Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: changes

  • Silent Smile

    Silent Smile

    To hold Silent Smile in your hand gives one a sensual pleasure: The colour, the weight, the illustrations, and the topics are rich and stimulating. Relevant and written for these troubled times, Mirjan believes the words and concepts contained within the book have been channelled to her from The Divine.

    While this may to many seem a little far-fetched, as the pages unfold and the words of wisdom, love and guidance become all encompassing, answering so many of the questions relevant in today’s society, the understanding is born that perhaps the words are directly from the Divine.

    It has long been forecast, in all religions, that there will come a time when “God’ will once again return to earth, bringing with him pure love; or in modern parlance, a way forward that is free of all of the many ills which plague society and have done since words where written and history recorded.

    As the topics unfold it rapidly becomes apparent that this time is, believe it or not, now; that the Divine already walk amongst us, offering a way forward filled with love, inner peace and happiness. The issue seems to be that we, as a complex society, are having trouble coming to terms with this concept, which in the words of John Lennon sum up the message nicely: ‘All we need is love!’ words which were and still are prophetic.

    How to find this love within is the message delivered; essentially how to find or rather rediscover the well of wisdom within us all, the wisdom that we carried at birth and will carry until death.

    Topics discussed include Love, Self Love, Worry, Fear, Soul Purpose, Light Verses Darkness and just about every other aspect of curiosity relating to the human form, frequently discussed at great length on talk back, self-improvement, consciousness websites and many more platforms beloved of the modern audience. Silent Smile holds all the answers, presenting often hard truth with compassion, understanding and importantly non-judgemental dialog.

    That love will conquer all of the issues ahead of us is the main message offered. To be able to do this we need to still our hearts, and with the help of nature, listening to the still, small voice we all carry within, and the help of the Divine Ones, find true inner peace and happiness.

     Mirjam relays to us many ways that we can commence this process, beginning with ourselves. To realise our full potential, we must be physically strong, pure, and develop our spirituality. Each chapter has advice on how to achieve this and to address one’s connectedness.

    Silent Smile has been referred by Cred Mutwa, Indigenous Elder of South Africa, to a ‘Holy book which will resurrect the human spirit in times when uncertainty and chaos, war, hunger and cataclysm are threatening the world.’

    He is totally correct.

    reviewed: Trish Palmer.

  • 138 Dates

    138 Dates

    The true story of one woman’s search for everything

    What will it take to follow your dream! In Rebekah Campbell’s case it took an awful lot, 138 dates to be exact; 138 dates where she met a wide and varied range of characters, some funny, some out for a lark, others looking for love, an affair, a good time or just like so many, simply lonely, looking for companionship.

    Well known in the business world as an entrepreneur, a founder of an immensely successful business empire, a columnist for NY Times and a blogger of note, as well as a sough after inspirational speaker, she realized that these things were not the things she wanted most in her life.

    When the lights went out a night, she was just Rebekah Campbell; lonely, sad and dejected at not being what she had always dreamed of being by the age of 34; a mother of children in a loving marriage or partnership. But what to do.

    Turning 34 she realized it was almost 10 years since she had been on a date. Something needed to be done about this as the clock was ticking and while she was a successful business woman who loved what she did, she truly believed her real life goal was to be a mother.

    After much consideration and angst, she decided to apply the principals of business that had seen her achieve success, to finding her life partner, which also came with the deep concern of rejection, embarrassment and people she knew seeing her post on dating websites.

    The first step was carefully taken and so began a journey into much more than she had ever anticipated; a journey where she had to face some deeply emotional issues before she could move forward in her search for a lifetime partner and hopefully children. Time marched relentlessly onward, her search expanding to New York, where she was based for some time seeking funding for her business, before she finally achieved her goal.

    Her story reads almost like a work of fiction except that it is not, it is a well written captivating, emotional look at what it really takes to eventually believe in yourself, face your fears and remain determined and committed to what is really important in your life.

    Tucked away in the final chapters and at random intervals is the issue of IVF and egg harvesting, a newish concept that for many women could be of vital importance and one that Rebekah Campbell sees as a terrific scientific advancement for all women.

    Epilogue Christmas Day 2020 wraps the book up nicely, with final explanations offered for many of the slightly loose ends discovered on the way through the pages and brings a life journey to a lovely pause, as far as the reader is concerned, as Campbell shares her love of family, friends and all the important aspects that have made up her fascinating, interesting, successful life to date and make up her happy, family life, 2020 style.

    138 Dates from Rebekah Campbell will make you laugh, cry, cringe, celebrate and champion her cause and does prove that the end, whatever that may be, is always worth the effort.

  • The Charleston Scandal

    The Charleston Scandal

    Pamela Hart has set The Charleston Scandal in London in 1923. It is a romantic, Historical Novel which contains many real characters such as Fred Astaire, Noel Coward and the Prince of Wales. With much research into music, theatre and fashion of the times, there is an authentic feel to the way she has linked theatre and the Aristocracy. She also portrays women and their new way of living and thinking.

