Welcome to another Christmas Book Fair where authors in the Cafe and Bookstore can showcase their books and remind you of their work in time for Christmas. Books are great gifts for young and old… I am sure you will find something to buy for yourself or family and friends.
The first feature is for two writers, Jane Risdon who contributed some wonderful posts from her archives and Christina Jones who co-wrote Only One Woman released last month.
About Only One Woman
Two women, one love story.
June 1968. Renza falls head over heels for heartthrob guitarist Scott. But after a romantic summer together they are torn apart when Renza’s family moves away.
December 1968. On the night she believes to be her last, Stella meets Scott at a local dance. He’s the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen and if this one night is all they have, she’ll take it.
As the final colourful year of the sixties dawns, the question is: can there be only one woman for Scott?
One of the recent reviews for the book
Plenty of research or very good memories have gone into the writing of this book.
Ali – The Dragon Slayer November 30, 2017I’m a bit of a fan of the swinging sixties, not quite of an age to fully appreciate it but my sister who is a lot older certainly ‘lived’ it so I gained quite a lot of knowledge from her, clothes, perfumes, music etc
Only One Woman nearly turned me off before I begun when I spotted how long it is. Being a blogger entails reading a LOT of books and I don’t always have time or patience to spend on one specific story if it drags into a lengthy tome. However no such fear with this one, as soon as I read the first few pages I just knew I was going to love it.
You soon become absorbed in the era, transported back to a completely different time. Told in the style of diary entries by Renza and Stella we immediately see into the world of these teenagers, what better way to get a feel for the climate.
Scott the rock god is the central link, Renza falls hopelessly for him but the relationship becomes long distance when her family moves abroad. Scott then meets Stella .. my initial thoughts were typical man, can’t have one girl so leaps at another. But the depth of this story explores the feelings from the trio and as much as it pains me I could almost understand Scott’s actions.
Only One Woman is cleverly written to capture the essence of all characters involved and I really felt connected to them. One moment I was rooting for Stella but in the blink of an eye Renza would be my favourite. I think the fact Scott was a hot musician helped his cause in my eyes, if he was just a layabout slob perhaps I would have given him a slap or two! I particularly enjoyed singing a long with the music and reminiscing about various 60’s products. Plenty of research or very good memories have gone into the writing of this book.
Head over and buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Only-One-Woman-Christina-Jones-ebook/dp/B075D88JBP
and Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Only-One-Woman-Christina-Jones-ebook/dp/B075D88JBP
Read the reviews and follow Jane on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5831801.Jane_Risdon
Connect to Jane Risdon via her blog: https://janerisdon.wordpress.com/
A small selection of books by Christina Jones.
Read the reviews and buy the books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christina-Jones/e/B001K8U57Y/
and Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Christina-Jones/e/B001K8U57Y/
Connect to Christina via her blog: https://christinajones-writing.blogspot.ie/
Andrew Joyce for his recently published Bedtime Stories for Adults and has been enjoying wonderful reviews. A perfect gift for adults… to read at bedtime or anytime.
About Bedtime Stories for Grown Ups.
Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups is a jumble of genres—seven hundred pages of fiction and non-fiction … some stories included against the author’s better judgment. If he had known that one day they’d be published, he might not have been as honest when describing his past. Here is a tome of true stories about the author’s criminal and misspent youth, historical accounts of the United States when She was young, and tales of imagination encompassing every conceivable variety—all presented as though the author is sitting next to you at a bar and you’re buying the drinks as long as he keeps coming up with captivating stories to hold your interest.
Comprised of 218,000 words, you’ll have plenty to read for the foreseeable future. This is a book to have on your night table, to sample a story each night before extinguishing the lights and drifting off to a restful sleep.
Mr. Joyce sincerely hopes that you will enjoy his stories because, as he has stated, “It took a lot of living to come up with the material for some of them.”
Andrew Joyce is the recipient of the 2013 Editor’s Choice Award for Best Western for his novel, Redemption: The Further Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer.
His book Yellow Hair was awarded Book of the Year by Just Reviews and Best Historical Fiction of 2016 by Colleen’s Book Reviews.
One of the recent reviews for the book.
Bedtime Stories reads like a labor of love and a cleansing of the author’s soul. By Colleen M. Chesebro on November 29, 2017Enter the creative and factual world of Andrew Joyce where imagination and memories collide in a spectacular volume of short and long stories. This book is a collection of many genres and styles. There is something here for everyone. And, that is one of the author’s gifts – the ability to write stories that capture everyone’s imagination.
I have to share with you that the true adventures the author lived through left me with some jaw-dropping moments. Be prepared for a wild ride. In these hitching tales, the author uses his real name, Billy Doyle, Andrew Joyce being his pen name. I think that fact made the stories even more terrifying for me. I couldn’t help but wonder what motivated the author’s wanderlust and later penchant for falling into tough situations. Yet, somehow, he managed to survive with the will to jump into another wild adventure. I can only attribute his gumption to being young and his willingness to experience life to the fullest.
A segment of the novel was skillfully written by the author’s dog, Danny. These heartwarming tales describe life with Andrew expressed with humor, love, and the kind of patience only our furry companions could have for their humans. Danny is a gem, and his stories are liberally sprinkled throughout this collection. I found that Danny’s take on life took the sting out of some of the real happenings recorded in this tome.
My favorite stories are always the tales of the old west. I’ve read and reviewed most of the author’s westerns: Molly Lee, Resolution, and Yellow Hair. Each novel is outstanding and written with historical facts that leap off the page.
In this collection, Joyce weaves old-fashioned western yarns with the skill of Louis L’Amour. He draws the reader back into time with him and suddenly you realize you are in the wild and often lawless west. I swear I could taste the dust and feel the heat of the old west wrap around me. The stories in this anthology are fabulous with a few new tales that I hadn’t read before.
