Play For Me by Celine Keating (Book Review)

In association with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Play For Me by author Celine Keating!

Book Review

Play For Me by Celine Keating

Publisher: She Writes Press

Publication Date: April 21, 2015

Format: Paperback - 217 pages

               Kindle - 1699 KB

               Nook - 3 MB

ISBN: 978-1631529726

ASIN: B00TQMRAFG
BNID: 978-1631529733
Genre: Literary Fiction / Women's Fiction


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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Premier Virtual Author Book Tours. 


Book Description:

It happens without warning: At a folk-rock show at her son’s college, Lily becomes transfixed by the guitarist’s unassuming onstage presence and beautiful playing—and with his final note, something within her breaks loose.

After the concert, Lily returns to her comfortable life—an Upper West Side apartment, a job as a videographer, and a kind if distracted husband—but she can’t stop thinking about the music, or about the duo’s guitarist, JJ. Unable to resist the pull of either one, she rashly offers to make a film about the band in order to gain a place with them on tour. But when Lily dares to step out from behind her camera, she falls deep into JJ’s world—upsetting the tenuous balance between him and his bandmate, and filling a chasm of need she didn’t know she had.

Captivating and provocative, Play for Me captures the thrill and heartbreak of deciding to leave behind what you love to follow what you desire.


Praise For Play For Me by Céline Keating 

“The author’s writing is exquisite and she was able to put together the story of a woman’s search for self and purpose, one with depth and complexity.”- Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous Blog

“With a background as a music reviewer, Keating combines the soul-searching of Eat, Pray, Love with the rock ’n’ roll fable of Almost Famous to create a novel of midlife crisis with music at its core.”-Booklist

“Play for Me: “A best story of love, lust, and forgiveness.”- The Culturalist

“Play for Me is a serious, moving, and utterly delightful portrait of a woman wavering between the bonds of fidelity and the pull of desire. Céline Keating knows as much about the world of folk/rock music as she does about the workings of the heart.”- Hilma Wolitzer, author Summer Reading and An Available Man


Book Excerpt:

You can read the first part of this excerpt at http://house-of-books.com/

Chapter One: Excerpt Three

           “A digital video cam!” Stephen removed the camera from the box. “It’s not top-of-the-line, but for what you’d use it for, I thought this was just about perfect.”

           “Wow, incredible!” Why would he think she’d want a camera when she could borrow one anytime?

           “You haven’t been able to do anything artistic all these years. I think you’ve been a bit bored. Unchallenged.”

           Lily knew anyone with a real creative drive would have managed to find time.

           “Now’s your chance, with Colby gone.”

           “I don’t know what to say. I’m just stunned.”

           “I knew you’d be overwhelmed!” He pulled out the manual. “Let me show you a few things.”

Lily had been a film student in college, but that was because it had been such a cool major. She hadn’t truly been serious, had she? She couldn’t remember the last time she had even thought about making her own films. She should tell him they should return it.

           “Lily?” His voice had a plea in it; his face had lost some of his animation. “I don’t mean to pressure you to be arty. You can just have fun.”

           She moved the camera out of the way and wrapped her arms around him. “It’s an amazing gift. So incredibly thoughtful of you.” She wouldn’t suggest they return it after all.

           So here she was, two weeks later, lugging the camera along with her suitcase, going to visit Colby while Stephen stayed home and worked on a grant proposal. She assumed Stephen had instigated the invitation from Colby by letting on that she’d been depressed since he’d left home. The train ride was pleasant, the Hudson playing peekaboo out the window, small towns and suburbs whizzing by, and Colby at the end, reaching for her suitcase, giving her a hug, already looking more mature than when he’d left only three weeks before. He even tolerated it when she smoothed a curl from his forehead.

           “There’s this cool bookstore-café I thought we’d have lunch. I borrowed a friend’s car.” He loped ahead to a beat-up Volvo; the inside stank of sweat and corn chips. They drove past boarded-up storefronts and along a thread of river lined with spunky trees. In the bookstore, filled with chic, intense young people, lunch was a shared platter of hummus and vegetables and pita and olives and a slice of scrumptious spinach pie. Even the coffee was good.

           Afterward, they walked around campus and Colby pointed out where he had classes. “Mom, you wouldn’t believe how challenging and interesting the courses are. Not like high school. And get this—when the weather’s good, we do classes outside!”

           His face—like his father’s, normally pale beneath his freckles—was flushed. He had always been shy, but he had found his niche, she thought. One day some perceptive girl would fall madly in love with him. With him, at least, she had done a job she could be proud of.

           He shoved her gently onto a bench and handed her a card. “Happy birthday!”

           She opened the card and a ticket fell out. “What’s this?”

           “My surprise. Tonight, this very night, James Taylor is playing—the school is honoring him. Another band opening.”

           Lily had played James Taylor songs for Colby as far back as the cradle. He liked sharing music with her, even through adolescence, when he introduced her to progressive folk singers like Dar Williams. Lily thought his taste was unusual for a boy his age, but he told her this was what the “alt” types were into.

           At her motel, just a few blocks from campus, she found herself humming “Carolina in My Mind” as she showered, remembering singing it as she pushed Colby’s baby carrier with her foot. She’d had an OK voice once; she’d sung in her high school choir. But when she became pregnant she began to get winded, her voice hoarse and wheezy. “Your body is going through changes,” her obstetrician explained. “After you give birth it might reverse itself, but right now you have asthma.”

