​Shopping For a Billionaire 1 by Julia Kent is part of what I see as a worrying trend in modern books today - the serialisation of one story across two, three, four or more books. While I can happily accept the idea of sequels to books, with the same characters, the books should be and need to be at least of novel length to justify this treatment. Having said that, I know Julia Kent is a very successful author and is far from being the only author to have adopted this trend. Prior to writing my review, I took the opportunity to read some of the negative reviews on the book, on Amazon. It would certainly appear that many readers share my dislike of this practice. There are a number of reviews with one star that specifically state they felt they were duped into buying this book, thinking it was a stand-alone novella. I wouldn't be harsh enough to give it only one star but from a reviewer's perspective, the length of the story and the fact it is a "serial" set of novels, puts me on the defensive from the get-go. As this particular book was free on Kindle when I downloaded, I can hardly throw my hands up and say; "what a waste of money", but it is not a trend I particularly like. 

The book itself, the writing style and the characterizations lend it to a much higher rating than I will end up giving it. Julia Kent is a New York Time's best-selling author and clearly knows her target market well. I did find the writing style a little bit frothy for my personal taste and the characters a little one-dimensional; the slightly neurotic, marginally overweight Shannon and the "perfect" hunk that was Declan. I know there is a market for this type of story and well done Kent for finding it and exploiting it well. Her style is engaging and easy to read, her humor is clever at times and her references to current day celebrities and events help to bring realism to the story. 

I have no doubt the complexities of the characters will be more exposed in the future "installments" but the question remains for this reviewer whether he will bother to buy those installments? The jury's still out on that, although I would like to, at least, see where the budding relationship between Shannon and Declan goes, so it's possible. 

Look, if you like bubbly, frothy,  fantasy style romances, ala, Bridget Jones, then you'll probably love Julia Kent's books. By all means, grab Shopping for a Billionaire 1 (After all, it is free on Kindle) just be warned, if you enjoy it and love the characters, as many readers clearly do, you will have to purchase several more short books, to get the full story. 

A good, solid three stars from me, that would have been four, if it had been a full novella or novel, rather than a serial. 

Check out the rest of this series and all of Julia Kent's books here: http://amzn.to/1TakXFi

To Kill For Land by Ryn Shell, is I think the fifth book in the series that details the history and life of the extended Fife/Mayer family in small-town, outback Australia. It is actually the fourth book in the series I have read, having started the series at Book 2. At some point, I have no doubt I will return to the first book and discover just where it all began. 

To Kill for Land is set around six years after the floods that devastated the town and the surrounding areas in To Kill in Flood. The two main characters in this tale; Emily and Jarrah are now thirteen and seventeen respectively. Their deep friendship forged as youngsters only grow stronger, but there are many pull's on young Jarrah's heart and attention. He wants to be fully accepted in his Aboriginal Family, he wants to own the land of the Dreaming Billabong and he wants to attend University and study law to help his finally regain their rights, in what is still essentially a racist Australia of the 1960's. 

An influx of displaced Europeans at the end of World War Two has added colour and excitement to the staid and conservative country town. With Jarrah facing strictures on his interaction with Emily, due to her being declared as "wrong skin" by Jarrah's Grandfather, the opportunities for the young people to share time together are strictly limited. 

As with all the previous books, this is a wonderful story about coming of age, the mixture of cultures that is uniquely Australian outback and the machinations of small town life in the conservative 1960's. I love these books and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone. This is a five star story, all the way again, from Ryn Shell.

Check out Ryn Shell's Books Here: http://amzn.to/1J8dAex      

I decided to read Ooh Matron mainly because of the positive buzz and vibe I had heard about it in various FB groups and on Twitter. I like memoirs, especially ones full of funny anecdotes and the wisdom that comes with age. 

I will say, right from the start, that Ooh Matron is a well written, well researched and generally very interesting book, but as a memoir to set me giggling in mirth, not so much. I guess my main gripe is the cover. The cover, tended to suggest a humorous content and the author did also make reference to the "Carry On" films, in the introduction. This led me to believe it would be chock full of hilarious goings-on in the medical profession. That certainly was not the case. Yes, there were a few anecdotes of student nursing shenanigans, but not what I felt the cover lead me to think  

What Ooh Matron is, is a thoughtful and thorough documentation of the training of a student nurse in the 1980's. For what it was, I enjoyed the book. I was impressed by the author's knowledge (still) of what she went through to achieve the coveted status of Qualified Nurse. I also liked her well researched and interesting bonus features about the history of psychiatric nursing. An interesting counterpoint in the book is the description, by the author's stepdaughter, a newly degree graduated Nurse, comparing the training of the 1980's with today. 

If you are thinking of buying this book for a hilarious romp through a student nurse's eyes, I would say don't, but if you like honest, well-written and well-researched memoirs, especially if you have a medical background, this is a lovely book to read. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the read and am definitely encouraged to read more from Butfield and find out where her nursing career led her next. A good, solid four stars from me.

You can find more of Butfield's work here: http://amzn.to/1Uf8eCL​      

Another historical romance from Jana Petken, set in a different period, in different countries and still a fantastic example of its genre. This is the third Petken I've read now and like the previous two, I have enjoyed it immensely. It isn't the towering saga that was Guardian of Secrets or the hard-bitten, Errant Flock, but it is a wonderful story of courage, love and lust that takes us from the slums of mid-nineteenth century London to the wilds of the Virginian countryside, just prior to the American Civil War. 

The heroine in this tale is one Mercy Carver, a poor girl from the poorest part of London; "The East End" or as it was called, "The Elephant and Castle". Mercy had the most awful of starts in life, with her mother dying giving birth to her and her inconsolable father, unable to continue without his beloved wife, committing suicide. 

I don't want to give away too much of the story, but a desire to see the "real London", just once in her life, before accepting her predetermined fate of marrying an old and disgusting man, her grandparents had virtually sold her to when she was just fourteen; leads Mercy on a journey that will test even her powers of resilience and courage. 

Dark Shadows is the first book in the Mercy Carver series and I have little doubt that there is still much, much more to be told about Mercy and her one, true love Jacob Stone. I am looking forward to reading the next installment in this series. 

Another absolute winner from Jana Petken and worth every single one of the five stars I give it. If you love the historical novel with plenty of action and romance, you will love Dark Shadows.    

Check out all of Petken's Books here: http://amzn.to/1R5g3UI

​Mother's Day Magic: with Love rather caught me by surprise. I wasn't sure I would enjoy this anthology of relationships and love, all centered around the magical day that is Mother's Day - How surprised was I? This is a superb collection of stories by a number of talented authors. Of extra pleasure to me was the revelation that part of the profits from this collection would be donated to MS research. 

Mother's Day Magic: With Love is a collection of twelve individual short stories and/or novellas, by twelve separate writers, of whom, eleven I think, are female. Every single one of the stories had something special about them and I wouldn't be overstating things to say that I enjoyed each and every one of them. 

As always though there were some stories that touched me more than others. The first of these was An English Rose by Allyson R Abbott. I absolutely adored this story of a quintessential 85-year-old English woman who realizes before it is too late that maybe there is life left in the old girl yet. Maybe it's my colonial background, but the language and situations in this story absolutely resonated with me. I adored it.

Another story that captured my attention and my admiration for its clever writing was The Day Before Eclosion by Adrienne Ruvalcaba. I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone, but I found the metaphor the writer used was not only perfectly appropriate to the situation, it was moving in the extreme. This was a wonderful story. 

The final story I want to mention that truly captured me was Vision of the Heart by Mary Crawford. This story was touching and moving as we followed the struggle of a once proud nurse who has had to give up her career due to the onset of blindness through macular degeneration. The story is redolent with emotion and understanding as we watch her journey of coming to terms with her blindness and the relationship with her children and husband. I absolutely loved this story, especially the Nursing College Reunion section; that revealed so much of the human condition. 

I really could go on and on about these stories. Twelve wonderful stories and not a single dud among them. It is rare that you read a compilation where every story connects and excites you - Mother's Day Magic is such a compilation. I would highly recommend this to all readers; it is five stars plus all the way. Excellent!

You can find this superb book at Amazon: http://amzn.to/1P6sKNq       

​Forged in War by T.E. Hodden is a relatively short novella; at just 95 pages on Kindle, but like all of Hodden's stories I have read to date, it is concise and packed full of an excellent story. Of all Hodden's books I have come across thus far, I would definitely put Forged in War at the top of the list. 

The story concerns a soldier, who assists a young girl to escape from her destroyed city, being overrun by the forces of The Legion. Although they were together only briefly, they forged a bond, which would resurface later when the war was finally concluded. 

This story is at its core, a romance, built around the questions of war, morality, and duty in a futuristic science fiction/fantasy world. I found the writing compelling and the characters easy to identify with and root for. 

This was a very enjoyable read and one I would not hesitate in recommending to anyone who likes their romance a bit spiced up by science fantasy. A great new entry from Hodden and a worthy five stars.

You can check out all of Hodden's work here: http://amzn.to/1QrKqap      

​To Kill in Storm, by Ryn Shell is a continuation of the wonderful story of "the stolen generation" of Australian Aborigines. This is the third of the series that I have read and frankly, they never cease to satisfy. Shell has beautifully woven a story around the Fife Cattle Farm in South Western Queensland, which allows her to explore and expose the life in the Australian outback in the early 1950's. The entire series covers a much wider time-frame, but To Kill in Storm is very much focused on 1950's Australis, with its massive post-war immigration boom from war-ravaged Europe. 

At the centre of this story, as with others in this series is the loving and beautiful relationship that has developed between a now teenaged aboriginal boy, Jarrah, and his distant cousin the now eleven-year-old Emily. With Emily's father on the run from the Sydney Mob and the police, Emily, her mother and her brother return to her Uncle Iain's Fife station for safety. It doesn't rain much in the outback, but when it does it is a deluge and the residents of Fife, including the many new European residents are about to discover what is meant by a "flash flood". 

This series has totally captivated me, as has the writing of Shell. It is a heartwarming and at times harrowing adventure for this family as they address the issues of Aboriginal Land Rights and the assimilation of new migrants into modern Australian society. I am hooked on this series and will be seeing it right to the end. Number three was every bit as good as numbers one and two and I would expect nothing less from number four. Another fine, five-star offering from Shell.

Check out all of Shell's work here: http://amzn.to/1J8dAex  

When I first picked up Christina Mandara's new book Good As Dead, my immediate thoughts were; vampires and witches ha! I'm not sure, as a reader, I do vampires and witched all that happily, but what I do do happily is romance and eroticism and this book is chock-a-block full of both.
I was immediately drawn into the story of the young witch Lainey, who was rescued from certain death by a very ancient, but very virile and sexy vampire Mercer. 
Mercer it appears works for some organisation whose job it is to save people, but I never really understood how that all worked, not that it made any difference to my enjoyment of this story. There is an instant and undeniable physical, emotional and spiritual attraction and connection between Mercer and Lainey, around which much of the action is built. Now apparently witches and vampires are supposed to be mortal enemies, so that made the attraction even spicier and more interesting. 
Lainey, a doctor, has developed some serum that everyone desires to get their hands on; witches, vampires and humans. This makes Lainey a very important person to protect and of course Mercer is just the man (vampire) for the job. 
I love a good erotic storyline, with plenty of plot ideas and Good As Dead definitely fulfills my every need in that respect. It is a fast-paced, easy read and one I am sure many people will enjoy immensely.
Despite the genre being well outside of my usual reading choice I have absolutely no hesitation in giving Good As Dead a resounding five stars. I hope the second book in the series can live up to the hype and enjoyment I got from Good As Dead. Another fine effort from C.P. Mandara

You can check out all of C.P. Mandara's offerings here: http://amzn.to/1L0rgcv  

​This is not the first Ryn Shell book I have read, but I can guarantee it will not be the last. To Kill for a Dream is the continuation of the story of Jarrah and Emily, that I was captivated by in Shell's book To Kill or Escape. This is the third book in the series and although I didn't read the first, I don't feel I have missed out on anything that would have improved my understanding. That being said, I may well return to read the first book in the series at the end. For now, however, I am desperate to read the fourth book and find out what happens to Jarrah and Emily as the grow into adolescence. 

Shell's book is a story of Australia's shame and the "stolen" generation, when young. mixed blood and fairer Aborigine children were deliberately stolen from their parents and attempted to be "assimilated" into a white society, during the middle years of the twentieth century. It was an official Australian Government policy and saw an entire generation of young Aboriginal children lost from their families, many forever. 

To Kill for a Dream focuses on the Fife family from the outback cattle country of Queensland. Emily and Harry's father Peter is on the run from the underworld and the police, leaving his wife Leslie and the two children to fend for themselves. Leslie's brother Iain, who is a Member of Parliament takes the children back to the family farm for their safety.

The book's main storyline is the remarkable relationship between two cousins, Jarrah, an eleven-year-old Aboriginal boy who was originally "stolen", but managed to escape from the school he had been sent to and make his way back home, to his beloved Dreaming Billabong and his cultural roots and young Emily who at seven, is convinced in Jarrah she has found a beautiful friend and her soulmate. 

This is a gorgeous, sumptuous story, so well written by Shell, that I found myself not wanting to finish the book; I didn't want the story to end. My only consolation is the knowledge that the next book will continue the story of Jarrah's and Emily's burgeoning relationship. This is a wonderful book by a fantastic author. I have no problem recommending this book to everyone who enjoys historical drama. This is a five-star story every step of the way.         

​You can check out all of Ryn Shell's offerings here: http://amzn.to/1J8dAex

Firstly, I want to say what a sheer pleasure it was to read a full-length, weighty novel again. It seems sometimes that the pleasure of reading a good story has been subverted, these days, by the publishing industry that has arbitrarily decided that us dumb readers can only concentrate for a few hours and any novel over 80,000 words is too big. What a load of poppycock! I love a good long read that allows the characters to develop and the author to describes events over a long period of time. The Guardian of Secrets is such a novel and its author Jana Petken has done her usual superb job in presenting this monumental tale of love, loss, war and drama to us. 

At almost 700 pages The Guardian of Secrets is a weighty book, but it is never difficult to read or in any way slow or boring. I took my time over it, picking up in between other books. I was always happy to return to the Spanish Civil War and the trials and tribulations of the Martinez family. It was an absolute joy to read. 

The story actually covers almost a Century, but most of the focus in the book is of the time leading up to and during the bloody Spanish Civil War. The Martinez family is Spanish aristocracy and landowners and quite naturally expected to support and fight for the "old guard" led by the fascists and General Franco. Ernesto, the Patriarch is less inclined to see the rightest views and believes Spain must change to embrace the changes sweeping Europe. 

Petken's wonderful story takes us from Merill Farm in England to La Glorietta in Valencia, Spain as we watch Cecilia and Ernesto bring up their children and suffer the anguish of loss and pain that the war brought to Spain during the late 1930's and for many years following the Fascist victory.

As a treatise against the folly of war, especially Civil War, one comes away from this book with a much greater understanding of how entrenched political ideals can lead to everyday citizens becoming just cannon fodder for the Generals. This book is ultimately about love, but it allows us to explore the most basest of human emotions and desires. 

Petken is a true master of the historical romance and is now at the top of my favorite author list. She  has combined careful research and deep personal knowledge of the setting of the book to create a wonderful tale that can sweep us away from our everyday, humdrum lives. Jan Petken is one of the true stars of the Indie writing scene. I have no doubt I will be devouring many more of her offerings in the future. This book is worth more than five stars, but I am constrained by the limits, so award her five stars plus for this wonderful story.

Check out all of Petken's work here: http://amzn.to/1R5g3UI