Kyrosmagica Publishing – The Magical Home of Books, Writing, Poetry, Photography and Inspiration
Author: Marje @ Kyrosmagica
Hi.
Welcome to my blog: M J Mallon - Kyrosmagica Publishing. A blog about magic, books, writing, laughter, and much more! I'm a YA fantasy author, poet and reviewer. My first YA fantasy novel The Curse of Time - Book 1 - Bloodstone is set in Cambridge and Book 2 - Golden Healer is now out too. As well as this, I have contributed to several anthologies, created my own with some amazing international writers, bloggers and creatives during the pandemic: This Is Lockdown and written two poetry collections: Lockdown Innit Poems About Absurdity & Mr. Sagittarius Poetry and Prose. I write book reviews on my blog and on Goodreads, book bub and on my bookstagram. I have a penchant for travel and have relatives in far flung places, Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore, (my birthplace.) I grew up in in Bonnie Scotland, in Edinburgh, and now live in Cambridge. I love sunny, hot places, particularly Rome, Venice, Portugal, Barcelona, and I forgot to mention the sun drenched beaches of the Caribbean, how could I? I am lucky to have been blessed with two lovely daughters and a husband who I fondly refer to in this blog as my black sheep. Family joke! With my passion for travel, culture, beautiful beaches, good food, books, theatre, writing, and humour, I hope to keep you entertained. I'm loving every minute of this creative journey, please join me.
Excellent publishing service by Colleen Chesebro do read on and find out more about Colleen’s new formatting and cover design service which I have reviewed. Excellent service – both formatting and cover design which I recommend wholeheartedly.
Today I want to help promote my Sister/Friend, Colleen Chesebro’s new publishing service business – Unicorn Cats Publishing. Don’t you just love the name? I want to help share wit…
This dark suspense series is set in Portsmouth, Hampshire, and features British journalist Maggie Turner.
Seventeen years ago he lost his sisters. Now he wants them back.
Four years ago, two teenage girls were abducted. Four years ago, a ten-year-old boy was murdered. Both cases remain unsolved.
Desperate to find their missing sisters, Michael and Chloe ask investigative journalist Maggie Turner to help them. And what starts as a simple investigation soon turns into a frantic race against time.
The kidnapper took the girls to replace his sisters. Who died seventeen years earlier.
Forced to face traumatic events from the past, Maggie finds herself in the middle of a nightmare that can only get worse…
Tense, fast paced, and gritty, The Lost Girls is the first novel in the Maggie Turner series.
My Review:
I originally read this novel in 2021 and it has now been republished. The author kindly gave me an ARC copy of the updated version which I re-read. What a fabulous read!
I am impressed. A confident, engaging psychological thriller that kept me turning the pages wanting to discover what happens next.
The strengths of the story lie in its excellent characters: particularly Maggie the investigative journalist who seeks to discover who abducted the two young girls.
In The Lost Girls a deranged person abducts two young girls. As the story progresses I became more aware that this thriller should be praised for its handling of mental health issues with regard to the abductor, and his two young victims. It’s superb in that respect.
This is the first in this series. The ending was emotionally charged, making me keen to read more. So, I couldn’t wait to start the second book, Right Beside You!
This novel is for you if you enjoy psychological thrillers with a dark, disturbing edge to them. Please be aware that there are distressing themes in this novel: abduction, sexual assault of a minor, and scenes of violence. These are written in such a way as not be too graphic, or prolonged. So, considerable praise to the author for handling these difficult passages in such a sensitive way.
An excellent psychological thriller: highly recommended.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Author Bio:
Helen Pryke is a British author who has been living in the north of Italy for almost 30 years, learning everything about Italians, their culture, and their way of life. She now considers herself more Italian than British, even though she has never lost her British accent. Addicted to coffee and chocolate, she has also developed a passion for good food, having married an Italian who is a wonderful cook!
As well as writing suspense novels, Helen also writes emotional women’s fiction set in Italy that deals with the difficult subject of abuse in a sensitive way.
She also writes middle grade fiction under the pen name, Julia E. Clements. You can find her books here: author.to/JuliaEClements
When she’s not writing, she works as a proofreader for indie authors and a translator (from Italian to English). She loves reading, and will read anything and everything.
