Bishop's Curse Reveals Old Catholic Church Conflict

The Bishop’s Curse  By award-winning author Raff Ellis
Published by Prolix Press LLC
Genre: Fiction: Historical
Video:  The Bishop's Curse – YouTube.

Purchase:  www.prolixpress.org

Reviewed by Tim Lunney, Director Florida Irish Culture Center

 

On a recent rare rainy day here in South Florida, I read the new historical novel “The Bishop’s Curse” by Orlando-based author Raff Ellis. This fascinating book, based upon real people and events, combines an Irish immigrant’s rags-to-riches saga with a unique history of the early Catholic Church in America’s battle for absolute control of its religious and secular assets. This battle is recollected through the sometimes vicious conflict between the Irish laity of an upstate New York parish and its unpopular, ambitious and avaricious priest and an archbishop determined to break the authority of state laws governing church property and finances.

In St. James Parish, this conflict between church and state became unhinged. The year was 1860, and while the nation teetered on the brink of the Civil War, another sort of rebellion had broken out in the little town of Carthage, NY. For the mid-19th Century Irish Catholic church members of St. James Parish, this rebellion against their priest and bishop was a life-changing event that many believed endangered their immortal souls, and that some believed became mortal victims of the Bishop’s curse.

 

This unique and engaging book is a must-read for fans of Irish-American history and high drama. Raff Ellis, an accomplished historian and talented storyteller, brings back to life a remarkably colorful slice of Irish-American history. I couldn’t put this book down until I’d read it cover to cover.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
~Raff Ellis is the author of two other books, both memoirs, Kisses from a Distance and Dam Foolishness. Kisses chronicles the immigrant experience of his family during the early 20th Century. Dam Foolishness is a recollection of growing up in a small town and the narrative is intertwined with a collection of short stories about people the author met on his journey.

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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 :

Fun and Educational Novel Set in Utah

Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys

By Janet Kay Jensen

Author: Janet Kay Jensen

Author's Web site: www.janetjensen.com

Author's blog: www.janetkayjensen.blogspot.com

Author on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanetKayJensenAuthor

Genre: literary fiction, cultural fiction

Publisher: Bonneville Books, an imprint of Cedar Fort

326 pagesISBN: 159955075XAvailable in paperback and ebook from amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Dont-You-Marry-Mormon-Boys/dp/159955075X
and barnes and noble. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-you-marry-the-mormon-boys-janet-kay-jensen/1100070141

 

 

 Reviewed by Christopher C. Y. Loke, originally for Amazon

 

 

Janet's debut novel proves to be a brilliant piece of work with all its characters well depicted and its story masterfully crafted. One word of caution: Do not expect to be bored!

"Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys" is not your typical LDS/Christian romance; it is a piece of fiction that not only focuses on a wonderful plot and convincing characters, it is also a novel that finds victory in its use of words. Janet beautifully-composed sentences read poetically and are measured with intricate details and care. Although the relationship between the two lead characters is the driving force of the story, the real core of the novel lies in the underlying theme that continues to play masterfully between the lines--the true meaning of family, love, redemption and forgiveness. It is not a story about a group of Mormons; on the contrary, it is about a group of ordinary people who happen to be of the Mormon faith. Janet plays with her theme wittily, teasing the reader with traditional tales and urban myths about Mormons and polygamy. I will not expose the plot here for everyone; it will only take away the pleasure of your reading. Instead, I will tell you this: if this novel were to be a movie, it will definitely be Oscar-worthy. A literary fiction at its best, perhaps the best contemporary LDS fiction in years. I would read and reread a certain passage just to savor it before moving on to the next best passage. Janet is a promising writer who will undoubtedly break into the general market in no time. And this is a promise.

 

~Janet Kay Jensen is also the coauthor of  The Book Lover’s Cookbook

and author of Gabriel’s Daughters (Jolly Fish Press, 2013). The sequal or "Mormon Boys" will soon be available.

 

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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 :

An Abduction Revelation by Thomas HayAuthor website: www.thomaslhay.comGenre: Science Fiction based on memoirISBN: 978-1-4525-5956-8 (e)978-1-4525-5957-5 (sc)

An Abduction Revelation
by Thomas Hay
Author website: www.thomaslhay.com
Genre: Science Fiction based on memoir
ISBN: 978-1-4525-5956-8 (e)
978-1-4525-5957-5 (sc)

 

Reviewed by Michala Teelucksingh orignally BiteMyBook 
Rating: 8.5 out of 10

 

 

Reviewed by Michala Teelucksingh.

I must admit I struggled a bit over this book. I didn't struggle with reading it. Reading it was easy as the author made the story relatable to people, often times reminiscing about his past as he built his way to the meat of the story. Consider it an appetizer portion to the main course. LOL No, what I struggled with was whether the writer intended to make this a ‘real’ memoir, such as creative nonfiction-ish or whether it was all meant to be an attractive fantasy/sci-fi imaginative tale.

The reason why I say this is because the story is so very ‘real’ in the sense of his backstory. I could completely close my eyes and conjure up the scenery and the things he was speaking about. These memoirs are truly very realistic to a point and then you sorta start wading through the murkiness of what is fact and what is fiction. THIS is the true appeal of the entire novel. You’ve been reading so much that sounds real that when the writer throws you a curve ball you have to blink, stand back, and say…is that for real? This was the genius part to the book.

See, the author penned his memoirs and then he seemingly unearthed memories buried deep within his subconscious. He can’t be sure…but he has to trust his mind…and all those memories, but it’s difficult because his memories are telling him he’s been abducted by aliens. Whoa? What? Yeah…really, an alien abduction is sifting through his inner workers and is resurfacing.

