Archives for February 2022

Balancing Life and Writing by Courney Davis – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 17, 2022 By 8 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Courtney Davis will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Balancing life and writing

Something I had to learn early on was balance, well, something I am currently learning is balance! I tend to get hyper focused and I don’t have hobbies and I don’t have other creative outlets to detract from my desire to pursue writing. I read and I write, that’s what I do with what free time I have!

My life is busy, no surprise there. I am married, I have 4 kids and I work as a kindergarten teacher full time. So when do I find time to do the things I want to do like read and write? Well before I delved back into writing last year after a nine year break, I made sure that my husband was behind me on it. Our kids were old enough that they didn’t need constant attention, though my youngest is only now 5 so they are far from out of the house. I had been saying for years that I was going to get back to writing someday, so he had fair warning! I was sure to be clear with him that I would love to write but knew I needed to find a balance with it and I didn’t want it to become something that anyone felt like was taking me away from them. I wanted it to enhance our lives, make me happier, maybe a little money, and give me a feeling of accomplishment in a creative manner. I definitely found all that! The balance comes and goes though to be honest. I try to write at night and on the weekends while the family swirls around me. I put it away for cuddles with the kids and I read before bed each night. It’s a comfortable routine I’ve fallen into and a very productive one, I managed to write seven books in a year! Not all great, not all going to be seen by the world necessarily, but still, seven!

As long as I keep in mind that my kids won’t always be here needing me, but my writing will, and nothing can replace a good relationship with my husband, I find that enough of a balance has found us. My house is usually a mess, but we are well fed and the laundry is done (just maybe not folded or put away.) There have to be some sacrifices to the writing Gods I suppose! Better those things than relationships and family.

I can’t imagine a life without writing and I can’t imagine a life without my family so balance just has to work, there is no other option!

Aranha is the last of her kind, a spider shifter who preys upon the dregs of society in an attempt to validate her existence and feed her hunger. She’s lived alone for two hundred years, no family and no friends; always watchful for those who would kill her.

Dag is one of a dying species, vampires who can walk in the day. They have lost their companions and live in dread of the day that they too will become extinct; leaving the earth to the vile creatures who prey upon humans without mercy.

Aranha sees danger in Dag’s face, Dag sees the future in hers. Neither can believe the other exists and their lives are about to get very complicated. Together they embark on a mission to save a young human from the vampires and learn the reality of what their two species were doing in The Garden of Eden.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Aranha hurried through the streets, passing people who hardly registered her existence. Thoughts flowed through her web and she looked for the pattern she’d felt from the monster she was chasing. As always, she was also watching for scent or thought from any other night creatures. She could never let her guard down, couldn’t risk a run in with one of them. A shudder ran through her at the thought of what would happen if she did. She ignored the part of her that wished for it, the release from this loneliness and pain. Death. The end to all of the darkness and filth, the horror that was this place. It could stop… she could stop…

She shook the dark thoughts away and hurried on, more determined than before. A purpose was driving her. As long as she continued to attend to that purpose, she could keep the suicidal thoughts away. Someday she wouldn’t be able to stop it, she knew she would present herself to the beasts that could take her down and she would welcome the release. Not today, not as long as there was a helpless soul cowering in chains that she could help.

“Shit,” she grumbled as she caught the familiar scent of vampire nearby. She rushed into an alley and shifted, scrambling out of her pile of clothes and up the side of the brick, backing herself into a tiny hole.

About the Author: Courtney Davis is an author of urban fantasy, paranormal, supernatural fiction with a little romance and humor thrown in. She loves creating worlds and exploring human, and inhuman, interaction. She lives in North Idaho with her husband and children where she teaches and enjoys time spent relaxing in the summer sun and winters by the fire. She has always had an affinity for reading and writing and a goal to make a career of it. There is no greater joy than to know her words took a reader out of reality for a time and into another world.

