September 2025 Book Reviews #bookreview #books #amreading #readingcommunity @JoyceYarrow @YvetteMCalleiro

Hi, beautiful readers! I finally finished the book I had started reading in August. I also had the opportunity to attend a book conference for one of my favorite authors. I do not fangirl, but meeting this author and realizing how down to earth and how kind she was really got me fan-girling. Here is my review for this month. I am almost done with my current read, but I didn't finish it in time. Guess it will wait until next month!

Zahara and the Lost Books of Light

by Joyce Yarrow

Genre: Cultural Heritage Fiction

Pages: 297

Book Blurb:

Best Book in Historical Fiction, PenCraft Award for Literary Excellence, Spring 2024
 
In this fast-paced, suspenseful novel, journalist Alienor Crespo discovers a trove of irreplaceable books rescued from the flames of the Spanish Inquisition. Using her gift of second sight, Alienor exploits her knowledge of the past to confront extremists, who are bent on destroying all evidence of harmony between Christians, Muslims, and Jews in Medieval Spain. The future of the underground library of Zahara is at stake as well as the lives of its protectors. Hailed as a dazzling journey through time, Zahara and the Lost Books of Light will hold you spellbound until the end.

My Review:

It took me a bit to get into the story, but that could have been from things going on in my own life. It also could have been because Alienor hated her gift at the beginning, and I felt bad for her. I personally loved her vijitas - transitions in which she traveled through time and experienced the life of a woman in her lineage from past generations. Each journey not only gave more depth to the plight of the Librarians but also shed light on the historical suffering of the people who fought so bravely to keep the history alive.

I tend to not enjoy historical fiction, so I loved that this brought in the mystical aspect of it all. The characters were well-developed, and the twists in the story were great. All in all, I thought it was a wonderful story and would definitely recommend it.

Have you read any great books this month? I'd love to hear from you. :-)

Gone Too Soon - #silence #death #W3 #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today, I am deep in my feelings. And Wea've Written Weekly's prompt has pulled me toward a dark place of poetry. My nephew's death weighs heavy on my heart today. So, this is just a warning that this poem may be a trigger for anyone whose lost a family member to gun violence. Jaideep invited us to write a poem using the following parameters.

Gone Too Soon

breath

such a valuable

treasure

reassurance

that life continues

that hope still lives

but one tragic moment

one

shot

rips it all

away

death

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to join us here.

Most Precious Gift - #TankaTuesday #tankaprose #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! This week, I hosted the poetry challenge at #TankaTuesday. My prompt was to write a poem about how impactful one day can be. I've had several "one day" moments that have shaped my life and changed my trajectory throughout the years, and while not all of them were good moments, they all led to where I am now, and for that, I am grateful. I decided to write a tanka prose for this week's poem.

Most Precious Gift

I was told I had a one percent chance of getting pregnant. Refusing to accept those odds, I turned to science for help. Round two of artificial insemination brought me my miracle baby. And while other parts of my life were breaking, holding my precious son in my arms gave me the strength to see my path forward. He became my anchor and my purpose. I was blessed the day he chose me to become his mom, and I cherish him every day.

a new moon gives birth

to slew of unlimited

possibilities

Would you like to write a poem with us this week? Join us here.

One Last Journey - #WDYS #dVerse #Quadrille #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! This past Saturday, my family said our final goodbyes to my nephew who tragically lost his life last month. It was a beautiful ceremony that brought some much needed closure. My parents came down for the ceremony, and I enjoyed spending time with them. They now live two and a half hours away, so I don't get to see them as often.

Today, I've combined two prompts. The first is the image below from Sadje's What Do You See? prompt. The second is from dVerse - Poet's Pub's prompt: Peonies? Lily-of-the-Valley? Pick your Posey! Quadrille prompt. The Quadrille had to include the word petals in it. So, I focused my Quadrille, a poem with exactly 44 words, on the image below.

(image credit; Salva Jamm @ Unsplash)

One Last Journey

He was far from her garden

Of rose petals,

But this was their dream.

Her dream...

Before cancer stole her away.

He held her scrapbook of

Places to explore

As he looked

Across the tranquil lake.

Each checked-off place

brought him closer to her.