           Asthma? From pregnancy? But the asthma never went away. The medication affected her vocal chords, and she was left with a limited range. It was a range that James Taylor’s songs fell into, so she sang to Colby and rocked away. She joked that she had lost a voice and gained a son. It was a trade she never regretted.

           When was the last time she’d gone to a rock concert? she wondered, as she walked through campus to meet Colby. Ten years earlier? Twenty? There had been a time when concerts were the high point of her life—when had that changed? She hardly listened to the radio anymore.

*   *   *

           The auditorium was packed, loud, buzzing, working up a head of steam. Lily was suddenly aware of how much older she was than most of the audience. Not that anyone noticed or cared; she was clearly invisible. Still, she wished she had packed something dressier than her black pullover and pants, or at least brought some funky jewelry. The boys all looked so young, so . . . raw, somehow. She could almost smell the testosterone. And the girls—so pretty, so confident in their bodies. Why was it that when she was their age, slender and pretty herself, she hadn’t felt that way? She slid lower in her seat.

This excerpt continues on May 23 at https://celticladysreviews.blogspot.ca/

          

My Book Review:

Play For Me is a compelling women's fiction story that easily draws the reader into the drama and emotions that come with the complexity of life, the dynamics of relationships, learning to confront one's past, making choices, and moving forward. Set in New York City, the reader can't help but get drawn into Lily's story as she discovers that the empty nest lifestyle is not what she wants, so she embarks on a personal midlife journey of self-discovery and a chance to follow her desire and find happiness.

Author Celine Keating weaves an intriguing women's fiction story that will easily keep the reader engaged and turning the pages. This wonderfully realistic story provides much food for thought as Lily has choices to make, and tries to figure out what she really wants in life in order to fulfill her desire and find happiness. Lily's story has a great mixture of humor, drama, angst, heartbreak, and crazy trials and tribulations, but her journey of personal discovery is realistic, compelling, and very empowering, it is the kind of story that anyone can relate to, and you can't help but cheer Lily on as she finds her way and embraces her true self.

Play For Me is a wonderful women's fiction story of personal self-discovery, and learning to make difficult choices in order to move forward in one's life.


RATING: 4 STARS 

About The Author

Céline Keating is the author of novels Layla (2011) and Play for Me (2015), which was a finalist in the International Book Awards, the Indie Excellence Awards, and the USA Book Awards. Céline is also the co-editor of On Montauk: A Literary Celebration (2016).

Her short fiction has been published in many literary magazines, including Appearances, Echoes, Emry’s Journal, Mount Hope, The North Stone Review, Prairie Schooner, and the Santa Clara Review. Céline’s short story “Home” received the first-place 2014 Hackney Award for Short Fiction. Céline is also a music journalist whose work has appeared in Minor7th.com, Guitar World, and Acoustic Guitar magazines.


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Virtual Book Tour Event

 Play For Me by Celine Keating ~ Virtual Book TourEvent Page

Tour Schedule:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Apr 7 Kickoff & Giveaway

Infinite House of Books Apr 10 Interview & Excerpt

Indie Review Behind the Scenes Apr 21 Video Interview

Second Book to the Right Apr 24 Excerpt

Jersey Girl Book Reviews May 3 Review & Excerpt

Totally Addicted to Reading May 5 Review & Guest Post

Urban Book Reviews May 8 Review & Interview

Jean Amazon Reviewer May 10 Review

Nanja Amazon Reviewer May 11 Review

Turning The Pages May 15 Review & Giveaway

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus May 16 Review

Precisely Mine May 18 Review

Celticlady’s Reviews May 23 Excerpt & Giveaway

Lisa Amazon Reviewer May 31 Review

The Healing of Howard Brown by Jeb Stewart Harrison (Book Review)

In association with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for The Healing of Howard Brown by author Jeb Stewart Harrison!

Book Review

The Healing of Howard Brown by Jeb Stewart Harrison

Publisher: Independent Self Publishing

Publication Date: August 16, 2016

Format: Paperback - 336 pages

               Kindle - 1054 KB

ISBN: 978-1530900282

ASIN: B01KNEJ9SQ
BNID: 978-1530900282
Genre: Contemporary Literary Fiction / Family Saga

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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Premier Virtual Author Book Tours. 

Book Description:

“This is your last chance to do something right, son. Don’t screw it up.”

With these words ringing in his 60-year old ears, Howard Brown, Jr., sets out from Kentfield, California to find his wayward and possibly psychotic sister and return her to their dying father’s bedside. The search leads him to the Brown family’s ancestral home near St. Francisville, Louisiana, where his Southern cousins have apparently conspired with his sister to bilk him out his inherited, potentially oil-rich property. At the same time, he discovers that a long dormant birthmark in his sternum is a portal to the land of the dead. His consciousness is suddenly inundated with terrifying visitations from a rogue’s gallery of twisted ancestors, until he fears that he is just as crazy as his sister and everybody else in their labyrinthine family. Wounded to his core, doped up and strung out, Howard discovers that his salvation is beating loud and clear, within his own weary heart, and that all he has to do is listen.

