Tag Archives: book review

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – June 15th – 21st – Blogger Meet Up, Big Band, Chart toppers, Cuisine Pakistan, Book Review, Summer Book Fair, Funnies

Posted on by
55

Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

I hope you have enjoyed your week so far… it has certainly thrown up one or two surprises for us.

One being the email I received earlier in the week from lovely blogger and author Cheryl Oreglia. 

Cheryl and her husband Larry were on a cruise around the UK stopping off at various points and taking to the road on their cycles. Those of you who are familiar with Cheryl’s Living in the Gap posts will know this intrepid couple are well known for their road trips with its ups and downs!

Anyway the surprise was they were going to be in Ireland from Wednesday and would like to meet up if possible. You bet it was!  We arranged to connect on Friday at Powerscourt house, gardens and distillery for lunch.  And had the company of the garden’s crows for our photographs.

It was such a delight to spend what was a far too short a time with this wonderful couple..Here are just  two of photos taken when the sun popped out at just the right moment. From left to right… Larry, Cheryl and David.

Hopefully not the last time we will meet but certainly something we will treasure.

Toni Pike very kindly posted a wonderful review for Tales from the Irish Garden to her blog on Friday which finished the week on another high note…. Thanks so much Toni ♥

Book Review – Tales Irish Garden by Toni Pike

My thanks as always to the amazing contributors for their posts and support.

William Price King joined me for a Big Band era and on Friday another in the Chart Toppers and Blockbuster series and we are delighted you are enjoying along with us.  You can catch up with William on his own Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be back with another post in her series on ageing July 6th. On her own blog an exploration of toxic relationships and walking away from them.and as always her Sunday Book Review and this week it is for the exciting thriller Two Graves by Terry Tyler   D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor was here on Wednesday exploring the cuisine of Pakistan and this coming Wednesday she will be sharing recipes for Fajita Spice, Tahini, Peanut Butter and Hummus...on her own blog Carol shared  the most recent of the cuisines of Panama. CarolCook 

The Big Band Era with William Price King and Sally Cronin – 1940s – Nat King Cole, John Scott Trotter and Bing Crosby, Bob Fosse

Chart Toppers and Blockbusters 1980s with William Price King “Beat It” and Amadeus

A-Z World Cuisines with Carol Taylor Reblog – Discovering the Cuisine of Pakistan…traditionally known as Sapta-Sindhu-Land of seven rivers…

The Alexander Technique – Part Three – Standing, Sitting and Walking Correctly by Sally Cronin

#AmericanHeartland #Stories The Immigrant and the Outlaw by Joy Neal Kidney

#Life #Redemption #Respect – Gravy by Alex Craigie

Shortstories- #Fantasy – The Girl and the Bear by D.L. Finn

#Romantic #Thriller Joy York, #Noir #Crime Alison J. Moore, #Murder #Mystery Sharon Marchisello

#SocialHistory #Compassion #Audio Elizabeth Gauffreau, #Love #War #Courage Apple Gidley, #History #SouthAfrica Pat Spencer

#Historical #Prehistoric #Trilogy Jacqui Murray, #Medieval Patricia Furstenburg, #WWII Paulette Mahurin

#Life #Shortstories #Poetry – Beem Weeks, M.J. Mallon and Sally Cronin

Share an Excerpt – Boost one of your books – #Supernatural #Paranormal #Thriller Five-Toed Tigress by T.W. Dittmer

Host Sally Cronin and the Social Media Team – Kindles, Air Fares Nutritional Advice.

Thank you for dropping in and I hope you will join us again next week… 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 22nd-28th April 2024 – Travel News, Hits 1970s, Iconic Duets, Funnies, Cardiovascular system, Book Review, Bloggers.

Posted on by

Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

A glorious sunny day here and it will be with us for the start of the week anyway.. Once I have cleared the decks I shall be outside pottering in the garden and probably enjoying a book in my lounger.

I am busy at the moment getting ready for my trip next Sunday 5th May to see my sisters and brother. I am catching an early ferry across to the UK and then driving 250 miles to Portsmouth. I am hoping that unlike other trips during the week, being a Sunday there will be a lot less commercial traffic and roadworks which have extended the trip from four and half hours to over six. I drive back to Wales the following Sunday working on the same logic and catch the ferry home on the Monday.

I remember with fondness the days I would through some spare undies, a lipstick and my toothbrush in a case and head off into the unknown with anticipation. These days the planning involved is a little more extensive. Despite David being very self-sufficient I do like to leave him stocked up for food while I am away to save him having to shop, then there is the cat to consider and the birds who get fed every day… There are quite a few more lotions and other essentials to pack ‘just in case’ despite there being a multitude of shops the other side that stock them. Then the laptop needs to be backed up and chargers to be packed for various mobile devices.  Thank goodness I am not flying lol… I would probably not get through security.

The blog will be stocked up with the regulars while I am away and whilst I might not be on social media as much, I will be checking in and responding to comments. If you don’t see me for a day or two when I am travelling don’t worry ‘I’ll be Back’

Anyway…I am looking forward to seeing my family and they have a full agenda… plus I get to see my best friend and his wife too which is a bonus.

As always my thanks also goes to my friends who contribute to the blog

William Price King  William joined me for the Breakfast Show on Tuesday and his series of iconic Duets on Friday. You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr

Debby Gies will be here on Monday with the next post in her her new series Life Lessons 101… this week Dating: Then and Now… You can catch up with her posts this week including her monthly Writer’s Links and her Sunday Book Review a short story, Cut and Thirst by Margaret Atwood. D.G. Kaye

Carol Taylor will be here on Wednesday with the next of her A-Z  World Cuisines and this week The Bahamas. Head over to check out her own posts including a celebration of Earth Day. CarolCooks2

Malcolm Allen was here onTuesday with some fun from Down Under.

Thanks again for your support this week… as always appreciated.

On with the show…

The Breakfast Show Rewind with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1972 Part One – Roberta Flack, Don McLean, Elton John, Helen Reddy

William Price King with The Duets – #1960s – 1969 – Zager & Evans – In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus), Diana Ross and The Supremes & The Temptations – I’m Gonna Make You Love Me

Malcolm Allen Entertains #Marriage #Anniversaries and #Positivity

This Year’s Focus – Cardiovascular Disease – The Circulatory System – Part Three – The Healthy Eating Plan by Sally Cronin

Free plastic waste recycling illustration

Plastics invading our bodies and its impact on our planet by Sally Cronin

#Italy #WWII #Romance #Historical The Tuscan Orphan by Siobhan Daiko

New Book Spotlight – #Travel #Humour – Building The Beast: How (Not) To Build An Overland Camper (The Wayward Truck Book 1) by Jacqueline Lambert

#Life #Ambitions #Passions – Take it to the Limit by Melanie McGauran

#Writing What Draws Readers into a Story by D.L. Finn for Story Empire

Healers Pet Care Front Body Wrap AnxietyVest 300x 300

– Pet Holiday Anxiety Issues? Pet Copywriter Tricia Perry

Thursday Thoughts -#Snakes #Death #Dusting Tiffany Blue Snake. Dust and Emily Levine by Carol Taylor

#Writing through the generations: The Silent Generation – by Gwen M. Plano on Story Empire

Kitten peeking 400 x 400

Pet Holiday Anxiety Issues? Pet Copywriter Tricia Perry

Blogger Weekly – Book Reviews Toni Pike, #Interview Marcia Meara and Darlene Foster, #Cosymysteries Carla Loves to Read, #Shakespeare Rebecca Budd, #Laughter Pete Springer

 

Thanks very much for dropping in today and I hope you will join me again next week.

Smorgasbord Book Reviews – #Anthology – The Shadows We Breathe (volume 1) Edited by Sarah Brentyn and contributing authors

Posted on by

Delighted to share the news of the release of the anthology The Shadows We Breathe, edited by Sarah Brentyn and featuring several contributing authors.

About the Anthology

WE ARE ALL PART SHADOW

Life promises joy and sorrow. Alongside the light, there will always be traces of darkness. It is the nature of being human.

In this anthology of short fiction, we explore relationships—how they sculpt us, hurt us, help us, and reveal our deepest desires.

Eight artists, whose words paint worlds, bring you stories of heartache, loss, hope, and forgiveness. They unveil the intimacy and complexity of relationships.

Whether family, friend, or lover, connections to others can hold us up or break us down.

Within these pages, beautiful words are spun into tales threaded with darkness.

Discover the shadows we breathe.

My review for the collection 10th October 2021

Wonderful storytellers take on the task of creating stories that haunt, bring hope and satisfy in stories, 100 word flash fiction and just 10 words.

That is a challenge all the writers excelled at and I found myself turning the pages eager to read the next gem.

I am familiar with the writing of some of the contributors but was intrigued to see that they embraced the dark side of human nature in some unexpected ways.

Difficult to single out any particular short story  for special mention as they were all excellent but in the first section “What You Wish For” by Georgia Bell, “The Perfect Face” by D.Wallace Peach and “A Good Night Sleep”  by Mary Smith. “Moment of Truth” by Maria Carvalho gave me goosebumps.

In the 100 word flash fiction…”Certainty” by Reena Dobson, “Fair Exchange” Ali Isaac and “A Woman Walking” by Sarah Brentyn were exceptional, as was Allie Potts 10 word interpretation of ‘Fold’

This will be much enjoyed by those who love short stories in all their forms and appreciate the skill it takes to create them in only a few words

Buy the anthology: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

About Sarah Brentyn and the contributing Authors

Sarah Brentyn is an introvert who believes anything can be made better with soy sauce and wasabi. She loves words and has been writing stories since she was nine years old. She talks to trees and apologizes to inanimate objects when she bumps into them. When she’s not writing, you can find her strolling through cemeteries or searching for fairies.