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below:

What Do You See? prompt

dVerse - Poet's Pub's prompt

Book Adventures - #TankaTuesday #FFFC #tanka #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity #WhiteDew #BilboBaggins #Frodo @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I'm once again combining prompts. The first prompt comes from #TankaTuesday where Colleen Chesebro invites us to use a kigo word from the White Dew season in our poem. I've chosen to use harvest moon, Bilbo Baggins, and Frodo. The second prompt comes from Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge which provides us with the fantastic image below.

My love of fantasy began with The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. My 7th grade English teacher, Mrs. Hoffman, used to read it to us. She even took us to watch the play being performed by a high school cast. So, with this month including both Bilbo and Frodo's birthday, I had to include them. I chose to write a tanka for this challenge.

(image courtesy of Getty Images)

adventures galore

reading under harvest moon

I enter portal

Bilbo Baggins, Frodo join

unforgettable journey

Would you like to write to one of these prompts? Click the links below:

#TankaTuesday

Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge

The Breakup - #WDYS #W3 #Quadrille #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I'm back online after taking some time off to focus on my wants and needs. I experienced several revelations, all of which were good. Since returning, I've been focused on my health, both physically and mentally. That's taking some of the time I used for writing, but it's all about balance, and my health needs to be part of the equation. So, today is my first day with time to write poetry, and I've chosen to combine two prompts.

The first is an image from Sadje's What Do You See? prompt, which works perfectly for the Wea've Written Weekly (W3) prompt. In the W3 prompt, Lisa Paul invites us to write a Quadrille, a 44-word poem, about transitions - beginnings and endings. 

(image credit; Egor Myznik @ Unsplash)

The Breakup

it was never going to last

you and I

dreams of a future

seen through a foggy window

never clearly showing a path forward

the exhaustion of trying

seeped into our bones

both realizing

we couldn't fulfill the other's needs

a bittersweet final goodbye

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Join us here:

Sadje's What Do You See? prompt

Wea've Written Weekly (W3) prompt

Lunch Date - #WDYS #TankaTuesday #nonet #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I honestly don't know how I am getting one more poem in before I go offline for the next several days, but I did! I am taking a couple of days off work (which I never do) to focus on some self-care. And part of that is staying offline. So, here is my last poem for this week.

I've combined Sadje's What Do You See? prompt and #TankaTuesday's Poetry Challenge. Sadje provided the photo below, and Willow at #TankaTuesday encouraged us to imagine a color, smell, sound, or image that triggers a memory. I've chosen to write a nonet for this poem.

(image credit; Peter Thomas @ Unsplash)

Lunch Date

salty sea spray permeates the air

lazy waves lap upon the shore

pops of sunset-hued flowers

decorate the terrace

my friend and I laugh

sipping our tea

treasuring

friendly

love

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below:

Sadje's What Do You See? prompt

#TankaTuesday's Poetry Challenge

Becoming One with Nature - #FFFC #dVerse #Quadrille #haibun #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Last week was so busy that I only had time to write one poem. This week isn't going to provide me much writing time, either. Thankfully, my busyness is connected to enjoyment, which I've been missing out on because of other life circumstances. My renovation still isn't done, but I'm dealing with that situation. For now, I'm focusing on the positives in my life.

Today, I am combining two challenges. The first is dVerse's Poets Pub - Quadrille #231, which De Jackson invites us to use the word much (or a semblance of the word) in our Quadrille. I've chosen to add an 'l' and use mulch instead. I decided to create a haibun for my Quadrille.

The second challenge comes from Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge, where Melissa shares with us the image below and invites us to let it inspire us.

(image courtesy of Getty Images on Unsplash)

Becoming One with Nature

Hiking is one of my favorite pastimes. Listening to nature's symphony, walking among the giants, and breathing in the soil's richness relaxes me, allowing me to shed negative energy and absorb life's precious gift.

nature's mulch fosters

new life deep in the forest

protected Redwoods

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below:

dVerse's Poets Pub - Quadrille #231

Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge

#RRBC Writers' Conference & Book Expo is happening now! Join us! @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I have not been able to enjoy writing poetry as much as I usually do. This week has been really busy. I wanted to share this amazing online conference with all of you. It's call the RRBC Writers' Conference & Book Expo, and it's happening now. Authors have set up virtual booths to showcase their works. Feel free to visit my booth here. You may even win a prize by visiting the booths and leaving a comment!