There are too many stories to mention as the book is a long read. Some tales were quick, and others took a couple nights to read through. The entire volume took me a month of bedtime reading which shows the value and depth written into each of the stories. Don’t let the length deter you; instead read at your leisure, as I did.
I had a couple of favorites where I thought the author’s writing was spectacular, to say the least. He seemed to stretch his wings and venture into new writing territory. “How I became a Detective,” is one (although there are a few more tales related to this genre), and the other story was called, “Conversation with a Friend,” which was my favorite because of the message.
Bedtime Stories reads like a labor of love and a cleansing of the author’s soul. I’ve never read a collection of stories that lets you into the heart of the writer in this way. By the time you have finished the novel, you’ve walked beside the author and experienced life through his eyes which is a rare gift, indeed.
MY RATING:
Character Believability: 5 Flow and Pace: 5 Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 5 Reader Enjoyment: 5 Overall Rate: 5 out of 5 Stars
Read the reviews and buy the book : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075V8XNTC
and Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075V8XNTC
Also by Andrew Joyce
Read the reviews and buy all the books: https://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Joyce/e/B00EUCFDTM
and: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Andrew-Joyce/e/B00EUCFDTM
Connect to Andrew: https://andrewjoyce.wordpress.com/
The next author with several books that would make great gifts is Helen Jones and here is a recent review for her book A Thousand Rooms.
About A Thousand Rooms
Katie is thirty-two, single, and used to work in advertising. She’s also dead. A lost soul hitching rides with the dying, trying to find her way to… wherever she’s supposed to be.
And whoever she’s supposed to be with. Heaven, it seems, has a thousand rooms. What will it take to find hers?
One of the recent reviews for the book on Goodreads
Laurie rated it Four Stars on September 5th 2017
Wow! Haven’t we all wondered what happens when our time on earth end?
Helen Jones took the plunge thru a character named Katie who dies suddenly and quite by accident. Obviously, Nobody was expecting her,which causes some problems for Katie as she attempts to find Heaven.
Heaven isn’t about one big cloud we all sit on, but finding peace and complete happiness and forgiveness in those we have left behind. Katie- after visiting so many rooms in Heaven that she does not belong in, finds her room and her complete love.
“Maybe I would have been able to show you a little, but you had to find it in yourself. You’re the only person who can help you, in the end.” “I was blessed.”
An interesting read that would be an excellent book club discussion. I truly enjoyed it.
Read the reviews and buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Rooms-Helen-Jones-ebook/dp/B01MDP0TX9
and on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thousand-Rooms-Helen-Jones/dp/1539010724
Read many more reviews on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32721282-a-thousand-rooms
Also by Helen Jones
Read the reviews and buy the books: https://www.amazon.com/Helen-Jones/e/B00VG6SWN4
and on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Helen-Jones/e/B00VG6SWN4
Read more reviews and follow Helen on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13910923.Helen_Jones
Connect to Helen Jones via her blog: https://journeytoambeth.com/
Last for today but absolutely not least is John Fioravanti with an update on his book Reflections: Inspirational Quotes and Interpretations. A book to be dipped into over the holidays and every day afterwards.
About the book
What do YOU think?
Does this question engage you or take you out of your comfort zone? Does it put you on the spot? REFLECTIONS is award-winning author and former educator John Fioravanti’s answer.
Offering his interpretations of fifty quotes by contemporary and ancient thinkers alike, John dives deep below the surface of words and explores the deeper meanings that shape his view of the world.
Deeply personal and presented in a self-effacing manner, these self-aware reflections will encourage you to dig deep within yourself and to discover more about the underlying truths that guide you.
Without trumpets or fanfare of any kind, John Fioravanti aspires to inspire you!
One of the reviews for the book
THERE’S A THREE STEP PROCESS TO BEST ENJOY READING THIS BOOK By Robin Leigh Morgan on May 25, 2017The author, John Fioravanti, has done a marvelous job is selecting each of the inspirational quotes he has chosen for inclusion in this book.
Starting off with a selected quote and who said it, the author then shifts his reader’s attention to how each quote has come to manifest itself in own existence as he reflects on his personal thoughts. As I read through each of the quotes I found myself experiencing my own contemplations as to how each of the quotes relates to life, with a variety of emotions, from sad to happy, coming up for. I read this book over a course of two days, because I wanted to write my review for it; but I feel, anyone who opts to get a copy of his endeavor by Mr. Fiorvanti, should take their time getting through the book by reading one quote a day, then reflecting on what it means to yourself and finally comparing your experience to that of the author’s. The results I had received on a handful of occasions had paralleled that of the author’s signifying how while we might feel our lives are unique to ourselves, they are in fact, shared by others. For having given me and that of other readers, an insightful reading experience by asking us in the beginning of the book’s description; “What do YOU think?”, how can I not give the author the 5 STARS I’ve given him.
Read the reviews and buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/REFLECTIONS-Inspirational-Interpretations-John-Fioravanti-ebook/dp/B01MSJUPDI
And Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/REFLECTIONS-Inspirational-Interpretations-John-Fioravanti-ebook/dp/B01MSJUPDI
Also by John Fioravanti
Read all the reviews and buy the books: https://www.amazon.com/John-Fioravanti/e/B00JSAHGAU
And on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Fioravanti/e/B00JSAHGAU
Read more reviews and follow John on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5246942.John_Fioravanti
Connect to John via his website: http://fiorabooks.com/
Thank you for dropping in today and I am sure there will be more than one book here that will make it on to your wish list. Thanks Sally
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