Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson

Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Feeling Lucky mixes modern day adult Americans with the fantasy world of Fairies, Leprechauns and the Fey world. Forty year old Megan O’Malley recently pinched the bum of a musical band member at her cousin’s wedding. Unbeknown to her, Fergus is a Leprechaun and her actions just stole all his gold.

A shocked Megan discovers that Queen Titania rules over the local Fey and she overrules all protests from Fergus. Now “bound ” together Fergus moves in with Megan and tries to trick her into giving up the money. Megan uses her knowledge in banking to help her decide to put the money into a foundation for local businesses to benefit from.

This is a quirky tale with characters from A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream. Mrs Carmichael is a really fun old lady who drives the storyline on with her plans to open a tea room. Megan is a pawn in the plans of others but she does have a good business head and her dream to help the community is wonderful. The story got a little slow in places for me, particularly all the financial plans for the foundation.

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

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Good Deeds Challenge, Year 2, weeks 36 – 38

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I am into my second year.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

Week 36

December 21st – Visiting relatives today, took lots of goodies, Christmas presents and helped out with washing up etc.

December 22nd – Dropping off more Christmas gifts. Am reading Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson.

December 23rd – Read a very good YA fantasy novel today called Deceived by L.A Starkey

December 24th – Today I’ve read and reviewed 2 books for Hilary Hawkes, they are books for English Primary aged children about kindness and friendship. Stories for feelings for Children and The Friendship Adventure programme from Strawberry Jam Books.

December 25th – I’m cooking lunch for 8 today so that no-one gets left out. Reading Secrets of the Heart by Adrienne Vaughan, the 3rd book in the Heartfelt series set on an island off the west coast of Ireland.

December 26th – Trying to get as many books read from my list while it’s the holidays, plus aiming for my highest year on the Goodreads challenge. So today I’m reading Eyes Of The Enemy by Kelly Hess, a middle grade reading book.

December 27th – Read Unexpected Partners by Sterna Kruger today and wrote my review.

Week 37

December 28th – January issues of Fleet Life and Elvetham Heath Directory are being delivered to approximately 8000 homes today which feature my book reviews. The on-line version will be available around January 1st. I’m reading Stable Mates by Zara Stonely

December 29th – Reading To Eternity by Daisy Banks, which is due for release mid January.

December 30th – Marked For Magic by Daisy Banks is my book today, this will be released in April.

December 31st – Read S.C.A.R.S by Julia Ibbotson today, a children’s adventure book. My final book for the year was To Fall In Love Again by David Burnett. Phew! Clocked up 181 books in this years challenge. Had a lovely surprise in the post a book from Melisa Foster which I’d won and some promotional material from Sophia Grey for more of her books.

January 1st – Online versions of Fleet Life and Elvetham Heath Directory are now out featuring my book reviews, I have drafted my post and will post as we return after the break. Off out for tea later and taking cakes. Helped move some cattle before out tea.

January 2nd – Today I shared an article from The Daily Telegraph about VAT increases on e-books amongst the writing community. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/11320318/Controversial-VAT-change-means-e-books-are-about-to-get-more-expensive.html

January 3rd – Drafted and sent my February book reviews for the magazines I write for, ten more books and authors get some extra free publicity for their writing.

Week 38

January 4th – Had a lovely shout-out for the blog today from Terry Tyler’s article at Uk Arts Directory http://ukartsdirectory.com/terry-tylers-literary-blog-34/. Decided to post my book reviews in Fleet Life and EHD January issue article today making use of Terry’s publicity of the blog and using the popular #SundayBlogShare to get the books and authors some extra publicity.

January 5th – Back to school this morning, with my voluntary work. A copy of Sea Witch by Helen Hollick arrived in the post today, my competition win.

January 6th – Got a lift into town this afternoon and enjoyed a brisk walk back through the park, picked up litter on my way.

January 7th – Feel the need to get outside for fresh air an exercise after the Christmas break so took my self off for a lunch-time walk, picked up litter. Received a copy of Alison Morton’s second book Perfiditas in the post after winning a copy. Really looking forward to it as I loved the first book in the Roma Nova series.

January 8th – Rained hard all morning, but when the sun came out at lunch, nipped out to make the most of it, picked up litter on my way.

January 9th – Really into this walking and getting fit lark. Needed to go to town for one or two things and a quick browse in my favourite bargain book store. Bought two books which begged to me at 20 pence each, strolled home picking up litter.

January 10th – Reading Just Two Weeks by Amanda Sington-Williams ready for a Brook Cottage Book promotion in February, it’s a psychological thriller set in Sri Lanka. My reading review list has toppled over the 20 book mark again.

Restless Spirits by Kathy Bryson

Restless Spirits by Kathy Bryson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Restless Spirits is a mix of contemporary family drama and fantasy. The book opens with Marliee Harper just about to lose her job after she burnt down her client’s house, a powerful opening scenario. We learn that Marliee is feisty and caring, she’s putting all her money into paying medical bills for her Mum.

Her relationship with her Mother is fun and the constant bickering between them works well. Mary Harper is one step ahead of Marliee and organises a job interview for her. John Smith is setting up a B&B at the old Jennings Place, a house once used as a hospital and rumoured to be haunted. He needs someone to oversee the renovations and to then run it as a manager. Mary and Marliee move in and I enjoyed all ghostly happenings especially with the box of balls. I looked forward to finding answers behind the lights and baseball throws.

The storyline went off in a different twist than the one I was expecting, stepping boldly over into the fantasy side of the tale with a mix of Shakespeare. Marliee once a strict non-believer in ghosts was plunged into a world of fairies, a Leprechaun and other-worldly beings.

There was a large cast of characters in the tale with some unusual and strong names, I remembered them because of their names rather than the mental images I had for them. A bit more reference to characteristics connected to their names may have helped, perhaps Elvis could have hummed songs from his namesake, and Thumbs regularly got his thumbs stuck.

Marliee’s character kept the fun in the tale. This is a stand alone book, there is a previous book where many of the characters and the fantasy world began which I have not read, possibly reading this would have helped me understand the way the storyline twisted from my own interpretation of contemporary to fantasy.

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

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Good Deeds Challenge Year 2, Week 28

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I an into my second year.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

October 26th – Posted a guest author piece for new author Mark Giglio. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5UF Spent all day getting lost in Moscow Bound by Adrian Churchward a mystery set in Moscow and very good.

October 27th – Posted my review of Moscow Bound and began reading Restless Spirits by Kathy Bryson

October 28th – Driving test day today for my eldest, so we were all on tender hooks, bought flowers for her instructor praying for a pass. Yay she did it! Fab book review today with a great picture gallery of Back Packs and Bra Straps, Savannah Grace’s second book about her family backpacking around some beautiful and eye-opening parts of the world. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Qu

October 29th – Walked into town and picked up litter on both legs of my journey.

October 30th – There are big celebrations of the war veterans this year with the anniversary of the start of WWI. The annual Poppy appeal is getting extra support and I bought my own poppy today and gave to the poppy appeal charity.

October 31st – Cleared leaves from a shared pathway and spent a little time out in the warm autumn afternoon. Gearing up for the start of the mystery November book tour tomorrow.

November 1st – Mystery November is off with Joanne Phillips and her book Murder at the Maples. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5OZ We have this awesome imaginary tour bus covered in my orange roses going all over the world each day to pick up the tour authors. Overnight Saturday I magically drove from the UK to Texas making sure I didn’t fall asleep and end up on the Grand Prix race track in Austin. The bus is picking up Della Connor for Sunday’s book Spirit Warriors: The Scarring.