BLURB Miles Goram has a problem. All the down-on-his-luck journalist planned on doing was writing a hotel review and now there’s a body in his bathroom. Far from home on a strange planet, Miles must deal with the fact that somebody wants him dead. Welcome to Reevis, a planet without days or nights where life is only possible under a vast pressure dome. It is on this airless wasteland that Miles finds himself caught up in a mystery involving a huge interplanetary corporation, a powerful man and his ambitious PA, and a beautiful young heiress who has been missing for years. Crossing the galaxy in search of answers, Miles begins to uncover a web of deceit that stretches further than anyone could have imagined. With his life becoming at greater and greater risk, he realises that there is no one he can trust. Will he discover the truth and finally come to terms with his past? And, if he does, will it be enough to save his future…?
My review – Ribbonworld – The Balcom Dynasty Book 1
I don’t often read, or listen to Scifi but I’m glad I picked Ribbonworld up!
Richard Dee has a talent for writing engrossing stories in a variety of genres including scifi. This novel showcases both his ability to worldbuild creating the sci fi world of Balcom, and Reevis, (of Balcom which is “a thin ribbon of land that could just about support human life. And all that meant was that it wouldn’t immediately kill you.”)
There are some fabulous imaginative and descriptive passages. And the character of investigative journalist Miles Goram is well conceived as are all the supporting cast.
This is for you if you like Sci Fi, want to find out what happened to poor murdered hotel owner Nic, can see the parallels in political intrigue in what is happening in many countries (“off-Worlders go home,” and “No more useless mouths,”) tremble at the thought of the (“secret police,”) ( “the usual self-preservation story of corrupt leaders everywhere,”) and enjoy dashes of danger and excitement: (“this place is not a tourist haunt;it can be dangerous…”) and aren’t adverse to a touch of romance and some humour too!
I listened to Ribbonworld on audiobook and also have a copy on kindle. I enjoyed the narrator’s interpretation of all the voices too.
I plan to continue with the series on audiobook continuing with book 2, Jungle Green soon.
My rating: 5 stars.
You can find Richard at https://richarddeescifi.co.uk/ where you’ll find free short stories, regular features on writing, book reviews and guest appearances from other great authors.
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Drea Burr has experienced more than her share of loss when a stray dog, cat, and rat enter her life. Although the animals start to mend her broken heart, there is something very unusual about them. During a snowstorm, Drea discovers a chilling set of footprints leading to her front window. Both the police and a ghostly messenger warn her about a killer stalking widows. Help comes from her late husband’s best friend, Adam Hale. As the two try to discover answers, more questions arise— about a killer, ghosts, and animals experimented on in a lab.
Can Drea and Adam survive the threats coming from so many directions and save themselves and the animals they’ve grown to love? Or will more tragedy destroy her second chance at happiness? Find out in this thrilling, cozy paranormal adventure.
D. L. Finn is a wonderful author and great supporter of the writing community. This is my review of a Voice in The Silence,
Drea is feeling bereft after the passing of her much loved husband. She lives in a remote part of the forest but joins a bereavement group. Extraordinary one day three furry friends come to join her: a rat, cat and a dog. What she doesn’t know is that they have incredible abilities….
In this unusual tale you are treated to a variety of genres with elements of murder mystery, ghost, human interest, romance, and extra terrestial! And D. L. Finn’s obvious love of animals and her feelings against animal experimentation comes to the fore too.
Some lovely descriptions: The crackling of the fire filled the otherwise quiet room. Night’s shroud concealed the landscape within minutes of the killer’s escape. The darkness offered a break from the snow as the clouds pulled back, revealing stars and bringing the temperature down even further. The full Beaver Moon illuminated the scene, but in the shadows of the forest, a killer lurked.
I enjoyed it. The ending was hopeful and heart-warming and gave a sense of moving on in a sweet way from bereavement and loss.
A Voice In The Silence is recommended if you love novels with heart that are a little different from the mainstream. Good characters, ( both human and otherwise ) and pacing make it a pleasing, at times suspenseful and ultimately romantic read.
D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, a unique autobiography, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her. You can learn more about Ms. Finn at her website: www.dlfinnauthor.com
Thrilled to support Diana in her blog tour for The Necromancer’s Daughter which I loved!
From Diana: Today I thought I’d share a snippet from Chapter 9 when Aster’s life takes a terrible turn:
In silence but for her heart’s pounding, Aster poured the tea and handed a wobbling cup to each man. As she knelt on the mat at her father’s knee, she stared at her pale hands. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders in a wild white froth. When she was a little thing, her father had called her his snow fairy, but in truth, she was nothing so delicate or whimsical. In contrast to the sunny complexions of Verdane, she was as ashen as death.
The king waited for her compliance, but how could she agree? Desperation marred his reasoning. She knew nothing about ruling, nothing about courtly manners or intrigue, or the tenets that underlay the Red Order’s intolerant faith. The kingdom’s powerful would trample her into the ground and seal her grave.
