Vine Reviewer Loves Adventure Book

A Raucus Time: The Celtic Cousins Adventures
By Julia Highes
http://www.juliahughes.co.uk/
Fiction: Action/adventure
ISBN-10: 147756909X
ISBN-13: 978-1477569092
Five-Star Review
Available for Kindle

Reviewed by Nash Black (Amazon vine voice reviewer)

There are certain ingredients a story needs to make it better than just good. If any author can gather these ingredients and blend them seamlessly together, then they are always on to a winner.

For me, this is my first step into the world created by author Julia Hughes, a world that revolves around two teenage boys - Wren, the geeky brainbox and his cousin Rhyllann, a pilot wannabe and Wren's best friend. Add to this, Crombie, the copper and oft self-appointed social worker, the lost treasure (a treasure that includes the fabled sword of Arthurian legend - Excalibur) of King John, and a gang of villains who will stop at nothing - including murder - to retrieve said treasure and you have a story that takes all of those ingredients, lovingly mixes them together and creates a wonderful story.

Most authors would have been very happy with the fact they had created a `wonderful' story. But no. Not this author. If ever writing a novel can be compared to creating a meal, then Ms. Hughes grabbed all those correct ingredients and then, when no-one was looking, slipped in an extra, secret one that a lot of other stories lack, and created something very special. That special ingredient is - for want of a better word - love. Love of the story, love of her characters. Love of her ART. Because that's what storytelling is. It's an art and Julia Hughes is one hell of an artist!

This is a story that defies genre. It cannot be labelled as simply an adventure story, or a teen angst story, a thriller or a comedy. It is all of these and more. It made me laugh out loud; it made me turn pages (well push buttons - on kindle) at speed to see what came next. There is a section of the book that in a summer (July 2012) that has had torrential rainfall here in the UK; you will feel a particular kinship with the boys. I know I did.

The author has created believable characters that you will love from the off. Her storytelling is tight and flows seamlessly from start to finish. Her descriptive style pulls your imagination along and paints the places and people so vividly, they will stay in your mind long after you have closed the book or switched off your kindle.

The good news is that there two other stories featuring the characters you meet in `Raucous Time'. `A Ripple in Time' & `An Explosive Time'. I have just started `Ripple' and can already announce that I love it.

Make a note of the name Julia Hughes because in literary terms, it's a name I'm sure we're going to hear a lot of in the future and genuinely cannot wait!!!

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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 :

Kirkus Calls Dipwipple Book a Romp

Tongue-Tied With Stomach Knots (An Enlightened Comedy)
By Reginald Dipwipple
Fiction: Humoir/Thriller/Spy
ISBNs: 978-0-9833761-1-8 (Kindle ebook version)
             978-0-9833761-6-3 (Print version, pending).
Available on Amazon.com.

Brief Synopsis of Tongue-Tied With Stomach Knots (An Enlightened Comedy)

In a world wherein so much appears to be bizarre, insane, and beyond rational explanation, Secret Agent Reginald Dipwipple knows the insider truth: the world is incredibly incompetent. This is the world he operates in, fighting the good fight against terrorists just trying to make a living through mass intimidation. It is a world wherein words are weapons when they contain too many syllables. A world wherein computers have personality, geeks are cosmopolitan, and blondes are smart enough to deceive. A world of acronyms utterly indecipherable to the uninitiated: HUMINT, MASINT, GUTTER, USSR. A world wherein crises cause comedy.

And Dipwipple delivers. Join him at a spy school in rural Virginia where poachers encounter cute cuddly animals who shoot back. Dare to accompany him to Washington, D.C.’s fashionable neighborhood of Georgetown, to the high fashions of New York City, to the funky fashions of Greenwich Village, to the Italian fashions of Rome, to the frumpy fashions of American tourists. It is a journey intertwined with Biblical espionage, ancient Roman postal workers, prostitutes and politicians, Nazis and Communists, philosophers and phonies, comedy writers and other political appointees. From spies full of hot air (ballooning) to spies of the underworld, tunneling into East Berlin. From the sexy spies of the Civil War to the sexy spy planes of the Cold War, Dipwipple delivers. From the United Nations to divided states, from the science of humor to the art of the bad joke, Dipwipple delivers. From the great questions of theology to the questionable greatness of bureaucracy, Dipwipple delivers.

