BOOK REVIEW: French Kissed: An Urban Romance Fiction Novel by Smokey Moment

 Bianca French is a spoiled woman not satisfied with her life. Marriage and three children back to back, have all but dulled her senses and she yearns for something more. Bianca lives a life filled with lies, sexual promiscuity and self-indulgence as she tries to escape from what she sees as a lackluster life. Her husband Bryce discovers what she’s been doing, and leaves her in the cold causing her to tumble further into the abyss. But after landing a job and catching the eye of its millionaire owner, Bianca is faced with even more trials as the encounter threatens to change her life forever. She is forced to take a long hard look at her choices and how she came to be a woman stripped of her wifely and motherly duties due to her betrayals, deceit and misguided choices. But Bianca has a secret. Bryce doesn’t know that his wife’s indiscretions will end up challenging the validity of their bond and force him to decide if he is man enough to forge ahead, forgive her and move on, knowing what he knows.

Will Bianca gain control of her inner demons and win back the love and trust of a good man? A dedicated husband who turned his back on her after finding out she has done the ultimate betrayal. Will her new lover win her heart and change her life forever? Or will her husband’s love conquer all and bring two people back together again?

BUY NOW! AVAILABLE ONLY ON AMAZON!

REVIEW

Bianca’s and Bryce’s marriage could be an episode off of Jerry Springer, which makes French Kissed a gossipy good read. Sexy and confident Bianca is a woman with issues making her not so confident as her cheating secrets come back to bite her. If that is not enough, there is her charismatic boss too. You will find yourself booing her one moment then cheering for her the next. Can she claim redemption?

 With such a juicy story, it is sad to say that bad editing caused a hiccup in the flow of the book especially in the dialogue. It is forgivable though typos aside, I was still engrossed with the story.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Smokey Moment is an avid reader and accomplished professional who decided to put her storytelling abilities between pages for the world to enjoy. She writes mostly paranormal fantasy and urban romance novels. She enjoys writing novellas and novels with powerful storylines that resonate with readers. 

Visit her website @ smokeymomentbooks.com

BOOK REVIEW: Asian Lifestyle Secrets -Part 1- How to Stay Healthy, Prevent Deadly Sickness and Live an Extraordinary Long Life by Yanjuan Lou

It all started when one woman in China decided that she needed to change her life. After enduring a heartfelt loss, she spirited herself away on a journey that took her from one end of Asia to the other. Along the way, she visited many exotic locations, met troves of fascinating people, and learned something from these people that forced her to push her journey further westward.

She then visited Europe, the United States, as well as other corners of the globe. As she journeyed onwards, she put the methods of what she had learned while exploring Asia to the test. After a long journey, she had come to the conclusion that what she had learned while venturing through Asia was, in fact, true. There was a secret hidden in the world that almost no one outside the continent of Asia knew, and she made it her mission to share this secret with the rest of the world.

What was the secret that she learned while globetrotting the four corners of the world? Yanjuan Lou learned the Asian secret to achieving infinite health! It is a proven fact that the people of Asia have always had a reputation for aging more gracefully than any other people in the history of mankind. No one has known why this is so though—until now! 

      BUY NOW! AVAILABLE ONLY ON AMAZON

REVIEW

Asian Lifestyle Secrets is a breath of fresh air on this genre of a topic. Yanjuan Lou writes with life and loves revealing the ancient secrets to a long life. In Asian Lifestyles Secrets Yanjuan is our key as we learn from her personal experiences as she discovered the secret key.

Yanjuan’s writing keeps everything neat and precise in her book which I like, she does not go off topic or blows any fluffy jumbo jargon in your face trying to impress. She is real. I look forward to reading book two.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yanjuan Lou was born in Shenyang, China. China is a very conformed society with an extremely low tolerance for mediocrity or mistakes. She has spent most of her time in China being told what to do, then doing it. This was just how things were there. Before she left China on a personal quest, she had written non-fiction books. The topics she usually used to write about were often related to health, beauty products, and financing. Her husband, daughter, and herself–moved to California in 2015. By then, she was ready to leave China behind— not for good—but at the time, it matched with where she was in her life. Besides, while visiting the U.S., she realized that if she really was going to spread her message and enter a new phase of life, she needed to relocate away from her past. She dabbled in a few different jobs after moving to the U.S. She was a customer service representative for a travel agency, and then later, she got a second job as a model for the occasional magazine ad and the like. However, neither of these was very fulfilling. Even worse, they were extremely stressful. They ate up all of her time, paid marginally well at best, and were beyond demanding. She hit a point where she couldn’t take it anymore. She has left those jobs behind and has finally decided to return to her passion for writing. She truly believes in her heart that a person, regardless of age, culture, family inventions, can learn to live in harmony with themselves.

