Roberta Writes – Book reviews: Silver Fire (The Kaerling Book 1) by Freya Pickard and My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir by Marian Beaman #memoir #fiction #readingcommunity

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I have two book reviews for your today and they are very different. As I was preparing this post, I thought that they are almost opposite each other with regards to their content and focal points. That being said, variety is the spice of life, and both are great reads.

Silver Fire (The Kaerling Book 1) by Freya Pickard

What Amazon says

What starts as an innocent quest to follow the unicorn’s trail, turns into a sinister nightmare.

“I was so happy to find a book that truly captivated my imagination from beginning to end.” K Johnstone

Banished from their village, Otta, and her twin brother Erl, (who has lost his memory), must stay ahead of those who seek to kill them.

Learning how to follow the unicorn’s trail and deal with her brother’s dark side, Otta must keep them both safe as she attempts to follow the commands of a shrineless god.

This epic fantasy tale begins the saga of The Kaerling.

The Kaerling is a series of linked novellas that can be read individually as well as in chronological order.

Warning: contains scenes of a sexual nature and some violence which some readers may find upsetting.

My review

I quickly became engrossed in this first Kaerling book and intend to read more books in this series. That being said, I must warn potential readers up front that this book does touch on the disturbing topics of rape and incest.

Otta and Erl are the oldest twins in their family. From a young age, they know their family is different from the families who occupy the nearby village and they quickly understand that certain viewpoints held by their parents, and talents they possess, would be frowned upon by their neighbours. As they grow up, they keep these secrets until one fateful day when circumstances put them in a position where they chose to live their truth.

Unfortunately, during this process, Erl is badly injured and loses his memory and understanding of right and wrong. At the same time Otta interacts with a god and is told she must follow the unicorn trail to unravel her destiny. When Otta discovers the injured Erl, she takes him back to the family homestead but it soon becomes clear that their transgressions have earned them the wrath of the village elders and they have been banned from the village and its vicinity on pain of death should they be found within a ten mile border.

Otta is forced into taking Erl with her to traverse the unicorn trail. As they set off they come across groups of people, both good and bad. Otta discovers further unsuspected powers and Erl recovers physically but is no closer to remembering the details of his life although he does learn some hard cultural lessons.

Otta is a strong willed and determined woman and it is unusual to find a female character taking the lead in a twin sibling setting. In many ways she is lacking in understanding with regards to her brother and a bit of insight would have helped avoid difficult situations. The twins are, however, young, so Otta’s behaviour is realistic and plausible.

A well written and interesting fantasy book.

You can purchase Silver Fire (The Kaerling Book 1) from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Fire-Kaerling-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07BQ1D9DN/

My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir by Marian Beaman

What Amazon says

Take an intimate look into one couple’s fifty-plus-year marriage in author Marian Beaman’s My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir. Using a quilt motif, the author stitches together stories that make up the fabric of their daily lives including the clash of cultures, crisis in a travel trailer, surviving a robbery, and enduring financial hardship.

Discover how the author and her husband learn the art of the argument with explosions both literal and metaphorical. Observe how they find common ground through their shared faith and commitment.

This volume contains excerpts from autograph books and diaries of the early 1900s, treasured family recipes, original artwork, and restored photographs―the legacy of multiple generations as two American families merge, one from the East, the other from the West. The author connects the dots of her life backwards, with detailed reverse engineering of events to discover meaning in her life as a wife.

Readers of Marian’s first memoir, Mennonite Daughter: The Story of a Plain Girl can especially relate to her insider narrative, a closeup of one couple’s companionable union.

My review

My Checkered Life is an entertaining follow on from the author’s initial memoire about her life growing up within the Mennonite community. Marian’s background is important to this second memoire which describes the tribulations and joys of weaving together the lives of two people from vastly different backgrounds. Marian and Cliff did this well and also overcame misunderstandings, financial trials, small children, and a nomadic life on the road. The difficulties of caring for a young family from the confines of a camper were detailed with emotion and candor and I lived the hardship of this time alongside Marian.

I enjoyed learning more about Cliff and his transition from a teacher to a creative albeit still in the teaching world. He certainly comes across as a good man with a great deal of determination and also an excellent sense of humour.

This memoire is almost a coming of age story for a young couple. I couldn’t help thinking how much harder this couple worked at making a success of their relationship and marriage than a lot of young newly weds now. Divorce has become the seemingly easy answer but there are no quick fixes in life. There is a lot to be said for having the right attitude to marriage and the ability to compromise.

No matter your stage of life, you can learn a lot about living a successful life through reading this book.

In closing, I must mention that I think the title and cover are perfect for this book. A checkered or patchwork quilt is synonymous in my mind with hard work, strong values, and a stable and good quality family life. This is what Marian and Cliff have achieved and it is to be highly commended.

Purchase My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/My-Checkered-Life-Marriage-Memoir-ebook/dp/B0BXQ3JZVK

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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48 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – Book reviews: Silver Fire (The Kaerling Book 1) by Freya Pickard and My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir by Marian Beaman #memoir #fiction #readingcommunity”

  15. I hope my husband and I make it to 50 years. My Checkered Life sounds interesting and full of wisdom.

    Pickard is a good author (and poet!). I’m not surprised you enjoyed this fantasy story. I recently read the 15th book in the series (because I don’t always read series in order 🙄) and enjoyed it!

    Great reviews, Robbie!

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  16. Robbie, first of all, let me say a huge THANK YOU for reviewing my book. I am pleased that more readers will learn about my memoir because of your review. I wonder if you have also posted the review on Amazon.

    Again, huge THANKS for taking the time and effort to review my work. You are most kind! 🙂

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  19. I’ve enjoyed both of Marian’s books, especially in terms of her honest writing. Marriage can be hard work, but that’s no different for every couple.

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    1. HI Pete, every couple faces adversity in some way or another. TC and I had endless health struggles in our family. Both our sons had chronic health issues and over 40 operations between them. Then TC had the venal sinal thrombosis last year. Other family members have had cancer and my dad had a pulmonary embolism. We have overcome all those things and try to make the most of the good times. I think a good marriage is mainly about the attitude of the spouses.

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      1. Wow! You’ve had more than your share of challenges. I feel blessed to have a wonderful wife. She fills so many roles and manages most of the bill-paying. She has a great sense of humor, and we find something to laugh about every day. That helps us get through some tough spots.

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