Sunday, March 22, 2026

Well Met By Water, Another Winner by Joy V. Smith


BOOK TITLE: WELL MET BY WATER
AUTHOR OF BOOK: Joy V. Smith

GENRE: Science fiction 

ISBN: 979-8-232-59597-5

PAGE COUNT: 210

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Well+Met+by+Water&i=stripbooks&adid=082

VK13VJJCZTQYGWWCZ&campaign=211041&creative=374001&tag=x_gr_bb_

amazon-20&ref=x_gr_bb_amazon

 

THE REVIEW ITSELF:

 

Review Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewed by David Jaggart for Readers’ Favorite





Joy V. Smith's WELL MET BY WATER is about a family of mermaid–human hybrids trying to live 
peacefully while protecting themselves from danger. The main character, Cathay, is a young woman who can breathe underwater, swim with dolphins, and move between land and sea. Her entire family shares this gift, although only the 
daughters inherit the full merfolk abilities. Their tranquil life suddenly changes when Cathay 
rescues Rand, a former thug, chained under a dock and left to drown. After saving Rand, Cathay
encourages him to leave his criminal past behind and use his life for good. This incident sets off 
a series of events involving hardened criminals, polluted oceans, kidnapped merchildren, and the 
ongoing quest to keep the family’s identity a secret. Follow Cathay on this riveting journey as she 
protects her loved ones from impending danger.

WELL MET BY WATER is a captivating tale that feels a lot like stepping into two worlds at once — the human 
world and the hidden, fascinating world beneath the surface. I love how Joy V. Smith defines Cathay's family. 
Her family doesn't portray classic mermaids from traditional fantasy-based stories. They depict an authentic 
family with real concerns, disagreements, and loyalty. Their merfolk abilities add another layer to the many 
challenges they already face, especially with secrecy, safety, and identity. I deeply appreciated Rand's character arc. His presence brings uncertainty and hope, showing how a person with a dark past can find redemption when given a second chance. The environmental 
themes stand out, too. The author clearly cares about the ocean and uses the story to highlight pollution and 
the importance of protecting marine life in a way that feels natural to the plot. I enjoyed reading this intriguing
tale and you will too! Highly recommended.

 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

 

Joy V. Smith has been writing stories since she was little and created her own little 

books.  Her stories and articles have been published in print magazines, ezines, 

and anthologies; her SF has been published in two audiobooks, including Sugar 

Time (also available in print). Her books include Detour Trail, a western; Strike Three; Sugar Time, Velvet of SwordsCold New Planet; Seedlings and Crystal Quest, the sequel; a collection of her 

published short stories, The Doorway and Other Stories.  She lives in Florida with 

Samwise Gamgee, a Chihuahua cross, and Pemberley, the tortoiseshell cat.

 

 

X Permission to publish the the review.

 

 

You've used my author images, and I thought the cartoon would be a fun 

change. 

 


 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Joy V. Smith has been writing stories since she was little and created her own little books.  Her stories and articles have been published in print magazines, ezines, and anthologies; her SF has been published in two audiobooks, including Sugar Time (also available in print). Her books include Detour Trail, a western; Strike Three; Sugar Time, Velvet of SwordsCold New Planet; Seedlings and Crystal Quest, the sequel; a collection of her published short stories, The Doorway and Other Stories.  She lives in Florida with Samwise Gamgee, a Chihuahua cross, and Pemberley, the tortoiseshell cat

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in the right column of this blog’s home page (a silver and gold badge with three silver- circle icons beneath it. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Thursday, March 19, 2026

Review of Taboo Tech - Another Winner by Joy V. Smith


BOOK TITLE: TABOO TECH
AUTHOR OF BOOK: Joy V. Smith

GENRE: Science fiction 

ISBN: 978-0-359-5167-5

PAGE COUNT: 288

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=taboo+tech+by+joy+v+smith&i=stripbooks&crid=PDR267QR8HLF&sprefix=taboo+tech+by+joy+v+smith%2Cstripbooks%2C165&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

THE REVIEW ITSELF: 

Carolyn Wilhelm's Bookshelf Taboo Tech
Joy V. Smith
Lulu Publishing
www.lulu.com
$16.95 PB, $4.99 Kindle,  www.amazon.com


This author's favorite genre is science fiction and I'm sure that helped her imagination as she wrote this book. Here is a "rule" the protagonist, Lacie, remembers when in a tight spot.
"...remember the course on Blending into Other Cultures, aka Undercover Coping. Among non-humanoids, acting lost and scared can work. On humanoid planets, find out what other humans are doing that you can do. Do it."
Lacie's parents have to leave her and she manages to cope with the help of what she learned in class and technology. Danger is close at hand many times which is often solved with brainy and complex solutions.
I found the information from classes such as Blending into Other Cultures aka Undercover Coping to be believable. The names of the ships, security characters, robots, aliens, and planets were clever and fun to read. There is a character map in the back of the book (instead of a family tree) to help keep the many characters, humanoids, princesses, miners, families, and interactive plants straight. The ships and robots 
 personalities and can adapt to changes and grow in knowledge.
Characters are suspicious of each other at first as it is difficult to tell which are trustworthy. Being safe is of utmost importance and there is cloaking and traveling and secrecy involved. An energy net pulls a damaged ship to where it can be repaired. A school is a central focus, SAKAWE, and people with criminal intent take it over for some time. Students, however, are not injured. (less)
Carolyn WilhelmReviewer 

I received permission to publish this review. __X_Yes ___ No

More Words About Taboo Tech:

“…I have one piece of advice for readers. Wear a helmet. When this story gets its feet under it, it takes off.” 

Matthew Joseph Harrington, an author of Man-Kzin Wars stories 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joy V. Smith has been writing stories since she was a kid and could write; she made her own little books--with covers.  Her stories and articles, including interviews with writers, editors, and artists, have been published in print magazines, ezines, and anthologies; and her SF has been published in two audiobooks, including Sugar Time. Her books include Detour Trail; Strike Three; Sugar Time, Well Met by WaterVelvet of SwordsCold New Planet; Pretty Pink Planet and its sequel, Hot Yellow Planet; Crystal Quest; a collection of her published short stories, The Doorway and Other Stories; and several e-books.  She lives in Florida with Samwise Gamgee, a Chihuahua cross, and Pemberley, the tortoiseshell cat, in a remodeled house. (She's been practicing building and remodeling.)MORE 


ABOUT THE BLOGGER: Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T/ ) of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), and "The Frugal Editor" both offered in their third editions by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), was recently released in its third edition. It is the winningest book in this series for writers. Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow it to get news on her new releases directly from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.



 




 

Monday, March 16, 2026

Metropolita Opera Violinist Writes Aria for Murder

BOOK TITLE: ARIA FOR MURDER 

AUTHOR OF BOOK: ERICA MINER

GENRE: MYSTERY/THRILLER

ISBN: 1685121985

SERIES: JULIA KOGAN OPERA MYSTERIES

PAGE COUNT: 254

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Aria-Murder-Julia-Kogan-Mystery/dp/1685121985/


THE REVIEW ITSELF: By Midwest Book Review


FULL REVIEW


Excitement mounts as the moment arrives for brilliant young violinist Julia Kogan's debut in the orchestra of the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera. But the high-stakes milieu of this musical mecca is rocked to its core when, during an on-stage murder scene, Julia's mentor, a famous conductor, is assassinated on the podium.

Thrust into the investigation when her closest colleague in the orchestra is named chief suspect, Julia teams up with opera-loving NYPD detective Larry Somers to solve the murder. In the process, they are shocked to discover the venerable opera house is rife with a web of secrets, intrigue, and lethal rivalries. But all bets are off when Julia suddenly finds herself the real killer's prime target!

Critique: A cosy mystery at its very best, "Aria for Murder" is the first of novelist Erica Miner's 'A Julia Kogan Opera Mystery' trilogy from Level Best Books. A fun read from cover to cover, "Aria for Murder" deftly combines the elements of a traditional 'whodunnit' detective mystery with a memorable crafted amateur female sleuth. The stuff of which Hallmark TV mystery movies are made, "Aria for Murder" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Aria for Murder" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

 Formerly a Metropolitan Opera Orchestra violinist for 21 years, Erica Miner now enjoys a multi-faceted career as an award-winning author, lecturer, screenwriter, and arts journalist. Erica's passion for Bringing Murder and Music together is embodied in her 3-part Opera Mystery novel series published by Level Best Books: "Aria for Murder" (which draws on Erica's own real-life experiences working at the New York Metropolitan Opera); “Prelude to Murder” and “Overture to Murder.”


