November is here and I want to kick off my book thoughts with When Bell met Bowie by Tara East! It is a novella about a daughter’s journey back in time to find her father. Gripping and full of twists and turns, this is great quick read!
I was gifted the digital copy of the book by Tara, and it did not disappoint. Take a look at the synopsis below and then let’s dive into what I learned from it.
Bell knew Bowie. She knew his songs, his life and his mannerisms. She’d grown up dancing to his music, reading online interviews with him and emulating his evolving style. She saw his face in the mirror; heard his voice in her head.
The only thing she didn’t know about Bowie, was whether she’d ever get to call him Dad.
The Short Take
When Bell my Bowie is the story of Bell taking a journey in time to meet the man that she has lived all her life believing is her father. A letter from her childhood tells her how to make this connection and I liked the concept of exploring time travel this way – I have not read any books about psychedelic experiences and I think Tara did a good job of explaining what they feel like and the power that they possess.
Overall, this short story was engaging and fast-paced. The imagery around the music concerts and places mentioned were rich and detailed, helping me create a mental picture easily. It gave the feeling of traveling with Bell. I found a couple things confusing at the end, but overall, I enjoyed this quick read.
Themes for Thought
You know why I’m Armed with A Book, right? Because every book has something to offer! This was my first time reading about psychedelic experiences even though they are much talked about among my friends and family. I loved how Tara described them and used them to help Bell meet her father. Related to that is Bell’s feelings about the relationship she never had and how to start it just right.
On Psychedelic Experiences
Have you ever had an “experience”?
Whether it is induced by taking cannabis edibles (though that is rare) but definitely with mushrooms. I have personally never had such an experience and my knowledge comes from accounts of people I know who have been on these unique adventures. It is an intense experience, a roller-coaster ride that involves confronting fears and unimaginable things, and sometimes even conversing with our other selves.
Tara uses the ayahuasca ceremony to help Bell make the journey back in time. This was something new I learned from Tara through this book. I had never thought about linking time travel to psychedelics but I am confident there are people out there who have had that experience. Check out this informative article below to learn more about the ritual and what practioners have gained from it.
What I’ve Learned From Assisting In Ayahuasca Ceremonies
On Lost Relationships
Why does time-travel continue to be imagined and re-imagined? I wrote about time travel here and When Bell met Bowie added another element to it. We time travel to get to know people we never met, and only heard about. Bell hopes to reconnect with Bowie on the day that he met her mother. It is a fateful night already and she is not sure what she hopes to gain out of it and how she will explain to him who she is, but she is willing to give it a try.
But meeting a famous person in the middle of their concert can be quick nerve-wrecking.
Through Bell’s experiences, Tara also highlights some of the things that people know happen back stage but no one ever wants to talk about. And in the midst of doing this, she makes the reader question whether time travel will really lead to the outcomes that Bell expects.
I am thankful to Tara East for providing me a complimentary copy of the book for an honest review. I appreciated the amount of research that she put into this work and look forward to reading more of her writing. Stay tuned for my interview with her which will be posted tomorrow! It is also publication day for her book, Every time he dies, a paranormal crime thriller.
** When Bell met Bowie is now out in stores so get a copy and let me know what you think! Let’s have a book-discussion! **
Amazon Print
Amazon Kindle (available on Kindle Unlimited)
Cover image: Photo by The Creative Exchange on Unsplash
An excellent, thoughtful review, Kriti. The book seems very interesting!
Thanks, Stephen! I hope you get a chance to read it – it’s a quick read!