Sympathy Reviews When Destinies Collide
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Full review can be found @ http://www.clockworkorigin.com/2015/10/review-when-destinies-collide.html
Thanks to NetGalley for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

  "Nothing can stop the fate of your hearts."

When Destinies Collide is an emotional story focusing on two broken people. It is an overwhelming journey through Drake and Selene's lives, watching them go from being at their worst, to building up to their best. The author does a wonderful job portraying the huge and critical character development without making it seem like the story dragged on.

Something I really loved about this book was the fact that though there was some form of "love at first sight," the characters... (more via website)
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Delving with modern topics of social injustice against the interplay of 20-somethings who woo and are wooed, this novel opens the eyes of the 21st century reader as it must have in its original time.

Two sisters, Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen, are courted by BFF Rupert Birken and Gerald Crich.  Birken is the speaker and writer of social injustice calling the people among him the canaille - present company, of course, excluded.  Birken and Ursula are teachers who fall into the common love of the people of that time; while Crich and Gudrun have a very uncommon love - including a premarital affair, and some rough sex.

Many think that Birken is autobiographical image of the author while Ursula is his wife, Frieda.  Whether true or not, Lawrence uses Birken to address topics as he would have wanted in editorial comment.  Some examples: "After all, when one was fulfilled, one was happiest in falling into death, as a bitter fruit plunges in its ripeness downwards.  Death is a great consummation, a consummating experience." ". . . in his accompanying readings, he had come to the conclusion that the essential secret if life was harmony. He did not define to himself at all clearly what harmony was.  The word pleased him . . . [and] he proceeded to put his philosophy into practice by forcing order into the established world, translating the mystic word harmony into the practical word organization." "He knew that his spirituality was concomitant of a process of depravity, a sort of pleasure in self-destruction.  The really was a certain stimulant in self-destruction, for him - he knew it, and had done it."

The above passages show a repetitive use of certain words within the same paragraph.  This sighnature to Lawrence's writing may have discouraged by today's publishers, and would more likely be a cause of editing in the swift delete, cut and paste world of computers.  But, that style of the old handwritten novel is likea nything else of any generation -- a great symbol of the different people and their concepts at a different time.

And, like the last quotation hint: things do get destructive - but only at the end of the novel.  Before that, the love between the parties - although outdated by today's concept - opens and evolves like the beautiful flora surrounding the young people.  But, like any flower, the love of one sister, one woman in love, also dies. And, that sister is no longer in love, and the ending title could be said to  become Woman in Love.

Oddly, this book deals more about men in love.  And, that undertow in this novel is the precious instrument which Lawrence attempts to convey without being too radical and too outspoken in a world which honored and allowed censorship for scandalous literature - which included this novel for the heterosexual encounters which are anything but descriptive.  In the end, he hammers the concept home - almost painfully so - but prior to that moment a few other scenes hinted of men's mutual love, but never as confirmed  as done in the end.
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Anderson is an unlucky victim of life and circumstance. He lost his lover in an accident, then lost his job, and finally his home. Living his life in abandoned cars or wherever he can find at the time, he longs for the life and the love he lost. When a train operator mistakes him for a vagrant and sends him back out onto the cold streets, he happens upon a book of matches that prove to be a welcome distraction from the cold.

This little story broke my heart! For the short time I was with Anderson I truly felt his pain in the words I was reading. It made me thankful to have a job, a roof over my head, a nice warm bed to lay my head down on at night. So sad how life sometimes gives all the bad cards to the same person.

 If you are a fan of bittersweet stories, then Matches is just perfect for you.
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Yes, the idea of alternate realities is an interesting one. We've all pondered what would happen if we had just made a different decision that one time that resulted in something horrible or amazing happening.

Kathleen's world is blown apart when her brother is killed in a car crash on his way to pick her up from a party. It was her choice not to have a driver's license - would her brother still be alive if she knew how to drive? At the funeral, she meets a man named Luke. He tells her that he met her brother at school, and he just wanted to tell someone he was sorry for what happened. She ends up crying on his shoulder, and feels like for the first time, someone has actually SEEN her (ah, the personal fable stage of development). Of course, she ends up falling for him, and conveniently enough, he is able to guide her through the multiple realities through which she jumps.

I really wish I liked this book. I found myself exceedingly frustrated with it as it went along. Kathleen/Kay/Kath seems to learn that with a conversation and an apology, all wrongs can be righted. And the ending? Talk about a curve ball that left me scratching my head. I read this to see if I could recommend it to my students, as it's a low book level (3.3 according to Renaissance Learning), but I'll have to pass on this one.
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This book gives one an opinion of what might be should events come to pass in the future of the unknown
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Remembering the shocking Thanksgiving season event in 2004 about a teenager's thoughtless prank and the ensuing needless harm and tragedy, this book brings the reader right into the events of a life-changing, near-fatal accident.

