Tag Archive | book-review

Twice A Broken Breath

Sep27

Book Link

From Amazon:

She stole his world. He’s got twenty-four hours to get it back.

Although Liam Tallamore can’t remember the first fourteen years of his life, he’s built a happy home with his wife, Carly, and their two children in suburban New Jersey … until one Friday afternoon when everything changes.

While cashing his paycheck, he’s told his bank accounts have been emptied. Once at home, he learns Carly has left him for her first love—one he never knew existed. Most devastating of all, she’s taken their eight-year-old daughter, Rayelle, and is preparing to leave the country. As if things couldn’t get worse, he has no idea where their twenty-year-old son is or why he’s been unreachable for the past two months.

With total distrust in law enforcement and no clues to guide him, Liam hops on a train to New York City, Carly’s hometown. Through the next twenty-four hours, Liam goes on a wild, unforgiving, frantic search through rain-soaked Manhattan, experiencing the brightest and the darkest humanity has to offer. This is the story of a man who refuses to quit, determined to find “a needle in a haystack,” and who, in searching for the children he loves, doesn’t yet realize he’s searching for himself as well.

My Review:

Brodey tucked me into this book from the beginning. When there is strife and children in a marriage that was never the true and real love type, it tugs at my heart. I don’t want to give away much of this book, yet I must write my review so that anyone reading my review understands my thought process and the emotions I felt. Before I go on, 24 hours – yes, in 24 hours a lot can happen and more in less than a week. Children or a child kidnapped, the underbelly and underworld nuances of metro New York City, people who did prison time for different things, a father who adopted one child, and fathered another child only to have second child snatched away by a deceitful and malicious wife is more than enough for me to be sad and angry that the cruelty happened. Children should never have to go through such trauma and harm. And a 20 year old son should not have to hide out just so he’s not kidnapped and also taken to Italy of all places. Bad things happen to everyone in real life. That said, good things can happen to offset the pain and loss in one’s heart. The way the author wove these elements together, the speed and frenetic pace in just 24 hours in NYC, strangers on a train, meeting a homeless man, working through a disassociate person’s struggles, and a lot more blend perfectly with the laughter and joy of love, rescue, finding family, and enjoying life, despite the horrors of abuse and loss, being unloved by one’s father for his brother, who spent time in prison, blame placed wrongly, I can go on and on. This story has all of this and a lot more. It touched my heart deeply. Well done!

Authentically Dead

Aug1

Book Link

From Amazon:

A hair-raising, side-splitting supernatural adventure!

In the idyllic town of Pine Port, Kelsey was on the cusp of realizing her dreams. In weeks, she’d clasp her high school diploma and beauty license. Or so she thought, until her life took a supernatural detour, far removed from the ordinary path she’d envisioned before she stumbled upon her extraordinary ability—she could hear and see the deceased as if they were still living.

This wasn’t what she had hoped for and certainly not the kind of beauty treatment she had in mind. Juggling the intricacies of the living was already a challenge, and now with her power to commune with the dearly departed, she unexpectedly found herself on a mission to help the dead unearth their authentic selves as the local undertaker’s quirky assistant. Amidst a cast of eccentric characters, surprising friendships, and a generous dose of supernatural dark humor, Kelsey deftly navigated the realms of the living and the not-so-living in hilarious escapades as she struggled to keep her sanity and her sense of humor intact.

The burning question remained: Could Kelsey successfully graduate high school while straddling the realms of the living and the dead? Would she ever find her place in a world where the living and the departed collided in the most unpredictable ways? Discover the answers in “Authentically Dead,” a hair-raising, side-splitting supernatural adventure that will leave you in stitches and rooting for Kelsey every step of the way.

My Review:

This book is a true departure from most books I’ve read by this author. A teenage girl in her senior year of highschool is bullied for her quirkiness and being different. Yet only her mother knows how different our protagonist is as she and her mother were intuitive as well. After being tossed out of cosmetology school, she find a job in a funeral parlor doing hair and makeup. The dead talk to her, and not just talk, they unload secrets that only the next reader gets to find out what they are. Kusma must be rather intuitive to write this story so well.

