OFFER ENDS AT MIDNIGHT, WED., SEPT. 30, 2020

 

The BIRD WITCH

The Mattie Saunders Series - Book 4

 

FREE TIL SEPT. 30, 2020

 

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When cultures collide...is love enough?

 

Can you love someone whose worldview is different from yours? Who is committed to a cause that excludes you because of your race? Simon is an Indigenous person dedicated to the struggle for justice for First Nations people. Mattie loves him but is love enough?

 

Birds are dying. At the Saunders Bird Rescue and Sanctuary where rescued parrots abandoned by their owners are rehabilitated and re-homed, a deadly virus has them dying in Mattie's hands. In the midst of this outbreak, she's called to investigate a mortality event where dozens of starlings fly into the pavement as if committing suicide.

 

Mattie needs Simon's support, but after spending weeks at a remote protest site, as soon as he returns home he begins working with Wendy Walters, the attractive, ambitious Indigenous politician on her re-election campaign. Mattie's just about had enough.

 

When Simon proposes a vacation on the Mexican Riviera, Mattie sees it as an opportunity to recover from the death of her beloved birds. She's also hopeful it's an indication Simon's reconsidering his priorities.

 

She didn't realize while on vacation he'd want to attend the Conference of Indigenous Peoples in Chiapas. Mattie's annoyed but decides to indulge her passion and do some tropical bird watching rather than attend a boring conference.

 

But Simon's conference turns out to be anything but boring when a deadly firefight erupts between the Mexican Army trying to arrest suspected terrorists and revolutionary Zapatista's.

 

Now Simon is missing, and Mattie is determined to find him, but to do so she must first escape being kidnapped by corrupt Mexican police and avoid abduction by vicious cartel members.

 

The fourth book in The Mattie Saunders Series, The Bird Witch combines romance and action with environmental themes for an entertaining and thoughtful exploration of contemporary culture. 

 

Six yaears ago partners Alex and Casie hatched a cruel plan to murder Ana, a young accountant, for her father's holdings. Now, Casie receives a strange phone call that forces her to return to the mansion where it all happened.  As Casie and Alex celebrate their eleventh wedding anniversary they experience a series of strange events.  At the center of the events is a woman they expected to never see again.  Ana has returned to make Casie and Alex pay for her tribulations.

Diving right into the action, Tribulations was a heart pounding read from the very beginning.  There has been a murder, but we don't know of who or the reasons surrounding it.  Casie and Alex are an interesting couple, power hungry, driven, sadists with absolutely no scruples.  Ana is painted as their exact opposite, caring, polite and moral.  Combining these characters makes for an intriguing, disastrous and fast-paced trial of pain and punishment.  There was a sense of something paranormal throughout the story, but it never quite manifests.  There would definitely be another layer of excitement for me as well as some more explanation of motives if this element is incorporated.  As the story moves, an element of mystery is brought in with a separate game that law enforcement might be playing.  Ending on a cliffhanger, I'll definitely have to find out what happens to this group moving forward.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Twelve year old Abbey is starting the school year at a new school once again. This time she is in Tennessee and her school is farther from her father's Army base than usual. Abbey has also managed to make a friend in happy and athletic Camille. She might even make friends with the artistic and cool Jiman. Then, September 11, 2001 comes. Abbey wakes up with her first menstrual cycle along with the news that will change her life forever. Once the news hits, Abbey's mother rushes to New York, her sister Rebecca is missing. Abbey is left with her father, her new body and a new world to navigate. As time passes, Abbey's father is deployed, and kids change their opinion about her at school, all the while her body keeps on schedule, slowly marking the months. Uniquely written in narrative verse, The Places We Sleep beautifully captures the thoughts of a preteen experiencing the trauma of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The writing immediately took me back to that day that connected so many of us across the country in fear. Just like Abbey, the day has been cemented in my mind. The verse perfectly captures the raw emotion at the time paralleled with coming of age. Through Abbey's eyes there is a deep look at the grief, depression and confusion that defined the months following the attacks. Between Abbey's Aunt, parents, and classmates there is a wide cross section of representation of how people reacted and were effected by many aspects of 9/11. Abbey shows that while an event may seem defining, the support of friendship and love can help you through. This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Ashley Bennett has lived a luxurious life in an upper class Los Angeles neighborhood.  However, as the school year winds down and a local man, Rodney King is murdered, Ashley is forced to reevaluate how she views herself and her peers. At first, Ashley the Rodney King murder is barely a blip on Ashley's radar, although after the verdict is delivered and the protests and riots begin, Ashley begins to see a difference in the way she and her family are treated.  She is not just any girl at her high school, she is one of the black kids. 

The Black Kids is so on point and perfectly written that I want everyone to read this book immediately.  Honest, poignant, and driven, the writing had me hooked from the beginning; it was eerie how the events of the very first chapter seemed to perfectly echo the current events of the USA.  I liked that Ashley's character was not the typical 'black kid' of the time and had to experience the consequences of the Rodney King murder to realize the truth of how her race effects her daily life.  Through Ashley's eyes I experienced the blatant racism and sexism that was as rampant in 1992 as it is now.  The prose also perfectly captured the wonders of being a teen along with the nostalgia of the early 1990's.  Ashley's journey  had great revelations about racism and the weight of representing her race in a white world, as well as understanding of poverty, friendship and growing up.  The consequences of the Rodney King verdict and the subsequent riots were a turning point in Ashley's view of herself and her life, opening up her eyes and my own to see just how long people of color have been vigilantly fighting against systemic racism in the USA and highlighting the cycle of racism, unjust killing, protest and unrest until we put a bandage on the current issue until we forget about what caused the previous issue.  The Black Kids is a must-read for everyone who wants to better understand the world we live in.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

The summer before Emma Lane's eighteenth birthday is the last summer she will have to return to York Beach, Maine for the court ordered two months of visitation with her mother.  Since Emma came out as gay at the age of twelve, her mother has been unaccepting of her sexuality, distant and divorced her father.  Now, Emma returns to York Beach only to be dumped at Camp Maplewood where she suffered a traumatic episode several years before throwing Emma into a depression complete with PTSD while her mother jet sets around the world with her new husband.  Emma immediately sets out to get herself thrown out of camp by breaking into the shed holding the camper's phones only to be thwarted at every attempt by counselor Vivian Black. As Emma deals with her worst fears at camp, she makes a friend in chipper, outgoing Gwen Black and a passion for cooking with Julie Black, the camp cook. Each time Emma even thinks about doing something to get herself kicked out, Vivian seems to be a step ahead, helping Emma through her fears and getting to know her well, maybe even more.

Night Owls and Summer Skies is a perfect summer romance.  I loved that Emma's character was already secure in her sexuality and that finding her sexuality was not the main point of the book, this was simply a romance.  Emma's character also had deeper issues such as her depression and PTSD which still affect her, but don't define her.  The writing brought me into Emma's head and at times I felt like I was having a panic attack along with her.  Emma's growth at camp was amazing to read through.  From dealing with bullies, making friends, finding a hobby she enjoys and learning how to trust again along with slowly recovering from her trauma from years before.  Emma and Vivian's relationship felt natural and unhurried as they simply fell into one another.  I did find it a little weird that they were counselor and camper, although they were only one year apart in age.  I do wish there was some growth for Emma's mother along with some of the other campers; however, it is Emma's story.  Overall, a fun summer romance.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.