BOOK REVIEWS: WONDER WOMAN - WARBRINGER

TITLE: WONDER WOMAN - WARBRINGER

AUTHOR: LEIGH BARDUGO

I was thrilled when I found out that DC Icons Series was being cooked. But my excitement sky-rocketed knowing that the first book was about the crowning jewel of the DC Universe - Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman is one of my favorite characters among the DC icons. She is in my opinion a true embodiment of what a woman is in general - strong, powerful, courageous, sensitive and a total bad-ass all in one. I know, I am self-confessed feminist - growing up in a household filled with strong willed women in my family made me one. I truly believe that women can rule the world if they wanted to and wonder woman's world of Amazonian warriors from Themyscira could vouched for that.

“You do not enter a race to lose”

The story begins with a quote from Queen Hippolyta to her daughter, young Diana before she joins the amazon race.

I like the way Leigh Bardugo plotted the story. Before there was the infamous Wonder Woman that we know, she was once a young Amazonian princess name Diana. Growing up in a mysterious island filled with strong women who are battle ready wasn't easy for the pampered princess. She was trained by one of the bests in combat but still she was yet to prove to them that she was more than just the daughter of the queen. She hungered for glory and to stand side by side among the fiercest warriors in the island, eager to prove herself so her comrades will see her as their equal. She wanted to be out there, taking challenges, quests and proving her strength and worth to all of Themyscira.

The story will take you to a girl's journey of becoming the mightiest Amazonian princess that she would become someday. A heroes journey must start somewhere and this action filled novel will give you a different take of how a legend was made.

This is a good YA novel for me. I totally enjoyed every page. I felt her dilemma as she made the hardest decision, seeing the reality of the world, discovering the value of humanity and friendship and love.

Bravo to the author!

 

BOOK REVIEWS: THE PRINCE'S PSALM

TITLE : THE PRINCE'S PSALM

AUTHOR: ERIC SHAW QUINN

I have always loved fictionalized versions of historical events, let alone biblical ones. This book is an epic tale of love, tragedy, and faith, much like many of the stories in the Bible. Yet, despite how complex and often contradictory the tales in the Bible can be, it takes a master storyteller to weave them together and create a beautiful narrative, as seen in the story of David and Jonathan. I have nothing but praise for the author for pulling all the strings together. Eric's talent for storytelling is compelling, and it’s clear he treated the story and the characters with the utmost respect. The way he brought the characters of David and Jonathan to life feels so real and relatable. He was incredibly brave to tackle this topic in the Bible. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that it’s no longer about homosexuality; it’s about love, loyalty, duty, and the willingness to rise above human emotion in order to answer the call of faith. The book is beautifully written.

Yes! You're right. This is the story of the famous David, who killed the giant Philistine warrior Goliath by hurling a stone with a slingshot. In the Bible, God favored David, the prophet anointed him, and the people of Israel elevated him as one of the nation’s heroes. In the end, he became king.

But there is more to the story than what we commonly know, and that’s where a fiction writer works their magic to recreate the tale. Writers often captivate us with their ability to take historical or biblical events and imagine what might have happened beyond the written word. They read between the lines, connect the dots, and create compelling dialogue and scenes through extensive research. They then masterfully and eloquently turn those ideas into words, crafting a beautiful masterpiece like The Prince’s Psalm.

I enjoyed this book so much that I didn’t want it to end. As a reader, I was rooting for David and Jonathan’s love for each other, hoping that their bond and commitment would be enough to save everyone. But we all know the biblical tale and how the tragedy of their relationship led to David becoming king. Still, because the characters were created with such love and realism, it was easy for me to see them not just as biblical figures—a hero and a king—but as men whose love for each other transcended the grave.

I highly recommend this book to open-minded readers who just want to be entertained. This is definitely one of my top reads for the year, and I’m hoping the master, Eric Shaw Quinn, will write more books like this one.

Xoxo

    

WHY NOT SHARE?

Samantha Sotto is a Filipino Author who wrote the amazing book called “Before Ever After”. I read the book a few months back and I totally loved it. It was subtly written that you can easily lose yourself in the moment while reading the book. When I found out that Ms. Sotto wrote most part of the book in a Cafe near my place, I was really thrilled because I’m also a regular customer of the Cafe.

Her Success in publishing inspired me to pursue my writing. So When I finally finished my first novel, I was in cloud nine for days. I didn't know what I should do next, so I decided to send Ms. Sotto a message on twitter hoping that she’ll reply.

I was grateful that she did. I asked her tips on what should I do with my manuscript and she was so nice to share her knowledge on the subject.

She’s so approachable and sweet and I’m thankful for her.   

Not everyone who find success wants to share the experience but there are few who find success as an opportunity to help and support new comers like me. I wanted to share my experience too. As far as writing is concern and the leanings I've learned along the way. I believed that sharing is a genuine characteristic but you can't force this attribute to anyone. It has to come naturally, willingly. 

As for now, I can only do much because I wanted to consider myself as the rookie who  is still finding his way. I'm still very new and everyday as I write, I learned new things from myself that helps me move forward. 

For us writers, the world is without limit. Lets be keen and open our eyes to see that the characters that we are searching for, is just in front  of us begging to tell their tales.

Start writing NOW!