    Kit, the main character, born in Sydney to English parents, her mother from an Aristocratic family, her father a Dean in the Church, has the fortune to be an incredibly talented singer and dancer. Kit decides to test her luck on the English stage and is lucky enough to score a supporting role in a major musical. Once the mysteries of living arrangements and theatre rehearsals have been sorted out, she looks towards becoming involved in an active social life.

    Her mother has written to a cousin in England, asking her to catch up with Kit. The cousin, who owns a large country estate, invites the girl for a weekend which portrays the interesting conflict between aristocratic attitudes and the theatre, which soon become apparent. Kit also accepts invitations to Jazz clubs where Royalty dance and is photographed dancing the Charleston with the Prince of Wales, which causes great turmoil at the Palace.

    Social issues of the times are part of this scene, with sexuality one of those issues. The Jazz age is in full swing, and the excesses of the era provide great temptation for Kit. She can manage most issues with her background of a loving and disciplined mother, and religious father but falling in love is quite another matter though, as choices must be made that will affect her future life.

  • Renovate Your Relationship All The DIY Tools You’ll Ever Need For Your Most Important Project

    Renovate Your Relationship All The DIY Tools You’ll Ever Need For Your Most Important Project

    Joanne Wilson is a relationship and pre-marriage therapist as well as a wife, mother, weekly columnist and  radio co-host  known to many for her practical advice on relationships, which have now been  encapsulated in her latest book  Renovate Your Relationship.

    During these difficult times, when relationships, new, old and somewhere in the middle, are often stretched to the limit, with help available at a great distance, Joanne Wilson decided to put her hard earned, in many respects, knowledge of relationship refreshing or in some cases rescue, into book form in the shape of an easy to read, easy to use, DIY Toolbox to help those in need before, during or after a relationship.

    Firmly believing she was destined to become relationship counsellor, as the fifth child born into a loving family she was a child who delighted in observing people; initially her parents and siblings set the standard for what she was to later consider the hallmark of excellent relationships. Her launch into the dating game came with some serious emotional upheavals; eventually she met the man she would marry and go on to build a strong and lasting relationship.

    Over many years she has honed her ability to help guide people through make-ups, break-ups or towards refreshing tired but loving relationships, with a very simple concept which she explains in full. The Ten Toolbox Topics, cover all aspects of relationships, initially by understanding what is understood or believed to be love, beginning with About Love, looking at Conflict, reviewing Parenting, and how to proceed Post Relationship for those who simply do not make it, and the final chapter Time For Actions On These Two Words.

    Well set out, with clearly defined subject areas, the recommendation is to read the entire book, rather than dip into whatever areas or area appears to be the trouble spot, as this is a full course on Refreshing Your Relationship. After the book has been read, many of the hard questions examined and answered, only then should it be time to return to the section considered the neediest for repair in the relationship.

    As with all Toolboxes there are a set of instructions included, which are best read before beginning the emotional task of refreshing or rebuilding your relationship, which can be found right at the beginning and labelled as How To Unpack this Toolbox. Do make sure you read them first!

    Endnotes is an absolute treasure trove of information for further reading, offered to help and  support relationship rejuvenation from a holistic and healthy basis of understanding, integrity and honesty.

  • The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock

    The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock

    Oliver is a profoundly serious young man. He needs to be, as his position as Head undertaker and embalmer for his family’s Funeral Parlour necessitates a sombre outlook. He is quite masterful at comforting the grieving families that he encounters and lives his life in a serious and orderly fashion. His Mother, and Jean, have worked for the Funeral Parlour for many years and were there when Oliver’s father was in charge.

    As Oliver is approaching forty years, he begins to reflect on his life and realises that time is moving quickly and those nights when he is lonely, need to be addressed. His soul mate is Marie the florist, who is married to a rather thuggish gentleman. The opportunity to approach her passes Oliver by and it seems that all is lost until his mate introduces him to another lost soul. This seems that it could be the end of loneliness for both.

    Several other characters are introduced to the plot. There is Edie, who is a pharmacist with a passion for candle making. She believes in the power of smell and produces candles that smell like the deceased person before they died. While Oliver is processing the changes he would like to make in his life, he needs to come to terms with a loss he sustained as a boy. His mother is very unemotional and insists on the strictest adherence to the guidelines for the business set down by his Father. By carefully analysing his life and needs Oliver comes up with some unusual ideas.

    The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock is written with a tongue in cheek style of writing, coupled with a laconic humour which suits the character and the surrounds very well. The reader will be smiling, while at the same time wishing to give Oliver a nudge. He moves at his own speed though and eventually makes some satisfying decisions.

     

  • Dare To Dream

    Dare To Dream

    Many will know veteran singer songwriter and guitarist Tony Mawdesley from his many incarnations, that of Boxrattler, You and I, The Brendan Collins Band, Made By Machines and many other solo gigs throughout Florida and his earlier days in Britain.

