GRANT LEISHMAN - BOOK REVIEWS

the hermit of hisarya: a sam smith mystery (Sam smith mystery #5)

15/5/2020

Private Detective Sam Smith has become somewhat of a staple in my reading material of recent years. Author Hannah Howe has created a realistic, hard-hitting female lead who also is capable of compassion, warmth and humour. For me, she is the perfect private-eye. In Book 5 of the Sam Smith Series - The Hermit of Hisarya we see Sam leaving her beloved Wales for a "holiday" in Bulgaria, where she accompanies her psychiatrist fiancee who is attending a conference there for two weeks of rest and relaxation in the European summer.
Of course, trouble and potential cases seem to follow Sam with unerring certainty and this is no exception for the Hermit of Hisarya. Sam and her fiancee are staying in a small Bulgarian village with the conference organiser, her husband, their son and the woman's elderly mother. When Sam discovers that the grandmother's father was accused of betrayal during World War II and sentenced effectively to the lonely life of a hermit far from his family, before later being executed by the communist regime, Sam is intrigued. The grandmother's adamant protestations that her father was innocent of the betrayal stir Sam's inquisitive nature and before you know it she is caught up in a web of intrigue from seventy years earlier, along with danger, violence, drugs and corruption in modern-day Bulgaria.
Author Hannah Howe has a writing style that just sucks you in and carries you along on a twisting, turning, plot journey that makes putting her books down a difficult proposition. So much of this series revolves around the character of Sam Smith and each time I read one of the series, I discover new depths, new nuances and new experiences for this young woman. To me, that is the key to a successful character-driven series and Howe has this down perfectly.
All the Sam Smith stories are stand-alone cases and can be read in any order. That being said, I would still recommend any new reader to start at the beginning and work your way through this superb series. I mean, why wouldn't you? Howe is a master of this genre and Sam Smith is an endearing and captivating leading-lady. I can highly recommend this read and indeed any of the Sam Smith series books from this uber-talented author.

Do pop on over to Amazon and tske a look at The Hermit of Hisarya plus the rest of Hannah Howe's extensive portfolio, here, on her Amazon page:

finding hope by mary crawford

13/5/2020

Reading a Mary Crawford novel is a bit like coming home, for me. The characters that are spread across her different series are all related and inter-connected to each other and over the years I have invested quite a lot of empathy and emotion into the lives of these flawed but wonderfully drawn characters. Her latest offering, Finding Hope, part of the Hidden Hearts series follows this heart-warming trend. Its principal characters Nick Weston and Dr Dakota Crenshaw are not familiar to me but are surrounded by my old friends, all Crawford's wonderful and endearing characters.
Dr Crenshaw is a forensic genealogist, a DNA detective who uses science to try and identify bodies and track down killers. Dakota has experienced her own trauma early on in her life that has left her scarred physically, mentally and emotionally. When she begins searching for the identify of a two-year-old baby girl stuffed down a well in Tennessee, her science points her in the direction of one particular family, Nick Weston's who works for Identity Bank and the Cold Case Group. Nick has his own personal trauma going on after returning from active military service. Nick has been jilted by his long-time childhood sweetheart and fiancee and is feeling the pain of loneliness and rejection, himself. Despite Nick being a potential suspect in the murder of the little girl, the electricity between Dakota and him is obvious from the start. Can these two lonely individuals find each other amidst the suspicion and doubts created by the science Dr Crenshaw uncovers.
Like all of Crawford's works, Finding Hope is a powerful expression of how love can overcome all manner of obstacles we may face. The beautifully written words of love, friendship, camaraderie, tolerance, and understanding just pour from every page of Crawford's work. I am always a sucker for a sweet romance but Crawford takes that to the next level with her wonderfully drawn, full, somewhat damaged characters that ooze self-doubt, angst and suffering yet are powerful and triumphant in their own areas of expertise.
This is certainly not my first genre, as a reader, but it is one I come back to whenever I feel overwhelmed by the negativity of the books I've read. Crawford's gentle, loving, family of characters is just what a reader needs to remind him or herself that it is not necessarily as grim and as heartless out there as we are led to believe. Yes, we can all make stupid choices in life and we may have faced high hurdles in our journey but there is always love and the redemptive power of that love shines through all of Mary Crawford's wonderful books. In this genre she has no peer and I can make no higher recommendation than that. Another superb read from a master of flawed characterisation.

You can find Finding Hope, along with all of Mary Crawford's Extensive portfolio, here on her Amazon page:

the siren: saga of the chosen #3 by petra landon

5/4/2020

The Siren (Saga of the Chosen #3) by Petra Landon is the long-awaited third installment of this incredibly detailed and in-depth tale of the four, hidden, magical entities that exist side by side with us humans (Si’ffa) but of which we are totally unaware; The First Ones, The Wizards, The Wyr or Shifters, and the Vampires or Blutsaugers. The Siren continues straight on from where Book 2, The Rainmaker and we see the wizard Tasia Armstrong and her nemesis/protector Wyr, Alpha-Protector, Raoul Merceau continuing their highly choreographed and intricate dance of equal amounts of suspicion, attraction, and possibly love.

