Book Review: Cherubim by Amy Vansant

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I read this book without having read the first volume first, and I was concerned it wouldn’t make much sense to me, as a result. However, it turned out it can be read as a standalone, and I have enjoyed it immensely. Amy Vansant’s humor is wicked and her characters’ dialogue had me howling all the time. There is a series of strange creatures in the book, both angelic and human, and all of them added fascination and enthusiasm to my reading experience. There is hilarity, but also shocking cruelty in the interactions between this motley crew of characters, but it all works remarkably well to make up a story that stays with you and leaves you thirsty for more. I was astounded by how much I enjoyed this book, because I don’t normally enjoy stories containing dark characters or violence, but somehow the author found the perfect balance as to not let this bother even someone like me. This book has made me a fan of Amy Vansant’s work, and I intend to read more from this author.

 

My rating:

5 stars

Delightful and memorable!

 

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Do you enjoy reading about dark angelic characters, powerful archangels, or thrilling stories of the battle between good and evil? Give this gem a chance  – you’ll be glad you did! The humor alone will compensate you!

Find it now on Amazon

 

Book Review: Dark Masters by David Wind

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I loved this book, what an epic! The battle scenes especially were exhilarating, they took my breath away. I couldn’t read those fast enough. I loved this new adventure for Areena and Mikaal, and the new set of characters introduced in this volume. They made for a more complex story with a lot of action and constant twists and turns that kept me turning the pages thirstily. The author set the bar very high for the third book in the series! Still, I have no doubt he will deliver it with true mastery. This book was a rare treat, and a unique escape to a magical world. I am already looking forward to devouring the next installment.

 

My rating:

5 stars

An exhilarating, magical journey of constant twists and turns

 

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Do you enjoy highly imaginative stories of magic and epic battles of good against evil? This gem will delight you!  Find it now on Amazon

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See here my review of book 1 in the series, Born to Magic

Book Review: The Postcard by Lily Graham

Followers of this blog may be familiar with my previous post, an interview with Lily Graham, where the author spoke extensively about her writing and also let us take a look at a couple of her awesome paintings. Today, I am pleased to post my review for her enchanting novella, The Postcard.

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The Postcard is a delightful story of women’s fiction that had just the right amount of humor, sentiment and quirkiness thrown into the mix to make it just perfect for my tastes. It reminded me a lot of my favorite novels by Irish author Cecilia Ahern, whose stories are sprinkled with the same kind of magic. Lily Graham has written a very touching story. The spirit of a deceased mother makes an appearance in the life of her daughter—as to protect and comfort her–via unexplainable writings on an old postcard. It was a wonderful way to speak about the connection between a mother and her children, how precious it is, so much that not even death really breaks it. The book is well written when it comes to use of language, but I thought it requires a proper copy edit; I refer mainly to the commas and quotes, which I kept finding in the wrong place or missing where they should be. Without this flaw, the book would be simply perfect. I will definitely look out for the next book by this author.

My rating

4 stars

A touching story sprinkled with magic!

 

the postcard

Fancy a whimsical tale of a daughter whose mother can’t stop caring for her even after death?

This little gem will play a touching little tune at your heartstrings!

FIND IT NOW ON AMAZON

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Book review: Deadly Secrets by Angel Sefer

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This is the second book in the Greek Isles Series and I must say, I thought it was even better than Spellbound in His Arms. Deadly Secrets was simply un-put-downable.

Helena arrives in the cosmopolitan Greek island of Mykonos on a long holiday from London in order to find her roots and hoping to unravel an old family mystery too. In the process, her life and the life of others are put in danger, and she also falls irrevocably in love. This reads in many ways like a Harlequin romance; the dislike between the two main protagonists, the second guessing, the misunderstandings, etc. It is not advisable to read this if you are put off by these elements. But, if like me, you enjoy this type of romance, then do not hesitate.

If anything, this book will transport you to the heart of the Greek summer in the Cyclades; the descriptions of the town of Mykonos are vivid and made me feel like I was back there. This book will highly intrigue and enthuse you, especially as the family secrets are many, the mystery intense and the villain is disclosed at the very end. Angel Sefer’s masterful story-telling will have you guessing all the time, enticing you to keep reading. I know I lost sleep over this, reading far longer into the night than I meant to. A cracking good read!

 

My rating:

5 stars

A fast-paced, romantic page turner set in the heart of Greek summer

deadly secrets

Do you enjoy Harlequin-type romance or murder mysteries set in exotic summer settings?

If so, this is a perfect choice for you. Visit Amazon now!

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Book Review: Nanostrike by Pete Barber

nanostrike

I was hooked to this book from the very first page. This is a fast-paced thriller and quite a page-turner that has enhanced my reading pleasure but diminished my sleep time as I just couldn’t put it down. Detective Quinn was by far my favorite character, who was deliciously cute by being tough, but only on the outside.

The book comprised of a long list of lifelike characters that stayed with me, the main villain being particularly disturbing. I loved delving into the world of nanotechnology and found it all overwhelming and fascinating. This is a well-written book that can easily stand side by side, being of equal quality, with the high-octane thrillers written by largely celebrated authors of the genre. It is very seldom that I read a book of such a high ‘wow’ factor. Highly recommended!

 

My rating

5 stars

A thrilling adventure with one hell of a detective!

nanostrike

Do you enjoy high-tech thrillers and a cracking good chase?

Look no further, this gem was written for you!

Find it now on Amazon

 
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Book Review: No Perfect Secret by Jackie Weger

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Anna Nesmith is an intelligent woman who finds herself in a very painful and awkward situation. Agent Frank Caburn barges into her life asking all sorts of questions about her husband, but in the process finds himself more interested in her. The story unfolds with an array of delightful characters, the way only this author can portray them; delightful, but at the same time with lots of attitude, savvy and witty.

Jackie Weger manages to balance skillfully sweet romance with the portrayal of painful and awkward family situations. Her main character, Anna Nesmith, handles herself in the face of untold dismay and devastation like a real hero: with incredible charisma, stoicism and humor. I couldn’t help but admire her through her journey and to fall in love with old-fashioned, charming Frank Caburn alongside her.

This has been a delightful read! I have bought the other two romances in this author’s series as well (No Perfect Destiny, No Perfect Fate) and can’t wait to dig in!

 

My rating:

5 stars

A story of sweet romance and family problems delivered with mastery

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Do you enjoy sweet romance? Do you like women’s fiction with strong-willed, intelligent characters who claim their own happiness? This awesome story is for you!

FIND IT NOW ON AMAZON

 
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Book review: Runaway Smile by Nicholas Rossis

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The boy wakes up to find his smile is missing. His pet dog wishes it could help but cannot. The monster in his closet is a friendly one, but it has no answers either. On his way to school, the boy meets a bunch of strange characters but they all seem too preoccupied in their own affairs (aren’t all adults in the eyes of a child?) to answer his pressing question about his missing smile.

Still, by the end of the story, the answer comes unexpectedly and in the sweetest way possible, so much that I felt my heart actually melting.

This is the first published children’s story by sci-fi/fantasy author Nicholas Rossis and perhaps the best bit about it, even more than the brilliance of the story itself, is that Runaway Smile is the first of many. The author is already working on the next children’s book and I simply can’t wait.

But it is not just the fresh, delightful narrative that makes this story standout; the inspired illustrations by Dimitris Fousekis simply give it wings. I found myself immersed in the pages, left behind the worries of my adult mind and turned into a child again for a little while, as to remember anew where a true smile comes from.

If you are buying a book for a child, Runaway Smile is an awesome choice. There is no awkwardness and no fear factor; just delight, plenty of innocence and a sweet ending that will make any young heart lift.

 

My rating

5 stars

A delightful children’s book with the sweetest ending ever!

 

runaway smile

Are you buying a book for a child? Are you looking for something that will please and delight a young, innocent heart? Look no further!

FIND THIS GEM NOW ON AMAZON!

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Book Review: Born to Magic by David Wind (Tales of Navaeh Series)

tales of navaeh

This book has astounded me. For one, this genre is not my cup of tea. Although I love science fiction, I’m not a big fan of fantastical worlds, especially when a medieval type of life is involved. Yet, this book has been a delightful surprise for me.

Other than enjoying the enchanting story of Princess Areenna and Prince Mikaal who set out on a treacherous journey to save their magical world, I was also greatly amazed by the concept of the storyline. David Wind has set this world into the very far future of the USA, at a time when worldwide terrorism has used technology to pollute the world with radiation, ending civilization as we know it.