The Healing of Howard Brown is a capacious and energetic narrative of self-discovery, delivered with an authentic voice that is supple, smart, somber, witty, ironic, self-revealing, self-doubting, and wonderfully lyrical. Themes of family, trust and responsibility to others, the national as well as personal past, and the life of the spirit resound throughout, with a cultural resonance involving class and race, the North and the South, the definition of masculine identity, and, centrally, the nature of mature love in a multitude of relationships-husband-wife, brother-sister, father-son- in the face of a debilitating mental illness that runs like a poison vein through the family tree.


Praise for The Healing of Howard Brown by Jeb Stewart Harrison:

“If you enjoy beautiful prose, complex themes of family and race, and a refreshingly original narrator, this book is for you. Harrison is among the select few contemporary fiction writers who still write for serious readers.” – Jim Heynen, author, best known for The One Room Schoolhouse, The Boys’ House, You Know What is Right, The Man Who Kept Cigars in His Cap and many more.

“This book starts off with a bang and keeps on going. Howard is a character with a specific voice and story. I’m sure you’ll be provoked and entertained.”- Jessica Barksdale Inclan, author of The Believe Trilogy, The Being Trilogy, and many more.

“Jeb Stewart Harrison is an original writer and a multitalented creative person. I enjoy his unique and often innovative narrative structure. His books are thoughtfully written and a pleasure to read and savor. While you turn future pages in your life reread this inspiring story. As time goes by—(when you’re older and hopefully ‘wiser’) you’ll feel new motivation with each visit into Howard’s inimitable life.”- Paul C. Steffy, author, The Good Soldier—based on his Infantry year in Vietnam.

“An ambitious story that navigates themes of family, redemption and even metaphysics, in a thought-provoking, humorous way. Harrison clearly has a deep affection for Howard and the myriad of colorful folk who make up his complex, often crazy life. A book any reader will continue thinking about long after putting it down.”- NW Bookman, Amazon Reviewer


Book Excerpt:

1 Trying To Die

I could tell he was trying to die ­– really trying, as if by the sheer force of his iron will he could command his heart to stop, like he had so often commanded me, my sister, my mother and a great many others to stop, to halt, to shut up, to do this or that. He was in that familiar state of stern, steely concentration, laid out on the rented hospital bed at the foot of great grandmother’s regal plantation four-poster, his knuckly fingers rolled into fists, his jaw clenched, his brow furrowed, and the afternoon sun illuminating his gnarled and knobby toes. What, I wondered, was responsible for their profound disfigurement? Was it the miles of fairways, tees and greens he had trudged across in his 85 years? Or was it the endless hours pacing to and fro in San Francisco courtrooms, trying to command the thoughts of judge and jury?

Whatever it was, I decided then and there it should be avoided. I bent over my massive midriff and studied my own toes in the crusty white shag. Aside from the yellowing, curled nails, they didn’t look unusually bent or knobby, at least not yet, but I feared that like many of the failing factory parts of my six/six, 240-pound frame, they would eventually join in the cacophony of inflamed and screaming joints that had accompanied me into my 60th year.

 My father’s exit had become unreasonably complicated. I could understand why, on a purely emotional level, he felt like dying. So did I, even on that exquisitely lit late summer afternoon. We had, both of us, a rough go of late.

It started with my mother succumbing to the “awful awful” (my father’s term for Alzheimer’s) in a quiet but possibly premature fashion, after which he promptly broke his hip, got pneumonia, and forgot how to swallow. Subsequently, his life quickly became a revolving door of hospitals, rehab centers, surgeries, more hospitals and rehab centers, skilled nursing facilities, and finally home to a house full of caregivers, hospice nurses, pills, purees, and us: me, my ever-patient and long-suffering wife Sandy, my winsome son Tripp, his equally winsome girlfriend Elke and the world’s most prescient, possibly telepathic chocolate lab Mr. Booper. On occasion my mercurial shape-shifting sister, Sisi, might show up, but those visits had become increasingly infrequent.

What made my father’s last days so devilishly complicated was this: my sister had decided she was burned out on care-giving and needed a break, so she informed everybody she was going on a three day backpack trip with her new post-divorce boyfriend, a rotund biker who smelled of Cool Ranch Doritos, with a doo-rag atop his shaved dome – the polar opposite of her hail-fellow-well-met husband of 22 years. Our father was horrified, convinced that this creepy recovering alcoholic was going to rape and murder his daughter, chop her up into bite-sized chunks, pack her up in double-strength trash bag and unload her in a Quincy dumpster. So when she didn’t answer our phone calls at the appointed time on Monday, Hal Brown got a little nervous. Then more than a little nervous. When she wasn’t back by Tuesday morning he was beside himself. Spiked a fever. We all started calling around to see if anyone knew of her whereabouts. By the time I learned from her employer that she had walked off the job in a huff it was too late. The old man’s vision of his daughter as a raccoon midnight snack had sent him into delirium, so he laid down on the rent-a-bed, closed his eyes, and told his broken heart to stop.

There I was, stuck between a father who was so bereaved by his daughter’s apparent abandonment that, like a grief-stricken Dickens character, he could just lay down and die, and a sister that obviously didn’t give a shit.  Where would this leave me, once my father was dead and my sister gone? Would I be a 21st century version of young Rasnolikov, abandoned by humanity, my body in tatters, my mind tortured, twisted and inflamed, and my heart throbbing with a cold, nameless ache; nothing more than a branch broken off the family tree, left to rot on the ground? After thirty years of teaching high school English and coaching basketball, with my remaining years stretched out before me like the last flight of the proverbial stairway to heaven, I felt like I couldn’t take another step.