The Alpha-Protector and a team comprising members of almost all of the magic factions have banded together to search for and investigate the former powerful wizard Lady Bethesda, who was presumed killed in an explosion she is thought to have caused at the Wizard Registry, some decades ago. As Tasia and Raoul are drawn closer together and seemed determined to explore the feelings they clearly have for each other, problems await their burgeoning romance. Can this team of disparate Magic’s work successfully together to find and destroy the evil Lady Bethesda before she is able to gather her three daughters together and seize ultimate power of the magic world?

As always, in this series, Landon has a multitude of complicated plots, sub-plots, along with a vast array of characters to make up this fascinating, twisting and turning saga. Her ability, as an author, to keep all these balls in the air and not confuse herself or the reader is what marks her as a remarkable writer and a true star in this genre, not to even mention the Science Fiction genre which she dabbles brilliantly in, also. That is why, as a reader, I am first in line to grab her books when they are published. Her writing style is extremely descriptive and particularly emotive. She is able to draw a reader in and feel the character’s underlying emotions, be they male or female. Again, this is a sign of the skill of an author that he/she can empathise with and accurately portray the motivations and emotions of both sexes, so well.

In this iteration of the adventure, Tasia is finally coming to terms with living as part of a Wyr pack and the difficulties that entails. As an integral part of the investigation team there is a synchronicity and meshing of ideals and ideas that you would not expect from a group made up of Wizards, Wyrs, and First Ones who have all spent generations keeping their own counsel and guarding their secrets jealously. The intrigue and byplay that goes along with this is part of what makes the read so enjoyable as well as what makes it flow so well.

What I particularly love about all of Landon’s work is the character development and especially her leading ladies. Tasia, is no exception to this. She is a strong-willed, self-controlled, and powerful but vulnerable woman who has accepted her solitude in life due to her unique heritage but Landon beautifully brings out the softer, sweeter side of the woman, who really just wants to be accepted, to be part of something bigger than herself and most of all, to be loved. Raoul, the stern, taciturn, extremely violent, Alpha-Protector, who has every reason to hate wizards, with a passion, is also capable of extreme kindness, generosity, empathy, and yes, perhaps even love. The sexual tension between these two characters has always been the highlight of Landon’s series.

Although this can be read as a stand-alone adventure, I would recommend reading the series in order – for two reasons: Firstly, it is fantastic to see the development of the character relationships over the three books and it gives you a much better understanding and background to the story basis. Secondly, because they simply are fantastic books and so, why wouldn’t you want to read them? That being said, if you pick up this book first, make sure you read the glossary at the end before starting, so you can understand the characters and how they fit into the story. It will make your read even more satisfying.

I had expected that this book, The Siren, would be the final episode in the Saga of the Chosen, but author Landon had other ideas for me. This book will end in a poignancy that will tear at regular followers of this tale’s heartstrings. But, fear not, Landon assures us the next installment, The Palladin, will not be long in coming. She also hints there may be a fifth episode of this wonderfully exciting and innovative tale, so that is definitely something for us devoted fans of these characters to look forward to. I cannot wait to get my hands on The Palladin – get writing Petra!

You can find, The Siren, along with the rest of Petra Landon's outstanding literary portfolio, here, on her Amazon page:

joseph's boy by l. r. hay

20/12/2019

Joseph's Boy is the second book on this story that I've read from L. R. Hay and like the first, I found it quirky, funny and immensely enjoyable. This is a book, principally aimed at children, but honestly, it is a good read for any age. Yes, the subject matter is religious per se but the Christian aspect does in no way overwhelm the author's ability to tell a ripping yarn.
I thought viewing the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah from the perspective of a six-year-old boy, Jesus' brother Jamie (James) was an inspired concept. The author also likes to drop in her own observations from time to time and although this can be annoying in some stories, here it absolutely seems to work.
As someone who grew up being indoctrinated in the Christian/Judeo ethos, I was able to easily identify with the twists and turns the story took. Yes, the author did take the odd liberty or two from time to time from the "recognised" tale of Jesus' birth but it was all smart and sensible departures that went well with the telling.
I also appreciated the author's explanations of her mindset as it applied to dates, at the end of the book. I guess I must be as much a History buff as she declares she is, because I found this intensely fascinating.
Although, I along with most of the world, knows what happens next in this story, I am still waiting for the next book with baited breath. Seeing all this unfold from James' perspective is fascinating and I cannot wait for book three in this series. Well done to L. R. Hay

You can find Joseph's Boy by L.R. Hay, here on the author's Amazon page:

the old gilt clock by paulette mahurin

18/12/2019

Being an enormous fan of Paulette Mahurin's historical fiction that usually has a basis in fact, I was thrilled to have a chance to read her latest effort - The Old Gilt Clock.
In early 20th Century Netherlands, Willem Arondeus was a young man who had suffered both for his sexuality and his defence of not only Jews but all persons treated with contempt by society, at that time. When the Nazi's invaded the Netherlands at the start of WWII, this successful young artist decided it was time for him to stand up and be counted. He was damned if he was going to stand idly by and let the Germans slaughter millions of innocent people. In a story of immense courage and conviction Mahurin highlights one of the true unsung heroes of the Dutch Resistance.
As with all of Mahurin's books, this one resonates with truth and justice. A reader cannot help but to be swept away in Willem's profound belief in the dignity of his fellow human beings no matter their race, their creed, their features, or their religion. This is an incredibly powerful and soaring treatise of man's injustice to man and one person's conviction that it cannot and should not be allowed to happen.
As always, with Mahurin, the writing is superb with the main character and his supporting cast, simply beautifully drawn and equally demanding of the reader's empathy.
I loved this book, which for me, marks a new level in Mahurin's considerable maturity as a real literary talent. A fantastic read and one I can highly recommend.

