We are destined to be alone!

Hate is transformative, I'm a pretty simple person, I read, a lot, and to me, a clear example of what hate does is shown in Lord of the Rings. A hobbit becomes Gollum, and love of evil leads inexplicably to hate.

My home state of Pennsylvania, the cradle of liberty, has garnered a top place in the dissemination of hate propaganda. Is it any wonder that it is statistically unlikely we are alone in the universe but no one (aliens) has visited us?

If we hate each other, my goodness, how much would we hate someone truly different. Why would we ever visit such despicable behavior where hate is rampant? Unless we clean up our act, we are destined to be alone!

A Plea for Sanity

 

Who Am I and Why Do You Hate Me? ©

I’m fourteen years old, and I’m not sure who I am but I’ve felt your hate.

I love cars and motors and my favorite color is pink.

Is that why you hate me?

My hair is long and has streaks of red, gold, and green in it.

Is that why you hate me?

My Dad is Jewish.

Is that why you hate me?

My Mom is Christian.

Is that why you hate me?

I like boys but have never kissed one.

Is that why you hate me?

I like girls but I have never kissed one.

Is that why you hate me?

I’m not sure about gender orientation.

Is that why you hate me?

My brother came back from overseas with a Muslim bride.

Is that why you hate me?

I love my cousin and he loves me and he loves guns.

Is that why you hate me?

My Dad’s brother and his wife voted for Biden.

Is that why you hate me?

My Mother’s sister and her husband voted for Trump.

Is that why you hate me?

Puppies and kittens make me tear up.

Is that why you hate me?

I enjoy karate and throwing people to the mat.

Is that why you hate me?

I’ve gone target shooting with my cousin.

Is that why you hate me?

I won’t ever hunt; I won’t shoot at animals.

Is that why you hate me?

I love to read.

Is that why you hate me?

I go to a school that has banned books.

Is that why you hate me?

I’ve read many of the books that my school has banned.

Is that why you hate me?

I want to learn history, the good parts and the bad.

Is that why you hate me?

I’m not sure what WOKE means.

Is that why you hate me?

I’m not sure what Critical Race Theory is.

Is that why you hate me?

I don’t understand why BLM scares people.

Is that why you hate me?

My second cousin is a cop and I love him.

Is that why you hate me?

I’m Caucasian.

Is that why you hate me?

My brother-in-law is Black.

Is that why you hate me?

I’m sure you have found a reason to hate me.

I don’t hate you.

I don’t know you.

I don’t understand why you hate me.

I do understand that hate is contagious.

Hate likes to surround itself with more hate.

Hate is a dark path that spirals to nowhere good.

I don’t hate you; I don’t know you.

I don’t know me and I sure don’t hate me.

I confuse myself.

I perplex me.

I sometimes despair over myself.

I don’t know who I am,

YET

I will,

I will find myself and I will do it without labels.

I will do it without hate.

I will not hate you because I love me.

I can’t be me, filled with hate.

I can only become me by my soul being filled with love.

I don’t hate you.

I cry for you, your hate will destroy you.

I believe.

I believe that many people don’t know who they are.

I believe that it is sometimes hard to love yourself.

I believe that to find out who you are you must give up hate.

Giving up hate will free you to find yourself.

Don’t ban books.

Don’t ban flags.

Don’t bully.

Don’t shoot.

Don’t despair.

Don’t let your fear of someone different than you fill you with hate.

Letting your fears rule your life is bleak indeed.

I don’t know who I am.

YET

But I will.

I will do it without hate.

 

William G. Bentrim, I’m not fourteen, I’m old.  I lament over the overt hate that has been focused on our kids.  This free-form poem’s goal is to initiate some thought as to the damage hate is doing to this generation of children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst

Once again, Durst has blown off my socks.  I’m an admitted fan and as an author myself, I’m humbled at how well she writes.  This story captures the insecurities of not just teens but all of us who practice self-deception or deflection or whatever tool necessary to protect the ego.   Three different personalities are stranded in a dismal, unregulated forest environment and faced with circumstances far beyond their control.  Forced to confront their insecurities to survive, the three girls find depths in their souls that they have never plumbed before.

As a certified counselor of kids in a former life, I would have tried to have this book read by many of my students. It’s that good.  

Durst captures your attention, fastens tentacles of interest around your cerebrum, and encourages introspection all the while entertaining you with a fascinating story. 