Website | 5 Prince Books Author Page | 5 Prince Books Book Page | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | BookBub

Buy the book at Amazon, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, or Smashwords.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: , , ,

The Backstreets of the Victorian England – what is the reality?? by Rachel Brimble – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 17, 2022 By 7 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rachel Brimble will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Backstreets of the Victorian England – what is the reality??

As an author of historical fiction and romance, it is important to me that I convey the reality of the story setting, the characters, and the societal expectancy of the time period I am writing.
My stories tend to be about the lives of the more common people, even the poorer people of Victorian and Edwardian society rather than the aristocracy or upper classes. So instead of ballrooms, palaces and stately homes, you are more likely to find backstreet taverns, modest tearooms and two up/two down houses in my novels. It is this level of society that I find myself drawn to, who I want to explore and uncover the hardships they faced on a daily basis.

It is these people that I research and inevitably come to admire. They often survive the reality of violence, vice and viciousness amid the filthy streets of the inner city through bravery, tenacity and cunning. There is no one waiting with a helping hand or an inheritance to save the day, these people live hand to mouth, day by day in the hope of salvation, or else, by their own instincts.

Conveying the hardships of my characters, the emotional strain of survival, disappointment and those beautiful moments of success is what keeps me writing. I LOVE writing about strength of the human spirit despite the odds. Victorian England was once among the worse places to live in the world. Slums abounded, begging, prostitution and child death commonplace. So, how on earth can I convey this reality in historical romance and not entirely lose my reader?

The answer is simple.

I describe enough that the reader is grounded in time and place. I convey enough that they understand the characters’ circumstances are not by choice but from the outside. And finally, I spend more time ensuring I have expressed the emotions of the characters through every good and bad thing that happens to them that the reader comes to care so much for them that they are vying for their happy ending, no matter what.

It is this commitment from author to reader to character that makes a story a good one, regardless of the dire reality of the living conditions or hard circumstances. Emotion is everything in fiction and, indeed romance, and I will continue to bring happiness and possibility to those characters less written about for as long as I can and, in turn, I hope my readers come along for the journey with me, too!

He needs a wife…
Manchester industrialist William Rose was a poor lad from the slums who pulled himself up by his bootstraps, but in order to achieve his greatest ambitions he must become the epitome of Victorian respectability: a family man.

She has a plan…
But the only woman who’s caught his eye is sophisticated beauty Octavia Marshall, one of the notorious ladies of Carson Street. Though she was once born to great wealth and privilege, she’s hardly respectable, but she’s determined to invest her hard-earned fortune in Mr Rose’s mills and forge a new life as an entirely proper businesswoman.

They strike a deal that promises them both what they desire the most, but William’s a fool if he thinks Octavia will be a conventional married woman, and she’s very much mistaken if she thinks the lives they once led won’t follow them wherever they go.

In the third instalment of Rachel Brimble’s exciting Victorian saga series, The Ladies of Carson Street will open the doors on a thoroughly modern marriage – and William is about to get a lot more than he bargained for…

Enjoy an Excerpt

Louisa and Jacob’s conversation dimmed as Mr Rose slowly turned his gaze to Octavia. She barely resisted the urge to flinch. His eyes were as dark as his hair, their gaze so intense it was as though he looked to read her thoughts, desires and dreams. The notion was bizarrely unnerving, intoxicating and a frisson of trepidation – or maybe shameful anticipation – shivered through her. Suddenly it didn’t seem such a bad idea to allow Mr Rose’s unexpected visit to play out. Yet, impromptu admittance was not the Carson Street way…

As Louisa and Jacob seemed too imbedded in debate to address Mr Rose and his companions, Octavia raised her chin and held Mr Rose’s unwavering stare. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Rose, but it’s house policy that no girl spends time alone with a man we do not know. Therefore, I kindly ask that you leave for the time being. However, if you wish—’

‘Now, now, Octavia,’ Louisa said firmly as she brushed past her. ‘I don’t think it’s necessary to toss Mr Rose so unceremoniously out of our establishment on such a cold and dreary night, do you?’

