I am not sure where I learned about this book, but it has been on my TBR shelf for a long time. Although it appears to be an autobiography, it is actually well-researched fiction.
Here, read the blurb from GoodReads:
In this coming-of-age story, Amina, a Sudanese girl experiences a traumatic event at age nine. Intensifying her struggle for identity in the silent world of women, she cannot erase the pain and humiliation of that experience. With steely determination, she vows to do whatever is necessary to prevent her daughter from suffering the same demoralizing fate–even if it means going against the wishes of her husband and the rules of her family. Will she succeed in helping her daughter rise above her own personal tragedy and humiliation? The detailed descriptions of customs and lifestyle give a deep, fascinating insight into the Sudanese culture, as well as entry into the cloaked world of Muslim women in a story about survival, tradition and triumph.
This was an intense story. I hope it is read a lot. I would have loved it in audio form, but text-to-speech on Kindle helped a lot.
When I tried to listen to the text-to-speech of the Kindle version the other day, it didn’t work. I decided to try again last night, and it worked out quite nicely.
I felt a little lost at first as the easter religions and the Dalai Lama are less known to me than the Judeo-Christian Western religions. However, author John Lundin quickly helped us see how familiar those seemingly foreign concepts are. I found myself quite interested.
This book will need multiple reads. This is the first one to get acquainted and see our common interests. But next, I want to go through and practice some of the meditation and kindnesses Mr. Lundin teaches us to use.
I highly recommend this book for seekers and for those who love comparative religions.
“Hi there! I’m back with our nineteenth prompt for Just Jot it January 2025. Today, our prompt comes to us from the wonderful Willow. Thank you, Willow! Please be sure to visit Willow’s blog to read her posts and say hello. And follow her while you’re there if you’re not already.
Why do I write reviews? It started out in the same way as blogging. I needed a place to keep track. What have I read? Sure, I can go to GoodReads to see if I have read a book, but since I try to record bits of my life here, I can see how that book choice or emotions of the day reflect each other. What I read can affect my life. And my life can carry into my thoughts as I read.
Why did I read this particular book? The author gave me the book long ago when I lived in Reno. He live(d) in Lake Tahoe at the time. I promised a review, so I put it on my ‘Currently Reading’ shelf on GoodReads. That was to prompt me to read it soon.
That shelf has overgrown. When a library or Libby book comes up, it goes to the top of the list over those I own. Suddenly, I have 85 books I am supposedly currently reading. Ha! So my new plan is to pull from the bottom of the list (first books added) and then back to the top, the latest added. My plan is to eventually meet in the middle. Does anyone want to take bets on how long that’s going to take?
I was surprised at how much I appreciated this particular book. It seemed to start rather boring. But soon I found that there were answers here I’d been asking, even though I didn’t know I was asking those questions.
Why. The word my kids learned nearly as soon as they could talk. It is an amazing work that mostly keeps me wondering. How often did I hear my babies ask, “Why is the sky blue?” Or just “Why” to nearly anything. I feel we should stay in that frame of mind. Stay young and keep wondering, WHY?
I finished listening to this a few nights ago. I still feel warm and fuzzy from the experience. No, it isn’t all a cozy read. But the author went into the characters’ psychology in a way that women. mothers could feel. Most of us haven’t had to experience this kind of life. But it doesn’t take a lot to feel how it might affect us. And how it could mess up the children.
Bahni Turpin (Narrator) was marvelous. I could listen to her voice all day, especially when she would sing lullabies. She expressed emotions fully. And get ready to be angry, and make sure to bring the Kleenex.
This is a beautiful read. I was able to hear the Audible version. But I could have read the Kindle version as I had it for quite a while.
(above the asterisk is my review from April 2012 of the Kindle version.)
In ancient days, when womyn* were warriors…
Why would womyn be warriors? Who but the life bringers would care? Who but womyn would be cautious about taking the life of a family member of another home.
Yes, there are men in the book. They have redeeming ways. But this story is about womyn. In particular, a young teen and her strange warrior.
Many subplot lines kept this book moving. There are questions to ponder, such as the difference between a secure upbringing and an orphaned life.
The most interesting thought is about anger and its purpose. Then there is jealousy and love versus friendship.
I can’t wait till payday so I can get the next book in the series. For those who don’t care for series, the first book does a nice stand-alone. Nice settling ending. But I love to watch the characters mature and learn as they do.
* my spelling, not the author’s.
***
I just finished listening to the audible version of this book. I stick with the above critic of the Kindle version. I think having Janis Ian’s narration made this a more enjoyable experience. Now I need to find the next in the series to listen to.
Bette Lee Crosby writes good stories. This did not disappoint.
At least this mystery wasn’t about murder. I knew that could be done. Still, it is about a kidnapping. It was interesting to see the crime from all sides. The characters are well developed. They keep you reading to see what each person was going through, how would they solve their personal problems. The book showed how love could make their choices harder, or drive them mad in trying to live with it all. Still, it was a hard book to put down.
Though a spiritual path is evident, it isn’t overdone. The characters believe a certain way and it is part of their journey.
