Book Review: In the Heart of Texas by Ginger McKnight-Chavers

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Book Title: In The Heart of Texas
Author: Ginger McKnight-Chavers
Format: Paperback
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

In the Heart of Texas is a story about an actress, Jo Randolph, and her unexpected transition to her hometown, Midland Texas.  Having a desire to be an actress since her childhood, Jo achieves her dream, but she has to pay a cost.

This book was quite entertaining.  Striving to be more than a desperate actress, Jo became entangled in a unique love affair that ultimately costs her a coveted job and a familiar life. Ultimately, as Jo's life falls apart, she partakes in a journey of self-discovery, which transforms her life right before her eyes.

Once Jo's love affair explodes into a media circus, she quickly retreats to her hometown, Midland, Texas.  Having promised herself that she would not return to her hometown, she quickly experiences a culture shock.  Adjusting to the slow pace of Midland, Texas from Hollywood is a very interesting transition for Jo.

While home, Jo is hired as a drama teacher at her former high school.  Being a teacher in Midland was something that Jo never dreamed possible, but after the media circus, it was very necessary for her to survive.  Ironically, Jo reconnects with a former classmate, but her attempt at reconnection was a complete wreck. Returning to Midland, Texas forces Jo to embrace her humble beginnings and start a new chapter filled with renewed hope.

Through Jo's mid-life crisis, the reader is exposed to Jo's often convoluted attitudes and beliefs about her life.  The unexpected events in Jo's life catapult her to appreciate what she has in her life rather than what is missing. Resilience is a theme throughout the text that is significantly illustrated as Jo pushes forward and embraces her new future.




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7 Authors Attend My Dream Book Conference

I love books, and I cannot lie.

If I were given the opportunity to organize a book conference with any of my favorite authors, I would be in "book heaven."  Being surrounded by books make me feel safe and warm.  Therefore, if I could plan the perfect book conference, I would have some of my favorite authors to be on the panel.

The location for my meeting would be the American Library in Paris, France. I love the history of the American Library in Paris.  Initially, the American Library in Paris was created to provide books to the members of the United States Armed Forces in World War I.  Now, The American Library in Paris has expanded to be one of the largest English-lending libraries in Europe. Plus, the library provides a view of the Eiffel Tower, which is on my bucket list.  I have images of the Eiffel Tower throughout my house, as a visual reminder that one day I will go to Paris. Just imagining being surrounded by first editions and being able to view the Eiffel Tower, I get goosebumps.

I would like seven authors on the panel.  The panel would be moderated by Oprah Winfrey, of course.  I cannot think of anyone else, who would do such an excellent job of moderating, especially since she is an avid reader.  Winfrey would ask just the right questions. I would be too star struck to ask anything.  I could just see Winfrey with that poised look, that she gets when she is really focused.

1. Richard Wright - Richard Wright would be excellent for multiple reasons. I participated in the 4W's Writing Institute years ago, and Richard Wright was one of the featured writers.  We visited his hometown, Natchez, MS.  We viewed the house, where he burned the curtains.  We crossed the railroad tracks that he mentioned in his book, Black Boy.  We even saw the church, where Wright's mother taught.  I have always enjoyed his work. Plus, he relocated to Paris to escape racism in the United States.
2. W. E. B. DuBois - Next, I would invite W. E. B. DuBois. I have his entire collection of writings. I purchased the last collection from Square Books in Oxford, MS, which is my favorite bookstore when I go home to Water Valley.  His books touch me deeply.  I am fascinated with his thought process, especially in The Soul of Black Folks. I presented research, entitled The Relevancy of The Souls of Black Folk in the 21st Century.  Also, I attended the unveiling of the bronze bust at Clark Atlanta University and Spelman College.  That experience was priceless.  
3. Ernest Hemingway - I dream of going to Paris and visiting all of the locations that Hemingway was known to frequent.  Hemingway is known for donating to the American Library in Paris.  I have had the opportunity to smell a 1st edition book by Hemingway.  The $8,000 price tag stopped the actual purchase, but I am so grateful to Lemuria Bookstore for allowing me to be in the very presence of this book.  Sighs.  When I "make it," my first purchase will be that 1st edition.
4. Mildred D. Taylor - Taylor was from Mississippi, which helped me enjoy her writing. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry spoke to me on so many levels as a child. Additionally, the main character shared a variation of my name, Cassie.  Being from Mississippi and knowing first hand how racism impacts your life, I devoured each and every book written by Taylor.  I loved all her books. I even shared Taylor's books with my mother, who loves them, as well.  She is such a talented writer.
5. Eudora Welty - Eudora was also a writer from the 4W's Writing Institute.  In Eudora's home, every room has books, and I loved this about her home. My favorite short story by her is A Worn Path.  I used that text often when I taught English at the college level.  I would have my students' watch her interview about A Worn Path.  I like how nonchalant she is about whether the grandson is alive or dead.
6. Toni Morrison - The first book that I read by Morrison was Song of Solomon.  I did it to impress one of my favorite professors. I earned an A in his class because of my paper on this book.  God Help the Child is my favorite book by Morrison. In this text, Morrison emphasizes how parents shape the lives of their children.  If I were to meet Morrison, I discuss how she develops her novels and their plots. I would like to hear first hand her inspiration for Song of Solomon.
7. Jodi Picoult - Small Great Things touched me deeply. I noticed that some of my fellow bookworms were reading Small Great Things because it kept showing up on my Instagram timeline.  Picoult knocked me off my feet with the plot and the realness of her book. She entangled me in the lives of Ruth and Turk.  The amount of research that she did to capture the characters in her book is truly remarkable.  I would like to discuss with her the process for which she wrote the book, especially the point of views for Ruth and Turk.