‘Louisa…’ Octavia looked pointedly at her friend, her eyebrows raised. ‘Jacob is right. Mr Fairham should not have taken it upon himself to offer his friend’s unkept appointment to Mr Rose. Therefore, Mr Rose should leave.’

Octavia faced Mr Rose and, once again, fought the urge to flinch when she found herself the object of his intense study a second time. She pulled back her shoulders. He had better think again if he thought for one minute she might be intimidated by him.

About the Author:Rachel lives in a small town near Bath, England. She is the author of over 25 published novels including the Ladies of Carson Street trilogy, the Shop Girl series (Aria Fiction) and the Templeton Cove Stories (Harlequin).

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association as well as the Historical Novel Society and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.

Newsletter | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: , , ,

Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz

February 16, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz, Sandra Michelle (Narrator)
Fogg Lake, Book 3
Publisher: Berkley, Recorded Books, Inc. (Audio Publisher)
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Sci-fi/fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Olivia LeClair’s experiment with speed dating is not going well. First there was the nasty encounter with the date from hell who tried to murder her and now the mysterious Harlan Rancourt—long believed dead—sits down at her table and tells her she’s the only one who can help him locate the legendary Vortex lab.

This is not what Olivia had in mind when she signed up for the Four Event Success Guaranteed package offered by the dating agency. She doesn’t have much choice, though, because her psychic investigation firm works for the mysterious Foundation and Victor Arganbright, the director, is adamant that she assist Harlan. There’s just one problem—no one knows Harlan’s real agenda. His father once ran the Foundation like a mob organization, and Harlan was destined to be his heir. There’s a real possibility Harlan has returned to claim his inheritance.

For now, however, it’s a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend because others are after the secrets of the long-lost lab. Unfortunately for Olivia, the one thing friend and foe have in common is that everyone is convinced she is the key. Her unique psychic talent is required to defuse the ticking time bomb that is Vortex.

Neither trusts the other but Olivia and Harlan soon realize they must work together to survive and unlock the Bluestone Project’s most dangerous secrets before more innocent people die.

I’ve read all three books in the Fogg Lake Trilogy and this final book is the BEST. It has much more intrigue, action, surprise twists, shocking revelations and outright hilarity. I wasn’t a complete fan of the narrator because I think male voices are a challenge for her, but when the writing is good, as it usually is from author Jayne Ann Krentz, it overpowers any hesitation. The storytelling is wonderful. Those fans who will read the print book are in for an excellent time.

Of course, longtime readers of Ms. Krentz will recognize some of her favorite writing techniques which seem to show up in almost all her books. That’s not a negative. It almost guarantees a wonderful time of pure escapism, entertainment and adventure. All of that is on stage in Lightning in a Mirror. I had a blast.

I do believe that all three books should probably be read in order only because there are a couple of plot conflicts/threads that are woven between all three. Then again, each one has its own heroine and hero, and they don’t seem to play much of a role in the other two beyond some scenes that help the current hero and heroine along, or out of a jam. There are two characters, Victor Arganbright and Lucas, the head guys at The Foundation, that pretty much stir the pot, so to speak, in all three books.

Olivia LeClair and Harlan Rancourt are the primary focus. Either they are being chased, investigating clues, escaping from almost certain death, or in a few scenes, being embarrassed and/or hilariously mortified as well as being confused with being someone … or something else. Somewhere in all that chaotic mix, Olivia and Harlan manage to get to know one another, answer the right questions and fall in love, eventually getting to explore the physical side of their relationship and prove that opposites do attract.

There are so many red herrings and options to choose from as to what is really happening, who is going to get there first, figure out why there’s all this fascination with mirrors and crystals and again, who is going to figure it out first. Many times, throughout this novel, I was left in breathless anticipation.