Hotel Obscure

Jul27

Book Link:

From Amazon:

In a run-down neighborhood in an unnamed city, people live and die in “the Obscure.” Whether anyone remembers the real name of the derelict establishment is a mystery. In this six-story building, most who occupy the rooms are long-term residents, though some stay for as little as an hour.

The patronage is an eclectic group: musicians, writers, addicts, hookers, lonely people, poor people, rich people, once-well-off people, and those who have reason to hide from their former lives or to escape the demands of a disapproving and punishing society.

As shabby as the Obscure is, as long as its walls keep out the wind and the rain, it remains a shelter, a hideaway, and a home for the many bewildered souls. Hotel Obscure is a collection of seventeen short stories that all take place in or around the “the Obscure.”

While the stories stand alone, they are to be read in order. Some characters appear in multiple stories, and sometimes, a story will continue in an unexpected way. The Obscure is life. It is death. In the blink of an eye, it may appear supernatural. It is a place we all visit … whether metaphorically or physically, at least once in our time on Earth.

REVIEW from NY Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry: “Absolutely riveting. Lisette Brodey spins magic with HOTEL OBSCURE. Each story gives us a peek into the life of a collection of disparate characters. It’s the kind of storytelling that would appeal to Tom Waits, Charles Bukowski, or Leonard Cohen. It would also make one heck of a good anthology TV series. Brava!”

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I write characters as I hear them speak to me. Some of these stories contain non-gratuitous expletives and sexual references. If this is not to your liking, please don’t read this book. Thank you.

My Review:


Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Obscure yet not quite obscure Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2024

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If you’ve read other books by this author, you must read this one. Please note: If you can not handle cursing and such, then don’t read it. If you’re okay with that, you will read a book full of twists and turns as you read each story in order, and I highly recommend this five-star read! Honestly, on the first story, I was not sure about what I was reading. By the end, I knew I was hooked. Do read each story in order. I write that because each successive story builds upon the one before it, yet you wouldn’t know how until you immerse yourself into each story. Hotel Obscure is riveting and emotional at the same time. I don’t like giving away too much of a book, but I’m compelled to remark about one aspect. That is identity theft and stalking. I could relate to this as I recently had a stalker who left me more than 700 notifications in a 12 hour span overnight. Stalkers are always a bad thing, and they can hurt a person easily if they speak with you in person and know where you live. I was anxious as I read about the stalker in Hotel Obscure, and I worried about the woman being stalked and having her identity stolen right before her eyes.

Empire State

Jun27

Book Link

From Amazon:

Returning to Brooklyn after attending the wedding in the Sunshine State of her beloved brother, Salvatore, Loretta intends to resume the quiet life she has led for the last several years since retiring from being a nurse. Sixty years old and described by her best friend as a beautiful woman with curves, divorced for the last thirteen years she has given up on any notions of finding someone to love again. The only man romantically interested in her is her ex brother-in-law. Loretta is determined to never date him.

A pleasant encounter with a handsome mature man from Texas who has recently moved to New York at the bakery where she works part time complicates her decision to remain single. A curious infatuation turns to undeniable attraction when she again sees him at the bakery the next day.

Shepherd Sumner left Texas in the hopes of healing his broken heart after a bitter divorce. Hesitant to start a new relationship as his past emotional wounds continue to tear him apart, Loretta’s beauty and spirit weaken his resistance not to love again. Being a western romance author, he can seduce with the words he writes. He soon discovers the will to say what’s on his heart. In doing so, Loretta finds the courage to fall in love with him and to feel like a princess who has met her fairytale prince in a place referred to as the Empire State.

My Review:


Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice short romance Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2024

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This was a nice short romance read perfect for those who prefer two hour reads. Lots of romance, lots of sass, and the pain from broken relationships. The end is nicely wrapped up.

So This Happened…

Jun21

Book Link

I found a new review! I’ve been sitting at 92 for over a year. 93 my new number.

From Amazon:

After surviving the cruel rage of tyranny from her mother and ex-husband, Sarah Jackson traveled a new path; a journey of loss, heartbreak, and ultimately strength. How do we survive the unthinkable, our child suffering from a terminal illness? They say there is no greater loss than that of a child; I say losing a child is the king of loss. Sometimes the thing that helps us survive it, is knowing we are not alone. Bestselling author, Sarah Jackson, will take you on her journey of hope and strength as she provides an intimate raw look at her life.

New Review Number 93!

Top reviews from the United States

Lizzy

5.0 out of 5 stars A heartwrenching and important book

Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2024

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This book is a beautiful testament to a mother’s enduring love for her son, through the most unimaginable and heartbreaking circumstances.

I read this book over many days. There is a lot to digest on many levels.

Cancer is a brutal beast. It is gut-wrenching when an adult is diagnosed, but to be diagnosed at four, before his life had barely begun, is something impossible to understand.

The author, a registered nurse, was by her son’s side every step of the way. This book is a combination of many things: it is a woman’s journal (with many medical specifics), the story of a little boy (who loved water guns) and tried so very hard to carry on, the story of a woman fighting the imminent death of her son only to have an abusive husband (and mother) complicating and twisting her pain. It is also the author’s story of a blossoming love with a good man, who was steadfastly by her side, counteracting the sorrows, grief, and abuse as well as any mortal can.

In this book, the author mentions that after her son’s death, she was told by many that she should be “over it by now.” That hit me hard, as this is something I have not only personally dealt with, but seen many grieving human beings slimed with the same inappropriate and horrific commentary. We all have a right to feel what we feel and to grieve as we do. In reading this book, I hope that having journaled this sad transition from life to Heaven, that some comfort is given.

This was not an easy book to read, but an important one. I believe each reader will take from it what they most need to know. A brave and important book.


Eva and Bunny’s Breadventure

Jun20

Book Link

From Amazon:

Eva and Bunny’s Breadventure: A Global Illustrated Quest for Young Adventurers, Ideal for Ages 4-10

🌟 Unleash your child’s imagination with “Eva and Bunny’s Breadventure” – an enchanting illustrated children’s book that captures the hearts of young explorers aged 4-9! 🌟

🍞 “Eva and Bunny’s Breadventure” is the perfect choice for parents seeking captivating stories for children aged 4-9. With beautifullycraftedrhymesand vivid illustrations, every page comes alive sparks curiosity, and encourages exploration, enticing young readers to join Eva and Bunny on their epic worldwide adventure. This is the perfect addition to any young reader’s library.

🌎 Eva and Bunny’s quest to find the world’s best bread takes them from the bustling streets of India to the ancient landscapes of Greece, the culinary wonders of Italy, and beyond! Each stop on their adventure brings mouthwatering treats and cultural discoveries that will captivate your child’s imagination.

👨👩👧👦 As Eva and Bunny face challenges and new experiences, they learn valuable lessons about teamwork, determination, and the power of friendship. This heartwarming children’s book is sure to leave a lasting impression on young hearts.

📚 This captivating children’s book, brimming with charming rhymes, takes young readers on a whirlwind global tour from India to Mexico, in search of the world’s most mouthwatering bread.

🥇 Don’t miss out on this must-have addition to your children’s bookshelf! This amazing children’s book is perfect for bedtime stories, classroom settings, or anytime cuddle sessions. “Eva and Bunny’s Breadventure” is an ideal gift for little kids and young readers, combining fun, learning, and a love for worldwide adventure and global exploration. Grab your copy today and treat your child to an unforgettable reading experience!

My Review:

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes more is better than oneReviewed in the United States on June 19, 2024

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As a child, I never felt a need to find the very best bread in the world, and in the 60s, we simply had white bread and one brand in a tiny store, in a tiny town, in the middle of the USA. That fact contrasted vividly with this children’s book. They set off on a plane and tried breads in different countries, as they wanted the best bread for their shop since a competitor opened a bread store next door. They found tasty breads from Germany to Mexico and other countries between. Each bread was wonderful. Heading back home, they stop to picnic in Central Park. As they ate different breads, they realized that finding the one best bread was wrong. Thus, their small store carried breads from around the world and this made their store popular. As an older adult, I’ve tasted different breads, ones I had no idea of back in the 60s. My number one favorite is croissants, flaky ones. Your child can experience different breads in this cute story.

