This review was supposed to go out on Wednesday this week, but the wheels fell off the work bus and I had to work late. Better late than never, so here is my review of No Such Luck by Staci Troilo.
What Amazon says
Seeds of luck usually wither. The rare one grows and blooms.
Piper Seidel has one thing going for her—a red carnation given to her by Tommy Burnett in the tenth grade. It might have dried over the years, but it’s still her good luck charm. Losing it sets her life in a downward spiral, forcing her to return to her hometown where she comes face to face with her high school crush.
The years have been kind to Tommy, who looks better than ever. Unfortunately, Piper is at her worst, continually embarrassing herself whenever he’s around. The only plus? Her long-time friend, Jack Rhodes, still lives in town. Since she last saw him, his legs have grown longer, his biceps thicker, and his shoulders broader. He was always the brother she never had, but now she can’t help noticing him in an unsisterly way. Jack is every bit as caring as he’s ever been—until her bad luck drives him away, maybe forever.
Piper needs a new good luck charm, and fast, before she loses her final chance at happiness.
My review
No Such Luck is a delightful romance about a young woman coming to terms with a teenage romance and finding adult love.
Piper is a feisty character who is very good at her job, but bad at office politics and the ‘playing the game’ necessary to get on in an office job. She firmly believes that her skills and excellent journalistic skills are enough to secure her place in a financially stressed job environment, but she is wrong. An inability to work well with others proves to be her downfall and Piper is fired. I related well to Piper and felt bad for her when a cherished momentum is lost when security pack up her desk and she is left feeling she has lost everything. Piper decides to go home to her father and her step-mother for the Christmas holidays.
Back in her home town, Piper runs into her best friend from school, Jack, and an old flame, Tommy. Piper must reassess her past relationships in order to plot her own best path forward.
This book is well writing and the story is enjoyable with a satisfying conclusion.
Welcome to Thursday Doors, a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments below, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time).
Entrance hallMaster bedroomDoor from the green roomCupboard in the sitting roomDoor into the green room from the sitting roomRed doorDoor to storage roomJars of crushed glass in storage roomDoor into the bathroomFireplaceCeiling in kitchenKitchen door
Welcome to Thursday Doors, a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments below, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time).
This week, I’m sharing some pictures of the lodge, which really was very nice.
Door from the dining roomEntranceDoor to the outside showerGreg outside the door to the vehicleDoor to our room
We saw some wonderful animals, including this warthog.
Last week I mentioned that the single young elephant bull got a fright when the vehicle started. This is the story in 99-syllables.
Elephant scare
The bull elephant stands Passive aggressive Perceiving no threat from the six vehicles The people drawn like flies To view real nature *** He continues to feed Desecrating trees Trying to satisfy his ceaseless hunger One eye on the people One eye on the leaves *** The engine turns over It’s time to move on No regard for the animal – he takes fright Rears and trumpets his shock Driver reacts fast
In case you’ve forgotten, this is how close the elephant was – the vehicle roof support can be seen to the side of the picture. These vehicles are open.
One of my favourite sightings was seeing a dung beetle rolling a ball of dung across the road. You can watch my short video here:
Be it born to darkness and sacrifice, or be it raised amidst love and hope; for those who dwell under light and freedom, and those who are shackled to ways preordained, the cruellest curses stem from our greatest blessings. And yet some are cursed, so that others may be blessed.
Kamau is born to a people who repress all emotion, but his first experience of grief shakes the foundations of all his beliefs. It thrusts him on a journey for answers, and ultimately pits him and a few unexpected companions against an ageless power.
My review
Realms of the Mist is a fantasy story set in the beautiful and majestic mountains of eastern Africa. The writing has a lyrical and poetic style which suits the mystical subject matter of the book.