BOOK REVIEW: Jam Sandwich: The Key To Ultimate Happiness by T.C. Mosia

Happiness is more than a mood; it is an underlying spiritual state upon which our moods are based. Most self-help advice on happiness will deal with our moods, which is more like dealing with the symptoms of an underlying sickness, rather than with the sickness itself, hence why the impact is always short-lived.

Happiness is for the spirit what good health is for the body - it is a fundamental restoration of a sickly spiritual condition. Once an unhealthy spirit has been healed, the negative moods and emotions will self-correct. In order to achieve true and long-lasting happiness, our spirits need to be in a healthy state.

The road to where our true happiness lies is unique to us. We do not have to travel anyone's path. The purpose of this book is to help the reader find their own unique path. It reveals principles and truths upon which each of us can discover their own personal route to spiritual health and happiness.

Because the formula proposed in this book is based on a scientific assessment of how the physical world works, and thus how the system we commonly refer to as "human" works, it is guaranteed to work for anyone, every time without fail.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE

REVIEW

Happiness always seemed elusive, so seeing Jam Sandwich I thought hmm…

I will say Jam sandwich is a thought-provoking read. T.C. Mosia makes your mind think deeper than you ever thought. He offers his thoughts and opinions in a form of a kind of step by step guide, yet in the end, it is all up to our choosing if we want to do the work to achieve our own personal happiness.

Mosia does throw a lot of God into his guide. Being spiritual I did not mind, though at times I felt it was a little preachy. Still, I learned from his passionate advice. If you like a thought-provoking read that really gets your searching yourself, your soul, your life Jam Sandwich can provide. Overall a good read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

T.C. Mosia is a software developer, pencil artist, graphic designer, philanthropist, teacher, founder of Christ's Goodworks Foundation, and author of the book Jam Sandwich (www.jamsandwich.co.za). He graduated with a BSc. Computer Science and Informatics degree from the University of Johannesburg. He loves reading, learning, writing, engaging in informal debates (i.e. arguing), eating good food, exercising, and having fun. He finds purpose and fulfillment in looking for and discovering solutions to humanity's fundamental problems. Jam Sandwich is one such solution that he wholeheartedly believes will profoundly impact the lives of those who read it.

FOLLOW HIM ON Twitter: @tcmosia

BOOK REVIEW: Butterfly Hill (A Matthy’s Rossouw Pursuit Book 2) by Brendan Le Grange

Seven hundred years ago a Dynasty died, how far will China go to keep it dead?

Hiko Shimuzu is not a nice man, but he is ingenious. Ingenious enough to find a lost artifact capable of catalyzing a revolution in China? Maybe. And that's close enough to draw the attention of powerful forces that won't hesitate to kill to keep their secrets safe. Meanwhile, Matthys Rossouw is in hot pursuit, unaware of the full scale of the danger he faces.

Butterfly Hill is the exciting follow-up to Drachen. Set in the hills above Hong Kong's Lantau Island, it's another high-stakes game of cat and mouse that races towards an explosive conclusion.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        AVAILABLE AT AMAZON

REVIEW

Discovering that I picked up book 2 made me a bit concerned, but Le Grange does a nice recap for you then thrusts you into his world of action. Hiko is hunting an ancient artifact while Matthy’s is hunting him. Little do they know they are both being hunted by something much bigger. Le Grange writing is fast-paced leaving you gripping on every word he writes let alone every page.

His characters are wickedly well written changing within the flow of the story, and according to the events that happen in the book. No character is the same character at the end. Especially Hiko, he was like this anti-Indiana Jones anti-hero at the beginning of the book. At the end who he is, is questionable as we hope for book 3 to find out. If you like action pack reading filled with espionage then Butterfly Hill is a book you must grab.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brendan le Grange lives in Hong Kong with his beautiful wife and daughters, writing high-paced action thrillers when his day job allows. Luckily, that day job also allows him to travel to the exotic locales in which his books are set.

Learn more about Brendan at www.brendanlegrange.com

@BrendanLeG on Twitter

Facebook

BOOK REVIEW: Devyn Rose, The Innkeepers Daughter: A Romance Novella by Ronnda Eileen Henry

A sweet romantic adventure set in the fantasy world of the medieval-like island continent of Penruddock. Devyn Rose has just completed her training as a scribe and returns home eager to see her family, from whom she's been separated for several years. Two strangers arrive at her father's inn and are hired to work there. No one knows the real reason they have come, and Devyn Rose has no idea that her life may be in danger.