Erica’s debut novel, “Travels with my Lovers,” won the Fiction Award in the Direct from the Book Awards. She recently received the Readers House Magazine Editor's Choice Award of Literary Excellence.  Erica  has given workshops for Sisters in Crime; Los Angles Creative Writing Conference; EPIC Group Writers; Write on the Sound; Fields End Writer's Community; Savvy Authors; and numerous libraries on the west coast.


NITTY GRITTY BUT IMPORTANT PUBLISHING STUFF

Permission to publish this review. 


Author’s Website: https://www.ericaminer.com. 




Lois W. Stern is an Associate & Review Coordinator for TheNewBookReview. She is also the creator of Tales2Inspire®, an Authors Helping Authors project/contest to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, it’s Free. Lois has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Jewel Collection anthologies and six Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies. Lois is a multi award winning author whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent. 

 Get a FREE Tales2Inspire book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts       

Visit her Tales2Inspire blog HERE.

For some lively conversation, join Lois on her Facebook page HERE.

Thursday, March 12, 2026

Veteran Educator Reviews Joy V. Smith’s Newest Sci-Fi Novel


 



Taboo Tech
Metadata for Book
 
BOOK TITLE: Taboo Tech
AUTHOR OF BOOK: Joy V. Smith
GENRE: Science fiction 

ISBN: 978-0-359-51657-5


Paper: 16.95  E-book: 4.99

PUBLISHER: LuLu

PAGE COUNT: 289

Available on AMAZON 

 

 

Reviewed by Especially by and for Carolyn Wilhelm’s 

Midwest Book  Review’s Bookshelf.

Reprinted with Permission of Jim Cox, 

Midwest Book Review’s Editor-in-Chief

 



This author's favorite genre is science fiction and I'm sure that helped her imagination as she wrote this book. Here is a "rule" the protagonist, Lacie, remembers when in a tight spot.

"...remember the course on Blending into Other Cultures, aka Undercover Coping. Among non-humanoids, acting lost and scared can work. On humanoid planets, find out what other humans are doing that you can do. Do it."

Lacie's parents have to leave her and she manages to cope with the help of what she learned in class and technology. Danger is close at hand many times which is often solved with brainy and complex solutions.

I found the information from classes such as Blending into Other Cultures aka Undercover Coping to be believable. The names of the ships, security characters, robots, aliens, and planets were clever and fun to read. There is a character map in the back of the book (instead of a family tree) to help keep the many characters, humanoids, princesses, miners, families, and interactive plants straight. The ships and robots have personalities and can adapt to changes and grow in knowledge.

Characters are suspicious of each other at first as it is difficult to tell which are trustworthy. Being safe is of utmost importance and there is cloaking and traveling and secrecy involved. An energy net pulls a damaged ship to where it can be repaired. A school is a central focus, SAKAWE, and people with criminal intent take it over for some time. Students, however, are not injured. (less)


ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Carolyn Wilhelm reviews for has a Bookshelf dedicated to her reviews on Midwest Book Reviews Website. She is veteran educator and works toward creating a better environment for the future. 

 

 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joy V. Smith has been writing stories since she was little and made her own little books.  Her stories and articles have been published in print magazines, ezines, and anthologies; and her SF has been published in two audiobooks, including Sugar Time. Her books include Detour Trail; Strike Three; Sugar Time, Well Met by WaterVelvet of SwordsCold New Planet; Crystal Quest; a collection of her published short stories, The Doorway and Other Stories; and several e-books.  She lives in Florida with Samwise Gamgee, a Chihuahua cross, and Pemberley, the tortoiseshell cat, in a remodeled house. (She's been practicing building and remodeling.)

 



MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG 




 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at in a tab at the top of the home page on this blog or find the silver circle icon in the right column to access both blog and author-badge service from Lois W. Stern. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern’s. 

 Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Friday, March 6, 2026

A 5 STAR REVIEW FOR DETOUR TRAIL - ANOTHER JOY V. SMITH WINNER


BOOK TITLE: Detour Trail
AUTHOR OF BOOK: Joy V. Smith

GENRE: Historical Western

ISBN: 978-1-61235-570-2

SERIES: (If relevant.)

