Amazon Vine Voice Reviews Do You Have a Dream

Title: Do You Have a Dream?

Subtitle:  140 Insights to Building Confidence, Overcoming Stress and Loving Yourself"

Author: Grace Allison

Author Website Link: Grace Allison - author, book authors, sci-fi author

Winner 2017 Best Spiritual/Inspirational Texas Author Inc.

ISBN: 978-1-61699-202-6

Amazon Best Seller available in E Book, Audio Book, and Workbook http://a.co/gt0xmX4

Grace Allison - author, book authors, sci-fi author grace Allison author, sci-fi, Einstein, supernatural, Atlantis, light, heroes journey, spiritual, compass, heart...

Reviewed by Jacqui Murray, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer

 Grace Allison’s pithy little book, Do You Have a Dream? (ThinkAHA 2017) shares 140 ways to address change and come out better for it. It’s broken into ten sections like Do You Believe in God and Emotions — Energy in Motion so you can quickly focus on where you need help. Each tip is brief but rich with a section at the end where you can write items that you want to refer back to. With a focus on the spiritual and the positive, I found many that resonated with me. My favorites: What is the Value of Prayer? and Five Keys to Creating Your Dream.

The whole book takes only about twenty minutes to read. It’s called a ThinkAHA book because you think about the tip and later, after re-reading it, you get that epiphany. Recommended for those seeking solutions to recalcitrant problems in their lives.

Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, and the thriller, To Hunt a Sub. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for TeachHUB, monthly contributor to Today’s Author and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. You can find her books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning. The sequel to To Hunt a Sub, Twenty-four Days, will be out this summer.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Askatechteacher@gmail.com

WordDreams...

WordDreams... Jacqui Murray's

 MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Grace Allison is known as GracetheMystic and is author of several books. Learn more about her at www.gracethemystic.com. Network with her at:

    

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). This blog 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.

Poet Rates Marketing Book for Authors

How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically
Subtitle: The ins and outs of using free reviews to build and sustain a writing career
Series: The multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
ISBN 978-1-5369-4837
Available as paperback and e-book on Amazon



Reviewed by Samanthi Fernando originally for Amazon 

Carolyn is a great teacher for your continuing education as an author. Filled with well researched tips and best practices, this book is a must-have addition to your modern reference library. I have been learning from her numerous publications over nine years now and I found several gems of wisdom in this one too! Her lessons are practical and tested - the Q&A format she uses in one chapter is fun and easy to follow. In my favorite section "Onward and Upward" Carolyn touches on visualization - a technique I used to create the Enchanted Bay Area poetry collection. You will never want to give up promoting your books after reading this. Be sure to check out what she says about the magic of Internet links.  

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Samanthi Fernando is a multi faceted poet who happens to be a tech professional in "real" life. She blogs about poetry, travels and uses it as inspiration to write about poetry, and publishes poetry. Her chapbooks are light and inspirational and make great gifts or thoughtful substitutes for hum-drum greeting cards.  Learn more about her at http://starsafire.starrayz.com.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). This blog 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.

Historical Author Reviews Dr. Bob Rich's New Novel

Review of Guardian Angel by Max Overton

Title: Guardian Angel

Author: Dr Bob Rich

ASIN: B0711C623T

ISBN: 9781521212677

About the book:

http://bobswriting.com/guardian.html

I recently had the privilege of reading Guardian Angel by Bob Rich again and found it even more enthralling the second time round. It is a novel of Australia, but the message within applies to all men and women everywhere and in every time. It is couched within the framework of Christianity, but it applies equally to any and all religions that preach a message of love and acceptance. Reincarnation is a thread that runs through this story, and shows how our actions are not limited to one life, but  through many incarnations as we strive to learn the lessons necessary for our growth.

The protagonist, a young Aboriginal girl, Maraglindi, is born of an act of hate, but she typifies Love in its most elemental form, and all who come in contact with her during her short life are touched by this love. It changes their behaviour for the better, and each one spreads this message of love to others, enveloping families and communities. But this is so much more than just a story with a message; it is a history. Guardian Angel is a story set against the backdrop of Colonial Australia, where we get to experience the lives of rich and poor, privileged and deprived, the white overlords and the downtrodden, dispossessed Aboriginal First People of this glorious country.