Blurb:
A healer and dabbler in the dark arts of life and death, Barus is as gnarled as an ancient tree. Forgotten in the chaos of the dying queen’s chamber, he spirits away her stillborn infant, and in a hovel at the meadow’s edge, he breathes life into the wisp of a child. He names her Aster for the lea’s white flowers. Raised as his daughter, she learns to heal death.
Then the day arrives when the widowed king, his own life nearing its end, defies the Red Order’s warning. He summons the necromancer’s daughter, his only heir, and for his boldness, he falls to an assassin’s blade.
While Barus hides from the Order’s soldiers, Aster leads their masters beyond the wall into the Forest of Silvern Cats, a land of dragons and barbarian tribes. She seeks her mother’s people, the powerful rulers of Blackrock, uncertain whether she will find sanctuary or face a gallows’ noose.
Unprepared for a world rife with danger, a world divided by those who practice magic and those who hunt them, she must choose whether to trust the one man offering her aid, the one man most likely to betray her—her enemy’s son.
A healer with the talent to unravel death, a child reborn, a father lusting for vengeance, and a son torn between justice, faith, and love. Caught in a chase spanning kingdoms, each must decide the nature of good and evil, the lengths they will go to survive, and what they are willing to lose.
What a beautifully written fantasy book. Stunning prose, engaging characters and a simple but effective plot weave a rich tale of the love of a daughter for her father, and the concerns and morality of awakening the dead.
I loved it from start to finish. There is conflict, uncertainty and excitement, heartfelt scenes, and tender moments in this story.
Aster is a lovely character who the reader can’t help but warm to. The love interest between her and Joreh isn’t overstated, neither does it dominate the plot, instead their relationship gently grows as the story unfolds. I also love her father, Barus.
I was so glad how the story conclusion held such a complete awareness and understanding of love and life in such a sweet fulfilling way. I better say no more for fear of spoiling it for you!
I was also interested to read the inspiration behind the story – a retelling of the story of Kwan-yin from Chinese mythology. And the dragons… they were larger than life! And boy did they like their apples!
A long-time reader, best-selling author D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life when years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books. She was instantly hooked.
In addition to fantasy books, Peach’s publishing career includes participation in various anthologies featuring short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She’s an avid supporter of the arts in her local community, organizing and publishing annual anthologies of Oregon prose, poetry, and photography.
Peach lives in a log cabin amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon’s rainforest with her husband, two owls, a horde of bats, and the occasional family of coyotes.
Thank you so much to author Denise Finn for including my latest release The Hedge Witch and The Musical Poet amongst this blog post about great Fall Reads, including talented authors Ritu Bhathal, D Wallace Peach and Mae Clair and Staci Troilo. Delighted.
Thank you to Book Influencer N.N. Light for this review for Golden Healer, Book 2 in The Curse of Time series
The author is a magician with words. She crafts scenes of sublime fantasy that are clear and easily pictured in the mind of the reader. The gift of description is also present. The scenes are very easy to understand, and the reader is swept into the story.
There is a real ‘arryesque feel to these stories. If you were a fan of the original wizard and his gang then you will be drawn to Amelina and her crew. Ryder is the ultimate character. The author was so able to capture the inner feelings of this character. It wasn’t more than a few pages when I loathed the existence of that waste of air.
Fans of the first book will simply love this book. This book carries on the craftily created story and takes it along an energetic ride to the end. Fans of this series will simply not be able to wait until they get their hands on the much-anticipated third book.
Golden Healer is the second book in The Curse of Time series and continues this unique fantasy story with its unusual and intriguing storyline. Book one ended with a happy environment after Amelina’s father was finally restored to his family at the correct age and Esme disappeared from the mirror, presumably to a better place. Book two starts with small but obvious indications that all is not as it seems and the issues involving both Amelina’s father and Esme are not adequately resolved.
The beginning is a bit slower moving as the author skillfully unwinds the reader’s beliefs that all is well and hammers cracks into the happy environment. The stage is set beautifully with fascinating and intricate scenes and dreams spun like a spiderweb from the author’s pen. Amelina’s first dream travel in this book has catastrophic results as while she is away from her body her bloodstone is stolen and this accelerates the cracks in her home environment.
This book is not an easy read and you have to concentrate as you read in the same way you would while reading a classic novel. It is worth the effort as the descriptions and concepts are outstanding and beautifully depicted.
There are a few stand out scenes for me in this book, as follows: the grasshopper in the meadow, the clowns in the café, and Aunt Karissa’s chocolates. For me, these were unbelievably imaginative and full of mystery.
