Congratulations to the lovely Ritu Bhathal for the highly anticipated release of her latest book! ❤️
BLURB
This is a delightful male-male sweet romance. Sunny is just adorable and Milan is the perfect guy for him! I raced through this book in one highly enjoyable weekend. -Bestselling author Jeevani Charika
Who knew that an innocent trip to India in the year 2000 would have such an impact on his life?
Sunny had only gone as a chaperone for his sister and her best friend and to attend to a few business matters.
He’d ended up with a deal that would change the shape of his professional future and possibly his personal one too.
Battling the pressures of marriage by his family isn’t Sunny’s only fight, as he finds his feelings for a certain ‘friend’ may be more than just friendship.
But how can he tell anyone how he truly feels? Because the road to love isn’t always straight…
Ritu Bhathal is a fresh, new, and much-needed voice for British Asian fiction.
Straight As a Jalebi is Book 2 in the Rishtay Series, following the Gill family in the new millennium.
Book 3 Due out in 2024.
My review
Ritu Bhathal’s latest novel Straight As a Jalebi tackles arranged Sikh marriages, the divide between attitudes of the older and younger generation, the difficulty of M/M and other religious denomination relationships, as well as the bigotry of some family members and the wider community in the UK and abroad to gay relationships.
I also read and enjoyed the first book in this series: Marriage Unarranged.
Straight As A Jalebi continues the tale with the familiar characters of Sunny, (the older brother,) Milan, (the flamboyant fashion designer,) Aashti, Arjun, Kiran, Bali, (the younger hot-headed brother ) as well as new additions: Harpreet and Priya. The latter parts of the book with Harpreet and other characters are really touching. I really liked the development of her character. In fact, I enjoyed the female inventiveness and kindness demonstrated by women trying to find solutions to Milan and Sunny’s predicament.
Straight As A Jalebi gives insight into the older generations’ attitudes, obsession and customs associated with marrying off their much loved children personified in Mummy-ji and Daddy-ji and the aunties!
In a similiar way to the first book, Marriage Unarranged, Straight As A Jalebi has many cultural references which I enjoyed.
The ending tied up book two well and introduced the reader to more to come with a taster of book three at the end. It can be read as a standalone, but the series is best read in sequence.
I certainly enjoyed this quick dialogue led read. It felt like you were part of a fascinating conversation!
The ending and Milan’s character were somewhat subdued to what I had expected!
Perhaps Ritu Bhathal intends to reveal more of Sunny and Milan’s story in book three. I hope so! It’s my gut feeling that the author wanted to show another dimension to Milan’s persona with a more personal, still flamboyant but less overtly so, to reveal a more authentic side to his character. I better say no more for fear of spoiling this novel!
Overall, a highly recommended read for romance fans and the LGBTQ community with a cultural detail in the backdrop which is sure to entice.
My rating 5 stars
Author Bio
Ritu Bhathal was born in Birmingham in the mid-1970s to migrant parents, hailing from Kenya but with Indian origin. This colourful background has been a constant source of inspiration to her.
From childhood, she always enjoyed reading. This love of books is credited to her mother. The joy of reading spurred her on to become creative in her writing, from fiction to poetry. Winning little writing competitions at school and locally encouraged her to continue writing.
As a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and teacher, she has drawn on inspiration from many avenues to create the poems that she writes.
A qualified teacher, having studied at Kingston University, she now deals with classes of children as a sideline to her writing!
Ritu also writes a blog, http://www.butismileanyway.com, a mixture of life and creativity, thoughts and opinions, which was awarded first place in the Best Overall Blog category at the 2017 Annual Bloggers Bash Awards, and Best Book Blog in 2019.
Ritu is happily married and living in Kent, with her Hubby Dearest, and two children, not forgetting the fur baby Sonu Singh.
As many of you will know Amazon is putting up the printing costs of paperbacks from 20th June therefore the cost to the author will be going up too. So for a few days, I am offering some of my poetry and anthology collections published under my Kyrosmagica imprint at reduced price at Amazon UK, and in most cases in Amazon US.
As an alternative, all of these books are also available in kindle and for free in kindle unlimited. If you are a book reviewer and would like a complimentary copy of any of the books mentioned do get in touch by leaving a comment.
