Dear Family and Friends,

I hope you’re doing well! I am nearing the finish line with my new poetry collection, Ever So Gently, to be released at the end of the month. But along with fine-tuning, I carve out quiet time to read. So, without further ado, I introduce two wonderful books by talented authors, Alex Craigie and Darlene Foster:

The Bubble Reputation by Alex Craigie – A social media eye-opener!

Connecting with friends and family, and posting about hobbies and travels is the allure of social media, right? While reading The Bubble Reputation by Alex Craigie I was reminded of the disturbing side. Social media is the ideal platform for mean-spirited people who intend to destroy others.

Emmie Hobson enjoys the exciting ride as a popular children’s book author and TV personality. She has a fabulous partner in life, Luke, who will support her to the end of time. Her relationship with her sister may be rocky, but she loves her parents dearly. What could go wrong? Her life seems picture-perfect. But Craigie introduces Ursula, a ruthless editor, who is searching for a juicy scoop. She zeroes in on Emmie to publicly mortify. The higher reader ratings are well worth the underhanded behavior. Emmie’s world is shaken, stirred, and turned upside down. The readers choose what they want to believe, whether the words speak the truth or whether they imply false information. And then social media is the ideal mode to spew the vitriol that spreads like wildfire.

I sympathized with Emmie and Luke, but Emmie’s relationship with her parents was heartwarming. Feeling a strong dislike for Ursula who caused Emmie’s life to crumble was effortless. I wished this story was pure fiction, but we all know these horrific situations headline the news, and some stories conclude with tragic outcomes. I was thoroughly engaged in Emmie’s dilemma, where I couldn’t put the book down. I had to find out how she would survive and come up for air.

The story is compelling from start to finish and enlightens the reader about the misuse of social media. You’ll have to read the book to find out if Emmie comes up for air! Highly recommended!  

You Can Take The Girl From The Prairie by Darlene Foster – Touching stories about family and farm living.

Foster compiles a lovely collection of short stories inspired by her memories of growing up on a prairie farm in Canada. Family is the touchstone in each heartfelt story, and Foster’s writing flows so genuinely as if she’s narrating her memories to a group of friends relaxing around a crackling campfire. She admits in the introduction that she didn’t appreciate her life on the prairie as a young girl. “But over time, I realized that what I had as a child was special – the freedom, safety, fresh air, home-grown food, friendly neighbors…”

You Can Take the Girl from the Prairie reveals how hindsight is twenty-twenty.

I’ve always lived in the city, but as I’ve grown older, the solitude offered in a country setting is appealing. So, I looked forward to reading about Foster’s life on the farm. She pays high regard to her parents and grandparents and everyone she has met on her path. There is no doubt she possesses a grateful heart.

I enjoyed this entire collection, but a few heartwarming favorites spoke about Foster’s baby brother entering her world as though out of a fairytale. The love in her heart for her cowboy, heroic dad shines, and when she writes about a special teacher, I thought of a teacher from my high school years who instilled the same positive effect. Foster infuses humor in “Good Hands,” which made me laugh when I read about her dad chasing a cow that jumped off the back of a truck on the way to the vet. But one story that made me teary-eyed and tugged at my heart is “Losing Tim,” which gave me a personal glimpse into the author’s life.

Each memory pulled me in deeper, so I read this book in one sitting. Each story draws out various emotions known to the human heart. I highly recommend this beautiful collection to anyone interested in life on a farm, but who also enjoys touching family stories.

Thanks for stopping by, and Happy reading!

~ Lauren ❤️

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” – Stephen King

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