Blog Posts - GRANT LEISHMAN

the scream behind her smile by athena daniels

15/3/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

The Scream Behind Her Smile by Athena Daniels is a love story that brings a lot more to the party than your traditional romance novel. Claire is a successful designer to the stars and the elite in Western Australia but her clothing design has served a greater purpose than just fame. It was what saved her from the morass of grief over the death from brain cancer of her little baby girl. After three years of hell, during which time she struggled to even get out of bed, following the death of her beloved Katie, the designing has given her some sense of worth again. To the casual outsider it appears her husband Derek has been the ultimate rock and support for her during these trying times, but appearances can be deceiving. When Derek suddenly turns up with an “old school friend” Jasmine (Jazzy) and offers her the chance to stay with them until she sorts herself out, Claire feels something is wrong but seems unable to act on her suspicions. It’s only when Claire meets the enigmatic, yet successful artist Zach that the reality staring her in the face seems to take hold. The chemistry between Claire and Zach is obvious and intense, yet Claire still needs to deal with her troubled past before she can move on.

Author Athena Daniels has brought an extremely readable and relatable tale in The Scream Behind Her Smile. As a lead character Claire was real, believable and someone the reader clearly wanted to root for while at the same time feeling this intense desire to shake her out of her complacency and her naivety. What I particularly liked about this story was the author’s obvious desire to not minimise the incredible loss losing a child has on the parents. No amount of advice, “to move on” or “to let it go” is ever going to make any difference. No parent dreams of this ultimate tragedy and when it happens it is totally devastating to the parents. This whole premise was beautifully and sensitively portrayed by the author. Until you forgive yourself for what happened, you can never make peace with the present or the future. The relationship between Zach and Claire was moving, powerful and incredibly sexy. I did love that Zach not only had a past but that he was actively dealing with reconciling with that past. Both Claire and Zach felt they had huge impediments in their lives to them ever being happy again but Daniels skilfully showed us that there is a way to let go without forgetting. I can highly recommend this book, especially if you love romance with some real meat on its bones. This is what this book has.

You can find The Scream Behind Her Smile by Athena Daniels here on her Amazon page, along with the rest of her portfolio:

the power of will (hidden beauty #12) by mary crawford

8/3/2019

As a regular reader of Mary Crawford's wonderful novels about love, I am always excited to receive a new story from her. The Power of Will (Hidden Beauty #12) definitely did not disappoint me.
As with all Crawford's stories, they revolve around a close group of family and friends whose lives are interlinked and occasionally blessed with romance. Also, like most of her stories, the characters are either physically disabled or have issues with mental health. This has always been one of the things that has drawn me to her writing and to her characters. They are invariably good, honest human beings but flawed, yet Crawford allows us to see past the exterior and catch a glimpse of the magic of romance and love.
This was definitely the case in The Power of Will. William Kordes, by all conventional wisdom, had it all. He was rich, successful and had made his money from his own creativity and inventions. From the outside, his life was perfect, but inside it was a totally different story. Inside, Will was the still the shy, introverted young nerd who was bullied at school and considered unteachable by many of his instructors. His lack of confidence in himself he managed to shad in the facade of success but it was never far below the surface waiting to pounce and drag him down. Mariam Fischer was fighting an internal battle herself, but this one was with a degenerating body. Suffering from the incredibly painful and barely understood affliction of Fibromyalgia, Mariam was in pain constantly and although she projected as a beautiful, strong, self-assured woman, her disability was invisible to others and few could understand the pain and stress of simple everyday life for her.
When Will and Mariam meet, the attraction was instant but the signs were not good. Mariam was not taken in by his good looks, his charm, or his success. She basically told him to "take a hike" but thankfully it takes more than that to stop Will from "trying to fix things".
This was a wonderfully sweet and bittersweet romance that reminds us we all have to be grateful for everything we have. There is always someone worse off than us. Crawford's style is unpretentious, uncluttered, simple and most of all "clean". If you love romance, if you love "real" characters with problems, you'll love this story.
It's another absolute winner from Crawford's prolific portfolio and one I highly recommend.

You can find The Power of Will, along with the full, extensive Mary Crawford portfolio, here on her Amazon page:

five-toed tigress by t.w. dittmer

8/3/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

The Five-Toed Tigress is a living legend in Cambodia and where they once roamed free and proud on the Tiger’s Dance Floor in the Cambodian forest, much of their habitat is now been stolen by man and war. Yet, deep in the forest, secreted in the ruins of ancient temples, the dens of these proud animals can still be found and they still stalk the jungle night. Author, T. W. Dittmer brings us a tale that combines the mysticism of South East Asia with the harsh realities of the life of an FBI Agent in post 9/11 America. Preston Hawke is an ex-special services soldier who has left the army under a minor cloud of insubordination. When he is recruited as a possible FBI Agent, he jumps at the chance of a new career. Having finished his rigorous training at Quantico, Probationary Special Agent Hawke is sent to a small regional FBI office in the mid-west, where he will continue his assimilation into the service, under the mentorship of two women; Special Agent Deanna Tulene and Special Agent Britta Gundrum. Despite them being complete opposites in all ways, Hawke is deeply attracted to both of them. More important things await however as the team is caught up in a potential terrorist attack on a planned inter-faith rally, that will test the new team member to his limits. Never far away, though, is the memories of Cambodia and the five-toed tigress – all, it seems, is not as it appears.

I absolutely loved Five Toed Tigress. Author, T. W. Dittmer has managed to skilfully combine two disparate arcs, across two continents into a thrilling and action packed adventure that twists and turns in unexpected ways. The characters were the star of the story, especially Britta Gundrum, who despite her Amazonian appearance and manner shows a tender, loving side that was capable of melting Hawke’s heart. The story seamlessly flowed from the Cambodian jungles to the stark realities of FBI gun battles with terrorists and the political machinations of the various Intelligence Agencies in the United States. The author’s knowledge of his subject was apparent and his writing style flowed with such ease that a good, solid novel was easily read in a short time. The action scenes were graphic, without beinbg gratuitous, as were the minor sexual scenes. I don’t know if the author was setting this book up as the beginning of a series, featuring these characters but I do hope so as there is now so much more to look forward to as the team move on into their new assignment. The little twists and turns the plot took were surprising and yet gratifying. It takes a lot to trick this reader, but Dittmer managed to do that in a couple of places. I can highly recommend this read to all lovers of action thrillers and military/police dramas. I look forward to reading more from this talented author.

You can find Five-Toed Tigress along with T.W. Dittmer's other novel, here, on his Amazon page:

near death experience: out of the darkness into the light by bernard j. fleury

6/3/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Are you afraid of death? I guess the answer for most people would be – yes! And for some, an emphatic, yes. In the short treatise, Near-Death Experience: Out of the Darkness Into the Light, author Bernard J Fleury examines the evidence that has been compiled regarding near-death experiences and adds some of his own, to assess whether we should be concerned about death or not. His extensive research has led him to believe that there is a commonality between near-death experiences that relates to a number of stages of near-death. The most common of these, especially among children who have experienced near-death (almost 100%) is that of children, who are untainted by societal norms and religious connotations, is that of the experience of light. That aside there are also many other fascinating research studies, some independent of knowledge of other studies, which find a remarkable commonality between the experiences e.g. light, a tunnel, the speeding up of travel through the tunnel and a light being that radiates warmth, love and peace.

Although relatively short, I did find Bernard J Fleury’s work, Near Death Experience: Out of the Darkness Into the Light, a fascinating read. For me, the author’s ability to grasp the commonality between the differing studies, many of which were large and significant and tie them together into a work which suggests that, no, there is no intrinsic need to fear death, to be satisfying and relieving at the same time. His conclusion, that we are spiritual beings, merely existing in a mechanical machine (our bodies) was very much in line with my own thinking on the subject and I was rewarded to have many of my own perceptions of this area validated by the author’s work. This is a quick read and one that is highly rewarding. If there’s one thing we all think about, as we get older (as I now am) it is – “is this it? Will there be nothingness after life?” What is rewarding from the author’s work is the idea that although we do not know what after death will hold, we can be certain it is not nothingness and in fact is a continuation, of some sort, of our spiritual being. I enjoyed this read and as part of a series, I would hope there would be more anecdotal evidence in other books in the series. I can recommend this read, highly.

You can find Near Death Experience: Out of the Darkness Into the Light, here on Amazon:

the last defender: a novel by travis pearson

2/3/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

In The Last Defender, A Novel, author Travis Pearson takes us to an almost dystopian world where a political ideology has taken over the country for the pursuit of their own individual goals of power and wealth. The Socialist, using the country’s deteriorating situation and high unemployment, lies and tricks the electorate to elect him and his party to power. Once in power they ruthlessly set about their plans to rule the country solely for the purpose of their own self-aggrandisement. Businesses are nationalised and management replaced by those who are part of the regime. Brent Stevens, one such manager, once a proud researcher for the good of humanity is replaced and demoted to a worker on the factory floor. Continuing his research at his home laboratory, Brent discovers a power, utilising electricity that will give him a decided edge when it comes to protecting those he loves. As he watches helplessly the systematic destruction of civilisation he looks for the little opportunities to strike back when he can. When Brent’s beloved Lori is threatened by the new regime, Brent knows he must act and act now, before it is too late.

The Last Defender, A Novel, is an interesting take on a society that has become complacent in its democratic institutions and allows itself to be manipulated by a power-crazy megalomaniac to surrender virtually all, of its freedoms (sound strikingly familiar?) Author Travis Pearson gives us a protagonist who turns from the mild-mannered, scientist/researcher into the avenging angel of all of society’s ills. I balked a little at the chief antagonist, the mysterious and enigmatic Socialist. Although it could be argued the tactics employed to subvert democracy were socialistic in tendency, there was little doubt the Socialist’s actions were those of a megalomaniac Fascist in the mould of Hitler, especially the experiments in re-education. That aside, this is a simply written, fast-paced read that does keep you interested and turning the pages. The stereotypical use of Mexican names for the members of the resistance Cartel was a little gratuitous but nonetheless, since these guys were fighting for the average, oppressed citizen, this can be forgiven. If you like novels that draw parallels from both history and the current times we face, you’ll certainly enjoy this one, which kept me interested till the very end.

You can find, The Last Defender: A Novel, here on Travis Pearson's Amazon page:

tissue of lies by carole parkes

26/2/2019

I'd previously read Carole Parkes' biography of her mother and enjoyed it, so I was especially keen to read one of her two novels. This one Tissue of Lies, I believe was her maiden work and I have to say, for a new author, this is a well-presented, professional example of what can be achieved by the Indie author, with hard work and preparation.
Tissue of Lies bring us into the world of Julie Simpson, your average upper-middle-class housewife and mom in England. All through her childhood Julie had the feeling something didn't quite gel with her and her parents. Oh, she loved them to bits and they had been fantastic parents but deep down Julie wondered if perhaps she had been adopted. A chance reading of a magazine article leads her down the path to finding someone she believes may be her real, birth-mother. When she realises she was stolen as a baby, her fear of the repercussions her adoptive parents might face, leads her to construct a "Tissue of Lies" to hide her adoptive parents from her newly discovered birth-mother, as well as her birth-mother from her children. Considering it all for the "better good" of everyone concerned, Julie builds a fantasy life around herself that keeps the two parties separate. Little does she realise the can of worms she has opened and the lasting ramifications on the people she loves, from this newly discovered relationship.
I chose to read this book based solely on the premise. The idea of discovering, in later life, that you were stolen as a baby and that your birth-parents had spent decades searching for you, intrigued me a lot. One could follow, if not always agree with Julie's convoluted thought processes and self-justifications for the tissue of lies she constructed.
I loved the gentle, conversational style of Parkes as she wound one mystery around another, with plenty of twists and turns. Although the development of the story followed the lines I anticipated, while reading, the author still managed to surprise me a couple of times with where the story led. As with all good novels, there is plenty of moral succour for the reader to grasp onto.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, with plenty of twists, I'm sure you will enjoy Tissue of Lies. I can highly recommend this read for someone wanting a straightforward and enjoyable mystery read.

You can check on Tissue of Lies by Carole Parkes, here on her Amazon page:

The Stockton Insane Asylum Murder (Portia of the Pacific Historical Mysteries Book 3) by James Musgrave

26/2/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

The Stockton Insane Asylum Murder (Portia of the Pacific Historical Mysteries) by James Musgrove takes us inside a typical Californian Asylum at the end of the nineteenth century. At this time, committal of a patient in the asylum was common for both women and children in the patriarchal paradigm of that era. It seemed, when women became too strident or too annoying to their husbands, or they could see a financial benefit in jettisoning her, it was an, all too easy, thing to do. Clara Foltz is a private detective and a loud champion of women’s rights. When she is approached by an aunt of a young girl committed to the asylum after witnessing a murder committed on her wealthy parents’ estate, she joins forces with a former asylum inmate, the redoubtable Mrs Elizabeth Packard also a crusading activist to investigate what may be a miscarriage of justice. What Clara and her team find is much more than just a wrongly committed patient, but a systematic and endemic attitude of corruption, misogyny and racism at the highest levels of the asylum and the government. The crusading team are determined to unravel the mystery of the committed child but also to bring down the corrupt and evil experimenters who are trying to prove the superiority of the white elites of America.

What I did enjoy about The Stockton Insane Asylum Murder (Portia of the Pacific Historical Mysteries) was the mirror it held up to us today. Despite well over a century having passed by, many of the deep set beliefs and ideals portrayed by author James Musgrove in this story of “white superiority” are still alive and kicking and sadly finding more traction than ever before in the United States at present. I found it fascinating that these strong, crusading women even back then, knew the answers to society’s ills and yet today, we are still crying out for powerful female leadership, with the compassion and common sense evident in this story. Clearly the patriarchal paradigm is still a long way from being fractured and done away with. The secondary characters in the story were, in some ways, the stars of the tale. I was particularly taken with the two sets of triplets, two sets of whom were conjoined twins. They added an almost Barnum and Bailey character to the story and brought to mind the sorts of experiments that would be practised some sixty-odd years later in another evil attempt to prove Aryan elite superiority. The story flows well, with the author’s style being readable and succinct. I did, initially have some difficulty isolating, in my mind, who was who and doing what to whom, but that aside, this was a satisfying read. If you love historical fiction rooted in reality and you look for strong, independent and fierce female lead characters, I have no doubt you’ll enjoy this book immensely.

You can find The Stockton Insane Asylum Murders by James Musgrave, here on Amazon:

genesis z by everist j miller

19/2/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Genesis-Z by Everist J Miller takes us to a dystopian world where the Zombie Apocalypse has already happened and humanity has won, at a terrible cost, though, to society. Following the Zombie War, all talk of Zombies, even the use of their name is forbidden. Now, the authorities have come up with a scheme to use Zombies to benefit society. Called “volunteers” the Zombies are fitted with skin tight uniforms and masks to hold their rotting flesh together and a headset that allows the humans to control them and instruct them in laboriously repetitive and boring tasks. The volunteers will do the manual work of rebuilding that humans just simply don’t want to be bothered with. On one particular building site, “volunteer” Ray is trialling a new prototype headset that will increase the volunteer’s abilities to actually think somewhat and not have to be under the constant direction of a supervising human. But, have the developers opened a Pandora’s Box from which there is no turning back? When psychopath Doug decides to take advantage of this new technology to reignite the Zombie War that he misses so much, all hell is set to break loose.

What I did like about Genesis-Z was its slightly different approach to the Zombie Apocalypse arc. The idea that volunteers could be used as cheaper, more reliable replacement workers than humans, despite the fact that there was not enough work to go around, as it was and many were living in absolute poverty and desperation, I found to resonate. I’m not sure if author Everist J Miller was trying to draw the comparison, but I couldn’t help but note the similarity in the opinions towards the volunteers as we see today, towards undocumented or illegal immigrants. “They’re stealing our jobs!” versus, “but you don’t want to do those jobs anyway.” I did find the dialogue a little contrived and repetitive at times, especially the stock-standard phrase of the psychopath, “my friend” which definitely did begin to grate by the end of the story. However, if you want an action-packed, Zombie-style adventure, with a bit of a twist from the usual, then this is just for you. I do warn you though; this story is not for the faint-at-heart. The author pulls no punches when it comes to direct and, at times, disgusting descriptions of the volunteers and their habits and conditions. If you love that sort of thing, you’ll lap this up.

You can find Genesis Z, here on Everist J Miller's Amazon page:

surviving dreamland: escape from terror by william Penoyar

15/2/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Surviving Dreamland: Escape From Terror by William F. Penoyar takes us deep inside Iraq, before and during the invasion that was Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lara Al-Mohammed was just a baby when her parents fled Iraq and settled in Ann-Arbor, Michigan. When Lara graduated High School and before starting University studies, to potentially become a doctor, like her father, she was encouraged to visit her relatives in Mosul, Iraq, to get in touch with the Iraqi side of her heritage. Taking the opportunity with both hands, Lara decides to stay on in Iraq for one year and attend University in Baghdad. Little does she know the country is about to be entangled in an invasion by coalition forces, led by the US, to uncover the mythical weapons of mass destruction. When she, her cousin and three of her university room-mates are kidnapped by Saddam Hussein’s son, Uday for his depraved use, Lara begins a journey of fear and horror. Major Joe Keith is commander of Task Force 20 Delta, one of a number of Special Op teams injected into Iraq prior to the invasion to search for the weapons of mass destruction. Lana and Joe’s paths are destined to cross as they both become entangled in the search to find and destroy Uday Hussein.

Surviving Dreamland: Escape From Terror is a combat thriller that incorporates all the elements of an exciting action novel yet subtly blends in elements of ordinary Iraqi lives. What I liked about this story was author William F. Penoyar’s determination to not show this as a “gung-ho” glory show for the Americans. He was careful to show us the impact of Hussein and his murderous regime on everyday Iraqi’s but not gloss over the fear, trepidation and often outright rejection of the coalition’s invasion of their country. The characters he developed showed he had an intimate understanding of the realities of war and especially of special force’s operations. Equally the author seemed well versed in Iraqi culture and life, as well as being conversant with the region. I particularly enjoyed the moments of introspection that the soldiers underwent went they realised that the “weapons of mass destruction” may be over-exaggerated, yet they understood their duty to their commanders. Also Major Joe’s dilemma over whether to surrender his life as a special force’s leader to ensure the survival of his marriage and to be around for his children’s formative years gave a real human touch to the big, brave, special-forces’ commander. It is surely a dilemma many armed force’s personnel must face on a regular basis. This is a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying read and one I highly recommend.

You can find Surviving Dreamland: Escape From Terror by William Penoyar, here on Amazon:

NOTHING IS MORE: a High Black Comedy in Verse with Music for Six Actors by Dolly Gray Landon

11/2/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Nothing is More: A High Black Comedy in Verse with Music for Six Actors is a farcical attempt by Author Dolly Gray Landon to lampoon and ridicule the elitism and pretension of both the art world and academia. Set in the fictional world of Pimpleton State Luniversity it is a musical and poetic play that introduces us to the minimalist artist, the outrageous Phangbang Bonation whose art-style known as “Nadaism” has taken the art world by storm. Essentially Bonation does nothing, “nada” and calls it art. The Luniversity has introduced a degree higher than a Doctorate, called a Stool and there are five budding academics striving for the degree and the lucrative “Moddiger Prize”. Friends, Pelvin Penisovich and Purvel Schlignatz are abhorred by what they consider the fraud that Bonation is perpetrating upon the art-world and the scholarly world and are determined to see him taught a lesson and drummed out of their world shamed and ridiculed for the charlatan he is. Hatching a plan, the pair set about to impugn and destroy Bonation’s ascendant star in the artistic heavens. Throw in a couple of impressionable and malleable, young women students, a chorus and a musical score and you have the makings of Landon’s six-act play.

My initial reaction to Nothing is More: A High Black Comedy in Verse with Music for Six Actors was almost the same a Pelvin and Purvel’s response to Phangbang’s non-existent pieces of art – “the emperor is wearing no clothes”. I was ready to dismiss author Dolly Gray Landon’s work as; “having a laugh at the reader’s (or theatre-goer’s) expense but I continued reading in order to give the work a chance. Whilst it may transfer differently to the stage, as a read, it was difficult, with a surfeit of nonsensical words and passages that needed to be visualised in the reader’s mind before they made much sense, there nonetheless was an element of depth to the writing and understanding slowly dawned on me as to some of the clever techniques used by the author to gain my attention and understanding. Some of the longer sections of dialogue had much philosophical meat on them and some fascinating insights into the way we view and cherish the opinions of “artists” and “experts” often at the expense of our own common sense or “gut feelings”. Phangbang Bonation was the star of the show and as a character bounced from one extreme to the other. In many ways I was reminded of a much more extreme “FlashHeart from Blackadder, morphing to the extreme pragmatism and cynicism of Blackadder himself. No, it wasn’t an easy ride, but it was one worth persevering with. I won’t comment on the musical scores inherent in the play, as a musician I ain’t. Overall… “and now for something completely different!”

You can find Nothing is More here on Dolly Gray Landon's Amazon page:

a bend in time: Never without her book 1 by anne c. maxwell

8/2/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

A Bend in Time: Never Without Her Book 1 by Anne C. Maxwell was a love story with a science fiction/time travel twist. Elena Villiers is a beautiful, determined young woman who is an Agent working for MI6 in counter-terrorism. Very successful at what she does, she is shocked when she is sent to infiltrate a Saudi Bank in London that is suspected of laundering money and funnelling it to terrorists. The CEO of MGB just happens to be her childhood companion and major crush, growing up in Riyadh, Omar McGovern. Struggling to keep her priorities straight Elena finds herself deeply drawn to the now grown-up Omar and the feeling is clearly mutual. How can she carry out her spying activities when she is falling in love with the man she is spying on? Whatever happens, neither Elena nor Omar are prepared for the weird and wonderful time trick that is about is to be played on them as they are both thrown into alternate time universes, one into seventeenth Century France to the court of King Louis XIII and one to a rural Baron’s house in nineteenth Century England. How will they return to their own time and their real lives?

I was impressed with the premise on which A Bend in Time: Never Without Her is based and was keen to see how the author would handle three different stories essentially with the same characters. Author Anne C. Maxwell did an excellent job of keeping the reader on-track throughout the narrative. The characters, Elena and Omar are both overachievers and extremely successful at what they do and it could be assumed readers may have some difficulty with identifying and empathising with them. This was certainly not the case and Maxwell gave both characters enough flaws to make them vulnerable and recognisable as ordinary people. I particularly enjoyed the passionate love scenes in the story, of which there were a number. Her poetic word choices and deeply descriptive passages gave the scenes a sense of beauty and magic, rather than any tawdriness or crudity. What Maxwell has done here, in what I am assuming is a debut novel has beautifully set up her series with these characters. I cannot wait to find out where the “Bend in Time” might take this pair next. For me, I can pay no greater tribute than that to this author.

You can find A Bend in Time: Never Without Her, here on Anne C. Maxwell's Amazon page.

journey to the west valley wall by mark l. lloyd

8/2/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

In Journey to the West Valley Wall, author Mark L Lloyd has cleverly combined two stories into one novel. Jack Van Horne is a successful Science Fiction writer. Both his first two books based around the character of Sage Sauer’s space adventures have been best-sellers with both novels being made into blockbuster feature films. Despite his success, Jack is wracked with self-doubt and the crippling effects of agoraphobia and fandom pressures. He rarely leaves his apartment these days and is unable to write the much anticipated final book in the Sage Sauer series. Crippled by fear and uncertainty, Jack finally experiences an epiphany when he is forced, by circumstances, to run for his life, along with his twelve-year-old niece as they try to escape a raging forest fire. We follow the trials and angst of Jack, in his crawl back to something resembling normality, as well as those of his space hero Sage Sauer, as the third book begins to come together.

I thought the premise of two stories into one, in Journey to the West Wall, was a clever technique employed by author Mark L Lloyd and he made it work extremely well. The character of Jack Van Horne was eerily identifiable by fellow authors who have all gone through those mental demons, although not as badly as Jack, usually. He was a character that evoked extreme emotion in the reader, ranging from deep sympathy and sorrow, right through to intense anger at the man’s stupidity and inability to cope, at times and yet always tempered by a feeling of sadness that despite his clear brilliance he must suffer so much. I particularly enjoyed the interactions between Jack and his niece. The parallel story of Sage Sauer was equally compelling, especially for Science Fiction fans. The journal of his adventures left the reader wanting to know more about the character and the processes by which humans had survived or modified in the world of Sauer. It left questions in the readers’ minds and that’s a great thing to achieve. This is an excellent story and one I can highly recommend.

You can find Journey to the West Valley Wall, along with the rest of Mark L. Lloyd's portfolio, here on his Amazon page:

triumphant ride: by permit only by herman cajigas jr.

5/2/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Herman Cajigas was just a normal, teenage boy growing up in New York City in the 1970’s. From a hard-working immigrant family from Puerto Rico, Herman and his classmates were enjoying their final year as High School Seniors before heading off to various colleges. A school field trip to Wildwood, New Jersey would irrevocably change Herman’s life forever. An accident at the beach sees Herman robbed of his mobility and trying to adjust to life in a wheelchair, as a quadriplegic. Triumphant Ride: By Permit Only brings us author Herman Cajigas Jr.’s inspiring story as he comes to terms with the cards fate has dealt him and determines how he will succeed in this life, confined to a wheelchair. Rising from his impoverished but happy childhood, Herman’s grit and determination carry him from hospital, to University and on to be an inspirational entrepreneur in the booming tech industry – along the way finding his soul-mate and the love of his life.

Triumphant Ride: By Permit Only is a simple, straightforward summation of author Herman Cajigas Jr.’s inspirational life. The messages he brings in this journey are ones of humility, acceptance and raw courage to go on, no matter what the circumstances life throws your way. If anything struck me most, as a reader, it was Herman’s humility and his determination not to see himself as handicapped by his injury, but instead to look for ways in which he could still do all the things he desired to do. I liked that he was also prepared to examine his own character, recognise his own flaws and work on improving them. Running through the narrative is a simple expression of faith, but not the type engendered perhaps by organised religion. Herman lived his life according to the dictates of what we now know as The Law of Attraction. His faith in family, in his beloved wife and in a higher power, as recognised by the Universe shone through every page of this book. I found the story more compelling perhaps because of the no-nonsense and straightforward style of the writing. There was little hyperbole or attempt to claim greatness at overcoming his limitations, just a sweet and delightful joy at being alive, being in love with life and still able to do the things he wanted to do. This is an inspiring piece of work and one I can highly recommend. “There, but for the grace of God, go I!”

Triumphant Ride is, unfortunately, not yet available for purchase, but when it is, it will be well worth looking out for.

the amethyst: the gemstone chronicles #2 by william l stuart

4/2/2019

The Amethyst (The Gemstone Chronicles #2) by William L. Stuart is a delightful epic fantasy that takes us, the readers, into the mythical land of Celahir, home of elves, giants and magic. Youngsters Aidan and Maggie along with their grandparents Nana and Beebop have visited this magical land before, when they helped the light elves search for the stolen four gemstones that make up the Elven Bow. This Bow allows balance and peace on Celahir, as well as creating a barrier between Earth and Celahir's realm, which ensures Earth is safe from the evil dark elves.
Episode one of this story saw the humans assist the good elves to discover the whereabouts of the first stone of the Elven Bow, the Carnelian. Now, though, the Dark Elf in the form of Naesse is causing havoc in Celahir and the barrier between there and Earth is breaking down. The team is summoned to help the elves again to find the next gemstone, the Amethyst. This time, the children's mother, Laura is roped into the adventure, as the humans set out for Celahir to find the stone and defeat the giant who is guarding it.
I found The Amethyst by William L Stewart to be an unpretentious and thoroughly enjoyable romp through fantasy world of the author's imagination. This novel is completely stand alone and there is no loss of enjoyment through not having read the first in the series (I haven't). I suspect Stuart's prime target audience is young adults and I have no doubt they will enjoy this tale immensely, with its youthful, brave and typically shy, young lead characters in Aidan and Maggie. I wouldn't dismiss it for adult readers though as it is a rollicking good jaunt through adventure and mystery. I think Stuart has hit the target spot-on with this tale and I look forward to seeing where the story leads now as they begin the search for the third stone of the Elven Bow. An excellent read and one I can highly recommend.

You can find The Amethyst, along with the rest of William L Stewart's Gemstone Chronicles saga, here on his Amazon page:

like a girl out of water: the miller's creek trilogy by halle b atherton

4/2/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

David Blackledge and Josh Walker had been friends forever, since first-grade in fact. Growing up, next to a river in rural Virginia, the pair were inseparable and although a rambunctious team who at times got into minor trouble, the general consensus in the region was that these two were “good boys”. In, Like A Girl Out Of Water: The Miller Creek Trilogy by Halle B Atherton, a chance encounter on the river when the boys are thirteen will come back to haunt them many years later. When David met Allie Wainwright the attraction between the pair was instantaneous and both had felt they had met their soul-mate. But, as so often happens, as teens grow into adults and drift apart physically, attending different colleges, petty jealousy and doubts arise and what seemed perfect just a month ago, no longer seems so. David, Allie and Josh will all go on to be incredibly successful in their chosen fields, but even as the years go by, neither can forget that first, perfect love and keeping them tied together is both of their deep friendships with Josh, now a Navy SEAL serving in Afghanistan. David is a major league baseball player and Allie, an Olympic champion swimmer, but it will take a tragedy to bring these two back together.

Like A Girl Out Of Water: The Miller Creek Trilogy is a wonderful exposition of young love and the accompanying angst that we’ve all felt at some point. Author Halle B Atherton has produced three gross over-achiever characters here that somehow seem to work and despite their phenomenal success are readily identifiable and draw empathy from the reader. I loved how, despite all their successes, all three remained grounded to their morals and their rural Virginian roots and family. Yes, at various times they all made poor decisions and yet, with grit, determination and sheer-bloody mindedness they still made their circumstances work for them. The narrative was well-written and flowed seamlessly from one POV to the next. I felt the passionate love scenes were exciting and sensual without crossing that line into crudity. This was a fantastic read and definitely one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Yes, it is a romance, but it is much more than that; it is a life-affirming tale of simple, honest folk achieving great success over sometimes seemingly insurmountable odds. I can highly recommend this read and look forward to the remainder of this trilogy. I am invested in these characters now and want to see where the author’s story-line will take them next.

You can find Halle B. Atherton's Like A Girl Out Of Water: The Miller's Creek Trilogy, here, on Amazon.

voyeur's regret by debbie ardisi

31/1/2019

Voyeur's Regret, a debut novel from Debbie Ardisi takes the reader inside a small town and its secrets. Fifteen years ago an apparent murder/suicide of a newly-wed couple had many confused but to the consternation of a then Detective, the case was quickly wrapped up and consigned to the shelves of history. One person, however, knew exactly what happened all those years ago. Town recluse, Louis Doyle has kept quiet about what really happened but when a new couple move in next door things will change.

Ardisi brings us some endearing characters that immediately warm our hearts and, as readers, have us rooting for them. The sweet, endearing, yet fragile relationship between Louis and his new next-door neighbour is one of the highlights of this story. The author takes us on a journey of clues, discoveries and red-herrings as the truth is sought. This suspenseful thriller will keep you turning pages long into the night and asking yourself the question - "will the real miscreant ever face justice?"

An excellent first foray into literature for Ardisi and I look forward to reading more from this talented newcomer. I can highly recommend this read if mystery, crime thrillers are your genre. This is a good one.

Voyeur's Regret by Debbie Ardisi is available here on Amazon:

a place to stay forever by mark l lloyd

29/1/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

The year is 3289 and although man hasn’t quite achieved immortality, he’s a fair way down the road, with the use of the Stasis Deep Sleep System, invented and marketed by LaPorte Industries, which allows people to survive for aeons. With a new body and a new consciousness, participants in the scheme are able to travel to the perfectly rendered, fake town of Penticton, where they can live a new life until they again get bored, at which time, they can then just start all over again. In A Place to Stay Forever, author Mark L Lloyd takes us inside his vivid imagination, as he posits where mankind may be heading. La Porte Industries are notoriously secretive about their product and the experience is bound by an unbreakable set of rules, which participants breach at their peril. When Miranda Sage and the crew of the Misfit are woken from Stasis Deep Sleep (SDS) after something hits their spacecraft, they discover an anomaly in the SDS system, which Adayln a crew member is determined to explore and discover what secrets LaPorte Industries are hiding from them all. With Miranda and Emily, a reporter, they find themselves travelling back in time to the Penticton of 2005. It appears they have opened a veritable Pandora’s Box.

A Place to Stay Forever is unlike any science fiction book I have read before. The premise is intriguing and author Mark L Lloyd keeps the reader continually thinking and wondering about the science and the adventure these characters are on. The whole time-travel and time-travel paradox problem becomes an issue for the adventurers, but is well handled by the author. The characters are well drawn and although initially I found myself confused over who was who in this storyline, it soon became apparent, as the story unravelled. I appreciate the author didn’t allow gender to be an issue for the characters with all of them seemingly having been both male and female in one of their iterations of Stasis Deep Sleep. I felt the plot and the science mechanisms employed in the story made it difficult to keep the story at the level of the layman, but Lloyd was able to do so, which I was grateful for. This story was possibly a bit deep in imagination and science fiction for my usual tastes, but the emotional depth of the characters and their relationships made it very readable and enjoyable for me. I can definitely recommend this as a read for anyone who wonders what the future may potentially hold.

A Place to Stay Forever hasn't yet been released as this review is being written, however, you can check out the rest of Mark L Lloyd's work, here on his Amazon page:

The malignant presidency: volume 1 by william robinson

27/1/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

The Malignant Presidency: Donald Trump’s White House Set to Satirical First Person Poetry is a whimsical and extremely irreverent collection of poems satirising the Donald J Trump Presidency, from the pen of William Robinson. Although very short the volume is jam-packed with derogatory and critical poetry covering the lead-up to and the first two years of Trump’s presidency. Most of the poems are written from the perspective of Trump, in the first person, although there are a smattering of others from the major players; e.g. Obama, Clinton, Comey and Mueller. The collection is perhaps as up to date (at the moment) as we can possibly expect with many of the uproar and angst of 2018 recorded in verse. Unapologetically a Trump derider, there is nothing in this collection that would excite or inspire his base, but it does “poke the borax” at the situation in a way that many politicians (from both sides of the aisle) probably wish they were able to do.

As a interested bystander, someone who is not an American, but who has been caught up in the daily “soap opera” (on television and in print) that emanates from this White House, I found The Malignant Presidency: Donald Trump’s White House Set to Satirical First Person Poetry to be a brave attempt to put a satirical spin on what is possibly a “clear and present danger” to the United States and indeed, the Free World. The volume is way too short and it seemed like just as I was getting into William Robinson’s style and rhythm, when sadly, it was all over. I note this is Volume 1, so I’m sure we can expect more from this author as the presidency moves inexorably into its second half and potentially into deep, dark and uncharted waters. I can’t help but feel the author was using this medium to allow himself to vent and release some of the intense frustrations that over half the population clearly feel at the direction of this president and the country as a whole. I share the author’s concerns and await the next two years with considerable trepidation. Robinson pulls no punches in this exposition, so if you are easily offended you may want to give it a miss, but seriously, I would urge all MAGA and Trump supporters to read and reflect on it. You may pause for a moment to question the man’s real motivations in this presidency and, if you do, the author has probably succeeded in his mission.

You can find The Malignant Presidency: Volume 1 by William Robinson, here on Amazon:

country of daughters: volume 1: daughter's inn by bijou li

26/1/2019

Yily has a steady job in tourism, in the city of Chengdu, assisted by her father's high position, but she is unsatisfied and filled with romantic longings for something different. When she starts to read about and see films of country villages in the mountains, where the society is structured in a matriarchal lineage and women take lovers to produce their children, rather than tying themselves to a man, she is fascinated and determines that this is the life she has long romaticised about. She longs to move away from the bustling city and its pollution, exchanging it instead for the simple, peaceful life she imagines exists in these villages. Obtaining a position in the village's tourist office, she travels to Algae Village to live among the Mosuo people.

For Yily it doesn't take long for her romantic dreams to come crashing around her head as she is caught up in the idealistic struggle between the wealth the tourism has brought to these poverty stricken villages and the need to preserve and sanctify the way of life of the Mosuo people. Despite conflicting information all around her, though, Yily is determined to cling onto her dreams and romantic notions and to ultimately prove her point to the doubters. Staying among the Mosuo, at the Daughter's Inn, she will meet and interact with some who confirm her beliefs and some who downright repudiate them.

Firstly, I want to say about this book; what a breath of fresh air it is to read a book about another culture and to be able to explore and develop the characters in this fascinating story of a clash of culture and technology. As a westerner, it is easy to assume Chinese to be an homogeneous peoples - Chinese are Chinese, right? But, of course, that is far from the truth. Although the ethnic Han's are the predominant population and hold the majority of power in China, there are many pockets of ethnicity all over the massive landmass that is modern-day China. Of particular fascination for me, was the juxtaposition of a centuries-old Buddhist way of life, with the stripped down and austere philosophy of Mao's communism, which still runs deep in all of Chinese society.

Author Bijou Li has created a beautifully written story that uses its characters to explore the many tensions simmering under the surface, as these two very distinct and polar opposite cultures clash. The characters Yily, Xiaxia, and Dashi (a well-meaning US-born, Chinese student, studying the Mosuo people) all provide wonderful attitudinal counterpoints with each other to keep the tension high and the narrative fascinating. My only complaint would be that this is only Volume one of the story and I am now so invested in these characters that I must now read Volumes 2 & 3. I'm not sure I can pay the author a higher compliment than to say, I will undoubtedly read the rest of this story.

This is one of the best books I've read so far this year (mind you it is only January) but I suspect come the end of the year awards season, I will look back at this title and smile. It is a simple, sweet, story with a powerful message about the clash of cultures and for that reason alone, it is well worth the read. I highly recommend; Country of Daughter: Volume 1: Daughters Inn.

Country of Daughters Volume 1, here on Bijou Li's Amazon page, along with the rest of her portfolio:

known entity: An Unauthorized History by Phil Klahn

24/1/2019

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Known Entity – An Unauthorized History by Phil Klahn takes us on a journey that many of us experienced as teenagers; forming a rock band at High School and the dreams and pitfalls that all that entails. Known Entity was the brainchild of “rich kid” Brody and his friend Kris. Into the mix came drummer Mert, bassist and singer, Steff along with technical whizz AP. Together they formed the band Known Entity, which they all dreamed would some-day take them to the fame and fortune they were so obviously destined for. The book follows the dramas and evolution of the band, through to its inevitable break up, detailing the ego clashes, the artistic clashes and the petty jealousies along the way. Unlike some band books, Known Entity never actually became much of a Known Entity – they were one of the multitude of bands that started full of hope and promise, only to end in recrimination and despair. Told, as an interview with surviving band members, some thirty years on, the book also traces the history of the members, since their dissolution. As a bonus, the author has included, within the story, YouTube links to the songs discussed in the novel. A clever innovation, for sure.

Perhaps it was the nostalgia kick, but I found myself intimately drawn into this fascinating story of music and group dynamics. What I particularly liked about Phil Klahn’s tale, Known Entity – An Unauthorized History, was exactly the fact that we weren’t dealing with an even moderately successful band here. The band was a miserable commercial failure, yet the author still managed to convey the dreams and aspirations of these young people who like so many other musicians faced insurmountable odds in achieving even moderate success at their chosen craft. I also liked the idea of interviewing the band members 30 years on, to compare their memories of the Known Entity time and their personal takes on what exactly happened to destroy their dreams. Summarising their lives since Known Entity, was a nice touch as well. What the author succeeded at most, in my opinion, was conveying the undying passion for music, the he clearly has, through the characters in this story. Using a “non-playing member” of the band, AP, as his primary source was a stroke of genius and gave the work a much more balanced approach than perhaps would have been the case if he had focused it around the lead singer/songwriter. If you love music, or were ever part of a band, this novel will absolutely resonate with you. This was a great read and one I can definitely recommend.

You can take a look at Known Entity, here on Phil Klahn's Amazon page:

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