Thank you so much to Sally Cronin for dipping into her archives and resharing her previous review of my poetry collection: The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet. How kind. I really appreciate 🙂
From Sally’s blog:
My review for the collection This is a poetry and flash fiction collection seeped in nature and illustrates the love the author has for the environment, particular the forests. The first pages share the delightful love story of the Hedge Witch and the Musical Poet, bringing two solitary characters together in the sanctuary of a magical forest far from the human world. This story is followed by poems and flash fiction, some of which are poignant such as the tribute to a ginger cat in Chester, Don & I, and bewilderment voiced in The Network of Trees as they stand in danger from the human need for progress. There is also the sad reflection that much of the beauty and adventures to be found in the forests are being missed as children find themselves engrossed in the online world instead. The author makes sure to include the fun they could be enjoying instead. The Teddy in the Woods probably should come with a tissue alert. There are some reminders of poems from another collection which I also enjoyed Mr. Sagittarius Poetry; one of my favourites being Rainbow – Parasol of Light. In the second section of the collection there is a series of poems inspired by other writers.
Many thanks to N.N. Light, Amazon Vine Voice Reviewer and Verified Influencer for this wonderful review of the audiobook of Golden Healer. @NNP_W_Light #audiobook #review #NextChapterPub @NextChapterPb
Title: Golden Healer: The Curse of Time, Book 2 Author: M. J. Mallon Narrator: Kerri Hiebert Genre: Coming of Age, YA Fantasy, YA Book Blurb: I didn’t think my life could get any weirder, until the dreaded rollercoaster…. Amelina Scott’s destiny is to be a Krystallos: a magician of light, chosen to learn the ways of crystal magic on her 16th birthday. Located on a river pathway in a mysterious part of Cambridge, the Crystal Cottage is guarded by mythical beings. Unfortunately, there are those who seek to harm this haven of light. Learning of Ryder, a Shadow Sorcerer with hypnotic powers, Amelina discovers that her own magic is now threatened, and that the Curse of Time might be unleashed again. As secrets abound and the creatures of the Chronophage come alive, can Amelina become the true magician she needs to be? A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Golden Healer is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal. NOTE: this book contains mention of self-harm, mental health issues, and alludes to the potential dangers of sexual attraction, which may trigger younger/sensitive listeners.
N. N. Light’s Review: Story Impressions –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. Narrator’s overall voice – Kerri Hiebert’s voice has a personality all her own which she applies to the various character voices. It has a smoothness and lilt I thoroughly enjoyed. Does the narrator fit the characters? Yes, Kerri Hiebert fits the characters. I’m astonished at how well she evokes the different characters. Narrator’s reading style –Kerri Hiebert has an relaxed reading style but with enough dramatic flair to keep the listener entranced. Narrator’s impact on reading experience –Kerri Hiebert has an intrinsic ability to draw a listener/reader in without any effort. The scenes are so well narrated, I had to stop what I was doing to focus on the story. Narrator’s pacing –Kerri Hiebert’s pacing is flawless, blending fantasy, mythology, coming of age themes with ease. Audiobook flow – Kerri Hiebert lets the audiobook develop naturally through the use of dialogue, action, and world-building. What makes this audiobook unique –Kerri Hiebert and M.J. Mallon partner up to bring readers/listeners an engrossing YA fantasy adventure. The plot is full of intrigue which adds to the enjoyment while listening. Kerri’s narration brings Golden Healer to life. Would I recommend this audiobook – YES! One-click this audiobook right now.
Amelina interacts with magical people, beings, and objects while learning the truth of her family. What happens next will astound you, the reader. Are you ready for an adventure? Bloodstone is an imaginative coming of age fantasy adventure I enjoyed from start to finish. Taking bits from fantasy authors of the past, M.J. Mallon adds her own blend of magical realism and emotional coming of age to make Bloodstone a gem. The plot moves at a good pace with each chapter starting with a puzzle. What a creative way to keep the reader invested.
Narrator’s overall voice –
Kerri Hiebert’s voice has an individuality all her own but when she employs the various character voices, it takes on each character with ease. I thoroughly adored her voice.
Does the narrator fit the characters?
Yes, Kerri Hiebert fits the characters with a youthful tone. I’m astonished at how well she evokes Amelina. It’s not an easy thing to do. Great job.
