MY BOOK REVIEWS

Book Review – Shadow And Light By Carol Koris

About the Author

Carol Koris’ mind loves to imagine; It spins out of control thinking of “what could/would happen if…”

She was born in Clifton, New Jersey, where family and friends left indelible marks on her imaginative mind. In her first career as a Registered Nurse, she was educated to care for people, both their bodies and minds, at Mountainside Hospital School of Nursing.

Carol honed her craft of writing at Florida International University, where she received an MFA in Creative Writing.

Carol now calls South Florida her home, where she lives with her husband Dave, and, happily, close to her daughters and grandsons.

She recently retired from Johnson & Wales University as a Full Professor, as well as the Chair of the College of Arts & Sciences.

The Synopsis of the Book

Shadow and Light is a novel about a photographer who loses her eight-year-old daughter in a tragic accident then chances across an opportunity to help another parent save her own daughter.
With her marriage strained and her business on the verge of failure, the novel’s protagonist, thirty-four-year-old Maggie Miller, seeks emotional refuge from the death of her daughter in the solitary activity of taking pictures of families at rest stops on the Florida Turnpike. When she finds she has inadvertently taken a picture of a missing child, Maggie’s near-obsessional quest to find the missing girl further imperils her marriage, her business, and, to the concern of those closest to her, her already-fragile psyche.

Her decisions and the actions that follow her search could save or endanger the child’s life, and Maggie realizes she has been attempting to do what she could not do for her own child. In the process of facing the subjectivity of perception and the fallibility of human nature, she brings herself to the first stirrings of self-forgiveness, acceptance, and growth. My Review

My Review

I finished this book over two weeks ago and still, it remains in my head. Koris knows how to write a story that captivated me immediately and she tells it with such raw emotions that I could truly feel the heartache of Maggie who lost her eight-year-old daughter. Something Maggie at times blames herself for.

A gut-wrenching novel that shows the heartache, anguish, and guilt parents go through when experiencing the loss of a child. Their marriage is also put to the test. Maggie wants to talk to her husband about their daughter and lean on him for support. He has no words and is angered by her grief. Will their marriage survive?

But this is not only a book about grief. It is a suspense thriller that involves a kidnapped child. Maggie believed she captured a picture of the girl and is determined to find out the truth at any cost. Even when the police turned her away, believing she was a grieving mother who was seeing things. Anxious to see what Maggie will discover, I could not turn the pages fast enough. What unfolded was a battle of “he said”, “she said”. Maggie needed to find a way to know who was telling the truth. What she discovers is mind-blowing.

This book was beautifully written. Koris is a brilliant writer who pays attention to detail and paints an amazing story with her words.

Book Review The Wife Between Us

COVER DESIGN – 5 STARS – The brilliant bright blue color drew me in straight away.  The cover captures the storyline perfectly. 

CHARACTERIZATION – 5 STARS – I felt every emotion each character felt, from heartache, anger, and sympathy to name a few. The personalities of each person developed perfectly as the story unfolded. I could honestly say I knew them all well by the time I had finished the book.   

STORY & PLOT 5 STARS –  A fantastic storyline that kept getting better and better.  

OVERALL RATING – 5 STARS – I can not say enough about this book. I loved everything about it and highly recommend it. I am anxiously waiting for another book written by Carol Koris.

Available on Amazon

Other News

Monday, September 13th 5:00 PM PST  / 8:00 PM EST
A Cuppa & A Natter (Live Chat) With Author Marci Bolden
Author Marci Bolden will be my guest. We will be chatting about books, writing, and life as an author. Ask Marci a question and find out what she is currently working on. There will be a giveaway. You can watch the live chat on my Author Page –
Or my Facebook Group – Read More Books –
MY BOOK REVIEWS

Book Review – The Shoebox Effect By Marcie J. Keithley

 

About the Author

Marcie J Keithley traded in her securities license to become an author when the universe shifted in her closet with the rediscovery of a 30-year-old shoebox. Armed with a powerful, dramatic story, which has been reported globally on major networks and newspapers across America, she is now known as the ShoeBox Sherpa, helping others find the freedom they desire by unpacking their own shoeboxes and stepping into truth and wholeness.

Marcie is also a Life Story Coach and national speaker. In her downtime, she loves to read historical fiction of the Elizabethan era.