                   AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON/ BARNES AND NOBLE

REVIEW

Devyn Rose is a sweet tale, but we do not meet her till a little further into the book. I found it a bit off-putting since the book is titled “Devyn Rose”, I thought the whole book would be her story. The setup is these servants are out on a picnic. They are all couples and the oldest in the group tells his dream of creating a little village in the area they are picnicking in and his dream of having an Inn, and the others could have their dream place at the village too. They all agree and with the Kings approval, it gets built. Soon they all marry to have children, then their children have children, thus enters Devyn Rose and her story then begins.

As with all of Henry’s heroines, Devyn Rose is a strong empowered woman of her time, yet it’s that strong will that gets her tangled up in danger that nearly ends her life. This is due to the two shady strangers that have come to work at her Father’s Inn. The end result is nothing like you’d think.

Overall Devyn Rose is the perfect book to read on a Sunday afternoon curled up in your favorite chair with a nice warm cup of coffee beside you. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ronnda Eileen Henry is originally from Michigan and was raised in California and Virginia. She read a lot of history, biography, science fiction, and Regency romances when she was young, and her two favorite authors are Jane Austen and Aleksandra Layland. She has the heart of a romantic and believes romance is for people of any age. Sweet romance is her favorite, whether it's for a teenager or a person in middle age.

Retired now, she lives in Florida.

BOOK REVIEW: Beauty Redefined: How to Feel Authentically Beautiful in Today's World By Seline Shenoy

In our beauty-obsessed culture, women have become accustomed to using the standards set by society and the media as a barometer to measure their own worth. They perpetually wonder where they stand on the attractiveness continuum and question everything about their outward appearances, from their skin color to their waistline, to their fashion sense. They keep asking themselves, "Am I good enough? Do I matter? Will others love and accept me for who I am?" Beauty Redefined explores this critical issue by looking at beauty from a cultural, biological and historical perspective and provides solutions on what we can do on a collective and individual level to redefine what it means to be a beautiful woman. By reading this book, you'll be convinced that your voice matters and you'll feel empowered to make your own unique mark in the world, no matter what your size, shape, color or ethnic background is. You'll learn how to love yourself (warts and all!) and embrace every unique aspect of your being and use it to make the world a better place.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE

REVIEW

Beauty Redefined is a feel-good book that I think every woman should have on her bookshelf. It’s a book you can pick up when you are feeling down on yourself to make you smile, be empowered and remember who you are, which is beautiful.

Shenoy writes in an insightful, conversational tone making this book an attentive read while we are educated and advised all in one. I also think the title is wrong. Shenoy guides us not on how to feel beautiful, but to bring out the beauty that always has been inside each one of us. I thank Shenoy for helping me remember.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Seline Shenoy is an author, podcast host and life coach on topics related to personal development, self-esteem, productivity, and wellness. She's the founder of The Dream Catcher—a blog community that connects and encourages people, like you, to live their dream life and to make a difference. Its inspirational message has been attracting thousands of readers every month from all over the world since 2014. She is a regular contributor to online publications such as Forbes, MindBodyGreen, Elite Daily, Project Happiness, Global Love Project and several others.

Born and raised in Dubai, Seline considers herself to be a global citizen having traveled extensively to over 35 countries across Europe, North America, Australia, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. She graduated with a B.S. in marketing and psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and earned a masters degree in international marketing and advertising from Emerson College in Boston. She also has certifications in hypnotherapy, life coaching, NLP and personality assessments such as MBTI and Strong Inventory.

Seline’s mission is to help people live up to the truest expression of themselves by building a strong and balanced inner foundation of self-worth followed by designing a life that’s in alignment with their personal vision. Through her unique blend of personal experiences and professional expertise, combined with a genuine devotion towards personal and spiritual growth, Seline offers solutions that are both intuitive and practical at the same time.

BOOK REVIEW: STELLAR by Kevin Hollingsworth

"Stellar" is an interesting as well as compelling book of prose poetry that encompasses the wonderment of love. Further, stories of romance, love, and tragedy are told creatively through the eyes of 107 poems. In "Stellar" one will have a chance to go on an odyssey of figurative language, and will also get a refreshing sense of the human condition that we all need, and yearn for love. In "Stellar" one will also have a unique opportunity to view emotionalism seemingly painted by the masters. In reality, however, these poetic words of distinction cannot fit on a canvas but are to be read on paper and enjoyed by you and your imagination.

     AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

REVIEW

Stellar is romantic poetry in its finest. Hollingsworth writes with a poetic forlorn touch of longing, aching for beauties attention.

