Today seems different as we venture outside
And a lonely shovel lies on its side.
There is a fresh and scented wind today
And I see many children out to play.
What is that coming up from the ground
With pretty little flowers I have found.
I hear sweet chirping and their songs fill the air,
There are melodies of joy for all to share.
The green grass is soft and beautiful to see,
And there is no other place I would rather be.
There is work to be done in the days to come,
Planting, watering and our chores have begun.
We smile and we’re happy to see the beauty of spring
And our days will bring pleasure for the gifts it brings.
Double Wow!!! This is the second book in the Ambrosia Chronicles. As soon as you start reading it, it will be like you never even put down the first, it flows right into it. In the Initiation we are introduced to Regina the evil one who gave Lucas his powers and her assistant Anna. Emma and Alex are both brought to Mytholia whee they can train and become much stronger with their powers. Alex discovers she has many powers and cannot yet control them, so they must be filtered at first. Alex and Emma both learn of their past and their families. The Initiation is a whole lot of gripping thrills and suspense and possibly a bit more growing romance. It can be read as a stand alone, but so much better after having read the first book of the series. The Initiation will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. I absolutely loved the book. I personally hope it is made into a movie. What a great movie it would make!
Karolina Simos’ Ambrosia Chronicles may be ordered here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ambrosia-Chronicles-Initiation-K-Simos-ebook/dp/B00PKE08YO/
The first two books are now available and the third in the series will come out soon.
Review of Ambrosia Chronicles: The Curse
(cover photo will be available soon)
This is the third and last book in the Ambrosia Chronicles, and it does not disappoint the reader at all. This book will keep the reader on the edge of your seat until the very last page. It is very exciting. I absolutely loved all three of them and highly recommend them for the fantasy lover’s personal library.
In this book, it comes to the battle between good and evil. The full amount of powers of Alex and Emma are revealed. The battle is in the land of Mytholia and on the grounds of the school. The students who do not have their full powers or haven’t trained enough are evacuated and the others stay there to battle the Rogues and Regina. The battle is so exciting you will not be able to put it down until the very last page. If you love the Harry Potter series, you will love the Ambrosia Chronicles.
Review of Save Dr. Jekyll and Destroy Mr. Hyde
Save Dr. Jekyll and Destroy Mr. Hyde is a Christian self help book that makes sense to anyone, whether you are Christian or not. It teaches us how to determine whether we should take someone’s advice or adhere to their opinions. It also teaches us to think things through and how to really listen to what God wants for us. For example, if someone is telling you one thing but deep down you know you should not heed their advice, then most likely God is telling you not to follow that person’s advice or listen to their opinion. This self help book is written in such a way that we can all understand. Pastor White uses many examples from the Bible to show us how God can speak to us and the consequences of doing things on our own. I highly recommend this book for everyone’s library.
Stephen White’s Save Dr. Jekyll, Destroy Mr. Hyde can be ordered here: http://www.amazon.com/Save-Dr-Jekyll-Destroy-Hyde/dp/1621366979/
Review of My Razzle Dazzle
My Razzle Dazzle is the memoir of Mr. Todd Peterson. He gew up in the midwest and at a very young age knew that he was different. As a young boy he endured being beaten up, taunted, mocked and called names. When he discovered that his difference was that he is gay, he was afraid. He would even pray for God to make him strainght. Back in the 60’s gays would be given shock treatments because they were thought of as mentally ill. What a horrible time that was! When he came to San Francisco, California to be in the Roller Derby, he was able to embrace his differences. Mr. Peterson has written My Razzle Dazzle in such a way the story pulls you in. It is funny, sad and very deep. You will not want to put this book down until you have finished it to the last page. I absolutely loved it. The shame and pain that young Todd had to endure will make you feel like crying. This is an important book to let people know that everyone is different. Everyone deserves to be
treated with respect and dignity. I very highly recommend this book.
We used to be fused
like Pangea—
simply one shoreline, one
ocean pressing it all in. Years
have wrenched us apart. I may
now drift upon some other sea
but you still wear the scars
where you ripped from me.
after another bombing in Jos, Nigeria on Thursday, 26-February-2015
it’s cold outside
in our house
close to the window
I keep a grand bowl
filled overflowing
with the children of trees —
mangoes, plantains
papaya
this bowl
is a sun
Nigerian sun
my sun
my arms and hands
wrap around the whole of it
my body
embraces it
mercy
mercy, it’s
cold
–Laura M Kaminski
A Mother’s Prayer
Will you allow me
To educate my son
As a mother does
Boko Haram
To give good example
To the sons of others
Or will you take him
To be taught
In your way
Boko Haram
To kill others
Without mercy
For God is merciful
The son of Ibrahim
Was spared
The son of Abraham
Was spared
No human sacrifice
Was required
In return for belief
In God
Faith
In God
For God is merciful
Be merciful to me
That is my prayer
Boko Haram
Not my way
Not your way
But God’s way
— David Subacchi &
Laura M Kaminski
Dust on Our Hands
It’s not straightforward
Or maybe it is
Culture, past and civilisation
Should not be erased
With sledge hammers
And power drills
The architecture
Of minorities
That has endured
Thousands of years
Should not be shattered
As an act of warfare
The precious treasures
Of an ancient heritage
Should not be looted
Fragile manuscripts
Should not be burned
To erase identity
A bulldozer
Driven by militants
Should not level
To the ground
Nimrud’s statues
Walls and castle
Far away in London
Curators carefully clean
The great stone lions
And magnificent bulls
That were taken in 1847
To an empire’s museum
You should not
Pulverise the past
In an attempt
To control the future
But perhaps we all have
Some dust on our hands.
–David Subacchi
Call Me Down the Rain
work-song honoring those attempting to return home to territory reclaimed from Boko Haram
I must dance a circle
bring the monsoon
call me down the rain
pray like someone greedy
give me give me give
more than my share
of this year’s water
bring it bring it bring
the water, carry me the river
call me down the rain
and flood the plateau, bring
rags and buckets to me
you will find me on
my knees and scrubbing
more than red dust
more than harmattan,
I must scrub the northland
clean down to the bedrock
how can we return
to farm and village, how
can we plant new crops
in this earth from which
we’ve lifted the broken
bodies of kin and country
washed them, taken them,
them all, to mourn and bury?
how can we till land
charred from bomb-blasts,
how can we plant when
we keep finding bullet-
casings in the soil?
our lips will not permit
yam and cassava grown
in blood-soaked dirt
to cross them, our bodies
will refuse such tainted
nourishment. no. you
must carry the Benue
here, bring bring me
water, call me down
the rain so I can first
scrub the stains
of blood and bitterness,
scrub until there’s
nothing left but dancing
here, until the stain is
gone from memory,
from sole and soul —
call me down the rain
–Laura M Kaminski
David Subacchi studied at the University of Liverpool. He was born in Wales of Italian roots and writes in English, Welsh and sometimes in Italian. Cestrian Press has published two collections of his poems. ‘First Cut’ (2012) and ‘Hiding in Shadows’ (2014).
Laura M Kaminski (Halima Ayuba) grew up in northern Nigeria, went to school in New Orleans, and currently lives in rural Missouri. She is an Associate Editor at Right Hand Pointing; links to her published poetry are available at arkofidentity.wordpress.com