Dipwipple not only delivers, he takes it back. This is his story.

Kirkus Reviews declares: “In a literary landscape full of serious spy thrillers, this romp sticks out like a 7-foot clown in a police lineup. … Through his [beginner’s spy] coursework and on his first assignment, Dipwipple and the reader learn a great deal of trivia and true spy history. … The laughs never stop, but this one's more fun house than thrill ride.”

About the Author

Reginald Dipwipple, Secret Agent Extraordinaire, claims not to exist. Even those who know him say he's not much to look at. He has no known address, nor birthplace, nor a Social Security number, nor any verified qualifications for his supposed memoirs. Let's face it: he's a nobody. But he writes some great stuff, including a brilliant blog at SecretComedy.com.  The author also reports that tomorrow, August 1, for one day only, his e-book will be available for FREE for Kindle downloads — although even thereafter, it can be borrowed for free by Kindle users. Enjoy!

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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 :

Accountant Reviews Book That Inspired Him

Title: Yes You Can ! How to Be a Success no Matter Who You Are or
Where You're From
Author: Bill Townsend
Website: www.interminds.com
Genre: Self-help, motivational, business
ISBN-13: 978-1477659748
Reviewer: Naoto Takazawa, Accountant, Las Vegas, NV

For 9 years I have worked in the accounting department of a mid-sized
company. It is a good job, it pays fairly well, and I am thankful for
it. But I have often wondered if there is something else I should be
doing? Am I destined to move to another company? Should I start my own
accounting firm? Should I change careers completely? And each time I
ask myself these questions, something holds me back.
No longer.

Last week I read "Yes You Can ! How to Be a Success no Matter Who You
Are or Where You're From" by Bill Townsend (available at Amazon.com in
paperback and Kindle).

As a 37 year old with questions about my future, reading this book was
a revelation. It gave me not only the motivation to take action, but
the inspiration to do so. It also helped me determine how to do it, by
giving me tactics to follow. I find that part of the book unique among
self-help books because most talk about how to be better, but few give
you actual tactics to get there.

The author, Bill Townsend, isn’t a Harvard graduate and wasn’t born
with a silver spoon in his mouth. He grew up on a farm in Western
Pennsylvania. His mother had a stroke when he was 5 years old that
left her paralyzed and without speech. He taught her the ABCs and how
to tie her shoes. He earned a degree in art, then worked in
advertising. At age 27 ran for US Congress, almost winning. Then he
got busy. He was the cofounder of Lycos.com, sixdegrees.com (now
LinkedIn), Deja.com (sold to Google and eBay) and 9 other companies. A
pretty successful person by anyone’s thinking.

"Yes You Can! How to Be a Success no Matter Who You Are or Where
You're From" is a motivational book that teaches you how to take
control of your life to become successful in career, love, and life.
There are hundreds of stories of people who started with nothing and
made it: people like John Paul Dejoria, who started John Paul Mitchel
Systems with $700 and is now worth over $4 billion.
"Yes You Can ! How to Be a Success no Matter Who You Are or Where
You're From" is fun to read, nurturing, uplifting, regenerative, and
worth every moment spent in your hands.

P.S. I’ve decided to start my own accounting and bookkeeping service.

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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 tell your Facebook friends about it.  