 While other poems are confident with love gained, filled with sensuality and beauty like in “Tonia”, and “Flames.”

Not one much for the romantic poetry? Hollingsworth breaks down those hardcore walls as he writes with such passion and desire! The heart cannot escape his poetic words. I think Stellar is a must have in any couple’s bookcase. Make a date night poetry night with Stellar.                                                                                                                                                      

ABOUT THE AUTHOR     

     

Hollingsworth has been a dreamer since he was born in N.Y.C. His dreams started September 20, 1968. He moved to Los Angeles, California when he was very young. he received his education in Los Angeles and joined the workforce a couple of years after graduating college. he did not start writing poetry until later in life. Friends and family really enjoyed the beautiful words he shared with them from his poems. So, he continued to write and published his first prose poetry book "Wonders" in 2009. I published his second book of prose "Romance with A Touch of Love" in 2011. The dreams kept coming, and he continued to be inspired to write beautiful words. He is honored to share these beautiful words with the world in "Stellar"...

                                                                                                                                                                                             

BOOK REVIEW: Drawing for Beginners: How to Draw and Shade for Realism Kindle Edition By Jasmina Susak

This book is about drawing for beginners and it is helpful to those interested in developing basic knowledge and skills. It is concise, clear, no wasted words, very easy to understand, and well-written in a friendly way filled with encouragement and complemented with a lot of illustrations.

This book features verbal and visual explanations which makes the learning much easier and successful. The author contends that drawing and shading are skills that anyone can develop through patient practice and a lot of time spent on drawing even with no special talent for it.

               

    AVAILABLE NOW AT AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE      

REVIEW

Jasmina is an amazingly talented pencil artist creating eye-popping work. You might not think you have what it takes to reach that caliber, but Jasmina takes you beginning artists by the hand and turns you into pretty damn good artists. I never thought I had great artistic skills, but following Jasmina’s book, I drew an awesome teddy bear. It impressed me. I never thought I could do that! Jasmina teaching is easy to follow and it is fun! Love this book!

Also from Jasmina...

Mastering 3D Art: Learn to Draw 3D Objects by Jasmina Susak

AVAILABLE ONLY ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jasmina Susak is a self-taught, colored pencil artist and author of many how-to-draw books and eBooks.

Learn more about Jasmina at www.jasminasusak.com

Follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JasminaSusakArt/

                                                                                      

If It Weren’t For You: Do You Have What it Takes To Forgive? By Dorothea Neamonitos

Eleanora cannot believe it - James is nothing that she'd expected to see after six years. He is poor, perhaps homeless. What went wrong? 

Determined to help him - see where life diverted from its course, she finds herself following him, and at the same time, remembering the past as she connects each dot... But there is something, she feels, haunting her deep down. Something, she knows, she had done. 

She is about to confront him for the first time when she hears him cry out in the stillness of the night. Before she knows it, she has become an eyewitness to an assault. James is battered unconscious on the ground. What could it mean? 

Now, more than ever, she must help. Whatever James is involved in, the need to make amends is more profound. Because James wouldn't be in this dire situation in the first place if it weren't for her.

         AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

REVIEW

A surprisingly gripping tale of pain and moral beauty, and toss in some romance. We meet Eleanora, who invariably happens to see an old schoolmate living in what seems like a dismal state. His future seemed so promising, what happened? It is here the past comes back to haunt. Past sins exposed to reveal the genuine truth.

Current author Neamonitos weaves Eleanora’s tale with strong emotion, and suspense through flashbacks and then back to present time engrossing you deeper and deeper into Eleanora’s tale, making you need to know why Eleanora feels she ruined the guy's life, and must make amends with him. Neamonitos writes this all with a gifted, passionate emotion bringing Eleanora and her world to life. She is a character so real you can easily resonate with her. If It Weren’t For You I highly recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dorothea Neamonitos was born in London and grew up in Wembley Park and Edgware. After finishing school, she worked as a Sales Assistant while attending courses for Teaching English as a Foreign Language, in preparation for a teaching position she had already been offered in Greece.

Dorothea taught her Native Language to Children and Adults, from Elementary Level to Proficient, for almost seventeen years in Athens. During this time, she completed her Diploma of Higher Education in Liberal Arts (Byzantine and European Music and History) with Distinction.

In 2012, Dorothea translated her first book The Great Martyr Saint Catherine from Greek to English, opening the way to try her hand at fiction writing. In 2016, she began her first novel If It Weren’t For You. It is her first completed novel.

Dorothea lives in Athens, Greece with her husband, Nicholas, and their five children.    

Follow Her on TWITTER and FACEBOOK