COVER REVEAL!! Corridors of Time by Vinay Krishnan

Blurb:
Corridors of Time tracks the story of a sensitive young man who grows from carefree childhood to eventful manhood - one who stumbles before learning to stride through those dark and dense passages.
Set in Bangalore - a city of paradoxes. of gardens and garbage heaps. of technology and traffic snarls. of friendly people and failing infrastructure. when bungalows had gardens and pavements were meant for pedestrians. this is a narrative of the human spirit.
Rohan, an idealistic young sports lover experiences rejection, dark dejection and isolation and hurtles down the path to self destruction.
Shyla, attractive and successful is everything his heart yearns for and his body desires, except, she is married!
Chandrika, simple and devoted fails to understand the man she loves.
The shuklas long for justice denied by the system.
And khalid fears nothing and no one ...anymore.

About the Author:

Vinay Krishnan describes himself as a ‘complete Bangalorean’. A student of Clarence High School, he graduated in Humanities from St Joseph’s College. Earning a diploma in Business Administration, he began his career at Usha International Ltd and rose to a position of Senior Sales manager. Vinay has now set up a construction firm of his own. He also writes and devotes his time to an NGO assisting people with disability. The city of his dreams, Bangalore, where he stays with his wife and daughter, continues to inspire and exasperate him. He can be reached at – vinaykrshnn@yahoo.com.



Praises for the Book:

The book is simple in style and content, for often it is this simplicity that bewilders and rouses
Interest.
~ Shri S . Rajendra Babu, Former Chief Justice of India

The book has excellent literary craftsmanship, passion humour and adventure. Highly recommended.
~ Mr. Namboodiri, former Asst. Editor, Deccan Herald

This charming book about old Bangalore is written in a racy easy-to-read style.
~ Deccan Herald, Bangalore.

This Cover Reveal is brought to you by Author's Channel in association with b00k r3vi3ws

BOOK REVIEW!! Inescapable (The Premonition Series Book 1) by Amy A Bartol

Yes please, can I read some more?

If you follow this blog you know I'm a HUGE fan of the super natural and sci-fi. It is just my thing. I get that it isn't for everyone, and that is OK (I mean, I guess it is... not sure why anyone wouldn't want to read fun things like that but...). This was one of the funnest reads I've had in a while! One of the reasons being - yes it is about super natural, but it is ANGELS! It was an amazing refreshing change from my normal super natural loves. 

Amy did just an amazing job of pulling me in and not letting me put my phone down. The characters are so fun and likable. I will admit that one of the angels tendency to say "sweetie" every other word got a little old. I understand character building - and I think that is what she was doing, it was just... a little annoying. Still didn't put me off the book at all either. And, I did like that she kept them a "secret" until almost the end of the book.

Let me give you a run down of this awesome book:

Main character lost both her parents when she was VERY young. Was raised by her awesome uncle that wasn't much more than a child himself. She is heading to college and, about the same time, her angel powers are starting to evolve. Of course there are a couple of hot guys, a geeking friend (that ends up surprising everyone, including me!), and some classic airhead friends. There are funny moments, sad moments and those moments that make you go "huh?". Just the perfect combination for a super fun and easy read - which is what I'm all about right now. 

LOVING these Indie books! Stay tuned for even more reviews on additional Indie published books!

BOOK REVIEW! Bound by Fate by author Mandy Lou Dowson

I made the decision that in 2018, when I take a break from writing my own book, I'm going to only read Indie books. For those that don't know, Indie books are written by authors that self publish their books instead of going through a publisher. Self-publishing can be hard, time consuming, and stressful. But, in the end, it can also be very satisfying. Supporting Indie authors is something I love doing and I'm excited to see what jewels I find over the next year!

I'm very glad I made that decision too because I've already had the pleasure of reading a fantastic Indie book! Bound by Fate was a great read that I couldn't put down.

