Key of Valour by Nora Roberts

Key of Valour by Nora Roberts

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is the third in the Key Trilogy, but the first one I’ve read in the series so for me the start was rather slow because I needed to get my head around the characters. I also need to understand the storyline so far.

Three daughters of a far off land are trapped by an evil sorcerer. It will take three mortals to each complete a task and battle with an evil force called Kane. Three women have been chosen and they become friends whilst on their quests. Each has a love interest to entwine amongst the storyline.

This book, Key of Valour, tells the tale of Zoe. Single mother, from a poor background. She has worked hard for all she has achieved so far. She is a fierce warrior and will protect her son until the end. Hers is the final and hardest quest to find a hidden key.

In the real world, Zoe and her two new friends Dana and Malory are about to open a new business venture together and their lives are brought closer together as they work towards their opening date. With Dana and Malory each finding their own love, Zoe doesn’t want to fall for Bradley just because he is the only male left. She must be completely sure that any future they might have together will be right for both her and her son Simon.

Once I had got into the story, it was written in true Nora Roberts style, which I love reading, so it didn’t disappoint. I think it would be best to read the whole series if you get the chance.

Find a copy here on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

View all my reviews on Goodreads.

Sarah’s Survival Guide by Cynthia Harrison

Sarah’s Survival Guide by Cynthia Harrison

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sarah’s Survival Guide is a short story. It is a companion story for a character from “The Paris Notebook”, but it is easily read as a stand alone story too. Sarah is a pregnant college student who is forced to find her own feet when her mother gives her the ultimatum; Have an abortion or leave my house.

It’s about growing up fast and facing your responsibilities. Sarah is lucky she finds help from her teacher, Deena. This snowballs into help from another teacher and her son. Myra has had a fall and needs someone to help her while she recovers. David will pay Sarah to look after his mother and also helps Sarah find a waitressing job.

I wasn’t sure of the relationship between David and Sarah, my mind went off on its own and I imagined him to be years older than he actually was, thus I judged him and his motives poorly, until I was slapped in the face by the ending.

Sarah was lucky, she had friends and support when she needed them most. An interesting read.

Find a copy here on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Guest Author Susan Buchanan

Today our guest is Susan Buchanan author of yesterday’s book  The Dating Game. Click here for my book review if you missed it. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4pX

Let’s find out more about Susan.

1) Where is your home town?

I now live in Hamilton, just outside Glasgow, but am originally from Kilsyth, a small town on the other side of Glasgow (I have moved around a lot though, living also in France and Spain)

2) How long have you been writing?

Since I was a teenager, but I only seriously took up the task about 12 years ago, when I started writing Sign of the Times – it took me 6 years to write it…

3) What made you decide to write a book about dating?

A friend of mine had joined a dating agency aimed at professional people who were short on time, and I thought ‘now there’s an idea for a novel!’

4) Can you tell readers about some of Gill’s disastrous relationships before she joins the dating agency?

Sure. She was married to Barry – a blip as she terms it now. They should have lived together first. Then she had a bit of a stalker boyfriend in Timothy – a bit too much Sleeping With The Enemy for her. Good old Colin, who unfortunately worked away a lot – wasn’t exactly handy – given that he was in Dubai most of the time. Clive had lied about his occupation…and when the truth came out it had turned Gill’s stomach. Iron-pumping, bore Graham, who was more obsessed with his own body than hers was the final nail in the coffin.

5) Tell us about Gill’s great Girlfriends and how they support her.

Her friends are great. Angela and Lisa are always at loggerheads. Angela is a single mum, relatively serious, but sticks up for her friends.  She’s also a feisty type. Debbie is really Gill’s first port of call. She’s a vet and married with a daughter, but she always finds time to meet up with Gill and be her sounding board. Lisa takes no prisoners and is a bit of a man magnet. She treats them mean and keeps them keen, but she’d do anything for her friends. A beautician, she takes it upon herself to ensure Gill looks her best for her dates.  The girls spend a lot of time together and are always there for each other.

6) The trip to Barcelona chapters were really good, have you ever been to the festival yourself?

Oh yes! Twice. Ironically I didn’t know about it when I lived there in the ‘90s and the first time I went a few years ago, I came across it by chance when I was out for a walk. I was meant to have been three times, actually, but a French air traffic control strike meant my flight was cancelled one year – end of trip. I was seriously piddled off, I can tell you. The festival is fantastic. And there’s a wine festival which ties in with it, too – just saying!

7) Of Gill’s dates which was your favourite and why?

When Anton took her to the concert hall to a classical music concert. It was so thoughtful of him and I love classical music, so if he had taken me there, I would have just about married him!

8) Tell us about your other books.

Well, my first book Sign of the Times, is a zodiac-themed contemporary romantic comedy drama (can I fit in any more descriptive words?!) where the twelve main characters (yes, 12 main characters) are based around the signs of the zodiac. They are, however, all linked. Each character has the traits of the relevant sign of the zodiac.

The Christmas Spirit, which was released in December, is a feel good, festive tale of one very special lady, Natalie Hope, who makes it her mission in life to instil Christmas spirit in those who for whatever reason aren’t looking forward to Christmas.

The story centres around the bakery café where she is temporary manager and charts the lives of the five people she helps. Rebecca has just split from her boyfriend, Jacob is still on the dole, Stanley’s wife died that year, and Meredith is a workaholic who doesn’t make time for family and is more interested in spread sheets and reports. Then, on the periphery, you have Sophie, who is also affected by the events which Natalie sets in motion.

9) What are you working on at the moment?

My fourth novel, What If. It has kind of become two storylines in one. On the one hand, you have Cameron, who starts to think ‘what if’ about several key decisions he has made in his life, but he has also made a startling discovery and this is integral to the novel, the direction it takes and the choices he makes for his future.

