Tag Archive | books

Harriet’s Heist

Oct8

Book Link

From Amazon:

Fiona Quinn arrives at her parent’s home in Daytona, Florida for a short visit only to be informed that their usually quiet retirement community has been besieged with robberies—cash, jewelry, and more. Her mom told all the neighbors Fiona is a wiz at catching bad guys. Yikes! Can Fiona crack the case? Hopefully, but what’s an amateur sleuth supposed to do when her Maltese, Harriet, shows up decked out in the stolen goods? Double yikes! Join Fiona, her parents, Harriet, and some pretty crazy old ladies for a real jewel of a quick mystery!

My Review:

Top reviews from the United States

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Great short read

Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2024

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What a wonderful short mystery, romance, little dogs, and lemon meringue pie book! Okay, so those elements are included in this story and burglaries in abundance. I say burglary as no one was home when their items were stolen. Had they been home, then robbery is the correct term. This was a great short story and I imagined a little Maltese dressed up in…must read to find out.


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!

Harbour Ways

Sep16

Book Link

From Amazon:

Harbour Ways is the sequel to Watery Ways, Valerie Poore’s first memoir about living on a barge in Rotterdam’s Oude Haven in the Netherlands. This second book tells of the first two years that she owned her own barge, the Vereeniging, and how she converts it from an empty hull into a home. Told with with Valerie’s usual tongue-in-cheek humour, Harbour Ways can be read as a stand alone memoir or as the follow on to Watery Ways.

My Review:

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2024

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Ms. Poore has written a great book about life on a barge. This is book 2 in a trilogy, and this is also the only book I’ve read. Ms. Poore is a tough act to follow. After leaving South Africa after a divorce, she moves to the Netherlands, and the real
adventure begins.

She found a lovely vintage barge and fell in love with it. But with buying any boat or house, not all is as it seems. Decades of neglect make their appearance known, hours and hours, and days, and weeks, and months go by with grueling work to make the barge livable and seaworthy. Thankfully, Poore makes friends with others who live their dream of barge living. Friends who help out each other are more precious than a few gold bars. The human factor is the real and true factor, and Poore finds just that.

Meet Misty Thurmond

Aug10

Please welcome Misty J. Thurmond to my blog. Good morning, Misty.

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

The awkward silence, the moment I realize that I must say something clever or pull a literary degree out of my butt. To be honest, I don’t enjoy talking about myself, but here goes.

I grew up living in the country in which going barefooted, fishing, camping on the river, riding horses and playing sports was the norm. The solitude of my childhood memories is still ingrained in me and influence my writing style. Over the years I had a fulfilling and successful career as a registered nurse, until health issues forced me into early retirement. “A real oxymoron, but multiple sclerosis doesn’t care if you’re tending to people’s boo boos or saving lives.”

*By the way, doctors have the worst penmanship. Learning to dance like Beyoncé would be easier than deciphering some doctor’s writing. *

Once I lost everything, it was just me and my thoughts. I began to journal them, and the journaling turned into a novel.

Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

I enjoyed spinning tales growing up and recall the nervousness that came with it whenever the teacher called upon me to read my short story, but my most time was spent in the medical field.

How difficult was it writing your first book?

My first novel was awful. It had good bones but lacked flesh. Who am I kidding, it was garbage. One thing I’ve learned about myself, “Practice makes better.” I’d say, “Perfect”, but that’d be absurd. No one’s perfect.

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

Absolutely! When my father suddenly passed away and my mom followed him three months later, I was devastated. Picking up the pieces of my life and the aftermath took me a while, but out of it all I remembered one thing, “Life goes on.”

Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

Honestly, myself. My father was a late blooming author who wrote westerns, and he encouraged me more than anyone. God, I miss him, but I know he’d be proud of this new novel.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Never give up on yourself or the love that drives you.

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

It’s okay to stand in someone’s shadow for a while, but sooner or later you’ll have to take that step into the sunshine and embrace your future. That’s a lesson from experience.

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

Readers 18+ with an interest in the supernatural and metaphysical genres.

There are written scenes in my books which are not suitable for younger audiences; adult language, darker topics that may trigger anxiety in people with PTSD or childhood trauma and LGTBQ scenes. However brief, or detailed, these topics are frequently used in my novels.

Writing in the metaphysical fiction genre means I must look past myself and explore many aspects before writing a story. It’s a “world building experience”, except the world is ever evolving and shifting in my mind.

Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

Honestly, I wanted something with more pizzazz and flare, but the deadline for Saku Binder of Voids prevented it. My publisher and I worked together on it.

What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I’m working on the sequel to Saku Binder of Voids. As hinted in the novel, “Saku is handed a scroll as the Book of Gogyo evolves into the Blue Crystal, and a vision of a city with twin suns”. I’m cutting it short. I can’t release the title because it’s extremely unique.

Links below and book link below:

amazon.com/author/mistythurmond77

@AuthorThurmond (Twitter)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216127766

https://a.co/d/gHY7xZP

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.

Meet Gabriel Constans!

Jul31

Please welcome Gabriel Constans to my blog. Nice to see you on my blog, Gabriel.

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

I’ve written for newspapers, magazines, and websites, as a freelance journalist for years and then in the last 20 years started writing short stories, novels, nonfiction books and screenplays. I keep learning all the time.

Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

Writing’s been a part of my life since being a teenager and starting an other newspaper at the high school I attended, but then didn’t write much for 15 years, until encouraged to write again by my wife.

How difficult was it writing your first book?

Writing my first book was not too difficult, as it was a fictional YA book based on a real experience with a mother who was in hospice and her children.

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

No. I’ve wanted to try different genres and outlets, which I’ve done.

Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

As mentioned previously, my wife. Not only has she encouraged me from the beginning, but she is also honest with her feedback and provides space and time for me to write.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Writing means so many things to so many of us. Sometimes I write stories to inform and inspire people. At other times it’s to entertain and be moved by the tale. And, at other moments it’s to externalize my experiences and have some objectivity to what has or is happening in my life.

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

Discover your passion, be consistent, and most of all, be kind.

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

Presently, and for the last few years, my target audience has been for readers of romance.

Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

I was fortunate to collaborate with Jane Cornwell on the cover. She was the illustrator and designer.

What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I have four screenplays in progress. One with some star actresses attached. They are each different. Taking excerpts from a screenplay doesn’t really work that well.

Any last words before we wrap things up?

Much appreciation to Mary for letting me participate in this interview and share it with others. Writing or not writing isn’t the end of the world. Losing hope, insight and connection with others are the real challenges.

Bio: My most recent sapphic romance, The Last Conception, was both a novel and a romcom film (which is now playing around the world). Other works include Buddha’s Wife, and Saint Catherine’s Baby.

Author Page: https://tinyurl.com/53vyrwe2

Website: www.gogabriel.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabriel.constans.7

Twitter: @GabrielConstans

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/133749.Gabriel_Constans

Amazon author page: https://tinyurl.com/53vyrwe2

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/constansgabriel/

A Woman Like Maria links:

Amazon Print: https://tinyurl.com/LikeMaria

Kindle: https://tinyurl.com/5x4f6cj5

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bd7dpynf

Apple: https://tinyurl.com/dxshwbsw

Smashwards: https://tinyurl.com/p7t6tuzw

Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/bdzktcka

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.