Book Launch Save

Postponing launch for Ready for PreTirment

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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 :

Basics for Authors Considering DIY Publishing

Publish Like the Pros: A Brief Guide to Quality Self-Publishing and an Insider's Look at a Misunderstood Industry (Paperback)

Reviewed by

Carolyn Howard-Johnson "Author 'This is the Place,' 'Harkening,' 'Tracings' and 'The Frugal Book Promoter'" originally for Amazon

Well, here it is. In a little 79-page nutshell. The basics for any writer thinking about publishing a book on his or her own. It dispels the idea that anyone can or should self-publish. As Author Michele DeFilippo says, "It ain't easy." She then provides a roadmap--indeed a very succinct Mapquest directional--to the basics an author needs to know in order to produce a professional product (and yes, a book is a product!). Indeed, it will help authors evaluate whether this is a project they really want to tackle. And to avoid some pitfalls many first-time authors fall into when they decide to go for it.

"Publish Like the Pros" is a little short on resources, but a book can't be everything to everyone. This book calls itself a "Brief Guide." It also uses the words "QUALITY Self-Publishing." Generally speaking, this is the perfect way to get started. "Brief" and "Quality" being keywords.

There are tons of other books to delve into that cover any all aspects of self-publishing once an author has determined he or she wants to go that route. That includes books like:
Aiming at Amazon: The NEW Business of Self Publishing, or How to Publish Your Books with Print on Demand and Online Book Marketing on Amazon.com,

From Word to Kindle: Self Publishing Your Kindle Book with Microsoft Word, or Tips and Secrets for Formatting Your Text in MS Word and Converting Your Document to a Kindle Ebook (Version 2),

The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing: Everything You Need to Know to Write, Publish, Promote and Sell Your Own Book,

The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success (How To Do It Frugally series of book for writer),

Book Promo 101: Learn the basics of Book Promotion,

The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly  free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher,

1001 Ways to Market Your Books (1001 Ways to Market Your Books: For Authors and Publishers),

From Book to Bestseller: An Insider's Guide to Publicizing and Marketing Your Book!

Mosquito Marketing for Authors: How I self-published an award-winning book that is a consistent best seller in its category
and dozens of others.

The reason I'm recommending other books as well is that, though the author of this book is the owner of a service that helps writers publish and do it professionally (This little book is proof of that!), I worry that many beginning authors overspend on both production and marketing. They often spend more than they will ever earn unless they are among the very talented and very lucky few. Thus it is is wise to start with this very, very valuable overview. And--once committed--to learn as much as possible the frugal way (with books!) in order to determine what they might learn to do themselves or at least better understand how to hire the best at the best possible price.


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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 :

Mystery Reviewed by Justin Lugbill

Heartbreak of Revenge

By: Eleanor Wright
Mystery Fiction,
Ages, 12 and up.
ISBN # 978-0-578-03013-5

Reviewed by Justin Lugbill originally for Christian Book Review

Heartbreak of Revenge is a two part story that takes place during the middle of the 1900s. The first part of the story follows two boys through a period of 14 years (1941-1953). David is a white, middle class boy that enjoys typical activities for a boy. During the warm months, one of his favorite activities is swimming in a pond with his three best friends. However, upon arriving one day, he witnesses something horrific that changes his life forever. He witnesses his friends throwing stones at a small black boy. Realizing that this was not OK, he immediately put a stop to it.

Through that incident, David develops a short lived friendship with the small boy who had stones thrown at him. Jimmy, victim to the rampant, bigoted behaviors of white folks of the day, has a very meager life when he is introduced to David. As I read this book, I couldn’t help but shake my head in disgust at the cruel behavior that David’s four friends exemplified on that day (and throughout the book). While we have a long way to come for social equality, author Eleanor Wright gracefully navigates through the racially charged situations of the time, as well as the emotions, rationalizations, and thoughts that filled the minds of people who lived during that time.

