The New Book Review

This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fave Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.

Showing posts with label #GreatBkReviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #GreatBkReviews. Show all posts

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.

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




Tuesday, October 28, 2025

REVIEW OF DESIGN FOR YOUR MIND: LEARN HOW TO RENOVATE YOUR HOME TO RECHARGE YOUR LIFE


TITLE: 
HOW A MENTAL HEALTH THERAPIST RENOVATED HER HOME TO RECHARGE HER LIFE – AND 
DIDN’T BREAK THE BANK


AUTHOR OF BOOK's NAME Annie Guest


AUTHOR'S EMAIL ADDRESS annieguestdesign@gmail.com


AUTHOR'S FAVORITE LINKS: https://www.annieguestdesignforyourmind.com/


ASSURANCE TO SATISFY COPYRIGHT LAW: 

 X I am the reviewer and give TNBR permission to print this review.


REVIEWER’S BYLINE: Abigail Adams


THE REVIEW:


  Design For Your Mind is an inspiring tale of how someone can cope with the loss of their parents and sorting out the possessions that they have left behind. In the case of Annie Guest, the author of this book, she inherited her parents’ house and renovated it to be a suitable home for its new occupant—which was Annie herself. The book tells not only how she did this, but how she was able to rediscover herself in the process.

As a mental health therapist, Annie understands how the environment in which we live can affect our mental health. She shows how it is possible to retain the precious family memories which we acquire as we grow up in our family home, and then put our own contemporary stamp on the home to make it habitable for ourselves—and how to do all of this in a cost-effective way!

Design For Your Mind is in part a practical manual on interior design, and Annie lays out the process in a clear and easy manner. The book systematically goes through each room in her house and outlines what methods she applied to renovate these rooms. Readers will find these methods readily applicable to their own homes.

Annie has given her own name to the type of design she describes in Design For Your Mind: “Benessent Design.” Annie explains that the term “Benessent” comes from the Latin phrase for well-being, bene essere. What she means by Benessent Design is the design of rooms and furnishings that can meet “the emotional and intellectual needs of real people, so they have what they need to thrive as whole human beings.” For Annie, the “four pillars” of an enriched environment are good nutrition, high-quality sleep, regular aerobic exercise, and social support.

Annie takes us step-by-step through her quest to renovate her parents’ home and make it her own. Her methods and explanations are easy-to-follow, meaning you do not need to be a qualified interior decorator or a certified mental health therapist in order to get to grips with Design For Your Mind. Her Benessent Design theory provides the framework for why all of the steps she took were taken, and the “before” and “after” pictures give a clear visual illustration of what steps she is discussing throughout.

As well as her underlying theory and her practical steps, Annie makes the book personal with a great store of heartwarming family anecdotes. This helps to make Annie’s book very relatable, as many of us will be able to identify with the sort of tales she has to tell, or recognize ourselves within them. It ties in nicely with her theme of blending old memories and traditions with new innovations that help to make a home truly your own.

The blend of sound theory, practical steps, and personal anecdotes all help to make Design For Your Mind a terrific, practical book from which we can learn a lot about interior design, and about ourselves. Very highly recommended.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER: 
I’m Abigail, and I’m a big book lover who is interested in all genres.

REVIEWER'S TWITTER MONIKER: @AAdams22700

ABOUT THE AUTHOR WHOSE BOOK IS BEING REVIEWED: Annie Guest had a varied career in book publishing, advertising, and law, before she took another jump to work as a mental health therapist and publish her first book. In DESIGN FOR YOUR MIND, Annie combines her passion for people and their potential with her love for interior design and her appreciation for the design choices that support mental health.


AUTHOR  IMAGES: 


Design For Your Mind: How a Family Caregiver and Mental Health Therapist Renovated Her Home to Recharge Her Life - and Didn't Break the Bank


Cover of Design For Your Mind by Annie Guest



Profile Photo of Annie Guest, author of Design For Your Mind



AUTHOR'S EMAIL ADDRESS annieguestdesign@gmail.com


AUTHOR'S FAVORITE LINKS: https://www.annieguestdesignforyourmind.com/


ADD THIS ASSURANCE TO SATISFY COPYRIGHT LAW: 

 I am the reviewer and give TNBR permission to print this review.


REVIEWER’S BYLINE: Abigail Adams


INCLUDE THE THE REVIEW ITSELF, of course!


Design For Your Mind is an inspiring tale of how someone can cope with the loss of their parents and sorting out the possessions that they have left behind. In the case of Annie Guest, the author of this book, she inherited her parents’ house and renovated it to be a suitable home for its new occupant—which was Annie herself. The book tells not only how she did this, but how she was able to rediscover herself in the process.

As a mental health therapist, Annie understands how the environment in which we live can affect our mental health. She shows how it is possible to retain the precious family memories which we acquire as we grow up in our family home, and then put our own contemporary stamp on the home to make it habitable for ourselves—and how to do all of this in a cost-effective way!

Design For Your Mind is in part a practical manual on interior design, and Annie lays out the process in a clear and easy manner. The book systematically goes through each room in her house and outlines what methods she applied to renovate these rooms. Readers will find these methods readily applicable to their own homes.

Annie has given her own name to the type of design she describes in Design For Your Mind: “Benessent Design.” Annie explains that the term “Benessent” comes from the Latin phrase for well-being, bene essere. What she means by Benessent Design is the design of rooms and furnishings that can meet “the emotional and intellectual needs of real people, so they have what they need to thrive as whole human beings.” For Annie, the “four pillars” of an enriched environment are good nutrition, high-quality sleep, regular aerobic exercise, and social support.

Annie takes us step-by-step through her quest to renovate her parents’ home and make it her own. Her methods and explanations are easy-to-follow, meaning you do not need to be a qualified interior decorator or a certified mental health therapist in order to get to grips with Design For Your Mind. Her Benessent Design theory provides the framework for why all of the steps she took were taken, and the “before” and “after” pictures give a clear visual illustration of what steps she is discussing throughout.

As well as her underlying theory and her practical steps, Annie makes the book personal with a great store of heartwarming family anecdotes. This helps to make Annie’s book very relatable, as many of us will be able to identify with the sort of tales she has to tell, or recognize ourselves within them. It ties in nicely with her theme of blending old memories and traditions with new innovations that help to make a home truly your own.

The blend of sound theory, practical steps, and personal anecdotes all help to make Design For Your Mind a terrific, practical book from which we can learn a lot about interior design, and about ourselves. Very highly recommended.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER: I’m Abigail, and I’m a big book lover who is interested in all genres.
REVIEWER'S TWITTER MONIKER: @AAdams22700

ABOUT THE AUTHOR WHOSE BOOK IS BEING REVIEWED: Annie Guest had a varied career in book publishing, advertising, and law, before she took another jump to work as a mental health therapist and publish her first book. In DESIGN FOR YOUR MIND, Annie combines her passion for people and their potential with her love for interior design and her appreciation for the design choices that support mental health.


AUTHORProfile Photo of Annie Guest, author of Design For Your Mind