The Inheritance of Beauty by Nicole Seitz Book Review

Summary: 

Beauty is sometimes found in the most unlikely places.
George Jacobs and his childhood sweetheart were just kids living in small-town Levy, SC, when the train brought the evil to town. Now eighty years later, George and Maggie are married, living out their remaining days in Harmony House where time moves slowly--Maggie can no longer communicate her love and George can hardly remember their past. But when a large package arrives and an old stranger moves into Harmony House, their past won't remain at bay any longer. Like it or not, George must now remember things from long ago in order to set himself--and his sweet wife--free. But George isn't sure how many lives were affected by the stranger in Levy . . . or why life must come full-circle now when he's running out of time.

The Inheritance of Beauty is an entrancing story about beauty and age, about the blessings and curses of each, and how the true beauty of a person never fades.

Source: (Book Sneeze)

My Review:

4 stars out of 5 –

Nicole Seitz has done an excellent job with this book.  The story is told through the eyes of her characters – Magnolia, who is a mute, her husband, George, who is frail and insecure, Annie, their caring caretaker and Joe, the lonely prodigy.  The reader, through Seitz’s words, is able to differentiate between each character, and feel they are witnessing the plot as it unfold and relieve each of the character’s past.  I love how Seitz writes in the Southern dialect and makes this book feel like a good ‘ole Southern story of love.  

This book is full of encouragement, faith and shows the true beauty of a person.  Each of the characters learn to overcome the many ups and downs that an average person goes through in their life.  Seitz’s work shows that even though we each go through hardships in life, that we must face them head on, in order to make things right and see the true beauty in people.  The Inheritance of Beauty is truly an inspiration book, and tugs at your heart strings.  If you are looking for a good book, where you relate to the characters, this is the book for you.  

About the Author:

Nicole Seitz is a South Carolina Low country native and the author of The Spirit of Sweetgrass as well as a freelance writer/illustrator who has published in numerous low country magazines. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Journalism, she also has a bachelor’s degree in illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design. Nicole shows her paintings in the Charleston, South Carolina area, where she owns a web design firm and lives with her husband and two small children.

Disclosure:  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

                            

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The Memory Palace by Mira Bartók Book Review

Summary of Book:

 “ People have abandoned their loved ones for much less than you’ve been through,” Mira Bartók is told at her mother’s memorial service. It is a poignant observation about the relationship between Mira, her sister, and their mentally ill mother. Before she was struck with schizophrenia at the age of nineteen, beautiful piano protégé Norma Herr had been the most vibrant personality in the room. She loved her daughters and did her best to raise them well, but as her mental state deteriorated, Norma spoke less about Chopin and more about Nazis and her fear that her daughters would be kidnapped, murdered, or raped.

When the girls left for college, the harassment escalated—Norma called them obsessively, appeared at their apartments or jobs, threatened to kill herself if they did not return home. After a traumatic encounter, Mira and her sister were left with no choice but to change their names and sever all contact with Norma in order to stay safe. But while Mira pursued her career as an artist—exploring the ancient romance of Florence, the eerie mysticism of northern Norway, and the raw desert of Israel—the haunting memories of her mother were never far away.

Then one day, Mira’s life changed forever after a debilitating car accident. As she struggled to recover from a traumatic brain injury, she was confronted with a need to recontextualize her life—she had to relearn how to paint, read, and interact with the outside world. In her search for a way back to her lost self, Mira reached out to the homeless shelter where she believed her mother was living and discovered that Norma was dying.

Mira and her sister traveled to Cleveland, where they shared an extraordinary reconciliation with their mother that none of them had thought possible. At the hospital, Mira discovered a set of keys that opened a storage unit Norma had been keeping for seventeen years. Filled with family photos, childhood toys, and ephemera from Norma’s life, the storage unit brought back a flood of previous memories that Mira had thought were lost to her forever.

The Memory Palace is a breathtaking literary memoir about the complex meaning of love, truth, and the capacity for forgiveness among family. Through stunning prose and original art created by the author in tandem with the text, The Memory Palace explores the connections between mother and daughter that cannot be broken no matter how much exists—or is lost—between them.

