Streets Ahead Book Promotion – D.G Kaye

This week we’re promoting D.G Kaye’s memoir ‘P.S I Forgive You‘.

Description:

Confronted with resurfacing feelings of guilt, D.G. Kaye is tormented by her decision to remain estranged from her dying emotionally abusive mother after resolving to banish her years ago, an event she has shared in her book Conflicted Hearts. In P.S. I Forgive You, Kaye takes us on a compelling heartfelt journey as she seeks to understand the roots of her mother’s narcissism, let go of past hurts, and find forgiveness for both her mother and herself.

After struggling for decades to break free, Kaye has severed the unhealthy ties that bound her to her dominating mother—but now Kaye battles new conflict, as the guilt she harbors over her decision only increases as the end of her mother’s life draws near. Kaye once again struggles with her conscience and her feelings of being obligated to return to a painful past she thought she left behind.

Review:

5 stars by Wilma Lettings:

A wonderful and moving memoir dedicated to a narcissistic mother, written by a daughter who is working through the times to come to a point of forgiveness and closure of sorts.
A touching book with a lot of honesty, wisdom and insight – and, most importantly of all, forgiveness.
A must read for anyone looking to make peace with their past and move forward.

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Streets Ahead: Dorinda Duclos and ‘A Journey of Life Through Poetry’.

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Streets Ahead

This week on Streets Ahead it’s the turn of Dorinda  Duclos and her book of poetry ‘A Journey of Life Through Poetry’.

In ‘A Journey of Life through Poetry’, Dorinda invites you to join her, as the wonder and awe of the Earth inspires her, bringing her visions to you through her poetry. Experience the setting sun, share in the challenges and victories of life, await the new day, and find yourself lost in the lush forest trees, as you join her on her journey, through Passages and Paths.

Review:

5.0 out of 5 starsBeautiful poetry to delight your soul

December 22, 2018 by Robbie Cheadle

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

Passages and Paths, a journey of life through poetry is a delightful collection of poems about nature and love. Through her beautifully descriptive nature poetry, the poet expresses her amazement at, and delight in, the natural world around her. Two of the lovely descriptive phrases I enjoyed in this book are “Spun in golden, silken threads,” and “Seductive eyes and lips of red” both taken from the poem, Swept Away in Golden Splendour”.

Dorinda takes ordinary, everyday sights and shares the hidden beauty and intricacy of our amazing world.

There are a number of poems about enjoyment, love, desire and passion in this book too. One of my favourites was Without a Care:

“She reads aloud without a care

Unafraid that I am there

I have to wonder what she sees

When at last she looks at me

Continuing on with her journey in mind

She speaks of a forest, so soft and so kind

Of places that sparkle in emerald green

Of creatures she’s never really seen

Of beauty concealed in faraway lands

All this from a book

That she holds in her hands

Still she sits here before me

Enrapt in the story

As she utters the words

I can’t help but adore thee.”

Dorinda is a talented poet and her poems are certain to delight your soul.

Streets Ahead Book Promotion – Richard Dee

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psychological thriller, Sci-Fi

This week on Streets Ahead we’re promoting Richard Dee’s Sci-Fi/ psychological thriller ‘Life and Other Dreams‘:

One man, two lives. Which one is the reality? Is he Rick, living on Earth? Or is he Dan, living in another time and place? Accused of a crime in one world, he’s stuck in the other. Where do you go when you dream?

Rick lives here on Earth now, with Cath. His life is boring, writing adverts for cat food and exotic holidays. When he’s asleep, he dreams vividly.
In his dreams, he lives as Dan, spending his time with his wife Vanessa. They live six-hundred years in the future, half a galaxy away. They’re explorers, searching for valuable minerals on Ecias, an alien paradise.
Dan has no dreams about Rick’s life, he lives on Ecias, loves his life and Vanessa.
When the two worlds overlap, Rick starts to question what is real. Events in his waking and sleeping lives are mirrored, similar people inhabit both and coincidences mount up. Then disaster strikes in each world at the same time. In his dreams, Dan is accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Meanwhile, after one coincidence too many, Cath thinks that Rick’s dreams are hiding an affair and leaves him.
Is Rick going crazy, or can he be living in two places, in two times, at once? If not, then which one of them is the reality? Will one life carry on when the other is on hold?
Richard Dee’s fast-paced, edgy science fiction -cum- psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!

