Review: Art and Soul by Claire Huston @ClaraVal #romance #bookreview

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Today I’d like to share my review of Art and Soul by Claire Huston. To briefly explain my feelings for this book – I had to ban myself from reading it at night because I just couldn’t stop reading to go to sleep!

Blurb

There’s no problem Becky Watson can’t fix. Except her own love life…

Struggling single mother Becky Watson longs to revive her career as a life-fixer, working miracles to solve her clients’ problems, no matter how big or small. Since the birth of her two-year-old son she has been stuck preventing wedding fiascos for the richest and rudest residents of the Comptons, a charming, leafy area of southern England known for its artistic heritage.

So when semi-reclusive local artist Charlie Handren reluctantly hires Becky to fix his six-year creative slump, she’s delighted to set him up with a come-back exhibition and Rachel Stone, the woman of his dreams.

Though they get off to a rocky start, Becky and Charlie soon become close. But as the beautiful Rachel becomes Charlie’s muse, Becky is forced to wonder: will giving Charlie everything he wants mean giving up her own happily ever after?

A heart-warming romance about second chances perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Phillipa Ashley and Cathy Kelly.

My Review

(I’m experimenting and going back to my old review style, so let me know what you think.)

Characters

I felt an immediate connection with the main characters Becky and Charlie. The story is told skilfully from both their viewpoints and has lots of side characters that bring colour and warmth to the story.

Plot

Becky is a life-fixer and is brought in to help reclusive artist Charlie rediscover his muse for painting and set his life back on track whilst trying to deal with her own single parent struggles. She can work miracles with other people, and is almost like a guardian angel working in the background, but has her own difficulties and hang ups from past events that get in the way of her finding her own happiness.

What I like

It was great to read a story about a life fixer. It’s something different and I think we can agree that we all need a bit of Becky’s magical touch in our lives!

I also loved how Becky is a single parent struggling to work and raise her young son. It’s not the usual set up for a romance story and it was refreshing.

What I didn’t like

It’s one of those books where there really isn’t anything that I had an issue with. The ending could have been a tiny bit more dramatic maybe but it was still satisfying, enjoyable and choked me up so you really can’t ask for much more from a story.

Conclusion

I cannot go into details and risk spoilers but I will say I was left with happy feeling at the end of this novel. There were ups and downs throughout that kept you guessing but in the end it was a great conclusion to the story. It left me wanting to keep reading and being in their lives!

This is Claire Huston’s debut novel, though it reads like a book from a well-established author who has honed her craft. She’s an author I look forward to reading more from.

Recommend

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a feel good romance. Star rating 4.5

Check it out on Goodreads and Amazon

#Reviewers #Bloggers Sign up to the new blog tour run by Storytellers On Tour #fantasy #yafantasy

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As my publishing plans for 2020 have been pushed back, I decided to show some love to my fantasy box set trilogy – Silent Sea Chronicles, in particular book 1 The Lost Sentinel. The tour runs from 6th to 12th September.

All the details can be found on the Storytellers on Tour website where you can sign up to take part. Here’s the link The Lost Sentinel blog tour.

Another book birthday and Ad experiments #fantasy #fantasypromo

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Yes, I know it’s another book birthday post, but I’m super proud of The Sentinel’s Alliance reaching it’s first birthday today. It was such a special feeling to finally finish publishing the trilogy and receiving such wonderful reviews from readers and book bloggers. Now I just need readers to find it!

With that in mind I’ve been experimenting with Ad’s over the weekend, trying to find the right combo for Facebook ads to promote the box set.

Here’s a couple I’ve designed, let me know what you think.

http://mybook.to/sscboxset

I’ve also played with a few for the first book.

What do you think about promo’s, is it better to focus on the first book in a series or the whole box set?

I still have lots of work to do making my ad’s but I’d love some feedback at this early stage and before I start actively promoting it.

Also…

Have you read the box set? Would you consider leaving reviews on Amazon / Goodreads / Bookbub or where ever you feel comfortable posting them? I love to share quotes from reviewers and I hope to pick a few to add to my ads.

Thanks for your time.

***

Writing update – Today I was supposed to publish! #fantasyauthor #indieauthor #amwriting

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At the beginning of 2020 I planned to publish a prequel novella today – 30th June 2020.

I’m not and I have no idea when it will be ready. I know there is no point rushing and bringing out a book that isn’t the best I can make it, but I still feel disappointed.

Positive thinking…

I’ve realised that I need to relax and stop pressurising myself. Nothing terrible will happen if I don’t meet my own deadlines. That is the beauty of self publishing and being your own boss.

At the start of lock down I had hopes of publishing 3 books in a year! A prequel novella, the main book and then the sequel novella. Looking back now I see my crazy plan was unattainable. Hell, I haven’t even reached beyond a brief plan of the sequel and still have the last quarter of the main book to write. Now a beta reader suggests that the prequel novella should be novel size, so I no longer know where I am.