Guardian Angel is a book I would not hesitate to recommend, not just as a story that describes the racial discord of earlier times, but also as one that holds out a hope that things can be different. We live in times where hate is rearing its ugly head once more, so we need stories like this to remind us that hate can be overcome, not by violence and more hatred, but by love.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Max Overton http://www.maxovertonauthor.com

Max was Bob Rich’s first editing client, back in 1999. Since then, his writing has soared, and he is the author of masterful, gripping stories in several genres, including historical fiction. Max and Bob do beta reading for each other, which is why this is the second time Max has read Guardian Angel. His suggestions on the earlier version have greatly improved the novel.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). This blog 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.

Advance Peek at Pat Patterson's New Dining and Driving with Cats

Dining and Driving with Cats-Alice Unplugged

Author: Pat Patterson

Publisher: IonPublishers LLC , Charleston, S.C. 29401

Editor: Bryna Kranzler (award winning author The Accidental Anarchist)

Release Date: June 30, 2017

ISBN978-0-9987922-1-7; ISBN 978-0-9987922-2-4

Available from Amazon, Ingram, Baker and Taylor, (Paperback and eBook)

Trim 8.5x5.5 paperback  

Price $12.95  

Page Count: 260  Word Count: 82,000     

Web Site: http://www.dininganddrivingwithcats.com/  

                      ARCs Available on request in Kindle, EPUB, PDF, Paperback

           EARLY REVIEWS from ARC READERS at: REVIEWS

Synopsis for Dining and Driving with Cats - Alice Unplugged  by Early Reviews from ARC readers including indie reviewer Karen Purejoy: is a little different from many of the titles you receive and at first blush you may think it will be a little tame for your tastes. However, an acquaintance, Karen Purejoy, (an Indie Reviewer) told me about your site and thought you would identify with the main character's determination and resourcefulness. Her name is Alice and she will not be quickly forgotten.

            The book is pure Southern. The main character's determination and resourceful will not be quickly forgotten. Her name is Alice.  The story is swathed in charm and authored by a South Carolinian  whose voice is mindful of Ondaatje's hypnotic narrative in The English Patient. He has picked up a half dozen 5 STAR reviews  from the first ARC reviewers. You might spot a bit of Irish in the author and his spouse's detailed arguments comparing a dish from one restaurant to the same of another restaurant.

            They, along with the cats, dine frequently along the way. As the miles flip the odometer, we are given insight into how this unusual relationship between the couple came to be, evolved, and gradually, at the end revealed in a secret you didn’t see coming. What, you say? There is a twist in a dining dialogue? Yes! And you’ll just have to read it for yourself–no spoilers here. Dialogue is so natural between the two; you’ll swear he recorded the entire trip. You might also say the book is unusual in that it totally engages the reader from the first page without a hint of violence, bloodshed, graphic sex, drugs or language. His main character (besides the two cats) Alice, does say "you bastards" once.  

Alice is supremely self-confident and comfortable in her own skin as we learn early on when  she promises the author a vehicle of his dreams if he will join her in a multi-state road trip from Mexico across the South and help wrangle two cats into restaurants, diners, cafes and hotels. He expects to find a Suburban or maybe an Escalade in the drive. Alice surprises with a Japanese sub-compact - a Honda Fit. She says it's "flexible." They drive - Scott La. & the Boudin War.  They dine - New Orleans at Gautreau's, Clancy's, and Herbsaint. They laugh - the Carousel Bar.  They cry - tragic death. They remember how it all started with Alice's secret from over thirty-five years ago. When they met he fell hard. He pursued. She said no. She said she had cats. She didn't tell him she also had a secret. 

Over thirty years have passed since Alice revealed her secret. The young man is no longer young but he still pursues her. She calls him hubby. This is their story of a shared love for travel and history, for food and for their sweet and wily cats Munchie and Tuffy. 

CLIK the Book for 5 Star Reviews

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 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 Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor and--serious stuff for anyone who writes reviews or needs reviews for their books, How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically.