Review:

5.0 out of 5 starsA fascinating and original novel

8 July 2019

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is a very unusual and most enjoyable book.

Rick and Dan are one and the same person, but living different lives through their dreams. Dan exists several hundred years in the future on a newly-colonised planet, with his wife Vanessa. Rick lives here on Earth, now, where his existence is far duller and his wife Cath considerably less likable. So when Rick dreams, he become Dan – and this has been augmented by Rick’s participation in the trial of a new drug for insomnia.

I found it hard to put this book down. Richard Dee writes in a straightforward and honest style which sweeps up the reader into this most original of tales, and won’t let go!

Four and a half stars, because at times I felt the story drifted a little.

Would I read it again? Yes, and I’ll probably read the sequel which is advertised at the end.

Streets Ahead Book Promotion – The Scarlet Ribbon, by Anita Dawes

This week on Streets Ahead we’re promoting Anita Dawes’ book ‘The Scarlet Ribbon.’

When a dirty blue car mows Maggie down outside her local supermarket, she becomes trapped in the nightmare world of a coma patient.  In this very different world, she manages to rescue an abused and neglected child. But when it looks as though she will finally wake up, she cannot bear the thought of leaving the child behind.
But is this other world real, or was she just dreaming? And if it is real, can she help this child?

Reviews:

“Maggie is a likeable character who is easy to engage with and I found myself willing her to find the courage to embrace happiness. If you like a story that is more than just your average romance then I thoroughly recommend this one…” Amazon Reviewer

“Excellent reading, excellent writing with several unexpected twists that lead to…well, that is for others to find out too. A heart wrenching and gripping story. Well done, Anita Dawes!” Amazon Reviewer

Would you like to join Streets Ahead and get your book promoted at no cost?  Click on this link to find out more.

Streets Ahead Book Promotion- Robbie Cheadle and Kim Blades

This week on Streets Ahead we’re promoting  Robbie Cheadle and Kim Blades’ new collection of poems ‘Open a New Door‘.  Anyone can join Streets ahead, just as long as they are prepared to share the current book promotion on at least one of their social media sites.  Anybody not sharing unfortunately will not get their own book promoted.

Open a New Door is a poetic peep into the lives of the poets, Kim Blades and Robbie Cheadle, both of whom live in South Africa.

The book is divided into four categories: God bless Africa, God bless my family and friends, God bless me and God bless corporates and work. Each part is sub-divided into the good, the bad and the ugly of the two poets’ experiences, presented in rhyming verse, free-style, haiku and tanka, in each of these categories and include colourful depictions of their thoughts and emotions.

 

5 star review by Miriam Hurdle:

Open a New Door by Robbie Cheadle and Kim Blades is a poetry collection with themes on the nature and life in Africa, the poets’ families and friends, their personal lives and the cooperate world. In each theme, the poets explored the good, the bad and the ugly. At the end of each poem, a short narrative gave the background or situation under which the poems were written. The poems are modern, free verse with rhymes and no rhymes. Each poem is easy to read in the length or one or two pages.

In Life in Africa, Robbie Cheadle showed her compassion toward the poverty of African people young and old. In Poets’ Families, Robbie shared her joy of having a son with an amazing mind and her worry about another son’s physical disease. In Poets’ Personal Lives, Kim expresses her emotion about her husband leaving her and her loneliness.

This poetry collection covers a wide range of personal experiences, observations and emotions. Many people could relate to them.