Aunt Karissa features plays a small role in this book, introducing some welcome lightness and humour as Ryder’s darkness and power continue to grow. The reader learns a bit more about Ryder and his origins and homeland.
Another memorable feature of this book is that each chapter or puzzle piece starts with a tanka poem that hints at what is to follow in the chapter. The author is also an excellent poet and the poems were a lovely addition.
A few memorable quotes from this book:
“The grasshopper monster propelled time forward in a steady, slow, rocking motion, as if he was devouring our lives in seconds, minutes and hours as we gazed upon him.”
“Hello my beautiful reflection. You came! You always come when I need you the most. I have been so anxious listening to the troubles of this family which has become my family. What have you been doing? I see sweet flowers covering the red cuts on your left wrist.”
“”She opened the wrapper with trembling fingers. Inside, there was a small, round milk chocolate. It grew in her palm. the chocolate split into two halves, one half dark, and the other half white. In the centre, a dividing line moved form side to side as if whipping up the chocolate angrily.”
In conclusion, I would like to add that when I was a girl of 10 years old, I discovered the books written by Eva Ibottson. Every book of hers I read was a complete delight to me with its amazing fantasy creatures and gorgeous depictions of the lives of hags in dribbles and wizards in towers surrounded by mist. Throughout my adult life, I have search for an adult author who can invoke the same magical worlds and belief in magical creatures that I discovered in Miss Ibottson’s stories, and in this series by M.J. Mallon, I do believe I finally found an adult equivalent.
This author is an artful storyteller, she has a light touch and a wonderful expressive language. It reminded me of Alice in Wonderland with all its fabulous, often dark, larger than life fantasy.
Amongst all the mayhem and mystery, Amelina must use the magic crystals to save them all from the Shadow Sorcerer. To do so she must face her fears and trust the advice from Merlin, Leanne and my favourite character (dead, worm filled) Erutace.
This is a delightful tale from start to end. YA fantasy fans who like slightly dark fantasy will love it. How much time will the Grasshopper steal, and can Esme me be set free from behind the mirror?
Note: some of the storyline touches on suicide, self-harming and anorexia. All carefully woven into a positive message of accepting who you are, not being afraid and embracing your true self.
I’ve been behind on adding my reviews to my blog due to lots happening in my personal life plus my blog tour for my poetry and flash fiction collection: The Hedge Witch And The Musical Poet which released mid August!
This is review catch up 1, and there will be catch up 2 next.
So, here are three fab books I recommend, the first is flash fiction and the last two are poetry. Enjoy!
If you have ever wondered about the power in the brevity of words then this collection by Sarah Brentyn is for you! It’s a wonderful collection of flash fiction which I loved reading.
It is divided into three sections: Mindscapes, Lifelines and Micro bursts (the shortest of which! )
Here are 3 of my favourite microbursts:
We wake the same as we slept. Strangers. Dreams cling to our eyelashes as we sip coffee & pretend to believe the beautiful lies we tell.
Fed up with death, she entered the reincarnation lottery, returning as a farmer famous for her prize-winning ghost peppers.
I wake to hundreds of spiders crawling across my floor, up the walls. They are everywhere. I want to scream. But I feel them on my lips.
Highly recommended especially to those who enjoy flash fiction and as a fine introduction to the form.
Sarah Brentyn is an introvert who believes anything can be made better with soy sauce and wasabi.
She loves words and has been writing stories since she was nine years old. She talks to trees and apologizes to inanimate objects when she bumps into them.
When she’s not writing, you can find her strolling through cemeteries or searching for fairies.
She hopes to build a vacation home in Narnia someday. In the meantime, she lives with her family and a rainbow-colored, wooden cat who is secretly a Guardian.
Balroop Singh’s collection of poetry is thoughtful, emotional and stirring to the soul. Her love for the natural world, love of words, and her inner resilience shines through in her light and dark poetry.
Really enjoyed. Highly recommended for poetry enthusiasts.
The Call of Calmness is one of my favourite poems in the collection.
Balroop Singh, an educator, a poet and an author always had a passion for writing. She would jot down her reflections on a piece of paper and forget about them till each drawer of her home started overflowing with poetic reminders, popping out at will! The world of her imagination has a queer connection with realism. She could envision the images of her own poetry while teaching the poems. Her dreams saw the light of the day when she published her first poetry book: ‘Sublime Shadows Of Life.’ She has always lived through her heart. She is a great nature lover; she loves to watch birds flying home. The sunsets allure her with their varied hues that they lend to the sky. She can spend endless hours listening to the rustling of leaves and the sound of waterfalls. She lives in California. You can visit her blog at http://balroop2013.wordpress.com
I read Frank’s poetry a while ago while I was in Portugal! And shared my reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, etc. Here is the review:
Thank you to poet Frank Prem for an advanced copy of The Garden Black. It seemed the perfect opportunity yesterday to read this poetry collection while I was relaxing on a beach! It’s a little different from some of Frank’s other collections with a speculative fantasy vibe to it. Being a keen fantasy reader and author I enjoyed it. Frank’s free verse form of poetry is always a delight, easy to read and enjoy and reflect upon.
