Tuesday 17 December 2019

Queen Of The Flaming Diamond by Leroy Yerxa + #FreeBook


Queen Of The Flaming Diamond by Leroy Yerxa
Published in Amazing Stories in America in January 1943.

Q for my 2019 Alphabet Soup Challenge

How I got this book:
Downloaded a free copy via Project Gutenberg

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


He succeeded in dragging his charge up the three low steps that led toward the coat room. A silvery crash of music drowned out Puffy's voice with the suddenness of striking lightning. He dropped his arm from Drake's waist and pivoted, surprise on his broad face. Something weird and lovely about the sound turned them both toward the stage. His chin dropped in delight. This wasn't Lardner's usual nightly feature.

With only a few weeks remaining in 2019, I had thought about abandoning my Alphabet Soup challenge with five letters still unread (J, Q, X, Y and Z). However, leaving such things unfinished rankles with me, probably far more than it should do, so I've been scouring Project Gutenberg for suitable books. Queen Of The Flaming Diamond's lurid cover art caught my eye.

This 64-page story is a curious blend of crime caper and shapeshifting fantasy. It reads like a pulp novel which makes sense as that's exactly what it is, so there's no great depth to any of the character portrayals or logical explanation to the bizarre events that unfold. That doesn't really matter though and it's probably for the best that the narrative races over its many gaping plotholes! For all my literary complaints, Queen Of The Flaming Diamond is good fun. I happily read in on a cold, rainy afternoon and was transported to a Bugsy Malone-style world of mobsters, nightclubs, diamond thieves and shapeshifting foxes. As you do! If you fancy an entertaining escapist read, this story will do the trick.


Etsy Find!
by Villa Sorgenfrei in
Berlin, Germany

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Sunday 8 December 2019

The Rival Queens by Nancy Goldstone


The Rival Queens: Catherine de' Medici, her daughter Marguerite de Valois, and the Betrayal That Ignited a Kingdom by Nancy Goldstone
Published in the UK by Weidenfeld And Nicolson in 2015.

One of my 2019 Mount TBR Challenge reads

How I got this book:
Won a paperback copy in a publisher giveaway

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Paris, 1572. Catherine de' Medici, the infamous queen mother of France, is a consummate pragmatist and powerbroker who has dominated the throne for thirty years. Her youngest daughter, Marguerite, the glamorous 'Queen Margot', is a passionate free spirit, the only adversary whom her mother can neither intimidate nor fully control.

When Catherine forces the Catholic Marguerite to marry the Protestant Henry of Navarre, she creates not only savage conflict within France but also a potent rival within her own family. Treacherous court politics, poisonings, international espionage and adultery form the background to a extraordinary story about two formidable queens, featuring a fascinating array of characters including such celebrated figures as Elizabeth I, Mary, Queen of Scots and Nostradamus.

The Rival Queens is a fascinatingly detailed portrait of the lives of Catherine de Medici and her youngest daughter Marguerite de Valois. These two women lived and ruled in France at the same time as Elizabeth the First so to me, as an English-speaking reader, they have been eclipsed by the English monarch, however I now discover that their reigns resound just as powerfully through European history as Elizabeth's. The sixteenth century could indeed be seen as the Age of Queens and I very much appreciated how Nancy Goldstone actually tells Catherine and Marguerite's own stories, frequently in their own words (rather than the more usual historical method of describing of the surrounding men, leaving the woman as somewhat of a vacuum at the centre of 'her' story!).

Centuries of intermarriage and the aristocracy's traditional lack of naming imagination does mean that The Rival Queens does get baffling at times although Goldstone does an admirable job of differentiating her Henris. I more often felt as though I was reading a novel because of her skill in bringing these people back to life in a very believable way so I could understand their political shenanigans and personal weaknesses, even while their actions grew increasingly more desperate and bizarre. However dysfunctional one's own family might seem, this brood of power-hungry backstabbers would certainly give them a run for their money, albeit most of it in the form of debts and IOUs.

I'd had The Rival Queens sat unread on a shelf for months and am now kicking myself for not having got around to this book sooner. I loved Goldstone's style and being able to immerse myself in history of a familiar period, but with so many new-to-me-people and events to discover. I now have a wider understanding and am keen to delve further into these tumultuous years, especially as seen through women's eyes.