Streets Ahead Book Promotion – Stephen Bentley

This week we’re promoting Stephen Bentley’s new book ‘Rivers of Blood’:

The Gripping Fast-paced Series Finale to the Steve Regan Undercover Cop Trilogy

Steve Regan is still undercover working for the same UK secret government department. He sets off on what he thinks is a last assignment: seconded to the Australian Feds posing as a hit man hired to assassinate a liberal Australian politician.

The Australian murder plot leads to the discovery of a frightening far-reaching white supremacist conspiracy to overthrow the government of the United Kingdom.

Regan goes deep undercover within a London police CID department in an effort to gather evidence against the white supremacists.

Regan’s undercover infiltration is the most dangerous and audacious assignment he has faced.

Will he succeed? Or will this dangerous game endanger someone close to him?

Who will survive and who will die?

Reacher and Tom Clancy fans will love Regan – the ‘real deal!’ – undercover cop fiction written by a former undercover cop.

Review:

5 stars from Kay Castaneda:

All good things have to come to an end. Rivers of Blood takes the reader on Steve Regan’s final undercover assignment to Australia where the leader of a white supremacist group is promoting hate and violence. Back in the U. K., Steve infiltrates a local police department to gather information about the rising violence towards black citizens there. But the stress of being away from his family and the fact that he is not as young as he used to be, is taking a toll on his ability to remain undercover. You must read this last book in the series featuring Steve Regan: Undercover Cop. Stephen Bentley creates non-stop action, believable characters and a story with twists and turns in Rivers of Blood. I highly recommend this thrilling novel to fans of crime fiction. I’m sorry to see the character of Steve Regan go and hope the author finds a way to bring him back one more time! 5 stars

 

Streets Ahead Street Team Promotion

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street team

This week on Streets Ahead it’s the turn of  Adele Park’s fantasy/crime novel ‘Wisp‘.

Edra; a world where magic flourishes and where dark secrets are concealed by those who rule. Secrets which can get the innocent killed without a thought.

When the body of an elf is discovered in a treacherous area of the city, Wisp a young Law Enforcer is assigned the case. He soon realises the case is far from simple. As soon as he finds one thread another one leads him to unravel a tapestry woven from lies, secrets, corruption and evil. When friendship turns to love, Wisp`s life, as he knew it will completely change.

What started out as a murder case ends in a grisly battle which Wisp and his companions seem to have no chance of winning.

5 star review by Colleen Chesebro:

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1DCOJZV5ZM6ID/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01MXYQ2E4

Meet Wisp, a law enforcer in the land of Edra, where magic is encouraged to flourish and is often needed for sheer survival. A mages council rules Edra compared to the neighboring area of Finah, who prefers humans to control their resources. After a bloody civil war, many years ago, the two lands exist beside each other in a fragile peace.

Wisp is a marsh fairy with raven hair and pointy ears pierced with silver earrings. Marsh fairies are rare and possess special powers. Wisp keeps his real identity under wraps, known only to his superiors. Abandoned as a child, the “Senior” Law enforcement officer raised him ensuring his survival.

In a desolate area filled with putrefying rubbish, Wisp comes across the body of a High Elf, a member of the Thorns, who was a high-ranking council member found murdered in the circle. The elf’s throat had been brutally cut. Wisp sets out to solve the murder not realizing he is to play an integral part in solving the mystery.

Wisp meets Finn Redhaven, the lover of the murdered elf, Sammiel Thorn, and feels an immediate attraction to him. Wisp and Finn fall in love and discover a wealth of magical abilities enabled by their relationship. And, they are going to need all the help they can get to battle the evil that has descended on Edra.

As fantasy novels go, Wisp stands out to me in its originality and political intrigue. Ms. Park creates a world where love is considered to be one of the greatest powers of all. I enjoyed that the two main characters were male and embraced their love and desire for each other, which was a refreshing approach to solving a mystery in a magical land. The reader discovers along with Wisp the extent of his abilities which I anticipate will increase over time.

I’ve added Wisp to my list of favorite fantasy novels. I loved the story and the characters. The ending is a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait for the next volume to find out what happens to Wisp and Finn. Hopefully, Ms. Park won’t keep us in suspense for long

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Streets Ahead Street Team: Marjorie Mallon’s ‘The Curse of Time’.

