Gut Reaction Reviews of Psychological (and Literary!) Fiction

TITLE: Saints in the Shadows

AUTHOR:   Alana Cash
ISBNs: 13: 978-1497511170
10: 1497511178
GENRES: Psychological/Paranormal/Literary Fiction

Reviewed by Don Grant originally for  Gut Reaction Reviews and Amazon  

 

 

         Madame Budska or Maud Strand………  ****

Wow. Sometimes one finds a diamond in the rough. Having been asked to review this book I bought it for my kindle as I was drawn to the description which said it “dabbles in provocative subjects such as psychic phenomena, economics, morality, masochism, color, jazz, history, and a bit of romance with an NYPD detective”.   I was not disappointed.

First, let me talk about the negative aspect of the book. The author would have made this even better with just a bit more editing and maybe one more pass with a copy editor. Each scene change has a heading which in the beginning was distracting but I will say as the story developed this was not as bothersome.

The story itself is gripping and I found it hard to put down. The writer draws you in quickly and at times I forgot I was reading a work of fiction. If you have ever seen a film with a famous actor who makes you forget that you are watching them act, then you know what I mean. The transition from past to present was easy to follow and never “pulled” me out of the story.

The character, Maud Strand, is one I would like to read more about. She seemed to me, to be more interesting than Madame Budska. Based on the title the author seems to disagree, hopefully she will change her mind.

The ending was slightly rushed and left me wondering about what was going to happen to Maud. Maybe it all wrapped up too fast. But I will say I look forward to more books by Alana Cash.  This gets a well earned four stars!

 

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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.

Anna Aizic's Memoir Spans Continents

 

The Circles of Life:
Subtitle: My Ukrainian Family's Odyssey of Secrets, Love and Survival from Pre-War Odessa to the Promised Land and America

Author: Anna Aizic
Print Length: 152 pages

Publisher: Meir Publishing Press (May 3, 2014)

Available on Amazon as an e-book

Language: English

ASIN: B00K41Y2GI

Author's Web site:  http://www.annaaizic.com/
Author's Biography: http://amazon.com/author/annaaizic

 

There is an elemental quality inherent to the works of Anna Aizic. Her artistic progression and interest in the nature of properties has led her to experiment with a variety of media including wood, stone, metal and glass in addition to efforts in painting, photography and writing; she recently published her first book (memoir in letters:The Circles of Life), and working on other writing projects.

Aizic was born in Communist Odessa of Ukraine; she has been working for over twenty years with people with Special needs, developmental disabilities,mental illness and psychiatric rehabilitation.[ her parents hoped she will become a concert violinist :-) Sorry Mom:-)]

Born into an artistic family, Aizic was educated at The Art School of Jafa in Tel Aviv, and trained in jewelry design, yet it is in paintings and sculptures that her fascination with energy and divinity found full expression: in her art, figures come forth from their amorphous abstraction, at once fluid and crystalline, they twist and recede upon themselves, defying gravity while reflecting the color and light of surroundings.

There is a playfulness and freedom in the work of Anna Aizic, yet the joy seems ephemeral and but a momentary glimpse at the true joy of existence. Anna Aizic lives and works in New Jersey with her husband, daughter, son and a cat.

 

Book Blurb:

A fascinating read, coupled with captivating details that allow the reader to truly see  and feel your gripping story.Your book contains valuable lessons and touching anecdotes of struggle, strength and perseverance.An enduring message of hope and inspiration for your family and so many others. ~ Rabbi Mendy Lewis, Chabad of Old Tappan, NJ

 

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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.

Marie Lavender's Writing in the Modern Age: Marketing Your Book While on Vacation by Lois W. S...

Marie Lavender's Writing in the Modern Age: Marketing Your Book While on Vacation by Lois W. S...: Going on vacation? Bet you can’t wait! But with a little advance planning, you can combine your fun in the sun with some book marketing. ...

----- 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.

Readers' Favorite Reviews Joy V. Smith's "Detour"

Title: Detour Trail

Author:  Joy V. Smith 
Genre: Western

ISBN-10: 1612355706
• ISBN-13: 978-1612355702

Publisher:  Melange Books
Reviewer's rating: 5 stars
Available on Amazon : 

 

Reviewed by Michelle Robertson originally for Readers’ Favorite

Lorie Emerson, like many others of this era, is traveling with her uncle on a wagon train headed west on the Oregon Trail. But after the unexpected death of her uncle, Lorie is asked by the wagon master to leave the group at the next town. Not willing to give up so easily and determined to make a home in the west, Lorie finds others needing help and willing to travel with her. She organizes their little group, preparing supplies and leading the group to their destination, but not without a struggle. Lorie must fight the elements, enemies, and face problems within the group before they all can settle in the frontier. Detour Trail by Joy. V. Smith is a unique western novel introducing readers to the era of the Oregon Trail, western frontiers, harsh elements, thieves, death, hardship, love, hard work, and determination. 

Author Joy. V. Smith takes a bold approach when writing a western with a heroine instead of the typical male hero taking the lead role. Although not totally unheard of, a female heroine in the Oregon Trail era was uncommon. The elements were rough and life was hard, not fit for most women. Creating a main female character is refreshing, exciting, and honors those few women who did succeed on the Oregon Trail in the same way as the book character Lorie Emerson. Detour Trial is a book for readers who enjoy reading about courageous men and women and their adventures, love, suspense, grief, and enlightening experiences as they crossed the frontier on the rough Oregon Trail to create new homes and lives for themselves.

