Rachelle Ayala's Blog, page 48

#BookReview THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT by Amy Tan #Asian #American #Literature

The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dramatic epic story during a turbulent and transitional time in China's history.

The main character, Violet Minturn, is a young girl raised in a courtesan house, where women are courted for sexual favors. As expected, Violet's life is fraught with drama and tragedy. She's fatherless, enjoys spying on the courtesans as they're having sex with their visitors and is a lonely child attached to her cat.

Tan has a really good eye for descriptio...

#BookReview WHERE PETALS FALL by NYT & USAT Bestselling Author Melissa Foster

Where Petals Fall by Melissa Foster
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Junie's four year old daughter, Sarah, has regressed and gone into a shell. She tries therapy and consults psychologists, but no one can figure out why her daughter will no longer talk. Junie suspects hidden trauma and pulls out all stops to find the reason why.

Meanwhile, Junie's marriage is on the rocks because her husband does not believe there is anything wrong with their daughter. He thinks she's just being obstinate.

Needless to sa...

#BookReview A CHRISTMAS FAMILY WISH by Helen Scott Taylor #novella

A Christmas Family Wish by Helen Scott Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ahhh.... what a sweet and uncomplicated read. Sometimes disasters are a way for better things to happen.

Things couldn't be worse for single mother Rachel Carnes after a tree crashes through her house and she loses her job. But when her father calls Ian Harper to give her a hand, hope springs alive once again. Rachel and her son, Toby, are homeless, but Ian offers them a place in his home and heart.

A few complications get in t...

#BookReview SAVE THE CAKE by Stella Torres #chicklit #philippines #pinay

Save the Cake by Stella Torres
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. It's a lighthearted romp through the world of high end bakeries where making the perfect cake is an art form.

Eloisa is a perfectionist when it comes to cake making. She inherited her skills from her grandmother, Lola Carmen, whose bakery catered to the highest society parties in Manila. Among Lola Carmen's claim to fame is making the delectable cake for debutante Betsy Verdadero on her 18th birthday. A beautifu...

#BookReview WRITING FIGHT SCENES by Rayne Hall #writertip #writing

Writing Fight Scenes by Rayne Hall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A complete encyclopedia on writing fight scenes.

This book is an excellent resources for writers of every genre, from sweet and soft romance to horror. Before reading this book, I had no idea of the difference between what Rayne calls an entertaining fight scene and a gritty one.

Rayne not only goes into detail about the steps of a fight scene, but also the stylistic elements that would suit different genres. For example, a scene in a rom...

#AuthorInterview Simi K. Rao talks about Writing

I read a lot of books and every so often, one book stands out and speaks to me. Simi K. Rao's An Incurable Insanity is fresh, vibrant, slightly crazy, and every bit joyful. I reviewed it here a few days ago.Today, I'm happy to interview Simi and find out about her writing and her life.

1. Tell us about your background. What was the initial spark for writing your book?I was born in India and have been living in the United States for several years. I am a practising physician by career. I’ve alw...

#BookReview ALL I EVER WANTED by Kristan Higgins #chicklit #romance #humor

All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blerk! Kristan Higgins has a new fan here. I loved Callie and her quirky way of channeling Michelle Obama and Betty Boop. She is a love sick puppy who's had a crush on dreamboat boss Mark Rousseau for like her entire life.

The only problem? He's wishy washy, enjoys her attentions and strings her along while he's dating the daughter of a big account for his business. Meanwhile Callie runs into a staid veterinarian who has the charm of a...

#BookReview WHITE SWANS by Annamaria Bazzi #fantasy #regency #horror

White Swans: A Regency Era by Annamaria Bazzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

White Swans is an entirely different experience than you'd expect. When the book starts, I thought it'd be a fairy tale fantasy story about a young girl who is secretly a princess. She wakes up several centuries back in time in a fancy castle. Her room overlooks a lake where swans are swimming peacefully.

She is dressed for breakfast by a maid and meets the charming Lord Deverow for breakfast complete with butlers, table servi...

Get Stuffed in November with #Free #Ebooks every Friday at Free PAR-TAY!!!

Check out the Great Deals, er... what could be better than free? Every Friday at http://www.freeebookpartay.com/ [Click on the Turkey and see]

Hurry, some books expire at Noon Pacific Time. [They'll still be 99c Friday afternoon and all day Saturday]

This weeks's Titles:
Down & Dirty By Carolyn McCray               
The Surrogate's Secret By Mimi Barbour      
Logan's Le...

#BookChat BOBBY'S TRIALS #memoir #truestory

SYNOPSIS:A real-life, true crime, memoir about the incredible story of a poor teenage Oklahoma farm boy who was charged with murdering his mother and sister in cold blood and then burning down the family home in a supposed attempt to cover up his crimes and his ten-year court battle to clear his name.
In the early morning hours of June 19, 1963, just four days before he was to leave for basic training, Bobby Wilson was awakened by his mother.
She held a loaded gun to his head and had a crazy, y...