Future plans…

I would still like to get the first book out by the end of the year but I need to keep in mind that plans can change and that is just the way life is.

I also have ideas to publish a book of short stories and I’ve been working on a romance novella that could be a contender for publication later this year.

I have plenty to keep me busy and lots to look forward to in the future. I also want to work on getting more exposure for my 4 published books. Here they are, I still love looking at them.

A dose of reality….

My husband is very supportive of my dreams but we did have an honest chat about finances the other day. What he said has stayed with me and shown me that I need to get my act together. He said

‘Your books are our pension… so it looks like we’re going to starve.’

Puts things into perspective, doesn’t it!

Staying positive…

I need to focus everything I have on these next few books and making them the best I can before setting any publication dates.

I hope having a bigger back catalogue of books will start working for me financially and if not, there perhaps at that point I’ll pull my head out of the clouds and get that proper job he’s always joked about. But not until I’ve given this my best shot.

I got a Czech publishing deal out of nowhere, so who knows if another great opportunity is just around the corner.

Stay safe and positive everyone.

***

Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy

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The Sentinel’s Reign book birthday #fantasy #epicfantasy #trilogy

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This post is to celebrate the 2nd birthday of book 2 in my Silence Sea Chronicles – The Sentinel’s Reign.

With lockdown and epidemics still going on, I think it’s good to look back and celebrate successes. By now I should be preparing to publish my next book but everything has been set back, so at least today I can feel proud of a past achievement rather than focus on the delays to my plans.

On 29th June 2018 I released this beauty into the world…

I remember feeling nervous that it wouldn’t match the quality of book, but reviewers soon put my mind at ease. It’s great to look back and share a few of their comments…

‘The Sentinel’s Reign breathes life into an island of magic as well as enemies thirsting for its power. Adventurous and unique this fantasy only gets more captivating with every turn.’

‘After reading The Lost Sentinel, I was invested in these character’s lives and as before beware of heartbreak. There were times that I was in mourning and then as I was continuing the story, I wanted to fist pump the air. This story will flip your emotions and as the story intensifies with the pending danger, I could not put this book down.’

What I love about The Sentinel’s Reign is that it doesn’t struggle from “middle book syndrome.” The plot is great, the characters are developing, and this doesn’t feel like just a bridge from book one to book three!

‘What a fantastic continuation from book one… Overall, this book was action packed and had me glued to it’s pages just as its predecessor did, even as I was just processing what happened in one chapter, I was desperate to speed through the next to see what happened! I cannot wait to get my hands on book three and see where the adventure takes Tei and her friends next.‘

‘As soon as I read Book One, I bought the next two in the series and all three books were fabulous! Suzanne has created a wonderful new world full of characters you will mostly love and a few to hate but they are all superb.’

Check out The Sentinel’s Reign on Goodreads

Reading all the lovely reviews of this book has made me feel very emotional. I’m so happy that I’ve been able to share this story with the world and that readers have loved Silent Sea Chronicles as much as me. Sometimes with all that’s happening it’s good to be reminded of what we have achieved.

My only regret about self publishing is not being able to reach readers on a wider scale. I believe in these books and I wish I could wave a magic wand to help people find them.

Unfortunately, I don’t own a magic wand but the next best thing is happening – soon all three books will be brought to life in audio format! Until then, I’ll try to keep positive; who knows what’s around the corner.

If you are tempted to try out the series here are the universal links for Book 1 The Lost Sentinel or Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy box set for only £6.99 / $6.99.

Have a great day everyone.

***

Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy

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#Tuesdaybookblog #Bookreview Fallible Justice by Laura Laakso #urbanfantasy #paranormalcrime @LLaaksoWriter

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I really enjoyed my first visit to Old London and meeting with so many interesting characters.

Blurb

In Old London, where paranormal races co-exist with ordinary humans, criminal verdicts delivered by the all-seeing Heralds of Justice are infallible. After a man is declared guilty of murder and sentenced to death, his daughter turns to private investigator Yannia Wilde to do the impossible and prove the Heralds wrong.
Yannia has escaped a restrictive life in the Wild Folk conclave where she was raised, but her origins mark her as an outsider in the city. Those origins lend her the sensory abilities of all of nature. Yet Yannia is lonely and struggling to adapt to life in the city. The case could be the break she needs. She enlists the help of her only friend, a Bird Shaman named Karrion, and together they accept the challenge of proving a guilty man innocent.
So begins a breathless race against time and against all conceivable odds. Can Yannia and Karrion save a man who has been judged infallibly guilty?

Firstly I’d just like to admire the cover, it’s so well designed and even though its dark it really stands out and draws the eye.

This book has some of my favourite elements, magic and mystery, in a modern day setting with a difference. There is so much depth to the character, her past, and the magic system in this world that it draws you in. I love the peppering of details that help you understand Yannia and her past, and I can’t wait to discover more about in the books to come.

