This may contain spoilers
Author:
Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe
Title:
The first signs of April
Genre:
non-fiction, biography, autobiography, memoir,
I
signed up for poetic book tours and l was email off Serena Agusto-Cox
about reviewing this book.
First
of all I would like to say a big thank you to Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe
for sending me this book and giving me the chance to read it. I want
to say a big thank you to Serena Agusto-Cox for contacting me and
taking the time to email me.
I
would tell people that you should step outside your comfort zone with
books because it is good to add more authors and genres to your
reading portfolio even if you do not read books like this.
I
normally read books of this genre but l also stepped outside my
comfort zone. I am so glad l did because l have read so many great
books and come across some great authors.
I
highly recommend this book.
This
book has 256 pages and 32 chapters.
Book
Dedication: For aunt Pat and Mugsey, - Infinite love.
For
anyone who finds healing in our story.
Poems
from the start of every chapters.
We
do not heal the past by dwelling there; we heal the past living fully
in the present. - Marianne Williamson.
Our
lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
- Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
Life
must be understood backward, but it must be lived forward. - Soren
Kierkegaard.
Sometimes
our light goes out, but is blown again in to instant flame by an
encounter with another human being. - Albert Schweitzer.
Life
changes fast. Life changes in an instant you sit down to dinner and
life as you know it ends. - Joan Didion.
Life
shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. - Anais Nin.
Just
living is not enough... One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little
flower. - Hans Christian Anderson.
The
ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go and
not be questioned. - Maya Angelou.
Sweet
is the memory of distant friends. Like the mellow rays of the
departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart. -
Washington Irving.
I
go out there so l can look in to myself and when l am there I can see
myself standing still and the rest of the world going mad. - Des
Lavelle.
It
is our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. -
Aristotle Onassis.
There
is no grief like the grief that does not speak. - Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow.
Sometimes
the questions are complex and the answers are simple. - Dr. Seuss.
But
that is their image of us, so we stay tense, holding are breath,
hoping we won't be found out. - Ebine Yamaji.
That
broken thing you keep trying to put together can not even compare
with that beautiful thing that's waiting to be built. - Mandy Hale.
Throw
your dreams in to space like a kite, and you do not know what it will
bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country. -
Anais Nin.
You
are off to great places!, today is your day your mountain is waiting,
so get on your way. - Dr. Seuss.
I
was falling. Falling through time and space and stars and sky and
everything in between. - Jess Rothenberg.
Never
be bullied in to silence never allow yourself to be a victim. Accept
no one's definition of your life, but define yourself. - Harvey
Fierstein.
Heavy
hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are relieved by the letting go
of a little water. - Christopher Morley.
Fly
free and happy beyond birthdays and across forever and we will meet
now and then when we wish, in the midst of the one celebration that
can never end. - Richard Bach.
Clouds
come floating in to my life. No longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky. - Rabindranath Tagone.
Whatever
end finds us, it would not find us separated. - Stephanie Meyer.
The
pain is there, when you close one door on it knocks to come in some
where else. - Irvin Yalam.
No
tragedy of life, no form of death arouses allencompassing and
inconsolable grief than does a suicide no other kind of death turns
those left behind so fiercely against themselves, no other kind
leaves such lasting scars. They need to be able to wonder out loud
what they did wrong and go over and over the details in an effort to
make sense for themselves out of a senseless act. They suffer most
when they must suffer alone with their hurt and humiliation. - from
too young
to
die, by Francine Klagsburn.
Do
not be dismayed by good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can
meet again and meeting again, after moments or lifetimes is certain
for those who are friends. - Richard Bach.
While
the person who commits suicide dies once, the loved ones left behind
may die a thousand deaths wondering why. - Anonymous.
And
the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful
than the risk it took to blossom. - Anais Nin.
Sometimes
what a person needs is not a brilliant mind that speaks, but a
patient heart that listens. - Unknown.
Death
ends a life, not a relationship. - Robert Benshley.
The
truth is, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the
situation, unless you realize the situation is over, you can not move
forward. - Steve Maroboli.
I
know you are not far away. I feel your presence around me. Our love
binds us together always. We two are one eternally. - Unknown.
Only
the wounded healer can truly heal. - Irvin Yalom.
Your
life is a sacred journey. It is about change, growth, discovery,
movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what
is possible, stretching your soul, learning to clearly and
deeply, listening to see intuition, taking courageous challenges at
every step along the way. You are on the path. Exactly where you are
meant to be. Right now. And from here, you can only go forward,
shaping your life story in to a magnificent tale of triumph, of
healing, of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of power, of
dignity, and of love. - Caroline Adams.
Praise
for the first signs of April.
Review
by other people.
Reading
the first signs of April is like sitting in front of a fire with a
old friend: Briscoe starts telling her story and all of a sudden the
sun is up and you feel as if you have not blinked once. This book
will become that friend who stays with you for life. - Melanie
Braveman, author of east justice and red.
The
first signs of April is an inspiring story about life, death, and how
connected we all remain – but only if we are open to listening to
the wisdom waiting for us. Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe shows us the power
of friendship, and the ways we can heal by embracing all life has to
offer. - Linda Joy Myers, president national association of memoir
writers, and author of song of the plains: a memoir of family,
secrets, and silence.