Keithley, a native-born Hoosier and “Lady of Dunans,” resides on the Sunnyside of Louisville, along the Ohio River in Southern Indiana with her Golden Doodle, Murfee. A personal development junkie, she can be found most days with her nose in the latest non-fiction book with a tall glass of iced tea, no matter the season. She believes life is always better with a

The Synopsis of the Book

Many of us have one–a place where we store mementos that remind us of an earlier period in our lives–either happy or sad. Those ties to our past are commonly found in a similar place, hidden in a shoebox buried at the back of a closet shelf. It’s called The Shoebox Effect–where you “forget”, intentionally or unintentionally, about the contents of the box and what they represent.

Marcie Keithley’s shoebox contained a secret, one she kept for decades, one released when her shoebox was unexpectedly revealed in a moment of grief. A flood of memories and emotions was unleashed when the lid was knocked off. No longer able to deny what she had sequestered away in her closet and in her spirit, the revelation created challenges for Marcie, but it also did something positively unexpected.

Releasing the truth began a cascade that resulted in a freedom Marcie did not know was possible. The dramatic story of this long-kept secret, which has been reported globally on major networks and in newspapers across America, will intrigue and enthrall you.

But Marcie Keithley doesn’t just make her story all about her. Now known as The Shoebox Sherpa, she helps people unpack their own shoeboxes, and teaches us how to face our truths, heal our pasts, and find the freedom we deeply desire. Be prepared to consider Marcie’s question to all of us, “What’s in your shoebox?”

My Review

I read this book a few months ago and today I still find myself thinking about it.  Keithley leaves no stone unturned when it comes to revealing the items in her shoebox and why she kept them. It reminded me of peeling away the layers of an onion as the author reveals her heart-wrenching story of putting her child up for adoption and finding a way to heal and come to terms with the decisions she had made throughout her life.

This is not only the author’s story but a guide and self-help book with questions at the end of each chapter for readers to help them understand themselves better and the reasons for their actions. (I love this addition to the book.)

It is a raw emotional account that many will relate to and I can see the book helping so many people and not only those that were adopted. I want to thank the author for sharing her story and opening my eyes to mine.

 

 

Book Review The Wife Between Us

COVER DESIGN – 5 STARS – The cover is perfect for the book and intriguing It makes you wonder what the book is about.  

CHARACTERIZATION – 5 STARS – Keithley described everyone in the book with such detail that I felt like I knew them all very well.  

STORY & PLOT 5STARS – This is an easy read that had me turning the pages quickly anxious to see what happens next. 

OVERALL RATING – 5 STARS – An excellent read that I highly recommend.

Other News

I’m thrilled to announce that the publication date for Jill is August 3rd, 2021
You can now preorder the ebook for the discounted price of $1.99. That is 50% off the regular price.
Preorders for paperbacks will be coming soon.
Jill is the fourth book in the Sabela Series but can easily be read as a standalone.
A sizzling suspense romance with a grand finale ending and where the power of friendship shines.

Everything books, Goddess Fish Promotions

Book Review INSPIRED BY MURDER by Audrey J. Cole

Book Review INSPIRED BY MURDER by Audrey J. ColeAbout the Author

Book Review INSPIRED BY MURDER by Audrey J. Cole

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Audrey J. Cole is a registered nurse and a writer of thrillers set in Seattle. After living in Australia for the last five years, Audrey now resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children.

Website: https://www.audreyjcole.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AudreyJCole

Twitter: https://twitter.com/audreyjcole

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Audrey-J.-Cole/e/B071GFZMLT

The Synopsis of Inspired by Murder

Click Image to Buy From Amazon

To write the perfect murder, he needs to commit the perfect crime.

Tired of his day job, psychiatrist Eric Lero yearns to fulfill his true destiny of becoming a New York Times bestselling author. But there is one thing he lacks to create an enthralling murder mystery: real-life inspiration. Continue reading “Book Review INSPIRED BY MURDER by Audrey J. Cole”

Everything books

Book Review LILAC GIRLS by Martha Hall Kelly

Book Review LILAC GIRLS by Martha Hall Kelly

Our book club at our local library just finished reading LILAC GIRLS by Martha Hall Kelly and as always I like to share our review and thoughts with all of you.

About the Author

Martha is a native New Englander now living in Connecticut and Martha’s Vineyard. She worked as an advertising copywriter for many years, raised three wonderful children who are now mostly out of the nest and Lilac Girls is her first novel. She is hard at work on the prequel to Lilac girls. More infomation about the true story behind Lilac Girls can be found on her website site: https://www.marthahallkelly.com

The Synopsis of  Lilac Girls

New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post-French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939-and then sets its sights on France. Continue reading “Book Review LILAC GIRLS by Martha Hall Kelly”