Reading through his ‘growing up’ stage in Missouri seems like it’s simply a memoir and nothing but….but it’s really much more. There is reasoning and while you are pondering through his life…and recollecting pieces of your own, the author is setting up for the bigger stage. I can’t tell you exactly how the story takes a wide turn and begins the eccentric and bizarre road that includes aliens, time travel, and more. (Remember, I don’t do spoilers!)

I suggest you set time away and read it as much as you can during one book reading. If you space the readings out you are likely to lose connection with the importance of the smaller plots and how they arrive to the real storyline. Take it on vacation with you, or on that long car ride you have, or the next time you have two or three days off in a roll. Dedicate yourself to it because if and when you do, you’re in for a very unique ride of your life. You’ll be left wanting to explore parts of your own life, search for parts and places around the world, and you’ll be challenged by the question…was this real?

 

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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.

New Satircal Novel Has Fun with Baseball

Strike Five
By Aaron T Knight
ISBN-13: 978-1478303275  ISBN-10: 1478303271 
Genre: Humor / Satire / Sports
Author on Amazon
Available for Kindle

 

Reviewed by George Smith, originally for Amazon

Be careful what you wish for. Your dream might come true. This is a humorous story about Chad Smith who had his greatest hope fulfilled but with results he could never have imagined. His ambition was to play ball in the Major League. Only one thing held him back from playing professional baseball in the majors. Through a freak accident this shortcoming is removed but the transformation leads to an unorthodox style of play. His success arouses a number of emotions in the other players, team managers and owners of the baseball teams. He is swept away into a beehive of  contraversy.

 

There's an old saying that if wishes were horses, beggars would ride free. Translating that metaphor into the world of professional baseball, the author crafts a unique and genuinely hilarious sports novel in which it is clear almost from the get go that you should expect the unexpected.

Some achieve sports proficiency through hard work or innate talent. Others arrive as the result of a fluke. When our protagonist's twist of fate renders him a valuable commercial property, albeit a controversial one, many merely want to exploit him for immediate gain, while others believe that accepting a highly unorthodox road to fame and victory may come at the expense of the heart and soul of the sport.

This is a great fantasy for every sports fan who harbors just a little bit of Walter Mitty deep down inside them. It can be fun to play "what if?" when the consequences are entirely fictional. Three strikes and you're out of the real game, of course. But in our dreams and aspirations, we all long for a second chance, another at bat, that extra inning before it's time to go home.

Every sports fan who has contemplated going beyond being a mere spectator will identify with some of the fully formed characters in this devilishly clever story. The story unfolds in a rollicking manner which enables the reader to visualize making their dreams come true, stepping up to the plate, and slugging the ball out of the park. I couldn't wait to see how it ended, and, in a way, I am sorry that it did! That's a clear indication of a fully realized book in which both the characters and circumstances have truly come alive.

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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.

Satirical Fiction Will Make Ken Kesey Cuckoo with Envy

Title: Foxavier and Plinka

Author: Scott Talbot Evans
Author's Website: http://FoxavierAndPlinka.blogspot.com
Link to buy page on Amazon
Genre: Fiction, humor, satire, comtemporary psychological

SBN: 9781478311782

Reviewer's Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed by Nick Rebori originally for Amazon

A whimsical tale from an institute that would have Ken Kesey Cuckoo with jealousy. From the twisted (in the BEST way) mind of Scott Evans comes this soon to be classic tale of love and cookies. You, too, should be committed if you don't wisely invest the cost of an angus burger in expanding your mind through this delightful story. If that doesn't convince you, have one of these Kooky cookies and think it over.

About the Author

 

Author was educated at the University of Rochester and Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

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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.

Amber Barr Reviews Horror Novel

Title: Red LoveAuthor: Rayme MichaelsLink: http://lulu.com/spotlight/Rayme
Genre: HorrorISBN: 978-1-105-90845-3

Reviewer: Amber L. Barr, originally for Vampire and Immortal Books.com

Rayme Michaels's Red Love is an unparalleled thrill-ride that explores a dark and deadly—often borderline psychotic—vampire world. Mr. Michaels's characters are brash, maniacal, quarrelsome, and fanatical, which makes for an explosive combination once he adds in their predatory tendencies, blood-thirsty appetites, and sensuous natures. Mr. Michaels weaves a world that examines taboo themes such as power, religion, sex, death, and the internal struggle to find satisfaction in this life in primitive yet provocative ways. Rayme Michaels's Red Love is a refreshing deviation in a "method" saturated paranormal romance market. Michaels is a new author to watch...

Copyright 2012 by Amber L. Barr www.vampireandimmortalbooks.com

 

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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.

Book on Book Marketing Strategy Reviewed

 

 

Title: A Year of Book Marketing-Part 1
Author: Heather Hart
Author's Web site: http://authorshart.com
Genre: Nonfiction/book marketing
ASIN: B00AVGUSVO

Reviewed by D'vorah Lansky, bestselling author of Book Marketing Made Easy

Review:

 

A Year of Book Marketing: Part 1, walks the reader through an extremely rich collection of strategies that will provide increased exposure to new audiences. Enjoy these monthly marketing activities, based on calendar sensitive events, to comprehensive lists and how-to tips. From there, the author, Heather Hart, provides an entire year's work of daily book marketing strategies along with an inspiring and related quote.

This book is a gem! Pick up your copy today and be sure to let your author friends know about this powerful guide!

Link to the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AVGUSVO

 

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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 :