How-To-Understand-America Book Gets Eric Hoffer Award Nod

What Foreigners Need to Know About America: From A to Z
Subtitle: How to understand crazy American Culture, people, government,  
     business, language, and more
Author: Lance Johnson
Publisher: A to Z Publishing
ISBN:97814681723362
Winner: Reader Views Award
First Runner Up: Eric Hoffer's Legacy Award 2017
Available in English on Amazon worldwide
Available in Ukrainian in Ukraine
Available in Simplified Chinese in China 
 

Reviewed courtesy of US Review of Books for Eric Hoffer Award winners 

First Runner-Up Eric Hoffer's Legacy Award

What Foreigners Need to Know About America: From A to Z, Lance Johnson, A to Z Publishing - This enlightening book advises immigrants on what they need to know about getting along in American society. The author addresses misconceptions Americans and immigrants often harbor about one another, then makes the case that differences are often minor and can easily be put aside. The remainder of the book focuses on specific aspects of American society: government, religion, education, the arts, business, and so on. In each case, the author provides an explanation of the American way, then offers tips on how visitors can blend in. Sometimes, the advice is practical; for example, the author provides information on how to apply to American colleges—a key concern for young people from immigrant families. In other cases, the advice is light-hearted—lists of top American movies are provided, evidently for use during those key conversations around the office water cooler after the Academy Award nominations are announced.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lance Johhnson is a playwright and author. His "Communicty Service" has won several awards including one from the Pacific Palisades Playhouse and a national award from the Marine Foundation. He was inspired to write this book to help immigrants, international students, travelers to the US, and even those who must do business or want to open businesses in the US. In this photo he was speaking to international students at Mt. Sac College in California.  Learn more at his website at http://AmericaAtoZ.com.

MORE ABOUT THE ERIC HOFFER AWARDS

The Eric Hoffer Awards are recommended on Carolyn Howard-Johnson's website in the Writers' Resource section on the page for contests. She is an advocate for authors. In that role she taught as an instructor for UCLA Extension's world renowned Writers' Program and is the author of the multi award-winning  #HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers. She rates her recommended contests on the basis of their credibility and value. Eric Hoffer provides support material like award badges and a template for a media release as well as the opportunity to be reviewed in US Review of Books. 

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). 

This blog 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.

Award-Winning Poet takes on Kafka

Kafka's Shadlow

Author: Judith Skillman

Published by Deerbrook Editions, Cumberland, Maine

77 pages, paperback, (c) 2017

$16.95

ISBN: 978-0-9975051-4-6

Available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Kafkas-Shadow-Judith-Skillman/dp/09

Reviewed by Carol Smallwood originally for Compulsive Reader

A contemporary American woman poet takes on an awesome task when writing about a male fiction writer in another era (1883-1924) composing in German in what is now the Czech Republic. Judith Skillman, the recipient of an Academy of American Poets and included in Best Indie Verse of New England is to be commended for this unique collection. 

Kafka had a few works published in his life, yet his influence spreads beyond literature to philosophy--his charters meeting bizarre circumstances, alienation, and absurdity. The title of the poetry collections comes from one of Kafka's letters and is also the title of one of the the poems.

Poems such as “Dearest” and “Felice Ponders” employ the point of view of the woman who wants to be his wife, though Kafka never marries. Skillman uses details like bulgur wheat, her stiff collar, and a train ride from Prague to Berlin to portray the couple’s relationship and culture. “Tuberculosis,” which ends his life at 40, is written from Kafka’s point of view, with borscht soup waiting to cool, his father sleeping in a chair, and the image “fat pigeons sun themselves in winter light.”

There are several poems examining the relationship of Kafka and his father through Biblical allusions, most notably the story of Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac. Kafka’s character and his world reveal themselves not unlike layers of an onion. We feel we know them better with each poem. Three pages of notes at the end of the collection include details such as the word “pater” means father, as well as background quotes from Kafka’s many letters.

It takes a lot of craftsmanship to have readers get inside the personalities and the culture of the characters in poems based on scholarship and detailed research—a huge task; all of the poems stick to the topic of Kafka and explore aspects of his family and his times. The last of the 47 free verse poems, “Kafka’s Nocturne,” uses revealing lines in its penultimate stanza: “Rumination and obsession—/guests who sit on the bed he won’t occupy/ with a lover….”

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Carol Smallwood is a multi-Pushcart nominee. Her  In Hubble’s Shadow (Shanti Arts, 2017) is her 4th poetry collection. Her Women on Poetry: Writing, Revising, Publishing and Teaching (McFarland) is on Poets & Writers Magazine's list of Best Books for Writers.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). This blog 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.