Silver Linings Playbook

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK BY MICHAEL QUICK

This is a great read for those who have experienced any kind of emotional break and attempts to come back to gain clarity and closure.
Pat Peoples had such a break and experienced amnesia –just as well he didn’t remember til the end of the book. All through the book he sees his life as a movie that has or must have a happy ending. Life doesn’t always happen that way. He thinks getting back with his wife Nikki is going to be the answer needed for his happiness and wellness.
Enter Tiffany with her own issues. Tiffany is a widow trying to move on after her husbands tragic death. Pat and Tiffany form a friendship out of need. Let’s just say there is a silver lining just not the one they planned on.

Brilliantly and poignantly written to demonstrate the reality of mental illness and how people are viewed. There is strife between Pat and his family. They are trying to protect him but it just causes more trouble. Anyone who has suffered a break will really relate to this book and hopefully give those who haven’t a better understanding. Football fans will love it too –especially Eagles fans.

A heck of a good ride

ROLLER COASTER RIDE  EILEEN REGISTER

REVIEW BY KAREN VAUGHAN

Roller Coaster Ride is exactly what the name of this book. Life is often like a roller coaster on fair day. It has its ups and downs. Kendra Johnson is a twenty-five year old single mom of a precious ten year old boy.  She has over come the stigma of that along with her mothers promiscuity and drunkenness.

Along comes Daniel Crawford her first love and former football hero who was injured badly  leaving him wheelchair bound.  They rediscover each other on fair day.  Reunited they decide to forge ahead together and build a life with their son.  Here’s where the ride begins. Bring in a woman bent on revenge to make Kendra pay for her mothers sins, a friend who wants to destroy Daniel and claim Kendra as his.

Even with the action and deadly near misses this novel has the steam heat of a frothy romance and down home family values. The characters are rich and well developed and the author handles mental illness with class which just adds to the story.

I highly recommend ROLLER COASTER RIDE first in the GRISHOLM COUNTY SERIES as a first class read! I will wager 5 golden coasters that the reader will enjoy the ride.

A memorable read and brilliant account

MEMOIRS FROM THE ASYLUM  KENNETH WEENE

REVIEWED BY KAREN VAUGHAN

This book will make you chuckle, cry and scratch your head. It will make you question why the neglect and abuse in a state mental institution is prevalent and ignored. Memoirs will make you wonder why people get into the field of mental health and psychiatry only to become burned out shells happy to bring on the valium so they don’t have to deal with the emotional detritus that was once some one’s mind.

The author has painted a vibrant picture what life is like on the inside. It’s not like the patients asked for what was happening to them; life happened to them for various reasons, a break caused by the death of Marilyns mom, the sexual abuse she suffered as a child and her brothers death as well.  The death of the narrators close friend and cousin caused his breakdown and commitment. There are other patients with similar stories. Then there is Doctor Buford, a first year resident who feels like a failure as he is not in a cushy private practice dealing with rich head cases so his wife can be happy.

There are laughs in this book and serious drama all pulled together to give the reader pause to think about this stuff.  Kenneth Weene has pulled stories from a private practice and years of counselling others to make a great novel for our times. Kudos and five stars to the author for a brilliant tale.