This week the Streets Ahead team are sharing Marjorie Mallon’s YA fantasy ‘The Curse of Time’:

Fifteen-year-old Amelina longs for someone to confide in.  Her once carefree mother has become angry and despondent. One day a strange black cat and a young girl, named Esme appear. Immediately, Esme becomes the sister Amelina never had. The only catch is that Esme must remain a prisoner, living within the mirrors of Amelina’s house.

Dreams and a puzzling invitation convince Amelina the answer to her family’s troubles lies within the walls of the illusive Crystal Cottage. Undaunted by her mother’s warnings, Amelina searches for the cottage on an isolated Cambridgeshire pathway where she encounters a charismatic young man, named Ryder. At the right moment, he steps out of the shadows, rescuing her from the unwanted attention of two male troublemakers.

In time, she earns the right to use three wizard stones. The first awakens her spirit to discover a time of legends, and later, leads her to the Bloodstone, the supreme cleansing crystal which has the power to restore the balance of time. Will Amelina find the power to set her family free?

A YA fantasy set in Cambridge, England exploring various themes/aspects: Light, darkness, time, shadows, a magical curse, crystals, art, and poetry.

Review:

5 stars by R. J Dockett

5.0 out of 5 starsVery enjoyable, recommended reading!

4 March 2019

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Forget your vampires and the dystopian future worlds, where you have to do some strange stuff for an undisclosed reason, I prefer a story that starts from a known place. You can get as weird as you like but please, make it a logical progression, not just the lazy ‘we’re in the future; civilisation as we know it is dead, this (insert some random game or test) is what happens these days, for no apparent reason’, sort of premise.

So, we meet Amelina, she’s just your standard teenage girl, I had three daughters; I get the comparison. And she’s a very well written character, as they all are. A little family weirdness, parents who have changed, from her perspective at the start it’s hard to see why. There’s a black cat who appears and a girl trapped in the mirrors in the house. And the obligatory interesting relative.

Then we come to her peers, a wannabee rock band and the strange guy called Ryder, who saves her from a couple of potentially dangerous boys. As the story develops, we see him in different shades, is he a good guy or not?

It turns out that Amelina may have the solution to all the problems that seem to beset her family. It’s all to do with crystals and gaining the knowledge to use them.
The story never falters, set around Cambridge and its landmarks, we follow Amelina’s journey as she seeks to uncover the reason for her father’s disappearance, why is he so different now that he’s back? Surely, this must also hold the key to her mother’s behaviour, explain why she’s so uptight and unwilling to talk about anything.
She must learn to use the power that she discovers she has; while dealing with all the other things that your average teenager has going on. The narrative is well thought out and we can see the development of Amelina as we are pulled by the strength of the writing towards the final pages.

All the characters are all well drawn and fit together perfectly. The things that Amelina finds and uses, from her paints to her drums are well thought out and well described. There’s a bit of fantasy, as well as some beautifully written dream sequences.
The overall world-building creates a wonderful, spiritual atmosphere.

There’s a bit of poetry at the start of every chapter, a nice touch which leads us into the action.

The story bravely tackles issues of mental health and self-harm, but in such a sensitive way that it can only help improve understanding.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, it resonated on so many levels, I understand a sequel is in progress, that will be on my list.

Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore – Author Update – #Reviews – Frank Prem, C. S. Boyack, Stevie Turner and Judith Barrow.

Thanks to Sally Cronin at Smorgasbord for my shout-out today.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

Welcome to the first of the Cafe and Bookstore Updates this week with more reviews for authors on the shelves.

The first author is Frank Prem whose latest collection Devil in the Wind: Voices from the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires is receiving wonderful reviews.

About Devil in the Wind

Devil In The Wind is an account of catastrophic fire and its immediate aftermath.

In this 21st century, the whole world seems to be on fire. America burns. Europe burns. Greece is reeling after its own tragedy of fire.

