Tag: book review

Halloween Hauntfest Sale – Indie Visible #sale #kindle #offers #ya #fantasy #poetry

I’m in the HALLOWEEN HAUNTFEST Indie Visible Sale.

Here are my titles on free kindle offer:

My ya fantasy book Bloodstone is one of many of brilliant books featured in the Halloween Hauntfest organised by Indie Visible events, on Instagram, Hayley Anderton.

Lots of books on sale, some of which are free, or .99, 25th to 28th October! So check Indie Visible’s Website!

More about the Halloween Hauntfest via my Instagram. @mjmallonauthor

Bloodstone, Book 1 in the Curse of Time series

Blurb

I didn’t think my life could get weirder, but I was wrong…

Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who is imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house.
When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden path where she encounters Ryder: a charismatic, perplexing stranger.
With the help of a magical paint set and some crystal wizard stones, can Amelina discover the truth about her family?
A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal.

TRIGGER WARNING: this book contains mention of self-harm, mental health issues and alludes to the potential dangers of sexual attraction, which may trigger younger/sensitive readers.

INSPIRED BY: The World Famous Corpus Christi Chronophage Clock, created by Dr. John C Taylor, OBE, and artist Anya Gallaccio’s Crystal Grotto, in Juniper Artland, Scotland.
‘A smartly plotted YA fantasy adventure with a strong cast of characters.

A RED RIBBON
WINNER and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards.

Indie Visible Events (Scroll down to Bloodstone)

Available in wide Distribution :  Kobo, Scribl, Smashwords, Nook, etc and in paperback &  hardback in Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc:  

https://books2read.com/u/bOyrgW

My poetry books are on sale during the Halloween Hauntfest 25th to 28th October.

The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet and Mr Sagittarius Poetry & Prose. Both of which will be on free kindle offer for the duration of the event.

Blurb – The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet

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 troubled past to become The Musical Poet.

Indie Visible Events – Poetry

Mr. Sagittarius Poetry & Prose

Blurb

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.

#NaturalWorld #Trees #Magic #Spirit #freebooks #tiktokbooks #bookstoread #poetry #books #indiebooks #magical #shortreads #fairytalestory

Also, I am offering the following kindle poetry books for free during the event too:

Shh, Purely Poetry

Blurb

A compilation of sensual, love and relationship poems. Quirky, unusual and evocative.

Shh, Purely Poetry is a collection of poetic pieces about love, sensuality and relationships with sections entitled: love as fuel, (food and coffee love,) the summer and winter of love, strangers in love, quirky aspects and nature as sensuality.

Inspired in part by daily prompt poems written for the 365poetrypromptchallenge, observations of places, people and my travels.

Early Reviews
A beautiful collection of sensual poetry based on love and relationships of all kinds. As many of these pieces come from word prompts, it’s interesting to see these different voices/narratives come to life. There are some observers, some voyeurs, some sapphic, some with varying innuendos, some in mourning for lost love and some enthralled in a new beginning. I enjoyed the use of rhyming schemes in poems such as ‘Gotta stick together ladies’, the alliteration in ‘Blooms of Blossoming Bliss’ and repetition in ‘War Talk’. The imagery throughout is wonderfully conveyed and makes each poem vividly its own tale. A unique and thoughtful collection that easily connects to a reader, and I would thoroughly recommend! (I also enjoyed the ‘Blackpool Funny Girls Drag Show’ as I attended the afterparty of The Book Party and the conga was brilliant!!!) Review Quote Amy B Garratt.

A loving collection of poetry that delicately weaves in relationships at many stages. Many are sensual, full of texture and images, and some offer unique takes on human interaction. Here are a few beautiful passages: “The Sweetness/The longing/Each kiss deeper/different and the same/Like I belonged to more than him/Like I belonged to the poetry.”؅—Dining on Poetry, “…beautiful calligraphy to highlight/tiny ink splodges to add character/tear drops to remind me of sad days.”—Love Hidden In the Margin, and “She is fair and I am dark/Slight and I am robust/We fill our together/completing our silhouettes.”—Silhouettes. “Shh, Purely Poetry” is meant to be savored more than once by lovers of sensuous and thoughtful poems. Review Quote D. L. Finn

