#BookReview: Just Her Poetry by Denise Finn @dlfinnauthor and Summer Magic by Marcia Meara @MarciaMeara
Hi everyone. I’m pleased to be able to say the tablets I began a couple of weeks ago continue to help my breathing. I have my chest x-ray appointment for May 4th, and my first COVI-19 jab tomorrow … everything crossed!
On a happy note too: Today, I have book reviews for authors I have known and respected for a long time. Today’s offerings are of a poetic nature >>>
About the Book:
Take a journey with D.L. Finn as she blends her love of nature with her deepest emotions.
Sit with her on the forest floor observing its tranquil beauty, or stroll along the oceanβs shore admiring the vastness of its horizon. Here in these peaceful moments youβll be able to experience her thoughts and feelings in the lightβand in the darkness.
This is a thought-provoking collection of poetry that invites the reader into all the seasons of a soul.
My Review:
Just Her Poetry: Seasons of a SoulΒ is a beautiful collection of poems about the changing seasons and also emotions. I thoroughly enjoyed this moving collection of verse, which is like a master painting but in words rather than on a canvas.
While I enjoyed each and every poem,Β River’s Journey, Silence, Change,Β andΒ AbuseΒ stood out in particular for me. Below are some verses I’d like to share with you from the book …
RIVERβS JOURNEY
I sit high above the riverβobserving. Its twists and turns propel it forward. The water crashes down the rocky ledges Leaving spectacular waterfalls to admire. Itβs heading for a manmade lake Where someday it will be released into a river again, Then its journey continues until it reaches the sea. Itβs a long journey ahead for this river. But, itβs also a beautiful reminder No matter what life throws at me No matter what obstacles, it keeps flowing forward. And if I ever find myself stuck in an unmoving lakeβ¦ Iβll wait until that moment when it is my time of release Then I can continue my journey to the sea of dreams.
and
SILENCE
It is fleeting in that moment. In between events it waits. Motionless Moving Magneticβ It is calling you. Unheard Unnoticed Untethered Until time fades into darkness. The exact instant you close your eyes. Itβs still there waitingβSilence.
and
Privacy gone in exchange for security that watches and waits. We hope that our fears are never recorded on our camera.
More amazing still, the author even wrote some of these poems while riding on the back of a Harley! Here’s what D L Finn has to say about that:Β ‘The most challenging place to write was sitting on the back of my husbandβs Harley while maneuvering through the roads and wind. Iβm proud to say I never lost a pen or piece of paper doing so.’
This book is full of soul searching, reflection, and creativity, and gets a resounding 5 stars from me.
About the Book:
Summer Magic: Poems of Life & Love is a collection of contemporary poetry about exactly that–life and love.
The first part of the book features poems about the magic a young boy discovers while camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The second part of the book has a sampling of poetry about love, life and death, autumn, and dreams coming true.
My Review:
The poems in the first half of this book centre around a character in Wake Robin Ridge, MacKenzie Cole, so if you’ve read that series, these verses will mean more to you than if you haven’t yet done so.
The poems in the second half are of a more varied nature and cover many aspects of life and the world around us.
A few of the poems that stood out for me are:Β Ambush, Showers, Star Gazing, Campfire Ghosts, Bruises, and Attitude Really is Everything.
SHOWERS
Drip-drip. /Β Huddled and sighing / inside the tent / boredom a damp prescence / keeping him company. / While Dad naps to the sound of the rain. /Β Drip-drip. /Β Comic books scattered / On his rumpled cot. / Superheroes as powerless / As little boys while / The day spills water / Over all his plans
and
Joy shared /Β And excitement /Doubled.
and
CAMPFIRE GHOSTS
Dark Clouds /Β Hide the silver light / From his wide-eyed gaze. / Night reigns / In blackest glroy, / Held at bay only / By the oragne firelight.
Summer Magic gets 5 stars from me.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS:Β I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! β Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER β Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! β An okay read. Didnβt love it. Didnβt hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS βLacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA βLots of issues with this book.
I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by π
For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …
JUST HER POETRY
UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/
US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/
Beautiful examples from these talented poets, Harmony. Congrats to Denise and Marcia on the wonderful reviews!
Thanks, Jacquie π
I have read and enjoyed both of these poetry books. Thanks for your lovely reviews.
Thank you, Robbie π
Thatβs great. Thanks, Robbie π
Sorry I’m late, Harmony, but thanks so much for featuring Summer Magic here today along with Denise’s Just Her Poetry. (I have that one on my Kindle and I’m now primed to start reading it at lunch today! No more delays!)
I’m so happy you enjoyed Summer Magic and really appreciate the 5-stars! Poetry is overlooked too much these days, and it’s always great to find someone who appreciates it. Thanks again for reading, reviewing, and SHARING a bit of this one with your readers. I appreciate it more than you know!
