BOOK REVIEW: Vox by Christina Dalcher @HQStories @CVDalcher

A glowing review of Vox by Christina Dalcher via Jenny In Neverland Blog.

Jenny in Neverland's avatarJenny in Neverland

Format: Paperback, ARC
Links:Amazon UK | Goodreads 
Blurb: Vox is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.

On the day the goverment decrees that women are no longer allowed more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellen is in denial — this can’t happen here. Not in America. Not to her.

This is just the beginning.

Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.

But this is not the end. 

For herself, her daughter and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice.


Review: This book is revolutionary. I’m going to get straight into it because I’ve been dying to share my thoughts on this…

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Profile of Word Weaver Writing Contest 1st PLACE WINNER: “Devils Hollow Holy Water” by Adele Marie Park

A wonderful interview with my dear friend and sister of the fey., Adele Marie Park. 1st place Winner of the Dan Alatorre World Weaver Competition.

Dan Alatorre AUTHOR's avatarDAN ALATORRE

img_2351-11What goes on inside the writerly mind?

Let’s sit down with our Word Weaver Writing Contest 1st place winner, Adele Marie Park, and find out.


(Like all our winner’s profiles, when they answered these questions, they did not yet know what place they had taken in the contest.)

I believe author Adele Marie Park

DAN: Did you write your story for the contest or was it part of a larger piece or something you had written before?

ADELE MARIE PARK: I wrote this story a while back, then looked at it again, edited it and sent it off to you.

Tell us about your writing process. What is the journey from idea to published piece/completed story?

The idea springs first. It can come from a myriad of places. A voice inside my head, a dream, a news story, even just washing dishes the idea implants itself. Then I write it down, I…

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Here Are Your Winners! Dan Alatorre’s Word Weaver Writing Contest (July 2018)

Thrilled to hear that my dear friend Adele Marie Park won 1st Prize in The Word Weaver writing Contest. Fantastic news. And chuffed that friends Deborah Bowman got an honourable mention and Geoff Lepard tied for 3rd place. Well done to all the prize winners.

#Bookreview Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2) – Jay Kristoff

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Goodreads Synopsis
A ruthless young assassin continues her journey for revenge in this new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff.

Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo, or avenging her familia. And after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself.

When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

Set in the world of Nevernight, which Publishers Weekly called “absorbing in its complexity and bold in its bloodiness,” Godsgrave will continue to thrill and satisfy fantasy fans everywhere.

My review

Wow. What an amazing read. How did Jay Kristoff manage to write such an incredible sequel to the first book in the series: Nevernight? He must be a demon. I spent most of it swearing about how amazing Jay Kristoff’s writing is and wishing I could crawl into his writer’s brain and feast on his mind for a day. Oh, one can dream. Fantastic characters, amazing plot, pulse racing excitement, entrancing sexy bits – murder plus sex, and did a certain someone give into the raging urges of her bisexual side?

Godsgrave has it all.

Passion, bravery, dark quips of humour, fantastic usage of unique phrases like: ‘byss and blood,’  and merciless death – what a combination. The twists at the end were crazy and I’m still reeling from them. Jay Kristoff had so many unexpected tricks up his sleeve. My poor wee brain couldn’t keep up.

It’s strange how much I love this blood-thirsty assassin story so much. It surprises me – perhaps it’s the Scorpio in me. The passionate sting in my tail is hidden but it’s there!

This series has captured my heart and soul because:

I adore character driven stories. Mia is such a well-crafted heroine. The reader can’t help but adore her even though she is a merciless killer. The violence is vindicated because she has been through hell. This isn’t just about a raging psychopath killing for the sake of it. She has a purpose – to avenge her family –  and the reader longs for her to find love,  and happiness and to succeed.

The subsidiary characters are beyond awesome and the shadow cat and dog are hysterical. I love their back and forth banter.

In the second book I particularly enjoyed Mia’s character arc – how she became more thoughtful, questioning her actions and the friendships she made whilst holding on to, and keeping sight of her ultimate goal.

My recommendation – read this series. It’s a must if you are a YA author. It’s a must for wannabe authors too.  But it should carry a health warning for writers. You will swear.  Loudly. And be very jealous. 

Beware – if you’re squeamish about blood and gore this might not be for you – think arenas of death and Gladiator. And I’d suggest this is not for the tender eyes of younger readers due to the graphic sexual content and violence.  

Conclusion: Welcome to my writer’s bible!

Jay Kristoff is undoubtedly my favourite author, no question. If I could give him six stars I would.

Love ya Jay!

Have you read The Nevernight Chronicle? And if not, why not?

Author’s website: https://jaykristoff.com/

My review link to Nevernighthttps://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2018/03/03/review-of-nevernight-by-jay-kristoff/

Till the next time droogs … Don’t let my quiet persona fool you…

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M J Mallon _ YA Author

Buy Paperback Book link: http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime
Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)

Social Media:
Authors Media Kit: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2018/02/13/media-kit/
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Tumblr: http://mjmallonauthor.tumblr.com/

Staying in with M.J. Mallon

Thank you to Linda for my feature on her blog staying in with her and bringing along artist Carolina Russo and my strange fantasy characters in The Curse of Time.
Come and meet them.

Book Review: The Curse Of Time (Bloodstone,#1) by M.J. Mallon —

Thank you to Galit for her amazing 5 star review of my book. 🙂 Very happy author!

Author: M.J. Mallon Pages: 242 Genre: YA, Fantasy Publication Date: August 26, 2017 Publisher: Kyrosmagica Publishing Blurb Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who’s imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house. When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she […]

via Book Review: The Curse Of Time (Bloodstone,#1) by M.J. Mallon —

 

#Blue Sky Tag Challenge – #Blogchallenge – Tag, You’re it!