Do What You Love – (offer applies only to kindle unlimited now)
Do What You Loveis a personal poetry collection celebrating how the fates may have a part in all that we do. With special poems and short reflective moments inspired by family, flowers and nature, love, scrumptious morsels, places I’ve visited, lived and intend to live in, the friendships and hopes I have for the future.
The overarching theme is to live a life well lived… And to do what you love.
float along with me create clouds of sweetest joy to do what you love hold fate’s hand as we venture
“A small and perfectly formed collection about finding your way in life. ” Linda’s Book Blog
“M.J. Mallon lives and loves creativity in all forms, this collection brings it all together and it was really enlightening and a nice little slice of escapism.” Sim S
“Whatever she writes there is always a touch of magic ,” Adele Park
“In this book, we find a compilation of words and images which draw us in: poignant, sensitive, delicate, playful, as she opens up for us her past and present relationships, the places she has loved and spent time in, and her thoughts and feelings about it all.” Sheila
“Do What You Love” is a beautiful collection of words and photos that invite the reader into Ms. Mallon’s life.D L Finn
The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet
The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet is a collection of poetry and short pieces of 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.
Review Quotes:
“This is a poetry and flash fiction collection seeped in nature and illustrates the love the author has for the environment, particular the forests.” Sally Cronin
“A beautiful book inspired by, and a nod to, the mystical and the natural world around us.” Ritu Bhathal.
“A magical collection of poems and prose. My daughter recommended this book, and I wasn’t disappointed. The author’s appreciation of nature, particularly trees shone through, which together with the beautiful writing made this a wonderful read. I was sorry to reach the last page.” Bookworm
“This is a lovely book, I was sad when I turned over and realised I’d reached the end. This is a haunting serenade to trees, wistful and serene. A little book to capture the beauty of nature and the essence of forests.” Happy Reader
Mr. Sagittarius Poetry & Prose
Twin brothers Harold and William love the magic of the natural world.
When Harold dies he leaves a simple memorial request.
Will his brother William and his sister Annette honour it?
Or, will the garden work its magic to ensure that they do.
A magical story expressed via an original compilation of poetry and prose with photographic images.
“This is an exquisite collection of poetry, prose and photos reflecting upon the joy, comfort and peace that is to be found in the natural world and in a beautiful garden. ” Sheila
“Mr. Sagittarius” is a wonderful collection of poetry, prose, and pictures weaved into a magical story. D L Finn
Mr Sagittarius is a gorgeous book full of delightfully depictive poems and short stories and decorated with striking photographs. This is a book that lovers of poetry, mystery, and wonder will love.Robbie Cheadle
Lockdown Innit
A poetry collection of eighteen poems about life’s absurdities and frustrations during lockdown. Wherever you live in this world, this is for you. Expect humour, a dollop of banter and ridiculous rants here and there. Amongst other delights, witness the strange antics of a swan posing by a bin and two statuesque horses appearing like arc deco pieces in a field. Check out the violin player on a tightrope, or the cheeky unmentionables wafting in the lockdown breeze! This is the second book I’ve written during COVID-19. The first, This Is Lockdown, is an anthology and compilation of poetry, and contributions from international authors set during the first lockdown and is available in two formats – kindle (my diaries, poetry and short stories, and contributions from international authors,) and a shorter paperback version in black and white (with poetry, short stories and contributions.)
Lockdown innit is a wonderful collection of predominantly free verse poetry on all kinds of themes experienced during the author’s third lockdown. I am sure many of the pieces will resonate with readers who have also experienced humanities frustrating behaviours during this pandemic. Reader for life
An intricate mix of observations from the author about how the pandemic has brought change. Some welcome, some not so much. A thought provoking read. A short book and quick read. The content is about the author’s thoughts on lockdown and how it affected her and others around her. Well written poetry and a book I’d recommend to others.Lizzie Chantree
In this collection of poems, MJ Mallon has given us a wry series of vignettes of our society during a very strange year in history; it reminded me in part of theatre of the absurd, and she carries it out with an admirable lightness of touch. She conveys the folly, the irritability, the absurdity of people’s behaviour, along with a feeling of being lost and adrift. Sheila
I loved the poems, they captured the spirit of the times, the vagaries of human behaviour, the poignant signs of a society in change. There are some beautiful observations of what has become the new normal. R Dockett
I hope you will enjoy some of these poetry collections.
All my published works can be found at my Amazon page:
And if you are an audiobook enthusiast both my YA fantasy books Bloodstone and Golden Healer are now available to listen to on audible. Follow the linktree above for all my buying links.