Long Lost Lies

Jun18

Book Link

From Amazon:

Alexa’s younger sister, Natalyn, is accused of murdering her boss, and why not? Jacob Burnley is found stabbed to death in Natalyn’s bed the morning after an office party. Because of this current chaos in Alexa’s life, Winnie is forced to take her place and travel to 1958 with Detective Slater for his next rookie Guardian Angel case. Before too long, Alexa finds herself entangled in a tricky situation: what could happen if her fiancé, Cliff Slater, a detective from the current century, would investigate the same murder as his grandfather, Clifton Slater, a detective from the previous century? Moreover, what would happen if said investigations were happening simultaneously? What kind of cross-interference could erupt on either side of time? What would that look like? Worlds collide, justice for a murdered girl hangs in the balance, and only time will tell.

My Review:

This book did not disappoint! I’ve read the other four books, and this was the best one yet. What happens when you toss together two detectives, a few women, several lawyers, more than one murder, and time traveling with guardian ghosts who take you back in time, never mind you can’t do anything to change history so you must tread carefully as you investigate a cold case with a woman from the current day? A lot can happen! This book Has all of that and more. Five shiny gold stars.

DRAWN APART 

Jun6

Book Link

From Amazon:

When Avalon Martelli and Stephanie Lambert meet at the start of their junior year at Mystekal High, they form an instant connection. Stephanie is from South Jersey and Avalon from North Jersey, and they both feel out of place in the Southern California desert.

Aside from having a home state in common, they each possess a talent for art and the heartbreak of a broken family. Avalon has the gift of sight, where the future is sometimes revealed in her paintings, while Stephanie’s drawings are all about forever love. As Stephanie, a self-described poetry geek and hopeless romantic, talks about past lives and eternal happiness, Avalon denies she’s in love with her best guy friend, River Dalworth, who is attending art school in Los Angeles.

Only weeks before graduation, Stephanie is in a car accident and falls into a coma. Devastated, Avalon believes it is all her fault. The night before, she had painted Stephanie with her head against the steering wheel—and hadn’t told her. She confides this to River, who has come home to be with her, but he can’t convince her she’s not to blame. Avalon loudly proclaims to the universe that she no longer wants her gift, but River warns her she may receive another one in its place.

Avalon and her family, along with Stephanie’s mother, pray for a miracle. River tries to console her, but she finds his presence difficult, knowing he has someone else who “just might be the one.” Trying to push her own pain and disappointment aside, Avalon keeps vigil for her best friend, hoping that Stephanie will wake up and have her greatest wish fulfilled— the meeting of her soul mate.

My Review:


Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique storyReviewed in the United States on June 6, 2024

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Well, this was certainly a unique story for me. I’ve not read books one or two, but this book was fine as a stand-alone story. Some people in real life have super powers of sorts. They tend to be highly creative as well. That is just a touch of the surprises found within. I love a good love story with ones soulmate, and this book has more than one pair of soulmates. Tears are shed and misunderstandings happen, sad endings happen yet new beginnings occur. Avalon and Stephanie both know their soulmates, and a struggle occurs for each couple. Mixed into all of this are beautiful and meaningful poetry. This book is actually a book of prose poetry in how the relationships mesh and how amazing each one who has a special ability comes to the forefront. I believe that some people are this way in real life. Avvie and Riv, Steph and Theo, are two sets of soulmates, despite the perceived angst among them in not believing that one person loves another, and misunderstanding arises. Five shiny gold stars.

Mollie McQueen is NOT Ruining Christmas

May30

Book Link

From Amazon:

Mollie is back for Christmas!
“Be naughty and save Santa a trip. It’s better for the planet…”

There was little over a week to go until Christmas Day, but Mollie McQueen hadn’t sent a single card. She hadn’t purchased one gift, and she hadn’t decked the halls with anything other than mountains of wet laundry.