What do you think about my panel of authors? If you could create a book conference, who would you have on the panel and why? Would you attend my conference? Let's talk.

Check out Eventbrite's Conference Management Page for organizing and hosting your own local events.

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Book Review: Freddie Entangled by Kiru Taye

Book Title: Freddie Entangled

Author: Kiru Taye

Format: eBook

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

After reading Freddie Entangled,  I know that I will be reading the next one in the series, which is entitled Freddie Untangled.  Having only read the first book in the Essien Trilogy, Keeping Secrets, I definitely have to read the other four books before this one. Even though I have not read books 2-5, I was able to follow the plot.  

In this book, Kike, a famous actress, who is often referred to as the Ice Queen, is married to Lekan, the pastor of a mega church.  After an incident that involved someone trying to take her son, Yomi, she decides that a bodyguard is necessary for her and her son. 

Kike contacts the security firm, where Freddie works. Eventually, Freddie is hired to be Kike's personal bodyguard. His partner, Benson, watches the children.  The immediate attraction between Kike and Freddie is intriguing, overpowering, and surprising to me. 

Interestingly enough, the development of the plot to include sub and dom references shocked me. Why I don’t know? I guess I just wasn’t expecting that in this text.  The complexity of Kike and Freddie's interactions, as well as the relationship of Kike and Lekan, draws you into the plot, but also, leaves you feeling somewhat confused.  Both these feelings make you want to continue until the end.   

Being unfamiliar with the sub and dom world, I do not understand everything that Taye was trying to portray, but the psychology student in me couldn't help but notice the psychological and emotional abuse that Lekan was doing to Kike. Lekan has been taken advantage of Like since her youth.  

In my opinion, I finished this book in record time. However, I was so disappointed when I made it to the ending.  I wanted to know what was going to happen between Freddie and Kike, as well has what Lekan “had up his sleeve.”As I wait for Freddie Untangled to debut in May, I know I will be reading the books by Kiru Taye in this series to catch up.  





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Book Review: The Best Team Wins by Adam Robinson

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Book Title: The Best Team Wins

Author: Adam Robinson

Format: Audiobook

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Best Team Wins, written by Adam Robinson, focuses on how important hiring the right people to work in an organization to the bottom line or profit of the organization.  Robinson provides several strategies or steps, which can potentially enhance a company's ability to identify team members, who can actually contribute to an organization.

I did not realize how important hiring the right people can impact an organization.  Robinson indicated that about "70 percent of the cost structure of a typical company" revolves around the people that work at the organization.  I could not believe how large this percentage was.

In my opinion, this book is ideal for budding entrepreneurs, who are looking to expand their organization.  This book provides a lot of information to assist in identifying key people for an organization. Entrepreneurs, who are foreign to the hiring process, could benefit immensely from this book.  Additionally, this book is ideal for organizations that are trying to identify how to sustain their competitive advantage.

The strategies within this book are manageable and can be implemented regardless of the size of the organization.  In my opinion, this book was not a hard read.  The language used within the text was not overly technical.

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Book Review: Ego Free Leadership

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Book Title: Ego Free Leadership

Author: Brandon Black and Shayne Hughes

Format: Ebook

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Ego Free Leadership explored the stages of professional growth for a chief executive officer(CEO of a debt collection agency).  Written by a CEO, Brandon Black, and his professional coach, Shayne Hughes, Ego Free Leadership shows how the ego of a leader can impact his or her effectiveness. I appreciated the transparency presented in this text. I've read many books on leadership, which focus specifically on the positives and exclude their trials and tribulations. This book stands out because it is genuinely written to share what many leaders would normally omit.

I enjoyed reading Ego Free Leadership for several reasons. First, the authors presented numerous scenarios, which explained what was occurring, how ego played a negative or positive role, and what to do as a corrective measure. Before reading this book, I never really considered how much my ego can impact my ability to be an effective and efficient leader of an organization or in any capacity. Also, the authors, especially the CEO, shared their personal struggles with their desire to be viewed as a leader and maintaining their own egos. Lastly, Ego Free Leadership includes both success stories and stories about their failures. The anecdotal evidence demonstrates how their egos contributed to either failure or success. Using this method to share leadership strategies, the authors assist the reader in enhancing his or her ability to be a leader. 

