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Merissa (12051 KP) created a post

Sep 21, 2021  
"A book of self-discovery, anxiety and acceptance."

Girl in the Walls by Katy Michelle Quinn - @Archaeolibrary, @hotchoc84, @CLASHbooks, #YoungAdult, #MagicalRealism, #LGBTQ+, 4 out of 5 (very good)

https://archaeolibrarian.wixsite.com/website/post/girl-in-the-walls-by-katy-michelle-quinn-1
     
A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
2018 | Action, Family, Sci-Fi
Visuals (1 more)
Promoting self belief and acceptance.
The plot could have been much better. (0 more)
Not really sure what theI point of this film was.
To me this movie made no sense other than promoting self acceptance, love and family dynamics.
I went into it expecting a scifi, empowering, adventure story, instead I found it overall lacklustre. I was honestly bored after half an hour which rarely happens and the disappointing thing was, that this could have been a great film, it had good potential.
Im not even sure this film would appeal to kids to be honest.
However I would say its very colourful and the visuals are pretty good.
  
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NerdGeek (155 KP) Aug 2, 2018

There's another version of this movie that's really good. You might consider checking it out. Part of the problem I had with this version was Oprah's demanding that God and Christianity be taken out. Those beliefs were a huge part of the book, and to take them out ruins the story.

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Loz Hughes (80 KP) Aug 4, 2018

I'll have to check them out then, cos this story did seem a bit gaping, perhaps the other version has more meaning then

Girl in the Walls
Girl in the Walls
Katy Michelle Quinn | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Brilliant.

A book of self discovery, anxiety and acceptance.

Girl in the Walls is heartbreaking and empowering. It's beautiful and sad. I feel for the main character, the way they slowly pick their way through thoughts, feelings and removes the labels given by society to become their true self.

The reaction from the parents is fairly balanced but I think is a tamer version of what some people struggle through. I'm glad though, it's nice to see a gentler response.

I'm blessed to have family that are finding themselves, that have been able to openly say "this is me" and have support (early on in a journey that is so right and is clearly the right path for the younger relative).

Well worth an afternoon read. Keep an open mind and heart.
  
No Place To Hide
No Place To Hide
Opa Hysea Wise | 2020 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Mystery, Thriller
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Amazing journey of personal growth and self-acceptance of the main character (0 more)
The self-help parts did not blend in well with the rest of the book. (0 more)
Interesting Mulit-genre book
No Place to Hide by Opa Hysea Wise is a unique combination of a self-help book with a mystery or crime drama. It doesn't read as a typical self-help book dose but instead lets readers follow the main character on her journey of growth and read her discoveries as far as herself goes.

 Smythe Daniels lives alone and is desperately trying to find some meaning in her life. She has even made the decision to quit her job in an effort to start her own business. On top of that she is taking a year long class in an attempt to find her happiness. Yet even with these large changes it would appear that Smythe is destined for even more hardship and change.

 One night while she is unable to sleep Smythe makes the simple decision to sit in her car in a parking lot to smoke a cigarette. Nothing life changing about that, right? Well as it happens Smythe is witness to a murder tied to a crime syndicate and her life is now in danger. Not wanting to give up everything she is working towards Smythe refuses the FBI’s offer (that is actually more of a request) to go into witness protection. Thankfully some anonymous person pays for a privet security detail for Smythe or else she might not make it to the trial date. As it is even with the security she might not make it.

 I enjoyed Smythe’s journey of personal growth and self-acceptance. Sometimes it dose take a major upheaval in our lives to be the pushing factor that we need for change. Hopefully most won’t have to go through such a traumatic time as Smythe. Unfortunately the attempt to hide a self-help book within the pages of a thriller missed its mark for me. At times the more ‘in depth’ conversations become repetitive, dry, and boring. The self-help parts did not seem to blend in with the story very well and actually interrupted the flow of the thriller for me, yet it wasn’t that bad.

 Crime drama lovers will be extremely interested in this book along with those who enjoy mild romance. Readers should also be comfortable (whether they believe or not) with discussions of a God or Source of some sort. Those who enjoy self-help will like this book and those that have at least a mild interest in self-help might want to give this one a try as well. I do recommend only adults read this as although there really isn’t anything inappropriate in this book younger readers might not understand some of the concepts. In fact it will probably take most adults multiple times reading this book to get the full benefit and enjoyment of it.

 I rate this book 3 out of 4. The story is engaging and draws readers in. It is easy to feel Smythe’s frustration at the restrictions and turns her life has taken as well as the disrepair it causes. Readers can even feel Artie’s emotions as well in her desire to protect Smythe and her growing feelings towards her. The self-help sections are entertaining at times as well (better blending would have helped) and offer some good insights.

GENERAL DETAILS

    • Book Title: No Place to Hide
    • Author: Opa Hysea Wise
    • Release Date: November 3, 2020
    • Publisher: Made for Success Publishing
    • ISBN 10: 1641464771
    • ISBN 13: 978-1641464772
    • Price: $14.99
    • Paperback: 300 Pages
    • Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense Thriller, Crime, Self-Help, LGBTQ Fiction, African American Women’s Fiction

***PURCHASING DETAILS:
(REVIEWERS, PLEASE INCLUDE ONE OR MORE OF THESE LINKS)

 "No Place to Hide" is available for pre-order on Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop, Walmart, and Barnes & Noble.

Review by Melissa Espenschied of Night Reader Reviews bookreviewsatnight@gmail.com
  
Murder Worth the Weight
Murder Worth the Weight
D.M. Barr | 2021 | Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Powerful, gripping and insightful.