A beautiful and loving collection of poetry that discusses love and relationships of all kinds. It’s fun, sensual, full of imagery and very unique. This collection of poems contains many pieces that are derived from word prompts, so it was really interesting to explore all the different narratives that were weaved throughout. I believe this is a collection of poetry that is super sweet and meant to be savoured (see what i did there? 😉)
My personal favourite from this collection was “The Universe is Ours” Review Quote Book Sirens

M J’s compelling poems celebrate the colour of sensuality, the power of love, the sweetness of desire, and the four seasons of romantic relationships.
Vivid imagery and evocative language capture the essence of sensuality, while awakening the senses and igniting the imagination – the partner’s body is often explored like a treasure map, with descriptions of carnal beauty and the pleasure of touch, celebrating the irresistible pulchritude of the human body and the joy of physical connection:

“I can still feel her lips on mine
Salty like the caramel snack
That she turned down for peanuts.
My hands caress her breasts
They sit up pert. Asking – no begging to be touched.”
~ fragment from ‘Valentine’s In Chocolates’ Review Quote Book Sirens

Do What You Love : (author type poetic memoir)

Do What You Love is 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
near and far on life’s journey

ARC reviews:

★★★★★ 5 stars Oh what a lovely book, filled with poetic gems and beautiful prose!
I enjoy reading MJ Mallon’s poetic fiction, where she ties poetry with prose, and have read several of her previous books written similarly.
Do What You Love is almost autobiographical in a sense that she has taken her memories and written them in poetic form, and the fictional, almost fantastical element is where she meets the three sisters of fate through her journey of reminiscences, and they talk about her different memories.
It’s not linear, but no conversation ever is, is it? Memories jump from the more recent to the older ones as they come tumbling into your mind.
I felt a keen connection to the poems about her daughters, and the autumn trees. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons.
A lovely book with a personal touch. Ritu – But I Smile Anyway.

★★★★★ 5 stars I’ve read this author’s work before: young adult novels, poetry and flash fiction, and I love her imaginative handling of the magical, the phantasmagorical and surreal. This short book is no exception to the quality of MJ Mallon’s output. I found her exploration of her past life captivating.

We may consider that the inclusion of often very personal material in a compilation of this sort would make it difficult for the outside reader to find a way in. This is not true at all of MJ Mallon’s poetry and prose: in many places, I related so much to what she writes, especially about a daughter ‘flying the nest’ to a faraway country. I particularly loved the device MJ Mallon uses to draw all this together: she presents it as a conversation with Atropos, one of the three Fates in Greek mythology: the Morai.

Atropos presides over the past. I thought this worked extremely well as a central metaphor. It had me googling the three Fates, and reading all about them: Clotho, who spins the threads of life, guardian of the present; Lachesis, who measures the length of life with her measuring rod, and is guardian of the future: and Atropos, who is the guardian of fate and destiny, and who chooses the manner of death by snipping the threads of an individual’s life.

MJ Mallon has had a fascinating and varied life experience: born in Singapore, she spent her childhood in Hong Kong and her teens in Edinburgh. She now lives in Cambridge. Every culture she has lived in, I believe, has influenced her imagination, her interests and her approach as a writer. 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.

A highly recommended book for you. Review by Sheila Robinson

https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-You-love-Fragility-Photography-ebook/dp/B0BKLC9DYY

Thank you, hope you enjoy your downloads.

Book Review: Size Always Matters @sgc58 #weightloss #journey #eatingwell #bookreview

Delighted to feature Sally Cronin’s latest book on my blog today!

Blurb

At age 41 in 1994 and weighing 330 lbs, Sally Cronin had two choices when she was told that she was unlikely to live to 45. Carry on eating or get her act together.

She chose to study nutrition and change the way she approached the food she ate and her other lifestyle choices.

Her first book, Size Matters, told the story of her weight loss of 154 lbs and shared the programme she designed to both lose the weight and regain her health.

Now, thirty years on from the start of that journey, having worked as a nutritional therapist with hundreds of clients as well as acting as a health consultant on radio for several years and on her blog, she shares an updated version of the programme.

Weight loss is not just about calories in and calories out. It is about identifying the physical, emotional and mental attachments we have to food and developing a deeper respect for the fuel we require to be healthy.

As well as exploring the many elements involved in healthy weight loss, she also shares the nutritional balance we need to achieve to prevent many of the lifestyle issues that accompany obesity. This includes some easy to prepare recipes which provide nutrient dense dishes for the whole family.