Mandy Lou Dowson had a great writing style that seriously pulls you into the book. Just enough detail so you can really envision the landscape she is describing or feel what the character is feeling. The combination really pulls you in, you are able to relate to the characters and can't wait to find out what happens to them. She does include some erotic scenes, this is certainly not a book for teens or younger, but it is done tastefully. These scenes are built up to - you see them coming, not just interjected for the sake of having them. That is something I can appreciate! 

Bound by Fate is an easy read book about two wolf packs hidden away in a thick forest. Different from other werewolf stories, these wolves avoid humans for the most part and live away from civilization. It was refreshing to read a werewolf story that kept me engaged and wondering what was going to come next instead of taking the well worn path of so many other were stories (which are still great reads, just not as engaging). She took the traditional werewolf story and expanded on it and took it to new levels.

The packs even have different traditions that she does an amazing job of describing, including females not coming "of age" until much later than most would think. The main female character, Beth, is 21 and still considered a child by the pack. A situation that changes quickly when she starts to be attracted to her guardian and ends up mated to a male from a neighboring pack. The plot twists just continue from there! 

There are several characters for you to both love and hate or both at the same time! The characters are nicely filled out with definite personalities that you can relate to, smile with, and want to get to know. 

If you are looking for an easy read that will keep your attention and you will honestly enjoy reading, then this is absolutely the book you want to pick up next. 

About the Author (taken from Goodreads)

Mandy Lou Dowson was born and raised in a small town in Ireland, in 1983. Family is a huge deal to Mandy. She has three wonderful children, and two dogs - a Siberian Husky who only does what she’s told if there’s something in it for her, and a little white Pomeranian who loves nothing better than to roll in mud, or worse.

In her spare time, she likes to relax with a few glasses of wine and some karaoke. She has a keen interest in special effects make-up and is part of a dramatical society which puts on one show and one concert each year. 

Mandy started reading at quite a young age and her appetite for the written word has only increased with time. It would not be at all surprising to find her reading anything and everything from shampoo bottles to Edgar Allan Poe.

7 Expectations that writers have before publication – and the truth!

Today I have a guest post from Leonora Meriel, author of The Unity Game.

I absolutely LOVE her 7 expectations because they are SO true! Thinking of writing your own book? Then read on for some awesome insight!

My entire life, I had dreamed of being a writer. My books on the shelves of magical bookstores, children with noses buried in pages I had written. My name in print on the front of a beautifully bound novel.

 It look many years for this dream to come true, but eventually it did, and I can now visit bookshops and see my two novels sitting proudly on the shelves. “The Woman Behind the Waterfall,” my debut novel, is the story of three generations of women in a Ukrainian village. The second novel, “The Unity Game,” is a speculative science fiction novel laced with philosophy and metaphysics.

 Now that I am living my dream, I often contemplate the differences between my innocent expectations prior to publication, and the reality I am now experiencing. So I thought I would share some observations about what has met my hopes and what has not.

 Expectation 1: However good you are, writers will never earn much money
Reality: So far, correct! I have two literary fiction novels that are selling well, however in order to pay bills and rent, you need to sell thousands of books a month, not hundreds. Very few writers sell this many books on a permanent basis, and it is almost always unpredictable.

 Expectation 2: It is the best feeling in the world to see your own books in bookshops.
Reality: Yes! Entirely true. Seeing novels that have your name on them next to other wonderful writers is incredible. It is like your words have come home to the place they always wanted to be – nestled among the very best stories of the world. I spend far too much time in bookshops gazing at my covers and spines.

 Expectation 3: Bad reviews will hurt.
Reality: Not true! I expected that I would be sobbing on the sofa after terrible reviews, but actually I find them fascinating and illuminating. The fact that most people love my work (most of my reviews are 4 or 5 stars) gives me the strength to carefully study the observations of those who don’t, and to understand what I could improve in my books. It is a useful source of feedback and learning. I’m grateful for them.