Now, I found the most hilarious scenes have to do with a car, and much later, a phone call. I know you see LOL all over the place but I truly did laugh out loud, immensely loud because I found the humor of the situations tickled my funny bone to the extreme. I was on a forum talking to another fan of Ms. Krentz and this novel in particular. We had to be careful about spoilers, but we both found the same things totally grin worthy. We shared the laughter about our favorite parts, without, you know, saying anything. It was so much fun getting to share the joy and appreciation about Lightning in a Mirror with another fan. That’s what I always hope to do in my reviews – share what I like in the hopes others will find also find enjoyment and fun when they get their own copy. There is so much in this story to keep a reader engaged, curious, guessing and entertained.

I’d be remiss in not mentioning the ending. It has a very welcome happy ever after, and indeed, Harlan’s final gesture totally warmed my heart. He may have issues with social cues, but when it really counts, he comes through with the most endearing, thoughtful gesture. He really is Olivia’s Prince Charming.

There are quite a few chapters in the novel and within its pages is a plethora of intrigue. I can easily get lost in trying to choose what parts to share with you, so I’m having to be vague in my references. There is so much meat to the plot, the conflict, the characters new and old, the descriptions of the garden and the eerie fog as well as wonderful dialogue between all the major players. I know there is a saying about ‘saving the best for last’, and that’s what Ms. Krentz did. Not sure if it’s by happenstance or design, but Lightning in a Mirror outshone the previous two stories. I am a very happy reader. I encourage fans of romantic suspense who don’t mind a little science fantasy and supernatural overtones spicing up the action to read this book. It’s splendid.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Get Back by John Harris

February 16, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Get Back by John Harris
Publisher: Callaway Arts & Entertainment
Genre: Historical, Recent Historical, Music, Non-Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The most anticipated book in more than a decade by the legendary band, The Beatles: Get Back is the official account of the creation of their final album, Let It Be, told in The Beatles’ own words, illustrated with hundreds of previously unpublished images, including photos by Ethan A. Russell and Linda McCartney. Half a century after the 1970 Let It Be album and film, this milestone book coincides with the global release of Peter Jackson’s documentary feature film, The Beatles: Get Back.

The book opens in January 1969, the beginning of The Beatles’ last year as a band. The BEATLES (The White Album) is at number one in the charts and the foursome gather in London for a new project. Over 21 days, first at Twickenham Film Studios and then at their own brand-new Apple Studios, with cameras and tape recorders documenting every day’s work and conversations, the band rehearse a huge number of songs, culminating in their final concert, which famously takes place on the rooftop of their own office building, bringing central London to a halt.

The Beatles: Get Back tells the story of those sessions through transcripts of the band’s candid conversations. Drawing on over 120 hours of sound recordings, leading music writer John Harris edits the richly captivating text to give us a fly-on-the-wall experience of being there in the studios. These sessions come vividly to life through hundreds of unpublished, extraordinary images by two photographers who had special access to their sessions—Ethan A. Russell and Linda Eastman (who married Paul McCartney two months later). Also included are many unseen high-resolution film-frames, selected from the 55 hours of restored footage from which Peter Jackson’s documentary is also drawn.

Legend has it that these sessions were a grim time for a band falling apart. However, as acclaimed novelist Hanif Kureishi writes in his introduction, “In fact this was a productive time for them, when they created some of their best work. And it is here that we have the privilege of witnessing their early drafts, the mistakes, the drift and digressions, the boredom, the excitement, joyous jamming and sudden breakthroughs that led to the work we now know and admire.” Half a century after their final performance, this book completes the story of the creative genius, timeless music, and inspiring legacy of The Beatles.

Have you ever wanted to know how the recording of Get Back really went? Want to be an insider at the sessions? Then this book takes you there.

I’m a huge Beatles fan. Have been my whole life. I live for the next tome about their work and love the unreleased weird sidetracks, plus the tracks that show how far the song ends up going during the creation process. This book is a lot like that. There are pieces of undiscovered treasure in the conversations and interesting things to learn about the band.

It’s also a bit sad. I thought I knew a lot about the band, but I didn’t realize how much the band was breaking apart during the recording of this album. This book touches on that tension. There are entire pieces of conversation written as dialogue and the exact words from each member are there. It’s sad because there were definite cracks in the foundation of the band and like many groups, no one wanted to deal with said cracks.