I think this book is ideal for leaders, who are new to their leadership roles. After reading this book, new leaders can begin to identify their strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Also, new leaders can implement the strategies to improve their leadership styles. I believe that Ego Free Leadership can assist seasoned leaders in their self-assessment of current leadership capabilities. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. 

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Teresa Messineo: The Fire by Night

Today, I listened to a podcast episode from HarperAudio Presents, which was called Teresa Messineo Talks The Fire by Night.  In this podcast episode, Messineo discusses how she wrote her debut novel, The Fire by Night. I was immediately impressed as she talked about how she spent seven years reseaching the material for her text.  Messineo talked with World War II nurses to get the material and understand their first-hand accounts about World War II. Even though the book is a historical fiction novel, Messineo explained that only two characters within the book are not based on actual facts.  I have always been intrigued by historical fiction and the talent that exudes from writers, who tackle this particular genre.


Hearing this fact, I added The Fire by Night to my To Be Read list.  I am craving to understand how the plot unfolds.  Also, I am intrigued because she takes a viewpoint of the World War II nurses, who are often forgotten when war stories are shared.  I am excited about buying my copy of The Fire by Night.

The energy that Messineo exhibits as she talks about her inpsiration for the book is quite contagious.  During the podcast episode, she shares her background and life.  Even though she researched for her book, she homeschools her children, which I tought was very impressive.

Here is the synopsis about the book from Amazon:

Image Retrieved from Goodreads

A powerful and evocative debut novel about two American military nurses during World War II that illuminates the unsung heroism of women who risked their lives in the fight—a riveting saga of friendship, valor, sacrifice, and survival combining the grit and selflessness of Band of Brothers with the emotional resonance of The Nightingale.
In war-torn France, Jo McMahon, an Italian-Irish girl from the tenements of Brooklyn, tends to six seriously wounded soldiers in a makeshift medical unit. Enemy bombs have destroyed her hospital convoy, and now Jo singlehandedly struggles to keep her patients and herself alive in a cramped and freezing tent close to German troops. There is a growing tenderness between her and one of her patients, a Scottish officer, but Jo’s heart is seared by the pain of all she has lost and seen. Nearing her breaking point, she fights to hold on to joyful memories of the past, to the times she shared with her best friend, Kay, whom she met in nursing school.
Half a world away in the Pacific, Kay is trapped in a squalid Japanese POW camp in Manila, one of thousands of Allied men, women, and children whose fates rest in the hands of a sadistic enemy. Far from the familiar safety of the small Pennsylvania coal town of her childhood, Kay clings to memories of her happy days posted in Hawaii, and the handsome flyer who swept her off her feet in the weeks before Pearl Harbor. Surrounded by cruelty and death, Kay battles to maintain her sanity and save lives as best she can . . . and live to see her beloved friend Jo once more.
When the conflict at last comes to an end, Jo and Kay discover that to achieve their own peace, they must find their place—and the hope of love—in a world that’s forever changed. With rich, superbly researched detail, Teresa Messineo’s thrilling novel brings to life the pain and uncertainty of war and the sustaining power of love and friendship, and illuminates the lives of the women who risked everything to save others during a horrifying time.

Based on the information that I shared,  would you read this book?

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The Booksellers at Laurelwood

Celebrating my wedding anniversary in Memphis, Tennessee, I knew I could not leave without finding a locally-owned bookstore. Using the Maps Nearby feature on my iPhone, I discovered the Booksellers at Laurelwood.

Immediately, I fell in love with the store. The entrance had books, as knobs on the door. I had to stop and snap a picture.

Entrance to The Booksellers at Laurelwood

Entering the store, I was confused. Shelves were semi-empty. Signs were posted, which stated that bookcases and other fixtures were for sale.

After browsing for awhile, I decided to ask the cashier what was going on with the store. She informed me that the store was being closed. They were not relocating but closing the doors.Even though it was my first time visiting the store, I felt sad. I hate to see a bookstore closing. It's like a community is losing a foundation component.

Based on the books and accessories that were left, the bookstore was probably an awesome environment and experience. It offered so much more than just books. I wished that I had visited it when I first saw it in December.

I found some pretty amazing books and gifts. I bought a digital photography because one of my goals is to improve my photo taking skill. I found three cameras at a pawn shop. Two Cybershot and a Nikon FG Vintage camera had my name on it.

I was really excited to purchase this book and save 40% off on the listed price. I bought books, journals, an address book, gifts for my nephews, and a notepad. My husband even found some great books and accessories.

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I even found books that were on sale. The sale books had yellow stickers on them. The 40% discount was applicable to clearance books, too. This fact made me very happy.

Once I made my purchase, and we left the store, I googled the Booksellers at Laurelwood. The cashier was speaking the truth. The news article confirmed the store closing. I was saddened even more.

I still desire to open a bookstore. However, witnessing the untimely demise of another bookstore hurts my heart and makes me wonder if my desire to open a bookstore is feasible. I know if so many bookstores that have closed.

I hope I can return to support them again before the doors are locked for good.

What's your favorite bookstore? Where do you go to get your books?