 Expectation 4: Nothing about the writing journey will be easy.
Reality: Not true! While a great deal of the journey is challenging, there are some parts that are wonderfully easy. To name a few – writing the first draft of the novel (or sitting in cafes with a coffee and scribbling stories); networking with other writers; finding great editors and proofreaders; being stocked in bookshops; finding readers.

 Expectation 5: Other writers will try to take you down
Reality: Not true! I had imagined the writing community as jealous and secretive. My personal experience has been the opposite. The writers I have met have been generous, thoughtful, friendly, happy to share writing and publishing ideas, excited about their work and the work of others, happy to promote you and do good things for you. Most writers I have met are as excited and happy as I am to be achieving their writing dreams and having their stories on the shelves of bookstores.

 Expectation 6: Family and friends will be your biggest supporters
Reality: Not always. Perhaps if you are published when you are 21, then all your family and friends have the time to celebrate you and give their full support, however if you publish later, then you might find that everyone is just too busy to pay attention to your dream coming true. People have children to look after and work to go to, and your personal joy might not register very high in their stressful lives. The bright side, however, is that you do not depend on family and friends for your career development, but learn how to move ahead in a professional and objective way.

 Expectation 7: You will have amazing readers who will love your work
Reality: A resounding yes! My first taste of this was a glowing review of my novel on Amazon, and a reader supporting me on Twitter. Following this was an e-mail saying that I was another reader’s new favorite author. Then other readers have posted how deeply my work has moved them. Thanks to social media, I am now in touch with almost all of these lovely readers and it has been such a great experience to be able to share part of the journey with them. If I had to choose my top 3 favorite things about being a writer – this would be one of them.

Book Review - An Awfully Big Adventure

This was a very easy but fun read! 

I would honestly say this is more a YA book than an adult fiction even with the cussing that is included. Honestly, the cussing could have easily been left out and it would not have hurt the story line in the least. Even with that, the writing is for the most part well done and easy to follow.

The characters are not complicated - they each clearly have a mission and they are focused on it. They might have used a little more development, at points the story almost feels rushed, points that could have been developed a little bit more were not. Some plot lines were left unresolved (or, if they were resolved it wasn't obvious enough in the story for me to notice). None of these issues hurt the story line, but they are obviously there.

So, you are probably wondering WHY I have it 4/5 stars, huh?

Well, in all honesty, I did enjoy this book. It was great afternoon entertainment when I wasn't feeling well last weekend. It really is a fun story even with its flaws. And the few issues there are don't cause any issues with the actual story, which is a great classic of children caught in the land of fairy tales and relating real world issues (divorce with children) to what they are going through.

Also, it is pretty obvious this is an Indie author and I'll always be honest, there is a VERY soft place in my heart for them! Trying to write and edit your own book is not a feat for the faint of heart!

More About The Book -

Seventeen-year-old Yoshita Ray has stopped believing in happily ever after and fairy tales ever since her mother abandoned her. But now that her father’s married again, Yoshita’s world is turned upside down by her new stepbrother, the ten-year-old true believer, Tanay Mukherjee.

On his tenth birthday, Tanay makes a wish which whisks them away to a magical land where all the fairy tale characters are real! While Yoshita wants to do nothing but leave this place behind, her stepbrother wants to stay.

Will the rather unfortunately timed adventure tear the stepsiblings apart or will it play a hand in bringing them closer together?

Join them on An Awfully BIG Adventure to find out!

More about the author -

Aniesha Brahma wanted to be an author since she was six years old. She was born and raised in Kolkata, India. She studied in Dolna Day School and completed her college degrees (including MPhil) in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University. She works as a social media strategist/marketing executive, is the founder and editor of BUZZ Magazine and blogs (almost) regularly at www.anieshabrahma.com. Her debut novel was The Secret Proposal. It was followed by The Guitar Girl, When Our Worlds Collide and All Signs Lead Back to You. She has also worked on children’s books like P.C. Chandra’s Awesome Four and General Press’ Children’s Classic Stories. She was part of the UK-India 2017 India Wales’ The Valley, City and Village (VCV) Project and a speaker at Hay Festival 2017. Aniesha is extremely active on social media and you can get in touch with her by writing to her at contact@anieshabrahma.com.

