Goodreads Reviewer Sees New Novel Grounded in American South Literature

Title: Remain In Light
Author: Collin Kelley
Web site: www.collinkelley.com
Genre: Mystery/suspense
ASIN: B005Q133EI (ebook out now; print in January 2012)

Reviewed by Marshall Moore originally for Goodreads.com
Rating: Four stars


Fast forward two years, after the tumultuous events of Conquering Venus. Collin has done an admirable job here, layering history, mystery and travelogue to create a story that is thoughtful and substantial, immensely readable without being fluff. I can't speak to how well the book works as a stand-alone novel: although Collin intended it to be accessible to readers unfamiliar with Conquering Venus, I've read that book and can't experience this one without that background knowledge. My advice would be just to read them both.

One of the reasons this book works for me is that, despite its Paris setting (with excursions to Berlin, St-Etienne, and Chambery), this is Southern writing. Collin comes from that literary tradition, and readers familiar with the literature of the American South will recognize the use of language; the embrace of flawed, cracked characters; and the strong sense of place in this novel. The cover suggests the grotesque being rendered lovely; that's exactly what Collin is doing here. The novel won't be for everyone: it isn't an easy fit in any genre, it's sexually frank, and it thumbs its nose at a few mores that an increasingly right-wing America holds dear. But then, the best Southern writers don't spoon-feed baby food to their readers.






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  The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. 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. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Joyce Faulkner's New Novel Entertainment for About Everyone But Kids

Username

Author: Joyce Faulkner

Author's Website:www.joycefaulkner.com

Genre: Fiction: horror/crime/

ISBN: 978-0983493020
Paperback on Amazon and Barnes&Noble  
Kindle ASIN: B0055AUCQM
Kindle Edition
Other e-readers on Smashwords

 

I am a fan of literary fiction so I was surprised when I I was taken in hook, line, and sinker by this novel. I can't say it crosses over the line to literary but here's what it does do.

• It captures the reader's interest--immediately.
• The characters are wholly original and captivating.
• There are surprises at every turn.
• The structure makes Username a page-turner.
• It nimbly crosses genres so the audience should be wide. So, yes. Horror. Crime. Thriller. But also a book for women (though men will love it, too!), a book for feminists searching for strong female characters; a book that explores cultural issues. Username bursts out of its genre (or genres) to mainstream. 

I found Username every bit as intriguing and well written as any by Stephen King.

 

 

 

Smashwords:

Barnes & Noble (bn.com):

itunes: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/username/id455589006?mt=11

Whew...I think that's all. LOL

----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. 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. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Phyllis Zimbler Miller Loves Word Tripper Read

Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers
Subtitle: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Available in paperback and for Kindle
Author's editing blog, www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com
Amazon link: www.budurl.com/WordtripperPB

 Reviewed by Phyllis Zimbler Miller originally for Amazon

This little book is a must-have for writers who take seriously their word usage. Carolyn Howard Johnson's paired words are a fascinating look at the sand traps of American English. More importantly, her amusing advice on how to tell the difference between, for example, fissures and fishers is valuable for editors as well as writers.

I highly recommend this book.

--- Reviewer Phyllis Zimbler Miller is coauthor of Lt. Commander Mollie Sanders (http://budurl.com/PZMbooks)

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. 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. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Smarts and Stamina – A Book Review

Smarts and Stamina: The Busy Person’s Guide to Optimal Health and Performance

Shaar, M. J. & Britton, K. H. (2011).
Positive Psychology Press.

ISBN 0615529682. ISBN-13: 978-0615529684.

Genre: Healthy Living.

Key words: Health habits, Habit formation, Healthy eating, Exercise, Mood, Productivity, Sleep

Author's Web site: http://smartsandstamina.com.

 

Reviewed by Louisa Jewell originally for Positive Psychology News Daily  http://www.positivematters.com/

I have been anticipating Marie-Josée Shaar and Kathryn Britton’s new book: Smarts and Stamina: The Busy Person’s Guide to Optimal Health and Performance for several months now and it is better than even I had anticipated.