My favourite poems with their titles below: I who am, (I liked this for its references to: wind, sun, dark, soil, leaf, bough, root, bark, sap, wood, tree!) the hunter writes a letter swell, (this poem relates swimming to driving!) storm and the sea (bubbles of foam) I dig (a forest) it is not clear (from the dream below) a song for the (far) horizon a line of destiny pain control garden black isosceles and me (and the war over the pond,) – very unusual but in a good way! davey’s interview (pre-recorded) in the stone: through the water a song for the (deep) horizon the second beat.
Frank Prem has been a storytelling poet since his teenage years. He has been a psychiatric nurse through all of his professional career, which now exceeds forty years.He has been published in magazines, online zines and anthologies in Australia, and in a number of other countries, and has both performed and recorded his work as spoken word.He lives with his wife in the beautiful township of Beechworth in North East Victoria, Australia. https://FrankPrem.com
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Many thanks for supporting me with the release of my new poetry collection The Hedge Witch And The Musical Poet. There have been fab reviews and awesome blog posts to celebrate the launch. I particularly appreciate it at a time when I have been busy. More about that below…
With the beautiful brevity of words in mind, I’ve chosen one sentence from each review to highlight:
A beautiful book inspired by, and a nod to, the mystical and the natural world around us. Ritu Bhathal.
A unique and beautifully written collection of poetry and fiction weaved magically together. D. L .Finn.
The author and poet spins words into gorgeous tapestries and descriptions which are heartwarming and quite gorgeous. Robbie Cheadle.
An insightful collection of whimsical poems and flash fiction centered around nature. Darlene Foster.
There are some wise words here from both Mallon and the trees about life in simpler times, stories about nature, childhood memories in snippets of flash fiction, as well as some whimsical Halloween tales. D G Kaye.
This is a collection to savour and to dip into when the technical world we inhabit becomes too demanding, or we are in need of a touch of magic. Sally Cronin.
What a collection of emotions this collection produces. There’s sadness, anger, love and everything in between among its pages. Richard Dee.
Blurb
The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet is a collection of poetry and flash fiction celebrating the beautiful vulnerability of the forest kingdom. It begins with the poetic tale of the kind-hearted Hedge Witch, Fern, who discovers an injured stranger in desperate need of her woodland spells and magic. The sweet pairing learn from each other and through Fern’s guidance, Devin embraces the power of magic to leave behind his trouble past to become The Musical Poet. Poetry/flash fiction titles in section one of the collection include: The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet, Rain Forest Love, A Forest Baby Boy, A Forest Baby Girl, A Modern Witch, Rock of Mine, Chester Don & I, The Network of Trees, More Trees Not Less, Two Boys Watching War, Mum Climbing Trees, Let’s Play, The Scorched Tree, Owl’s Holiday Home, A Man’s Holiday Home, A Child’s Excitement, The Teddy In The Woods, Run! The Organutans, All Hallow’s Eve Candy Girl The Forest Bash, Dreaming At Halloween, A Face on Bark, Golden Willow Tree, Rainbow – Parasol of Light, Lollipop Sunshine Tree, In Section two I pay tribute to the following poets:Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline, Ruby Archer, King Forest, Bliss Carman, Woodland Rain, Emily Dickinson, Who Robbed the Woods, Rupert Blake, Stopping by The Woods on A Winter Evening,Oscar Wilde, In the Forest. With my poetry: The Forest Weeps, The Forest King, Raindrops and Childhood Dreams, The Woodland Treasures, Winter Woodland Moon, Child Me.
And I have moved! Crazy that my moving out day happened to be the day of my launch – not what I would have wanted – but life is always full of unexpected surprises. Our house sale fell through first time and then took longer second time around! I am now looking to the next chapter of my life. which will be spent partly in the UK and partly abroad in Portugal. Exciting times ahead.
Still lots to do, lots to organise, and lots of writing plans too!
To my writing pals… I am
And hope you will be there with me step by step… word by word…
My next planned poetry collection will be Do What You Love, so if you are interested in an early review copy do let me know. Early review copies will be available fairly soon…
M J Mallon YA Author and Poet 