Narrator’s reading style –
Kerri Hiebert has an informal reading style but with enough twists and turns to keep the listener mesmerized.
Narrator’s impact on reading experience –
Kerri Hiebert has an inherent ability to draw a listener/reader in without any effort. She takes what is one of the most riveting fantasy stories I’ve ever read and creates a masterpiece. The scenes are so well narrated, I had to stop what I was doing to concentrate on the story.
Narrator’s pacing –
Kerri Hiebert’s pacing is impeccable, blending fantasy, mythology, coming of age themes, and more with no difficulty.
Audiobook flow –
Kerri Hiebert lets the audiobook unfold naturally with plenty of dialogue, action, and intrigue.
What makes this audiobook unique –
Kerri Hiebert and M.J. Mallon partner up to bring readers/listeners one of the best YA fantasy audiobooks I’ve heard in a long time. The plot is full of intrigue which adds to the enjoyment while listening. Kerri’s narration brings Bloodstone to life, like a streaming show. Brilliant from start to finish.
Would I recommend this audiobook –
YES! Don’t delay. One-click this audiobook right now.
Since you got five stars or better in our review, you receive our N. N. Light’s Book Heaven Five Star Award Seal. I’ve attached it below. Feel free to use it in all your marketing or even on your cover, if you wish.
This also applied to book 2 Golden Healer which also received the award too.
Evie Alexander is an award-winning author of sexy romantic comedies with a very British sense of humour. A self-confessed ‘method writer’, Evie has taken it upon herself to live a full and messy life, from which romantic and personal failures become fodder for her laugh-out-loud plotlines.
Imaginative, passionate and frequently called ‘bonkers’ by her friends, Evie’s interests include reading, eating, saving the world, and fantasising about people who only exist between the pages of her books.
Evie lives in the West country with her family, where she pens her steamy stories from the Smut Hut.
Follow her blog for musings about the writing process, book reviews, and details about her stories, and follow her across social media for even more. https://eviealexanderauthor.com/musical-games/
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Content
Tagline:
He’s never been kissed, and she’s about to rock his world…
Blurb:
Bubbly actress Sam is on the brink of the bigtime — all she needs is one lucky break. But when she drops everything for the chance to meet Hollywood’s biggest star, she blows it by blurting out a lie.
Now, she’s got ten days to write an album with a man who wants nothing to do with her.
Shy electrician Jamie has never set foot outside Scotland — or his comfort zone. Then beautiful and vivacious Sam gatecrashes his world, and he’s unwillingly swept up in her grand plan. But though Jamie has the voice of an angel and the body of a god, he’s never even kissed a girl… and fame is the last thing on his mind.
As the songs emerge, so do feelings — but Sam’s determination to reach the top is matched only by how fast her lies are catching her up.
When the duo are offered the opportunity of a lifetime, the spotlight illuminates their glaring differences. Can Sam and Jamie face the music, or will fame tear them apart?
Musical Games is a steamy, slow-burn, grumpy/sunshine, laugh-out-loud, dual POV romantic comedy. Featuring an extremely hot virgin hero and a big-hearted heroine with a runaway mouth — there’s no cheating, no cliff-hanger, and you’re guaranteed a happy ever after (HEA).
Tropes:
Grumpy/Sunshine; Male Virgin; Cinnamon Roll Hero; Opposites Attract; Forced Proximity; Love/Hate; Small Town; Scottish Highlands; Hollywood; Steamy
Musical Games is part of the Kinloch series, and this is book 4. I have only read Musical Games and it reads well as a standalone novel.
This author can write sexy scenes! The sex is detailed, but tastefully done, giving sizzling heat and tenderness to this 18plus romantic story and the developing love between actress Sam and electrician Jamie.
Scottish hunk Jamie is inexperienced, and at 27, is still living at home when lively Sam turns his life around making him reassess his virgin status! Furthermore, she introduces him to the potential of an exciting music career as a singing duo.
Initially, I thought Musical Games (a steamy romantic comedy,) was somewhat instalove for my taste but Evie Alexander’s warm- hearted tale won me over and I really enjoyed this.
The characters are well written, and engaging, the on off love plot of attraction/love/uncertainties is relatable, simple and effective.
Musical Games is an entertaining, sexy and amusing romance (I loved the part about his mum finding her big Jim!) And the ending wraps everything up in a lovely smiley way. Recommended for sexy romance fans.