    Returning to his native Britain, this talented musician has released his latest solo album Dare To Dream, in which he looks at life, simply as it is, the ups, downs and often sideways times that come whenever major change takes place.

    Commencing with the lovely piece Sign of The Times, a folk song offering a warm invitation to come in, spend a little time reflecting on times long gone and the lessons learned; the lyrics posing the timeless question “will we ever be the same again?”

    A delightful, mellow song Don’t Know Why, penned by Jesse Harris in 1999, covered by Norah Jones in 2002 has a gentle, reflective melody with introspective lyrics once again questioning; a piece which will resonate and interestingly, offers an unusual understanding of life and its many journeys.

    All of Me is a very personal cover of the song made famous by John Legend on his Love In The Future album released in 2013, raw, emotional and dedicated to love, pure, personal and often imperfect, whereas Starlight is a rather sombre song about breaking up, cutting loose, reflection and acceptance.

    Further into the album is the catchy Rent Man, a blues style piece which changes the pace, presenting a loose narrative common to modern ‘blues’ and when sung with Mawdesley’s slightly gritty style, is upbeat, catchy and toe tappingly enjoyable.

    The beautiful song Holding you up to the light, offers a very real set of lyrics in gratitude to making things all right, and how one person can create change by simply being themselves.

    A very wry piece is Don’t Make Me Laugh, a piece everyone can relate to at some time of their life, when ego gets the top billing and then the fall out needs to be dealt with, cleaned up and a result achieved. Wry indeed!

    Dare to Dream is the title track but also the final one, a piece in which the guitar work offers a gentle, all-encompassing element for a fresh new beginning, a beginning where the sun and rain have washed away the emotions of the past, to usher in a new beginning where you can Dare to Dream once again.

    Folk music at its very best, simple, clean and well-constructed, the fourteen tracks on Dare To Dream are emotive, interesting, cathartic and in spite of the sombre element, absolutely enjoyable, presenting a collection of both original scores and covers which will certainly be enjoyed time and time again.

  • Grey-glasses-itis

    Grey-glasses-itis

    The wonderfully colourful and hugely popular Loppy the LAC is back in his very distinctive red and white stripes, to bring another perspective to those terribly grey days we all have from time to time.

    In this wonderful new story Lynne Jenkins and Kirrili Lonergan, with the help of Loppy, teach little ones the difference which can be made in their lives by simply doing something very small to change the way they feel, and how that feeling is bound up in how they think.

     Loppy the LAC is having a wonderful day. He is painting a lovely, actually a wonderful picture, full of colours. He is thinking about how the colours all around him and the ones he is using in his picture, are making him feel.  Blue makes him feel peaceful and red makes him excited. Yellow makes him cheerful.

    That is until his friend Curley Calmster comes along with a bag full of glasses, which he gets Loppy to try on. Loppy and Curly are having such fun until Loppy tries on the grey glasses. All of a sudden, his fun day is grey, gloomy; he feels miserable, sad and not wanting to go out to the concert that night, at all.

    The big, bold illustrations are wonderful to show the effect colours of the day have on how people feel with the change in emotion felt and seen with the grey glasses; the rapid rise in the emotions are duly recorded when the grey is removed from Loppy’s world. Almost immediately he feels so much better, so much so he will go to the concert, after all.

    Once again Lynne Jenkins and Kirrili Lonergan have combined their talent to create a wonderful medium to enchant, entertain and teach about emotions and resilience, with two characters who are beginning to became rather famous in the world of children’s literature; that of Loopy the LAC and his great friend Curley Calmster in the Lessons of a LAC series.

    Great reading and sharing fun are to be had while teaching children to identify how they are feeling and how they can choose to change those grey feelings, as well as thoughts, into good feelings, simply by changing their glasses!

  • The Knight Who Said “No!”

    The Knight Who Said “No!”

    Even a knight who has the most amenable disposition can occasionally be argumentative. Ned was always the perfect gentleman when it came to obeying his parents, and he was an exemplary knight. He helped with the dishes, picked the cabbages, and raced inside at night when told. There was a dragon that swooped on the village each night and frightened the adults.

    Ned was sure though that he had heard the dragon groan, and he wondered if she was alone like him. Then one morning he awoke and felt strange and hot all over. He began to say “NO”! shocking all of the people in village as well as his parents. All day he said, “NO”!, and when told to come inside as the dragon was coming, he refused. Ned was right about the dragon. She was lonely and once they had overcome their surprise at confronting each other, they became friends. 

    Growing up is a difficult time for all knights. Ned was just beginning to assert his freedom and authority with his family, when along came a challenging friend. Mostly because of the happy friendship, Ned was more compliant with his duties, but every now and again, when adventures were too intense and involved, Ned would still say “NO”.

    This lovely hardback picture book is well illustrated with bright colours and patterns in the art. There are plenty of detailed items to gain attention of younger readers. The font is a good size for following along, and the occasional word is enlarged for emphasis. The text has interesting parts of rhyme and free flow. An enjoyable story for any would be knight, or growing child.