In 2022, 2.5 billion adults aged 18 years and older were overweight, including over 890 million adults who were living with obesity. 37 million children under the age of 5 were overweight. Over 390 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 years were overweight, including 160 million who were living with obesity.

If you need to lose 10 lbs or 100 lbs you can adapt this programme to lose the weight healthily and to enjoy a better quality of life. Don’t be included in the statistics and start losing weight today.

Book Review

Size Always Matters

I learnt a lot about the body and our relationship with food from this personal account from Sally Cronin’s own experiences – at 41 she was told she was unlikely to live to 45, weighing 330 lbs, she lost 154 lbs and is now 71.

It’s been a tough journey for author Sally Cronin and this account of her weight loss journey and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle is nothing short of inspiring.

Sally Cronin is honest, informative, and encouraging throughout.

If you want to lose a little, or a lot this book will help you on your journey. It explains the science, the role of different foods, sugars, carbohydrates, proteins and fats in our diet and the harmful effects of candida albicans.

It struck me as being full of sensible advice, (you can eat butter but from grass fed cows, full fat or semi skimmed milk, treats in moderation, but make sure you have your fish, lean protein in moderation, whole grain carbohydrates, healthy fats, handful nuts, and a wide variety – 5-7 a day fruit and veg, natural, unprocessed food, etc,) such a no nonsense approach and the opposite of yoyo dieting, or fads.

Basically, think about what you eat, respect and protect your body, exercise, live well and this will benefit you.

There are shopping lists for healthy foods and also a few recipes at the back of the book. I’m tempted to try her recipe for Irish Soda Bread and Mushroom soup.

Highly recommended for those about to begin a weight loss journey, or all those interested in nutrition and living well.

My rating: 5 stars

#weightloss #weightlossjourney #bookstoread #bookrecommendation #bookreview #booksofinstagram #booksandbooks #books #lifestyle #healthyliving

About The Author

Sally Cronin is the author of eighteen books including her memoir Size Matters: Especially when you weigh 330lb first published in 2001 which followed her weight loss of 150lbs and the programme she designed to achieve a healthy weight and regain her health. A programme she shared with her clients over her 26 year career as a nutritional therapist and on her blog.

This has been followed by another seventeen books both fiction and non-fiction including multi-genre collections of short stories and poetry.

Her latest book Size Always Matters is an extended and updated version of her original book Size Matters and now includes the nutritional element to losing weight and some recipes with ingredients that provide the nutrients necessary for healthy weight loss and continued good health.

As an author she understands how important it is to have support in marketing books and offers a number of FREE promotional opportunities in the Café and Bookstore on her blog and across her social media.

Her blog: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/

After leading a nomadic existence exploring the world, she now lives with her husband on the coast of Southern Ireland enjoying the seasonal fluctuations in the temperature of the rain.

A book that is beneficial to keep and follow. I intend to try to lose about a stone!

Bye for now, see you soon,

Marje

Blog Tour Day 5 Midnight Garden -Wordcrafter #darkfiction #shortstories #blogtour @DIY_Author @RobertaEaton17 @PaulKaneShadow @JosephCarrabis

Day 5 – Midnight Garden Tour

Delighted to present to you Midnight Garden which is an outstandingly brilliant dark fiction anthology, I’m honoured to be included in. Today I present to you two authors in the anthology Abe Martel and Molly Ertel. More about them both below. Do follow all the stops in the anthology and remember to comment on each stop in order to be entered into the giveaway, giveaway details below…


About Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow


17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest Midnight Garden… if you dare.


Giveaway

https://writingtoberead.com/2024/10/07/welcome-to-the-wordcrafter-midnight-garden-book-blog-tour/


Three lucky winners will receive a digital copy of Midnight Garden in a random drawing following the tour. All you have to do to enter is follow the tour and leave a comment at each stop that you visit.
If you miss a stop, you can go back and visit through the links in the schedule below. (Links won’t work until the stop goes live).