My Book Review:

In The Healing of Howard Brown, author Jeb Stewart Harrison weaves an intriguing contemporary literary tale that follows sixty year old retired high school English teacher / basketball coach Howard Brown Jr., as he embarks on a personal journey to unravel the intricate dynamics of his dysfunctional family history, and unexpectedly gains a new level of self-discovery.

Set in Kentfield, California and St. Francisville, Louisiana, and told in the first person narrative, the author weaves a fascinating tale that easily engages the reader to follow Howard's journey to find his missing mentally unstable sister Sisi, who disappeared before the the death of their father. Howard takes the reader on a wild ride as his journey into his family's dysfunctional past mixes with the present, leading him from his home in California back to his father's family's old plantation property in Louisiana in search of Sisi, that will unexpectedly lead him on a personal journey of deep soul searching and self-discovery.

The author weaves a well written and fascinating family drama that delves into the complexity of the Brown family dynamic, and the serious issues of alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness, Alzheimer's Disease, and emotional abuse that plagued the Brown family throughout the years. Through all the crazy mishaps and trials and tribulations that Howard endures while on his journey, he learns to face his demons, the importance of letting go, and the healing power of redemption.

The author provides a wonderful mixture of drama, humor, and seriousness to the story that easily keeps the reader's interest as Howard's journey unfolds. I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I really enjoyed the author's rich and vividly descriptive style of writing, especially the wonderful descriptions of the California and Louisiana settings.

The Healing of Howard Brown is a thought-provoking contemporary literary tale that will draw you in, touch your soul, and leave a smile on your face.


RATING: 5 STARS 

About The Author

Jeb Stewart Harrison is a freelance writer, songwriter, musician and painter in Stinson Beach, California. After many years as an ad agency copywriter, writer/producer, creative director, and director of marketing communications, Jeb now writes fiction and creative non-fiction, along with commercial works for hire.

Jeb’s debut novel, Hack, was published by Harper Davis Publishers in August 2012. In 2015 he received his MFA from Pacific Lutheran University at the tender age of 60, and followed up with the publication of The Healing of Howard Brown in August, 2016. He also records and plays electric bass guitar with the popular instrumental combo The Treble Makers, as well as Bay Area favorites Call Me Bwana.

Jeb was born and raised in Kentfield, California, and has lived in Boulder, CO; Missoula, MT; Hollywood, CA; Scottsdale, AZ; Indianapolis, IN and Ridgefield, CT.


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Virtual Book Tour

 The Healing of Howard Brown by Jeb Stewart Harrison ~ Virtual Book Tour Event Page

Tour Schedule:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Jan 17 Kick Off & Giveaway

Christy’s Cozy Corners Jan 18 Guest Post

Jean Amazon Reviewer Jan 19 Review

Jersey Girl Book Reviews Jan 30 Review & Excerpt

Indie Reviews Behind the Scenes Feb 3 Interview Live 9 pm est

Deal Sharing Aunt Feb 7 Review

Nanja Amazon Reviewer Feb 16 Review

JBronder Book Reviews Feb 17 Review & Excerpt

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Feb 23 Review

The Avid Book Collector Feb 24 Excerpt

Thoughts on This ‘n That Feb 27 Review

Angel Amazon Reviewer Feb 28 Review

Mathew Amazon Reviewer Feb 28 Review

The Christmas Bridge by Elyse Douglas (Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for The Christmas Bridge by authors Elyse Douglas!

Book Review

The Christmas Bridge by Elyse Douglas

Publisher: Independent Self Publishing

Publication Date: September 15, 2015

Format: eBook - 183 pages

               Kindle - 543 KB

ASIN: B0141RDSCE

Genre: Christmas Holiday Romance / Women's Fiction

Buy The Book:
Amazon
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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the authors in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Premier Virtual Author Book Tours.


Book Description:

A First Love. A Second Chance.

A young widow travels to New York on business a few days before Christmas. She has reluctantly made a date with a lover she hasn’t seen in 20 years, and she is nervous and apprehensive. Twenty years before, she made a difficult decision that has both troubled and haunted her ever since. She knows she’s about to come face-to-face with her past and she’s hoping for some redemption and resolution. She also wonders if she can somehow pick up where she left off 20 years ago and start again.

An exciting chance encounter changes everything. Now, not only will she face the past with hope to rekindle an old romance, but there is the possibility that this chance meeting will bring her love and happiness she never thought possible.

Once again, she will have to choose. She will have to make the right decision. She will have to believe that Christmas miracles can still happen.


Praise for Christmas Diary by Elyse Douglas:

“The Christmas Diary is a tender hearted story of one woman’s journey of self-discovery and finding true love that will pull at your emotional heartstrings. The authors weave an inspirational tale written in the third person narrative, that draws the reader into Alice and Jack’s lives, and the issues that they’ve faced: love and loss, questioning one’s life choices, and the decision of which road/path is best to take in one’s life.

This is a wonderful story that has a meaningful message within the storyline that will touch your heart. The authors’ descriptive writing style is phenomenal: the characters are realistic and down-to-earth people whose emotions, dialogue and interactions are palpable, you can feel the range of highs and lows that they endure. The reader is transported to the picturesque holiday setting of the Pennsylvania towns of Eden Grove and Meadow Green.

