RB Publishings

13/04/2019

It's the Weekend!

19/01/2018

04/01/2018

A Review of "Lonesome Point" by Ian Vasquez by Janine Lobos

I remember clearly that we were at Casa Cafe in Belmopan, eating the delicious vegan food and enjoying fraps and pastries, when I first saw the book “Lonesome Point” from our very own Ian Vasquez. Just seeing the book cover I thought it would have been boring as hell. But after reading Chapter 1, I couldn’t get enough. I kept reading.

The Varela Brothers, Patrick and Leo, are as different as they are. Both are bound to a deadly secret that haunts them since they were both teens. This involves their father and nasty businesses back in Belize. Leo is a poet and is always busy getting high. On the other hand, Patrick is what Leo isn't close to, wealthy and running for mayor in MIA.

Because Leo was busy doing cannabis, something illegal in the state of MIA, I thought that Leo would be the villain in this book. Had I never thought Patrick would want to harm his own brother for his political corruption (Spoiler Alert!). Leo is also a mental health worker and an old time friend, Freddy, also knows the brothers’ deadly secret. The same night Mr. Massani, a Cuban, enters the psychiatric ward in a very critical condition. Freddy appears before Leo and asks him for his "VERY IMPORTANT" request after being locked down in jail for 6 years. Freddy needs Massani for the people he works for and the threat is very clear for Leo.

Leo scurries to Patrick for help but instead of being helpful and save the life of Old Massani, he agrees with Freddy's request, to release Massani and hand him over. Surprised by his brother’s advice, Leo takes matters into his hands and decides to speak to Massani himself. Returning to the ward, he understands that Massani is being harmed. He pays the old man a visit. Massani explains that he is a person that buys votes from people to have a certain candidate win elections. Leo decides he will save the old man's life and tells his fiance who is currently pregnant, the plans to escape with Massani and start a new life in a different state. It now becomes a deadly war, brother against brother, fighting to have the nightmares over and once for all.

After reading “Lonesome Point”, I discovered why content edit is very important to be a successful author. I unearthed so many truths about my own writing and the writing process. I also learned that you must never judge a book by its cover. You'll be taken aback. I highly recommend this book to crime readers who love a little extra suspense.

10/12/2017

RB Publishings is feeling the cool and the Christmas spirit. Have a book near and be warm. 🎵We wish you a Merry Christmas! 🎵

09/12/2017

RB Publishings asks, "What is your favorite sweeping love story?"

07/12/2017

A Review of “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.”

How on Earth is a novel of 153 pages about an eleven year old my favourite read of 2017 (well, so far, anyway)? Mostly, it’s because Margret is the coolest eleven year old ever despite being an elven year old in the groovy 1970s.

Margret has moved to New Jersey from New York and is concerned about fitting in at her new school. Her mother is Christian and her father is Jewish and they both decide to allow Margret to choose her own religion. The novel is largely concerned about Margret’s quest for religious identity. I think the neatest thing about the novel is Margret’s prayers which all begin with- “Are you there God? It’s me Margaret.”

What tickled me the most about the book is Margret and her friends’ obsession about getting their first period, boys and growing b***s. Here is a prayer from Margaret-"Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret. I just did an exercise to help me grow. Have you thought about it God? About my growing, I mean. I’ve got a bra now. It would be nice if I had something to put in it. Of course, if you don’t think I am ready I’ll understand."

Margaret is my favourite character, period. While she tries hard to fit in, she stands out. I love her NY no-nonsense, practical attitude. She bears herself on the pages with her fears and her faults. I also liked Margaret’s open-minded, non-fussy parents and her feisty grandmother who dotes on her and who is Margaret’s best friend.

Blume tackles big subjects-growing up and God. The novel is about religion, then it isn’t. Set in the 70s Margaret’s grandparents on her mother’s side has disowned their daughter who marries a Jewish man. Margaret is twelve and has never seen or spoken to her maternal grandparents all because her father is Jewish. Looking at Margaret, she is elven/twelve and religion-less. Even though she doesn’t belong to any religion, she has a special relationship with God and talks to Him/Her/It/Them at different times of the day to talk about anything under the sun. At twelve, the Backstreet Boys were my God, not God. I don’t think I even prayed or bothered about God. Most twelve year olds don’t talk to God. Now you know how special Margret really is.