Etsy Find!
by Marquise De Montespan in
California, USA

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Monday 21 October 2019

Alfie And The Dead Girls by Jamie Stewart


Alfie And The Dead Girls by Jamie Stewart
Self published on the 24th July 2019.

One of my 2019 New Release Challenge reads

How I got this book:
Received a review copy from the author

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The car continued to keep pace, trailing her.
It was unlike any other car she had ever seen. It was old and well maintained, its coat a brilliant aquamarine that gleamed in the sun’s rays.
‘Do you like my car?’ asked Fred, catching her admiring gaze.
Emma’s cheeks burned.
‘Most people do,’ he said, chuckling, ‘it’s a great ride’.

Emma Woods, a quiet, bookish, eleven-year-old is about to start her first day at secondary, which means new classes, new teachers and new classmates.

Emma is terrified and in her terror-stricken state she reaches out to her new school’s social media page to make friends. That’s where she meets Alfie.

Alfie is joining Radcliff Secondary School as well. Alfie likes the books she likes and most importantly he wants to be Emma’s friend. However, now there’s a strange car driven by a strange man trailing Emma with a promise to take her to Alfie.

What follows next is a story that is every parent’s worst nightmare. Alfie And The Dead Girls is perfect for fans of Stephen King, Joe Hill, John Grisham, Shirley Jackson, and Harlan Coben.

Jamie Stewart's short story, Alfie And The Dead Girls, might clock in at less than forty pages, but it really punches above its weight - a deliciously chilling tale that I very much enjoyed reading. Obviously there isn't space for detailed scene setting or in depth character analysis, however I was impressed by Stewart's ability to concisely put across emotions and ideas. A strength of this story, I thought, is that it frequently prompted me to let my imagination jump ahead. Stewart's sharp changes of tack were then very unsettling and, therefore, perfectly suited to the thrilling atmosphere he has created! On the downside, I would have liked stronger proofreading as errors often distracted me. That said however, I felt Alfie And The Dead Girls was a good introduction to Stewart's writing and I look forward to starting his full length novel, Mr Jones, soon.


Etsy Find!
by Hippy Gypsy Fairy Ware
Michigan, USA

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Thursday 12 September 2019

The Healer's Daughters by Jay Amberg + #Giveaway


The Healer's Daughters by Jay Amberg
Published in America by Amika Press in on the 17th July 2019.

One of my 2019 New Release Challenge reads and my 2010s read for the 2019-20 Decade Challenge



A terrorist bombing in Bergama, Turkey kills twenty-three people including three children. Modern Bergama is built on the site of ancient Pergamon, a city whose art and wealth and culture rivaled Athens. It was also the home of the Aesklepion, the world’s greatest healing center, and the birthplace of Galen, the Roman Empire’s most famous doctor.

Tuğçe Iskan, a Turkish Ministry investigator, finds evidence that links the terrorism to a powerful criminal family and to Galen’s life and Pergamon’s lost treasures. But Iskan is alone, an outcast in the Ministry because she is honest, diligent, and a woman.

As Iskan delves more deeply into the heinous attack, she needs allies outside the Ministry. She must turn to Özlem BoroÄŸlu, a local archeologist, and BoroÄŸlu’s daughter Elif, an artist with an affinity for ancient Aegean goddesses. Can these three women defeat ISIL terrorists, criminal oligarchs, and corrupt officials? Can they even survive?



The Healer's Daughters is a compelling thriller which takes place around an ancient archaeological site, Bergama in Turkey. I was initially concerned that the story might veer too far towards the Indiana Jones adventure trope, but Amberg avoids such obvious pitfalls and, instead, delivers a complex and scarily plausible tale. The novel begins with a glimpse back to life in ancient Pergamon which helped me to understand the importance of what in the present day is hidden under the hills surrounding Bergama. There are only a few of these flashbacks so this isn't a dual timeline novel. Most of the story takes place in the present day where ISIL terrorist attacks are used as a cover for the looting of ancient graves with any discovered artefacts being sold on the black market to wealthy overseas collectors.

Amberg obviously has a great love for Turkey and Turkish culture. I appreciated the authenticity of minor details throughout the story such as the social rituals of serving tea and the importance of a shared cigarette break! The novel has a large cast so it took a while for all the characters to develop distinctive voices, but I generally felt as though each one was acting in a genuine way. I could always understand their motivations. Insights into the Boroglu family allowed me to see how the mother and daughter were in many ways very similar even though they had chosen different life paths. I liked the strong family resemblance in behaviour. I did feel as though The Healer's Daughters was as much a battle of the sexes novel as anything else. Certainly the greedy characters bent on pillaging the historic sites for personal gain seemed to be all male, whereas the characters for whom I found myself rooting were predominantly female.

This novel is an exciting thriller and I was pleased that Amberg didn't attempt to stretch credulity beyond what is believable within the context of this story. I thought The Healer's Daughters was a more gripping tale for its believability and I liked Amberg took the trouble to show the longterm pain and anguish of people directly affected by terrorist attacks. The Healer's Daughters has an emotional depth that appealed to me as a reader because I could empathise strongly with characters such as Elif, Ozlem and Tugce. I enjoyed this novel and would happily pick up more of Jay Amberg's work.



Meet the author:

Jay Amberg is the author of twelve books. He received a BA from Georgetown University and a PhD from Northwestern University. He has taught high school and college students since 1972. His latest book, The Healer’s Daughters, is now available from Amika Press. Amberg has also published Bone Box, Cycle, America’s Fool, Whale Song, and compiled 52 Poems for Men. Prior to Amika Press, Amberg published thriller novels Doubloon (Forge), Blackbird Singing (Forge) and Deep Gold (Warner Books). Among his books on teaching are School Smarts and The Study Skills Handbook, published by Good Year. Amberg wrote The Creative Writing Handbook (Good Year) with Mark Henry Larson and Verbal Review and Workbook for the SAT (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich) with Bob Boone.

Connect with the author:
Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Enter the Giveaway!  

Win one of five print copies (USA & Canada); or one of 15 ebooks (international) of The Healer's Daughters. One winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card (anywhere Amazon will ship.) (21 winners)
Open internationally until the 27th September 2019

a Rafflecopter giveaway





Etsy Find!
by Aneris Art in
Barcelona, Spain

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Thursday 5 September 2019

The Awakening by Stuart Peacock


The Awakening by Stuart Peacock
Published by Apex Publishing in October 2015.

Featured in Cover Characteristics: Eyes

How I got this book:
Received a review copy from the author

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Do you enjoy reading poetry?
Are you looking for something out of the ordinary?
A poem can affect our mood and make us see the world differently. It can convey a wealth of emotion in just a few short lines. The skill of the poet is in choosing the right words to get his message across and create a lasting impact on the reader so that they will want to revisit the poem time and again. The Awakening is a collection of poems that does just that. The poems in this book embrace the fantastical and dream-like nature of our world, telling stories of the search for contentment and ultimately redemption, as well as the darkness and confusion that may tempt and consume us along the way.
Dip inside this book to discover poems about a range of experiences from love and loss and relationships, through compulsion and self-destruction and what it is that makes us human. If you like poetry, you are certain to want to add The Awakening to your collection.

This review was first blogged on Stephanie Jane in December 2015.
Stuart Peacock contacted me through my Writers On Social listing to ask if I would be interested in reading his new poetry collection, The Awakening. This is my third book of that title although obviously it is very different from Kate Chopin's historical novel or the fantasy fiction of Emma Jones!

The Awakening is a particularly thoughtful poetry collection which examines a range of concepts, emotions and philosophical questions. I liked Peacock's presentation of his ideas which are often quite abstract so I found myself taking time after each poem to ponder, rather than rushing on to the next offering. This was an enjoyable collection to dip into after a day's hiking and made for a relaxing evening. Favourite poems for their imagery alone were The Secret Library and The Last Train, and I was especially impressed with the dark vision of Mind Of Murder. An Ode To Orange is fun and apt with the bright autumnal colours still around us here in the Pyrenees. Also topical are the volcanic power of Unquenchable and the beautiful Christmas sentiments of The Simple Joy.

I am very pleased to have been given the opportunity to read and enjoy The Awakening and will look forward to further poems he may publish in the future.


Etsy Find!
by Joy Sparks Designs in
Michigan, USA

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Wednesday 21 August 2019

What The Heart Knows by Regina Puckett


What the Heart Knows by Regina Puckett
Published by Punk And Sissy in May 2014.

How I got this book:
Took advantage of a free offer on Amazon

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


After escaping a rape attempt, Emily hides away in her old family home until her sister’s best friend fakes a health crises to lure her into visiting him at his country estate. It doesn’t take long for Emily to tell Bill about her fears and the two of them finally admit to loving the other for years. It sounds like a happy ending - but nothing is ever that easy.