Monday – October 7 – M.J. Mallon: Interview & Reading from “The Seagull Man” – Writing to be Read

Tuesday – October 8 – Danaeka Scrimshaw: Inspiration for “The Fae Game” & Denise Aparo: Reading from “Jack Moon & the Vanishing Book” – Roberta Writes

Wednesday – October 9 – Joseph Carrabis: Reading of “The Last Drop” & Inspiration for “Striders” – Paul Martz

Thursday – October 10 – Paul Martz: Reading & Inspiration for “The Blackest Ink” – Writing to be Read

Friday – October 11 – Molly Ertel: Inspiration Reading from “Antipenultimate” & Abe Margel: Inspiration for “My Balance” – Kyrosmagica

Saturday – October 12 – Paul Kane: Inspiration for “Drip Feed” & Joseph Carrabis: Reading of “Grande Ture” – Undawnted

Sunday – October 13 – DL Mullan: Reading from “Kurst” & Ell Rodman: Inspiration for “The Drummer” – BookPlaces

Monday – October 14 – Joseph Carrabis: Reading of “The Exchange” & Inspiration for “The Tomb”) – Writing to be Read

Buying Link: https://books2read.com/MidnightGardenAnthology

Inspiration for “My Balance” by Abe Margel

How much do we really know about our neighbours?
Whether you live on a farm, in an apartment or a house you probably know little about your neighbours’ lives. What have you learned about the purple hair woman you’ve shared an elevator with a dozen times, the one that lives on the sixth floor? For two years you’ve bumped into each other in the same little cubicle, nodded hello then stared at the wall. Who is she? What’s her job? Does she have a husband, kids, a python, a hash pipe?
The fellow with the dragon tattoos that lives right next door to you, the guy who just built a tree house for his five kids, what does he do for a living? Why do you never see his wife, the mother of all those children? Who’s white van is parked in his driveway every Tuesday night from exactly nine-fifteen to exactly eleven-fifteen?
Of course you could ask them but then they might have questions of their own. Why is a young woman like you always dressed in navy blue, and only navy blue; navy blue skirt, top, shoes, socks, coat, mittens, scarf, hat? And what happened to the engagement ring you were wearing last month? Why did it disappear? Well, it’s none of their business is it? Is it?

The fictional story, My Balance, grew out of a conversation with a friend. Andre had been in an accident and told me how difficult it was for him to get around in the walking cast he was now required to use. After months of rolling around in the back of my mind a plot emerged. I envisioned a man in a walking cast returning from the hospital to his empty home. On his street he is surprised to discover an ambulance is sitting by his neighbour’s house. The story’s main character, George Fitzpatrick, is a divorced middle-aged man who’s balance is literally and emotionally off. His irascible neighbour, Francis Allard, is largely a mystery to George.
We learn in the story that as difficult a person to like as Francis was, he nevertheless seems to have had a soft spot for George. Or did he? Exactly how little George knew about Francis becomes clear as the narrative progresses to its troublesome end.



About Abe Margel


Abe Margel worked in rehabilitation and mental health for thirty years. He is the father of two adult
children and lives in Thornhill, Ontario with his wife. His fiction has appeared in Spadina Literary Review,
Mystery Tribune, BarBar, 7 th  – Circle Pyrite, Yellow Mama, Ariel Chart, Uppagus, etc.

Inspiration for “Antepenultimate” by Molly Ertel Reading
https://youtu.be/XHUgCIPDMHQ


About Molly Ertel


Molly Ertel’s short stories have appeared in Akashic Books, Jerry Jazz Magazine, and the Dark City Crime and Mystery Magazine. Additionally, she was a reader/editor for the Silver Blade Anthology. She has recently completed the first book in a two-book series for middle grade readers, Jujube at the End of the World, set during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The second book has been written and is undergoing the rewriting process. Other projects include a middle grade novel about an environmentally-conscious ghost and a possible visit to a rage room as the basis for a short fiction.

Enjoy spooky reads!

Check out all the Youtube videos about author stories:

“Jack Moon and the Vanishing Book”: https://youtu.be/qmhkgXslA9o

“The Seagull Man”: https://youtu.be/sgsCgd7y1ds

“The Blackest Ink”: https://youtu.be/KJD4Xd-7Va4

“Antepenultimate”: https://youtu.be/XHUgCIPDMHQ

“The Last Drop”: https://youtu.be/MeVOnnd62GM

“The Exchange”: https://youtu.be/8imZAd_Ug6Y

“Grande Ture”: https://youtu.be/iOKyI0fG9Qg

Recent Book Reviews: Indie Visible #bookreviews #indiebooks #poetry #shortstories Amy B Garratt, Claire O’Connor, Tristen Willis

Amy B Garratt

Memories of 2023 It Lingers On Within Me

The latest collection from Amy B Garratt is beautifully written. Topics are diverse and include: motherhood, the gardener  (her mother,) romance, the community of performance poets, (rabbiting on,) writers: One, ‘We are the ones,’  birthdays and favourite things, conquering demons, nature, forests, and the seasons including Christmas, and New Year with a loved one.