I loved the magic in this book, in particular how Yannia can call up the senses of other animals and use them to see the world around her. There is also her daily struggle to live away from the natural magic, her pain is very well portrayed and makes you care for the character even more. There are lots of colourful yet mysterious characters that help Yannia along the way and I hope they will feature more in future books.

The crime itself is an interesting one. P.I’s are a personal favourite of mine and I just loved investigating this impossible crime with Yannia. The whodunit moment was great and the realisation of how the crime was committed completely surprised me.

It’s a great first book of what I’m sure will be an entertaining series with characters and a magic system I can’t wait to discover more about. So far there are 3 books in the series but I believe there are more to come.

I noticed it’s currently only 99p on Amazon. I recommend picking up a copy now. Let me know what you think.

Check out Fallible Justice on ; Amazon and Goodreads.

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy

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1k blog followers! #indieauthor #blogger

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I’ve just reached a huge milestone, one I would never have imagined possible when I joined WordPress and started blogging 5 years ago. It all came about when I decided to self publish my debut novel, Visions of Zarua, back in Nov 2015.

I had no clue what I was doing or what to blog about but I had a lot of fun experimenting. I’ve blogged 573 posts, had 24k views and 14k visitor across the world.

I’ve conversed with lots of wonderful readers and writers over the years and greatly enjoyed being a part of the blogging community.

1,000 Follows!
A huge milestone for Suzanne Rogerson Fantasy Author blog

This has actually come at a time where I’ve just started getting back into blogging, so I’m really happy to be able to celebrate 1000 followers today.

Thanks for being there and I hope you’re still with me in another five years.

***

Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy

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#Bookreview Children of Sinai by Shelley Clarke @Shelley62628484

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A compelling mystery I highly recommend.

Blurb

How would you feel if you got caught up in a secret so vast it threatened everything the world had come to believe?

That’s what happened to John Milburn, computer science lecturer, orphan, husband and father, who lived an ordinary life in Haverhill, Suffolk, England.

That is, until the dreams started…

From the idyllic calm of Cambridge, John Milburn is drawn to the dust and the heat of Jericho. Thrown into danger and intrigue, he discovers more than he’d bargained for.

‘A wowser of a tale that is exciting and thought-provoking with a cast of characters you’ll fall in love with. Inspired by Biblical events, historical finds, theories and the author’s own strange imagination.’

My Review

This was a really gripping and interesting book that challenges beliefs. It’s also one that I’ve found hard to categorise. Mystery, thriller, action adventure, apocalyptic…

The first half of the book is filled with questions as the mystery drags you in and then the action steps up as the pieces start to fall into place. I really liked the characters and quickly became invested in their story. I was fascinated by the idea of twins being at the heart of something so big.

The story takes an unexpected turn that I hadn’t seen coming. I was especially surprised when the novel came scarily close to the current worldwide crisis going on in 2020.

I loved how the past was interwoven with the present and how dreams play such a big part in the story. There was only one part when the characters are forced to set up a new community with others that have been singled out that I felt might have been a little rushed. It didn’t spoil my pleasure of the story nor my need to keep reading to find out the fate of humankind. And plenty happens as others seek to thwart their attempts to follow their destiny.

I can’t wait to read about what happens to civilisation after the shocking events at the end of book 1. I highly recommend this book.

You can buy Children of Sinai from Amazon.

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy

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Free paperback offer – The Lost Sentinel bk 1 Silent Sea Chronicles #fantasy #epicfantasy #yafantasy

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As it’s the third birthday of The Lost Sentinel, I’ve decided to offer someone a free paperback. This worldwide offer is open until 20th June 2020.

To enter you can follow my blog, comment on and share this post, you can also share and follow me across any of the social media platforms below for extra entries into the draw. I’ll pick a winner over the weekend.

Good luck!

Twitter  Goodreads  BookBub  Amazon  Facebook Instagram

Blurb

The magical island of Kalaya is dying, along with its Sentinel.

The Assembly controls Kalaya. Originally set up to govern, they now persecute those with magic and exile them to the Turrak Mountains.

Tei, a tailor’s daughter, has always hidden her magic but when her father’s old friend visits and warns them to flee to the mountains she must leave her old life behind.
On the journey, an attack leaves her father mortally wounded. He entrusts her into the care of the exiles and on his deathbed makes a shocking confession.
Struggling with self doubt, Tei joins the exiles search for the new Sentinel who is the only person capable of restoring the fading magic. But mysterious Masked Riders are hunting the Sentinel too, and time, as well as hope, is running out.

Against mounting odds it will take friendship, heartache and sacrifice for the exiles to succeed in their quest, but is Tei willing to risk everything to save the island magic?

Follow Tei’s journey through the magical land of Kalaya and the Astral Plane in The Lost Sentinel – Book 1 in the Silent Sea Chronicles.