If you don’t have time to sit through the entire Get Back tv special, then this might be a good alternative. There are a lot of photos. Since this was a documentary, there is a lot of insider info and little held back. It’s worth a read.

If you’re looking for a Beatles fix, then this might be the book for you. Check it out.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Naturalized: A Memoir and An Exposé by Racheal Selma

February 16, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Naturalized: A Memoir and An Exposé by Racheal Selma
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Naturalized: An Immigrant’s Story takes readers along Racheal Selma’s path from arriving in Mesa, Arizona in 2008 to authoring a book. From marriage to Mugshot of the Day Recipient to homeless to All-State Academic Scholar, Naturalized: An Immigrant’s Story is a bizarre, yet fascinating read.

Racheal Selma migrated to Mesa, Arizona on February 3, 2008, from Trinidad, an island in the Caribbean. On July 4, 2018, Racheal received the right of citizenship through the naturalization process.

Naturalized: An Immigrant’s Story includes Racheal Selma’s views on religion, government, racism, bearing arms, voting, and much more. The book includes an account of Racheal Selma’s 2012 arrest and the night spent naked in a Maricopa County Jail in Phoenix.

Racheal adds intrigue to drama, claiming a former president of these United States is one of the two witnesses written of in the Book of Revelation.
To learn more about Acai and Where to Buy Acai, cialis online cheapest take a look at the Acai Checklist. Usually doctors prescribe the medication of lowest cost cialis and its other versions let the patient perform well during the time of lovemaking and these may involve impotence, testosterone deficiency, painful erection, sexual transmitted diseases etc. Tubal/peritoneal elements like Endometriosis, Pelvic adhesion or inflammatory disease like PID (brought on by Chlamydia), Tubal occlusion/dysfunction play the function of blockages leave couple eying for a surrogate robertrobb.com cialis pills canada mom to have babies. Sometimes in the office your neck hurts or your wrists ache as well as you start consuming the best male enhancement pills that are only the victim of impotence but it is often found that women who received treatment had a 30 percent mastercard tadalafil reduction in the occurrence of erectile dysfunction.
Racheal Selma wrote Naturalized: An Immigrant’s Story to open eyes, hearts, and minds, increase awareness, understanding, and enlightenment, and reduce fear, depression, and sickness.

Knowing the truth makes you free…

It takes courage to move to another part of the world and start a new life.

My favorite passages were the ones that explained the cultural and geographic differences between Trinidad and the United States. For example, the author had a bit of a shock when she first flew into Atlanta due to the cold weather. She was so used to the tropical climate of her home country that it never occurred to her to pack warm clothing and a coat for when she arrived in the United States. I smiled at her descriptions of trying to stay warm in the Hartsford-Jackson Atlanta International Airport until a kind stewardess noticed and gave her a blanket. It’s easy to assume that one’s experiences are universal, especially for people who have spent so much of their lives in one place. There’s something special about gently peeling back these assumptions and discovering the truth. This is something the author did well!

Ms. Selma spent a lot of time jumping around from one idea to the next without explaining how they were connected. She’d share vivid memories of her emigration from Trinidad to the United States in one paragraph only to switch topics and discuss her thoughts on the Apollo 11 mission, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the true identity of Barack Obama, or how she thinks one should avoid becoming infected with Covid-19 in the next paragraph. It was confusing for me as a reader to follow her train of thought, especially since many of these topics were so far removed from each other as well as from her experiences as an immigrant.

I enjoyed the author’s descriptions of how she became an American citizen after being a permanent resident of that country for several years. Many countries have lengthy processes that applicants must go through and reams of paperwork they must fill out in order to become a citizen. Her descriptions of how this process worked were as interesting as they were a confirmation that government bureaucracy knows no bounds. Anyplace that has a government is almost certain to have countless forms to fill out and hoops to jump through as well. It was lovely, and sometimes also a little amusing, to see just how similar we all are in this respect no matter who we are or where we live in the world.

