Reviews – Page 72 – Everything Is Better With Dragons

Review: ‘A Pearl For My Mistress’, by Annabel Fielding

A Pearl for My Mistress by [Fielding, Annabel]

Published By: HQ Digital

Publication Date: 9th August 2017

Format: Kindle

Price: £0.99

Blurb

A story of class, scandal and forbidden passions in the shadow of war. Perfect for fans of Iona Grey, Gill Paul and Downton Abbey.

England, 1934. Hester Blake, an ambitious girl from an industrial Northern town, finds a job as a lady’s maid in a small aristocratic household.
Despite their impressive title and glorious past, the Fitzmartins are crumbling under the pressures of the new century. And in the cold isolation of these new surroundings, Hester ends up hopelessly besotted with her young mistress, Lady Lucy.
Accompanying Lucy on her London Season, Hester is plunged into a heady and decadent world. But hushed whispers of another war swirl beneath the capital… and soon, Hester finds herself the keeper of some of society’s most dangerous secrets…

Received from the author in return for an honest review

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Blog Tour: Become The Force

BecometheForce_Banner

Become the Force: 9 Lessons on How to Live as a Jediist Master

Daniel M Jones founded the Church of Jediism in 2007, and it now has over 500,000 members around the world. This is the book his fans have been waiting for. In it Daniel outlines the Jedi perspective and provides practical tools for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of how to use the Force in everyday life. The Force is a metaphor for the universal life energy that connects us all, and it can be both light and dark, good and bad. Now, more than ever, it is our responsibility to overcome the dark side. This book does not aim to convert but to inspire its readers to live a life of meaning and purpose according to the universal spiritual teachings from ‘The Way of the Jedi’.

Become the Force covers:

Daniel’s own fascinating spiritual journey and how overcoming personal struggles has awakened him to his purpose.
How Jedi teachings can empower mind, body, heart and spirit.
A comprehensive toolkit that will allow anyone to genuinely embrace ‘the way of the Jedi’.
Compelling reasons why the spiritual teachings of Jediism are relevant today.
A comprehensive explanation of Jediism as a spiritual movement (a universal desire for self-awareness, spiritual awakening, peace, love and harmony) rather than a religion.
Shows that it’s plausible that the Jedi-minded among us today might usher in a new spirituality and shift in global consciousness towards peace and harmony that is more powerful than any we can possibly imagine.

Purchase from Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Become-Force-Lessons-Jediist-Master-ebook/dp/B0744HCP9B/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508410541&sr=1-1&keywords=become+the+force

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Daniel M. Jones aka Morda Hehol is a philosopher, scientist and musician. In 2007 he became world famous when he founded the Church of Jediism at the age of twenty one. Since then he has appeared in many national newspapers and Time magazine, and has been interviewed by the BBC, Good Morning America, ITN and numerous other TV and radio stations. Daniel also has a degree in Chemistry from the University of Bangor, Wales. He is a member of pop punk band Straight Jacket Legends, whose debut album charted in Japan. He also dedicates his time to his the Aspie World YouTube Channel highlighting what life is like with Aspergers, after having been diagnosed in 2013. For more information please visit: https://thechurchofjediism.org/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/TheAspieWorld

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theaspieworld/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/TheAspieWorld/

Theresa Cheung was born into a family of spiritualists and has a Masters in Theology and English from King’s College, Cambridge. She has sold almost half a million books and encyclopaedias about the psychic world, the afterlife and personal transformation over twenty years. Her spiritual books Heaven Called My Name (Piatkus 2016) and An Angel Healed Me (Simon & Schuster 2010) became Sunday Times Top 10 bestsellers and have been translated into thirty languages.

For more information please visit http://www.theresacheung.com or follow her on Facebook @TheresaCheungAuthor

Review: ‘Living Large: Wilna Hervey and Nan Mason’, By Joseph P. Eckhardt

Publication Date: June 1, 2015

Published By: Woodstock Arts

ISBN: 9760967926889

Format: Hardback (I received a PDF copy)

Price: £30.50 (Amazon.co.uk)

Blurb

Living Large: Wilna Hervey and Nan Mason, by noted silent film historian Joseph P. Eckhardt, is by turns a rollicking dual biography and a sweet love story. Wilna Hervey—a six-foot-three-inch, three-hundred-pound heiress—won the role of “The Powerful Katrinka” in the Toonerville Trolley comedies of the early nineteen-twenties through her impressive size. Her evocation of Katrinka was so successful that it became a permanent part of her identity.