This captivating story has a mixture of mystery, tender romance, and a supernatural twist that makes The Christmas Diary a compelling and entertaining story that will warm your heart.”- Kathleen, Jersey Girl Book Review

“If you are a fan of Richard Paul Evans novels then you definitely want to grab The Christmas Diary. This is a super quick read that you pick up on a Saturday afternoon and devour in one sitting. One glorious afternoon sitting.

It is a story of love and changes with a paranormal twist.

I adored this book. It was quick and simple and really perfect. I loved how everything was tied together through a ghost.

A quick holiday read that makes me think of Lifetime and Hallmark channel movies.”- Andrea Guy, A Chick Who Reads

” The Christmas Diary” is a nice smooth read filled with emotions and a touch of the paranormal world. Elyse pens her characters well developed, believable and lovable in this Christmas romance story. Highly recommended for all who love a nice enjoyable romance tale.”- Susan Peck, My Cozie Corner


My Book Review:


The Christmas Bridge is the story of a woman's journey of self-discovery and getting a second chance at true love.

Olivia is a forty year old widow who travels to New York City on a business trip a few days before Christmas. While taking a walk in Central Park, Olivia has an unexpected chance encounter with Brett Baylor, a professional baseball player on Bow Bridge, a landmark that holds nostalgic twenty year old memories of Andrew, her old college love. With a chance to reconnect with Andrew and rekindle an old romance, or take a chance on a new romance with Brett, Olivia is faced with the challenge to make a decision that could bring her another chance at love and happiness.

The authors weave a lighthearted and emotional holiday romance tale that will pull at your heartstrings and stir the soul. Written in the third person narrative, the reader is easily drawn into Olivia's journey as she learns to deal with the life issues that she faces: love and loss, questioning one's life choices, and the decision of which road/path is best to take in one's life in order to get a second chance at love and happiness. Can NYC provide a little Christmas miracle of redemption, resolution, and a chance to move forward for Olivia?

This is a lovely story that will draw the reader in from the start, and have them experiencing the full gamut of emotions. You can't help by relate to Olivia, and feel compassion for her as she struggles to restart her life after a traumatic heartbreak. I couldn't help but cheer Olivia and Brett on, hoping that their romance would take wings, and that Olivia would have the strength to finally let go of the past, and embrace a new chance of love and happiness.

Set in the picturesque holiday setting of New York City, the reader can easily envision Olivia's chance to restart her life among the city's famous landmarks, and get drawn into the city's joyous sights and sounds of the holiday season.

The Christmas Bridge is a captivating holiday romance story that captures the essence, spirit, and magic of the Christmas season that will warm your heart, and leave a smile on your face.


RATING: 5 STARS 

About The Authors

Elyse Douglas is the pen name for the husband and wife writing team of Elyse Parmentier and Douglas Pennington. Elyse’s mother was a painter and her father a textile consultant. Elyse began writing poems and short stories at an early age, and graduated with a degree in English Literature. Douglas grew up in a family of musicians, astrologers and avid readers. His great grandfather lived to be a 134 years old, and was the oldest man in the world when he died in 1922.

Some of Elyse Douglas’ novels include: The Other Side of Summer, Christmas for Juliet, Wanting Rita, The Christmas Diary, The Christmas Bridge and The Summer Diary. They live in New York City.


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Contest Giveaway

Win an eBook copy of The Christmas Bridge

This giveaway is for one ebook and is open to the U.S. only. It ends on December 4, 2015. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.


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Virtual Book Tour

The Christmas Bridge by Elyse Douglas ~ Virtual Book Tour Event Page

Tour Schedule:

Indie Review Behind the Scenes Oct 9 Live Interview
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Nov 2 Kick off & Giveaway 
Books with Merritt Nov 4 Guest Post
Griperang’s Bookmarks Nov 9 Spotlight
being tillys mummy Nov 10 Review
Infinite House of Books Nov 11 Interview
Lisa-Queen of Random Nov 13 Review
Books, Books, and More Books Nov 14 Review
From the TBR Pile Nov 16 Excerpt
Readers Muse Nov 17 Review
Readers Muse Nov 17 Guest Post
Deal Sharing Aunt Nov 20 Guest Post
Cassandra M’s Place Nov 23 Guest Post & Giveaway
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Nov 25 Review
Cindy’s Notebook Dec 1 Review
What U Talking Bout Willis? Dec 2 Guest Post
Alpha Book Club Dec 2 Review
Harlie’s Books Dec 3 Review
Wall-to-wall books Dec 4 Review
Jersey Girl Book Review Dec 4 Review

Anthony by Harold J. Fischel (Author Guest Post / Book Review)

In association with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Anthony by Author Harold J. Fischel!

Author Guest Post

Since the publication of my novel Anthony I have been asked, “Since you tell us that you like to call attention to current events in your novels, why make bullying such a central topic in the beginning of the book. Do you consider bullying a hot-topic?” Yes I do! To most people it may not be in the same category of importance as ISIS, but to a youngster having to endure bullying it is the most important thing affecting his or her life. If you let it, bullying can destroy your life. Some kids even commit suicide as the only way out. Those are the instances covered in the news. We don’t hear enough about the kids that stand up to the bullies. I think those stories should be highlighted to serve as encouragement to those having difficulty coping with the bullies. 