By the way, this was free through Kindle Unlimited. Though I like reading Ms. Crosby’s work it is usually more expensive than I can afford, so I am glad they made this one available this way.
As a genre, I think that this could be called a cozy mystery sans murder. I think women may find it better than men, though the men in this book are strong and level headed. But the stories are more about birth and baby loss, so it might be hard for those who have lived through this kind of circumstance.
This is NOT McCaffrey’s Unicorn Girl which is taking me forever to read. It is not on another planet or sci-fi interplanetary travel. In fact, it is set in a past of no cars. Horses provide the travel.
Though it is set in the past in a land I have never heard of, the author doesn’t let it feel antiquated. She often uses modern colloquialisms that don’t feel out of place even in the ancient world.
I was sad when the book ended. That doesn’t happen often. Young People will love this, I think. The main character is strong and knows what she doesn’t want. She isn’t sure what she wants but that is part of growing up.
Maybe that is all I need to say here. Except–I might want to read this again someday and look at why it works so well for M.L. LeGette.
When a young distraught young woman finds herself in another dimension her life is forever changed. As long as she becomes what this new reality wants from her.
It was an interesting read but the minute it became like epic fantasy I became bored with it and nearly stopped reading. For those who love those ancient stories, this will be quite pleasing. But I only liked it when the modern woman who has now lost her parents finds herself back and forth in time. I thought it interesting to watch a modern woman adjust to old ways but when the story veers off to the inhabitant of that world, YAWN! Thank goodness it went back to the main character it became more interesting again.
This had a brilliant concept. But I am disappointed. What ruined it most? The Audible narrator: Kelli Shane. Her voice sounded like she was on the last story to ADHD kids at bedtime. How do I know that? Yep, been there had that voice. It works well at putting the reader to sleep. ADHD kid just laughs and takes the book to read to themselves as mom falls to sleep.
I would have been better off just using the text-to-speech. But chose to continue. The story line was interesting. I even sort of liked the main character.
On the other hand, really, if a person can read another’s mind and be read what is to stop intrusion? And possible mind jacking? I don’t see how the jacker can’t read first and the reader not jack. After all, we are talking teens. They are already in each others’ heads. So a lot of this seemed to not ring true.
It was a nice diversion. But I just wasn’t that into it, and I really wanted to be. Maybe others will love it. I hope so. I doubt I will seek out the next in the series. I do have the German version so I might try it again just to practice my German reading skills.
By the way, the Kindle version is free right now. I hope you enjoy it.
I have always wanted to be a mermaid. I lived for my time in the water. I never understood my friends who spent hours working on their tans when a perfectly good body of water was there calling me. In late grade school, early junior high, my brother and I walked three miles over a hill. We stopped at the bottom of the hill where my aunt lived so we could get a drink of her Sparkletts water then continue our walk to the pool. There we would pay our first dime for the first session of swimming (I think it was an hour and a half) then we’d dry off and hang out in the park until the second session. Then we’d pay our second dime and swim some more. After all that swimming we would walk back to our aunt’s for another drink then attack that three-mile-hike over the hill. I loved summer and all that swimming! A secret I learned later was that our aunt would call our mom each time we stopped so that Mom would know we were okay. Thank goodness I wasn’t raised now. I can’t imagine not having that kind of freedom. Anyway, I say all this because I still wish I was a mermaid. The only difference now is that I cannot handle cold water with my fibro. I miss swimming so much. Thereby, I read.
I must have really wanted to read this book. I picked it up twice from BookRooster.com then once again for free on Amazon. (It is free right now.) The version I read was the BookRooster as I can listen and read on the same machine (MoonReader Pro). By the way, I don’t know what’s up with BookRooster site. I can’t seem to find it so I won’t be able to post the review with them. Anyone know what’s up with them?
Back to the book. It is a Young Adult/Romance. Romance is the part I hate most. For all the angst wondering about the love interest, this mermaid could have been swimming and enjoying the flora and fauna beneath the waves. More time could have been spent talking about the freedom there is in swimming, the sensations of water as the body slices through it. But the author did give me the best gift: if you are a mermaid you don’t notice the change in temperatures. Your body can stand the cold of deeper water or the heat of being near the volcanic vents. Now I wish I were a mermaid even more. Oh, and if a mermaid breathes into an air breather more than 5 times an air breather can then live in the water as a merperson. Where do I find a merperson to do this for me?
Romance or not, I was happy that this poor mermaid found a friend who cares for her since her life didn’t seem to have much of that. And having this extra person to help her opens her life for new experiences. I don’t know if my writing is coming across rather haltingly, I am trying not to give spoilers. Hope I succeeded at piquing your interest in reading this book without giving too much away.
This book is part of a series, but the book didn’t leave the reader on a cliffhanger. Whew! I was glad about that. It did leave me wanting to see what happens next. So as soon as I can afford it I will pick up the next in the series. My inner mermaid needs more!
Working on my series: Haven.
Doodler (zendoodle.com)
Music major: voice and piano
Mom of four great adults
Reiki II practitioner
I have been on disability/retired for 10 years now from depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.
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