Okay so here's yet another good not great read. I know it seems that I mostly always post positive reviews for my books. Where's the dirt??...Where's the honesty?? Well the fact is I have been fortunate enough to come across some pretty good stuff. I may have issues with a few things within the book but for the most part there has been nothing that I hate from any book I have read so far. Some books are just okay good...others are absolutely amazing. Still I respect what it takes for an author to write something that they believe in...and I try my best to be honest in a positive way (and sometimes trying really hard to be positive if need be). There is no need to be nasty if I don't like something...and I have not come across one that I have just given up on and stopped reading. (Actually I did that a year ago with Infinite Jest...yeah, I know...everyone that has read it boasts so much for it...I on the other hand was driven completely mad by it and just quit it like a bad boyfriend...I just could not deal anymore..but we'll talk about that later) So with that..here is another book review:

 

I received my copy of the book keep·er: Sydney Keane Series: The Beginning by Laryl Dixon and I was excited to jump right in. With a cover like that how could you not want to??!!...it just kinda screams to be read!! You wanna know about this girl with the super cool glasses and the fiery hair..just so bold and out there smack dab on the cover. A slight whopper of a book at 332 pages. Perfect for a solid read...not too long to be intimidating. And if you noticed, the title states "Series" so it's interesting to see where this book is going...but first we have to get through this one: The Beginning.

Our journey starts with Sydney Keane. Haunted with a terrible past...her childhood...her innocence stripped from her by men in and out of her life...terrible things no girl/woman/human should face..she has become a person hardened by it all and yet ever so determined to seek the happiness she deserves. Sydney is content to be the perfect wife and mother...to overcome her demons and ignore the not so perfect things in her mundane and extremely dysfunctional marriage. However, there is one thing that Sydney will not ever compromise or see as second best and that is the safety and happiness of her child. OMG I almost choked up right now thinking of that...how real that feeling is for a mother....I felt that love in Sydney's character. There is so much going on in this story..in this book. So many "real life" experiences it's amazing and horrifying. The issues of sexual abuse..extra marital affairs...child abandonment...drugs and drinking as ways to cope/and/or forget life's struggles...teen pregnancy....the list goes on. A hard knocks life struggle of a book...I loved that the author was willing to take that story there....I loved seeing a character go through so much with a not so perfect family but still one that truly loved her..struggle and persevere...struggle and persevere. It was all very inspiring at times....but here's why I could not go past 3 stars...(not that I care for star ratings because I don't really)....I had some slight issues with the story. Now now....let me say first, yes I enjoyed the book...the whole story-line had me riveted. I was rooting for Sydney from the start and rooted all the way to the end. I was sad to see the grit and grime of reality put into words on paper. I was horrified to know that atrocities such as the ones presented in this story actually exist in the real world and I am quite impressed that Laryl is not afraid to go there...but, sometimes I had moments where I felt the way I was reading it was so simply put it almost made the issues not seem all that bad......eeeeek!! I don't know if that comes across the way that I mean it...I guess it just seemed to flow in a way that it was like "ok so that happened..that's sad...okay but here's the resolution to it...okay perfect...oh no, another bad moment, can't believe that happened...and great that worked out". I'm not saying that there could not be positive outcomes to disturbing experiences, I'm just saying that in this story it was happening sooooo perfectly. In the real world the scars are well, real..and yes I get that this is a book but since we are discussing the real issues we or rather I, could have used maybe a bit more grit and depth (if that's possible). I think I felt like it was just flowing one right after the other...next thing I know there's a trial and that all went better than expected. Yes sometimes that is life..and maybe I'm just being bitter for the people who's outcomes don't come out all that wonderful. It doesn't mean that I disliked this book. If you want an uplifting feel good at the end kinda read...then trust me this is it. And there are parts of this book that continue to resonate in me...haunt me more like it. I was angry and happy and sad and relieved...a whirlwind of emotions coming out of this reading experience. But did I want more grit and rawness??...yes, personally I did.

This is only "The Beginning" so I am excited to see how it goes with the other books. Sydney Keane is quite the character...I fell in love with her and all the craziness surrounding her life..but also the calm she continues to yearn for in her and her child's life. Actually...and almost forgot to mention, my most fave character was Sydney's always resilient and "moves to the beat of her own drum" grandmother Memaw...OMG that woman had me laughing. I wanted her to be a real life person I know. The role she plays in Sydney's life is a crucial one. It's beautiful..it's uplifting and it goes there....so get the book!! Read the book!! and anticipate the others to follow!!

With much anticipation, I received my FREE copy of this book via giveaway and thanks to the amazing talent Laryl Dixon for making that possible, all in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave.

The Restoration Of Otto Laird by Nigel Packer

...and another one!! Book review from another book that I read during the Holidays that I had to write a review about. A slow moving read but beautiful in many ways.

So this is the book The Restoration Of Otto Laird by Nigel Packer. Terrible Pic because you can't really see the design of the cover but no matter because I don't even think that is the official one. My copy is an ARC...and I was fortunate enough to be one of the many peeps that got to read it first. It took me a minute to jump right to it....only because I knew the reviews went on about it being slow moving and slow moving is completely okay with me but when you have a house filled with chaos created by kids "slow moving" can sometimes get lost in the world of oblivion and it's quite easy to get disinterested real quick. Did that actually happen??...Almost but not quite.

Here is the story of Otto Laird...living a serene and quiet life in Switzerland with his wife Anika. Once an eccentric architect with an eccentric sense of style he now spends his time writing letters to friends that he never actually mails out. All is well with the world until one day he discovers a building he designed in the 60's is scheduled to be demolished soon. This news prompts a sudden trip to London (in the hopes of saving this building from demolition) and eventually his past...the past having much to do with his first wife Cynthia and his son Daniel. After that it is a whirlwind of dramatic emotions and memories. It's a beautiful read that confronts many issues...many human realities, aging, estrangement, family drama, world (historical) issues, confronting regrets and bad decisions...a slew of raw emotions. The story is deep and poetic but sometimes rather slow.....still, beautiful. 

Did I love the book?? Yes, for the beauty that it is...the depth to which the writing style goes. Love it completely?? No. I found myself wanting more from Otto Laird. A name like that..the description for him initially I wanted more from it. At times I found myself a little bored..the reason for me thinking it was getting a bit slow. The book has potential. It gets into things..the rawness of life...but then it stop short...leaving me yearning for more. It's still a book that is unique in it's tale...beautiful in it's thoughts..but not quite "days later haunting". I wanted it to be...it almost was...but not quite.

Thanks to Nigel Packer and the great peeps at goodreads for making my win of this free ARC possible..all in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave!!