In my novel Anthony, a likable kid, has to cope with bullies without the support of a peer group. He only has his mother and trusted dog as support. Yet he wins out in the end. I am told “That’s easy to write, but you have no idea how hard it is on kids to be bullied.” 

That’s right. My personal knowledge is very superficial. Before I went to college I had attended seven different schools. I thought it was normal and apparently accepted that the ‘new’ kid was bullied until he/she was accepted by one of the groups in the school. For a boy, this usually meant at least one fight with some boys, who later became friends. This was so routine that I can’t recall most of these incidents, except one which I actually enjoyed. 

My family had recently moved from Aruba to the USA and I was once again enrolled in a new school. Friends of ours from Aruba moved at about the same time to the USA. Three of their sons were enrolled in the same school as I was. One of the boys was a good friend of mine. His name was Kenny. Kenny was not really one of their sons, he was a nephew. Kenny’s mother lived in Surinam and Kenny’s father was a native Indian. Kenny had been living with his uncle and aunt in Aruba since he was eleven, and they brought him with them to the USA. About two weeks after school started, five boys starting taunting me. Being a little hot-headed, I started a fight, five against one. I did not stand a chance, and I was really getting beat-up. Then out of nowhere, Kenny appeared. He was more than four inches taller than the kids who were beating up on me. His shoulders and biceps would have made a varsity football player jealous. Calmly Kenny pulled my assailants from me and proceeded to give them a thrashing. Never mind that there were five of them. Kenny tossed them around like they were ping pong balls. Anyway, that’s the way I remember the incident. Maybe I have embellished it a little to make the memory even more enjoyable. 

I had Kenny. I gave Anthony a dog. I hope all kids being bullied get some help to overcome the bullies. Unfortunately, most kids have to rely on their own strength to overcome the problem. I hope that reading books like Anthony will encourage them.

Book Review

Anthony by Harold J. Fischel
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: PB - March 22, 2014 / eBook - April 3, 2014
Format: Paperback - 316 pages
               Kindle - 610 KB
               Nook - 427 KB
ISBN: 978-1494851217
ASIN: B00JGZOD5I
Genre: New Adult / Coming of Age / Contemporary Fiction


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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Premier Virtual Author Book Tours.


Book Description:

Life has never been easy for Anthony, the secret love child of a well-known US general and his beautiful mistress. After his father perishes in a plane crash, his cancer-stricken mother, Yuni, is forced to move with him to a tiny New York City apartment. And to make matters worse, he’s flagged as an easy target for neighborhood bullies, who constantly terrorize him inside and outside of school.

But after a brutal attack prompts him to fight back in a fit of rage, things start to turn around for the young boy. He shows promise joining the swim and wrestling teams in school, and begins to grow into the tall and physically fit body he inherited from his father.

Just when Anthony’s situation seems to be getting better, however, tragedy strikes his life yet again. In order to put the pieces back together, he turns to some of the strong female figures in his life. But it’s the one girl whom he least expects who may have the power to heal him—shedding his image as the illegitimate son through the magic of love and helping him leave his tragic childhood behind.

Praise for Anthony by Harold J. Fischel:

"It's not often that I find a book that truly moves me, but Anthony may have just been it. Anthony is so real...such a realistic and poignant character. He is bitter, confused, sad, angry, and while his experience is not necessarily the norm of a typical young adult, you can easily relate to him. What a transformation. Anthony goes from a scared and weak child to a fierce, understanding, and competent young man. Fischel writes with skill and craftsmanship that is a joy to read. I would read anything else he has to offer in a heartbeat."- Katelyn Hensel, Readers' Favorite

"The young boy, Anthony, captures your heart in the first few chapters, and you will want to continue with him through his happy, frightening, joyful, daunting journey toward manhood. A good read from start to finish." J. Herrick, Amazon Reviewer

"New Adult, Coming of Age, Contemporary Fiction's coming of age story, Anthony, is inspiring and heartwarming. Fischel's writing style is accomplished and smooth, and I quickly became immersed in this athletic and ethical story of triumph over adversity. Anthony is a marvelous book and is highly recommended reading."- Jack Magnus, Readers' Favorite

"Loved the story line, could not put it down. Although it is listed as a novel, it is sad to think this is reality for some kids."- Donna Connely, Amazon Reviewer

"Anthony by Harold J. Fischel is a wonderful coming of age novel. I loved the story of Anthony,...  I welcomed all the surprises and I loved all the characters. Anthony was resilient and strong, even when he was still a kid. Everything he experienced growing up only made him stronger, some of the things that happened to him even made me cry. All the supporting characters also played big roles in Anthony's success. Overall, a good book with great characters."- Lorena Sanqui, Readers' Favorite


My Book Review:

Anthony is a refreshing coming of age story that follows the journey of Anthony Walker as he learns to overcome adversity in his life from childhood into adulthood, and his resilience to survive and grow into a strong and independent man.

Author Harold J. Fischel weaves a compelling and poignant tale that easily draws the reader into Anthony's emotional story, it will tug at your heartstrings and stir your soul. As the reader follows Anthony's life, you can't help but feel compassion for all the adversities that he faced throughout his life, but his resilience to move forward is inspirational and a testament to his ability to survive and triumph over the adversities, and become a strong and successful young man.