You can find The Old Gilt Clock, along with the rest of Paulette Mahurin's superb portfolio, here on her Amazon page:

a Rift that lies between us: a novel by nasiha muna

16/12/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

A Rift That Lies Between Us is the debut novel from Nasiha Muna that seeks to explore the relationships that exist within a strictly religious Muslim family and how that affects the children, growing up in a secular, yet predominately Judeo-Christian United States. Farisa is the eldest daughter of two Bangladeshi Muslims who came to America before she was born. Growing up, under the umbrella of her parent’s religion and beliefs she finally finds some freedom when she heads off to University, some six hours from home, to study fine arts. Farisa must balance her parent’s expectations of marrying a “nice” Muslim boy with her own desires to have a career and explore her own potential as a human being. When Farisa is paired with a young, white man, Caiden, for an art project, it soon becomes apparent that there is some electricity between the pair but how can they deal with the differing expectations of each other and of their respective families? So begins an exploration of life and relationships which will encompass a number of years.

As a professional reviewer, I read a lot of books in the course of a year and it takes something special to move me. In A Rift That Lies Between Us, Nasiha Muna has given me that something special. Whether it is because I am also in a cross-cultural relationship or not, the book spoke deeply to my heart and moved me in unexpected ways. I felt the writing was superb, for a debut novel and the author beautifully captured the dilemma faced by many children of strictly religious families, whatever their faith, counterpointed with their desire to break free from the constraints they feel bind them and integrate fully within the society they were either born into or entered at a very young age. The budding relationship between Caiden and Farisa was fraught with difficulty and turmoil, yet you always had that feeling that love would win through in the end. In particular I enjoyed the focus on the role of young women within these families, how they were always made to feel subservient to their brother(s) and that for them, marriage to a good Muslim was presumed to be the ultimate achievement in life but this was never going to be enough for Farisa. For me, the sign of an exceptional book is that I am still thinking about the characters and the situations they faced, several days later. This definitely is the case with this book – this story will stick with me for some time to come. What an excellent read it was and what a talented author this woman is.

You can find this exceptional book - A Rift That Lies Between Us, here on Nasiha Muna's Amazon page:

the bully brigade: headmaster bully (book 3) by t. t. floyd

16/12/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

The Bully Brigade: Headmaster Bully by Tamala Floyd is a fun romp with the gang from Misfit Elementary School. When headmaster Strongarm is replaced by a new headmaster, Ms. Turnbull, things are set for a rapid change of pace. The new headmaster is determined to stamp her authority and her power on her school and all activities that the pupils had so long taken for granted were soon going to be challenged and changed. But it is not only the pupils who will suffer under the tyrannical rule of the new headmaster – even the teachers are in for a rude shock and awakening. For the gang, Petey, Charlie, Diego and the rest of the kids, known as the Bully Brigade, there is only one answers. Bullies must be dealt with and taught a lesson, even if they are the headmaster. The young people of Misfit Elementary rally behind their favourite teacher who seems to be the main target of Headmaster Turnbull’s wrath, Mr Funkbury and come up with a plan to dethrone the bully headmaster once and for all.

This book is targeted at Grade 4-6 children and The Bully Brigade: Headmaster Bully certainly reaches that target audience. The story is fast-moving and the language is appropriate for the audience’s age-group. Author Tamala Floyd has an excellent series of stories here revolving around the young people that make up the Bully Brigade and although I haven’t read the previous books in the series, it was not necessary to enjoy this iteration of their adventures. I particularly enjoyed the children’s preparedness to stand their ground when confronted by unfair or inappropriate tactics and punishment from the new Headmaster. The children certainly are not “little angels” by any stretch of the imagination but they are able to differentiate what is acceptable behavior (even from an adult) and what is not. I particularly enjoyed the obvious loving relationship between the children and their teachers (especially Mr Funkbury) and the willingness and enjoyment they clearly received from their schooling, prior to the arrival of the terrible Turnbull. Without a doubt, the message came through loud and clear – Bullying is NEVER okay, even when it comes from someone in authority and it should always be challenged, regardless of who is doing it. An excellent read with a compelling message.

The fully selection of Bully Brigade Books is available here, on T. T. Floyd's Amazon page:

pretty: a memoir by karen vorbeck williams

9/12/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Pretty: A Memoir by Karen Vorbeck Williams takes us back to middle-America in the 1950’s, when the author was growing up in the small town of Grand Junction, Colorado, seemingly in the perfect 50’s family. Williams, however, knew that beneath the smiling perfection things were not really as they seemed. By the time her mother decided to divorce her father (an unusual event in the 50’s) and take the three daughters far away to Ojai, California, the author was struggling with identifying who she was, what she wanted from life and how to get there. Young girls were supposedly good for only one thing – snaring a successful and preferably wealthy husband. Even those girls who attended College back then seemed to have, as their primary motivation, to meet a future husband among the college-going crowd. Karen was dogged by the desire to be an actress or a performer of some sort. It was her passion and her joy yet she was dogged by self-doubts and criticisms that she had taken on her whole young life – was she really as pretty as everyone said? Was she really too overweight for a career in showbusiness? Did she have what it took to be a star?