Murder Worth the Weight is brilliant. There are many twists and turns to keep you guessing who the murderer is, which I love.
    It also calls to me, I'm a large woman and this strikes a cord. The thoughts, feelings, situations etc are like they've been plucked from my mind and that's what really sets the scene. You feel included.

Camarin is relatable, she's like so many people who have been pressured into trying to attain perfection, having ridiculous standards pushed at them and being held accountable for someone else. It's quite heartbreaking.

Acceptance and self-love are big themes, along side the murders, of course. Well worth a few cuppas and some chocolate biscuits sat in your comfy seat.
  
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Dana (24 KP) rated milk and honey in Books

Mar 23, 2018  
milk and honey
milk and honey
Rupi Kaur | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.1 (27 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book of poems was beautifully written. There is a sadness that was able to be tapped into that made everything feel so much more real.

The first section, the one about the father, made my heart ache for this girl. Having a good relationship with my own father made me appreciate it that much more. I know that this kind of relationship exists, but it still hurts to confront it so head on.

I loved the female empowerment in the last section of this book. Women are allowed to have this strong connection with themselves. They do not have to have a man to feel good about themselves. I'm not sure why this section hit me so much, but it did. There is a sense of acceptance of one's own self. Of one's flaws and one's past. It's calming.
  
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Apr 27, 2022  
Author Farena Bajwa visits my blog to answer some questions in a fun author interview. Read up on her poetry book FLOWERS GROW ON BROKEN WALLS, and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a paperback copy of the book!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2022/04/blog-tour-and-giveaway-flowers-grow-on.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
Flowers Grow on Broken Walls is a unique collection of poems and prose that talks about healing and finding yourself in a world that constantly tells you that's who you shouldn't be.

The poems, which tell a story, go over our everyday human emotions; from being heartbroken and questioning our self-worth in a world of judgment and scrutinizing social media, to finding ourselves and appreciating those really important in our lives - especially our inner, true selves.

The collection displays a raw and honest portrayal of an artist who cannot help but create something beautiful in the midst of the ugliness she has been put through, and who continues to hope against all odds, as she lets go of what she has been told is important and finds herself in one truly is.

The story that starts with heartache ends with healing, it starts with rejection from someone but ends with self-acceptance, which is the only way for true healing.
     
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Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Artifice in Books

Mar 15, 2018  
A
Artifice
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I had been meaning to read this graphic novel for a while, having heard good things about how it used a sci-fi / action story to talk about homophobia, racism, free will, first love, and self-acceptance; and in light of recent current events, it seemed like the perfect time. The artwork is absolutely wonderful, and perfectly captures all the nuances of the story, which is pretty great in itself. While it can occasionally feel a little predictable, the tale of Deacon and Jeff was sweetly romantic and contained many moments that I found very relatable, in spite of the science fiction setting and sporadic bursts of violence. In a way, this story is similar to recent British hit anthology show "Black Mirror", in that it uses its sci-fi setting to tell a deeply human story to great effect. While it may fall a little short of being a masterpiece, it is a great comic, and one I would love to see continued.
  
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ClareR (5721 KP) rated Sunny in Books

Mar 21, 2022  
Sunny
Sunny
Sukh Ojla | 2022 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Humor & Comedy, Romance
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
How I wish I could have known Sunny when I was in my thirties - or even now, if I’m honest! I read this book on The Pigeonhole, and I looked forward to opening each stave every day. It was one of those books that I just didn’t want to end. I mean, what happens after the last page?

Sunny feels the weight of expectation on her shoulders. She knows that her parents want her to get married, but she only seems to meet men who are wrong for her. I think a lot of this is because of her distinct lack of self-confidence and her poor body image. She calls herself fat constantly, she doesn’t seem to like herself very much, and puts herself across as the life and soul of every party to her friends, whilst hating the way that they use her. Actually, I don’t think that a lot of her friends are deserving of her friendship at all.

This book is a journey to self-acceptance for Sunny, and I was very happy to be on that journey with her. It’s funny and sad in equal measure. You can definitely tell that a comedian wrote this. Some of the observations were really funny, and the timing was perfect.

It’s a touching, funny novel, and one I’d recommend without hesitation.
  
Transformist of the Heart and Soul
Transformist of the Heart and Soul
Melinda George | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Unique design and compact. (0 more)
Needs more/better prompts (0 more)
Wonderful Self-help poetry journa
Transformist of the Heart and Soul by Melinda George is a self help journal mixed with a poetry book.

 Follow one woman, possibly yourself through a discovery of self-love. Find acceptance and move on from damaging relationships with the aid of twelve heartfelt poems from someone who appears to have felt the same pain.

 Once you feel ready the journal side of the book asks readers to write their thoughts in the form of poetry and to create daily mantras. For those wanting more you can create a 24 day gratitude list and write love letters to yourself. For the final aspect of the journal readers (or should I say writers) can glue or tape in images or since the squares are black use a white colored pencil to draw in ideas.

 The poems are touching and probably relatable for a large number of people, as sad as that is. I also enjoyed how compact the book is, it is small enough to fin in a purse, backpack, or suitcase without taking up too much room. This book is more of a journal than an actual book. Only twelve poems are found in the 79 page book. The back of the book dose say it is a self-empowerment journal inspired by poem, but I wish there were more poems in it. It also would have been nice if the journal had some more specific writing prompts in it.

 This book is directed mostly towards women. Specifically it seems to focus on someone leaving or recovering from a bad relationship. Readers should be prepared to or have a need to expose their hear and soul at least to themselves, which can be a painful process. I rate this book 3 out of 4. Over all the book/journal is very nice. I just with it had more poems and better/more specific writing prompts. The size of the book is nice for people on the go so they can write whenever they feel the inspiration.

Transformist of the Heart and Soul | Book| Austin Macauley Publishers USA