Amy B Garratt’s personal poems about pain: Glass, Blooms, and the difficulties loving oneself: Past,  along with love poems such as the poem : One,’ … ‘intertwining our love strings,’ were amongst my favourites.

There is some lovely imagery in the heartwrenching poem Glass. And I absolutely loved Paper Chain, which begins: ‘I am a paper chain person.’

An absolute pleasure to read.

5 stars from me.

Vignettes & Verses by Claire O’Connor

An unusual somewhat quirky collection of short stories/micro fiction and poetry.

I enjoyed this short read. Especially, the personal connection I had from the poem, ‘My Balcony,’ which I found relatable. The pleasures of life written so succinctly from the vantage point of being somewhat removed but close to it all.

Other favourites include: Tea and Apathy, Homage To The Stag, The Hag of Beara, Elephant Woman and the poignant Flour Sacks To Petticoats.

Nice to discover a new short fiction/poet author to me via indie visible services. 

Rating: 4 stars

Love Bytes & Gossip

Love Bytes & Gossip by Tristen Willis

(Insurance of the heart novella book 2)

An office second chance romance (after Hannah’s breakup,) develops  between Hannah and the new IT guy Jeremy!  It seems that Jeremy has more to him and Hannah becomes more interested to find out more. An enjoyable sweet short read only 104 pages which also includes some gossipy style office toilet humour.

Rating: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Indie Visible is an indie promotional service organised by Hayley on Instagram. Highly recommend.

Here’s the link:

https://linktr.ee/indievisibleevents?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabmqYbug2t3uH2gZQo_sk7uxyFfILg0ae81M9Faui40QlVo5wqm5AWwulM_aem_VKRdh10O7bk1dbGAGVnXow

Book Review: The School of Dreams @sparklyauthor @NextChapterPB #nextchapterpub #contemporaryfiction #romance

Book Overview

Sophie is a beautiful housewife on the brink of a midlife crisis, unhappy with her errant husband. Juliette, a romantic and passionate optimist, struggles to make ends meet in a society that stereotypes single mothers.

Evelyn, a shy and modest novelist is looking for the university to help her step out of the shadows. Ann, after being disabled after a serious accident, yearns for fulfillment in a cruel world that has robbed her of happiness.And then there’s Will – a rebellious and idealistic teenager, who longs to sever the shackles of family and religion.

As five paths collide in a story of empowerment, romance and quest for fulfillment, they’re presented with the same question: what is your dream?

My Review

The School Of Dreams, Book 1

This is a lovely heartwarming novel about a group of people who would perhaps never have met except for their wish/plans to go to university to enrich/better their lives by studying English Literature.

Not all are as keen on the idea of studying. Young Will, the youngest in the group wants to be free to travel the world. Smitten by Hema, he is thwarted by interracial problems that must be overcome to be with her.

Sophie is a rich footballer’s wife who needs more from life. Her lifestyle appears grand but money isn’t everything.

Ann is in a wheelchair and speaks her mind. I warmed to her, she is forthright but has a soft side too, as has her kind hearted hubby Jon.

Juliette’s now a single mum with two kids (wanting nothing to do with her useless ex,) living in an “asbo” area. She falls for lecturer Ben who everyone is gossiping about.

Evelyn is a carer for her mum who dreams of being a novelist.

They all have different backgrounds and obstacles to overcome.

It’s a lively and fun narrative with a couple of blossoming love stories, too. And some revelations. I loved the ending. Won’t say more for spoiling it for you.

Recommended for its lighthearted, great characters and fun vibe, for its university setting, love of books atmosphere… it took me back to those times. I loved being a student!

My rating 5 🌟

Author Bio

Hello, I live in Wolverhampton, England and I’m the author of 11 books.

I write romance mainly – rom-coms, romantasy, contemporary.

I’ve also written a psychological mental health book.

I’ve had a variety of jobs ranging from bar staff, sales assistant, secretary, teaching assistant & dinner lady.

I retired in 2019 to concentrate on writing and am absolutely loving it. I have also recently passed a Master’s In Creative Writing which I studied with through The Open University.

