Tag Archives: mind

Book Review: Broken Branches by M. Jonathan Lee

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I was provided with a copy of this book by Hideaway Fall publishers in exchange for an honest review.

About the Book:

Broken Branches

‘Family curses don’t exist. Sure, some families seem to suffer more pain than others, but a curse? An actual curse? I don’t think so.’

A family tragedy was the catalyst for Ian Perkins to return to the isolated cottage with his wife and young son. But now they are back, it seems yet more grief might befall the family.

There is still time to act, but that means Ian must face the uncomfortable truth about his past. And in doing so, he must uncover the truth behind the supposed family curse.

My Thoughts:

Wow! This is an intense emotional roller coaster, that will hold your attention until the end. The story is well-written and the beauty of it is that the author doesn’t give away anything until the very end! It proves to be impossible to predict the direction the  story will take and is even more difficult to figure out what is real and what is not! The title of the story becomes clear by the end and is quite apt according to me.

The story follows Ian Perkins as he tries to find out more about his family and it’s history, tracing back along the years while trying to prove the existence of a legendary family curse. The reason behind this need becomes clear only after the reader has completed the book! We are also introduced to Rachel, Ian’s wife who doesn’t believe in the curses’ existence and their adorable son Harry, who seems to have boundless energy. The emotions run deep and the descriptions are vivid, sometimes giving the reader chills at the end of it.

The author sets the tone of the story right from the first page as he describes the cottage, the iconic tree and the various people who have resided in this place. Chapters alternate between the present times and the past, introducing us to various people who were a part of or influenced Ian’s life. The author expertly describes the mental stability of his characters and brings out their thoughts and emotions, thus making it hard for the reader to completely judge until the end.

Hold on to your seats and emotions as you are in for an interesting and thought provoking time with this book! It is worth the read, touching upon some rather pertinent topics related to family, relationships and a persons psyche as a result of tragedy as the truth comes out.

Review: All the Breaking Waves by Kerry Lonsdale

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I was provided with a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

About the Book:

All the Breaking Waves

From the bestselling author of Everything We Keep comes a gripping tale of long-buried secrets, the strength of forgiveness, and the healing power of returning home for good.

After a harrowing accident tore her family apart, Molly Brennan fled from the man she loved and the tragic mistake she made.

Twelve years later, Molly has created a new life for herself and her eight-year-old daughter, Cassie. The art history professor crafts jewelry as unique and weathered as the surf-tumbled sea glass she collects, while raising her daughter in a safe and loving environment—something Molly never had. But when Cassie is plagued by horrific visions and debilitating nightmares, Molly is forced to return to the one place she swore she’d never move back to—home to Pacific Grove.

A riveting exploration of love, secrets, and motherhood, All the Breaking Waves is the poignant story of a woman who discovers she must confront her past, let go of her guilt, and summon everything in her power to save her daughter.

My Thoughts:

A heartfelt novel, All the Breaking Waves brings together a mixture of psychic abilities and family drama. The main focus is on the bonds of family and the importance to forgive and move on. The protagonist, Molly, has hidden within her a secret for twelve years. This has caused her to run away from her home and from her grandmother. When her daughter turns out to have terrible visions and nightmares, she is forced to return to the very house she had run from to seek her grandmother’s help. Forced to face the demons of her past, she doesn’t expect to come face to face with the man she had loved so many years ago and still did. She also had to deal with some revelations about her grandmother and eventually her past.

The author has written the story really well, beautifully blending these various aspects of the plot. She gives her characters a rather magical look and adds the same touch to her style of writing. The concept of sea glass and jewellery making with it is intriguing. Also, the author alternates between the present time and narration of events in the past and this flow happens flawlessly, making it easier for the reader to understand the events that have crafted our characters and made them who they were. Our protagonist is also forced to deal with her abilities, apart from those of her daughter’s and to accept that she can do more good than harm if she just tried.

A wonderful story, this teaches us the importance of family and the necessity to stick together and talk things out always. Throw in some romance a charming little girl and we have a great mix! A good read, strongly recommended for those who enjoy a good romance with a character who has an interesting psychic ability.

Review: The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes

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About the Book:

The Minds of Billy Milligan

A portrait of a tortured young man, arrested for a series of kidnappings and rapes, explores the world of a multiple personality, whose traumatic childhood shattered his mind into twenty-four distinct personalities.

My Thoughts:

This book chronicles the life of Billy Milligan who suffered from Multiple Personality Disorder and is said to have had 24 personalities. This biography of the man, written by author Daniel Keyes, tells us the story of Billy’s life. We are given glimpses into his life, shown how his childhood was and the events that eventually led to the existence of his various personalities. Initially, not having been diagnosed, Billy was treated as a different child and everyone thought he was weird. During his college days, he was arrested for rape and armed robbery. It was at this time, that he underwent psychological treatment and eventually diagnosed with MPD.

Initially, Billy was placed in state run mental hospitals and claimed to have received very little treatment. He was diagnosed to have 10 personalities at this time. It was only later on, when he started to undergo treatment under David Caul, did the rest of his personalities emerge.

The biography, as told to Daniel Keyes by the various personalities of Billy, highlights the various incidents in his life. We are shown the immense pressure he was under and he survived. Most of the time, the original person “Billy” was asleep as the others put it. Some of his personalities took turns in taking over his mind to conduct various day to day activities. Each personality was as different from the next as possible and each were talented in their own way. The book brings out the trouble faced and the kind of psychological effect traumatic events can have on the mind of a child as well as on people in general.

It was indeed difficult to read this book as it brought out so many emotions but it does succeed in making the reader stop and think. There is a lot that can be learnt from this book and even though it is an emotional roller-coaster, there are some key points that everyone should walk away with. Most importantly, it is very intriguing and teaches the reader that every action of ours and every word we utter can affect the other person at whom our actions/thoughts are directed. It is essential to be understanding and give people the benefit of doubt before blindly branding them and shunning them. It is rather difficult for me to continue with this review without giving away much of the story, though most of it is quite well known or can be read off the internet. I however strongly suggest that everyone pick up this book and make the effort to read it.

This is a must read for everyone as this book not only chronicles the life of Billy Milligan, it brings out the psychology of the mind in relation to MPD as well as how easy it is for people to brand someone a charlatan or an attention seeker without really understanding them. Moreover, through the eyes of Billy’s personalities, we can form a picture as to why each one came to exist and how they played a part in his life. We are indeed afraid of the unknown and I believe this book gives us great insight into one of the mysteries of the mind.