Visitors will find writer workshops, games, raffles, and scavenger hunts to enjoy. Each visitor who leaves a comment in an author's booth or purchases a raffle ticket has the opportunity to win from $5 to $100 in prizes and gifts. This really is a fantastic event, and I hope you will pass by and enjoy it while you can. Click here to start exploring!

Monday Poetry - #WDYS #haiku #tanka #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Happy Labor Day to my fellow Americans. May you be using this day for self-care, whatever that looks like for you. I went to the beach yesterday for the first time in a long while, and I enjoyed every minute of it until the thunderstorm rolled in around 3:30 pm. Still, my soul was rejuvenated and my body enjoyed the two laps I swam to the buoy and back. Today, I'm getting things done around the house, which clears my mind, and writing this poem. :-)

Today's challenge comes from Sadje's What Do You See? prompt. She shared the images below, and I decided to write a poem for each of them. The first is a haiku, and the second is a tanka.

(image credit; Tanya Barrow @ Unsplash)

avid wanderer

open imagination

through planes, trains, and books

(image credit; Aaron Burden @ Unsplash)

not as colorful

unnoticed in vibrant world

I still have value

flashy colors aren't needed

to add beauty to the world

Would you like to write a poem for either of these images? Join us here.

August 2025 Book Reviews #bookreview #books #amreading #readingcommunity #dragons #fantasy #magicalrealm @PTLPerrin @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! This month was really busy for me. From starting school to dealing with my horrible contractor to dropping my son off at his university, it's been a month that has not left me a lot of time to read. Still, I read a phenomenal story and am excited to share it with you.

Sanctum: Dragon Guild Book 1

by PTL Perrin

Genre: Teen & Young Adult Magical Realism 

Pages: 294

Book Blurb:

Two worlds separated by time and space, a frantic search, a powerful enemy, and a baby dragon... At sixteen, Gabri’s life is complicated.

When a nightmarish vision rips Gabri O’Connell from her home and family, she wakes up powerless in a freezing tower on a hostile planet.

Saved by a dragon and brought to Sanctum inside the planet, her rescuers don’t want her there.

Will a baby dragon be the key to her survival? Will Gabri ever see her family again?

My Review: 

I first fell in love with this author's writing style in her Tetrasphere series. I absolutely loved this story! I first met the main character, Gabri, as a baby in the first series, where and she her mother helped save Terra, their planet, from exploding. This series begins when Gabri is almost sixteen, making this a completely new story. Some of the characters from the Tetrasphere series are in this story, but the focus is Gabri. She begins having nightmarish visions of a shadow that calls her the world destroyer. At first, she's transported through her dreams to the Shadow's world, but he then kidnaps her, locks her in a tower, and mutes her powers to communicate with her family.

Luckily, Gabri is rescued by others who live on the planet called Sanctum. While her family desperately searches for a way to locate her, Gabri is introduced to a completely new world, one is which she bonds with a dragon and an Aracai. Sanctum's time runs twice as fast as Terra's, and before she knows it, Gabri is bonding with more than just her bondmates. Unfortunately, the Shadow is not done with her, and danger finds her again.

This book is fantastic! The author is a queen of imagery and creating characters that are unique and well-developed. And I absolutely LOVE the dragons! I mean, look at the cover. Isn't the dragon just adorable? I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who enjoys colorful worlds, dragons, magical powers, and great storytelling.

Have you read any great books this month? I'd love to hear from you.

Creaky Hinges - #TankaTuesday #dVerse #personification #noise #tanka #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I'm combining prompts again. The first is dVerse - Poets Pub's Poetics prompt, where Mish invites us to write a poem about noise. I've bolded and italicized my noise words.

For the #TankaTuesday challenge, Robbie invites us to use personification in our poem. Personification is a literary element that gives humanlike qualities to objects. I've underlined my personification. I decided to write a tanka to combine these prompts.

(image courtesy of Microsoft Copilot)

my angry door screams

tired of being neglected

complains with each move

a soft caress of smooth oil

hinge sighs with satisfaction

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below:

#TankaTuesday challenge

dVerse - Poets Pub's Poetics prompt

A King's Domain - #WDYS #dVerse #Quadrille #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today, I will combine two prompts. The first is dVerse-Poets Pub's Quadrille #230. Kim invited us to write a quadrille, a poem of exactly 44 words (not including the title), using the word rumpus.  

The second prompt comes from Sadje's What Do You See? prompt where she shares two images to inspire our writing. I chose the photo below.

