Amber Dragon: The Dragon Chronicles, book 2
by Adam Boustead
My rating: 4.75 of 5 stars
***Aside: You all know I hate these stars! There is a huge difference in a 4 and a 5....
That being said, consider this book at 4.75******
Although Amber Dragon is titled as the second book in the Dragon Chronicles, as a reader, you will be fine reading it without having read the first book. I have not read the first, and although I want to now, it did not effect the understanding or reading of this book.
Each chapter is its own little vignette or story, with each story having the hidden dragon as it's common theme. Each chapter is different and unique, nothing like anything else, and they are nothing like any story along the lines of a dragon living among the world, hidden in plain view that I have ever read before. I found myself entertained, intrigued and wanting more. They each gave me pause, and made me think.
In between each chapter or short story was a collection of poems, lyrics and such. These gave even more pause then the stories, and left me thinking and wondering, imagining and hoping, pondering and musing. I loved them. I found that there were several that just really spoke to me and I ended up copying them to share with friends, but mostly writing them down so that I could look at them again in different contexts.
The way the two - the chapter stories and the poems and lyrics intertwined and mixed was thought provoking and yet at times I wasn't sure how they went together at first, or even for the longest time. This was definitely one of those books that you find yourself reading over and over again, gleaning more meaning and thought from it each time, and depending on your mood and frame of mind when you are reading, it can take you to completely different places with each reading.
The imagery and sense of wonderment in the stories, along with the prose just made me feel in a completely different place. I could be having a terrible day, yet sitting to read just a bit of this book, put me in a different mood, made me think of other people and situations, and really got my creative and imaginative juices flowing.
This is a great read, but not for the causal reader, only for those willing to think about what they read, and how it effects them and makes them feel. I am now looking for book one, and to see what else is out there by this author.
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Purgatory
by K W Peery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Typically, when I sit down with a book, I read through it quickly and relax. This book is not your typical book, this is a collection of poetry, song lyrics and insights. This being said, it was still something I enjoyed, it just took much longer to read. This is not a fluff, feel good book, this is something that will catch you unaware and make you pause, stop, reflect and really think about the book, the words and life.
Some of the entries are written purely as poems, and others are written as the lyrics to songs, complete with verses, chorus and bridges. The thing about them all is a deep emotion, a feeling of being at a point in life where you are looking back with regret and yet contentment. The need to process and understand your own life and what it has meant, if it is what you wanted to leave as a legacy or if things are missing.
For me, it felt like someone had taken the best parts of Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings and blended them into one person writing out their thoughts and feelings. The lyrics, I could easily hear any one of those guys singing them on an old scratchy radio. They took me to a place where I thought about life and what I had accomplished so far in a different light than I normally do. Instead of judging by today's standards, if I looked back into my grandparents world and their standards, what would they say and think of my life and accomplishments? Would they be proud?
Whether you are into poetry or not, this collection has something that will draw you in and keep you reading. You may only read a few pages at a time, but they will have you thinking and processing what was written before you go back for more, but you will go back for more, and most likely once you have finished the book you will find yourself bookmarking certain poems or lyrics, and referring to them more and more because they struck a cord in you and made you feel something, made you think, made you change the way you did or thought about something.
This is one of those books that you find on the coffee table or night stand, that is looked at and re-read over and over and every time something new is gleaned from it. This is not a read it and put it away for good book, and that is probably the best thing about it. Without ever trying to make you think, by just writing his own emotions, the author has created a piece of lasting literary art.
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