For me, these vivid descriptions of the social injustices that took place during the middle of the century were some of my favorite parts. Writing about these times (I imagine) would be very difficult. However, Wright navigated these murky, dark waters quite well, and portrayed multiple characters ( and their beliefs) with great imagery, and insight into their minds. Born in 1985, I have seen the generational differences when it comes to prejudice. There are frequently stories of violence, verbal abuse, uneven income distribution, and so on, but I cannot imagine living in a time where such blatant acts of racism, and the rationalizations and hatred behind it, existed. The Heartbreak of Revenge did a great job of giving me a window into this time.

Moving back to the story, it becomes clear very quickly that there is more to the story than the initial confrontation. Not wanting to give the entire storyline away, I will simply say that the title is a great indicator to the overall theme of the book. Revenge, in any form, causes harms…often more harm than the initial act that is being vindicated. This book clearly shows this.

If you are looking to read a work of fiction that explores the nuances of racial tension in the 1940s and 1950s, this is a great choice. With some twists and turns along the way, and an ending that will throw you for a loop, Heartbreak of Revenge is a sure pick. Posted 19 Jul 12.

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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 :

Radio Host Reviews Christian Book

Title: A LOVE STORY

Subtitle:  How God Pursued Me and Found Me. An Impossible Love Story
Publisher: CROSS BOOKS Publishing/Lifeway
Author: Samantha Ryan Chandler

Author's Web site: http://www.SamanthaRyanChandler.com

Genre: Christian Non Fiction

Paperback 90 pages. Published February 25, 2011
Price: U.S. 11.95

ISBN 978-1-6150-7761-8 (dj) and 978-1-6150-7758-8 (sc)

Reviewed by Salvadore DeBasco, book critic

“In A LOVE STORY: How God Pursued Me and Found Me. An Impossible True Story {CROSS BOOKS Publishing/Lifeway, 2011} Samantha Ryan Chandler opens her heart and shares how she was led to the Lord. Hers is a chilling (deeply moving) and encouraging testimony a how God changed her life

.

And while what transpired in her life might sound familiar that is what is compelling about how Chandler opens readers into her thoughts along the way. A LOVE STORY: How God Pursued Me and Found Me. An Impossible True Story shows how scriptures affected author Samantha Ryan Chandler’s life and the unlikely events to her writing this book as a testimony about her relationship with Our Lord God Almighty. Her outlook on life, death, God, Jesus, Satan and more evokes one to wonder and be wide eyed about the significance of how the stories in the Bible and how we apply them in our Christian lives.

As all children of God no matter what age, we are reminder that childhoods are fragile and how we influence each other is not to be taken lightly. The fabric of familial relationships, attention to ones upbringing and a tone that we are not alone in God’s care, all come above in this authentic story about perseverance, trust in God, and how ordinary people are called upon to bring forth extraordinary movements in others’ lives at times when they think they are the most down and out.

What resonated with me about A LOVE STORY: How God Pursued Me and Found Me. An Impossible True Story is how Chandler took the time to capture what she learned and how she describes the wonderment of God’s greatness. At first, to Chandler, the lofty calling of her writing a book about her experience seemed a novelty, but readers learn how the value of the message became forefront in her thinking. After I read this love story, I saw A LOVE STORY: How God Pursued Me and Found Me. An Impossible True Story as Chandler’s story about how she came to love God as an utmost value in life.

To me there is no more refreshing random testimony than when someone first realizes the awesome power God has in our lives and how to harness the excitement, humility along with gratitude resulting thereof, and reverence with the action of falling to one’s knees in wonderment of how one person could be worthy of being touched so deeply. Regardless of whether the right words were used, the naivety about God’s glory, the part about God’s grace that makes us cry, all that is what comes across in how this book’s message has haunted me (in a good way) the past eight months since reading it. And while I can’t predict it will do the same for all readers, I know that one person at a time God’s love is shared through his-story (of which this book is in-part).”

~Learn more about reviewer Salvador SeBasco:
Book Critic
Literary Director
Host of THE INSIDE VIEW SHOW^TM –Christian Radio–
on staff with CNN affiliate station, KNLE

----- 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 :