In Pretty: A Memoir, author Karen Vorbeck Williams is candid and frank about what it was like to grow up in 1950’s small-town America. I loved the realness of the emotions, doubt, and angst that came clearly through every page. The author did a fantastic job of describing the state of mind of a young woman who came from a background of two vastly different parents whose influences on her clashed at every level. Her Mother, so free and independent for a woman of the time, instilled something special within her daughter’s psyche and yet her father’s slow, deliberate, some would say boring approach to life clearly tempered Karen’s enthusiasm and commitment to chasing her dreams. This is a well-written and easy to read memoir of just a small part of Williams’ life but such a vital part of it that formed her character for the rest of her years. What my biggest take from this story was; when we put labels on children whether the labels are positive or negative, we have a profound effect on the way that child thinks about themselves. For Williams the label that defined her in so many ways was; “pretty” and it came to influence her decisions and her beliefs about herself in all aspects of her life, not all of them useful or positive. This is an excellent read and one I can highly recommend.

You can find Pretty: A Memoir, here on Karen Vorbeck Williams' Amazon page:

jungle beauty goddess - book 3 - dirty ball by cassandra george sturges

4/12/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Jungle Beauty Goddess – Book 3 – Dirty Ball is a continuation of the saga of the seven sisters, daughters of the creator of the Universe, who are tasked with creating and nurturing a blue planet in the far-flung reaches of the Universe – Earth. Author Cassandra George Sturges has created a cast of characters that seek to give a different slant on the creation of the Universe, the galaxies, the planets, and the sentient beings on them. In Dirty Ball we follow the machinations of the sister Afar, who after creating the first higher order being on earth – Mada, falls hopelessly in love with her creation, in direct contravention of the Sister’s oaths and their father’s rules. When Mada’s future mate comes into being, a woman called Sumeria, Afar’s jealousy knows no bounds. Humanity’s future is hanging by a thread and controlled by a Goddess whose sanity and good judgement must be severely questioned. What ensues is a complex tale that seeks, in some way, to explain both the human condition and the current state of our planet.

Despite having not read the first book in this series, I had read the second and although excited by the premise and carried away by some of the author’s clever imagery, I was left with the feeling that still more could be achieved in this concept. In Jungle Beauty Goddess – Book 3 – Dirty Ball, author Cassandra George Sturges does exactly that – moves the story to a new, exciting level. One of the true joys of being a professional reviewer is watching an author grow and mature over time and in this tale, I was duly rewarded. I felt the mixture of myths, fantasies and original thought achieved a new imagination high and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. The tale is not finished, though and I do look for more excitement in the future. What stood out for me the most in this book was the uncanny corollaries the author was able to draw between her fantastical story and the current human and earth condition. I loved the spiritual side of the story and the deep thought that clearly went into some of the passages. The passionate, sex scenes, although few, were beautifully handled and never crossed over that line of decency, into crudity. All in all, this was an excellent read and one I can highly recommend. I now await book four, with bated breath.

You can find Jungle Beauty Goddess - Book 3 - Dirty Ball, here on Cassandra George Sturges' Amazon page, along with the rest of her portfolio.

learn to love: guide to healing your disappointing love life by thomas jordan phd

2/12/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Learn to Love: Guide to Healing your Disappointing Love Life by Thomas Jordan PHD is a delve into the world of the subconscious, analyzing the way in which our learned experiences affect our beliefs and feelings about love relationships. Why do 50% of marriages end in divorce? Why do so many of us struggle to find love relationships that work? Why do we often end up perpetuating the same mistakes in our love relationships, over and over again? Why does it seem that so many men marry a woman just like their mother or why do so many people who are abused, end up marrying abusers, or are abusers themselves? Dr Jordan examines what motivates us when we become involved in a love relationship. He looks at what experiences we have had of “love” from those within our life experience and concludes that our beliefs and feelings about what love is, are a learned experience. As such, these experiences can be unlearned and new, positive, expectations of love relationships can be learned and acted upon instead. The author draws on not just his thirty years of clinical experience in dealing with patients who have relationship issues but also on his own personal failure to form successful love relationships and what he learned about himself through counselling and psychotherapy.

This book is one that is long overdue in the world of love relationship forming, especially now, with the internet and online dating becoming such a large part of finding that perfect partner for us. In Learn to Love: Guide to Healing your Disappointing Love Live, author Thomas Jordan PHD takes the reader through some practical and easy to follow steps to turn your love life around. What I particularly found enlightening and useful in this book was the author didn’t just tell us the negative things we seem to seek out in a partner, from our own life experiences, such as; abandonment, abuse, control, dependency, dishonesty, etc, but he also explained the opposite feelings that we needed to relearn or learn to replace the beliefs we were rejecting. These feelings included; attachment, respect, freedom, independence, honesty etc. The text was easy to read and understand from a lay perspective, with little psycho jargon and I think the author did a tremendous job of clearly laying it out. If I had a couple of takes from this book that will serve me wonderfully in life it would be; 1/ there is no point in looking for the “perfect” partner – that person simply doesn’t exist and 2/ you can NEVER change someone else – the only person you can ever change is yourself. Those two thoughts alone should improve your outlook on dating and love relationships. This truly is a self-help book we could all use. I can highly recommend this book to all readers.