Usually, come the first of December, the McQueen house resembled Santa’s grotto. Stockings would hang from the fireplace, his and hers advent calendars would be propped up on the mantlepiece, and the two sparkly polar bears bought by Mollie’s mother would stand proudly on the windowsill.

This year, all was quiet on the Christmas front. The door was missing its usual wreath, the sprig of mistletoe was absent from the hallway, and the alcove in the living room was minus the retro tree that Mollie normally insisted on rolling out on the first day of December.

When Mollie first announced her plans to strip Christmas back to basics, she received nothing but negative feedback. Max accused her of trying to ruin Christmas, Margot advised her to chuck back a daily vitamin D pill in a bid to rediscover her Christmas spirit, and Mrs Heckles had taken to singing Christmas carols through Mollie’s letterbox.

Despite their grumbling, Mollie was determined to prove to everyone that you could enjoy Christmas without falling victim to the endless marketing campaigns that emotionally blackmailed you into purchasing unnecessary gifts for people who would rather have a pack of socks and a slice of Yule log.

With her no-Christmas Christmas amassing quite the guestlist, Mollie had an almighty task on her hands.

Can she convince her nearest and dearest that the true meaning of Christmas had nothing to do with expensive gifts and garish decorations?

One thing’s for sure, Mollie McQueen is NOT Ruining Christmas.

My Review:

This book is funny. Hilarious, actually. Mollie decides to make Christmas all about the reason for the season and helping less fortunate people through actual working for free, while all the while bringing the true and best of any Christmas come to be. Never mind the kooky homemade gifts Mollie made, or tossing beans into mashed potatoes, but Mollie has everyone worried about what they will eat and the gift giving doesn’t line up with past years. Decorations are off the table and slowly but surely, time happens, and the true sense of the best Christmas ever happens.

West of Santillane

May8

Please welcome Brook Allen to my blog. Hello Brook. Please come and sit down for a chat this morning.

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post. It’s such a pleasure to be here, Mary! I write historical fiction and my goal with a novel is to immerse the reader within the period and create believable characters. I still have a day-job (sigh), but I hope to retire soon and devote myself to full-time WRITING! I love traveling, reading, and researching my next project, and snuggling with my black Labrador, Jak.

How difficult was it writing your first book? It took fifteen years to write the Antonius Trilogy. First off, I didn’t know what I was doing. Second, during that time, my aging parents needed caregiving, so Antonius took a backburner to everything. They were so supportive, and my dad read many of my drafts for Son of Rome. However, they passed on before I was ever able to publish the complete Trilogy.

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you? Not getting traditionally pubbed has certainly given me pause, and lately, it seems that marketing a new book has become so much more difficult and frustrating. However, I believe in my work and I’m a stubborn old woman who refuses to give in.

Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer? Naturally, my husband has been SO supportive and even helps me problem-solve when I have plot-holes. However, NYT bestselling novelist Margaret George has become a very dear friend and has cheered me on every step of the way. She sees the positives in self-publishing when so many traditionally published authors do not. And more importantly, she doesn’t consider my work “less” than her own just because I am self-published. We have such a great relationship. I treasure her.

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom? A scholarly man once told me, “Knowledge is never wasted.”. I’ve really taken that to heart with my researching process. I start researching six months ahead of starting to write, letting ideas and possibilities tumble through my mind. Then, once I begin writing, I’m STILL researching as I go. I find myself able to include jewels of information that pops up in certain scenes that I’d never considered adding. Knowing your stuff about the subject-matter associated with a project is integral to its success.

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience? I write for adult audiences who want to know something more about a historical character, or who might be fascinated by my book’s cover or back-cover blurb.

What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt? I’ve just completed a new work: WEST OF SANTILLANE, the untold story of Julia Hancock. Julia married William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Most of the story takes place after the men return from the Pacific, and most people aren’t aware of what took place once they came home. Honestly, there was just as much drama going on as when they were traveling west. What’s more—Julia was in the middle of much of that drama. It was fascinating, getting to sort through letters and documents of Lewis & Clark—getting to handle them. There was a glut of fine information, and my heartfelt prayer is that I did the project justice. So far, it’s gotten rave reviews.

Any last words before we wrap things up? Go pick up WEST OF SANTILLANE! It will have its first promo during the week of May 13th, and the Kindle version will only be .99. It’s Julia’s story of adventure, forgiveness, and self-discovery.

       WEST OF SANTILLANE PRESS KIT

ISBN: 9781732958579

***For bulk retail shipments of books/print on demand: Ingram-Spark:

https://www.ingramspark.com/

CONTACT INFO:

            Brook Allen, Historical Fiction Author

            133 Piper Glen

            Blue Ridge, Virginia 24064

            (540)520-3479

            1brook.allen@gmail.com

                                                   CONNECT WITH BROOK

EMAIL: 1brook.allen@gmail.com

WEBSITE: https://www.brookallenauthor.com/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/1BrookAllen

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Historical.FictionWriter/photos/a.1921073788134240/274856848538 4762/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard?ref=nav_profile_authordash

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/brookallen54/

                                                            Brook Allen Bio

Author Brook Allen has a passion for history. Her newest project, West of Santillane spotlights history from a little closer to home. It’s the story of Julia Hancock, who married famed explorer, William Clark. Each character of this thrilling, adventurous period was researched throughout southwest Virginia and into Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Idaho, and North Dakota. It launches in March of 2024.

Brook belongs to the Historical Novel Society and attends conferences as often as possible to study craft and meet fellow authors. In 2019, her novel Antonius: Son of Rome won the Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Award. In 2020, it was honored with a silver medal in the international Reader’s Favorite Book Reviewers Book Awards and then won First Place in the prestigious Chaucer Division in the Chanticleer International Book Awards, 2020.

Though she graduated from Asbury University with a B.A. in Music Education, Brook has always loved writing. She completed a Masters program at Hollins University with an emphasis in Ancient Roman studies, which helped prepare her for authoring her Antonius Trilogy. Brook teaches full-time as a Music Educator and works in a rural public-school district near Roanoke, Virginia. Her personal interests include travel, cycling, hiking in the woods, reading, and spending downtime with her husband and big, black dog, Jak. She lives in the heart of southwest Virginia in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.

                                    West of Santillane Back Cover Blurb

Desperate to escape a mundane future as a Virginia planter’s wife, Julia Hancock seizes her chance for adventure when she wins the heart of American hero William Clark. Though her husband is the famed explorer, Julia embarks on her own thrilling and perilous journey of self-discovery.

With her gaze ever westward, Julia possesses a hunger for knowledge and a passion for helping others. She falls in love with Will’s strength and generous manner, but, like her parents, he is a slave owner, and Julia harbors strong opinions against slavery. Still, her love for Will wins out, though he remains unaware of her beliefs.

Julia finds St. Louis to be a rough town with few of the luxuries to which she is accustomed, harboring scandalous politicians and miscreants of all types. As her husband and his best friend, Meriwether Lewis, work to establish an American government and plan to publish their highly anticipated memoirs, Julia struggles to assume the roles of both wife and mother. She is also drawn into the plight of an Indian family desperate to return to their own lands and becomes an advocate for Will’s enslaved.

When political rivals cause trouble, Julia’s clandestine aid to the Indians and enslaved of St. Louis draws unwanted attention, placing her at odds with her husband. Danger cloaks itself in far too many ways, leading her to embrace the courage to save herself and others through a challenge of forgiveness that will either restore the love she shares with Will or end it forever.

                                                Where to buy the book

                          *Print copies are now on sale for $19.99.

Amazon.com

amzn.to/48KZn3N

Book No Further (Roanoke Market)

Botetourt County Historical Society & Museum

***For bulk shipments of books/print on demand: Ingram-Spark:

https://www.ingramspark.com/