10) Do you have an expected publishing date?

I always have these crazy, ambitious targets, but let’s be a little vague and simply say Summer 2014! And on that note, it’s back to writing What If

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Thank you Susan, it’s been great finding out more about you and your work, good luck with the new book.

If I Die by Rachel Vincent

I’m pleased to bring you another book review from the very talented young book reviewer Bethany.

            ‘If I Die’ by Rachel Vincent

4/5

In this book, the climax of Rachel Vincent’s series Soul Screamers, Kaylee – a teen banshee who can predict death – must face her own knell.  As she faces her final few days, leaving her family and friends safe and happy proves to be harder than she first thought. I love the way Vincent captures the adrenaline and energy of the characters in this book. It is a great bit of supernatural teen fiction, which manages to entice its audience without the help of werewolves and vampires.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/If-Die-Soul-Screamers-Book/dp/1848450613/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373278334&sr=1-1&keywords=if+I+die

The Bath Short Story Award and the Very British Authors Tour 2013

The long list of 46 entries out of 1149 original ones has been released today. Sadly I’m not on the long list, but I enjoyed the challenge, here is my entry, I wrote about my mad weekend when I had “One of those good ideas!” which has friends rolling their eyes and heading for cover! Find out which stories did make the long list here; The Bath Short Story Award’s long listed titles may be viewed at: www.bathshortstoryaward.co.uk

The Very British Authors Tour 2013

 

“AUTHOR’S WANTED” the Tweet, caught my eye, I click on the link and it takes me to Clive’s blog page. Just one of the founders of the tour, Clive and his fellow author have created a plan to spend a year celebrating British authors through a sophisticated type of chain letter. I usually shudder at the thought of chain mail, it gives me bad vibes, but this one intrigued me. Each author will be a “Host” to ten other authors and each will have a link between them to promote each other, my intuition gave me a nudge. I read the article through again, my inner voice shouts at me to join the tour. So I follow the instructions, take up the invite to join and press “Submit”. The prospect excites me, it feels right to be a part of this homage to British writers. The “Spirit of Britain”, which engulfed the country last year with the Queen’s Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics, rolls over my shoulders and tickles the hairs on the back of my neck. We were so proud to be British and I want to feel that again.

Within hours my request is accepted, advice given, downloads sent and contact with my “Host” author made. We’d been around the world and back in just a few clicks; my “Host” is British, but now lives in Australia!

Now I need to create an “Imaginative unique post”, to promote myself and the tour. The world is limitless, my brain explodes with ideas which all need considering. In the last seven months my learning curve in social media has been steep; from zero to blog and Twitter with major lessons in the technology. Turning the lessons into success on the internet gives me an ultimate thrill of satisfaction for someone who grew up without computers. It’s contagious, the more that I can achieve, then the more I want to learn.

I have a great friend and advisor who helps me with the technical side. She is now on holiday and her parting words to me were;

“Don’t get into any trouble while I’m away!”

I really want to write a great post with pictures and links, it drives me on and is my only desire, but I need a little assistance;

“Trouble, trouble, trouble” I title the cheeky e-mail that I eventually write to her, praying that she will at least read it out of curiosity and hoping that she will reply. Hyped by my excitement to get on the tour, I have asked if they can take some “Very British” photographs for me and send them on.

 

Time ticks slowly by and I itch to publish my post, to jump on the band wagon as early as possible. Five hours later, e-mails arrive full of photos and downloads from their phones, plus laughter at my manic enthusiasm and stories of their own about a broken boiler and a smashed fence. Crazy times! I am guilty of taking up their time whilst being psyched by the photos which I upload to my post.

Nearly completed, just a form to add as a “Contact me” to the post. Not to be flawed I search Google for help, but the best answer appears to be a “Plug- in”. What’s that? Dare I e-mail my friend once more? It’s Sunday evening at 10pm. This is a test of friendship surely?

Another twenty-four hours passes by in trial and tribulation, e-mails and tests, learning curves rising again, problems occurring. This is consuming my life and all of my thoughts, I am determined to succeed.

Tuesday; my friend telephones our first verbal conversation. It’s easy not to “Talk” anymore with modern social media. We agree to try a test run where I will add a form which we think will work, I will then publish the article and she will take a look. We have the option to delete it if the form is wrong. But it is a mad twist because I need to leave for work immediately and she has a new fence to build. So we agree to rendezvous on the internet later. I drive to work too fast, deal with paperwork that I can’t recall and exceed the speed limits on the return journey. I can not remember the morning my thoughts are consumed with the blog.

“R U free yet?” I send a text message to my friend.

“10 mins? Holding a fence panel can’t let go!” She replies.

I decide to start making the lunch; the fridge door is open and my arms are full of salad and cold meat when her next text message comes.

“Go, go, go! I’m free now!”

“2 mins” I reply.

I hit the “Publish” button and send a text message which says “Done” and I wait.

“Form ok, have sent it back, don’t know where the h*** it’s gone to though!”

 Rushing now, I open new tabs and accounts, this is ridiculous! But I’m laughing and can picture my friend laughing too! I find her reply sat in my e-mail “Inbox”, it all worked, what a relief! I phone to thank her but have no mobile phone signal Grrr! I wave my phone around and the signal gains strength, I can make my call. We laugh at the chaos and realise that we could have used the land-line telephones to make the calls, and then I tell her that I could have used my lap-top computer for the test if I’d really thought it through. We laugh some more at ourselves but we’d done it and I felt like I’d won Olympic gold, it meant so much to make it all happen.

Now all that is needed is one finishing touch…..

“AUTHORS WANTED” I tweet!

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