In his fantastical world, the author introduces an array of mutated animals that all appear intriguing as well as surprisingly endearing, so much that they made me wish they existed in the real world; treygones and kraals in particular. There are beautiful descriptions of forestland, rivers and medieval-type castles and keeps and in this world, the women are revered and have magical powers. When the dark forces who have destroyed the world as we know it today return to try and rule even this new, devastated world, the gifted Areenna is summoned to travel with Prince Mikaal to The Island as to come face to face with the bare truth about the destruction that was brought upon it. On their way there, they get to know each other better as friends, they gather new gifts from other realms and of course, they get to master their newly acquired abilities that will help them in their final battle against Evil.

David Wind has created a world that expresses magic in every way; not just with the sparks and orbs of light that are expelled into the air with every wave and flick of the youngsters’ hands, but also with the suitably old-fashioned dialogue and the masterfully described scenes of the magnificent landscape. This amazing future world is simply irresistible and as I read on, I felt suitably mesmerized by it. I’ve had the best ‘mind trip’ of my life in years with this book. A true gem of its genre. Well done, David Wind!

I’m already looking forward to the next book in the Tales of Navaeh Series as to see what else this highly imaginative author has in store for the reader.

Don’t miss out. If you love fantasy, trust me, you want to read this book!

 

My rating:

5 stars

Enchanting and simply irresistible!

 tales of navaeh

Do you enjoy fantasy? Are you fascinated by stories of sorcerers and youngsters with magic at their fingertips? This amazing book is perfect for you! CLICK HERE TO VISIT AMAZON!

 

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Book review: Confessions of an Instinctively Mutinous Baby Boomer by Marsha Roberts

Baby Boomer

I rarely read memoirs but this book drew me like a magnet. I’m one of those people who believe in the power of serendipity and as such, I often feel that sometimes a book will choose me and not the other way round. As it happens, this amazing memoir landed on my hands at a time when I needed it most, when my brain felt fried from over-working and from lack of free time to just be, reflect on my life and where it’s going.

From the word go, I found common ground with the author’s account of her childhood as I also felt uncomfortable at home as a child, owed to a very critical and strict parent. Marsha’s account of reconciliation with her mother later in life as a result, really played at the heartstrings. However, this book goes a lot further than that and is not solely an account of mother-and-daughter problems. For me, the book simply took off once Masha introduced her husband Bob Rector in the book, and the difficulties they encountered on the financial front as a married couple. At some point, Marsha found herself at the start of a new career where she felt unsure on her feet and yet, owed to the strength in her heart and her unwavering faith, she succeeded remarkably.

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Teaming up with her husband Bob Rector, a gifted director and author, Marsha soon wound up in the Pentagon pitching a theatre show that could entertain the US troops around the world. Thanks to Marsha’s persuasion skills and personal charisma, the show, Letters From the Front, got to tour the world and the book tells some amazing, and very touching tales from this tour.

I have to be honest here. Some of Marsha’s reflections that are recorded in places may strike some people as odd. The author is obviously highly spiritual and a strong believer in God and His amazing ways. In this sense, this book may be the wrong choice for an atheist or even an agnostic, however, I feel that even in this case this book will not offend as its accounts don’t preach about Jesus and generally do not read like a Christian book that shoves it all down your throat.

I read this book exactly for what it is, and although I am not big on the Christian Church, I have a strong faith in God and so, enjoyed it immensely as a set of inspiring tales from the life of a very special person. Marsha Roberts sees life through the amazed eyes of a child and for that, she remains incredibly blessed. Only a child will expect results with a faith that cannot possibly be broken, no matter how hard things may seem, just because they want this thing so much that no other eventuality can ever enter their mind as possible. And that is, in my eyes, the secret at the heart of this delightful author. This is how Marsha and her amazing husband Bob, have worked out all these little miracles in their lives. This is how they went from uncertainty to professional success, and from poverty to a stable, safe home environment for them and their offspring.

I recommend this book highly to anyone who has hit a hard spot in life and needs guidance. The tales in this story, will inspire and amaze you and they will also remind you that anything is possible, as long as you have the faith to believe it enough and the will to take action. Well done, Marsha Roberts!

 

My rating:

5 stars

A highly spiritual memoir that will inspire and amaze!

Bob and Marsha

Do you enjoy memoirs about family life and personal journeys through adversity? Are you in a place in your life where you need to be reminded where your strength comes from? It comes from within, as you know. Let Marsha tell you all about it! Find the book now on Amazon!

 Baby Boomer

 

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