Bill and Emily travel from the small towns of Tennessee, to the beautiful beaches of North Carolina and then to the bright lights of New York City, as he tries to protect her from a merciless predator. Emily has it all until she slips up and makes a terrible mistake. Her unfortunate decision tears her and Bill apart. Now she’s left to face her attacker by herself, but more importantly, she has to face a life without Bill’s love. 

This review was first blogged on Stephanie Jane in April 2016.
What The Heart Knows is the third in a series of romance books about the Warren family. I haven't read either of the previous two but, other than a few moments when I wasn't sure who new minor characters were, this didn't have a negative impact on my understanding of the story. At the beginning, our protagonist Emily is being talked about behind her back as her sister tries to drum up help from a family friend, an artist called Bill. Everyone is very concerned because the normally outgoing Emily has rushed to her childhood home, holed herself up in her bedroom and is behaving very strangely. It turns out that she was recently attacked and is suffering both nightmares and trauma as well as shame and embarrassment. Fortunately Bill manages to get her to talk about what happened and her brother, conveniently a policeman, sets wheels in motion to arrest Emily's attacker.

In rediscovering her trust in Bill, Emily also re-ignites her buried love for him. At the same time, Bill begins to admit his love for her and their agonising over whether or not they really are destined to be together makes up most of the book. Most of their thoughts are reported in the third person and I found this getting quite dull as the loops were repeated. Also Puckett has most of her action happen off the page which slows the narrative pace right down. For example, at one point Emily and Bill are shopping for an elegant dress for a gallery event. Turn the page and something huge happened at that party, but we readers are completely in the dark until Emily gives a brief resume to her sister before starting to wonder, at length, if Bill really is the man for her after all - again! This 'missing out' occurs repeatedly at pivotal moments and I found it very annoying. The only real time suspense is when Emily's attacker predictably reappears, but here his dialogue is so over the top, it completely ruins any sense of danger.

I admit am not a fan of romance novels. However, as What The Heart Knows featured Emily's attack so prominently in its synopsis I had hoped this story would be more about a woman overcoming her ordeal and less of a will-they-won't-they tease. Emily and Bill both seem nice enough people, if overly indecisive and lousy communicators(!), but there really wasn't enough depth here to draw me into their lives.


Etsy Find!
by Sue Double Yew in
London, England

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Tuesday 13 August 2019

D.E.M. - Deus Ex Machina by Lee Ness


D.E.M. - Deus Ex Machina by Lee Ness
Self published in the UK in February 2015.

Featured in Cover Characteristics: Eyes

How I got this book:
I received a copy from the author in exchange for my honest review

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The email pinged again. The attachment was a picture of the door to her flat. She reeled. Clasping her hand to her mouth as she retched again.
“It was never about the money, Rachel. It was always about you. I could use someone with your skills. I’ll be in touch. I know where you live. D.E.M.”

No good turn goes unpunished!

When Rachel is spurred to use her computing skills to find an abducted boy, she has no idea that it will bring her to the attention of an anonymous vigilante. Is the vigilante what he seems and what does he want with Rachel? 

Rachel is coerced by the mysterious D.E.M. to carry out hacking on seemingly innocuous companies, helped by her friends Deborah, Cam and Cam’s ill-tempered boss, Dave. 

As she gets drawn deeper into their world, she tries to find out more, only to put herself and her friends in grave danger. 

When she finally realises that the mysterious D.E.M. isn’t a vigilante at all, Rachel is in a race against time to save her friends and prevent an escalation in the war between Israel and Palestine.

I first published this book review on my Stephanie Jane blog.

The first thing that struck me about Deus Ex Machina is its eyecatching cover which, I learned, is also the work of Lee Ness. It's a great image.

This novel doesn't waste any time with scene setting in its early pages, instead leaping straight into the action as we meet our heroine, Rachel, working her cybermagic to entrap a child abductor. I liked Rachel very much. She is witty and skilled at her occupation, doesn't play the docile female, and also has realistic flaws. Her relationship with Cam was always believable, although I did think their banter was overdone. Practically every remark contained an innuendo making it more Carry On than 24. (A lot of films and tv series' get namechecked which is fun to spot.) I feel that this is just as much a book for female readers as male, primarily due to the well-drawn female characters.

