Trees & Truths by Anntonette Jackson

Anntonette Jackson's Trees & Truths is a collection of poetry centered on the themes of nature, the polarity of truth and lies, and the complex question of what it means to be human. This poetry collection is a relatively easy read on the surface, but to get the most out of it requires much contemplation by the reader. Jackson includes at the end of each of her poems a bulleted commentary that seems aimed at helping the reader by guiding their thoughts and interpretations. It's a unique inclusion that I haven't seen before.

The artwork by Milena Protti accompanies several of the poems, breathing more life into the poems and the book overall. I felt that the artwork was too small on the page, and wished not only that it was bigger, but that there was more artwork to enjoy. However, the finished publication is still a fantastic piece of art that combines the written word and illustration together beautifully.

Personally, I am fairly picky with poetry, but fortunately I loved Trees & Truths because it was a poetic conversation on subjects we all could do to think more about. Many of the poems talk about nature and how humanity has affected the lives of trees. Several poems also touch on our relationship with truth and lies, that being true to ourselves is the most important thing we can do for ourselves. A majority of the poems in this collection touch on more than just one theme, which adds to the impressive depth of these short poems.

I read Trees & Truths in chunks over the course of a single workday. The reflection on truth, lies, and trees felt repetitive when reading several poems in a row, but when I could sit for a few moments and think about a particular poem or a certain line or phrase, it became a profound experience. Trees & Truths is a collection I know for a fact that I will revisit many times as I learn to understand myself and my relationship with nature.

Reviewed on Reedsy

Irondad Life by Russell Newell

Readers of memoirs, comedy, and sports don't need to look further for their next book than Irondad Life: A Year of Bad Decisions and Questionable Motives―What I Learned on the Quest to Conquer Ironman Lake Placid. After doing only a few running races, Russell and his partner-in-crime Jim learned of a race called the Ironman. They would spend the better part of the next decade and thousands of dollars to train and compete in Ironman races. Being an athlete is not cheap. The grocery list includes equipment, trainers, nutritionists, travel, and race registration fees, all to endure one of the most grueling athletic races that has ever existed.

Considered one of the most challenging one-day races, an Ironman race comprises a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2 marathon run in that order. This crazy idea could only have been dreamed up during a drunken night with friends, and that's precisely how the Ironman race came about when a U.S. Navy Officer was debating who was the better athlete: Swimmers, Bikers, or Runners.

Russell crafts his story in an entertaining way, carefully interlacing the story of his worst race, his journey of training with three small children, and the history behind the Ironman and some of its most prominent racers. He also takes great care to explain the terms and other jargon of Ironman racing, and gives clear descriptions about the equipment he used.

What makes Irondad Life so enjoyable to read is Russell's sense of humor that leaks into every page. Readers will laugh at all the bad training, equipment, and race-day decisions Russell makes as he tries to figure out how to conquer Ironman Lake Placid. Parents will understand the humorous pain of never getting a good night's sleep when caring for multiple children under five. Russell's unyielding drive to accomplish a goal he becomes set on is a true lesson in perseverance. That anything is possible if you work hard enough and never give up until you cross that finish line.

Reviewed on Reedsy

Twice a Daughter, A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging by Julie Ryan McGue

In 1959, Julie and her sister were adopted from a Catholic orphanage in Chicago. They've both lived happy and fulfilling lives after being raised by their loving adopted parents, but following a health scare, Julie finds her birth mother to learn her health history. The desire to know her birth parents has always sat in the back of her mind, but she has never attempted to search for them out of respect for her adopted parents. There is also the hurdle of closed adoption records, leaving Julie with little information to start. Now, with the important goal of gaining a medical history for herself and her family, she begins the long and complicated task of finding her birth mother with the few pieces of information she has. Twice a Daughter is an emotional and detailed look into the world of adoption.

Julie Ryan McGue does a fantastic job of building the narrative of her story in a way that keeps the reader invested in her goal of finding her birth mother. For Julie, this entire process took several years, and she masterfully condenses those years down into a couple of hundred pages. The pacing of the story is also very well done, stopping at important moments to explore the emotions of events and moving quickly over the periods when Julie's search hits a roadblock.

The most interesting aspect of Twice a Daughter is the emotional journey that Julie and her family face during the adoption search. Julie is very concerned when she first starts the search that her adopted parents will think they weren't good enough as parents. Her father is very supportive throughout, but Julie's relationship with her mother becomes difficult because of the emotional toll the search brings.

Julie Ryan McGue's memoir is a deep look into the world of closed adoptions. Besides her debut memoir, she has a website where she regularly writes blog posts and essays centering on the themes of identity and family. She is currently working on a collection of essays for her next book.

Reviewed on Reedsy