Reviews By Charline

“West To The Sun”

Author: T.G. Good

Imagine this. You’re eleven years old and your father matter-of-factly announces one night to you and your family “we’re moving to Oregon.” What goes through your mind? Do you feel fear or are you too stunned by his proclamation? Do thoughts of leaving behind your friends, your house, and everything else you are familiar with cause you to feel resentful? Do you argue with your father or simply accept the situation and attempt to make the best of it? What do you do now that life as you know it will no longer be the same? This book is a brief look into the life of Jeremiah Symons after his father, Jedediah, decides the best way he can provide for his family is to move them to Oregon.

“West To The Sun” is a fictional tale set in a well recounted historical setting. The book is well written and able to hold the reader’s attention. It focuses on the experiences of a young boy, now required to be a man, as he literally walks across the country with his family, their trusty oxen, and the other members of the westward bound wagon train. The author, T.G. Good, does a great job of explaining the tremendous amount of preparation which must precede a move of this magnitude as well as describing the journey itself.

In today’s world most of us think nothing of traveling thousands of miles from our homes. We are completely accustomed to the various forms of transportation our current technology offers us. In fact, many of us have no experience with anything else. Planning a trip is generally nothing more intensive than throwing some clothing into a suitcase or carry on. Did I mention we also manage to travel these tremendous distances in only a matter of hours? It was a sobering realization when, in reading this book, I did the math. I figured out it would require one hundred days at twenty miles per DAY for them to reach their final destination. I drive twenty mph and I shudder with impatience. Of course one hundred days only happens if absolutely nothing goes wrong. Wheels and axles for the wagons could not break. Freak storms could not show up. Wagons could not get stuck in the mud nor could they be allowed to float away in raging rivers. We all know that in life nothing goes according to plan and the same holds true in this story.

Overall I found “West To The Sun” to be a very interesting read even if, at times, it bordered on being overly religious. It is definitely a book that can be enjoyed by readers of any age.

“The Vaulted Sky”

Author: R.P. Moffa

Just for the record, I was unsure exactly what to expect when I started reading “The Vaulted Sky” by R. P. Moffa. Yes, I did request this book. Yes, I do love airplanes. Yes, I also love historical fiction but in looking the book over before I cracked it open I briefly wondered what I had gotten myself into. Not to worry though, I was immediately swept into Moffa’s well written story and the pages had a way of almost turning themselves for me.

My journey through time began in nineteen twenty-four where I met a younger Patrick Montalto, the book’s main character. I was present for his initial encounter with a biplane which sparked the love affair he had with airplanes from that day forward. After this we fast forward to his teenage years, his first ride in a nineteen twenty-eight Waco and we follow along as he juggles his schooling, his responsibilities to his family and learning to fly. The years progress and he is not unaware of the turmoil erupting in the world outside the borders of the United States. In following his inner sense of what is right he finds himself in Canada training to become a fighter pilot in order to defend a country not his own.

Moffa effortlessly takes us through one of the more horrendous periods of world history, World War II, and more often than not I was amazed by the accuracy of his portrayal both prior to and during the war. His tale came across as a believable accounting and even though “The Vaulted Sky” is a work of fiction it seemed as if the author had lived and experienced it firsthand.

Moffa paints a realistic picture of what it was like to live as a fighter pilot; where every day could be one’s last. He shows us the daily struggles, the pain, the loss, and yet he also shows us honor, integrity and pride. He recreates a different time; which encompassed a different set of values; when even your “downed” enemy was generally treated with respect. His words remind us that the only thing which really separates friend from foe is merely where one is born and that insight still rings true today.

I have given “The Vaulted Sky” a five star rating. I highly recommend it as a “must read” and I look forward to the continuation of Montalto’s story in the upcoming sequel “The Sky Suspended.”