You can find, Learn to Love: Guide to Healing Your Disappointing Love Life by Thomas Jordan PHD, here, on Amazon:

to live is to fly: memoirs of an executive pilot by doris daily

28/11/2019

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

To Live is to Fly: Memoirs of an Executive Pilot by Doris Daily is a short, swift peek inside the lifestyle of an executive corporate pilot. Early on Doris had no great ambitions to be a pilot. Pilot needed to be good at mathematics and physics and that simply wasn’t Doris’ thing. She was more interested in the Arts and so, when a friend suggested she take a radio course, it ignited a passion inside her to learn to fly, which most of the other students were doing the course for, and to ultimately become a commercial pilot, during a period when female commercial pilots were still a real rarity. Living in Europe meant that Doris’ professional career was always going to offer unusual and exciting destinations with lots of variations. In this story she documents the journey she took in a “man’s world” and how flying became as critical to her life, as breathing. Along the way she gives advice on how to avoid some of the pitfalls she encountered especially as she makes the comparison of the pros and cons between commercial piloting for an airline and the corporate executive flying which she preferred to do.

This is a short book about a life that no doubt had its fair share of adventure. To Live is to Fly: Memoirs of an Executive Pilot really was the story of one woman’s passion and love of aviation. Her sheer pleasure in her job shone through on every page. Author Doris Daily’s writing style is simple and uncomplicated which possibly doesn’t convey the excitement of what she does, as well as she may have wished but I found the anecdotes both funny and interesting. Of special interest was her dealings with airport officials in Soviet Bloc countries both before and after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was fascinating to view the differences between the two Germany’s that still clearly existed even after reunification. As someone who has a deep fascination also, with air travel and has never pursued it, Daily’s story allowed me to vicariously live the life of a commercial pilot and understand that it is not always about glamour and glitz but it is the love of flying that commands pilots to stick at it. I thought her comparisons between the life of an airline pilot and that of an executive corporate pilot were very telling and it was clear she felt she had made the right choice of career path in aviation. This is a fascinating read and I’m sure the author could easily have written double the length without any trouble at all. I can definitely recommend this read.

You can find To Live is to Fly: Memoirs of an Executive Pilot by Doris Daily, here on Amazon:

a year in the life of leah brand - a psychological thriller by lucinda e. clarke

20/11/2019

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

A Year in the Life of Leah Brand is a psychological thriller from the pen of author, Lucinda E. Clarke. Leah Brand is a middle-aged woman who has suffered many of life’s vicissitudes along her journey. When her husband and two children are tragically killed in a car accident that also left her missing a leg, it seemed Leah’s life was over. To top it off, her mother was turning senile and had never shown any real love towards Leah. Compounding her problems, Leah’s siblings both live overseas and this made her a prime target of her mother’s scorn, derision and belittling. When Leah met and married the successful and wealthy lawyer, Mason, it seemed things had finally turned for her. Mason’s teenage daughter made it very clear to Leah that she wasn’t subject to her authority and that Leah was never going to take the place of her Mum. Despite this, Leah had rebuilt her life with Mason and was moderately content with her place in the world and her close friendship with her neighbor Audrey. Things started to go haywire though, one New Year’s Eve. The death of Mason’s beloved dog seemed to change everything and soon Leah was (imagining?) strange goings on in the house – furniture mysteriously moving, voices, noises, pots and pans being rearranged and a host of other strange happenings. Was Leah doing all this herself and just not realizing it; was she slowly going mad? Or was there some evil afoot that was determined to drive Leah to the depths of insanity?

A Year in the Life of Leah Brand is a tightly written and tense psychological thriller that draws the reader in from the very first chapter and carries you along, at breakneck speed to the unexpected and surprising conclusion. I’ve read a few of Lucinda E. Clarke’s books and one thing I’ve marveled at is her ability to chop and change genres at will – the sign of an excellent author and Clarke definitely is that. I have little doubt that the beautifully drawn and slightly neurotic character of Leah will resonate with many readers. I found myself continually second-guessing the author’s directions with the story and that is always the sign of a superb author, one who can drag the reader into “red-herring” situations and then throw them off balance with a subtle change in tack. The writing is no-nonsense and to the point, from the perspective of the main character. As a reader we are able to understand, empathise, and ride along with Leah’s swirling emotions as she is totally sure she is not crazy – but what other explanation could there be for all the weird goings-on? I liked the fact that Clarke left the door marginally ajar for a possible sequel to the tale. There is another whole path she could take this story down, if she so desired and I for one, totally hope she does. An exciting, gripping psychological thriller that twists and turns and keeps you riveted to the story, I can highly recommend this read.

You can find A Year in the Life of Leah Brand - A Psychological Thriller, here, on Lucinda E. Clarke's Amazon page, along with the rest of her extensive and exciting portfolio.

jungle beauty goddess - aquatic ball - book #2 by cassandra george sturges

20/11/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grsnt Leishman

Jungle Beauty Goddesses – Aquatic Ball – Book 2 by Cassandra George Sturges is a series of short novellas that explores the possible origins of the Universe, through an eternal and immortal family of planet-makers and developers. The Goddesses, all seven of them, are the daughters of the maker of the Universe and are tasked with developing and creating life on planet earth, which they have done but there is some concern at the direction that humanity has taken with its exploitation and potential destruction of their beautiful creation. The sisters were unfortunately captured by the military and subjected to various experiments, with one of the sisters being raped and impregnated by a human and one of them being killed. In this iteration of the tale, earth is rapidly turning into a water world with the land masses being buried and swallowed by the seas. When the Goddesses attempt to find out what is happening, they run into an advanced culture of undersea mer-people who are adamant that they should be the rightful inheritors of the planet and not humanity, who are rapidly disappearing as the land submerges.

This book is one that takes you a little by surprise. It is much more than the gentle fairy tale that it initially appeared to be. Jungle Beauty Goddesses – Aquatic Ball – Book 2 takes the reader on a thoughtful journey through man’s inhumanity to man and his total disregard for the planet and the creatures that share it with him. Author Cassandra George Sturges does an excellent job of poking the borax at us, as people and our attitudes to the world we have been given stewardship over. Although short, this story can be read as a stand-alone tale, as the author does well in giving us broad hints as to the past and what has happened previously, allowing the reader to enjoy the narrative of the meeting with and exploration of the mer-people. The sisters (the Jungle Beauty Goddesses) are undoubtedly the stars of the show and it was interesting to see their characters develop over the short span of the book. I hadn’t read Book 1, but as I said that didn’t matter and if the purpose of the author was to spur me to read Book 3 (as it should be) there is enough of interest in this story to consider doing so. What I particularly liked was the (intentional?) links to “new-age” thought and the Law of Attraction. This vibrated well with me, as a believer in the Universe and universal thought. This book has much more depth than a casual glance would suggest and for that reason I can recommend it as an interesting and thought-provoking read.

You can find Jungle Beauty Goddesses - Aquatic Ball - Book 2, here on Amazon:

heir of lies (black dawn series #1) by Mallory mccartney

17/11/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Heir of Lies by Mallory McCartney is very much an epic fantasy in the classical mould, with strange, weird and wonderful creatures along with magic, time-travel and a change in dimensions. “The Academy” was the dream of a King and Queen who were forced to marry in an alliance but grew to love and respect each other deeply. The Academy is where young men and women, those with special abilities, powers and magical skills, who were feared and mistrusted, even shunned by the general population were able to grow, mature and nurture those skills for the good of the land, as a whole. Four young, powerful and influential characters would form the basis of what would happen in the future. Emory; daughter of the rulers and heir apparent to the crown was surrounded by her three best friends, Brokk, a shapeshifter, Adair, the son of the King and Queen’s two best friends and seconds in command, and Memphis. All three boys adored and loved Emory but each, it seemed was unable to quite break out of the “best friend” zone with the young princess. What none of them realise is that the Academy was built on lies and half-truths. Much more was going on than either of the four was aware of and the future held horror, terror and pain for all four as they sought to protect the dream of the Academy in a world gone mad with lust and the quest for power.

This book, Heir of Lies, really does fulfill all the requirements of an epic fantasy and if you love the exploration of weird and wild worlds ruled my magic and darkness, this is an absolute must read for you. The author, Mallory McCartney has created story arcs that are complicated and varied ensuring a reader never loses excitement in the tale, however that is not done at the expense of great characterization. The four main characters are all beautifully drawn and exquisitely developed as each undergoes a transformation as they come to maturity and discover their true purposes in life, always with that overarching desire and lust for the beautiful princess Emory. By telling the story through these four different character’s perspectives, each chapter reveals something new and different about the true essence of the particular character. The morality of the story is highlighted as a simple choice between good and evil as well as the dangers that lusting for power can have over people that you thought were good, were decent and true friends. I particularly enjoyed the convoluted and conflicting feelings Emory had for Adair, Brokk and Memphis – this gave the narrative a real romantic edge. The battle scenes and individual fights are many and varied, always guaranteed to keep an action lover on the edge of his/her seat. This is an exceptionally well-written book and one I can highly recommend in this genre, or indeed the Young Adult genre.

You can find Heir of Lies (Black Dawn Series Book #1) by Mallory McCartney, here on her Amazon page:

silent retribution man by J. Sato

10/11/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Silent Retribution Man by J. Sato introduces us to the character of Lionel Seaver. Life has dealt Lionel a tough hand; he has lost his wife and child and he discovered his chosen career was not exactly what he had signed up for. As a lawyer, he realized the scales of justice were inexorably tipped in favour of the rich, the powerful, the famous and it was less about what you did but more about who you knew when it came to dispensing justice. Almost as bad as the criminals getting off with light sentences or worse, “scott-free” were the a-holes who were just obnoxious people and seemed to make it their mission to taunt and torment the weak, the powerless, and the defenceless; bullies and rude people were almost as offensive to Lionel as the out and out crooks. Considering he had little left to lose in his life, Lionel made it his mission to deliver his own form of silent retribution wherever he saw injustice, rudeness, or suffering victims. It was a mission that could only end up in one place, eventually, but Lionel was determined to brings as many of these miscreants to justice before he might indeed need to face his own.

The premise of Silent Retribution Man was clever and had real potential. I felt author J. Sato did an excellent job of exploring and discussing the ramifications of this “vigilante” style justice being meted out by the character. The “pop culture” movie and television references, also I felt added to the narrative in some instances and although I did enjoy them, the author clearly overdid them, in my opinion but even more tricky from a reader’s perspective, failed to obviously delineate changes from the narrative into the movie or television reference, which often brought me to a jarring halt in my read as I tried to figure out what was happening. A simple box quote, italics, or bolding for this would certainly vastly improve the readability of this book. That being said, this was a thoughtful read with plenty of moral issues to consider by a reader and I love a book that asks me to question societies’ as well as my own morals and come to a conclusion. I thought the author did an exceptional job of building the character of Lionel and without any spoilers, his final dilemma was well executed. This is a book that makes you think, makes you question and there are too few of those around, so I do recommend this.

You can find Silent Retribution Man, here on author J. Sato's Amazon page:

ben: an amie backstory (amie backstories #2) by lucinda e. Clarke

7/11/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Ben (Amie in Africa Series Back Story) is an introduction, by author Lucinda E Clarke to Ben Mtumba, a secondary character in her Amie in Africa series. We meet Ben as a young boy, about to enter manhood. Although Ben is the son of the chief’s brother and therefore highly ranked within the tribe, Ben has spent the bulk of his childhood and education off the rural kraal and in the country’s capital city, where he has attended the International School and excelled. It is time, however, to return to the village of his birth and to take the steps into African manhood; steps that include an unhygienic and dangerous circumcision rite that Ben is terrified about. Ben has spent his teenage years learning about the wide world and the modern way. This clash between his tribal upbringing and their beliefs and his understanding of the way things are in the developed world will create a tension that Ben will have to work hard to overcome. Pressured, by his rich and powerful father to follow in the family business, Ben has other dreams and other opportunities he wants to pursue.

I have read several of the Amie books by Lucinda E Clarke and I had met the character Ben Mtumba, as a young man, so it was fascinating for me to journey back to the rural heartland and see the forces and traditions that shaped and challenged this young man. Ben (Amie in Africa Series Back Story) provides us with an insight into the cultural clash between modern science, modern medicine and the beliefs of the inhabitants of rural African villages, with their spiritual, medical and hierarchical customs and mores built up over thousands of years. I particularly enjoyed Ben’s mother and her worldview plus her explanation of the lack of understanding, in the West, of the grandeur and magnificence of early African civilization. Clearly passionate about her subject, the author’s descriptive abilities and her easy-to-read prose makes this dip back into a character’s past both exciting, adventurous and instructive. The problems and decision-making that faced Ben are not different to all those decisions we expect our children to routinely make and despite the cultural differences I am sure most readers will recognize something of themselves in all of the characters in this short backstory. I love Clarke’s writing and this is no exception – highly recommended.

You can find Ben, along with the rest of Lucinda E. Clarke's amazing portfolio, here on her Amazon page:

girl with a future by parker ames

6/11/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Girl With A Future is the debut novel by author Parker Ames. We are introduced to Angie Cohen as she navigates the rite of passage that is High School. From a small town in Canada, Angie is an achiever and one who loves competition, be it athletic or academic. As a nationally recognized swimmer, Angie has the pick of scholarships to all the best Canadian Universities and even a few U.S. Ivy League schools. The premature death of her father, though, throws Angie into a personal emotional turmoil and after building up her late father’s fledgling company and selling it for s good price, Angie decides to eschew her scholarships at least for a year and travel Europe in an effort to “find herself” and hopefully discover the true direction of her life. She embarks on a voyage of discovery that will open her eyes and also reinforce some of her deeply held beliefs about life. Angie is a girl on a mission but, unfortunately, she has yet to figure out exactly what that mission will be.

As a reader, I was immediately struck by the breadth of the main character in this story. Angie Cohen is the Girl With A Future but the more time that passes, the less clear what that future holds. Author Parker Ames has imbued this character with a range of characteristics from shockingly naïve and innocent right through to that of a deep thinker and philosophizer. Angie thinks she knows what her future should hold but when her father dies and she fails at a national swim meet, her core beliefs are seriously challenged. At times one felt like shaking her and telling her that this is real life and she needs to get with the programme. However, Angie is determined to forge her own new path. Any writer that can involve a reader so intimately in the characters has done an excellent job and certainly that is what Ames has done in this story. Most people would shelve this story as women’s fiction or literary fiction but it deserves a broader category than that. It is an examination of life, its meaning and our place within it. I was pleased the author indicated this was not the last we would hear of Angie Cohen and I certainly look forward to the next iteration. I can highly recommend this book for those that like to ponder as they read and also enjoy a touch of romance here and there, on the side.

You can find Girl With A Future, here, on Parker Ames' Amazon page:

seize the day (the unbrcable women series book 2) by kathryn r. biel

3/11/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite By Grant Leishman

Erin McAvoy is a woman on the horns of a dilemma. In Seize The Day (The UnBRCAble Women Series Book 2) by Kathryn R Biel, Erin has some difficult choices to make. In her early thirties, Erin is a zoo worker who loves her job and her animals more than anything, perhaps even more than people but she knows she is in a race against time to achieve all she wants to achieve in life. Erin is the recipient of the BRCA variant gene that massively increases her chances of breast and ovarian cancer. As with many BRCA afflicted women in her support group, Erin knows she needs to have a mastectomy and a hysterectomy, as a preventative measure before any signs of cancer appear. The problem – Erin is desperate to have a child, before her chance disappears. Her conservative parents believe strongly in dating – love – marriage and THEN children but Erin may not have that luxury. All of the men she meets on her dating app. are wholly not what she is looking for and she truly despairs of ever making her dreams come true.

Writing a novel with humour, wit, and grace that deals with such a difficult and sensitive topic is an art in itself and in Seize The Day (The UnBRCAble Women Series Book 2), author Kathryn R Biel has achieved that perfectly. Her lead character Erin McAvoy is perfectly drawn as a woman full of self-doubt, who lacks self-esteem and belief yet is prepared to overcome her shortfalls and stand up for herself and fight for what she believes in and desperately wants. The mixture of doubt and daring that the author wove into this character goes straight to the readers’ empathetic bones and although at times you almost want to shake her and tell her to wake up to the reality, you also know she eventually will see the obvious and grasp the opportunities. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Erin and her mother, one that was typified by that eternal problem of over-protection and parent-projection and the child that just wants to break free and do her own thing. The love interest in the story was the central theme, of course and this was beautifully built up to a crescendo that I really appreciated. This book is slated as “women’s lit” however I would suggest it is a fantastic read for anyone who needs a lift in their morale and an object lesson in “when life throws lemons at you – make lemonade”. Funny, witty, sad, moving, this story has it all. It’s a winner and highly recommended by this reviewer.

You can find Seize The Day, along with the rest of Kathryn R. Biel's extensive portfolio, here, on her Amazon page:

forever, lately: a regency time travel romance by linore rose burkard

28/10/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Forever, Lately; A Regency Time Travel Romance by author Linore Rose Burkard brings us the character of author Claire Channing, a moderately successful Regency Romance writer who has struggled with her last two books. Living in her missing grandmother’s, deserted cottage in Maine, Claire is determined that this time she will write the Regency Romance of the century and cement her reputation as one of the best in the genre. When strange things begin appearing around her cottage and she finds an old, beautiful shawl belonging to her grandmother, Claire suddenly finds herself swept away into the past, back to 1816, to be exact, where to her astonishment she appears to be inside her own novel. When she meets the hero from her book, Julian St. John, she slowly comes to the realization that perhaps this is all real and her characters truly are historical figures from 1816. After returning to the current day, Claire does some research and discovers, to her horror, that Julian St. John, according to the history books is about to be tragically killed in a coach accident a few weeks from when she was transported to. Claire knows she has to do whatever is within her power to stop this occurring and thus begins the first real adventure of Claire Channing’s short life, to date.

It’s often hard to find a new angle for a time-travel adventure but author Linore Rose Burkard has certainly hit on one with her novel, Forever, Lately; A Regency Time Travel Romance. As a reader, I appreciated the novelty of the approach and enjoyed the intricate and often unexpected time shifts. The author successfully, it seems, managed the time-travel paradox well and the story flowed fast and smooth. The characters were both believable and well-developed. I particularly liked the antagonist Clarissa who gave the story that darkness and tension that even a good romance requires. Claire, as a modern woman, thrown into an alien society, albeit one she thought she knew extremely well through her writing, was both strong and independent as any good, leading lady character should be but was well-rounded enough to still feel the need for romance and the electricity between her and the good gentleman, Mr. St. John was a highlight of the read for me. My only gripe about the story would be the length of the chapters; in my opinion they were just way too short and didn’t allow the reader to settle into and relax in a scene before a jolting chapter end stop. That having been said, this story was an excellent read and one I really enjoyed and can highly recommend.

You can find Forever, Lately, along with the rest of Linore Rose Burkard's portfolio, here on her Amazon page:

georgette alden starts over by annie hoff

26/10/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

For around thirty years, Georgette Alden’s life had revolved around her career as the incredibly sexy and devious Electra Holmes, on the day-time soap, Our Time Tomorrow. In Georgette Alden Starts Over, by Annie Hoff, we meet Georgette just as she is contemplating life as Georgette rather than her alter ego, Electra Holmes. Her character has been unexpectedly killed off by the producers who want “young and sexy” for their audience now. Confronted with the prospect of unemployment for the first time in her career, Georgette is persuaded to participate in a Public Announcement spot for a local charity, Helping Hands, which provides for the many homeless of New York City. When Electra first meets the charity’s director, the wheelchair bound, but still incredibly handsome Tony Rodriguez there is an instant and palpable connection that neither of them want to deny but is Tony ready for a full-on relationship, especially with a woman he once fantasised over, on television, as a College student? Georgette has to come to terms with whether she is really Electra Holmes or the hitherto hidden and less obvious, Georgette Alden, whilst Tony must decide if he is ready to put it all out there on the line and risk the possibility of rejection from a woman he still thinks is probably way out of his league.

If there’s one thing I do love it is a good, quirky, romance and author Annie Hoff has certainly brought me one of those with Georgette Alden Starts Over. There is nothing terribly complicated or deep about these characters and their interactions and yet the author manages to weave a tale of faltering, yet determined love between two unlikely partners that not only works but creates great empathy in the reader for both of the main characters. I particularly enjoyed the “aha” moment when Georgette finally realized she was truly Georgette Alden, a mature woman who was simply lonely and what she wanted more than anything in the world was to be loved for herself, not for some sexy character that she was immortalized as on the square screen – what she really wanted was Tony Rodriguez. I also enjoyed the battle Tony was going through as he panicked about his ability to satisfy such a glamorous woman, especially given his condition. The writing is simple, sweet and draws you into the two characters’ psyche as we ride along with them down those first tentative relationship steps. If you like a good, modern romance with quirky characters, especially so with the fringe players, then this would be a fantastic read for you. I certainly enjoyed it very much.

You can find Georgette Alden Starts Over, here on Annie Hoff's Amazon page:

website statistics