My interests include reading, walking, drawing and drinking tea. I love hearing from readers 🙂

I’m on Twitter at @sparklyauthor and I’m on Instagram at booksbyjulia72

Thank you for taking an interest in my writing and thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂 x

Julia Sutton is one of my favourite contemporary romancy authors!

Bloodstone is on #free #kindle #offer #deal #review @bookbub @amazonkindle

News! My YA Fantasy, Bloodstone is on kindle free offer/bookbub deal for a limited time.

https://www.bookbub.com/books/bloodstone-by-m-j-mallon/

And to celebrate I’m sharing the latest review for Bloodstone on Amazon. Many thanks to all the reviewers and enthusiastic readers who take time out of their busy days to review out books! Thank you Dan Costinas.

Latest Media Kit: Bloodstone (The Curse of Time Book 1) @NextChapterPB #YA #Fantasy #Release

Available in wide Distribution :  Kobo, Scribl, Smashwords, Nook, etc and in paperback &  hardback in Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and audiobook, etc:  

https://books2read.com/u/bOyrgW

UK Book Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloodstone-Paranormal-Fantasy-Adventure-Curse-ebook/dp/B097QZBKNY/

US Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/Bloodstone-M-J-Mallon-ebook/dp/B097QZBKNY/

Review: Shh Purely Poetry #Poetry #Review @nnp_w_light

Delighted with the boost of this 5+ star review from blue tick influencer, N. N. LIGHT.

A sensual poetry collection sure to entice your mind, body and soul. In this exquisite collection, the author writes emotive poems with the themes of love, romance, and relationships. Each poem is expressive, sensual, and the reader gets to experience falling in love.

 

The imagery reflected in this collection is remarkable. Each word has been carefully chosen by a wordsmith to evoke a feeling, an experience, or what it feels like to fall in love. The author is a gifted poet.

 

If you’re a romantic or a fan of poetry, you’re in for a treat with this poetry collection. Brilliant from start to finish, these poems will have you falling in love.

N.N. Night’s Rating: 5+ stars

 

Buy it Now:   

 

Free to read on Kindle Unlimited

 

Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Shh-Purely-Poetry-Sensual-Relationship-ebook/dp/B0D12C3329

 

Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/Shh-Purely-Poetry-Sensual-Relationship-ebook/dp/B0D12C3329

 

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shh-Purely-Poetry-Sensual-Relationship-ebook/dp/B0D12C3329

 

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211642171-shh-purely-poetry

 

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/books/shh-purely-poetry-sensual-love-and-relationship-poems-by-m-j-mallon

 

Also, Shh Purely Poetry is featured in this Book Sirens August bundle of books. Professional Book reviewers can click below to request a copy.

https://booksirens.com/bundle/poems-arcs-you-ll-love-august-2024-batch/Z16HL44

Book Review: The Girl From Berchtesgaden by Alistair Birch and Kim Rigby @ABirchAuthor

Blurb

Occasionally a book comes to you which makes you think, take stock and reflect in a good way. This is one of those masterpieces. Stunning.” Nicki’s Book Blog.

In early 1930s Germany, life for the Stiepermann family was simple yet idyllic. Artistic Ingrid and her inventive brother Dieter loved the freedom of the Bavarian Alps, but that was before the Jew haters surfaced in their society.

Fueled by Nazi ideologies, Stefan Weiss and his friends suppress and destroy anyone who opposes their beliefs.
While one family battles for supremacy, another is torn apart.

Fleeing the tyranny, Ingrid, and her brother escape to London. Seemingly safe from danger, can Ingrid save her family as war threatens?

Featuring real world history, shocking events of the time and tales of immense courage, The Girl from Berchtesgaden is a must-read historical thriller.

My review

Brilliant historical fiction story. It’s seamlessly written by two awesome authors: Alistair Birch and Kim Rigby. The collaboration works well.

I could see all the shocking events, and despicable behaviour towards the Jews unfolding as if they were before my eyes. This took on a cinematic quality.

An emotional and heartwrenching WW2 tale with great characters, Nazi villians, family aspects, friendships and relationships tested to the limit by the brutality of war.

I loved it. Ingrid was so brave! Stefan was diabolical! I don’t often read historical fiction war novels but when I do I often find them very moving, meaningful and important reads. This one is definitely in that category. It’s a favourite. Well worth the 500 plus pages, which I didn’t notice… as I was engrossed throughout.