Told from the personal perspectives of Dr. Robert Goldman and the victim, Victoria Ruvolo, there are moral questions that apply to us all:  Why me?  Who pays for this?  How can Justice be served?  Forgiveness seems unthinkable.

Dr. Robert Goldman, a compassionate attorney and psychologist, was intrigued by the ongoing newspaper stories of the woman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time when teenager Ryan Cushing threw a frozen turkey from a car window and caused such havoc.  He arranged to meet Ruvolo.  At the time, Goldman was trying to cope with his own pain in dealing with the terminal illness of his beloved mother, Carole Goldman.  Both Ruvolo and Goldman found support in sharing their lives and thoughts.  This book now shares a part of the lives of these two remarkable people and makes for a gripping tale.

Victoria Ruvolo defied the expectations that she would die, as well as subsequent medical forecasts of severe incapacitation.  By her unanticipated decisions and actions, she shows us how something positive can come from tragedy.  The importance of family shines through this book.  Robert Goldman's empathy with Ruvolo, and his own emotional pain, lead to descriptions of both authors' families that I found touching and heartrending.

No Room for Vengeance can be read in one sitting and is an inspiring good read.  It gives us hope.
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John Lamb cleverly adapts the star cluster, PLEIADES (relating to the 7 sister Greek mythology), to a modern day scenario whereby 7 women form a support group to cope with their like personal tragedies of having lost a child.  With lyrical prose and much insight, he depicts the despair and eventual transformation to a more livable acceptance of each woman's loss.  This is a helpful read for anybody who has suffered an untimely loss of a loved one, and especially for those who might disparage support groups.
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Many good books are written for the grieving.  This one, however, can be read when others are too much.  One page a day can provide comfort and a voice of sanity when such are hard to come by.
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How many of us have thought we had the market cornered on an unhappy childhood?  But then again how many of us wished we were dead at age 7?  As children we don't compare our traumas with each other, it is only when we become adults that a full appraisal is taken. The measurement never equates though. Horrible childhoods have resulted in miraculous outcomes and mediocre traumas have set people back a lifetime. One never knows. When it often times just takes one person to guide and mentor us in life, just one person to show us the ropes, Sharon had no one. Snap, crackle, pop are the sounds of falling apart; stale beer, booze and vomit are the tastes and smells. The feelings are that of loneliness when no one is on the other end, and there is no hope for the future.  Humpty Dumpty had a great fall...and all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put (Kathleen)(Sharon) back together again.  The book cover is Kathleen, the book cover is Sharon, shattered and reassembled, whole for the most part through the help of her psychologist, but damaged just the same. Juggling acting roles and hiding behind booze she never had the chance to come into her own until she met her future husband, the artist, Charles Pfahl. The writing flows and carries us along wishing for more.  We feel sorry for her, we applaud her, and we rally around her.  She spent much of her youth taking care of family members, and now after the death of the love of her life, we wonder how she will handle the greatest challenge of all--taking care of herself?
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I once lost a very good friend who used to live next to me in my university accommodation. He committed suicide. When I heard the news, I was very shocked. I couldn't understand why something like that happened.

So I could feel how the author feels when she lost her family during an accident. When you lose someone that you have a very strong bond with, the severance brings a very powerful impact that will remain with you for the rest of your life.

Fortunately, the author found an unexpected consolation  when she found that she could chat with her deceased family member. For the scientific minds, this could sound like fiction, and I also thought it was some plot point at first, but regardless of that, it is a very good book about the love of a mother and how one could cope with bereavement.
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The suggestion to find a way to handle the smorgasbord of emotions that come from this situation and to find an outlet for the understandable pressure of emotional rage at having your life wrecked are valuable parts of this book.

How to consider your own emotional state, which can become temporarily unreliable when you are in this vulnerable period, so you can take care of yourself is one of the most important things to do during this process.

Understanding that a widow may mourn the loss of a lifelong companion and partner but a woman newly separated does not attract the same depth of sympathy from friends and family will help you not to take how others are behaving personally.

You will get through it is the authors constant encouragement and that you are not alone helps you feel you can go forward.
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Denise Littleton was already feeling a little hopeless when she went to church that Sunday morning. A cell phone call in the middle of the church service changes her life forever. Her husband, Craig, has been involved in an accident and is severely injured. She arrives at the hospital to find that Craig has no memory of her, where he was going or why he was parked on the side of the road when he was hit. As the days pass, Craig's behavior is more loving than it has been in years and his injury seems like a fresh start that Denise is eager to grasp. Though the path ahead appears long and difficult, she is willing to walk along Craig's side. Unfortunately, when Craig's memories come back suddenly, Denise finds she has already lost more than she could have imagined.

