much in the way of poetry. However, Singer makes it very easy to read and comprehend what he is talking about. It is very lyrical and flows throughout the book. Even though the poems are not necessarily in a reader’s chronological order, it is still easy to picture the meaning of each poem.

However, there is a bit of harsh language throughout this collection. I don’t recommend this to YA fans of poetry. However, any mature audience should find this collection enjoyable.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Poetic Book Tours in exchange for an honest and thorough review. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.