We have a full house today with four authors celebrating recent reviews for their work.. fantastic.
The first book to be updated today is set in one of the darkest times in our modern history. There are still people alive who remember this time in their lives all to well. But they are few and it is up to the storytellers to keep their memories alive. The Seven Year Dress by Paulette Mahurin
About the book
One of the darkest times in human history was the insane design and execution to rid the world of Jews and “undesirables.” At the hands of the powerful evil madman Adolf Hitler, families were ripped apart and millions were slaughtered. Persecution, torture, devastation, and enduring the unthinkable remained for those who lived.
This is the story of one woman who lived to tell her story. This is a narrative of how a young beautiful teenager, Helen Stein, and her family were torn asunder, ultimately bringing her to Auschwitz. It was there she suffered heinous indignity at the hands of the SS. It was also there, in that death camp, she encountered compassion, selfless acts of kindness, and friendship.
Written by the award-winning, best-selling author of His Name Was Ben, comes a story of the resilience of the human spirit that will leave you thinking about Helen Stein and The Seven Year Dress for years to come after the last page is shut
One of the latest reviews for the book.
A Riveting Read By DGKaye on September 22, 2017The story of the Seven Year Dress is told through Jewish holocaust victim and survivor, Helen, as she shares her story with her new tenant about the degradation, starvation and brutality she witnessed and suffered from the Nazis.
Mahurin does a riveting job of capturing the climate of Nazi Germany just before the war broke out, depicting Helen and her family, and her one non Jewish friend who risked his own life to save Helen and her family from being captured and taken to Auschwitz concentration camp. We’re taken right into the emotions of Helen’s plight. Humiliation, inhumanity, fear and uncertainty of living one more day became the new life for Helen, once a seemingly happy, middle-class girl becoming stripped of everything she had, knew and loved from her former life before that fateful night in November 1938.
This heart-wrenching tale of destruction and devastation and an unfaltering fight to survive will have you eager to keep reading, despite the unblemished truths of the violence and descriptions of what Helen witnessed and endured.
I applaud Mahurin for writing this telling of a demoralizing tale of the human spirit of those who fought to survive despite all odds against them – heroic efforts to remain alive despite having no reason left to live except the desire to live.
I couldn’t stop reading this book and eagerly awaited any opportunity I’d get to pick it up again to learn how Helen survived. It’s also a good reminder about how easily a country can become brainwashed by false propaganda. I’m am looking forward to reading more books by this author. If you enjoy reading historical fiction, I highly recommend this book and author.
Read some of the 326 reviews for the Seven Year Dress and buy: https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Year-Dress-Novel/dp/0988846861/
and on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Year-Dress-Novel/dp/0988846861/
Also by Paulette Mahurin
Read all the reviews and BUY the books: https://www.amazon.com/Paulette-Mahurin/e/B008MMDUGO/
And Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paulette-Mahurin/e/B008MMDUGO/
Profits from Paulette’s books go to help rescue dogs from kill shelters.
Connect to Paulette:https://thepersecutionofmildreddunlap.wordpress.com/
The next author to have received a great review recently is Teagan Riordain Geneviene with her latest release Murder at the Bijou.
About Murder at the Bijou
Long ago I developed a writing exercise. I would ask friends to give me three completely random things. Then I would write until I had mentioned all the things. I brought that exercise to my blog, but I had the readers send me their things. I let the random things drive every detail of a serial story, setting, plot, and characters. That resulted in The Three Things Serial Story, which gave birth to this culinary mystery. However, this time the “things” are food related — or ingredients.
As with the first serial, Murder at the Bijou — Three Ingredients I is a spontaneously written, pantser story. I let the “ingredients” readers sent each week drive every aspect of a new serial story. This is the “bookized” version of that serial.
This time the Jazz Age setting is Savannah, Georgia where our flapper, Pip is “sentenced” to live with her grandmother and learn to cook. Pip gets caught up in a layered mystery that includes bootleggers, G-men, and the varied challenges of being a young woman in changing times. She meets new friends including some animal characters.
If you have not read The Three Things Serial Story, be warned. This adventure contains a bit of a spoiler, but does not go into detail about it.
An early review for the book
Amazing, wonderful, fabulous By Molly Flanders on September 28, 2017This is a very enjoyable murder story set in the 1920s. Pip, Granny Phanny and a whole bunch of alliterated characters populate the story of surprisingly strong suspense with equally surprising turns of events.
This is hugely enjoyable and definitely recommended to anyone with a sense of fun and humour.
I loved this book when it was published in parts on the blog and loved it even more re-reading it as a whole in one sitting. Yes, one sitting.
I only now realised just how much work had gone into the individual parts. I often forgot from one week to the next what certain references mean or what they allude to. The novel is hugely enjoyable and a fun read thanks to many quirky expressions, usage of words off the beaten track, fabulous character names and many more delicious ingredients.
The writing is very original and the story line is fun and always manages to surprise you.
That’s in part because of the randomness of the supplies ingredients, but also due to the author’s creative powers.
I’m so glad this was released as novel so I can enjoy the continuity and appreciate just how well composed this ‘fragmented’ story actually is.
Murder at the Bijou is available in paperback and eBook: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Bijou-Teagan-Riordain-Geneviene-ebook/dp/B074S5ZK7L/
and: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Bijou-Teagan-Riordain-Geneviene/dp/1974544273
Also by Teagan Riordain Geneviene.