And Australia burns, as it has always done, but now so much more fiercely.

In February 2009, wildfires burnt through entire communities, taking 173 lives and injuring hundreds, while destroying thousands of houses and other buildings. Up to 400 fires destroyed 450,000 hectares of forest, native fauna and habitat, livestock and farmland.

In the aftermath of the fires, the voices of people…

View original post 1,739 more words

Streets Ahead Street Team Promotion – Karen Payton Holt’s ‘Awakening’.

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street team

This week on ‘Streets Ahead‘ it’s the turn of Karen Payton Holt’s ‘Awakening’, which is the first in a series of 5 vampire books set in post-apocalyptic England:

Karen wrote this book description below:

‘I wrote this series after reading ‘Twilight” and wishing that I knew more about Edward Cullen than Bella. He seemed two dimensional to me, and that was such a shame. After all, we all know what being human feels like, but a vampire? Now, there’s the story.

Think ‘Twilight’ meets ‘Game of Thrones” and you are in the right mind-set to enter the world of ‘Fire & Ice’.

If you want to enter the dark and, at times, harrowing world of Doctor Connor and experience his human obsession, then you can find it here. ‘Fire and Ice: Awakening” begins a journey which spans 5 novels and is much more than a vampire tale, it is an emotional roller coaster ride.

If you hate vampires, or hunger for something different – something that grips you and will not let go – then read the first chapter…

London, 1910. Bram Stoker’s Dracula had made barely a ripple in the pool of human consciousness, and it would be another 12 years before Nosferatu breathes life into a vampire on the big screen… but even then, in human society, vampires existed. Like a seam of gold running through the coal, they are there, but you have to look for them.

For centuries, vampires were content to exist as creatures of myth and legend, barely making a footprint in the shifting sands of human consciousness, until Mother Nature unleashed the global pandemic which wiped out most of humanity.

A predator emerges and humans become a valuable food source. Vampire survival instincts have an edge of desperation, and they are forced out of the shadows. The London of 2010 becomes a vampire hive as they cluster around their decimated food supply, and ‘survival of the fittest’ is a stark reality.

Humans wish their world had ended, when, as a protected species, they are imprisoned, farmed as cattle, and siphoned for blood.

The cloud on the vampire horizon is that humans age and die. Suddenly, vampire immortality has an expiration date.

Connor is that rarity, a vampire and a doctor, who can treat a bleeding human – and not kill them. Tending to stricken vampires remains part of his duty; immortality has always been a tightrope walk over an abyss of insanity, and there are always those who fail to get it right.

After a century of living on his wits and feeding on humans he considered deserving of death, Connor views the human farm with distaste. His passion is to find a synthetic blood substitute.

Against this dark, forbidding backdrop, Doctor Connor does the unthinkable; he falls in love with a human girl.

When he treats Rebekah, alarm bells ring. He realizes she is a free-range human, and hiding her carries the death penalty. ‘Turning’ her in is a no-brainer, and yet…

Their worlds collide when Rebekah awakens in a vampire hospital and faces her worst fears — discovery and capture. Her euphoric relief, when it seems the beta-blockers have protected her from detection, turns to terror.

Connor grips Rebekah’s arm and her thundering heartbeat resonates through him. The tingling joy of being alive rushes through him again, and his journey into madness begins. His admiration for the human spirit punches a hole in his shell of indifference.

Rebekah cannot escape without the doctor’s help. Her fear of vampires tilts on its axis as Connor becomes her safe haven.

Connor’s stagnant existence is shattered as he embraces the feeling of being alive once more. Outwitting the vicious intent of a vindictive councilor, surviving attacks by the vampire councils’ guardsmen, and being sentenced to locked-in syndrome were never in Connor’s wildest imaginings and falling in love with a human girl was something he never expected.

Flying in the face of everything he should do, Connor risks everything and embraces the exhilaration of saving Rebekah and her group.’

Verified Purchase Review:

‘A dark dystopian novel with a great backstory and a fresh slant on vampires, love and survival.’