 

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I’ve been invited to hop on to the Blue Sky Tag Challenge by  Debby Gies

The rules of the challenge are:

11 tags, 11 answers, 11 questions

Use the Blue Sky banner  (that Rachael Ritchey designed).

It is sort of polite to mention the person who tagged you (even if you are busy and have not time for fun)

You need to answer the 11 questions set by your tagger (even though you wonder where they dredged them up from)

You will need to make up 11 original and interesting or funny questions for those you tag.

You need to tag 11 people

You can read Debby’s post and the answers to her questions here: https://dgkayewriter.com/blue-sky-tag-challenge-blogchallenge-tag-it/

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And now for Debby’s Questions:

  1.  What would you be doing if you weren’t a writer?

Ah, I’d dream of being someone else! I’ve always felt trapped in the typical day job scenario,  in need of an outlet for my creativity. If I hadn’t become a writer I might have dabbled in photography. My grandfather and uncle were both photographers and ran a photography business before the Second World War. Creativity is in the genes! Or I’d have worked in education in some capacity. I believe very strongly that education is the foundation of a balanced and open society. I love to study – if only I could be a perpetual student! Now that would be fun.

      2. Share one thing you’d like to do on your bucket list.

Travel more. I’d love to explore all the wonderful and exotic places in the world. In our family’s genes there’s this deep desire to wander to far off lands. My dad worked abroad for many years in the Far East, Middle East, and Africa and now my eldest daughter is following in his footsteps. She’s been away for a year teaching English As A Foreign Language in South Korea. It’s my turn next. I’d love to live abroad and maybe one day I will.

      3. Your favorite holiday destination.

Oh, so many places do I have to pick just one? I love Portugal, Greece, the Balearic Isles, the Caribbean, Rome, Malaysia, Singapore, etc, etc. Take me there. Oh, this question reminds me how much I need a holiday abroad.

      4. Name the best movie you’ve seen in a long time.

Oh dear this makes me sad. I haven’t been to the movies for such a long time. I intend to go but never get round to doing so. I will try to rectify this soon.

      5. If you could have one do-over, what would it be?

By do-over I expect you mean make-over? Recently I’ve been getting my nails done and I have to admit that I’m in danger of getting hooked. I love to have pretty nails. It’s important that I look presentable for my day job as I work as a receptionist for a private sixth form in Cambridge.

      6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I am tempted to say either Portugal or France. Still thinking about this…

      7. Your favorite all time book?

Pinocchio. His nose gets me every time. Now that’s a lie, I appreciate Pinocchio and his tricky nose situation but I love so many books it is very difficult to pick just one. My favourite genre is fantasy but I also enjoy thrillers, crime, romance, memoirs, and the occasional horror.

      8. Tell us one quirky thing about you.

WHAT!!! Oh dear – confession time. I do this daft thing when no one is watching. It’s kind of like a kid would do. You know making little explosive noises. My brother does it too. It’s in the genes. Yes, I’m a bit crazy. Oh my!

      9. Write a one sentence quote for world peace.

Don’t be one of those people who is close-minded, be a warm-hearted person who lives and loves regardless of skin colour, race, and sexuality.

     10. Share one great thing blogging has done for you.

It’s made me more confident and adventurous. Prior to blogging I would have never met up with a bunch of strangers at a blogging event and now I do. I get such a buzz from attending the annual Blogger’s Bash in London.

     11. Name your favorite color and tell us why and what it represents to you.

It would have to be green. Green for go. Green for fresh cut grass. Green for shoots of possibilities. Green, green, green…

Tag! You’re it:

Ritu: https://butismileanyway.com/

Colleen Chesebro: https://colleenchesebro.com/ 

Annika Perry: https://annikaperry.com/ 

Samantha Murdoch:  https://samanthamurdochblog.wordpress.com/

Vashti Vega:  http://vashtiqvega.wordpress.com/

Craig: https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/  

Annette: https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/ 

Gary: https://fictionisfood.com/

Willow:  https://willowdot21.wordpress.com/ 

Wendy: https://wendyannedarling.com/

Rachael: https://rachaelritchey.com/

Here are your questions:

1. If you could travel to Mars would you go?

2. Do you like rock music or quiet ballads?

3. Are you a tidy freak or a messy pup?

4. Tell us about the most strange/extraordinary person you know.

5. Do you believe in love at first sight?

6. Which animal represents you the best?

7. Are you a theatre and/or film buff?

8. If you had to do a party trick would you love this or hate it?

9. What superpower would you love to have?

10. What’s your favourite food, and/or drink?

11. As a child were you naughty or nice? And which are you now…

If you don’t choose to join in, you are forgiven. and being that there are only 11 to be tagged, I welcome any and all of you to join in! 

Source: #Blue Sky Tag – Time for a little fun and distraction…#TGIF | Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life

 

Many thanks to Debby for tagging me.

Hope you enjoyed the Blue Sky Tag.

 

Cheerio for now, Blue Sky…

 

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For information about my privacy and GDPR compliance please visit: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2018/05/20/privacy-and-gdpr-compliance/

 

Buy Paperback Book link: http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime
Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)

Social Media:
Authors Media Kit: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2018/02/13/media-kit/
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:

28109520_1584692061650961_905837144_n

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Tumblr: http://mjmallonauthor.tumblr.com/

 

Authors – why you shouldn’t ignore bad reviews #wwwblogs #bookreviews

A very interesting post by Alison Williams on bad reviews. If a lower rated review gives helpful, constructive criticism then pay attention to what it has to say. But nasty, silly, or malicious reviews should always be ignored.