According to Dr. Liana Lianov of Harvard Medical School, virtually all of the top 10 leading causes of death among American adults are related to lifestyle patterns. Taking this to heart, the authors do not preach about what you ‘should’ be doing to be healthy, or promise if you follow their advice that you will look like Jennifer Aniston in 6 weeks. Their focus is on guiding the reader to improve personal everyday habits to be healthy, and they do this by helping you build your health skills. Their approach is realistic and simple: make small incremental changes to your habits.

The Smarts and Stamina (SaS) Compass Model

The book is based on research on the interaction among the various aspects of good health and intelligently weaves in the research in positive psychology on self-regulation, goal pursuit, and successful change to help people make sustainable change to their behavior. Their approach is guided by the Smarts and Stamina (SaS) Compass which has four points:

1. Sleep
   
2. Food
   
3. Mood
   
4. Exercise

The authors begin with a discussion of four biochemicals; serotonin, dopamine, leptin, and cortisol and how they affect how you feel and subsequently behave. Some biochemicals boost our ability to self-regulate while others can detract. While these biochemicals affect behavior, our habits in the four SaS Compass areas also affect our biochemical levels in our body. Thus all four compass points are mutually reinforcing. For example, physical activity increases serotonin levels and acts as a stress-reliever which contributes to good sleep. Sleep balances all four biochemicals which can curb food cravings and maintain positive emotions. Stronger emotional health contributes to better sleep and so on.

Jogging with a dog

50 Avenues to Good Health
The book is written in a workbook format that offers 50 different avenues to good health with excellent reflective questions, assessments, exercises, and suggestions for changing habits in all four SaS Compass point areas. The intention is not to overwhelm people with 50 avenues. Instead the authors suggest starting with one area and exploring the avenue(s) that works for you. The book is also written so well it is a pleasure to pick up anytime and use it as a reference for years to come.
For each of these 50 avenues, the authors have provided a comprehensive guide for putting it into action, including:

1. Science Says: This section describes the research that supports this avenue.
   
2. Story: The authors share stories of people they have worked with who had problems in this area and then successfully implemented the avenue for good results.
   
3. Build the Skills: The authors then describe how to build skills in this area.
   

• Mindfulness: The authors ask powerful questions here to get people to reflect on what is already working for you in this area. This was one of my favorite parts of the workbook. When I was able to contemplate on what I was already doing well, I actually felt better about myself and it made me think about how I could do more of what I was already doing. This is the first book I have ever read that offers a strengths-based approach to good health. I believe this is what sets this workbook apart from others in a powerful way.
  
• Plan & Execute: Activities that cause you to take action.
  
• Onward & Upward: A final reflection about what can be gained from this avenue that might carry over into other avenues or other aspects of your life.

One of the things I found very helpful was how the authors adapted Carol Dweck’s learning theory of Mindset to how our mindset can affect behavioral change in the health arena. After taking this assessment, I discovered that while I had a growth mindset as far as food went, I had some work to do in the exercise arena.
An Intelligent Resource for Positive Psychology Practitioners As a positive psychology practitioner working with organizations to improve well-being, I am already using the book as an intelligent resource for new ideas to immediately implement with my organizational clients. For example, one of my favorite avenues is ‘Do a Mini.’ This avenue gives several activities people can do at their desk or while at work that gives them an opportunity to have a 10-minute meditation session that can instantly relieve stress and energize them for continued work.

While I love the countless suggestions for my organizational clients, I started to get really excited about using the workbook to improve my own health.

Vegetables at the Farmer's Market

This workbook is a great resource for positive psychology coaches and practitioners who want to help clients achieve optimum health, but it is also a great resource for anyone wanting to be healthier. And now I am off to find a good recipe for oyster and shiitake mushrooms . . . Anyone have a good recipe to share?

---

Shaar, M. J. & Britton, K. H. (2011). Smarts and Stamina: The Busy Person’s Guide to Optimal Health and Performance. Positive Psychology Press. Available from Amazon and from an eStore (may be easier for international orders).