My rating 5 stars. Highly recommended 👌 Get a copy!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6548102669

Author Websites:

Alistair Birch – https://www.alistairbirch.com/

Kim Rigby – https://kimrigby.com/collaborations

Blog Tour Review A Cat’s Judgement by Suzanne Stephenson @lilmissmorfett

BLURB

When Mr Perkins shows up, things are going to change. How this black cat can make such a difference is anyone’s guess, but he does.

The lives of the people in the courthouse and a nearby bed and breakfast, are going to transform.

But will it always be for the better?

Whether it is pet rescue, support dogs, or help with British Sign Language, this black cat seems to be in the mix.

Following Mr Perkins’ appearance in the lives of judges, litigants and court staff, the local vet and the people in the B&B, all seem to benefit from the strange cat with the bright yellow eyes.

After touching base with Mr Perkins judgements are improved inside and out of the courtroom. Is this cat some stray moggy, or is there a little bit of stardust on his paws?

Book Review

A lovely heartwarming tale about a stray black cat with yellow eyes arriving at ‘The Judges’ Lodgings B & B’ winning everyone over, and changing everyone’s lives for the better.

Mr Perkins the cat will certainly make you smile whether you are a cat lover or not. And for dog fans it has a lovely section on dogs and how they can make a difference to our lives too.

Throughout the narrative and via the characters we are entertained with pets helping with loneliness, boosting morale with difficult care needs, or after the loss of a loved one and loss of a beloved pet. As well as the undoubted benefits to autistic children and bringing people together, as in the lovely part about a group coming together to dog walk.

I don’t have pets; I used to in the past. I must admit it makes for convincing reading why to have a cat, or dog!

Highly recommended, a short sweet, humorous and uplifting read.

My rating 4 stars

UK Link https://amzn.eu/d/0hJa1Pp8

About the author

Living in the English countryside I already had a couple of careers before I became an author.

Having been a Family Lawyer and Family Mediator I became a District Judge in the year 2000 and officially retired from judging in early 2021.

Sitting on complex family cases did not leave me much time for my interests of writing and sketching but when I had free-time I tried to visit interesting places.

I hope my ancestors helped provide some inspiration as well.

My father was a Holocaust survivor and my maternal grandfather a gynaecologist and composer. The people and countryside of Eastern England also are embedded in my psyche.

Blog Tour Stops

Book Review Whisper of Magic @helen_pryke #bookreview #magic

Whisper of Magic  by Helen Pryke

Blurb

Somewhere beyond the veil, between our world and other realms, is the Shallows, a lonely, barren place from which few return. What more lies beyond a legend lost to the mists of time?

“That moment you let go of everything you believe is true, is when you will go beyond this world and step into the other realms.” When Ria reads these words in her grandmother’s Book of Shadows, she has no idea that she is about to be immersed in the world of Tarot, magic, and witchcraft.

Desperate to find her two sisters and fulfill the final part of an ancient legend, Ria must trust the cards and set out on the search for her sisters, who were lost years before when they entered the Shallows.

But someone is determined to stop her. Someone who wants to bring chaos and destruction to all the worlds. Someone who wants to destroy the symbiosis between nature and the beings that inhabit the realms.

As the veil thins, Ria must find her sisters before it’s too late. If the veil is broken, the worlds will never be the same again.

Ria has her friends…and magic. Will it be enough?

A Whisper of Magic is perfect for fans of The Night Circus, The Ten Thousand Doors Of January, and the Healer saga.

I absolutely loved this tale of magic, the legacy left by Ria’s grandmother, and the story of three sisters.  The quest to find  Ria’s sisters: Sage and Celeste, and finally to discover what’s happened to Ria’s mother is exciting, and emotionally moving, with fantastic characters both witchy and of the undead kind…

The skeletal cat and mouse had me smiling and chuckling!

I loved the tarot card characters coming alive and in particular Kendon, the Knight of Wands!

This will be for you if you enjoy crystals, wands, witchy vibes, wraiths and ancient magic with a strong thread of family and environmental/world vulnerability aspects running through the narrative.

Also there are some striking and unusual revelations towards the end of the book placing the highest value on our emotions, hearts and souls.

Different and imaginatively so!

Highly recommended, definitely 5 stars! 

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.

For all the latest information, excerpts from her upcoming books, general fun, or for a chat, follow Helen on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/helenprykeauthor/

For all her books, social media links, and more, visit her website at https://pinkquillbooks.wordpress.com