With the Organisation hot on their trail and their powers growing stronger by the day; JJ Carson and Darcie Duffield are more determined than ever to save Fortune’s Well from the looming darkness.
But when history threatens to repeat itself, and an unseen foe is watching their every move, who will make the ultimate sacrifice to save them all and bring about the end of days?
Days End is the highly anticipated conclusion to the Fortune’s Well trilogy.
My review
The third book in the Fortune’s Well series by Chantelle Atkins and Sim Sansford. I really enjoyed Days End, as I did the other two books in the series. Days End wrapped up the storyline in a convincing, emotional and exciting way. The ending of book three was superb. I really liked what they did with JJ’s character and the build up to this!
You’ll appreciate this if you like stories that are focused primarily on two main characters, Darcie and JJ, written by two authors who gel well together. The chapters alternate between these two main protagonists in first person pov.
The beginning is a little slower than previous books in the series.
I liked the message this book gives: that you will do anything for the person you love. That’s powerful. That’s this books raison d’etre. That’s my take on it, anyway.
It’s a great supernatural young adult series which I have enjoyed reading throughout and can recommend. It’s best to start with book 1 to get the full picture, but if needed this can be read as a standalone.
Highly recommended. There is a teaser at the end Tales from Fortune Well… so perhaps they have plans to write more with these two characters. I hope so!
We took the train to Aveiro from Coimbra. It was a lovely place to spend a day. Aveiro has a Venice of Portugal feel with these brightly coloured boats, moliceiro, which have similiarities to Venetian gondolas. The boats were originally used to transport and collect a type of seaweed, moliço, which was used as a fertiliser.
This is where we bought our tickets but they can also be booked online.People on the bridges like to wave as you pass byThis close up shows the ribbons tied to the bridges like padlocks as gestures of love in other cities! These are pretty and bring colour and life. In that respect, I prefer them to the padlocks!😍
Due to time restraints we also took a taxi to the beach. Here I am at Praia de Vagueira. It was further along than anticipated and turned out we should have gone to Praia de Costa Nova! Next time perhaps…
I really enjoyed our day trip to Aveiro. Such a lovely place to visit. I was impressed by the energy and enthusiasm of the moliceiro guide who spoke four languages. Puts up Brits to shame. But… I am learning Portuguese!
I had the great fortune to stay at Spedlins Castle in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland with hubby and friends in July 2022 for a old mates University reunion. This is without a doubt, a stunning place, definitely, a location to inspire colour poetry! Actually, I think this would be a wonderful location for a writer’s retreat.
For my 1st poem, I chose the colour Green and prompt word, Earth Magic.
Green topiaries, lawns,
A garden of earth magic,
Old friends reunite,
Curious nooks and crannies,
Confessions and ghosts.
What a view!
Relaxing place to unwind 😌
An open door… and beautiful views.
My next poem is inspired by an open white window, (see below,) and the ghost, ‘James ‘Dunty’ Porteous who was the miller for the Village of Milhousebridge and delivered bread to the Baronet, Sir Alexander Jardine, at Spedlins Tower. James was well known for his quarrelsome nature,’ he was purported to be trapped under the staircase trap door at Spedlins Castle! Do not fear, the ghost has apparently long since been exorcised! Nevertheless, I do sense some unusual happenings at Spedlins… That’s it charm! Watch out for bats, white stone geese and creepy goings on.
White window ajar,
Tranquil scene that time forgets,
Cruel dungeon's trapdoor,
Abandoned man, peace broken,
Confessions and ghost stories.
And my next poem is inspired by this beautiful single yellow flower on a tree…
Spedlins fairytale, Blushing photos, lover's art, Single yellow bud, Clarity, sunshine and joy, Brushstrokes, love, lush green spaces.
Here’s a photo of the steep staircase… thank goodness for comfy shoes and that rope to hold onto. We weren’t sleeping up on the highest floor but some of our friends were!
So atmospheric!
There are bookcases everywhere! And art, memorabilia and photographs.
We travelled to Coimbra on 2nd June, a Portuguese city on our bucket list for some time. It is a lovely city with a traditional and friendly feel. Not too big and not too small! 😊
Here are some photos…
What a sunset!
There are a lot of stairs and steep paths! The photo below doesn’t give a true perspective of the steepness. You just have to trust me that it was mega steep. Escadas de Quinchorro. Phew! That poor unsuspecting chap just happened to be climbing the stairs when I took his photograph.