PAGE COUNT: 136

AMAZON LINK to BUY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Detour-Trail-Joy-V-Smith/dp/1612355706/

 

THE REVIEW ITSELF: 

*Detour Trail* by Joy V. Smith is highly recommended by Midwest Book Review as a captivating Western novel featuring a strong female protagonist, Lorena Emerson, navigating the perilous Oregon Trail. The story follows her journey through challenges after her uncle's murder, showcasing themes of resilience, teamwork, and empowerment. 

 

By Midwest Book Review


Thursday, March 5, 2026

ENTER YOUR FAVE MARKETING TIP HERE




Hi, it's Carolyn Howard-Johnson here, creator of the blogs: #NewBookReview and #SharingWithWriters.  


MY INVITATION TO OUR SHARINGWITHWRITERS FANS

Do your have one successful marketing tip to share with your fellow authors, publicists, readers and book marketers? Just send it to me at carolynhjohnson@icloud.com with the words "My fave marketing tip" in the subject line, using the format below. We will publish your tip and give a special award to the one which receives the greatest number of views that month.  


A MESSAGE FROM MY ASSOCIATE, LOIS W. STERN

This is an opportunity to get more eyeballs focused on you, whether you are an author, publisher, editor or publicist. 

We all know that even the best of books won’t go far without some good marketing behind them, so how about sending Carolyn your FAVE marketing tip, using the form below. Then Carolyn and I will select one marketing tip each month as the WINNER OF THE MONTH, based on the number of views it gets, and post it on this blog and TheNewBookReview blog too. And that’s a big deal ‘cause it gives you one more opportunity to highlight your accomplishments as an Author, Editor, Publisher or Marketing guru. and i'll kick it off with one of my own, THE ZODIAC.


HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR FAVE MARKETING TIP:

To make the submission process easier, first copy and paste the template below to help you gather all your data. Then I will post it for FREE at: https://SharingwithWriters.com/


 TEMPLATE for SUBMITTING a FAV MARKETING TIP


YOUR NAME: 


YOUR CREDENTIALS:: How you want to be known  

(Author, Publicist, Editor , Marketing guru . . .)


TITLE(S) OF BOOK(S) YOU SUCCESSFULLY MARKETED:


MARKETING TIP  ITSELF, of course!


IMAGES: Please include JPEG IMAGES of your choice, (ie Your logo, Your photo, Anything that helps define you and the book you marketed). Kindly send each with an identifying caption.


ABOUT YOU, THE MARKETING GURU: With Optional Biography/credit line. 

(Don’t be shy. This is your opportunity to let readers know of all your wonderful accomplishments.)


YOUR  FAVE LINKS: 


YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS: ____________________________

Do you want this email to be included with your marketing tip?

 ___ Yes ___ NO


LAST CHECK: NITTY GRITTY BUT IMPORTANT PUBLISHING STUFF


YOUR SUBMISSION WILL INCLUDE:


Your name as submitter of this marketing tip.

Title of book you are marketing.

Actual marketing tip.

Permission to print your marketing tip. 

Photos of your choice in JPEG format.

Caption to identify each submitted photo.


Note #1: If you would like to quote a testimonial or blurb of twenty-five words or less at the end of your marketing tip, please feel free to do so. 

If you need help editing blurbs, read Carolyn’s “The Frugal Editor” using the Index to find appropriate entries. 


Note #2: Watch for our new feature--a marketmatic free contest to select a winning marketing tip from among all those submitted each season--a veritable zodiac of winners!  

Yay! A way for us to extend one more lucky participants exposure a bit farther, and give them a chance to tout another win! 

And, I think I have talked Lois into making an award-emblem for winners to use in their own campaigns... forever afterward.


Note #3: Did you have trouble choosing which marketing tip to submit? Not to fret, you can make a regular habit of sending them. But only one a month, and ONLY one in each submission email. 


We accept more than a single marketing tip from any given participant, spaced at 30 days or more apart. Please send each tip separately. 


ABOUT THENEWBOOKREVIEW ASSOCIATE:

Lois W. Stern is an Associate & Review Coordinator for TheNewBookReview. She is also the creator of Tales2Inspire®, an #AuthorsHelpingAuthors project/contest to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, it’s Free. Lois has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Jewel Collection anthologies and six Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies. As a multi award winning author, her work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent. 


More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 


The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in the right column of this blog home page (a silver and gold badge and threee silver-gray circles beneath it. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews. Pre-format the post editor for each new post. Cancel Save Post published

http://SharingwithReaders