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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.

Hawaiian Reviews Ballou's "Wai-nani"

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Wai-nani, A Voice from Old Hawai’i

Author: Linda Ballou
Historical Fiction
ISBN 978-1-932993-88-2
Author's Web site: http://www.LindaBallouAuthor.com
Available as e-book on Kindle

Reviewed by Toby Neal

 

Press in to really "get" this book. Wai-nani’ s story is told in a hypnotic, fairy-tale or high legend voice that took me a chapter or two to get into--but once I did, I was fascinated with the way Linda Ballou had taken us into the intimate and unknown world of the Hawaiian people through the eyes of an unforgettable heroine. Wai-nani is fierce, passionate, and deeply connected to the land and ocean--and to her complex and multi-faceted warrior husband. It reminded me how fully developed the civilization of the Hawaiian people was, and how large their population, before the fateful arrival of "Kapena Kuke" and his "floating heiau."
Thanks for this journey to another time and a Hawaii seen through a princess of its people.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

 

Life-long island resident, Toby Neal is the author of the Lei Crime Series, and the poster child for successful online book marketing. I am so pleased that Toby found Wai-nani worthy and has given me permission to share her review. Go to www.TobyNeal.net to learn more about her books and how she connects with 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.

Bob Rich Reviews Psychologist's Self-Help for Anxiety Disorders

Book Title:  “Calm Ground: Grounding tools to help you feel safe and solid in the present”

Author:         Megan Williams
Website:      www.calmground.com
Where to buy book:  Available on Megan’s website
Genre:        Self help for anxiety, stress and trauma.
ISBN:          978-0-646-90948-6
Publisher:  Self Published

Reviewed by Bob Rich originally for his newsletter “Bobbing Around”

Modern society is designed to make us dissatisfied, worried, unhappy. Contented people don’t need to buy things. So, we all need tools apart from retail therapy to relieve distress.

Nearly on third of people will qualify for a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder at one time or another, and people in the “normal” range also suffer stress and anxiety far more than is good for them. So, Calm Ground by Megan Williams is an invaluable tool for most people.

This little book is a plain language primer on anxiety disorders, and evidence-based techniques for dealing with them, but it’s more than that. It is also a collection of magnificent photos of Australian landscapes including peaceful forests, beaches and mountain streams. Understanding is also aided by helpful diagrams. The pictures are tools for self-soothing.

Although relevant psychological theory is explained, the words and concepts are simple enough for a high school student to follow.

There are useful exercises that anyone can do. They will help at times of anxiety and worry, and more generally will lead to inner peace.

So, do yourself a favour and study this mini-manual, and follow its suggestions.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Megan is a  registered psychologist.

 

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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.

Debut Novel of Suspense and Romance Tours Blog

Danger In Her Words

Author:  Barbara Barth
Publisher: Gilbert Street Press 

ISBN-13: 978-0983171539

Romance/Suspense

Available on Amazon and Kindle   Link to buy:  http://amzn.com/098317153X

 

 

Synopsis:

What if writing a book brought a serial killer to your back door and you had no one to call for help.

A TV sitcom pitch gone wrong at a writers’ convention turns dog-column writer Susan Meyers in a tailspin. Sex Sells was the topic of the day. Worried her writing style had become stale, Susan decided to try something new. A steamy romantic novel seemed just the answer to bring in a new audience.

Susan, a widow who had not dated in three years, was out of practice with men and sex. She turned to an online dating site to find inspiration for her book and unleashed a predator with the words she wrote. Tucked an hour away from her friends in a small town where she kept to herself, with only her tiny dog for company, Susan felt safe from the world. Little did she know her life was about to change.

Danger In Her Words is a book within a book. There is Susan’s story and the book she is writing, where you meet Jamie, a widow like Susan who has also been out of the dating scene. Your character takes you on your journey. Susan heard that about writing fiction and quickly discovers it is true. Jamie has a mind of her own and Susan is dismayed as her novel takes some surprising turns. Jamie knows she wants a relationship, Susan still has that to learn about herself. Both find themselves in harm’s way as romance comes close.

Set against the background of a fictional country town an hour outside of Atlanta, Georgia, Danger In Her Words is full of farmhouses, antiques, girl-talk, a touch of murder, a sprinkle of suspense, a bit of naughty fun, and a dog that will steal your heart.

Two widows looking for love in all the wrong places might still get it right if they live long enough.

About the Author:

Barbara Barth is the author of The Unfaithful Widow, a memoir on the first year on her own. It placed as a finalist in the 2011 USA Best Book Awards. Her work has appeared in On Purpose Woman Magazine and on many on-line sites, including The Balancing Act with Lifetime TV, Skirt.com, Silver & Grace, and The Red Room.

Author, blogger, sometimes antique dealer, and dog whisperer, although some days she has to bark to be heard at home. She lives in the metro Atlanta area with six dogs from local animal shelters.

Danger In Her Words is her first work of fiction. Visit the author’s website at www.barbarabarthwriter.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.