(Source: Goodreads)

About the Author:

Mira Bartók is a Chicago-born artist and writer and the author of twenty-eight books for children. Her writing has appeared in several literary journals and anthologies and has been noted in The Best American Essays series. She lives in Western Massachusetts where she runs Mira’s List (http://www.miraslist.blogspot.com), a blog that helps artists find funding and residencies all over the world. The Memory Palace is Mira’s first book for adults.  You can find her at: www.thememorypalace.com.

 Details

·        Hardcover: 320 pages

·        Publisher: Free Press (January 11, 2011)

·        Language: English

·        ISBN-10: 1439183317

·        ISBN-13: 978-1439183311

My Personal Review:

I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5.  It is not a book to grab, if you are looking for a quick and easy read.  I ended up spending 4 days on this book, as I would stop and reflect on what I had read before reading further.  This is a true story, and follows Mira on her journey of forgiveness with her mother.  Mira’s book shows the reader the true meaning of truth, love and the capacity for forgiveness.  Both Mira and her sister show extreme courage in how each of them deal with their mother and the situations that unfold in their lives growing up.  I loved how Mira was able to take the reader through her childhood memories, based on objects and journals that belonged to her mentally ill mother.  It was not until their mother was on her deathbed that Mira and her sister were able to reunite with her and truly forgive her.  Please note that the portion of the book that deals with Mira’s mother’s death is written as though it is happening while you are reading it.  This was a tough part to read, and left me in tears.  It is written so sincerely and without reservation.  If you like personal memoirs, I would highly suggest you picking up The Memory Palace. 

Disclosure: This review is posted in conjunction with The Free Press Blog Tour. I received a free copy of this memoir in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Book Review: The Facebook Marketing Book, by Dan Zarella and Alison Zarrella

Having recently started my own business, Inspired by Savannah, I am learning how important social media, like Facebook is, in reaching out to my target audience.  Because I am just starting out, I am doing most of the marketing legwork myself.  So, I thought this book would be a good read, and maybe shed some insight on how to use Facebook to my advantage. First off, I have to say this was a quick read, as it was written in simple English -- so, you don't need a background in marketing or public relations to understand the concepts.

The book was broken down into easy-to-read sections dealing with Profiles, Groups, Pages, Applications, Ads, Events and Facebook etiquette, and went over useful tools and features to make your Facebook experience worthwhile. It walked you through setting up a personal and business page, how to invite friends, etc.  After reading this book, I feel more confident with setting up campaign goals and executing proper Facebook marketing strategies.  I also learned how to measure the results of campaigns I run with key performance indicators.

Overall, this book is more like an introduction to the social networking world and will not answer advance questions on marketing via Facebook.  But, it is a good start for people looking to get their feet wet with social media outlets and learn useful tips in navigating through Facebook.


Disclosure: I received a free e-book copy for review purposes.  I was not influenced in my review, and my review is based only on my impression of the book I read.

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The Power Based Life by Mike Flynt Book Review

One of my new year’s resolutions was to read more (when I found the time from caring for a baby, starting a new business, etc.), and this was the first book on my to-read list. This was an easy read, as it was completed in 2 days.


The Power-Based Life by Mike Flynt is filled with scriptural support to help guide you in improving your body, mind and spirit. Flynt challenges you to look closely at yourself and take inventory on areas that need improvement. He stresses, based on his own example, that it is never too late to pursue your dreams.

One reason I was able to read and stick with this book is that Flynt writes in a conversational style, where he is talking to you as if you were sitting down and having a personal conversation with him. I find with this style of writing that as a reader, I can relate to what he is saying and take in more. I also like how he shares his own personal experiences and stories, and relates these to how you can improve your life, as he has.

I would highly suggest that you pick up this book if self-improvement is one of your new year’s resolutions.



About the Author:

Mike Flynt played football for Permian high School in Odessa, TX, where he helped start a winning tradition, inspiring Friday Night Lights. In 2007, at the age of fifty-nine, Mike received national attention by returning to his college alma mater, Sul Ross State University, to play his senior year, becoming the oldest contributing member of a college football team in NCAA history. Today, Mike's company, Powerbase Fitness, LLC, helps people live better, more productive lives through strength training.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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