BOOK REVIEW!!! The Unity Game

   

This book is not for the faint of heart!

When it started out, I wasn't too sure. I wasn't sure if I was at a place I could put forth the effort to follow what was happening. I'll admit it - I've had a lot going on. Going from one storyline to the next was almost more than I could add to my plate. But I'm very glad I did!

As I mentioned, in the beginning I was a little confused. But Meriel does such an amazing job of making each character SO different - in their thinking, in their surroundings, in their personalities - that it was much easier to keep them "straight" than I originally thought it would be (this is me admitting that I was VERY wrong about this book at first!). And then, she brings these characters together for a story unlike any other.

The amazing tale she weaves is one everyone that has a love of the extraordinary (spiritual) should read. The way all the lives intertwine with each other and with those that came before us leaves you wondering what comes next. And yet, she brings it all together so beautifully, so SEAMLESSLY that are are not left wondering for long.

She brings the words to life in your imagination so well that you won't want to put this book down. I highly recommend anyone to read it, even if you do not typically read this style of book, I think you would still find it satisfying.

More About The Book -

WHAT IF THE EARTH YOU KNEW WAS JUST THE BEGINNING?
A New York banker is descending into madness.
A being from an advanced civilization is racing to stay alive.
A dead man must unlock the secrets of an unknown dimension to save his loved ones.
From the visions of Socrates in ancient Athens, to the birth of free will aboard a spaceship headed to Earth, The Unity Game tells a story of hope and redemption in a universe more ingenious and surprising than you ever thought possible.
Metaphysical thriller and interstellar mystery, this is a 'complex, ambitious and thought-provoking novel' from an exciting and original new voice in fiction.

More About The Author - 

Leonora Meriel grew up in London and studied literature at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and Queen’s University in Canada. She worked at the United Nations in New York, and then for a multinational law firm.
In 2003 she moved from New York to Kyiv, where she founded and managed Ukraine’s largest Internet company. She studied at Kyiv Mohyla Business School and earned an MBA, which included a study trip around China and Taiwan, and climbing to the top of Hoverla, Ukraine’s highest peak and part of the Carpathian Mountains. She also served as President of the International Women’s Club of Kyiv, a major local charity.
During her years in Ukraine, she learned to speak Ukrainian and Russian, witnessed two revolutions and got to know an extraordinary country at a key period of its development.
In 2008, she decided to return to her dream of being a writer, and to dedicate her career to literature. In 2011, she completed The Woman Behind the Waterfall, set in a village in western Ukraine. While her first novel was with a London agent, Leonora completed her second novel The Unity Game, set in New York City and on a distant planet.
Leonora currently lives in Barcelona and London and has two children. She is working on her third novel.

BOOK REVIEW!! Changing Places by Anne K. Edwards

A black cat named Whiskers encounters a snake that has lost his home when he goes outside to see the world.

We absolutely LOVED this story!

This is such a cute story about how things might not always be better elsewhere. Of course, that isn't quite what my 4 yr old got out of the story, but he did get several giggles and laughs out of it!

I think one of the best things about this story is how V could honestly relate to both the cat and the snake in one way or another. The snake "oh! My daddy would be so mad if he found a snake moving into our house!" And the cat "Is that what happened to our kitty? Did she go outside and get lost?" I loved how he interjected his own little tidbits the entire time I was reading to him "sometimes even cats shouldn't climb trees!" and "that lady got the snake with a broom!" He just really got into the story and the illustrations in this story.

I have to admit, the illustrations really pulled me in as well. These illustrations are amazingly well done and a perfect match to the storyline. V had to prod me along once because I stopped reading and was simply looking at all the cute details in the illustration! LOL I also really enjoyed the story because it is a very simple, but well done, version of the old saying "the grass isn't always greener on the other side". 

Overall - this is a fantastic story sure to be enjoyed by all!