The protagonist, Kamau, is a member of a tribe of people called the Hadiza. They are the Guardians of The Veil which separates the afterlife from life on earth. Their positions as Guardians come with gift and the Hadiza are able to transform into animals. There is also a price to be paid and they are expected to control their emotions and serve the spirits without emotional burdens. To this end, siblings are separated from their parents and from each other and grow up cared for by communities of people. This system failed for Kamau and his younger sister who accidently end up in the same community. Kamau succumbs and takes on the responsibilities of an older brother despite this being contrary to the beliefs of his people. The unexpected death of Kamau’s sister unbalances him and results in him nearly committing a terrible sin. Despite his failing to remain detached from his sister and his near failing, he is chosen to go on an important mission to save The Veil and his people. It is believed he is the only one who can fulfil this mission and his relationship with his sister and her death influence his behaviour and decisions.
I enjoyed Kamau’s character and his growth from a temperamental and selfish young man to a more mature and responsible man. With his best friend and guide, Irina, at his side, he sets off to overcome the forces of evil working to destroy his world. During his travels, he meets another lovely young woman called Ninuwe, who is of the Femi tribe. Her gift is to incite love and lust in others and she competes with Irina for Kamau’s affections. This competition makes for some fun and interesting dialogue and exchanges.
This is a great adventure with lots of excitement and action. It’s African setting and interesting mythological components make this an extraordinary read.
Jude Itakali was born and lives in Kampala, Uganda. He is publishing his first collected works, “CROSSROADS (Winds of love)
When not being an athlete on the rugby field, or crunching down numbers on a computer for work, he delicately pens the epiphanies from life and its different relationships and encounters.
He writes about all sorts of topics, finding a way to relate them with each other, because no one theme exists in a vacuum.
Empathy is sometimes considered a gift, and Jude has it in abundance
I am over at Writing to be Read with Part 2 of posts about the San (Bushmen) of southern Africa. Today, I am reading a poem from IXam mythology and sharing about the Bushman Heritage Centre in Nieu Bethesda, South Africa. Thank you for hosting me, Kaye Lynne Booth.
Today, I am going to share a poem from the extinct IXam tribe and a little more about the San.
San hunting methods
The San are excellent hunters. They do some trapping of animals but hunting with a bow and arrows is their preferred method. The San arrows are smeared with a deadly poison that kills the animal slowly. As the animal takes a long time to die, the hunters have to track it sometimes for a few days.
The San make their poison from a caterpillar called ka or ngwa or from the larvae of a small beetle. Sometimes they use poison made from plants or snake venom. San poisons are highly toxic. In order to prevent accidental contamination, they reverse their…
Janice Spina from Jemsbooks has hosted me with a lovely author interview. Janice is the author of an amazing variety of wonderful books from children’s pictures books to adult novels. Do take a look around while you are there. Thank you, Janice.
It is such a pleasure to welcome a fellow author toInterview an Author on Jemsbooks.blog.Today, please help me welcome talented author/accountant/incredible baker,Robbie Cheadle!
Thank you so much, Robbie, for coming today to share a little bit about yourself and your lovely books. It’s nice to have you back again. You were here before with your son, Michael (link). I am excited to have you here again! The floor is yours!
Robbie Cheadle
Thank you, Janice, for inviting me to be your guest onJemBooks.
Please tell us something about yourself
I am a chartered accountant and have worked in corporate finance for over 16 years. I did both my degrees through a correspondence university and worked full time throughout. As a result, I completed my academics and three years of articles in six years, instead of the usual seven.
Norman Wicks is 57, overweight, and has diabetes. He is sick of his life. He has never left home, had a girlfriend, or held down any kind of job. The only friends he has are online, as he prefers to stay in the comfort zone of his bedroom. His devoted 92 year old mother Agnes waits on him hand and foot.
Norman has a secret he has kept hidden from the world for the majority of his life, but now he is desperate to bring it out into the open. He is terrified of how his family will react. However, for his own happiness and peace of mind, Norman must find a way to tell his mother and siblings exactly what they do not want to hear.