This book targets young adults, I’m certainly not young, and my status as an adult has been called into question on multiple occasions.   I loved the book, the story, and the messages.  I highly recommend it. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Jimmy and the Crawler by Raymond Feist

Reading this was like stumbling on to an old friend unexpectedly.    I’ve been pretty diligent in reading all of Feist’s work.  Jimmy has been seen before but I’ve not seen a book where he was featured.  Jimmy is still putting his nefarious skills to work for Prince Arutha.  The Crawler’s thugs are infesting Krondor and Jimmy is tasked with thwarting him.

Jimmy is joined in his quest by William and Jazhara, William a soldier, and Jazhara a magician.   The three journey to Durbin to find the source of Krondor’s infestation.  

Feist puts plenty of action in his books and this book is no exception.   The book focuses on Jimmy, and Jazhara with William being more of a sidebar.  The story was entirely too short.

I enjoyed it and recommend it. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Dragon Bond by Ruby Lionsdrake aka Lindsay Buroker

This tale is a touch different than your normal sword and sorcery saga.   Fantasy comes to play with dragons and libidos.   Dragons have invaded the planet and razed one continent with plans to conquer the world.   The less powerful dragons from a dragon-ruled planet they fled persecution and became persecutors.

General Zala Shaylinor is the leading general of the oppressed humans.  First Commander “Talon” Arristalonis is the most successful dragon general.  The two meet in on several occasions and are impressed by each other’s skills.

Surprising circumstances throw them together and sparks of a surprising physical arousal result.   Lest your fears of stranger things run amuck, the dragons are shapeshifters and the sparks fly when Talon is in human form.

The book has from my aged perspective, adult content that is no doubt tame to contemporary teens.  I would not recommend the book for pre-teens as it is suitable for a more adult audience.  It was a good story with some overt romanticism. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Spotlight on Hidden Heir by Rose D. Paturno

DEBUT AUTHOR ROSANNA PATRUNO 

RELEASES NEW ADULT FANTASY SERIES

WITH A MYSTERIOUS ARISTOCRAT AND FORGOTTEN FAMILY SECRETS

 

Perfect for fans of the Off-Campus series, and those who are over the Alpha Male trope

PARIS – Debut author Rosanna Patruno is releasing the first book in her thrilling New Adult fantasy series, “The Hidden Heir” (March 14, 2023), which follows magical Inga through her supernatural lessons with the handsome yet mystifying Biagio, and on an otherworldly journey to protect her family from the sorcerer hunting them.

Despite being one of the less gifted witches in her family, Inga is eager to take advantage of her magical skills. Her mother, however, doesn’t believe women have a place in school, and wants Inga to give up magic and work with her in her tearoom. When Inga meets the gifted yet mysterious magical instructor Biago, who o ers her one-on-one lessons to advance her magical abilities, she is ecstatic. Her mother does not trust the high-status, handsome Biago, for reasons unknown to Inga. But Inga unexpectedly develops feelings for Biago, as he shows her what it is like to live among the aristocrats of London, leading Inga into a world of unexpected euphoria that she did not know existed.

When long-forgotten family secrets begin to resurface, including a millennia-old sorcerer hunting Inga’s family, and young women suddenly disappearing across London, Inga must fight to secure her own fate, and the fate of those around her. Can Inga trust Biago to help her avoid a destiny far worse than death, or is Inga’s mom right to not trust him? Follow Inga on her journey to uncover the truth of her family’s history, and to protect them and society at all costs.

“The Hidden Heir”

Rosanna Patruno | March 14, 2023 | New Adult Fantasy

Paperback: 978-2-9585988-0-8

Rosanna Patruno: From her youth spent in Puglia, a wild region in the south of Italy, Rose has retained a love for the culinary preparation of beautiful natural products. And when still a teen, she decided to become a writer without knowing anything about this world; Rose never imagined for a moment what her path would be. At the age of twenty she defied the path laid out by her patriarchal family and escaped, leaving her family and this region behind, to follow her own passion – that of art and literature to discover Paris. There she took art classes, immersing her creativity between anatomy morphology and the art of watercolor along with Theater, which sharpened her sense of observation and her art of human portraiture – two skills she o ers in her writing. Later, she developed her knowledge of pre-Christian myths, a passion she shares with her husband. Her life as a writer comes from a well of decisions and encounters: “A novel may begin life as an anecdote, but sharing is where it is truly born. It is not something that we premeditate. But the desire to have amusement and excitement can only stem from our original creations for which the inspiration flows from our own memories – the surprises of life”.Follow Rosanna Patruno on social media:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned