Biographies and Memoirs

My Father's Suitcase

Mary Garden | Biographies and Memoirs

Mary Garden’s My Father’s Suitcase delivers an intricately woven memoir that examines familial dysfunction, family secrets, and sibling abuse, framed within the heart-wrenching narrative of a daughter’s complex relationship with her aviator father, Oscar Garden, and her troublesome sister, Anna. The book's title suggests a weighty representation of memory and inheritance; the old suitcase serves not merely as a relic of the past but as a vessel filled with trauma, memories, and struggles lingering in the shadows of familial love. Mary reflects on her upbringing in 1950s and '60s New Zealand before settling in Australia, exploring deep layers of intergenerational trauma linked to he...

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Most Recent Reviews

Deehabta's Song

Stephen Alder (iUniverse)

| Reviewed by Yna Erdrich

In Deehabta’s Song, Stephen Alder presents an imaginative exploration of identity, trauma, and the quest for freedom against the backdrop of a dystopian future. Set on the planet Erunanta, liberated from the chaos of the Caderyn War; the narrative follows Krissa, a fighter who bears the scars of war in her soul and the burdens of the past. The dual timeline structure enhances the narrative, juxtaposing Krissa’s present struggles with the haunting echoes of her past. This feature invites readers to piece together the puzzle of her identity...

Southern Refuge: Cowboy's Song—A Sweet Opposites-Attract Love Story

Eliza McJames (Self-published)

| Reviewed by Louise Garten

Southern Refuge: Cowboy's Song by Eliza McJames delivers a delightful narrative that intertwines themes of identity, freedom, and emotional healing through the lives of its main characters, Elle (Ellie Thompson) and Dawson Barkley. The story unfolds as Ellie, a pop star haunted by fame, escapes from her controlling life and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, while Dawson, a former Marine dealing with trauma, seeks purpose on his family's ranch. The plot centers around Ellie’s decision to flee her glamorous but suffocating life during...

I Believe, and Jesus Knows!

P.S. Glyckherr (Atmosphere Press)

| Reviewed by Meg McKinnon

P.S. Glyckherr's poetry collection, I Believe, and Jesus Knows! resonates deeply with themes of faith, love, hope, and the profound connections among family and friends. This collection offers a heartfelt tribute, particularly to the author's daughters and future generations, weaving threads of personal experience with universal truths. The poems reflect a rich canvas of emotions, highlighting the beauty in life's fleeting moments, the struggles of personal loss, and the healing power of love and faith. Glyckherr's work delivers vivid imagery a...

Lost Graces

Helen Montague Foster (Atmosphere Press)

| Reviewed by John Grossman

Dr. Nancy Thomas, a psychiatrist accustomed to delving deep into her patients' lives, finds her beliefs challenged after a colleague is shot, revealing unsettling truths that force her to reconsider her methods. Despite warnings against continuing treatment for her severely ill patients, Grace and Alan, Nancy fights to provide care as her personal and professional worlds begin to unravel. Set against a backdrop of late 1990s Richmond, Virginia, and inspired by real-life criminal events, the story unfolds a gripping tale of a psychiatrist haunte...

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