As I followed Anthony on his personal journey into manhood, I couldn't help but experience the full gamut of emotions. Through every trial and tribulation that he faced, my heart ached for him, while I applauded his resilience to overcome every daunting challenge with the help and support of some really wonderful people in his life. And while you wouldn't wish any person, especially a child, to have go through so much adversity in their life, the difficult lessons learned hopefully helps them become that much stronger a person.

The author does a wonderful job of thoughtfully delving into the following social issues: illegitimacy, bullying, and teen-adult sexual relationships.

Anthony is a wonderful story of overcoming adversities and the ability to move forward in life.


RATING: 4 STARS 

About The Author

Harold J. Fischel, a graduate of Washington & Lee University and the NYU School of Law, has lived and worked on four different continents. His family fled the Netherlands shortly after the Nazi invasion, moving to Curacao and Aruba before settling in the United States in 1952.

After law school, Fischel served the US Army in Germany, later retiring as a captain. Since then, he again lived in the Netherlands, before returning to the United States to work for the US subsidiary of a Chinese company.

Fischel is now retired and living in Michigan with his wife, Jan, and their  beloved Labrador retriever. He has two daughters, five wonderful grandchildren, and two great sons-in-law.

Since retiring, he has published two novels and is working on a third.

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Anthony by Harold J. Fischel ~ Virtual Book Tour Event Page

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Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus  May 5 Spotlight & Giveaway
aobibliosphere™ May 6 Review
Cassandra M's Place May 7 Review & Giveaway
IndieWritersReview May 8 Excerpt
Indie Review Behind the Scenes May 9 Live Interview  11 am Central
Carole Rae's Random Ramblings May 11 Review
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What Jenna Thought May 14 Interview & Giveaway
Binding Addiction May 15 Excerpt
Housewife Blues & Chihuahua May 18 Excerpt
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Ordinary Girlz Book Reviews May 25 Review
Confessions Of A Reader May 27 Review
The Book Lover's Lounge May 29 Review & Giveaway
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus June 1 Review
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Rockin' Book Reviews June 5 Review & Giveaway
What U Talking Bout Willis? June 15 Guest Post
Jersey Girl Book Reviews June 19 Review & Guest Post
The Mama Games June 23 Review & Giveaway
Deal Sharing Aunt June 26 Review & Giveaway

 

Pleasant Day by Vera Jane Cook (Book Review)

In association with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Pleasant Day by Author Vera Jane Cook!

Pleasant Day by Vera Jane Cook

Publisher: Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC

Publication Date: February 13, 2015

Format: Paperback - 322 pages

               Kindle - 3011 KB

               Nook - 687 KB

ISBN: 978-1937327613

ASIN: B00TUALPS2

Genre: Southern Fiction / Women's Fiction

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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Premier Virtual Author Book Tours.

Book Description:

With murder in common friendship is inevitable:

As fifteen year old Pleasant Day struggles with her mother’s distance, her father’s infidelity and the death of her best friend, she draws closer to Clarissa, an older woman with the secrets to heal her. But Clarissa has struggles of her own as she faces betrayal and seeks to come to terms with old wounds. With her unpredictable but psychic ability to ‘read people’ Clarissa uncovers the answers to a deadly crime and to Pleasant’s true identity. In the end, both Pleasant and Clarissa’s worlds are transformed by the truths they’re forced to accept.


Praise for Pleasant Day By Vera Jane Cook:

“Absolutely unputdownable, a real page turner. Be prepared to clear your schedule for the day. You’re going to read this one straight through! This is Vera Jane Cook’s best one yet!” –Wall to Wall Books

“A beautiful blend of past and present with loveable, memorable characters and a page turning pace, I was sorry I couldn’t read it in one sitting.” –Jenn Doyle, Books & Life.

“A beautiful piece of southern fiction…a great page turner…this book is filled with delightful characters, charm, warmth, love and last but certainly not least, wonderful humor.”-Arlene Uslander, Editor and writer.


Book Excerpt:

Chapter Four: Pleasant Day 

John Peter told me that Mr. Grady was at the police station same time he was and he was crying and screaming, saying that that couldn't be his daughter's body they found because Millie was home sleeping. Sergeant Brown drove Mr. Grady to Doctor Rand's office so he could get a sedative. John Peter said he started crying himself 'cause Mr. Grady was so distraught.

"I think he's going to go a little crazy," John Peter said to me. "I never saw a man's face look like that in my life. He looked like he was taking fire into his body, burning to death. He had this horrible grimace. I swear, I couldn't look at him."

I didn't know what to say. I wanted to pay my respects to Mr. Grady but on the other hand, I never wanted to see him again in my life. I couldn't bear his distress. I even wanted to get away from John Peter and go hide under a blanket.

"I gotta go," I said. "Mama wanted me to pick up pork chops at Madison's."

I started down the block and I heard him yelling behind me to meet him up on the hill next day. I didn't know if I wanted to see John Peter again so soon. I couldn't help myself but I kept wondering if he could have saved Millie's life. If they'd only waited it out together, waited for the strange man to leave the doorstep. If he'd only not made her jump out the window then maybe the man at the door would have left and John Peter would have gone back up to the bedroom and taken Millie's virginity the whole way. Then she could have told me all about it and I'd be begging for all the clandestine details instead of flying into town, wishing I was dead too.