----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. 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. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Holiday Gift Books for Kids in Your Life

Three Children's Books
Details Below

Synopses by Denise Cassino

 

I just found some fabulous books for children that are getting rave reviews everywhere! They're Homiedre's boxed set of 3 books: What is Love? What is Friendship? What is Imagination? Here's what one reviewer had to say:

"These excellent books - rich in content and in art - can now be obtained in this boxed set, a box full of love, friendship and imagination just waiting to be consumed by the children whose school exposure to these values is diminishing. .Adding these books to the child's library is not only an enriching experience for the lucky children who own them, but the purchase of this set aids the Channing-Kullijian Foundation and hence to the encouragement of everyone to restore the arts to our schools. Everyone wins - but especially the children who will doubtless place these books on the top of their favorites list!" ~Grady Harp http://bit.ly/oGtRne

The books feature "Children, dressed in soft 'critter outfits' accompany the couplets while cavorting on fluffy clouds set on a sky blue background. This is extremely effective, eye catching and makes a wonderful group read.:

WHAT IS LOVE? Here's a snippet:

'You can find Love in all kinds of places.

In smiles and laughs and all kinds of faces.

It's inside our hands so we can use them with care,

Love is even in the curliest of curly strands of hair.

It's in every single toe from big toe to small,

And then into our dance feet

when we're having a ball!'

WHAT IS FRIENDSHIP? - Various aspects of friendship are explored through the charming use of a little boy and his quiet life-like toy robot. Again, the rhyming text makes this book an ideal group read and the artwork is bold and concise; splendidly executed. Text and illustrations go perfectly together.

'Some friends were made to love,

as others were made to care,

But what all friends have in common,

is knowing how to share!'

WHAT IS IMAGINATION? - A little girl, Petunia and her pet stuffed dog, Patches go about a typical day in a child's life and due to the ability of the little girl and her "pet" the day is livened up in oh so very many ways via the use of their imagination. What a wonderful thing it is to be a child (or an adult, for that matter), with an active and creative imagination! Again, the art work in this book, as with the previous two is rather amazing and simply fun!"

'Well the school day is done, and it was a blast!

Thanks to my imagination, it went by so fast!

But now I must walk, all the way back home,

And see where my imagination, is willing to roam.

So I look at the trees, that are ever so tall.

And can't help to feel, ever so small!'

So don't miss these books - and when you buy them, you'll receive dozens of fabulous downloadable bonuses for you and the children in your life. Click here: http://bit.ly/oGtRne

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. 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. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Reviewer says, "Historical fiction fans, this book is for you!"

 BETRAYAL

Author: Michele Kallio 

Publisher: IUNIVERSE

ISBN is 978-1-4620-0408-9.

Genre: Historical Fiction. The link to the review on Amazon is
Available on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Betrayal-MicheleKallio/dp/1462004067/

Reviewed by Amy Sheldon, originally for Amazon

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. As a matter of fact, I had just finished 'The Other Boleyn Girl', maybe a month before picking up Betrayal. Betrayal can go toe to toe with any historical fiction I've read. I particularly enjoyed the way the story of the two women seperated by centuries, were woven together. Both story lines flowed effortlessly - so gripping. I read the book in two days! I could not put this book down. Can't wait for Michele's next book!

~BETRAYAL is available online at Amazon.com, Amazon. co.uk, Amazon.ca, Barnes and Noble.com and various other online retailers.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. 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. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

FLOWERS OF VITRIOL
By JOHN WHEATLEY
HISTORICAL NOVEL
ISBN-13: 978-0956734204
PAPERBACK PUBLISHED BY HULME HALL BOOKS [ www.hulmehallbooks.com  ] £9.99
 E-BOOK FROM AMAZON [£2.13]

Review by DEBORAH GRACE, first published on AMAZON


The year is 1817 and the setting is Amlwch, on the north east coast of Anglesey.
The `blackened mountain and sulphurous air' bear dubious testimony to the town's
status as copper capital of the world and on its streets social strife, borne of
hunger and poverty, threatens to erupt into open violence.


Into this volatile and toxic mix, mine superintendent, Thomas Kendrick, brings
his young bride, Alys, a capricious beauty whose sexually disruptive presence
infects men with a kind of madness. Jealousy, adultery and sexual exploitation
inevitably lead to disaster and make for an intriguing and often menacing tale.


With Anglesey providing the inspiration here, as in his debut novel ('A Golden
Mist'), John Wheatley appears to be doing for this part of North Wales what
Daphne du Maurier has done for Cornwall. In this second novel, the rugged
coastline and baleful influence of the vitriol works provide as much drama as
the characters themselves. Brilliant, brooding and atmospheric!

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. 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. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :