Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Jan 14

20

Review & Giveaway: Where the Wild Flowers Grow by Vera Jane Cook

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on January 20, 2014
Posted in Book Tours • Books Read in 2014 • My Past Giveaways  | 4 Comments

Today if is my pleasure to kick of the Where the Wild Flowers Grow tour!  Vera Jane Cook enthralled use with her book The Story of Sassy Sweetwater back in July.  You can read my 5 star review here.

 About Where the Wild Flowers Grow:

 Publisher: Musa Publishing (March 8, 2013)
Genres: Womens Fiction, Southern Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Tour Dates: January, 2013
Available in: ebook only 312 pages

Sexual confusion and dysfunction cause the unravelling of the perfect American family in small town Georgia in 1960.
Rose Cassidy’s fantasy life is a haunting reminder that she’s living a lie. So when she has the opportunity to act on those fantasies, she dives in without any thought to consequences.
Rose’s husband, Ryan, has fantasies of his own, and his actions cause unimaginable pain to the very children he tries so hard to protect.
When the happiness each member of the Cassidy family seeks so desperately to find is shattered by shame, guilt, and ultimately murder, they must each face the truth that lies deep within their souls.
My Thoughts:
 It’s the 1960’s south and the Cassidy family seems like the perfect southern family to all the town folks who live in the same town. They seem to have it all and are well respected. Ryan Cassidy is a doctor with two beautiful children and a wife.  He is considered to be a pillar of the community.  However, what may seem perfect on the outside, has many secrets on the inside and little by little this perfect family starts to unravel and their secrets seem to be coming to the surface.
Where the Wild Flowers Grows has it all.  An unravelling family, secrets, and even murder.  Or is it murder?  You will have to decide.  This book is for adults only and only for those who aren’t bothers by sexual scenes, including a lesbian sex scene.  To me sex is natural so I think it is natural for it to be included in books and movies.

This book is well written and flows well.  The characters are well drawn out and the household in the south with the wild flowers are a big part of the story.  The only thing missing for me is that it seemed like it could have taken place anywhere in 1960’s United States, not just the south.  The south played such a large role in The Story of Sassy Sweetwater, but it took a back seat to this book.  Other than the sense of place not being well drawn out, everything else was, including plot.  Vera Jane Cook wrote another hit.  I can hardly wait to read more!

4.5/5
I was sent this ebook for my honest opinion.
About Vera Jane Cook:

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.,
The Story of Sassy Sweetwater, Vera’s second published southern novel, was a finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year Award for 2012! The novel also won the Eric Hoffer Award for 2012 – Honorable Mention Best ebook Fiction! Vera’s first published southern novel, Dancing Backward in Paradise, won the Indie Excellence Award for notable new fiction in 2007 and the Eric Hoffer Award for publishing excellence, also in 2007. Both books earned five star ForeWord Clarion reviews!
The author works by day for an education publishing company as an account manager and lives on the Upper West side of Manhattan with her long term partner, her Pomeranian, Daisy, her Basenji/Chihuahua mix, Roxie, her Chihuahua, Peanut and her two pussy cats, Sassy and Sweetie Pie.
Vera Jane Cook’s Website: http://www.verajanecook.com/

Vera Jane Cook on Twitter: https://twitter.com/verajanecook
Vera Jane Cook on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vera.j.cook
Buy Where the Wildflowers Grow:
Thanks to Vera Jane Cook, I am giving away one ebook copy of Where the Wildflowers Grow.  Please use Rafflcopter to enter.
Follow The Tour:
So Many Precious Books Jan 20 Review & Giveaway
Joy Story Jan 21 Review & Giveaway
From Isi Jan 22 Review & Giveaway
Carole Rae’s Ramblings Jan 23 Review
Romance & Inspiration Jan 24 Review
Romance & Inspiration Jan 27 Interview
Wall to Wall Books Jan 28 Review & Giveaway
Back Porch Reservations Feb 3
Clue Review Feb 5 Review
I Feel So Unnecessary Feb 10 Review
Indie Reviews Behind the Scenes Mar 29 12 pm cst Interview- Live on Blog Talk Radio

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Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Jan 14

13

Review & Giveaway:The Vision of a Blind King by Ako Eyong

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on January 13, 2014
Posted in Book Tours • Books Read in 2014 • My Past Giveaways  | 4 Comments

Today I am kicking off The Vision Of a Blind King by Ako Eyong.  Be sure to follow the tour for more chances to win a copy.

Book Description:

Publisher: Ako Eyong (March, 2013)
Genres: Historical Thriller, Time Travel, Supernatural Elements
Tour Dates: January, 2013
Available in: Print & ebook ,353 pages, with illustrations
This is the story of Melenoc, a very power hungry man with a particularly uncommon fear of death; a toxic combination of emotions that ultimately drive him into an unending quest for immortality. As he digs deeper it becomes obvious that he will stop at nothing to achieve this goal, even to the point of crossing lines that may compromise the security and well being of a whole kingdom.
It is a tale that pits good against evil, taking us deep into an ancient African society where the survival of the same kingdom will come to rest on the shoulders of another individual; a General who must rise above personal trauma and self doubts, and find a way to pull a nation away from the edge.
As powerful forces collide and the struggle intensifies, unexpected turns and twists will catapult the plot into a four thousand year journey that spills over into the contemporary age; from the rugged camp of a bitter African rebel leader to the concrete jungles of Los Angeles, spawning characters who have no idea that their lives are being affected by a four thousand year old quest.
My Thoughts:

The Vision of a Blind King started out right away with action and took me in.  It’s clearly a book with a clear message, first, know your history, second, do things differently so we don’t keep repeating it!  However that message does not distract the reader from the heart pulsing story and plot!  


The book alternates chapters between the historical and modern day and spans continents.  Eventually some of the historical leaks into modern day.  It’s a journey throughout the ages with an amulet that has superpowers.  


This is a book for adults, complete with illustrations. Like J.R.R.Tolkien’s The Ring, The Vision Of a Blind King is bound to become a classic!  This book is a real page turner that kept me up until the wee hours of the morning. I highly recommend it!

5/5
I received the ebook version for my honest opinion.
See a Interview With Ako Eyong:

About Ako Eyong:


 Ako Eyong is a Cameroonian national, whose critique of government policy (as a journalist) has led to an existence in America as a political exile. Presently, while working on the sequel to The vision of the blind king, he is taking the first steps into the world of public speaking. He has spoken at several locations in the country, including Oxnard College in California, Coconino community college in Arizona, Ventura college, Ventura Chapter of Amnesty international, Rotary club of Malibu at Pepperdine university, just to name a few. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a diploma in political science.

Ako Eyong  Twitter: https://twitter.com/akoeyong
Buy The Vision of the Blind King:

Amazon

Thanks to Ako Eyong, I am giving away one copy of The Vision of a Blind King.  This giveaway is open internationally.  Print copy is available to the U.S. and Canada.  Pdf for international.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour:
So Many Precious Books Jan 13 Review, Video,  & Giveaway
Deal Sharing Aunt Jan 14 Review
The News In Books Jan 15 Review
The News In Books  Jan 16 Guest Post
Cuzinlogic Jan 20 Review
Most Happy Reader Jan 21 Review
Most Happy Reader Jan 22 Interview
Sweeps 4 Bloggers Jan 23 Review & Giveaway
Mina’s Bookshelf Jan 24 Guest Post
Julie Clue Review Jan 30 Review

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Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Jan 14

3

Review & Giveaway: Hospice Voices by Eric Lindner

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on January 3, 2014
Posted in Book Tours • Books Read in 2014 • My Past Giveaways  | 6 Comments

Today it is my honor to kick off the tour of Hospice Voices!

Book Description:

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Oct. 6, 2013
Category: Memoir, Non-Fiction, Volunteerism, Hospice, Caregiver
Tour Dates: January, 2014
Available in: Print & ebook, 232 pages
As a part-time hospice volunteer, Eric Lindner provides companion care to dying strangers. They are chatterboxes and recluses, religious and irreligious, battered by cancer, congestive heart failure, Alzheimer s, old age. Some cling to life amazingly. Most pass as they expected.
In telling his story, Lindner reveals the thoughts, fears, and lessons of those living the ends of their lives in the care of others, having exhausted their medical options or ceased treatment for their illnesses. In each chapter, Lindner not only reveals the lessons of lives explored in their final days, but zeroes in on how working for hospice can be incredibly fulfilling.
As he s not a doctor, nurse, or professional social worker, just a volunteer lending a hand, offering a respite for other care providers, his charges often reveal more, and in more detail, to him than they do to those with whom they spend the majority of their time. They impart what they feel are life lessons as they reflect on their own lives and the prospect of their last days. Lindner captures it all in his lively storytelling.
Anyone who knows or loves someone working through end of life issues, living in hospice or other end of life facilities, or dealing with terminal or chronic illnesses, will find in these pages the wisdom of those who are working through their own end of life issues, tackling life s big questions, and boiling them down into lessons for anyone as they age or face illness. And those who may feel compelled to volunteer to serve as companions will find motivation, inspiration, and encouragement.
Rather than sink under the weight of depression, pity, or sorrow, Lindner celebrates the lives of those who choose to live even as they die.
My Thoughts:
When I was approached to review Hospice Voices, I jumped at the chance.  Since I have been a social worker for many years and worked in group homes while attending university, working or volunteering in a caring profession was something I could personally relate to. 
Many would read the title and that Eric volunteered in Hospice and conclude that this book would be depressing.  Let me tell you, it is not. Sure, it is sad when the people, Eric spent time with died but they died with dignity.  Something hospice makes possible.  Eric talked about the orientation process he went through.  It was explained that most people who are dying are lonely.  Their friends don’t know how to talk to them so often don’t visit them at all.  The hospice volunteer helps this immensely.
Eric came to really care about the patients and families he has worked with and has kept in touch with many of the families even after the passing of his patients.  He, the families, and the patients, themselves are great examples for the enduring human spirit.  Eric learned important lessons for the people he spent time with and has passed those lesson on in this very touching and beautifully written book.
While reading this I realized the I was a hospice volunteer without realizing it.  When I was young, in 9th and 10th grade, I use to visit a neighbor of ours.  Here’s a little background.  When I was little I use to ride my bike around the block.  I was to little to go somewhere on my own so I just went round and round the block.  An elderly couple, the Johnsons’ use to sit outside and watch me and smile and wave when I passed them.  I always smiled and waved back.  One day I decided to try to talk to them and they were so sweet.
After Mr Johnson passed I kept in touch with Mrs Johnson.  When I was in 9th grade I noticed that Mrs. Johnson wasn’t sitting outside any more and saw a woman I didn’t know going in and out of her house.  I brought my concerns to my mother and she told me that Mrs. Johnson was very sick and wasn’t going to get better.  I started going to her house every single day after school to visit.  It turned out the woman I saw going in and out of the house was Mrs. Johnson’s sister and she moved in to take care of her sister.  They both seemed so happy to see me and I them.  
Eric made me realize that I was helping them through their loneliness.  I am 99 percent sure that I was their only visitor.  When Mrs. Johnson died, I was so sad.  Her sister sold the house and moved back to where she had been living and I never saw her again but I still think of them often.
I want to thank Eric for the gift of friend ship he has given people over the years and his gift to me.  Hospice don’t have enough workers or volunteer workers.  If you are a individual who can look at it as a positive thing, consider becoming a volunteer.  I am willing to bet that you will receive as much as you give.  It is clear that Eric has.  I highly recommend Hospice Voices!
5/5
I received the advanced print copy of this book for my honest review!
I found this short new piece about the role hospice plays in peoples live and Eric is in it!
About Eric Lindner:

Eric Lindner is an attorney & entrepreneur. He has been a hospice companion caregiver since 2009. He divides his time between Warrenton, VA and Kauai, Hawaii.

Thanks to the author, I am giving away one Copy of Hospice Voices.  Open internationally!  If the winner is a resident of the U.S. s/he has the choice of print or ebook. An international winner would receive ebook.  This giveaway ends on February 1, 2013.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy Hospice Voices:
Follow the Tour:
So Many Precious Books Jan 3 Review & Giveaway
WV Stitcher Jan 6 Review                          
WV Stitcher Jan 7 Guest Post
 I’d Rather Be At the Beach Jan 8 Review                                  
Teena in Toronto Jan 10 Review                                          
Anastacia Reviews Jan 13 Review & Giveaway
Library of Clean Reads Jan 14 Review                              
Sincerely Stacie Jan 15 Review                                          
Midnight Musings Jan 16 Review                                      
Midnight Musings Jan 17 Interview
Sweeps for Bloggers Jan 20 Review &Giveaway
Every Free Chance Jan 21 Review                                      
Every Free Chance Jan 22 Interview
Daddy Blogger Jan 23 Review                                
Daddy Blogger  Jan 24 Interview
Deal Sharing Aunt Jan 24 Review & Giveaway
As I Turn the Pages Jan 27 Review                        
As I Turn the Pages  Jan 27 Guest Post
Anglers Rest Jan 28 Review                                    
Joystory Jan 29 Review                                          
Bookalicious Travel Addict Jan 30 Review                        
Bookalicious Travel Addict Jan 31 Interview 

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Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

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