The Familiar Stranger is told from two points-of view which gives it an interesting tone. This works particularly well as it provides a unique perspective into what it would be like to completely lose one's memory. This book deals with a lot of family drama, emotional turmoil and mystery. However, despite the heavy topics discussed, the book is actually a pretty fast read. I recommend this to those who love fiction and mystery.  The questions will definitely keep you guessing up until the end.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Moody Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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The movie expires you what would you do during disaster like that. would you think of other people. Especially when mother and and son refused not to be separated and stay together
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I read this book about a year ago.  Its power is undeniable.  It vividly shares the thoughts, feelings and observations of people around the world as this tragedy unfolds.  For the most part, the individual selections are short -- copies of e-mails, short descriptions written by survivors in and near the WTC and those in Manhattan that day and during the days following.  In this way, it also makes it a difficult book to engage with for those of us old enough to remember where we were and how we felt as one of the glories of Western Civilization -- both the buildings and the concept of world trade -- came crashing down due to backwards religious beliefs. I found myself gripped in the sadness, anger and fear I felt -- even living in Chicago -- that day and had to put the book aside several times.  It does, however, point out many ways that human beings show their truest and best natures in the face of tragedy and I believe this book will be of even more valuable to those who were too young to remember 9/11/01 or who wore born afterwards.  It puts a human face on "ground zero" that cannot help make all but the most hard hearted empathize and sympathize with those most directly harmed by this terrible act of hatred.
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Often in fiction, the story ends and readers are left to assume the happily ever after. Its usually at high pointa declaration of love, an engagement, a wedding. But what happens after the last first kiss? After the I dos? When real life encroaches on the high of falling in love? What happens when there are hiccups in the happily-ever-after?

In her latest book, Denise Hunter explores this concept while delicately balancing on the line of realities of life and the hope of love.

Noah and Josephine had a whirlwind romance, one that seemed to set them up for a lifetime of love. But it ended too soonor has it?

Josephine didn't completely open herself up to her husband while Noah hadnt wanted to push his wife whenever he saw that expression of sadness cross her features. Yet, in successful relationshipsones that last lifetimescommunication is so key.

Forced together due to a storm, Noah and Josephine must fast their failures and faults in their relationship while admitting there is still something between them. Will they allow past hurts and angry words to overrule Gods grace, forgiveness, and healing? Sweetbriar Cottage presents a picture that reminds the reader that only Gods love is limitless. That people make mistakes and errors that hurt deeply but unconditional love is not something we earn, its something given freely.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255.
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I try to be protective of my books but this one got knocked around a bit in the car, and then there were too many good phrases not to underline, and so now my copy of Rubble Fever is a little beat up but that's just what happens sometimes.  And it happens in this book, too, as a person battles through the loss of her family, and then her home and job due to Katrina.

But this is what she still has with her:  three dogs, a love of second lines, and friends from Baton Rouge to Florida.  Then there are the moments, so precisely watched, almost like photos, that fan out like Polaroids on a coffee table.  This book is all about how those little moments add up into something beautiful and special, even if the moments are sometimes bitterly harsh.

Like the author writes, "After all, even the lousiest picture is a moment of somebody's life . . . ." This is a real special book.
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The Rising by Ryan DAgostino

How does a person continue on living life after tragedy?  How do we understand senseless violence on our own front door?  These questions pervade the terrain of Ryan DAgostinos new book entitled The Rising: Murder, Heartbreak, and the Power of Human Resilience in an American Town.  Ryan, the editor in chief of Popular Mechanics magazine has latched to this true story of murder, heartbreak, and resilience with a moving narrative that captures all the ups and downs of such a catastrophic event.

The Rising focuses on the story of Dr. William Petit and his family, a family living in suburban Connecticut.  The narrative centers on July 23rd, 2007 when armed men came into their house, almost bludgeoned Dr. Petit to death, raped his younger daughter, killed all the girls in his family, including his wife, and torched the house in flames.  The perpetrators wanted cash and decided that a doctor and his nurse wife would be a promising pair with much in their wallets.  To their surprise, only one daughter had roughly $103 in cash and gift cards.  The story continues on in harrowing detail about Bill, losing dangerous amounts of blood and being tied to a poll in the basement.  By the time he freed his hands from the pole, it was too late (78).

The beauty, if there is anything beautiful in the story is the way Bill speaks about his girls at their funeral.  Ryan intimates, He doesnt talk about evil.  He doesnt talk about sorrow.  For twenty-two minutes he talks only about his girls, about their lives, their accomplishments, the little things they did that made him feel lucky.  He tells stories (101).  It is in this touching tribute to the life that his girls had, their stories that had such an effect on him, that is where some healing begins.  He ends his words with an admonition to go forward with the inclination to live with a faith that embodies action  help a neighbor, fight for a cause, love your family (101-102).  These last words would in turn help generate the motivation for Bills Foundation.

The rest of the story tells the details about the two trials related to the case and a part on Bills marriage to the bartender at the golf club that Bill was a member of.  This book is a gripping tale of loss and tragedy, but it is not without its wisdom.  One of the remarkable points in this entire book is Bills insistence that sometimes grief like this does not go away but you learn to live in a way to honor those whom youve lost.

Thanks to Blogging for Books and Crown Publishers for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.