Aisha Urooj's Blog, page 11

Author Interview

A special thanks to Kara of Lover’s Quarrel for interviewing me about my latest book release, The Stone Mermaid.

Please check it out at the following link: 😊https://loversquarrelreviews.com/2021...

Indie Book Review: Black Ships by A.G. Claymore

Hi everyone,

For today’s blog post (and the last book featured for Indie April) is the alien invasion Sci Fi thriller, The Black Ships by A.G. Claymore.


I chose a genre that I don’t normally read (but definitely watch), so this was a new thing for me.

What was the story about?

First in the Black Ships Series. Our planet was just one small island in the midst of a vast, empty sea. For millennia, we thought we were alone – until we took our first tentative steps out of the cradle. As the nations of Earth struggle to establish a fragile colony on the surface of Mars, we suddenly lose all contact with our settlers. In the days that follow, it becomes abundantly clear that humans are not the only ones intent on exploiting the resources of the solar archipelago. In a desperate bid for freedom, Humanity must undergo social and economic changes on a scale previously unheard of. In the midst of growing turmoil, the struggle to build an effective defense leads the species to a turning point. The smallest of chances may determine the difference between freedom or eternal subjugation.

The book delivers on its promise and starts with an nail-biting alien invasion. The year is 2026 (not too far away), and aliens have attacked a human team sent to Mars. The US government (and others) on Earth must decide whether or not this is a threat, a mistake, or something else, while being limited to the fact that they are a planet away.

There is a rush to expedite a space-based combat fleet, despite not knowing the aliens’ intentions, because as Admiral Kelly states, “I would rather meet them with force and be wrong than meet them in peace and be wrong.” The enormity of the task dawns on everyone as does the financial implications of having such a fleet (The expected cost is a eye-watering $34 Trillion USD).

The book had smart exchanges between the characters. There are multiple players in the book, as there should be, but the author makes each of their personalities and voices distinct. There were a lot of technical terms (The researcher in me was itching to read up on them more), but it doesn’t feel gratuitous.

Black Ships is an engaging story and feels realistic. The story is unique as it is set only a few years from now and not a futuristic take on it.

I hope that you choose this book as your next read. Black Ships certainly gives us a lot to think about.

Thank you for reading today’s blog post. I was happy to review so many good Indie books for Indie April, and I hope to do it again next year. I will go back to my regular posts, including writing updates.

I wish you a great day, and hope that you discover something new today.

This blog post can also be found as a podcast at anchor.fm/aisha-urooj

Indie Short Story Review: As Black Roses Bleed by Morgan Wright

For today’s Indie April pick, I will talk about the dark fantasy short story, As Black Roses Bleed, by Morgan Wright.

If darkness be hidden,

And thorns persist,

Let peace live on…

But if thorns be slit,

And eyes reopen,

Let death befall.

It is tricky to review a short story without giving away the story or giving spoilers (I think this is my first one), so I will try my best 😁

As Black Roses Bleed is about a witch, a curse on a village, and a boy at the centre of it. Theirs is a grim world, where hope and happiness is but a fool’s dream.

Reading this story is like opening Pandora’s box and being caught in the chaos. It is like screaming without making a sound. It feels like a prelude to an epic dark fantasy novel, rather than just a short story.

There is enough intrigue and mystery to stay with you long after you read the final sentence. As Black Roses Bleed lingers on in your mind like a nightmare you can’t escape when you close your eyes.

I hope that you give this short story a read. It is great writing by a fantastic writer.

You can read the short story for yourself here: https://commontonguezitne.com/article...…

I have one more book remaining for Indie April. I hope that you choose an Indie book for your next read.

I hope that you have a great day 😊 Thank you for reading today’s blog post.

This blog can be found as a podcast at anchor.fm/aisha-urooj

Indie Book Review: Demonheart by J.J Egosi

My fourth book for Indie April is the dark fantasy Demonheart (Raging Elementals, #1) by J.J. Egosi.