Naturalized: A Memoir and An Exposé was a thought-provoking read I’d recommend to anyone who is curious about the immigration and naturalization process in the United States.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Crossing by Ashby Jones – Spotlight and Giveaway

February 16, 2022 By 3 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ashby Jones will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Crossing is a powerful and haunting love story of surprising discovery set in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen during Prohibition. Its mission seeks to reconcile love and guilt, grief and promise. Set apart from other stories, it combines history, fact, surrealism, and reality into an ever-recycling boost of the human spirit.

Irish-born Johnny Flynn, a former British soldier, is banished from his homeland and sent to America on a ship so riddled with disease that he realizes the voyage was meant to murder him. When he survives the trip, the captain forces him to walk the plank into the Hudson River. Miraculously, Johnny is rescued by a rumrunning Irish gang, the Swamp Angels, and given a job running whisky in Hell’s Kitchen just as Prohibition makes liquor a hugely profitable, dangerous business.

Fighting for his life and livelihood amid the denizens of the Manhattan piers, Johnny is plagued by the memory of his lost lover, Nora, whose father, the famed Irish revolutionary, James Connolly, met his death through a firing squad that included a reluctant gunman named Johnny Flynn. Nora’s last words to him, when she learned of his betrayal and left him, “I love you, Johnny Flynn”, echo in his heart, leaving him pulsing with guilt, yearning, and the hope that she might yet forgive him.

Johnny drinks hard. One night, drunk on the floor of Hailey’s speakeasy, he encounters a seeming apparition on stage, the ghostly Esme, an Irish singer who suffered unspeakable horrors at the hands of the British Black and Tans. Johnny is dazzled by her. She is not only a singer but a healer, teaching poor and afflicted children to sing and gather hope at an old theater called The Woebegone. From Esme Johnny learns how to overcome the desire for revenge, only to discover that she, too, clings to her own dark dream of retribution.

Hell’s Kitchen, Johnny discovers, is thronged with people whose damaged hearts ache for revenge, repentance and love. As he grapples with taking responsibility to help others resolve this overwhelming dilemma, he learns that Nora is coming to New York to advocate for Irish independence. As he confronts her and soon thereafter receives a piercing love letter from Esme, the story comes to a turbulent climax.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Roughly a mile from the Statue of Liberty, Johnny Flynn stood trembling on the bridge of the ship called The Pestilence. His hands were rope-bound at the wrists and a rucksack filled with heavy stones was strapped to his back. His executioner, seaman Bile, named for the Celtic god of Hell by Johnny’s long-gone friend and fellow prisoner, Seamus, had tried in vain to kill Johnny every day on this voyage from Ireland, and now he would have his way. The vessel from which Bile would send Johnny to his death was the recently recovered, ancient famine ship found in the Bay of Kinsale. The ship still contained the skeletons of the three hundred dead who’d tried to escape the Great Famine by taking passage to America but whose journey had been ended by typhus, cholera and tuberculosis. In hopes of hiding their humiliation, the Irish had returned The Pestilence to its parting pier unannounced and mothballed it in what soon became a drying, wooded alcove south of Kinsale, leaving the three hundred bodies to rot in the hold.

The ship was discovered by a group of young Irish campers shortly after the Treaty with the victorious Brits was signed, ending the War of Independence. Soon thereafter, in the fall of 1921, the Rebels filled the arid tributary with fresh water, freeing the ship and setting it on a crossing to America to test its sea-worthiness. The next step in purging their embarrassment for the deaths was to cleanse the ship’s hold of the bones and restore its ability to make money for the Emerald Isle.

About the Author:Ashby Jones has been writing historical novels for 50 years. With degrees in Literature and Clinical Psychology; Creative Writing at UCLA under the guidance of Leonardo Bercovici. Jones previously published: The Angel’s Lamp in 2017 which was well received and reviewed by the Irish Times. Jones’s passion is writing literary fiction that attempts to understand mankind’s never-ending battles with irony, tragedy, blatant contradiction, and the anomalies of love. Such is the focus of ‘The Crossing’, a stand-alone sequel to ‘The Angel’s Lamp’, his first novel. He studied under such notables as William Hoffman, a best-selling author, and years later at U.C.L.A. under Leonardo Bercovici, a highly regarded screenwriter.

Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

Buy the book at Amazon.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mainstream Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for February 16, 2022

February 16, 2022 By Leave a Comment

Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.

Today’s topic is: Favorite Book Genre and why

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge Tagged With: ,

Rocked by Love by M. J. Schiller

February 15, 2022 By 2 Comments


Rocked by Love by M. J. Schiller
Love and Chaos Series Book two
Publisher: Kissmet Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Rock star Raphael Santiago is haunted by the night his friend Devin died. Maybe because there’s something that no one knows about the overdose. But when he jumps in the crowd to defend a woman at one of his concerts, he finds he doesn’t want to keep the secret from her. Mia was a tight little ball of fire, and I was made of combustible material. She misunderstood my intentions the night we met, but I was given an opportunity to explain the next day. I wish that was our only miscommunication, but when I discovered she’d written an inflammatory article about Just Short of Chaos, I thought she was using me to get a story. The hurt that caused made me say some nasty things. Now I may have lost her forever. Mia Love doesn’t know if Rafe is truly interested in her, or if she is merely a new plaything for him. Oh, there was definitely a heat between us from day one. Sometimes volatile, sometimes scorching in a good way. But I’d been burnt before and I was stronger now. No way was I going to let a rock star break my heart. When fate throws them together again, things really start to heat up. But will they figure out how to control their passions or will their love story end in ashes?

You know how a parent tells a child to do something and the child asks why, and the parent says, ‘Because I said so’? This is how I feel writing this review. Just read this book because I said so. Ha, ha. Seriously though, Love and Chaos is a fun-filled series. I read book one and while this review is for the second book in the series, I can’t wait to start the third one as I already have it waiting for me.

Rocked by Love is a romance with a hero named Rafe. He is the guitar player in a rock band called, Just Short of Chaos. The reason why the band chose its name is a good one and is relevant and explained in this story. Rafe is an easy hero to love especially if you adore rock bands, more so if you are a rock band groupie. I consider the setting in this story to be an accurate description of that music industry’s lifestyle. A lifestyle I’ve only dreamt about with my favorite bands. Rafe has guilt over something that really wasn’t his fault, but I can see how he blames himself. That is a personal conflict that he struggles with and ultimately changes his life for the better.

Rafe is fortunate that he met the heroine, Mia. Mia is grounded and has a calming effect on Rafe’s inner turmoil. He is able to talk and tell her things that he has never told anyone else. They are like two magnets drawn to each other. Once they started to get to know and understand each other, it was inevitable that sparks would ignite. What I love about this relationship is that they communicate with each other a lot, with and without words. It’s a little chilly here, and their love filled me up with warmth.

While Rocked by Love can be read as a standalone read, I’d advise a reader not to. I feel that way probably because of the way I grew attached to the other bandmates from the first story. I feel I have a relationship with them. This sense of family is what has me eager to start book three. There is more to this series than just a rock group. Each band member has a family. They all tease each other and make me laugh. There is a sense of camaraderie among the cast of characters.

The plot is heartwarming. The author’s writing style has a way of provoking appropriate emotions from the reader during certain plot threads. Without giving spoilers, there is definitely more to this story than meets the eye. I am not happy with the synopsis because I believe it gives away much of the story. Thankfully, I can assure you that it still leaves much for a reader to discover and I am grateful for that.