I was real distracted after buying the pork chops and I guess I wasn't thinking. I hopped on my bike and took the corner at top speed. Before I knew it some damn woman was on the ground under my front bike tire. I nearly flipped my lid. She looked like she was dead, the way she was staring at me, like I held a harp and had wings. I sure was relieved when she got to her feet and wiped herself off. She didn't reprimand me or anything, like someone else might have done. She had kind of a nice face.
I said I was sorry a thousand times but she just kept staring at me. I think she mistook me for someone else but I couldn't be sure.

***


I put the pork chops on the kitchen counter and ran back outside. I didn't want Mama to put a paring knife in my hand and a sack of potatoes in my lap. That was Sawyer's job anyway, peeling carrots and being in there to savor Mama's gastronomic wonders and telling her how absolutely French her cooking was and how she should be on television showing people how to find flavor. That boy had so much sugar in his shoes I couldn't hardly keep a straight face. He had this little dance he did over the pot when Mama asked him to salt something. I could hear the two of them laughing like hyenas from upstairs; then I'd show up in the kitchen just as hungry for attention. Mama would turn silent and Sawyer would start rattling off things that didn't make no sense, silly songs like I got a chicken in the barn, what barn, whose barn. I got a chicken in the barn.
That was like their private code, she's here, let's get stupid now. That's when I'd tell him that his head was so empty, filled with nothing but pennies, like a pig bank, and his pig head rattled so loud it kept me up nights. I'd tell him he was supposed to have brains in there like everybody else but he got out of line when they were passing them out. Mama would sigh long and hard and tell me he had her genes, that's why he liked to cook. What was that supposed to do, make me feel good? I'd say "Ha, and I have Daddy's." I didn't use that argument none too often though 'cause Mama would always say "You didn't get the better of us. You hear that, Pleasant? You didn't get the better of us."

Maybe that was Mama's way of telling me I was unique. I could read all sorts of things into that but I wasn't going to waste my time. I stayed clear of the kitchen as much as I could. Anyway, Sawyer had pissed in there and left his mark, metaphorically speaking. Fine, I metaphorically pissed all over my bedroom like a male dog too, also out the backyard and in the den, where my fruitcake brother liked to watch cooking shows.

The fence around our house wasn't too high. I sat cross-legged on the ground and stared across the road at Mr. Wiley. If he threw rocks he couldn't hit me, long as I stayed low. He was just sitting there with his sign, Homemade Jellies, $6 a jar. On the little table in front of him he had all Mrs. Wiley's jellies. I think there were five or six different kinds. I didn't like the plum but the cherry was real good and made my lips pucker. The strawberry was Sawyer's favorite. I sometimes swiped one for him. It all depended on how he'd treated me that day. The apricot jelly gave me the runs and the marmalade was made with rum so I couldn't have that.

My Book Review:

Pleasant Day by author Vera Jane Cook is an intriguing southern women's fiction with a suspenseful murder mystery twist that will keep the reader sitting on the edge of their seats!

Set in the small southern town of Hollow Creek, South Carolina, this riveting story is told in the first person narrative by fifteen year old Pleasant Day, who wants to solve the mystery of who really killed her friend Millie Grady. Pleasant unexpectedly meets sixty year old Clarissa Blackwell, who has the gift of psychic ability. With a small town full of complex people, buried secrets, and two murders that were committed fifteen years apart, Pleasant and Clarissa are brought together by an old mystery and a dark past that comes to the surface and will forever change their worlds.

Pleasant Day is an intriguing tale that has enough drama, mystery, and suspense that easily drew me in and kept me turning the pages. Author Vera Jane Cook weaves a complex story told by a sassy southern teenage girl with a potty mouth, she's an old soul whose point of view was so unique that I found myself liking this straight talking and take no crap kind of teen, even though I wanted to wash her mouth out with soap!

There is a great mixture of humor and raw gritty drama within this multi-layered storyline, it has enough gripping twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing what will happen next. As a fan of southern fiction, the author does a great job of transporting the reader to the small town of Hollow Creek with a rich description of the setting, southern charm, and quirky memorable townspeople. From the complex relationships between the characters, the deeply buried town secrets, to the clever intertwining of the past and present murder mysteries that unexpectedly brings Pleasant and Clarissa together, Pleasant Day is a thoroughly riveting story that will keep you captivated until the surprising conclusion!


RATING: 4 STARS 

About The Author

Winner: Eric Hoffer Award for publishing excellence and the Indie Excellence Award for notable new fiction! 5 Star Clarion ForeWord Review!

Vera Jane Cook, writer of Award Winning Women’s Fiction, is the author of The Story of Sassy Sweetwater, Lies a River Deep, Where the Wildflowers Grow, Dancing Backward in Paradise and Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem.

Jane, as she is known to family and friends, was born in New York City and grew up amid the eccentricity of her southern and glamorous mother on the Upper West and Upper East Side of Manhattan.

An only child, Jane turned to reading novels at an early age and was deeply influenced by an eclectic group of authors. Some of her favorite authors today are Nelson DeMille, Calib Carr, Wally Lamb, Anne Rice, Sue Monk Kidd, Anita Shreve, Jodi Picoult, Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. Her favorite novels are too long to list but include The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, Cheri and The Last of Cheri, The Picture of Dorian Grey, Wuthering Heights, Look at Me, Dogs of Babel, The Bluest Eye, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Body Surfing, Lolita, The Brothers Karamazov, She’s Come Undone, Tale of Two Cities, etc., etc., etc...


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 Pleasant Day by Vera Jane Cook ~ Virtual Book Tour Event Page

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