“Mind Well The Witch”

Author: Susan Netteland Gerbi

Let me be honest and tell you I was unsure what to expect from a book titled “Mind Well The Witch.” What hooked me was the concept of a dyslexic, hyperopic and peri-menopausal witch especially as that is not a subject commonly written about. I figured “Oh, what the heck!” Besides, my curiosity kind of got the better of me when I saw the words “dyslexic” and “witch” used together to describe the same person. Were people actually brave enough to use her potions? More importantly what type of spells does a dyslexic witch cast? Probably the same kind as any other I would imagine. I guess the real question here is whether or not her incantations have the same outcome as those cast by her “non” dyslexic sisters.

As long as I am being truthful I must admit I had to look up the definition of “hyperopic.” For those of you who have no idea but are wondering it is merely another way of saying someone is “far-sighted.” Since I myself am myopic (near-sighted) I probably should have been able to figure that one out. What can I say? I was still stuck on the whole dyslexic witch thing and I was envisioning the town mayor being turned into a frog…or worse! Did I mention that this witch is peri-menopausal on top of everything else? I began envisioning fire raining down and I wondered how long my imagined “frog mayor” would last before being incinerated, most likely in mid jump. Yup, I HAD to read it!

All in all I found “Mind Well The Witch” to be a cute story and while it was a quick read it was entertaining. I appreciated the fact that the author, Susan Netteland Gerbi, used her various friends and family members as the basis for the book’s characters. In doing so I felt she was able to give the story a more intimate feel. My favorite personality wound up being Shadow, the very independent, opinionated, and at times overly demonstrative cat.

I liked that “Mind Well The Witch” was loosely set in history about sixty years after the horrific witch hunts theNew Englandarea is renowned for. Having it set later in time allowed our bumbling but kind-hearted witch, Mindwell Thayer, the freedom to practice her craft without too much fear of reprisal. I must also add I did notice an extraordinary amount of beer drinking throughout the tale which, in retrospect, probably accounts for the general happiness of the townsfolk. I found the “unique” recipes interspersed throughout the book to be an interesting touch and I wonder who among us will be able to resist the allure of “Roasted Toad Tea?” On the flip side I did shudder at the thought of people only bathing once or twice per month. Oh the smell! The image of wooden teeth left me in a state of consternation; wondering how often people sporting such things would get splinters in their tongues, gums or worse?

In summary: a cute and humorous story for readers of pretty much any age.

“Aksandar”

Author: Judith Montgomery

The story told to us on the pages of “Aksandar” by Judith Montgomery is truly an amazing and captivating tale. As stated on the back cover, Ms. Montgomery has traveled extensively throughoutAfghanistan. Her obvious love of that country and its people definitely comes across in her writing.

As I read through her book,Montgomery’s words showed me a candid and often eye-opening view of a country being torn apart from the inside out due to political corruption and religious extremists. Two separate warring parties terrorize Afghanistan. Death is an almost daily occurrence for both citizens and foreigners alike whose only “crime” is being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet even as I write this I know it is not that simple for there is much more at work behind the scenes. Aziz Rashani, the main character in this tangled web of deceit and lies, is a man of principle, honor and integrity. He is a devoted countryman who loves Afghanistan. As such, his idealistic path revolves around seeing her become an independent country rather than remaining stuck in the grasp of the leadership she currently suffers under.

Montgomery takes us on a journey into a land battered beyond belief, where each and every day is a fight for survival by the proud people who call Afghanistan home. She gives us an almost firsthand view of a life that many live on a regular basis. Yet her descriptions, while honest, are not so graphic as to make it uncomfortable for her readers to stomach.

Judith Montgomery’s book “Aksandar” reminds us how lucky we are to live in a country that values its citizen’s freedoms. However, it is nice to contemplate that even in a war torn environment there are some out there who truly value humanity over bloodshed.

From the moment I picked this book up I was hooked. Never mind the fact that I was in bed fighting off the worst cold of my life or that I could barely keep my eyes open due to sheer exhaustion. As each chapter ended I found Montgomery’s gripping tale impossible to put down and I hurried to start the next one while guiltily telling myself as soon as I finished THAT chapter I would get the sleep I desperately needed! In summary, a powerful story which I highly recommend as a “must read!”