(image credit; Eugenia Pankiv @Unsplash)

A King's Domain

heavenly perch

throne of kings

patiently waiting

for the perfect moment

when a traveler

leaves his tithe of leftovers

a worthy offering

he divebombs toward the prize

intruders invade territory

a rumpus ensues

the king gets the glory

and flies away with biggest prize

Would you like to write for either of these prompts? Click the links below:

dVerse-Poets Pub's Quadrille #230

Sadje's What Do You See? prompt

Jive Hive - #FFFC #tanka #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Last week, I didn't have enough time to participate in all the poetry challenges and missed out on Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge, so I decided to make hers the first one of this week, especially since this is her 100th challenge post! 

This week's picture depicts a futuristic cyberpunk, but my mind went back to the past. Lol! So, I threw a little of the present into it and wrote a tanka.

(image courtesy of Nick Fancher on Unsplash)

chaos surrounds me

threatens to pull me under

neon-hued glasses

invite me to let it go

and join 'groove to the jive' hive

Would you like to write a poem for this image? Join us here.

Cerulean Dreams - #W3 #haiku #ekphrastic #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

 

Hello, beautiful readers! My kitchen is almost complete! It has been three and a half months of dealing with a horrible contractor. The cabinet guy has been wonderful, though. He was at my house for about eight hours, installing the shelves and doors. He wasn't able to finish and says he will be back on Tuesday. This project is almost over, and I cannot wait to have my house whole again.

Today, before I begin cleaning and pulling items from boxes and putting them on shelves, I decided to partake in the Wea've Written Weekly (W3) prompt. Ange shares two pictures and invites us to write an ekphrastic poem. Part of the instructions is to incorporate the word blue into our poem and to not exceed 15 lines. I chose the image below and wrote a haiku.

cerulean dreams

coasting on soothing, blue waves

worries drift away

Would you like to write an ekphrastic poem? Join us here.

Puddle Fun - #WDYS #haiku #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful people! It has been a very busy week, so I haven't been able to write as much poetry as I would have liked. My classes are wonderful. Unfortunately, I took a pay cut this year because our enrollment has dropped and the state is giving less money to public schools, so I'm teaching only seven classes instead of eight right now. It's a hard cut, especially with a son in college who will most likely need financial help, but it is what it is, and I will readjust my budget as I've done in the past. I've become a pro at it. It's a good thing I choose to live within my means and save as much as I can for rainy days (or years). 

Today, I've chosen to focus on Sadje's What Do You See? prompt. It's been a rainy day, and this prompt fits perfectly. Sadje shared two images and invites us to use one (or both) to inspire our writing. I chose the photo below and wrote a haiku.

(image credit; Nathan Dumloa @Unsplash)

splashing in puddles

sun after a summer's rain

unfettered laughter

Would you like to write a poem for this photo? Join us here.

On another note, if any of you have the means and would like to donate to my Donors Choose project, I would be forever grateful. You can check it out here.

Home Away From Home - #TankaTuesday #taiga #tanka #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I am hosting over at #TankaTuesday today, so I'd love for you to pass by and participate. Today, we are exploring words with multiple meanings and writing a tanka form for the poem. I have chosen the word current. Here are the two definitions I chose to use:

• a flow of water
• something that is happening now

I've chosen to write a taiga, which is a tanka embedded in an original photo. This photo is a bit blurry because I captured it from a video my son sent me after I dropped him off at his university this past weekend. I concentrated so much on not bawling like a baby that I forgot to take all the photos I had planned on taking.

It was an exhausting weekend, both physically and emotionally. Friday night, after I taught all day, we packed up our cars and drove two and a half hours to my parents' house. The next morning, the four of us made the 4.5 hour trek to his new home away from home. The drive is usually three and a half hours, but we encountered two accidents (and rubberneckers). We took all his boxes up to his apartment and then left to have a late lunch. Afterward, I helped him set up his room and bathroom. We met two of his three apartment mates. They both seem like great guys. 

By 8:30 pm, everything was put away. All that was left to do was say goodbye to my baby. I did not cry until that last hug, but it was a quick cry because I know he's going to be just fine. Then, I drove back to my parents' house with my dad as copilot and my mom passed out in the back seat. We arrived at their home a little after midnight. The next morning, I drove the two and a half hours back to my empty home. 