AND, I’m super happy you are feeling better! Sending you positive, healing thoughts, and my best wishes for continued progress! β€π€β€
It would be great if more folks found the joy of poetry. Thanks for your well wishes! Healing wishes your way too! πππ
Thanks, Harmony! I had biopsies done on each shoulder Monday, so have a bit of pain from those, though not too bad. Got the results a few minutes ago. Another precancer on one, which will likely have to be frozen off. The other is something I’ve never heard of, and though benign, will need another treatment of some kind. And I have to run a second 4-week course of Efudex on my face for all the keratoses on my cheeks! SUNLIGHT!!!! Where’s a good, solid COFFIN when you need one??
Maybe I’ll write some poems about all the many, many skin cancers I’ve had removed over the last 40 years! That’d be a cheery one, eh? “Skin cancer, How do I hate thee, Let me count the ways … ” π
And yes, I wish there were a way to make poetry as universally popular as it once was. In these days of shorter attention spans and less reading time, you’d think it would be a natural, wouldn’t you? Alas. We who are poets at heart missed the boat on that one, methinks. π
Thanks again, Harmony! YOU ROCK!! β€
Sending love and hugs your way and lots of healing thoughts! Iβm so sorry youβre going through all this, my friend ππ
Fantastic reviews, Harmony! I have read Denise’s poetry book and loved it. I did not know Marcia wrote poetry, so I learned something. Thank you for sharing!
Youβre welcome! Thanks, Jan π
Thanks, Jan:)
Glad your health issues are trending upward. Sounds like you had a great time with these books.
I did. Thanks, Craig π
I’ve read both of these and found them both to be exceptional books of poetry. Congrats to Denise and Marcia on the great reviews!
Thatβs great, Mae π
Thanks so much, Mae. I’m so glad you enjoyed Summer Magic! I do love to write poetry, and still indulge myself now and then. Might be time to put together another book! βΊ
Thank you, Mae π
Great news on the health front, Harmony.
I don’t typically read or review poetry, but these both sound like great selections. Glad you found them so rewarding.
Thanks, Staci π
So happy to hear the tablets are working and you have an x-ray scheduled xo
Thanks so much, Denise xx π
I’m so glad you enjoyed Just Her Poetry:) Yay! Thank you for sharing your review here too. I did finally lose a pen when we went on a ride a few weeks ago, but I had a back up! Xo
I loved Summer Magic and the tie into Wake Robin Ridge! The second half of the book was equally as good.
Laughing about the pen! Iβm still impressed π. Itβs truly lovely poetry π
Thank you π
SO happy you enjoyed Summer Magic, Denise! I have Just Her Poetry on my Kindle, and NEED to read it soon. I could use a good poetry fix, for sure! And it’s super nice to have my book here with yours, too. βΊβ€
I hooe you have more poetry books coming, because I loved this one.
I’ll be eager to hear what you thought about Just Her Poetry π I’m with you about poetry fixes and reading new books. Xo
I enjoyed reading your reviews of Denise’s Just Her Poetry and Marcia’s Summer Magic. I’ve read Just Her Poetry and loved Denise’s words. I felt like sitting next to her seeing and feeling some of the sights and sounds in her book. Marcia’s book sounds wonderful also. Thank you for sharing, harmony!
Thank you Miriam:)xo
Thatβs great. Thanks, Miriam π
Great reviews, Harmony. I’ve read “Just Her Poetry.” Marcia’s Summer Magic sounds wonderful as well.
Thanks, Joan π
I have Just Her Poetry on my kindle. I look forward to reading it. Thanks for sharing your review, Harmony! π
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Happy reading. Thanks, Yvi π
I haven’t read Just Her Poetry, but it sounds lovely. I have read Summer Magic. It’s got a wonderful sense of place, and it felt like I got to peek into someone’s treasured memories.
Good description. Thanks, Priscilla π
What a lovely thing to say, Priscilla. So glad you enjoyed Summer Magic. It was fun imagining Mac’s life as a child, spending his summers in the mountains camping with his dad. And yes, there are some memories of my own tucked in here and there, in particular in the poem On the River. π I just may have to put another book of verses together again soon. You’ve inspired me. π€
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these terrific authors, Harmony. Congratulations to Marcia and Denise.
My pleasure. Thanks, John π
Thank you for sharing your wonderful reviews, Harmony. Like you, I loved Denise’s “Just Her Poetry,” and my review was also 5-stars. I didn’t realize that Marcia had a book of poems until reading your review. Ii’s now on my kindle. YAY!
Congratulations, Denise and Marcia! π
Thanks, Gwen π xo
Thatβs fantastic. Thanks, Gwen π
Oh, how nice, Gwen! I do hope you enjoy it. I had a great time imagining MacKenzie Cole as a young boy, camping in the North Carolina mountains with his dad every summer. And then I branched out a bit, including some things from my own memories and some that were flights of fancy on other topics. Hope you enjoy it! π€β€