The book has an action-packed start, involving orcs, a gold coin, and a dragon… even if it was only dreamt up by our protagonist. The main character Michael is an oddity. He is a light bringer in the dark realm. His white hair and blue eyes makes him stick out in the sea of dark hair and eyes of the people of his village.

Michael’s adoptive parents treat him worse than a servant, despite being the richest family around (and having oodles of gold 👑💸). They favor his younger stepsister, Isabella, who will be the heir of the Asmodai estate and billion-gold empire. Michael tolerates the verbal and physical abuse, until one day, he is thrown out unceremoniously by Isabella from the place he called home for most of his life.

Michael is perplexed. Why did his sister throw him out now? Why did she look sad about it? What dark secret is she hiding? Michael sets out to investigate this mystery, and so his journey begins in Demonheart.

Here is the description of the book:

In dark medieval times, a young man serves under the family of the wealthiest jewelry estate in all the land. He believed he’d be nothing more than an instrument of ridicule for all those that crossed his path. Until a violent tragedy exiles him from the only home he knew. Now, he must explore the world on his own in search of a new purpose. Where he meets an assassin in search of the world’s rarest creature: Elementals. Soon, he encounters a witch from another place; existing from a time long ago. Who tells him of a secret to his past he had to experience to truly believe. Now, he must search all corners of the world for something he never knew he had. During a life he never knew he lived. Before the demon king puts an end to all things he finally came to fight for.

This is a dark novel which gets more intense as you read it. There is violence and swearing… and lots of bodies 😱 Michael goes from one dangerous situation to another, so the story remains fast-paced. There are many unexpected twists and turns, such as Michael taking on the job of an assassin by accident... until he is caught in his lie 😆

Demonheart is an interesting story that will keep you riveted on what happens next. I hope that you give this book a chance. Remember to choose an Indie book for Indie April. I am sure that the authors will appreciate your support.

Thank you for reading today’s blog post. I hope that you have a great day 😊

This blog can be found as a podcast at anchor.fm/aisha-urooj

Indie Book Review: The Vampire wants a wife

Dating can be hard… maybe even harder when you are a hot vampire.

Theodore is 126-years-old and has had a thousand girlfriends during his life, but unfortunately, none of them have been a good match. He just wants a wife to spend his eternal life with. What can a poor vampire do?

Theodore takes the next logical step… he fills out a dating application and sends it to a dating agency. He feels that his luck will finally turn around. That is unless he scares away Shelley, the human who runs the dating agency.

Come to think of it, Theodore finds Shelley ravishing… even if she is a bit crazy to throw garlic naan at him (to check if he was really a vampire). Theo finds out that she is single too.

Hmmm… 😏

For my third Indie book for Indie April (see previous blogs for more info), I chose the romantic comedy, The Vampire wants a Wife (Supernatural Dating Agency Book 1) by Andie M. Long.

This book is steamy even if it has a cute cover. There is swearing and mature content and situations (Oh my!). This book wasn’t for me but the book had a fun concept and endearing main characters.

This is a vampire story with modern twists which gives the old concept a new feeling. Theodore loves sharing pictures on Instagram, for instance, and even uses Facetime to chat with Shelley.

Theodore also frowns at the idea of sparkling vampires 🤭🌟🧛‍♂️🌟 There is also a role reversal as Theodore is the one with the ticking biological clock ⏰ and who wants to be a father soon.

Shelley’s and Theodore’s path to one true love is paved with intrigue and danger. There are strange accidents occuring around them, branches falling out of trees, and friends seeing ominous visions, and Shelley having nightmares. Someone or something in their hometown of Withernsea do not want them dating one another. But why?

Will they have a happy ending or will one of them get hurt or killed? Why is Lucy Fir (head of Hell) after Shelley? How can they escape the evil forces?

I hope that you choose an Indie book for Indie April. I will bring you more book review posts during this month.

I will try to squeeze in two more books for Indie April. I am trying to include as many genres as possible so there will be a scifi book and a epic fantasy/dark fantasy book review coming soon.

Thank you for reading!

This blog can be found as a podcast at anchor.fm/aisha-urooj

Indie book review: Mark of a Demon

For my second Indie book, I chose the paranormal romance short story, Mark of a Demon by Despoina Kemeridou.

What is Mark of a Demon about?

When Heather was born, everyone thought she would die due to her weak heart. Upon her mother’s callings, a demon showed up and saved her life by sharing his heart with hers. There was only one condition; she would live until the demon’s powers ran out. Not knowing anything about the mark she had on her chest from the day she remembers herself, she falls in love with the demon, marking the start of a forbidden love…

What happens when she finds out the secrets her aunt and the demon have been keeping deeply hidden from her?

There is a lot of story and heart in the pages of this novella. The story was fast-paced but I wished it had explored the love story of Nube and Heather a bit more. Their love story seemed a bit sudden. I was touched by the scene where Heather meets her mother again. Portrayal of family relationships, especially the one with Heather and her aunt, Sara, gives Mark of a Demon warmth, depth, and realism.

I hope that you consider Mark of a Demon for your next read. I will be back with a review of another Indie book for Indie April in my next blog post. Until then, stay safe! I wish you a great day.

Thank you for reading 😊

This blog can be found as a podcast at anchor.fm/aisha-urooj

My Dear Ellie on The Pocket Garden

My Dear Ellie has been selected for the Books2Read Reading List promotion, The Pocket Garden!

My Dear Ellie will be featured under the Feel-Good & Heart-Warming Fiction section.

I’m excited to announce that my book, My Dear Ellie, is part of a Books2Read Promotion, along with several other great authors!

You can find the promo here: https://books2read.com/rl/pocketgarden

And if you wouldn’t mind, it would help me and the other authors out a lot if you’d share this promotion with your friends and family. Just forward this link to anyone you think would love to find their next favorite book!

Thanks so much for your help and support.

😊📚

This promotion was a happy surprise. I will post my regular blog post over the weekend (featuring another Indie book for Indie April). Stay tuned for that post!

Thank you for reading 😊

Indie April Book review: The Long View by Mark Hurst

When I joined Twitter nearly a year ago, I learned about #IndieApril. During the month of April, many readers vow to read more books by Indie authors (writers who might be self-published, or work with smaller, independent publishers).

I remember how supported I felt then as a newly published author when other people gave my books a chance 🥰 I am also grateful for all the authors in the writing community who took interest in my books or shared my tweets.

This year (and hopefully from now onwards), I want to dedicate my April blog posts to reviewing Indie books. My first book is going to be The Long View by Mark Hurst.

I chose The Long View because I was captivated by the book description and I loved the mysterious cover. So what is the book about?

They say the Dead don’t tell tales, but it depends on who’s doing the listening. Ever since Sophie Lydon was a little girl she’s been able to speak with the dead, a gift she inherited from her late mother and grandmother. Now it’s just Sophie and her dad, looking after her uncle and the family funeral business.

She tries to carry on her mother’s work, the tradition of guiding lost souls into the afterlife, but it’s hard and sometimes scary without her mother’s guidance. And the latest crop of arrivals in the mortuary have something new to say, bringing her disturbing messages from the place between living and dying, the vast hinterland across which all souls must walk. A killer has been awoken in the town of High Towers, where Sophie lives. A killer with links to Sophie’s past, a killer known to the voice of The Long View… and it’s coming for Sophie..

I have a confession to make… I spook easily and I had no idea how grim this book will get. I hope I don’t get nightmares 😱

I had no preconceived ideas on where the story will head but The Long View surprised me at every turn… and the killer? You could guess who it was but still be surprised.

I liked that the characters in the books are all flawed, struggling, and ordinary, in the best sense, as they are relatable. There are no caped heroes… just ordinary folks with courageous hearts or lost souls trying to make sense of what is wrong or right.

The Long View (where the souls go after death) is a barren, dark place that will have you mesmerized. It is surreal and imaginative; a nightmare too real caught by the writer and stuffed into the pages of this book.

As always, I won’t give away the ending. I hope I have intrigued you enough to give this book a chance. Please consider supporting an Indie author especially during the month of April. There are many gems you will discover. 📚

Thank you for reading! 😊 I hope you have a great day!

My Twitter handle is @Aisha__Urooj (if you want to follow me there too).

This blog can be found as a podcast at anchor.fm/aisha-urooj

Animated series: Hotel Transylvania

If you are in the mood for a fun animated series to escape from reality, today’s blog will feature the animated series, Hotel Transylvania.

Am I distracting myself from not learning about book marketing?

Yes 😋

I am sticking to writing for now. 📚

Hotel Transylvania has three full-length movies (a fourth one coming out), so why should you see the animated series? The series features the teenaged children of our favorite monsters: Dracula, Frankenstein, Mummy, and… Blob? It also has cameos from other monsters and their kids, such as the teen werewolf twins who are competitive, ruthless, girl-scouts. Aside from Mavis, we haven’t seen the teenage characters in the movies.

Meet the mischievous main cast:

Mavis Dracula is the carefree 114-year-old daughter of Dracula. Dracula is away from the hotel on a vampire business so Mavis is freer to scheme fun new plans with her best friends. She is curious and has a carefree spirit and gets into trouble with her aunt Lydia, the only adult-like adult around.

Wendy Blob is Mavis’s best friend, a green blob of goo who Mr. Blob’s daughter. Don’t let her innocent face and cute glasses fool you, she is equally as mischievous as Mavis.

Hank N. Stein is the teen aged son of Frankenstein. He is one of Mavis’ best friends. He is afraid of nearly everything, especially fire, just like his dad. He oftens moves past his fears to take part in Mavis’s fun and mayhem.

Pedro is a lazy teenage mummy who resembles Murray. He has sibling rivalry issues. His older, more talented brother is the favorite son of his mom. Pedro enjoys eating, sleeping, and rapping.

Aunt Lydia Dracula is Dracula’s older sister and Mavis’ paternal aunt. She is the one in charge of the hotel and who pushes strict rules when Mavis and her friends want to just have fun. Despite her strict appearance, she has some fun weaknesses, such as being obsessed with romance books.

I like the animated series because it focuses on friendship, family, and just having carefree fun as a teenager.

I hope that you check it out too.

Thank you for reading today’s blog post. As always, this blog will be available as a podcast at anchor.fm/aisha-urooj

Have a great day 😊

Life of an writer

This is going to be one of those writing update posts, so bear with me 😉

Eleanor’s Travels is now available as an audiobook on audible and iTunes 🥳 The narrator, Jojo Parks, did a wonderful job with the accents. This is her first time narrating an audiobook.

Jojo parks, 20-year-old voice actor and book-lover working from her home studio in New Jersey, has performed in plays and musicals since 7 years old. In addition to musicals, she also has experience with Shakespeare and straight plays, as well as podcasting.

She can do variety of accents, including British, Irish, French, Midwestern American, Southern American, Eastern European, Australian, and Scottish 🤩 Jojo has also been an NJACT Perry award nominee for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.

I hope that you check out her talent!
www.backstage.com/vo/jojo-parks/
http://mybook.to/Eleanors-Travels

All of my books are now available on Google play books 🥳 I hope I can reach more readers worldwide!

My Dear Ellie and Divine Error both have a new price of only $0.99. If you like to check out my writing 🥰

My marketing attempts had me lose my book earnings for the previous two months (not that I made that much). Paid newsletters were a bust. It is tough being both a writer and marketer, but I am going through the steep learning curve.

Hopefully, I will emerge smarter, wiser and with profit 😆 I have one more paid newsletter for this Sunday. I hope it goes much better than the last two 🍀☘

Being an Indie author comes with challenges, especially when it comes to visibility. That is why I am always grateful when readers leave a review 😊🙏 I am usually seen floating in the clouds when someone likes my books 😂☁️

Thank you for following me on my writing journey. It has both ups and downs, but it is a wonderful and worthwhile experience.

It is currently tax season here, so I have been busy adulting. I will come back next week with a movie, art, animation, or book post for you. Stay tuned and stay safe! As always, this blog will be available as an podcast on anchor.fm/aisha-urooj

I hope that you have a great day today ⛱