I don't have much idea how accurately the actual hacking was portrayed so just happily took everything at face value and went along with the thrilling ride. Deus Ex Machina has great pace throughout, only slowed a little by the political arguments and this was vital to the plot so excusable. Supporting character Dave adds a nice edge, particularly in the second half.

There were quite a few typos etc. which distracted my attention and I think I would have liked to have more time to 'meet' Rachel initially. Light descriptions meant my impressions of locations were always generic, rather than specific to this tale, and the concluding scenes felt rushed. However, I enjoyed the book and would read more books by Ness.

Etsy Find!
by A Quarter Past Eight in
Huddersfield, England

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Sunday 11 August 2019

Indian Tales by Rudyard Kipling


Indian Tales: 36 Short Stories by Rudyard Kipling
Stories written in the 1880s.

How I got this book:
Downloaded the ebook from ForgottenBooks

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


A classic collection of 36 short stories by Rudyard Kipling, including the following:
"The Finest Story in the World", With the Main Guard, Wee Willie Winkie, The Rout of the White Hussars, At Twenty-two, The Courting of Dinah Shadd, The Story of Muhammad Din, In Flood Time, My Own True Ghost Story, The Big Drunk Draf', By Word of Mouth, The Drums of the Fore and Aft, The Sending of Dana Da, On the City Wall, The Broken-link Handicap, On Greenhow Hill, To Be Filed for Reference, The Man Who Would Be King, The Gate of the Hundred Sorrows, The Incarnation of Krishna Mulvaney, His Majesty the King, The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes, In the House of Suddhoo, Black Jack, The Taking of Lungtungpen, The Phantom Rickshaw, On the Strength of a Likeness, Private Learoyd's Story, Wressley of the Foreign Office, The Solid Muldoon, The Three Musketeers, Beyond the Pale, The God from the Machine, The Daughter of the Regiment, The Madness of Private Ortheris, L'Envoi.

This is one of my 'vintage' reviews, transferred over from Stephanie Jane:
I've given up! After repeatedly returning to this ForgottenBooks short story collection for over a month, I just don't want to try any more. I know that Indian Tales is probably very much 'of its time' but the attitudes then are so different to today and I don't even think that the writing is up to Kipling's standard elsewhere. Too much gung ho militarism, racism and male chauvinism, and very little actually about India which was what I wanted to read in the first place.


Etsy Find!
by Literary Tea Company in
Broadstairs, England

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Saturday 3 August 2019

Blue Tide Rising by Clare Stevens + #Giveaway


Blue Tide Rising by Clare Stevens
Published in the UK by Inspired Quill on the 15th March 2019.

One of my 2019 New Release Challenge reads, a Book With Vegan Characters and a 2019 COYER Summer Hunt read

How I got this book:
Received a review copy from the author

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“Somewhere in me a scream is rising, but I contain it. Just.”

Diazepam-fogged Amy isn’t the best person to investigate an unexplained death, but she’s the only one Jay can get through to. On the run from her troubled past and controlling older (ex) lover, she winds up on a Welsh eco farm where she starts to rebuild her life, grounded by the earth and healed by the salt air. But it isn’t just her inner self that she manages to uncover. There are living ghosts at Môr Tawel, and they’re as loud as the waters crashing over the shingle on the beach.

Amy’s new life has just started, and she’s already running out of time.

Magical realism is one of my favourite genres and I have read great novels in this vein from South America, Africa and Asia, but don't remember having the opportunity to read a British example before so I was delighted when Clare Stevens offered me a review copy of Blue Tide Rising. The story begins with Amy Blue in a grotty Manchester bedsit apartment, barely keeping a grip on her distorted reality through a diazepam haze. I loved Stevens' portrayal of the Balmoral Street community and the way these people interact, looking out for each other to the best of their abilities. Stevens has a great eye for authentic detail allowing me to clearly envisage all the characters and locations. When Amy first encounters a gorgeous blond man standing at the end of her bed, she feels drawn to trust him, but his uncanny knowledge of her innermost thoughts cannot easily be explained.

Amy is a memorable creation with whom I found I could strongly empathise. Her chequered past has left her vulnerable and isolated, and in desperate need of a safe haven. The Welsh farm, Mor Tawel, is just such a place for her and is somewhere I would love to discover myself if it really exists! A place of darkness as well as potential recuperation for Amy, I was intrigued by its contrasts. Amy is often not sure where the reality line is drawn and Stevens frequently had me wondering too. I did think that perhaps poor Rita had too many burdens thrust upon her, but the development of relationships at Mor Tawel is sensitively done and always felt genuine to me.