My son and I have spoken every day and will continue to do so, just like I speak with my mom every day, even if it's a quick, "Hi. I love you." I miss him already like crazy, but I am so excited for his journey. The countdown to his visit in November has already begun. Lol!

Would you like to write a tanka with a word with multiple meanings? Join us here.

Fata Organa - #W3 #dVerse #FFFC #Quadrille #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today is going to be a really long, emotional day for me. I'll be gone all weekend, so I don't know if I'll be able to respond, and I won't be able to read all of your beautiful poetry, which I truly love doing. This week has just been really rough for many reasons.

Today, after work, my son and I start our drive up to his university. We will stop tonight at my parents' home, which is about halfway there, and spend the night. Then, Saturday morning, we will all drive up to his university and set up his apartment. Once everything is ready, we will have dinner, and my parents and I will drive back to their home, leaving my son to begin the next phase of his life's journey. I'll spend the night with my parents and head home alone Sunday morning. I am beyond excited for my son, but I know I will be an emotional wreck. Both emotions can equally exist within me, and they will. 

I'm combining three prompts this time. I enjoy these challenges so much and hate missing out on any of them. Luckily, these three seem to merge well with one another. The first is Wea've Written Weekly. Violet invites us to borrow a word from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows and use it as our title. Then, our poem should use the word directly or capture its essence within the poem. I chose the word phrase - fata organa. The short definition is a "a flash of real emotion glimpsed in someone sitting across the room." You can find the full definition here.

The second prompt comes from Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge where she provides the picture below as our inspiration. The third prompt is from dVerse's Poets Pub - Quadrille #229 - Shall We Jabber On? De Jackson invites us to use some version of the word jabber in our Quadrille, which is a poem of 44 words. 

(image courtesy of Nellie Adamyan on Unsplash)

Fata Organa

I watch you in your new apartment as we organize your belongings and wonder, will our phone calls be filled with jibber-jabber or quick I-love-you's? I just hope to hear from you every day.

fata organa

little boy becomes a man

right before my eyes

Would you like to write a poem for any of these prompts? Click the links below:

Wea've Written Weekly

Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge

dVerse's Poets Pub - Quadrille #229

Love's Power - #WDYS #dVerse #PoetsPub #haiku #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today is the first day of school in my part of the world. I'm excited to meet my new students. The first two days of school are always exhausting, so I thought I'd try to get in a quick poem written before I begin the day.

I'm combining two prompts today because I will not have time to partake in all the prompts I enjoy completing this week. The first one is the What Do You See? prompt. Sadje provides us two photos, and I chose the one below. The second prompt is dVerse's Poets Pub prompt, where Lisa invites us to focus on the idea of power. I've decided to focus on the idea of strength, a synonym for power. I've written a haiku for these prompts.

(image credit; Johan Siggesson @ Unsplash)

mother's protection

love's strength provides safety net

cubs survive and thrive

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Join us here.

What Do You See?

dVerse's Poets Pub

Sanctuary - #TankaTuesday #CreativePerspectiveChallenge #GarlandTanka #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! It's been a difficult four days, and I'm taking one moment at a time. I'm honestly surprised at how well I'm coping with so much being thrown at me at the same time. My therapy is definitely working. I won't go into details to provide privacy to those who need it, but it's been an emotional roller coaster. I am also back at work. The official school start day is Thursday, and I've been preparing my classroom and attending workshops. My house reno still isn't done. Deep breath...

I've chosen to combine two prompts today. The first one is the Creative Perspective Challenge where Denise provides us with an image to inspire us. The second one is from #TankaTuesday. Colleen encourages us to write an experimental tanka. I decided to write a Garland tanka. 

(courtesy of Stephani-Elizabeth from Getty Images)

Sanctuary

sun glistens on lake

a tropical oasis

crystal clear water

I plunge into pure beauty

muscles relax instantly

echoes of bird song

through the canopy of trees

sweet, soft symphony

serenades me as I swim

strokes match its rhythm

palm trees sway in breeze

Spanish moss hangs from tree limbs

I see paradise

private cenote for me

shutting out worldly worries

lush vegetation

provides shelter from all storms

Zen space created

an invitation to peace

that I gratefully accept

divine elements

closed eyes focus my senses

nature's jubilance

I inhale serenity

all my worries melt away

sun glistens on lake

through the canopy of trees

I see paradise

an invitation to peace

all my worries melt away

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below.

Creative Perspective Challenge

#TankaTuesday