Rhoda Baxter's Blog, page 18
March 11, 2020
Book review: Mageborn by Jessica Thorne
Mageborn by Jessica Thorne My rating: 4 of 5 stars Grace is a soldier and her job is to round up the Mageborn who have magic. What she cant tell anyone is that she suspects she might have some magic too. And it might be getting stronger.
Bastien Larelwynn, the Lord of Thorns, is the kings brother. Kinda shadowy. Grace comes into contact with him when he drains the magic out of her friend and her friend dies.
I liked the complexity of the world especially the criminal world that isnt...
March 10, 2020
Writing and marketing books on sale!
Do you want to write romance novels (and make money from them?)
Here’s a selection of romance writing and marketing books which are on special offer this week. All the books are at least half price – all are 1.99 or below. These books are all written by romance authors and will teach you how to write romance that sells … and how to sell it!
The sale runs until the 15th of March – Get the whole bundle for under a tenner.
[image error]How to Write Romantic Comedy by Jane Lovering and Rhoda Baxter
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March 6, 2020
RoNA Awards 2020
At the start of this week, I went to the RoNA Awards 2020. As you probably know, my novel A Convenient Marriage, written as Jeevani Charika, was shortlisted for the Contemporary Romantic Fiction Novel award. Since it was a very Sri Lankan book that was nominated, I wore a sari and the bling.
[image error]Bella Osborne, me, Jules Wake, Sophie Kinsella, Sue Moorcroft, Victoria Walters and Carole MatthewsI didn’t win (sob), but I had a great time. It really helped that I had enjoyed the book that DID win (...
March 4, 2020
Book Review: Death Comes to Cornwall by Kate Johnson
Death Comes to Cornwall by Kate Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Molly Higgins lives in an idyllic village in Cornwall, where she works three, sometimes four jobs to make ends meet. Last year, she had a fling with the handsome actor Connor Blackstone, who is in town filming the popular murder mystery show Dr Wenn Investigates. Neither of them expected to come back to Port Trevan this summer and now they’re back together they have all these inconvenient feelings for each other, but their...
March 1, 2020
Inheritance Books: Jac Harmon
This week’s guest on the Inheritance Books sofa is my fellow BestExperimate (from the Bestseller Experiment Facebook group) Jac Harmon. Hi Jac, welcome to Inheritance Books I’ll go get the Hobnobs, while you introduce yourself.
[image error]I was born in London into a family of readers. My nan would read, knit, watch TV and smoke a cigarette all at the same time! Among my earliest memories are being taken to Shepherd’s Bush Market where there were two, huge second hand book stalls under the railway...
February 26, 2020
Book review: House Rules by Ruby Lang
House Rules by Ruby Lang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a second chance love story. Simon and Lana were married and then divorced. Now, in their mid forties they meet again when they’re both looking for somewhere to live. Circumstances lead to them sharing a lovely apartment. Their lives are sufficiently different that they don’t need to see much of each other, but they can’t stop looking for each other.
There are many things I liked about this story. The characters were so relatable. I...
February 22, 2020
Inheritance Books: Sharon Booth
This week’s guest is Sharon Booth, writer of cosy rom coms and books about modern witches. Hi Sharon, welcome to Inheritance Books. I’ve got chocolate Hobnobs, especially. While I go find them, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?
[image error]Hi, Rhoda, and thanks so much for inviting me onto your blog. I grew up in Hessle, East Yorkshire, and spent a lot of my time reading. I was a real bookworm and frequently visited the local library which, in those days, was above the town hall. I can...
February 19, 2020
Book Review: This is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Two agents travel through time and start writing letters to each other. At first they are just taunts and challenges, but slowly, they get to know each other and fall in love. They work for opposite sides in the time war and if they get found out, it will be the end for both of them.
This novel is so compelling! The writing is evocative and clever. The characterisation is restrained, but that’s part of who they are –...
February 16, 2020
Inheritance Books: Jenni Fletcher
This week’s Inheritance Books are from romance and fellow cake aficionado, Jenni Fletcher. Welcome to Inheritance Books, Jenni. Have a biscuit. Why don’t you set things off by telling us a bit about yourself?
[image error]I’m from Aberdeenshire, but now live in East Yorkshire with my family. I spent seven years at university studying English and never wanted to leave so becoming a writer seemed like a good solution. I could happily spend every day in a library, although I spent a couple of years working...
February 12, 2020
Book Review: Murder at The Dolphin Hotel
Murder at the Dolphin Hotel by Helena Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Set in 1930’s Devon, this is a good old fashioned murder mystery.
Kitty is running the Dolphin hotel while her formidable grandmother is off looking after a great aunt who has broken her leg. Grandmother doesn’t seem to believe that Kitty is capable of looking after the place and has hired a new security man, ex-army captain Matthew Bryant. But what Kitty doesn’t know (at the start, at least) is that her life is in danger.
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