Blue Tide Rising is a timely novel of mental health issues, of understanding when to cease blaming ourselves for other people's actions, and of finding a safe home - however out of the ordinary that place may seem. While I loved the otherworldly narrative thread, this novel is strongly rooted in a recognizably British reality so I think even readers who aren't magical realism fans would enjoy this accomplished debut.

Meet the Author

Clare Stevens is a journalist and author who grew up in the wilds of Somerset but has lived most of her adult life in Nottingham. Her preferred writing time is first thing in the morning when still half in dreamland. She describes her writing as ‘thoughtful escapism’. Blue Tide Rising is her first novel.

When not writing she can be found heading off for weekends in Whitby, her spiritual home, or trying to learn piano. She runs a half marathon once a decade.

Website ~ Twitter

And now it's time for the Giveaway!

The prize is a Kindle copy of Blue Tide Rising by Clare Stevens.
Open until the 17th August to anyone who can receive an Amazon UK gifted ebook.

Blue Tide Rising by Clare Stevens ebook giveaway

This giveaway is not connected with the author or Amazon. I will personally be gifting a copy of the ebook to the giveaway winner because I loved it so much!
The giveaway closes at midnight (UK time) on the 17th August and I will pick a winner on the 18th. That winner will have three days to respond to my email otherwise the prize will be forfeit. And, yes, I Will be checking that the winning entrant actually completed the winning task!




Etsy Find!
by French Found Treasures in
Carhaix, France

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Books by Clare Stevens / Contemporary fiction / Books from England

Thursday 25 July 2019

Every Love by Jann Doe


Every Love by Jann Doe
Self published on the 21st July 2019.

A 2019 New Release Challenge read


Add Every Love to your Goodreads

Love can be wholesome,
Healthy and pure.
It can also be deadly,
Of this I am sure.
I've experienced many,
I've opened my door.
Of all the love that I've held
There's one thing I know,
Ain't no one has loved
Quite like me... Jann Doe.

EVERY LOVE is a collection of poetry covering my own experiences in love. From abuse, to affair, to healthy commitment, I’ve shared many love lifes… even suicide has played a part. The name ‘Jann Doe’ is to protect myself and my family from my own mistakes and history, given the parts of me that love has touched.



*See You*

What is this burn,
This terrible stab,
My heart stuck,
It steps back,
Too shocked to beat,
I shrink when I see you,
My first heavy blow,
Of life, and of men,
But how could I know,
Should’ve listened,
Could’ve ran,
But for you I stood ground,
And for what,
To see you and her, hand in hand?


Every Love has something to say, I think, to every woman throughout her life. Jann evokes emotions from first love and first betrayal, running the gauntlet of unhealthy relationships, bitterness and even spite, until the woman - every woman - learns self respect is more important than simply trying to be liked. Coming to terms with ourselves and remaining true to ourselves are the only ways we can live in contentment, even though we may have to oppose traditional social experience in order to do so. Every Love is a lovely collection which I felt spoke directly to me, almost as words from a friend or a companion. I feel it is a work which could be dipped into at almost any time of life for reassurance and inspiration. We are not the first to feel anger, sadness, love. At the very least Jann Doe has been there too. She got though. So can I.

Meet the author

Jann Doe is a poet who recognizes and accepts her authenticity as a woman, and encourages other women to do the same. Everyone has their burdens to cary, their flaws to accept, and their strengths to pride themselves on. Jann’s goal as a poet is to speak out on behalf of other women across the globe to love themselves for who they truly are. No one is perfect, nor should we be. It’s imperative that we as women accept ourselves, and live for tomorrow… not by ignoring our past but by learning from it, and growing because of it.

Author links: 
Website ~ Twitter



Etsy Find!
by Lotty Lollipop in
Chesterfield, England

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Monday 15 July 2019

sells sea shells by Mara Mer


sells sea shells by Mara Mer
Published by Mari Reiza in April 2019.