It left me breathless too!
Sunday 4th June 2023 we went to the University and the Botanical Gardens which are located high up! So don’t forget your walking shoes. There is a bus though…
Here I am at the entrance to the gardens, looking happy as I do love to visit botanical gardens!
One of the first things I spotted was a green parrot-like bird 🦜 eating a fruit. Sadly, he was so camouflaged, it was impossible to see him in the photo below. He was eating a small red fruit!
I love trees and nature, so this was a real treat for me. There are trees galore, some extraordinary ones! This Jacaranda is reaching up to the skies via an escape hatch in the cafe.
This Cedrus Deodara had a plaque in remembrance to poet and novelist Rui Costa: ‘He combined his interest in Literature with a taste for Law, graduating in this area from the University of Coimbra (1996) and practicing law for six years, in Lisbon and London.’
My favourite trees were the Australian Bayan which were simply stunning!
Australian Bayan
Their roots are something else! Spectacular.
And the bamboo forest is huge too… that’s my hubby and he is 6ft 1…
The chapel… São Bento, nature has been allowed to create a kind of neglected, camaflagued look.
There’s a lot we didn’t see but I’m sure we will be back. If you are a huge tree lover, like I am you will love it!
Ticket Price
Free, but I think there is a charge for the glasshouses.
Small Wonders: Reflective Poems, by Kaye Lynne Booth, a unique poetry anthology from executive editors Kaye Lynne Booth and Robbie Cheadle.
This unique collection includes the poetry works of a lifetime by Kaye Lynne Booth. A combination of visual images and poetry create a poetry collection like none which have come before. These heartfelt poems are sure to touch either your heart, or your funny bone, providing a gought-provoking forum for unique and original poetry which won’t be easily forgotten.
Small Wonders releases on June 6, 2023.
Publicity Information for Small Wonders: Reflective Poems, by Kaye Lynne Booth,
published by WordCrafter Press
SYNOPSIS
Small Wonders: Reflective Poems features the poetry and visual images of poet and author, Kaye Lynne Booth in her debut poetry collection.
The world is filled with amazing things, if we will just stop a moment and take notice. In this vast universe, we are but tiny individuals, filled with awe and amazement. From reflections on first love, to reflections on growing old. The poems within these pages express a lifetime of unique reflections in Small Wonders.
“Whether chasing moles in the garden or fantasizing about the life of a cat, Kaye Booth’s poems find playfulness, humor, levity, and often beauty. Small Wonders is a delightful compendium of poetic forms—from pantoums to Shadormas. Each poem is an invitation to see the world with new eyes.”—Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, author of All the Honey and Hush
My review
Small Wonders lets you creep into Kaye Lynn’s heart and soul to stay there for a while. It’s a comprehensive, personal and eclectic mix of poetry which I really enjoyed.
Kaye Lynn Booth’s poetry collection begins with a lovely forward from fellow author and poet Robbie Cheadle.
So many darn good poems, these are just some of the highlights for me…
Poems to make you smile such as: Angels Among Us, and Two Little Fairie Princesses inspired by the author’s grandaughters.
As well as this, expect thoughtful reflective poems like Intimacy and the Harlequin Dance.
Nature is a theme too, which I love – The Cherry Tree – about nature’s bounty and study some birds in – Birdwatching.
Another topic handled with great understanding is aging given the author’s role as an experienced carer for many years – There Was A Time (reflections on aging.) Welcome To Memory Lane (caring for the elderly.)
Humour is never far away : A Mole In The Garden (the frustration of which I have experienced! Written with relatable humour.) Up There On The Mountain, Alone (this made me laugh too!)
My ‘Vette (how we get attached to our cars, so relatable!)
Emotional/love/loss themed pieces such as: A Single Heartbeat, Love Lies Bleeding, After Twenty-six Years.
And poems about writing! What’s not to like? Poems such as: My Muse, The Library, What Is Sleep?
Other favourite poems include – Early Morning, Close Your Eyes And Dream, Sun and Shade and Voices.
A highly recommended poetry collection, aptly named.