I was having so much fun waking up and drinking coffee while reading about Margaret and it ended very quickly. Not nice! I do believe the conclusion of the plot felt rushed. I guess the feminist in me kept saying, what’s so great about boys and getting your period? while I read some sections in the book. But then again, pushing the dirty thirty, single and no kids, the topic of boys and period is pretty darn depressing and timely!

I would recommend this book, no questions asked! I think it’s perfect for young girls and the young at heart. I bought the book at Kyo’s Stationary in Belize City for $18 Bz and I am told the book is taught at St. Catherine’s Academy. This book is a great gift idea!

-Kesha Peyrefitte

29/11/2017

A Review of "Everything Everything"

“Everything “Everything” is a young adult novel by Nicola Yoon. What’s just so neat and makes me proud as someone from the Caribbean is that Yoon is originally a Jamaican native.

You are first struck by the beauty of the cover page with bold font, colourful graffiti drawings behind a white background. If you have already seen the movie version of “Everything Everything” you know it’s about a sick girl, Maddy who is a modern day ‘bubble girl’. Basically, she is allergic to world since she will get sick if she is exposed to the Earth’s atmosphere. So, she has a long staycation in her room, reading “The Little Prince” and doing online classes. Then, a boy named Olly moves next door and everything, everything changes.

What I loved best is the diversity of characters. Maddy is half African American and half Japanese, her mother is Japanese and her nurse Carla is Mexican. I loved each character even when I didn’t love them (spoiler, I was torn between being sympathetic to her mother who clearly has mental health issues). Do I think Maddy and Olly were great together? My feels there are lukewarm. Admittedly, I am a sucker for sweeping romance and John Green has already set the bar high for teen love in “The Fault in Our Stars”. Even if stronger chemistry was desired on my part between Olly and Maddy, I still liked each character tremendously, with Carla being my favourite character in the novel.

I love cheese! The best cheese is melodrama but I felt, at times during the novel that Nicola Yoon’s cheese is smelly cheese. I also craved memorable, quotable lines and really, I only found two lines that I highlighted. I loved the plot twist of her mother inventing her illness to keep her safe from the outside world. As a writer, I applaud Yoon for creating a complex character in Maddy’s mom; at once, you hate her for her selfishness of cheating her daughter of childhood and adolescence but you also realize she has mental illness and needs help to cope with the loss of her husband and son in a healthy way.

My favourite things were the illustrations done by Yoon’s husband. I think it’s the coolest thing to include mix media on the pages of a book. At first, I found the drawings distracting then I was wild about the unique aspect of them.

“Everything Everything” is a good debut novel. It was given a Kirkus star and received 4.1 stars from Goodreads. I can’t wait to read Yoon’s second novel “The Sun is also a Star”. I would recommend “Everything Everything” to teenagers and anyone who likes YA literature. I bought the hardcover book from LG books for $35.

27/11/2017

RB Publishings

RB Publishings, the Little Engine That Could, thanks its sponsors for the BAY Art Fest that took place last Saturday, the 25th of November. We were lucky enough to reward prizes to three customers for their kind support. Our sponsors included First Choice Variety Store, Graceful Touch Nails by Ola, Franco's Store, Shanna Banner, Kevon Arthurs, Wayne Casey and Mike Thomas. Our grand prize winner was Ms. Natasha Guiterrez!

RB Publishings is a Belizean-owned, small publishing house committed to publishing Belizean poets and prose writers.

22/11/2017

Our Core Principles:

RB Publishing commits to producing quality publications by Belizeans and for Belizeans. We will support poets and prose writers on their paths of realizing artistic identities in a fair and transparent manner. We are an agent of change to improve Belize’s literary industry at the national and international level.

19/11/2017

RB Publishings's cover photo