My rating: 4.5 stars
A new author to me and I am glad I signed up to be an advanced reviewer. ARC copy gratefully received and all opinions are my own.
Please support my review efforts by following my bookstagram:
When I last looked it was ranked #25 so do give it some love!
Book Overview
I didn’t think my life could get any weirder, until the dreaded rollercoaster…
Amelina Scott’s destiny is to be a Krystallos: a magician of light, chosen to learn the ways of crystal magic on her 16th birthday. Located on a river pathway in a mysterious part of Cambridge, the Crystal Cottage is guarded by mythical beings.
Unfortunately, there are those who seek to harm this haven of light. Learning of Ryder – a Shadow Sorcerer with hypnotic powers – Amelina discovers that her own magic is now threatened, and that the Curse of Time might be unleashed again.
As secrets abound and the creatures of the Chronophage come alive, can Amelina become the true magician she needs to be?
A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Golden Healer is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal. NOTE: 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.
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivated by the surreal events and powers of this magic story Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 May 2022Verified Purchase Having read the first book in this trilogy, I had a number of questions about the world of magic MJ Mallon had conjured up in this tale of Amelina and the spiritual and mystical powers she faces, both positive and negative. Golden Healer answered several of my questions and clarified Amelina’s world for me. It opened up realms both terrifying and beautiful, as Amelina journeys on, aided by her allies, and threatened by repugnant spirits.
I am captivated by MJ Mallon’s descriptive writing which dazzles the reader; and she truly develops the potential of her imaginative ideas: chocolates that cast spells; a bossy front doormat; a magic paintbrush that can create illness through a white icy mist over a portrait; the Grasshopper who steals time; a magical environment that can open up your worst nightmares or your most enchanted dreams. Packed with surreal events and powers, this story is often a mind-bending read.
I found myself drawn in by Amelina and her predicament, navigating her parents, her quirky aunt Karissa who bestows dangerous magical gifts, her friends Jade, Ilaria and Joselyn; the tragic and fascinating Esme, trapped in the mirror; and the evil Ryder, Shadow Sorcerer, who appears so charismatic and charming on the surface to others.
I was intrigued by the changing viewpoints within the story: mostly first person in the mind of Amelina, but at one point in the viewpoint of her father Mark, and then switching to third person near the end. The idea of the Crystal Cottage continues to fascinate me, and the law that states “only spiritual and magical individuals may approach the crystals safely.” A true Krystallos of the mightiest power, we learn, must be female, intuitive, a fierce protector, and kind of heart. This role is Amelina’s. Her aunt Karissa is an Ice Krystallos and her father Mark a Fire Krystallos.
Alongside the magical dimension in the story we are carried forward in the real world of school life and volatile emotions and shifting relationships between the teenagers: Emily and Jade, both infatuated with the handsome Ryder; the new rapport Amelina discovers with Kyle; and the conflict this creates with Esme, over her own feelings for Kyle.
There is intense jeopardy in this story for Amelina; gifted with the master crystal Golden Healer, she receives the power to transform everything, right all wrongs and overcome evil; but only at great peril to herself. The risk is high in this treacherous spiritual realm; will she make the right choice?
I also loved the beautiful and cryptic ‘tanka’ poetry that opens each chapter, which is described as a ‘puzzle piece’.
With a dramatic and truly disturbing end, MJ Mallon’s readers can only wait in dread and hope for the final book of the trilogy!
This is a beautiful and personal account through poetry, prose and photographs, of the emotional highs and lows of the poet’s life. The poet is accompanied on her walk down memory lane by the three sisters of fate, the Morai: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos with whom she engages in conversation about the particular moments in time highlighted by the poems.
While the poems are personal, their themes are universal which makes them relatable to the reader and facilitates emotional engagement with the particular set of circumstances detailed in the various syllabic poems. The poems are accompanied by beautiful photographs, many of which are nature orientated. I particularly liked the Botanical Gardens Cambridge UK.
One of my favourite poems in the collection is My Daughters. Perhaps this one appeals so much to me because my own sons are standing on the cusp of adulthood and will soon be flying the nest. This is a short extract:
“Now the drama’s nearly over. I tremble. Expecting the next crisis to come rippling around the lake. The waters swaying. It’s stiller now. They’re wiser.”
This is a book that is best savoured slowly over a glass of wine.
Thank you so much to Colleen for this lovely Coffee Klatch post and review celebrating the launch of my new poetry, short fiction release Do What You Love.