Kaye Lynne Booth is a multi-genre author, editor, and founder of WordCrafter Press. She recently republished her first western novel herself. She has also published a short fiction collection and a paranormal mystery novella, in addition to the many short fiction stories in the six short fiction anthologies from WordCrafter Press. In addition, she has had short fiction and poetry published with Zetitic: A Record of Unusual Inquiry; Across the Margin, Colorado Life Magazine, Manifest West by Western University Press, The Collapsar Directive and Relationship Add Vice by Zombie Pirate Publishing, Nightmareland by Dan Alatorre.
She also recently served as a student editor on the editing team for the Gilded Glass anthology under Kevin J. Anderson and Allyson Langueira, and produced through Western State Colorado University, and published Weird Tales: Best of the Early Years 1926-27, with Jonathan Maberry.
PREVIOUS TITLES
Previous WordCrafter Press poetry titles include Behind Closed Doors, byRobbie Cheadle, Feral Tenderness, by Arthur Rosch, Poetry Treasures poetry anthology, and Poetry Treasures 2:Relationships, Poetry Treasures 3: Passions.
As part of Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday challenge we were asked to take a quiz to discover our spirit animal. Mine turned out to be a butterfly which is quite striking given that yesterday I was walking by a pathway I often take in Tavira, Portugal.
There, I was struck by the sight of a beautiful butterfly with vibrant markings on its bright wings. It made me stop in my tracks! That’s no surprise as my life is going through much change at the moment – seems so appropriate!
What It Means To Be The Butterfly(From Quiz)
The butterfly is one of the most emblematic totem animals symbolizing personal transformation. If you see the butterfly as your totem or spirit animal, pay attention to the areas in your life or personality that are in need of profound change or transformation. Perhaps, this animal totem guides you to be sensitive to your personal cycles of expansion and growth, as well as the beauty of life’s continuous unfolding. An important message carried by the spirit of the butterfly is about the ability to go through important changes with grace and lightness.
Shadorma
The Shadorma consists of a six-line stanza (or sestet). Each stanza is written as 3-5-3-3-7-5 for a total of 26 syllables with no set rhyme scheme. When writing a Shadorma, I would concentrate on a specific subject.
Butterfly Hello
Butterfly
Pause, to say hello
Darling soul
Bring me joy
Welcoming my steps forward
I feel your love here
Butterfly Cinquain
Butterfly cinquain is a nine-line syllabic titled form with the pattern 2-4-6-8-2-8-6-4-2.
Beauty
Flutter to me
You land so light and free
Was it circumstance that we met?
Or fate?
To follow is to discover
My enriched path to take
Gentle totem
Bright wings
The cinquainis a five-line, non-rhyming poem featuring a syllable structure of 2-4-6-8-2. Cinquain poems need a title. Choose words that create drama that builds into the fourth line. The turn occurs on line five, the most important line. This is where you change your focus away from the drama in some interesting way.
Many thanks to Author Mark Piggott for this wonderful review of book 2 in my ya fantasy. Here is the text from the review on his website:
Just a quick update, I am back home and recovering from my back surgery. Luckily, I had a fun fantasy book to pass the time with. I received a copy of author M.J. Mallon’s Golden Healer: The Curse of Time Book 2, and it was a great read. I didn’t read the first book in this series, but it didn’t matter as Book 2 kept me abreast of the story.
It was surprising to find that each chapter was titled as a “Puzzle” piece. As I got into the story, I understood why as everything fell into place with each chapter. Shadows, demons, and spirits fill this strange world as the main conflict between the forces of good and evil (something I always love to see in my fantasy stories) are met in a variety of situations. The author’s world-building is breathtaking, but that’s not always a good thing. Occasionally, I lost track of where I was in the story with the beautiful visuals. However, the steady pace of the story kept me on track. I also love the mixture of poetry, music, and story as it flowed together seamlessly.
From the disappearance of her Bloodstone to her first dream travel, Amelina is a heroine you can get behind. Her story is told from her POV, as well as from her family and friends around her. There is humor mixed in with elements of danger throughout the story, making a good mix for the reader. There are plenty of twists and turns that keep you guessing and the ending is definitely not your normal “Happily Ever After” one comes to expect from a fantasy story. Still, reading Book Two of the series makes me want to go back to the first book, Bloodstone.
I also appreciate the author’s sensitivity to suicide and self-harm, even addressing it with self-help at the end of her book. That shows her dedication and responsibility as an author by addressing this delicate issue.
I give this book FIVE STARS and highly recommend M.J. Mallon to any young fantasy reader.
M J Mallon YA Author and Poet 