HIS LADYSHIP reached the finals and the Longlist of the 2021 Page Turner Awards.
My review
This book tackles the difficult topic of a person whose soul is trapped in the body of the wrong gender. There is a lot of controversy about which internal conflicts are gender related and which are sexuality related and I don’t feel qualified to comment on them as my upbringing was so conservative and ridged I only know a little about these topics. I can, however, comment on how this author’s characterization of Norman Wilkes, a man of 57 who has always identified as female, made me feel.
I felt terrible for Norman. He was born at a time when everything was black and white when it came to gender and his parents and siblings were conservative. There was no-one for him to talk to about his inner turmoil and confusion and so he withdrew from society, spending his life locked up his room.
Norman lives on unemployment from the government and only tries to get a job once. Because of his outwardly masculine appearance, he is sent to try out a job in a warehouse for which he is entirely unsuited. It ends in humiliation and catastrophe for Norman and is incredibly sad.
At the age of 57, when his mother is 93, Norman realises that time is running out for him and he needs to do something immediately if he wants to salvage what’s left of his life. He decides to out himself as a transgender man.
His mother and siblings reaction to his news is heartbreaking as they are initially unable to be kind or find any pleasant or supportive way of interacting with their brother. They actually are obstructive and make his life harder. Norman is determined though and goes ahead with his plans anyway which showed real strength of spirit and also desperation.
Norman is certainly not depicted as being a perfect person. In fact, he is selfish and self centred. His demanding behaviour towards his elderly mother is disgusting, but, as you progress with this novel and learn more about Norman, you start feeling more sorry for him than annoyed or judgmental. You discover the narrow-mindedness of his family and understand why he feels so trapped and unloved. No-one has ever tried to discover why Norman behaves the way he does, even his mother, despite her defense of his perceived “lazy” behaviour.
The changes to Norman’s personality and behaviour become more notable as the story unravels and you get a good insight into how much happier and kinder Norman could have been if there had been a little more understanding of his difficulties earlier in his life. It is impossible not to cheer Normal on as he starts down his new lifepath.
This book have a positive ending and is well researched and interesting.
Today, I am welcoming author Jan Sikes to Roberta Writes to talk about her new novel, JAGGED FEATHERS. Welcome Jan!
Feather art
Thank you, Robbie, for inviting me to your blog site today to talk about my new book, JAGGED FEATHERS! I appreciate your generosity.
I remember a few years ago, as I scrolled through Pinterest, I found some artwork that was literally breathtaking. I knew when I found it I wanted to use it someday in a story. So, when I created my character, Nakina Bird, I gave her the artistic gift of painting on feathers. I had to research some of the basics in order to write it, but what a fascinating and delicate medium. Here are a few examples. If you’d like, visit Pinterest and take a look at some of the amazing feather art.
When Vann Noble discovered an assortment of feathers and paint supplies in the bottom of Nakina’s backpack, he was more than a little curious. Any type of art interested him, but especially art that used things occurring in nature.
Excerpt:
She (Nakina) spread clean paper, assembled her paints and brushes, then reached for the feather. “The first thing you have to do is prime the feather or set your base, and I do that with a spray fixative.”
Vann pulled up a stool beside her. She smoothed the feather with her slender fingers, almost as if she were combing it. He found himself wondering what those fingers would feel like on his skin. Dammit! He had to keep his thoughts focused and quit acting like a touch-deprived fool. “So, shaping is important?”
“Yes. Then once you have it exactly how you want it, spray both sides with the fixative.” She reached for a spray can, and the movement caused her thigh to brush against his.
“Do you have to wait for it to dry?” He fought to ignore the touch.
“On a feather, it dries almost instantly. Do you by chance have any masking tape?”
“I’m sure I do somewhere.” He pushed up from the stool and rummaged through drawers on a side cabinet. “Here you go.” He placed the tape in the palm of her hand, and his fingertips lightly brushed her soft skin. His breath quickened.