By
living and writing her truth, Briscoe shares her healing journey of
loss and love. A compelling read that grabs your attention and will
not let you leave. - Priscilla A. Hutchins, licensed psychologist –
doctorate, retired.
Synopsis:
shut down and disconnected, Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe has lived her life
in silence in order to stay alive, her grief is buried, and shame is
the skin that wraps around her bones but then, following the brutal
murder of a local teacher, she is forced as a grief counselor to face
her lifetime of unresolved sorrow will she finally be able to crack
the hard edges of her heart and allow in the light so real healing
can occur?.
Review:
I found this book really easy to get in to and harder to put down. I
was hooked on this book after reading the synopsis. I was sad to read
that Mary's auntie Pat had cancer but it was nice of Mary to help her
auntie and uncle around the house and Mary sounds like a great niece
as not many young people would help their family. I loved all the
poems in this book and l love that there was one at the start of
every chapter. I can not put in to words how great but heartbreaking
at the same time. It did not take me long to finish reading this
book. Mary sounds so brave telling Joy how she feels about her. I was
sad to read that Joy was abused but glad she told Mary. When l was
reading this book I would put some essential oils in my humidifier
and put the lights on my humidifier on and chill on my bed and listen
to music or something on TV. I sometimes light a candle when l am
reading this book. When l am reading this aswell as cuddling my
kitten Oreo or one of the other kittens that live with me (there are
three not including mine). It is good to chill reading a good book. I
also took a picture of this book to share it to my Instagram that l
made just for pictures of my books it is called donnareviewsbooks. I
write book reviews at my desk in my bedroom that is also my lining
room, library and office. Sometimes I sit on my bed writing book
reviews I sometimes put earplugs in so l can read or write book
reviews in peace. I was sad to read that Joy committed suicide and
Mary feels if she told somebody about the gun that Joy would still be
alive. I think Mary should not feel like that as Joy would not want
her to feel like that and Joy did not want to hurt Mary or her
family. Mary sounds like a great family member to have and a great
friend to have too. Her family should be so proud of her and I would
have loved a friend like Mary when l was younger because there was no
kids like Mary when l was younger. When this book review is posted it
is my birthday but it does not feel the same without my grandad who
passed away two years ago. I feel Mary's pain as l have lost lots of
family members my first loss was my sister Shirley. I feel like my
grandad and my cat (who passed away a year ago) is still around my
grandad was a smoker too and l smell smoke in my bedroom and l do not
smoke myself and when l was reading about Mary visiting a psychic to
see if anybody had any messages for her my bedroom smelt like
somebody was smoking in it I think/feel like my grandad was telling
me he was still around. Stuff would fall off my shelves and at the
time I had no cats and I would feel a cat jump on my bed and l would
wake up and nothing would be there and it still happens and it is not
any of the kittens we have now. Sleeping and reading helped me
through my grief. I like that Mary become a grief counselor. I was
really sad to read about the murder of Melissa Jenkins. I was sad to
read that Joy's parents never give Mary Joy's letter I wish Mary had
got to read it as she needed to know how much Joy loved and did not
want to her. The christmas gift Mary made Joy sounded nice and Joy
gift to Mary was perfect for a writer and I would tell people to read
this book for themselves to know how great but heartbreaking it
really is. I would love to read more from Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe. I
am glad this book is on my book shelves I would love to buy some of
Mary's other book as l got this one for free. As it is getting colder
I read under my quilt reading. Sometimes l can not read as l suffer
from migraines or a headache. Reading this book makes me feel like l
am not alone with grief and that it is okay to cry for lost loved
ones. I love reading memoirs and about people's life and l love the
title of this book and my Nan is also called Mary and my mum is also
called Pat. I am really in love with this book. I was sad that it
finished l wish it did not end or there was a follow on to it. I
would happily read this book again and again. I love that Mary and
her sister got tattoo's l have five tattoos myself but me and my
sister are planning to get matching tattoos. Memoirs are one of my
favorite type of books to read and sometimes when l am typing up book
reviews one of the kittens watch me from the window or on my knee. I
love the book dedication. I was sad to read about all the death in
this book. I reviewed this book on amazon UK and US and goodreads and
my blog.
About
the author: Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe, LCMHC, CCTP is a licensed mental
health counselor currently on sabbatical from her private
psychotherapy practice in northeastern vermont. After spending a year
living on the dingle peninsula, Ireland working on her next memoir
she is currently splitting her time between cape cod, vermont and
Ireland. Mary-Elizabeth has a masters degree in clinical mental
health counseling from Lesley university and is a licensed clinical
mental health counselor and certified clinical trauma professional.
In addition, she has worked as a lecturer at springfield college
school of professional and continuing studies St. Johnsbury, vt.
Campus. She is a regular contributor to cape women online and
sweatpants and coffee magazines. Mary-Elizabeth loves riding her
motorcycle and spending as much time as possible with her dog Fergus.
About
the book: I love the book cover and the branches with the changing
colours. I love that the writing is in white because it makes the
writing stand out more.
Star
Rating: Five Out Of Five Stars.
I
wish l could rate this book more then five stars because it is worth
more than the five stars l rated it.