She hopes to build a vacation home in Narnia someday. In the meantime, she lives with her family and a rainbow-colored, wooden cat who is secretly a Guardian.

Author Page – Twitter

Georgia Bell

Georgia Bell is the author of Unbound, a young adult paranormal romance about love, fear, and immortality. She was raised on a steady diet of science fiction and fantasy and began writing the stories she wanted to read over a decade ago.

Author Page | Twitter

Maria Carvalho

Maria Carvalho is a multi-genre writer whose short stories have appeared in a wide variety of magazines and anthologies, including Under the Full Moon’s Light and Cabinet of Curiosities (both by Owl Hollow Press).

Author Page | Twitter

Reena Dobson began pursuing her creative writing with a vengeance when she realised the world was never going to stop and give her time to write. She now writes at the edges, in sunshine and under cover of darkness.

Author Page | Twitter

An image posted by the author.

Ali Isaac is a writer and blogger living in Co. Cavan, Ireland. In 2020, she was awarded a writing mentorship by Words Ireland and the Arts Council of Ireland, working under the guidance of author, Sara Baume. Her writing has been published in The Stinging Fly, Sonder, and Paper Lanterns.

Author Page | Twitter

D. Wallace Peach, best-selling fantasy author, started writing later in life after the kids were grown and a move left her with hours to fill. Years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books, and when she started writing, she was instantly hooked.

Author Page | Twitter

Allie Potts

Allie Potts lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband, two children, and spoiled dog. When not finding ways to squeeze in 72 hours into a 24 day, Allie consumes and creates science fiction, fantasy, post-apocalyptic quests, cozy mysteries, and contemporary fiction.

Author Page | Twitter

Mary Smith, author and poet, is based in Scotland. Her memoir Drunk Chickens and Burnt Macaroni: Real Stories of Afghan Women focusses on her work in Afghanistan, which also provides the setting for her novel No More Mulberries.

Author Page | Twitter

Smorgasbord Book Review by Sally Cronin- #Fantasy – The Hat by C.S. Boyack

Posted on by

One of the books that I enjoyed over the holidays was the novella The Hat from C.S. Boyack… and here is my review.

About the book

Lizzie St. Laurent is dealing with many of the struggles of young life. She lost her grandmother, and her living arrangements. Her new roommate abandoned her, and she’s working multiple jobs just to keep her head above water.

She inherits an old hat from her grandmother’s estate, but it belonged to her grandfather. This is no ordinary hat, but a being from an alternate dimension. One with special powers.

Lizzie and the hat don’t exactly hit it off right away, but when her best friend’s newborn is kidnapped by a ring of baby traffickers, Lizzie turns to the hat for help. This leads her deep into her family history and a world she’s never known.

Lizzie gives up everything to rescue the babies. She loses her jobs, and may wind up in jail before it’s over. Along the way, she and the hat may have a new way of making ends meet.

Humorous and fun, The Hat is novella length. Wonderful escapism for an afternoon.

My review for The Hat.

What a fun escape from the gloom and doom of the world’s woes. I remember trying on a variety of wigs at a costume shop once and as I looked in the mirror I was met with so many different versions of myself… In Lizzie’s case, it is a hat that opens up possibilities and talents that she had no idea existed.

With the very serious baby kidnapping case to solve, initially the hat assumes control encouraging its sceptical partner into action. But, soon Lizzie begins to showcase her own ingenuity and the two of them are unstoppable.

When your life is not particularly fulfilling and you have suffered tough times, it is hard to put your trust in anyone, let alone an antique, inanimate object who tells tall stories about your long dead family members. But, as the story evolves, it is clear that there is a new crime fighting duo in town and they are entertaining as well as effective.

I recommend The Hat as an escape from reality with a well written plot, wit, great characters, including the versatile hat, and the promise of more to come. I am looking forward to Viral Blues the second book in the series.

Read the reviews and buy The Hat: Amazon US

And: Amazon UK

A small selection of other books by C.S. Boyack

 Read all the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US

And :  Amazon UK

Read more reviews and follow C.S. Boyack:  Goodreads

About C.S. Boyack.

I was born in a town called Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I’m not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times, and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction.

I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet.

I like to write about things that have something unusual. My works are in the realm of science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy. The goal is to entertain you for a few hours. I hope you enjoy the ride.

Connect with Craig.

Blog: Cold Hand Boyack
Twitter: @Virgilante
Facebook: Lisa Burton

Thanks for dropping by today and I hope you have enjoyed my review enough to head over and buy and read the book yourself.. thanks Sally.