She carefully tore off three small pieces and attached them to the back side of the feather, then pressed it down onto the paper. “This just helps stabilize and strengthen the spine. You can’t imagine how many quills I broke when I was first learning.”
He rested his elbows on the table while she squirted small dots of acrylic paint onto the paper. Using short brush strokes, she outlined the profile of a dog. “You’re going to paint Champion!”
She smiled. “It was appropriate for this feather. It seems the piece you’re working on and this feather are symbolic. So it needs Champion on it too. The most important thing is to always paint in the direction the feather lies.”
“Uh huh. That makes sense.”
Her face relaxed, and a half-smile graced her lips. The soothing, rhythmical strokes of the brush spread through Vann, and for the first time in hours his mind quieted and peace washed over him.
Champion came alive one brushstroke at a time on the inky surface of the raven’s feather.
Nakina was right. This piece was symbolic in every way. It might be one that he’d keep for himself.
What was it she had said about a raven’s feather? It represented creation and knowledge. Those were both important to survival in life.
He found incomparable comfort in creating art, and it was vividly apparent that Nakina did as well.
Her long, slender fingers moved with grace over the delicate medium. He followed her movement, taking in each detail. Her face softened, and the furrow between her brow smoothed.
When she laid down her brush, an uncanny likeness of Champion occupied the surface of the feather.
Vann let out a low whistle. “That’s amazing.”
At the whistle, Champion jumped to his feet and trotted over.
Nakina loosened the masking tape and lifted the feather from the paper. She held it up in the sunlight. “Thanks. Do you think it looks like him?”
“What do you think old boy?” Vann patted Champion’s back.
The dog let out a short bark.
Nakina laughed. “Looks like he approves.”
“So do I. That is truly fascinating and something I’ll try my hand at someday.”
***
Have you ever seen feather art before? I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. If I were an artist, I would certainly try it.
Book trailer
Blurb
Vann Noble did his duty. He served his country and returned a shell of a man, wounded inside and out. With a missing limb and battling PTSD, he seeks healing in an isolated cabin outside a small Texas town with a stray dog that sees beyond his master’s scars. If only the white rune’s magic can bring a happily ever after to a man as broken as Vann.
On the run from hired killers and struggling to make sense of her unexplained deadly mission, Nakina Bird seeks refuge in Vann’s cabin. She has secrets. Secrets that can get them all killed.
A ticking clock and long odds of living or dying, create jarring risks. Will these two not only survive, but find an unexpected love along the way? Or, will evil forces win and destroy them both?
Welcome to Thursday Doors, a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments below, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time).
After taking a walk to see the bushmen paintings and Anglo Boer War etchings I featured for last week Thursday Doors post, we travelled into the tiny town of Nieu Bethesda to do a little exploring. I’ll tell you a bit more about this fascinating tiny town in due course, but today, I am featuring the garden of the Owl House.
Helen Elizabeth Martins in a South African artist who worked with concrete and glass. She installed her elderly and ailing father, who was believed to have been emotionally abusive to his family during her younger years, in an outside room which she painted black. She ended her life at the age of 78 by drinking caustic soda.
“Helen Martins’ Owl House, often cited as South Africa’s finest example of outsider art, is an extraordinary, other-worldly home of concrete and ground glass sculptures. Her creativity conjures up an array of emotions: from wonder to excitement, curiosity and sadness.”
Let’s start with pictures of the concrete and glass structures in her garden:
Strange structure with an open doorwaySmall house structure with open doorway and contorted man with glass eyesNativity sceneGathering of peopleGathering of people from behindWoman with bottle skirtClock towerChurch structureEntrance to the outside room where Helen’s father livedDoorway to her father’s room from the insideShe painted the room blackThe paint was full of glass chipsOutside structure built of glass bottles with an open doorwayDoorway into the house
If you’d like to learn more about Helen Martins, you can watch this 7 minute video about her life:
roberta-writes.com 