Wilna’s movie work brought her something else that would long endure—a partner for life. While filming on location in the Philadelphia suburbs, Wilna Hervey met Nan Mason, the surprisingly tall daughter of her Toonerville co-star, Dan Mason. Wilna and Nan became close friends and ultimately life partners.

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Review: ‘Death, Disease, and Dissection: The Life of a Surgeon-Apothecary 1750 – 1850’, by Suzie Grogan

Published by: Pen and Sword

Publication Date: 30th October 2017

I.S.B.N.: 9781473823532

Format: Paperback

Price: £12.99

Blurb

Imagine performing surgery on a patient without anaesthetic, administering medicine that could kill or cure. Welcome to the world of the surgeon-apothecary…During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries significant changes occurred in medicine. New treatments were developed and medical training improved. Yet, with doctors’ fees out of the reach of ordinary people, most relied on the advice of their local apothecary, among them, the poet John Keats, who worked at Guys Hospital in London. These men were the general practitioners of their time, making up pills and potions for everything from toothache to childbirth. Death, Disease and Dissection examines the vital role these men played their training, the role they played within their communities, the treatments they offered, both quack and reputable against the shocking sights and sounds in hospitals and operating theatres of the time. Suzie Grogan transports readers through 100 years of medical history, exploring the impact of illness and death and bringing the experiences of the surgeon apothecary vividly to life.

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Changes to reviews this month

There’s just a couple of changes. I’ve got quite a bit of work on with getting Fire Betrayed ready for publication on 1st December 2017. If a blog tour date is booked in, that’ll go ahead but some others, from people who’ve contacted me by email asking for a review, may be moved around to later dates.

The updated schedule is here.

Review: ‘The Revolutions of Caitlin Kelman’, by Matthew Luddon

34820385 Published By: Zoe Rose Books

Publication Date: 18th October 2016

Format: Kindle

Price: £2.99

Can sixteen-year-old Caitlin Kelman bring down an Empire?

Caitlin is sixteen when her parents are captured by the Empire. Fleeing to Dominion City, Caitlin looks for answers, fighting soldiers, kidnappers, and stalkers along the way.

An illegal immigrant with forged papers, Caitlin falls in with a mysterious group calld the Stateless, who are fighting to bring down the Empire, once and for all.

One day, she runs into Alec, a boy from her hometown, who wants to help her return to her old life. Her normal life.

Will she settle for a life with Alec? Or will she join the revolution, and learn the truth about her parents, even if it means she has to sacrifice herself — and the lives of others?

The Revolutions of Caitlin Kelman is a thrilling debut from Matthew Luddon. Learn more about the Kelman Chronicles, keep up with new releases and get in touch with the author at zoerosebooks.com

I received this book from the author in return for an honest review

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Review: ‘Answers From Heaven: Incredible True Stories of Heavenly Encounters and the Afterlife’, by Theresa Cheung & Claire Broad

AnswersfromHeaven_ClaireBroad - Copy

Published By: Piaktus

Publication Date: 2nd November 2017

Format: Paperback

I.S.B.N.: 978-0349413020

Price: £8.99

Blurb

Answers from Heaven: Incredible True Stories of Heavenly Encounters and the Afterlife

Answers from Heaven will be an authoritative, modern up to date classic book about afterlife communication.

Through true life stories of ordinary people who have had paranormal experiences, bestselling author Theresa Cheung and medium Claire Broad will show the various different ways that heaven is trying to answer our prayers, offer us comfort and provide proof of survival.

Chapters include:
1. Messages from the other side
2. Dreams from heaven
3. Living and loving creatures in spirit
4. Love from above
5. Heaven is calling
6. Conversations from Spirit
7. Answers from higher realms
8. Is anybody there?
9. Your own answers from heaven.

By the end it is hoped that readers will have lost some of their fear of death, be more aware of when the spirit world is trying to contact them, have greater awareness of the scientific research available, understand that mediumship is an expression of eternal love and nothing to be feared and that it’s possible for us all to ask questions and receive answers from the world of spirit.