2019 New Release Challenge read and one of my 2019 COYER Summer Hunt reads

How I got this book:
Received a review copy from the author

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


'Ismail is young, strong and handsome. He's also the proud owner of a heart-bursting smile. Yet despite all his enviable attributes, nobody wants him wherever he's passing.' A Moroccan immigrant strikes an unlikely friendship with an Italian client at the beach. When the man asks him to do something for him, he struggles to refuse his money. In any case, someone else carries out the deed before he does. A book about the despair and hope of exile.

Ismail spends his days walking across a stiflingly hot Italian beach wearing a stack of sunhats, carrying a heavy bag of sarongs and a board displaying sunglasses and jewellery - some of which he hopes to sell to holidaymakers. An illegal immigrant from Morocco, this is his second summer working ridiculously long hours for a pittance, despised by the locals, but all in the hope of sending back enough money to keep his mother and sisters and to earn enough to pay for his Italian residency permit. His dream is to become legal so he can get a job as a waiter - working ridiculously long hours for a pittance, but at least he might be out of the sun.

I felt as though Mara Mer completely understood Ismail and the catch-22 predicament in which he finds himself. In many other novels, handsome and hardworking Ismail would be the romantic lead, but because of his status here he is practically invisible until a knockoff pair of sunglasses or a scapegoat is required. Mer beautifully evokes the Italian summer environment and its styles of seaside living. Super-rich holidaymakers laze by infinity pools while grumpy bar staff protect their territory and pour beers. I loved Mer's portrayal of the beginnings of Ismail's relationship with wealthy Matteo. This plotline didn't go anywhere near where I had expected from the synopsis, and it felt nicely realistic throughout. Both men believe the other could be their salvation and I liked that Mer doesn't get bogged down in explaining unnecessary detail. My only negative is that I didn't like the Rosa ending which I didn't think fitted with what had come before. However, overall, I very much enjoyed this slice of life novella which gives readers an insightful glimpse into lives which are all too often ignored.

Etsy Find!
by Christina Christi Jls in
Athens, Greece

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Books by Mara Mer / Contemporary fiction / Books from Basque Country

Tuesday 4 June 2019

To The Blossom From The Flame by Jason Srebnick


To The Blossom From The Flame by Jason Srebnick
Self published in America in February 2014.

One of my 2019 COYER Summer Challenge reads

How I got this book:
Downloaded the ebook via NoiseTrade

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The city of New Boston...

In the world of Aaron Cogwell going to work at his Corporation seven days a week for a minimum seventeen hour work day is the norm. Weekends are an archaic thing of the very distant past. Now there are workends: Four hour work stoppages every thirty-six days. The Corporations are nothing if not efficient. People are judged by marks such as Corporate status, the size and class of their residence and by how much "stuff" they have in their display chambers. And this information is all very public and available for viewing on the HRN. Government still exists but is a small and meaningless footnote in a very large Corporate world. People now pledge allegiance to their Corporation. 

Aaron is more than happy with his life like this. He's thankful to his Corporation for all it has given him. For all of the stuff that he and his wife have been able to accumulate. They were given this life by the Corporation. And they are forever loyal for it.

Then again this is all Aaron or anyone else in CorpWorld has ever known. There are no alternatives. At least that is what Aaron believes. Until one day a major event changes his life’s course and he meets a mysterious stranger who helps him to realize that, indeed, there is a choice.

I downloaded my copy of To The Blossom From The Flame from NoiseTrade three years ago when the novel was titled Escape From CorpWorld. I am pretty confident from the synopsis and Srebnick's introductory essay that the two works are essentially the same story, but there might have been some editing changes. I did quite like this book now I have refound and read it. (My NoiseTrade ebook was hidden in the download files of an obsolete browser app on my tablet - oops!).

The dystopian story of Aaron Cogwell's psychological awakening rattles along at a good pace and is an entertaining read. I was disappointed that the characters aren't particularly well fleshed out and levels of description need greater consistency, but if you like your books to focus on action rather than world building then I think you would enjoy this. Srebnick spends much more time explaining items that Aaron is unfamiliar with in his time period - such as paper books - than he does explaining Aaron's world to us readers so I am hazy about how the Corporation world really fits together. There are several glaring inconsistencies and contradictions that basic proofreading should have picked up (these might have been corrected by now). I could see that Srebnick wanted to include nods to classic dystopian novels and films. The novel was originally intended to be a screenplay and the action sequences do come across as being film scenes. Again I thought that more consistency of style would have helped, but overall this is a fun read.


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