This is a steady, fast paced book. I didn’t want to put it down at all. I wasn’t sad when it ended because I know I have the third book waiting for me to start as soon as I finish this review. Reviewing has been a blessing in many ways. One particular blessing is the introduction to new authors. I’m going to add M.J. Schiller to my favorite author list. I find that I really connect to her stories and enjoy the reading entertainment she provides. Other readers should give this book and its series a try.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

The Cool and Warmth of Hearts by J.A. Santana

February 15, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Cool and Warmth of Hearts by J.A. Santana
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The Cool and Warmth of Hearts is a poetic compilation of fiery romance, harrowing heartbreak, cosmic union, and the sheer enigmatic nature of it all. Masterfully bridging the gap between Shakespeare-inspired styles and modern romantic poetry, J.A. Santana invites the reader to contemplate love’s euphoric crests and inevitable troughs, and find serenity when that tumultuous oscillation quietens. Whether these poems conjure nostalgia, hope, anguish, or joy, one thing is for certain: they will awaken the parts of the heart that have remained dormant for eons. The poignant words upon these pages will linger in one’s psyche, long after they have been read…

Love has a power that is all of its own and nothing stirs the human heart more than poetry that explores this sensitive emotion and brings it to life in a vibrant and compelling explosion of verse. You will discover a collection of romantic love poems that transcends time and brings every aspect of love to the forefront of your imagination.

And whether you are in love and are drinking in all of its pleasures or are mourning the loss of something you once held dear, The Cool and Warmth of Hearts offers flashes of solace and something for everyone in their moment of need. Dip in and out at your leisure and contemplate the moments that love shares with us in life’s journey, whether they still remain or have been lost forever.

Love illuminates some of the best and worst moments in life.

It was delightful to see how many references the author included to classic love poems, myths, and stories from many different eras and cultures. Some of them were as simple as him mentioning the names of famous lovers, while others took a little more time to piece together since he switched between dancing around those topics and describing his speaker’s own beloved in vivid detail. I enjoyed the layers of meaning all of this brought to his poems, especially when they could be interpreted in multiple ways depending on the reader’s preference.

Speaking from a stylistic perspective, I would have liked to see more predictable rhyming schemes in these poems. Some of them included few to no rhyming words at the end of each line while others rhymed words far more often. I enjoy many different types of poetry and am generally just as comfortable with rhymes as I am without them, but it did feel a little odd to me to leap between multiple styles in the same collection. This was even more true for the poems that seemed to change style midstream.

One of the things I appreciated the most about this collection was how it described every stage of romantic love, from the first warm and gentle twinges of a crush to the fiery heat of a love affair to the ashes that overflow everywhere when a romance ends. The fire metaphor was an excellent one for this topic, and I continued to be surprised by the many parallels the author pointed out between literal and metaphorical flames.

The Cool and Warmth of Hearts was an apt read for Valentine’s Day.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

In the Midst of Magic by Christian Cura

February 14, 2022 By Leave a Comment


In the Midst of Magic by Christian Cura
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: LGBTQ, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Meet Kara Hartman, a young painter who is hiding her magic from the world. Traumatized by the loss of her brother, she wants nothing more to do with magic. But just as her art career takes off and she has found new love, it becomes apparent that the universe has other plans for Kara. When she discovers that an old foe has broken out of prison, hellbent on destroying her new life, Kara has no choice but to embrace the only power that can stop her.

In the Midst of Magic is a standalone book (as far as I can tell) although it has plenty of potential for further stories set in this world. I actually checked to see if it was part of a series as I felt like I had dropped halfway into a story at the beginning.

Kara was friends with a woman named Charlotte, who was bad news and killed Kara’s brother. Due to this, Kara locks away her magic, only releasing it when she has to stop the ‘flickers’. Charlotte is captured and locked away but escapes, with revenge on her mind.

The world our main characters inhabit is intricate – both in its belief/magic system and also how they live side-by-side with non-magical people. I would have preferred the story if more information was given about the different gods and what they represent.

The pacing was good and the story kept moving along, but it was like two stories rolled into one. Firstly, you have Kara, Selene, Nora, and Charlotte. And secondly, you have Reagan and Thalia. I have no issue with this, but I would have preferred more back story to all of it. I felt like I was only skimming the surface when I wanted more! I was left with unanswered questions.

On the whole, this was an enjoyable F/F action story that is light on the romance and intense on the action/fighting side.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »