Talent Spotter #14. Featured Author: Bev Allen.

My featured author today is Bev Allen.

The Tattooed Tribes.

From war they came, from violence they became. Now on a faraway world our settlers see war looming once more. The settlers had to adapt to survive, once again living off the land like our ancestors of old. The Tribal Liaison Guild is formed to distill tension between the tribes, as the smallest issue could now lead to war. John Harabin is the senior Liaison Officer, and he needs an apprentice to train for the future.

A lad from town, sixteen year old Lucien Devlin, becomes John’s perfect protégé. He loves the wild jungle and his curiosity craves to see the tribes above the cataracts, except he doesn’t follow rules, yet rules are all that will keep him alive in that treacherous territory. Criminals kidnap a young girl to stir up unrest, whilst exploitation threatens domestic peace. Tensions rise when John Harabin liaises to distill the volatile situation, but standing in his path is the rebellious Lucien.

Tense action and adventure ensue, Lucien’s quest becomes a path of destiny, and it’s now up to Lucien and his friends to find a solution that will lead to peace.

One of the Five star reviews from The Tattooed Tribes.

Great twists and turns on another world!

By Elaina J Davidson

Format: Kindle Edition

When Jon Harabin of the Tribal Liaison Guild takes on an apprentice to accompany him beyond the cataracts into tribal lands, nothing prepares him for Lucien Devlin. This boy has a real issue with authority and often lands up in trouble, but his high spirits may just save the day.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about these tribes on another world, the jungle, the river, the sense of colour and culture, and the characters are real, I certainly identified with them. Even the criminals were well-rounded and believable, and added spice to an already exotic tale.

Add to that some great twists and surprises and it will keep you reading too. Definitely worth it!

MY REVIEW:🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

On a distant and often hostile world, the human race survives. Their ancestors learned of war first hand, and now their world is under threat as the devastation of war looms once again.

Author Bev Allen has a deep understanding of the fears and traditions that drive us all in order to survive, her characters spring from that empathy. Each character is crafted so beautifully that we begin to understand the passions and the traditions that drive them forward, not always with wisdom.

The author gives us an entire world here, a world and a people with honor, tradition and custom.

A society that now balances on the edge.

John Harabin is tasked to seek balance between the factions, and to that end, he chooses an apprentice to further that work.

That choice: A sixteen-year-old young man named Lucien.

Lucien is willful, defiant, and hell bent on causing John Harabin more than his share of nightmare situations. A teenager of the future.

The fragile peace is put at great risk by the kidnapping of the daughter of a highly placed official.

Fingers of blame are pointed and tensions rise dangerously.

In order to forestall war they must find the girl.

The land is wild, and beautiful; and as all wild country is, it possesses inherent danger.

The author has managed to intertwine the world of Science Fiction with fantasy and more; it is a marriage of genres and it works beautifully aided by her deft and descriptive touch.

I’m very aware of spoilers and this book is too good to spoil for the reader, it is a clever, thoughtful and deeply insightful journey into our fears, our joys, and the traditions that make us human and vulnerable.

I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Purchase Here on Smashwords
Purchase here on Amazon UK

Purchase Here on Amazon.com

 

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Book Review: “The Dragons of Alsace Farm” By Author Laurie Lewis.

Welcome to my book review segment.

Lets meet Author, Laurie Lewis.

 

 

Laurie (L.C.) Lewis began her career under contract with Covenant Communications in 2004, moving to Walnut Springs Press in 2010, during which time she published seven books. Her eighth novel, “The Dragons of Alsace Farm,” debuted in July 2016. it was inspired by her family’s experiences supporting a loved one with dementia. She calls this book a four-year love project. “The Dragons of Alsace Farm” won New Apple Literary’s 2016 Medallion for Inspirational fiction, and it’s a 2016 Whitney Awards finalist.

In March of 2017, she released her first romance novella, “Sweet Water” for Gelato Books’ “Destination Billionaire’s Series.” It’s available as an e-book on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/2nuPYuZ.

While Laurie Lewis is best known for her much celebrated historical fiction series, “Free Men and Dreamers,” she writes different genres under several pen names–general fiction and woman’s fiction as Laurie Lewis, historical fiction and suspense as L.C. Lewis.

Laurie Lewis loves to hear from her readers.

“Thank you so much for visiting my author page and looking over my titles. Reviews are the best way to acknowledge a book you enjoy, so if you’re so inclined, please let others know how you felt about my books via Amazon, Goodreads, or shout out about my book on Facebook. Feel free to mail me at laurielclewis@laurielclewis.com. I love to chat! My official web site can be found at http://www.laurielclewis.com, and I hope you’ll stop by the newsletter link and sign up for news on projects and free books!

“Always remember love.”

Laurie Lewis.

 

 

The Dragons of Alsace Farm by Laurie Lewis.

 

In need of his own redemption, Noah Carter finally confronts his childhood hero, the once-beloved uncle who betrayed him. Instead of vengeance, he offers forgiveness, also granting Uncle John a most curious request—for Noah to work on the ramshackle farm of Agnes Deveraux Keller, a French WWII survivor with dementia.
Despite all Agnes has lost, she still has much to teach Noah. But the pair’s unique friendship is threatened when Tayte, Agnes’s estranged granddaughter, arrives to claim a woman whose circumstances and abilities are far different from those of the grandmother she once knew.
Items hidden in Agnes’s attic raise painful questions about Tayte’s dead parents, steeling Tayte’s determination to save Agnes, even if it requires her to betray the very woman she came to save, and the secret her proud grandmother has guarded for seventy years.
The issue strains the fragile trust between Tayte and Noah, who now realizes Tayte is fighting her own secrets, her own dragons. Weighed down by past guilt and failures, he feels ill-equipped to help either woman, until he remembers Agnes’s lessons about courage and love. In order to save Agnes, the student must now become the teacher, helping Tayte heal—for Agnes’s sake, and for his.

MY REVIEW.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟”A wonderful read that possesses both depth and a clear perception of the strength of the human spirit.”

It is a rare book that has the capacity to move me to tears and laughter, this book does both, occasionally at the same time. The complexity of the characters drawn by author Laurie Lewis can’t be overlooked. Each of them have issues with long held fears and an inability to trust. This author has the capacity to make them clearly visual to the reader, not, as some authors do by over-describing their physical appearances, but by allowing the reader the pleasure of seeing them through their actions and the marvelous exchanges of dialogue.

Noah, Tayte and the lovable Agnes share depths of pain, understanding and loss, in an interwoven delight of a story. The pervading sadness of Dementia could have been overwhelming, but Agnes’s character doesn’t allow for that type of maudlin reflection. I have watched a marvelous woman fall prey to Alzheimer’s disease, and it was devastating. To have our shared memories together forgotten, and to learn to be her new friend a harrowing lesson to learn. We all have that fear, that ‘what if’ looms large, and this author is to be congratulated on tackling those fears head on, and allowing her characters to grow within the framework of human frailty.

These characters rapidly become people we care about, and our own emotions are invested in the outcome of their shared lives. They are imperfect, flawed, and very very human. I enjoyed this book on so many levels. It left me feeling satisfied that we humans are indeed capable of unconditional love. I heartily recommend it to anyone looking for something to read that possesses both depth and a clear perception of the strength of the human spirit.

Purchase here on AMAZON

Other titles by the author available here.

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Book Review: Silke Ming

Book Review: Silke Ming “Three Degrees East of Bliss.”

My Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Jason Porter and Gabrielle Parker are modern day lovers. Author Silke Ming wastes no time introducing the insecurity felt by Jason Porter when night after night, for weeks at a time, his partners’ dreams cause him to call out the name of ‘Nicholas’. This causes intense jealousy and insecurity on Jason’s part and an unwillingness to believe Gabriel’s cries of innocence as he denies any knowledge of anyone with that name.

Jason is so distraught he enlists the aid of his business partner, a fellow psychologist, to hypnotize Gabriel and discover the truth. The sessions themselves are not divulged, we see only the outcome.

Whilst under hypnosis Gabriel returns to a different place in time. The author introduces two pivotal characters almost immediately, they meet on the ‘Merciless’ a ship bound for Barbados from Ireland in 1914.

Young priest Damian Fassnidge, is under punishment for breaking his vow of celibacy with another man. He has been sent to the place considered by the church in Ireland to be the worst and most punishing post of all … in Barbados. Damian is afforded courtesy because of his position as a priest, and his journey on board is not a severe as others.

His first night on board ship, he meets up with a likeable rogue by the name of Nicholas Duffy.

Afraid because of his immediate and overwhelming attraction towards the young man, Damien does everything he can to ensure his personal barriers stay in place. The chapters that follow show how over a period of months on the island that barrier is broken down and the two men become lovers whilst Damien still attempts to maintain his post as priest.

 Suffice it to say the sexual content is explicit; and not unexpected, as the book is  clearly categorized as erotica.

The sexual content  is well written and not employed purely for shock value. The love between these two men will be tested and tested again in the three years that follow.

They use sex both as a reward and as punishment. With BDSM used by mutual consent.

The ending came a little unexpectedly and for me it was too abrupt. I would like to have seen much more of the reaction to the remarkable journey revealed by the hypnotherapy on the present day lovers.

However; the ending does open the book up for a sequel. I do hope there is one.

The title of this book is drawn from the name of an alcoholic cocktail that is very popular on the island. This book is due for release shortly.

Author Page.

Goodreads Page.

 

 

Book Review: “Deadly Secrets: The Truth will out (Gavin Shawlens Thriller #1) by Gordon Bickerstaff @ADPase #RRBC #IARTG #ASMSG

Hello and welcome to my Book Review of “The Truth Will Out”

 Let’s meet Author Gordon Bickerstaff.

I was born and raised in Glasgow but spent my student years in Edinburgh. On summer vacations, I learned plumbing, garden maintenance, and I cut the grass in the Meadows. I learned some biochemistry and taught it for a while before I retired to write fiction. I do some aspects of DIY moderately well and other aspects not so well. I live with my wife in Scotland where corrupt academics, mystery, murder and intrigue exists mostly in my mind. I have written the Gavin Shawlens series of thrillers: Deadly Secrets, Everything To Lose, The Black Fox, and Toxic Minds. More will come in due course. I enjoy walking in the hills, 60s & 70s music, reading and travel.

Deadly Secrets: The truth will out… (Gavin Shawlens Thriller #1)

The truth will out…

Gavin’s life will be turned upside down. He joins a company to work on a product that will revolutionise the food industry. His initial gut instinct is to walk away until he discovers one of the company directors is the former love of his teenage life.

The financial implications are global and incredible. Powerful individuals and countries are prepared to kill as they compete to seize control of the company. Corruption at high levels, a deadly flaw in the product, and the stakes jump higher and higher.

Against overwhelming odds, Gavin must rescue his former love from the hands of an evil cult as they prepare her for a living nightmare.

‘… doesn’t have twists – it has hairpin bends!’
‘… an intricate fast paced modern day thriller’
‘… will appeal to readers who like intricate plots’
‘… plot kept me guessing what will happen next’
‘… weaved it all together masterfully’

MY BOOK REVIEW:

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

5.0 out of 5 stars  This fast-paced thriller will keep you enthralled.

BySoooz Burkeon August 27, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

Author Gordon Bickerstaff has woven an intricately threaded plot here. It took me a short while to accustom myself to this authors pacing, however once I did the book flowed well.

The characters are all described in detail, and are permitted to be three-dimensional as a result.

The characters need to stand apart and be easily recognizable throughout the journey the author invites us on. Without this authors’ clear, and visually descriptive talent, the large number of characters would all blur together. He allows them all to sound, look and feel differently, with precise dialogue and shared perceptions of the life they are living.

The work has been researched well, and no glaring errors appeared during the telling.

I have no wish to include spoilers, although the ending is rather brilliant.

The violence in this work is handled extremely well, allowing the reader to watch safely while their heart still pounds.

The mental images invoked by Author Gordon Bickerstaff’s clever pen may well leave you needing a stiff glass of scotch.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. I look forward to reading book #2.

Purchase Book HERE

Amazon Author PAGE.

Authors BLOG

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Book Review: ‘The Hearts Journey Home’ by Natalie Ducey.@NatalieDucey #RRBC Poetry For The Hungry Heart.

Hello and welcome to my review of “The Hearts Journey Home.” By Natalie Ducey. An Inspirational work of Poetry.

Meet Natalie.

 With a BA in Psychology, Natalie has had the privilege of working in the counselling field for approximately 15 years. Through her work and personal journey, she has witnessed the remarkable power of the human spirit.

In her own words she explains, “The potential of the human spirit has always amazed me. Through poetry, I try to capture the essence of the fragility and the resiliency of our hearts – the brilliant beauty of life’s journey. I believe we are connected by similar and relatable experiences. We all love/loved deeply and most likely have been on both sides of goodbye. We know the exquisite and profound beauty of love. We know the immobilizing force of grief and the anguish between letting go and holding on. We know the acute distinction between second chances and new beginnings.

Life…
It’s majestic and mystifying, and every day we are granted the opportunity to begin again. Let’s enjoy the Journey!

Natalie was born and raised in Newfoundland, Canada, with her two brothers and twin sister. She now resides in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, a Soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces, and their little dog, Bella. She enjoys kayaking and the freedom and serenity of being one with water. She is an avid reader, passionate writer, and seeker of tranquility along life’s mystifying journey.

In February 2015, Natalie published her first book of poetry – The Heart’s Journey Home, a collection of 23 poems celebrating the brilliant beauty of life’s journey.

To contact or to learn more about Natalie, please visit her website: WEBSITE

 

The Hearts Journey Home by Natalie Ducey.

Poetry for the soul. The Heart’s Journey Home is a collection of 23 poems that capture the essence of the fragility and the resiliency of our hearts – the brilliant beauty of life’s journey. We all love/loved deeply and most likely have been on both sides of goodbye. We know the immobilizing force of grief; we experienced hardships that have brought tears, revelations, and self-discoveries of strength unknown. These trials could easily dishearten us, but instead we choose to be more loving, compassionate, and kind. That is worth celebrating.
The Heart’s Journey Home is a celebration of our heart’s journey through life’s majestic beauty. The collection includes 23 poems titled: Reckless Words, Borrowed Angel, Nobody’s Fool, Silence of the Heart, Love’s Illusion, Fallen Angel, Let’s Dance, Where Does the Love Go, Young Love, Small Town Girl, Winter’s Gift, Destined to Fly, Eternal Love, The War Within, To my Sister on our 40th Birthday, Goodbye without Warning, Old Oak Tree, Names in the Sand, Can’t Let Go, Memories Linger, Caged Bird Sings, Surrender, and Heart’s Journey Home.

MY REVIEW: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

An inspiring read that touches the soul!

BySoooz Burke

Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

Author Natalie Ducey has penned a poetic journey here, and she has done it in a way that allows us to not only glimpse her private journey, but to celebrate and reflect on our own.

Each poem is written with a pen dipped  deeply into her heart and her experiences.

The comfort of reading poetry such as this can’t be overlooked. I found comfort in the knowledge that I am not alone in experiencing loss, love, and the pain of letting go.

Author Natalie Ducey reaches into that secret place we all try so hard to shield, and with her words she invites you to remember, laugh, cry, and say goodbye.

I purchased this as a gift to myself. I will be purchasing other copies as a gift to dear ones I hold close. Such is the measure of my pleasure in reading this work.

Purchase The Hearts Journey Home on AMAZON here.

Natalie Ducey On Twitter

 

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Talent Spotter #12. Author Jeff Lee.

Welcome again to Author Jeff Lee.

If you like your humor fast-paced and laugh out loud (in a packed commuter train) funny … then Author Jeff Lee’s work is for you.

You think being the Bounty Hunter and Repo Guy to the Stars is easy? Just talk to “Fish” Fishbein. If he isn’t trying to round up a heavily lubricated ex-rocker, he’s flying down the freeway in a repoed Wiener Mobile, chased by the pistol-packing deadbeat who owns it.

   A bail bondsman hires him to track down a crew of unwise guys who blew off their court date to snatch L.A.’s monthly parking meter take — 300 grand in quarters. Then they start dropping like flies. And Fish has to catch the killer.

   Maybe it’s the city’s armed and dangerous Parking Meter Czar. Or his brother-in-law, a corrupt televangelist who needs some serious coin to bankroll his foray into Bible-based porn. Or the Rev’s wife and co-minister, who’s several clicks beyond crazy about winning toddler beauty pageants. Or, it just might be the defrocked talent agent who’s dying to make Fish a reality TV star.

   With more than seven tons of quarters at stake, bodies are dropping faster than turn-downs on America’s Got Talent. And if Fish and his hog-riding buds, Kenny and Einstein, don’t nab the killer in a hurry, they could get eliminated themselves.

   Chump Change is author Jeff Lee’s third book in his Adventures in La-La Land series, following The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour and Hair of the Dog. If you enjoy the whacko characters, situations and fast pace that Janet Evanovich, Carl Hiaasen and Elmore Leonard bring to the party, check out all of Fish Fishbein’s big adventures.

WARNING: Contains some of the most hysterical explicit sex scenes ever written. 

Just one of the many 5 * Book Review of ‘Chump Change.’

Hilarious!!!!

ByN. N. Light

Format: Kindle Edition

We first met Fish and his two buddies in The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour (https://princessofthelight.wordpress.com/2015/08/27/the-ladies-temperance-clubs-farewell-tour-by-jfredlee-bookreview/). Fish is a triple threat: bounty hunter, repo hunter and lawyer. He owns Doberman Recoveries and while at first glance he appears to be the tat-covered repo man we all know and love on various reality shows, he’s got layers.

Fish’s latest client wants him to find the criminals who stole an armored truck filled with money from parking meters. Sounds easy enough but hijinks ensue and in a city like L.A., hijinks are usually taken to a new level. Fish has to track these criminals but before he can nab them, they start dying off. Suspects are piling up faster than you can “I’ll have a triple caramel latte with foam”. Fish and his buddies better act fast because they’re swimming with invisible sharks and there’s blood in the water.

I loved this book! Filled with wise-cracking characters and quirky circumstances, Jeff Lee has a gem on his hands. The plot moves fast and I read it in one afternoon. Jeff Lee has a knack for comedic timing and I swear this should be on television.

If you’re a fan of Dog the Bounty Hunter or the Stephanie Plum series, grab this book!

Favorite Character:

Fish is my favorite character. I love how he’s a bounty hunter with a valley accent, cares about people and his inner thoughts made me laugh so hard I fell off my chair. Really. No, really. Fish deserves his own show and I’d bet it would be uber-popular.

Favorite Quote:

If you’re trying to get from one end of Los Angeles to the other during rush hour, you’ve got two choices.

Assuming you’re the head of Disney, ABC or 20th Century Fox, your corporate helicopter can whisk you where you need to be before the Grande, half­caf two­pump Chai Latté in your cup holder has a chance to cool off. But if you’re anyone else, you’re stuck sharing the Ventura, Santa Monica or San Diego Freeways with three or four million of your closest friends.

Which means, sometimes the best way to get where you’re going in L.A. is just to be born there.

My Rating: 5+ stars

My REVIEW of CHUMP CHANGE:

Laugh out Loud Funny!

BySoooz Burke

Format: Kindle Edition

Big Dog Recoveries…that is the name of the Repo-firm operated by three very strange, diverse, and seriously lovable characters. They are so well depicted, and so intensely visual, they become an image in your mind. I initially met these three whackos a few years back when I read the first book in the Adventure’s in La-La Land series: ‘The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour.’

It only took a brief moment for me to have them flash back into my head. Let me introduce you.

Meet Fish ‘Fishbein’ A quick on the uptake, finds humor in the worst of situations, lawyer, Repo man and Bounty Hunter. Fish is the fastest wisecracker in town, and a damned fine friend to anyone in need.

His buddies in the business, are, ‘Kevin’ ah!—yes, Kevin. Kevin is cool. Kevin has a daily return ticket to the 1970’s. His mind still lives there. They are on speaking terms. I was a teenager in the 1970’s, they were my era, so Kevin for me is just such a damned comfortable fit.

Then we have ‘Einstein’. Not used in a derogatory fashion. A seriously bright, and loyal individual, who helps translate to and from Kevin frequently. The dialogue exchanges between Einstein and Kevin are priceless. Einstein and Fish have taken on being Co-Parents of a sort, attempting, not always successfully, to keep Kevin safe– and present in the current decade whenever possible.

Okay, then there are the bad guys. It would take forever to do justice to them all. What, between, the ex-lawyer, now turned Producer- Director, aka ‘Arnie Babe.

Arnie is attempting to convince Fish to be TV’s latest reality star in a series entitled “Fish … Bounty Hunter to the Stars.”

Insert the hugely popular and much loved TV Evangelist, The Right Reverend Dr. George Stonewall Rogers a money hungry, despicable, manipulative piece of scum; currently making his foray into making Biblical-Porn flicks.(The hysterical Roman orgy scenes are worth the price of the book alone)

His Wife…Mrs.TV Evangelist … Janelle. She is a totally crazy, violent, obsessed, just plain bad female. I enjoyed despising her. This paragon is mother to an increasingly obese 4 year old; a four-year-old who she is attempting to organize breast implants for, so she is more likely to win ‘The Toddler Pageant’ circuses. Like I said, Janelle is nasty … and certifiable.

Janelle’s less than charming Brother, The Parking Czar who does a reverse Robin Hood on the unsuspecting folks of L.A.

Mix them together, add doses of the Mafia, bad guys masquerading as good guys, stolen loot and multiple murders … set them in a great location, with a rollicking, fast-paced plot, and you get a marvelously funny and utterly delightful read.

The journey is a delight; author Jeff Lee has drawn each and every character with an artist’s eye for detail, dialogue, and clever characterizations. His observations of people are acerbic and acutely accurate.

What pleases me even more with Author Lee’s work is that the plot is carefully drawn with seeming ease, comedic writing is hard to maintain, the timing has to be perfect and seemingly effortless… yet it it is one of the most difficult genres to write well.

The author creates mood and characterizes so wonderfully well, I found myself still laughing long after I’d read the last page.

I recommend this book, to anyone who enjoys feeling good about life

Purchase Chump Change on Amazon

Jeff Lee Facebook Page

Jeff Lee AUTHOR page on Amazon

Book Review: Mirror of Our Lives: Voices of Four Igbo Women by Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko

In Mirror of Our Lives, four Nigerian women share the compelling tales of their troubled lives and failed marriages, revealing how each managed to not only survive, but triumph under difficult and repressive circumstances.

Njide, Nneka, Miss Nelly, and Oby relive their stories of passion, deceit, heartache, and strength as they push through life-each on a unique journey to attain happiness, self-respect and inner peace. But none of the women’s journeys is without misjudgments and missteps. Njide falls in love at first sight, marries Tunji too quickly, and is dismayed when Tunji shows his true colors. Nneka once thought that she and Oji were the perfect couple-until Oji traveled to the United States. Miss Nelly is a kind and good-natured woman who allows everyone to take advantage of her-even her husband, whom she married only for his name. But everyone wonders why Oby and Mat even married at all, for their marriage was a battle from the very beginning.

The tales in Mirror of Our Lives: Voices of Four Igbo Women will inspire womenaround the world to never give up, to discover a sense of worth, and most of all, to learn to love themselves above everyone else.

My Book Review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Quiet Heroes of Africa!

BySoooz Burkeon August 15, 2016

Format: Paperback

I always try to put aside my own thoughts and feelings about violence and the submission some woman must endure in order to survive; when I am about to read a book dealing with this highly emotional content.

In order to read a non-fiction book that exposes such humiliation, I need to distance myself in order to become a part of what the writer is saying. And she has much to say!

You will feel the Nigeria she is allowing you to visit, you will hear the voices and the sounds, but most of all you will meet Four woman, woman that I personally would be proud to call friend. Each of the stories takes you into the homes, hearts and minds or four very different woman. There is no grasping for sympathy in this book, these woman are survivors, and their dignity remains intact, no matter how it is stripped from them.

Author Joy Nwosu Le-Bamijoko writes straight from the heart. She writes with a strong soul. Each story stands as a dedication to woman having the strength of character to live through and beyond the many forms of abuse they endure. This book is about the quiet heroes of Africa.

PURCHASE HERE on AMAZON

Welcome to RRBC 2016 Book & Blog Party!

Hello and welcome to the Rave Reviews Book Club 2016 Book & Blog Party! Coming to you today from ‘Welcome to the World of Suzanne Burke’ … Located in Sydney, Australia.

Here’s what I am giving away today !

One (1) E-Book copy of “Acts Beyond Redemption” My Psychological Thriller.

One (1) E-Book copy of “Empty Chairs” Book 1 of my Biography.

One (1) E-Book  copy of “Faint Echoes of Laughter” Book 2 of my Biography.

 

# Number of WINNERS for this stop = 3.

Each Winner may choose which of my books they receive.

All Aussies love a great party! No party would be complete without some fun, so below I have shared with you some facts about my Beautiful Home of Australia.

 

 

• There are 1500 species of Australian spiders.

Australian Funnel Web

• If you read about our spiders you might not like this: the average person swallows three spiders a year. NOT OF THE SIZE ABOVE! Eeeeek!

• We have over 6000 species of flies, about 4000 species of ants, and there are about 350 species of termites in Australia.

• Australia has the world’s largest population of wild camels with one hump.

 

• The Tasmanian Devil does exist, and it has the jaw strength of a crocodile.

• Sharks are immune to all known diseases.

• There are more than 150 million sheep in Australia, and only some 20 million people.

We all appear to have a rather peculiar sense of humor (See definition of “understatement”)

You have no need to worry too much about swimming in our tropical waters, the box-jellyfish, blue ringed Octopus, and crocodiles won’t cause much of a problem, because the Great White Sharks have eaten them all. (I did warn you!) Sigh.

To give you time to slow down your heart rate take a look at my books.

I’d like to introduce you to my books and I do hope that you will find the time to check them out.  

 Acts Beyond Redemption Book 1 (Unintended Consequences)

 

In Book 1 of the ‘Unintended Consequences’ series, Acts Beyond Redemption takes you on a twisted, deadly journey.

Mike Matheson is head of a Special Task Force set up by the F.B.I to track down and apprehend the serial killers responsible for 18 brutal murders.

He and his team are exhausted, frustrated, and ready to burn out after almost five years and no leads.

Nothing in their experience has prepared them for this.

Nothing in their imaginations could conceive of the truth hidden in plain sight.

Someone on the inside, someone very powerful, is deflecting their weary eyes away from a truth too incomprehensible to be permitted to exist.

Revealing it and those that set it in motion would bring the most powerful country on earth to its knees. The corridors of power shake.

Who will be buried in the shattered remains of a country where freedom and honor are treasured above all things?

Just how far will those elected to protect and defend go, to keep the American dream alive?

Acts Beyond Redemption on Amazon

 

Empty Chairs Book 1 (Standing Tall and Fighting Back) Suzanne Burke writing as Stacey Danson.

My Biography Book 1.

Stacey Danson, lived through and beyond horrific child abuse. This book tells of her brutal beginnings, the streets of Sydney at the age of eleven were preferable to the hell she endured at home.

She ran, and those streets became her home for five years. She was alone, ill, and afraid. Stacey also had an unshakeable belief that she would do more than just survive her life. She would not allow her future to be determined by the horrors of her past.

She reached out for something different; there had to be more to life; if she could only find it.

She had a dream of a life where pain and humiliation had no place. She was determined to find that life. Empty Chairs is the beginning of the journey.

It’s time.

Empty Chairs on Amazon

 

 Faint Echoes of Laughter. Book 2 (Standing Tall and Fighting Back) Suzanne Burke writing as Stacey Danson.

Faint Echoes of Laughter Book 2 of my Biography.

The shocking and spirited sequel to the much-praised ‘Empty Chairs’. Life on the streets of Sydney was preferable to the nightmare Stacey Danson had survived in the hell that was home.

She hit the streets running at the age of eleven, and armed with a flick-knife and a fierce determination to live a different life, she began the journey from the 1960s to today. For those that came to know ‘Sassy girl’ in ‘Empty Chairs’, and for those caring people that asked how her life worked out from there, ‘Faint Echoes of Laughter’ continues the story.

For those that haven’t met her yet, this book stands alone as a tribute to the kindness of strangers, the loyalty of true friendships and the way things really are on the streets of any town … anytime.

Faint Echoes of Laughter on Amazon

 

Once again, thanks for stopping by!   Good luck on winning my giveaways!  I’ll see you at the next stop of this awesome BOOK & BLOG BLOCK PARTY!

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Talent Spotter #11. Featuring Author Elaina J Davidson.

Please join me as we explore just one of Elaina J Davidsons many books.

Firstly lets take a glimpse into Elaina’s world.

Elaina lives in the surrounds of magical Table Mountain at the southern tip of Africa and enjoys a wonderful Mediterranean climate all year. Having lived in both Ireland and New Zealand, she now realises Cape Town’s climate is close to perfection. She lives on the side of a mountain gazing upon the ocean with her husband, her adorable cat (sometimes her muse as well as her proof-listener!) and two large dogs. When writing she puts into words her travels and dreams, because she believes there is inspiration in even the most outrageous tale.

After studying Purchasing Management and working in the formal sector as a buyer, she chose to raise and home-school her three children. She started writing novels around 2002, moving from children’s stories, poetry and short stories to concentrate on larger works.

 Previously published by Wild Wolf Publishing, Elaina is currently with Tirgearr Publishing and 13^th Sign Publishing, and is also self-published. While her main body of work has been her Fantasy Series (Lore of Arcana, Lore of Reaume and Lore of Sanctum), she is a diverse writer and her credits include novels and shorter stories in the Contemporary, Humorous, Paranormal, Dystopian, Alternate History and Romantic genres, as well as a Non-fiction journal. Her novella Ancient Illumination has been translated into Spanish.

 Ireland’s ancient past has influenced her writing, gifting her work a Celtic twist, while the majesty of New Zealand has led her to mountaintops and extraordinary vistas. The vibrancy of Africa has much to do with the inspirational side of Elaina’s work. Something happens daily, something to shock, something to uplift, and the colours and diversity of nature itself fires her imagination.

 Come with her to places familiar and far, far away!

And now … her book for your enjoyment.

On the banks of a river, a boy sees and hears a girl laughing, the most glorious music, and falls in love. Time, however, is not the same for them. Erin is human; Kell is something other.

 Kell watches her from the shadows under the willow at the water’s edge, refusing to surrender to their differences. For Erin he plays the most beautiful music, for he may never speak to her and she cannot ever see him. Music becomes their words.

 Love, however, cannot measure time. The minstrel maintains his vigil; his muse listens for his song, and both move through the years alone, until the day something changes …

After his journey over the mountains to the east, at age ten, where he met and saw trolls, goblins, fairies and faeries – the former tiny, the latter man size- elves, dryads, gnomes, centaurs and many others, even the ever wary sidhe, he understood the warnings from his parents. He had grown in the years since Erin’s arrival, and heard the elders more readily.

He listened to the tales of war, of dying, of being pushed north and east into the inhospitable regions where it was hoped the races would succumb, flourishing instead. He heard of the raiding parties also and once saw such a party in the distance. Humans came to pillage … and murder.

He understood their swift years were their greatest disadvantage.

During their sojourn over the mountains, he was tested. At age ten all boys and girls of the long-lived races were tested to discover their inherent talent, the factor that would earn them their keep in the march of years.

Until his testing, he had not given it thought, but clearly his father had, for he brought forth the musical instruments from home.

Ever when it got dark or the days too cold for the outdoors, Kell would sit and strum something quietly in a corner, softly singing. Already he knew most of the old songs. He loved reading also, but when searching for tranquillity, he found it in music.

The purity in notes soothed his soul, especially when he could not see Erin for many days, the snow outside piled too high for a walk.

Often, when the weather was again good, he took an instrument with him, to softly pick out notes upon the boulder under the willow.

 

My review of ‘Minstrel of the Water Willow’ I purchased a copy for review.

Author Elaina J Davidson… has crafted a beautifully written short story, both lyrical and moving.

It has a delicacy of movement, that stands it apart from others in this genre.

The author captures your imagination, for who isn’t attracted to a romance of unrequited love.

Kell is drawn with clear definition, not human yet superbly empathic to human emotion. He falls irrevocably, eternally in love with a beautiful young woman, meet Erin, a laughing loving human.

Kell cannot become visible to the woman he loves so deeply, so he plays for her his music, the sounds encompass her life adding to its richness. He watches her closely, and responds to her different stages of human existence with an accompanying melody.

The depth of sadness he feels as he watches on, as his love suffers through the dreadful loss of her child, is reflected in the music she hears.

Erin ages … Kell does not. Her body wizens and old age takes her in its declining hand.

To reveal more would spoil this for the reader.

Suffice it to say, this story will stay with you. I can’t recommend it highly enough to lovers of romance.

Now available for $0.99 on Amazon…link below.

Anyone interested in writing an honest review in exchange for a free copy of “Minstrel of The Water Willow”  please contact Elaina on her Blog or Facebook page listed below.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E02O6DK

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/628803

http://www.facebook.com/ElainaJDavidsonAuthor

http://elainajdavidson.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

Talent Spotter #10. In celebration of an upcoming new release! By Author, Jeff Lee.

I’m delighted to present Author Jeff Lee, One of my all time favorite comedic writers!

Jeff has a brand new book coming soon, in celebration of that event he is giving away a copy of his well received and hilarious book ” Ladies Farewell Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour.” to one lucky reader who comments below.

Hold on to your hats, folks … here we go!

The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour

Vonda Mae Ables could never hurt a soul. Now she’s on the lam in a huge RV, with her best friends, gallons of Chardonnay and a stiff in the freezer.

Vonda has suffered her alcoholic boyfriend’s abuse for twenty years. But when she finally stands up for herself, she overdoes it and crushes his skull with a football trophy. Rather than turn herself in, she enlists her friends to help ditch the body. They stash the boyfriend in the freezer of his humongous RV and take off for Arizona, planning a quiet desert burial. Unfortunately, the plan goes more sideways with every mile. Vonda finally finds a likely place to plant the dead SOB, but now he’s frozen solid and stuck in the freezer.

Exhausted from their day of digging and unsuccessfully trying to extricate him, the women stop at a local cafe. While they’re drinking dinner, a gang of Harley-riding repo guys makes off with the RV and a Good Samaritan reports the theft. Vonda panics when the police arrive to investigate, knowing if the cops recover the RV and discover what’s in the freezer, she might have to turn that old trophy on herself.

Imagine THELMA AND LOUISE meets Lucy & Ethel — It’s about good friends, good wine, manslaughter and the lengths we’ll go for those we care about.

Here’s what just two reviewers had to say!

5 stars  “Quick – someone make this into a movie!!!”

From Mandy Ward “The Tiger Princess” (South Wales)

“…The story itself revolves around the active membership of the Newbury Park Ladies’ Temperance Club. Vonda, Kay and Francine are three close friends who support each other through the thick and thin of daily life, accompanied by as many bottles of wine as they can drink together.

 Vonda is married to Jack Thibideau and after one particularly nasty encounter with Jack’s taste in porn and alcohol, coupled with many good reasons for divorcing the guy, Vonda picks up a nearby trophy and does to Jack what any thinking person would like to do…

 The hijinks start after Francine and Kay find Vonda and decide to take her on a road trip in Jack’s luxury RV. They stuff Jack’s body into the RV’s onboard chest freezer and disappear into the night.

 This is one book you are going to find yourself snorting, cheering and laughing aloud at!

 Be prepared to have to read pieces out or explain what you are reacting to, or alternatively, you could suggest that the inquirer read the book themselves. Either way, it is a rollercoaster ride of emotion and entertainment from beginning to end.

 Jeff Lee has really captured the whole road trip movie feel and his characters are perfectly crafted, drawing you into the story and making you care about them in so few words. His descriptions at each pitstop they take and the encounters they have keep the story flowing nicely, especially after Fish and his Sidekicks get involved…

 This is a book that I think will lift the spirits no matter how many times you read it, and one that I can seriously see becoming a box office blockbuster.”

Review #2:

5.0 out of 5 stars “The Most Loveable Winos & Cast of Characters Ever!!!”

From D. D. Scott

“I bought this book because I luuuvvved Author Jeff Lee’s blurb:
Thelma and Louis meet Lucy and Ethel

Great concept, right?!

But I fell in love with this book…and now have it on my cyber Keeper Shelf…because The Ladies Temperance Club is the most loveable bunch of quirky-crazy winos I’ve ever read!!!

And the secondary characters – Trailer Park and Diner Queen Ruby and her no-teeth, sweet-as-sugar hubby, Detectives Farley and Sturm, and the superfab Area 51 alien-hunting Icelandic boys – are a hoot and then some!!!

Not to mention the A-mazing one-liners throughout the entire book which had me LMAO from page one ’til The End.

Oh, and what’s not to luuuvvv about the well-endowed ceramic planters gracing the dashboard of the quirky-crazy winos’ RV?!

Rumor has it, Jeff is writing the sequel, and I know I’ll be one of the first to buy it!!!

And my own review!

Be warned..this book will make you laugh till you cry!

BySoooz Burke

Format: Kindle Edition

This book should come with the attached warning…”Do not attempt to read this novel whilst drinking any form of liquid; it is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud and spurt the contents of your drink over the nearest available clothing/electronic equipment/intended mother-in-law.

I love a book that makes me smile; I love a book that makes me laugh…This book made me embarrass myself on a crowded commuter train…I snort when I laugh that much, what can I tell you?

Meet the three female rogues…Vonda, Fifty something and making every day count for something… including murdering the low life son-of-a-sleazebag that has made her life intolerable for twenty years. The miserly, scamming, dysfunctional, short, nasty piece of work named Jack Thibideau. He earned his early demise, and then some.

Francine: Ahhh…my personal favorite, innocent, loyal to a fault, funny without attempting to be and just plain lovable. Watching her evolve is a joy to read. She is one of life’s survivors seemingly a quiet soul with no insight in how to stand up for herself.

Meet Kay; Smart mouthed, sassy, and a friend to the end.

These three diverse women take off in an RV that takes up a city block…on a journey to lay the body of Jack Thibideau, stiff {for the first time on his sicko life}, and slowing freezing in the underbelly of the van somewhere where he can defrost and decompose in peace {Not that he deserves it.}

The journey is a delight; author Jeff Lee has drawn each and every character with an artist’s eye for detail, dialogue, and clever characterizations. His observations of people are acerbic and acutely accurate.

Every character no matter how minor the role they play becomes clearly visible to the reader, you see them, hear them and in many cases smell them as they are intertwined in a cleverly plotted fast-paced delight of a book.

What pleases me even more with Author Lee’s work is that the plot is carefully drawn with seeming ease, comedic writing is hard to maintain, the timing has to be perfect and seemingly effortless… yet it it is one of the most difficult genres to write well.

This is a gem. Written beautifully.

The evolution of the characters is paced well, each of our central figures begin to change; they grow along with the story. I care about these women; I want the ending to see each of them happy. That is the mark of an Author that shines…someone that stands out from the crowd; Jeff Lee made me care for these folks. He is a fine writer, and I have no hesitation in giving this a 5 star rating, and happily recommending it to all those who enjoy a damned good laugh and more importantly a good story well told.

 Links to find Jeff Lee.

Amazon link: Purchase Here on Amazon U.K

FB Author Page: on.Jeff Lee on Facebook

REMEMBER..1 lucky reader will win a kindle copy of This book. Just be certain to leave a comment below.

And! Be warned … the LATEST book in the series is on its way…(Hurricane Kretschman) will be available soon!

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