Purchase from Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Answers-Heaven-Incredible-Encounters-Afterlife-ebook/dp/B0714B4RQ9/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1508246564&sr=1-1&keywords=answers+from+heaven

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

For more information please visit http://www.theresacheung.com or follow her on Facebook @TheresaCheungAuthor

Claire Broad is an Institute of Spiritualist Mediums Registered and Approved Medium with over twenty years professional experience providing private sittings, public speaking and workshops. She is an experienced guest speaker who has contributed to many spiritual awareness events and has read for an eclectic mix of clients, including those from the scientific and medical communities. Before Mediumship, Claire worked in advertising and entertainment at several major firms including The Walt Disney Company Ltd. She lives in Hampshire with her family.

Claire Broad, Sunday Mirror (preferred)

http://www.clairevoyant.co.uk or follow her on Facebook @mediumclairebroad

Received in return for an honest review, from Authoright

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Review: ‘Resort To Murder’, By TP Fielden

Published By: HQ

Publication Date: 2nd November 2017

I.S.B.N.: 9780008193737

Format: Hardback

Price: £14.99

Blurb

Death stalks the beaches of Devon

With its pale, aquamarine waters and golden sands, the shoreline at Temple Regis was a sight to behold. But when an unidentifiable body is found there one morning, the most beautiful beach in Devon is turned into a crime scene.

For Miss Dimont ferocious defender of free speech, champion of the truth and ace newspaperwoman for The Riviera Express this is a case of paramount interest, and the perfect introduction for her young new recruit Valentine Waterford. Even if their meddling is to the immense irritation of local copper Inspector Topham

Soon Miss Dimont and Valentine are deep in investigation why can nobody identify the body, and why does Topham suspect murder? And when a second death occurs, can the two possibly be connected?

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Review: ‘The Flawed Ones’, by Jay Chirino

Published By: CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Publication Date: 30th October 2017

I.S.B.N.: 9780692928332

Format: Kindle and Paperback

http://theflawedones.com/

Blurb

In this compelling novel, Jay Chirino channels his own struggles with depression and addiction, creating a universal story that is painfully relatable for those with similar issues, and eye-opening for the ones that

haven’t dealt with the challenges of mental illness.

After leaving behind a trail of drug-addled destruction, Jay finds himself confined to the walls of a psychiatric hospital. He is now compelled to confront his actions, his issues, and the past that led him to such downhill spiral. But what surprisingly affects him most are the people that he becomes surrounded by; people with considerable deficiencies that will shed some light on the things that truly matter in life.

“The Flawed Ones” is a thorough examination of the struggles of mental illness, depression, addiction, and the effects they have on the human condition. Most importantly, it proves that physical and mental shortcomings do not necessarily define who we truly are inside- that the heart is, in fact, untouched by our “flaws”, and that love will always prevail above all.

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Vandals on the trains

On Sunday night someone damaged the signals between Doncaster and Meadowhall, meaning that stretch of line was out of use all day. It was being treat as a major crime scene. The staff working for Northern and TransPennine Express on trains and at the stations did their best but there was a lot of confusion, especially at Doncaster in the morning.

I don’t much care about train companies losing money because they make enough profit and don’t put much back into the train network, but I do care about the people, me included, who were inconvenienced and distressed by it all. As you know, one of the traits of my Aspergers is that I get seriously distressed by changes to plans. It right put me out and took at least an hour of mini golf to put me back in a fun mood. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one; people were desperate to get to work, or home, catch other trains or flights, or spend a day with their kids or friends doing something fun.

Punishment for a bit of property damage, where no one is harmed (harm being loss of a home, a means to earn a living, life etc.) seems a bit over the top to me, even though yesterday I wanted to kill the vandals, but at what point does it become a case of that property damage has caused more harm to individuals and/or a community, the commons, and serious punishment is just?

If a train company decides it’s cutting too much into their profits to put on replacement coaches or do the repairs so ‘sorry, we’re not running a service on that line anymore’ and leaves people dependant on the trains stranded; if someone misses an important medical appointment and suffers for longer because of the delays; a person loses their job because they got to work late or couldn’t get to work at all? How much harm has to be caused to the community, not the profits of rail companies and their shareholders, by vandalism, and how should it be punished?

I spend far to much time thinking about this stuff.