Read the reviews, buy the books and find out more about Teagan Geneviene: https://www.amazon.com/Teagan-Riordain-Geneviene/e/B00HHDXHVM
Connect to Teagan via her blog: https://teagansbooks.com/
Next author with a book that continues to receive outstanding reviews is Bette A. Stevens and Pure Trash: The Story
About Pure Trash: The Story
It’s PURE TRASH (Historical Fiction/short story), a Compelling Prequel to the novel DOG BONE SOUP. The year is 1955. Remember the Good Old Days? You know, the 1950s and ‘60s, when America was flying high. The All American Family lived a life filled with hopes and dreams and life’s necessities too. Shawn Daniels isn’t your typical American Boomer Boy. No, Shawn is a poor boy. He can’t join Boy Scouts or sports teams. There’s not even enough money for necessities. Besides, Shawn doesn’t have time for that. But when chores are done, there’s always fishing!
In this short story, Shawn and Willie Daniels are off on a Saturday adventure in search of trash to turn into treasure. It is going to be a great day. Shawn is sure of it. No school and no bullies to remind him that he’s not one of the crowd. This is a story about bullies and what it’s like to be bullied (and not just by kids). It may redefine your definition of bullying. If you were a child who was thought of as “different” in some way, you know what bullying is about: torment, persecution, intimidation, to name a few of its synonyms. For Shawn and Willie, their difference was based upon the social status of a dysfunctional family and the alcoholism and abject poverty in which they grew up.
One of the recent reviews
Great! By Fran Veneziano on September 23, 2017“The year is 1955. Nine-year-old Shawn Daniels is ready to head out on a Saturday adventure with his younger brother Willie. They’re off to search for trash to turn into treasure. It’s going to be a great day.”
What a great time it was…but not for everyone. These boys are from a very poor family. Their Dad is a big drinker.
When Willie has an accident on his bike, Shawn turns to one of the nice christian ladies from church. But, like most of the town, she looks down her nose at the boys because of their social status. Although she does help little Willie, she is anything but kind.
“No decent upbringing.” Mrs. Pendergast said, “Filth, pure filth,”
Pure Trash is well written and a great tease. I can’t wait to read the full book and see how the sweet little guys fare.
Read some of the 56 reviews for the book and buy: https://www.amazon.com/PURE-TRASH-Bette-A-Stevens-ebook/dp/B00EH0RV6K/
and Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TRASH-Historical-Fiction-Short-prequel-ebook/dp/B00EH0RV6K
Also by Bette A. Stevens
Read all the reviews and buy the books: https://www.amazon.com/Bette-A.-Stevens/e/B009GOYT1M
And Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bette-A.-Stevens/e/B009GOYT1M
Read more reviews and follow Bette on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6037707.Bette_A_Stevens
Connect to Bette via her website: https://4writersandreaders.com/
To round off this packed post today, Jena C. Henry with a recent review for the second book in The Golden Age of Charlie: RSVP.
About The Golden Age of Charli: RSVP
Charlotte McAntic spent her thirties, forties, and even fifties in peace and harmony aligning her marriage, mortgage, careers, and children. As she stumbles into a new phase of life—also known as the Golden Years—Charli cannot help but wonder where the gold and her husband, Pud, are hiding.
Pud is happily cruising down the retirement path that, for him, leads straight to the golf course. While Charli spends her days at home cleaning out closets and the basement, she yearns to gaze deeply into Pud’s blue eyes and remember all the reasons why she fell in love with him thirty years ago. Unfortunately, the only thing Pud is eying is the next fairway. Knowing there is more to savor in retirement than silver-hair shampoos, senior discounts, and hernia surgery, Charli embarks on a quest to do whatever it takes to spend retirement in the embrace of the man she loves. But is it too late for happily ever after?
In this humorous novel, a high-energy wife and her solid guy must learn to adjust to a new chapter in their lives and find their way back into each other’s hearts after their retirement begins with a jolt.
The most recent review from Caroline Vincent of Bits about Books Blog: https://www.bitsaboutbooks.net/golden-age-of-charli-rsvp-jena-c-henry/
I love the outset of this novel and the insights into the daily life of Charli and Pud. What an endearing couple! But then again .. Charli is the main protagonist and she has got everything her heart desires: two healthy children, a loving husband, no financial problems or health issues to worry about… When she sees a car she falls in love with, she just goes and buys it. When she finds a project to work on, the old photographs in the attic, she buys the equipment she needs to digitalise them. I wanted to shake Charli and tell her to wake up and realise that she has got so much – and that just like her husband, she should also have prepared for his retirement. Sometimes, I felt there was too much detail in the descriptions. Charli’s best trait is her perseverance and love for her family. I was touched by their adventure (Pud’s idea!) and the way they reach out to everyone in the family, young and old.
Read all the reviews for the book and buy: https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Age-Charli-RSVP-ebook/dp/B0157KR7RQ
and on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Age-Charli-RSVP/dp/1491769637
Also by Jena C. Henry
Read all the reviews and buy the books: https://www.amazon.com/Jena-C.-Henry/e/B014PLDN12
and on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jena-C.-Henry/e/B014PLDN12
Read more reviews and follow Jena on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14254103.Jena_C_Henry
Connect to Jena via her website/blog: http://www.jenabooks.com/
Thank you for dropping in today and if you have news to share about a terrific new review then please let me know at [email protected] Thanks Sally
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