Colleen’s Review Recommendation:
Do What You Love is a fantastical journey between the author and the three sisters of fate told in poetry and prose. Many of the reminiscences are autobiographical, sharing memories and photographs accompanied by poetry and short prose pieces.
In this gentle journey from her past, present, and future, Mallon weaves together the poetic threads of her life influenced by the three sisters of fate: Atropos, Clotho, and Lachesis. She shares with them many conversations about meeting her husband, what it was like living in Scotland, and later her life in Cambridge, featuring stories about her children and her own sentimental stories of growing up.
It’s Mallon’s nature photos and poetry that always send me to far-off lands filled with the beauty of Autumn. Watch for one of my favorites, the flash fiction piece called, “A New Harvest.”
A lovely read that leaves you reminiscing about your own past, present, and future.
Thank you so much to Linda Hill for this wonderful chat and review about my new book: Do What You Love. Do pop over to her blog to share in with some dim sum, cake and chit chat!
A small and perfectly formed collection about finding your way in life.
Do What You Love is simply lovely. Marjorie Mallon bases her collection on an iterative image of and conversation with the Fates as well as the concept of doing what a person loves and she affords the reader a personal insight into her life and family as she does so. I really recommend reading her author introduction in advance of the rest of the book because it sets the scene so beautifully.
Given that this is a very personal book, I was concerned that it would be too specific to the author. Not a bit of it. There’s a wide range in Do What You Love that encompasses poetry, prose and photography so that there really is something for every reader. I particularly enjoyed the variety of writing style. The first entry, Fragility Of Your Flame, feels very traditional in style, reminiscent of traditional fables and this is continued throughout the collection, giving balance to the shorter entries as the author imagines conversations with the Fates that enable her to reflect on her life and family.
There’s such a range of emotion in Do What You Love. Parents will experience the pain of letting go of their children even whilst they might be immensely proud of them. Marjorie Mallon illustrates love, joy, sadness, pride, the impact of nature on an individual and so much more. Her sense of place and history comes through with just a tweak of her pen and she so celebrates a childlike sense of awe and joy that she helps readers connect (or indeed reconnect) with their own happiness. I especially enjoyed the entries about trees because the author reignited my love of nature.
Do What You Love is a highly personal collection to Marjorie Mallon, but at the same time as giving readers a glimpse into who she is and where she has come from, she gently guides readers to contemplate their own lives, to live more positively and to appreciate each moment. This is such a wonderful message. and a much needed one in today’s world.
Thank you so much to Debby Gies for this wonderful 5 star review of my latest release, Do What You Love.
MJ Mallon has written a heartfelt book with memories, prose, and poetry, incorporated with stories of life, love, family, and nature. In some of her stories, she is in conversation with the fates: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, the three Moirai representing the cycle of life – birth, life and death, past, present and future. We will read shared conversations about meeting her husband, her homeland of Scotland, stories about children that grow up and leave the nest, and nostalgic stories of growing up with her parents. There are many beautiful images MJ intersperes amid her stories.
Stories from the heart is what I would classify this book – poignant moments that left indelible imprints on the author and will touch the reader, a reminiscing through life and new adventures. This book is a wonderful slice of life celebrated and spoken by the author through beautiful written words.
Debby Gies
Favorite Quote: Long lasting marriages must be friends…”
Thank you so much to Sally for this wonderful 5 star review. Delighted!
This is a delightful poetic and reflective collection of poetry, photography and flash fiction. In the company of three sisters of fate, the Morai: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, the author travels back in time to showcase meaningful moments of love, family, adventure and places close to her heart.
The three mythical sisters allow for interaction and exploration behind the meaning of events, meetings and connections to nature. This makes the collection very intimate and also heart-warming as the reader is reminded of their own special moments in life.
As with other collections by Marjorie Mallon nature is a key element to the narrative with flowers and trees in particular receiving their moment in the spotlight.
Family is also given the prominence it deserves, with parents and childhood memories celebrated. The love and pride for the achievements of daughters are touched by the sorrow of an inevitable parting of ways, despite the knowledge that both have inherited strength and talent that will enable them to thrive.
This is a gentle recollection of exotic places, nature, family, memories and excitement for new adventures in the sun of Portugal. The reader is left with a sense of hope and a reminder of their own lives and moments they treasure. Recommended.
