Harmony Kent's Blog, page 16

#NewBook #BlogTour: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss @JoanHallWrites

Hi everyone! Today, I’m excited to share my next stop on my three-week blog tour for my new book of poetry, Sorrowful Soul.

I’m thrilled to be visiting fellow author, blogger, Story Empire member, and friend, Joan Hall. As well as being an avid delver into the mysterious and a fan of moons, Joan is the author of many books of fiction, short stories, and series. Joan is excellent at bringing chills to her readers. You will find her works on her Amazon Page, and they’re well worth a look! Thanks for stopping by, everyone! Thanks for stopping by, everyone! 

I’ve closed comments so you don’t have to comment here as well as on today’s blog visit!

Where I have the links ahead of the day’s post, I’ve added them below, but they won’t work until the date they go live.

Thanks so much for all your support. Hugs

TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday 22/11/2022 …………… Beem WeeksWednesday 23/11/2022 ……….. John HowellTuesday 29/11/2022 …………… Yvette M. CalleiroWednesday 30/11/2022 ……….. Gwen PlanoThursday 01/12/2022 ………….. Joan HallFriday 02/12/2022 ……………… Staci Troilo and Debby Gies KayeMonday 05/12/2022 ……………. David ProsserTuesday 06/12/2022 …………… Jacqui MurrayWednesday 07/12/2022 ……….. Robbie CheadleThursday 08/12/2022 …………… Stephen GeezMonday 12/12/2022 …………….. C. S. BoyackTuesday 13/12/2022 ……………. D. L. FinnWednesday 14/12/2022 ………..Jan SikesThursday 15/12/2022 …………… Mae Clair

 

The post #NewBook #BlogTour: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss @JoanHallWrites first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

#BookReview: A Dutiful Son: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Kelly Miller @Kellyrei007 #RegencyRomance novels #Romance @bookroar_tweets

Hi everyone! Today, I have a book review for an author I’ve read a few times now, Kelly Miller. I picked up this new book from this regency-era writer via the BookRoar review site and am so glad I did >>>

About the Book:

What will Fitzwilliam Darcy do when his beloved father stands between him and happiness?

Darcy has always emulated his wise and honourable father, George Darcy. But following a sinister act of betrayal by a former family friend, his father rejects his most benevolent principles.

When Georgiana forms a friendship with Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Darcy convinces his father to allow the association to continue. However, Elizabeth soon presents a thorny problem: she entices Darcy as no other lady has before, and with his current outlook, his father would not approve of her as a daughter-in-law.

Still, Darcy’s problem may resolve in time: his father, after getting to know Elizabeth, is certain to recognise her many admirable qualities and change his mind. But what if he does not?

In this Pride & Prejudice Regency variation, Fitzwilliam Darcy is caught between the influences of love and duty. Which of these will wield the greatest power?

My Review:

A lovely heartwarming read

I’ve read a few books by this wonderful author now, and this one was a lovely, heartwarming read. As always, writer Kelly Miller has brought the classic Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice to new life with this fresh take on the characters and their Regency-era lives.

‘“I cannot believe this! How could Wickham betray me after all I have done for him? The blackguard!” George Darcy’s fist crashed upon the mahogany desk with a mighty thump.’ … from this angst-filled opening line, the reader is immersed in a family dilemma that will come to challenge Fitzwilliam Darcy in ways neither he nor his father could have envisioned.

One thing I liked in particular in this take on Pride and Prejudice is that Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet become fast friends early on in the story, which makes a nice change from an oft-used trope in romance where it’s animosity at first sight instead.

A few things impacted my full immersion and enjoyment of this book, such as passive writing and the over use of filler words such as ‘own’, etc. But more than anything else, sentences opening with ‘He’ and ‘She’—often inappropriately and confusingly—tripped me up time and again. These sentence starters, for the most part, denoted either Darcy or Bennet, but— unfortunately—they occurred frequently at new paragraphs and also followed other characters, and even a horse! Suffice it to say, this is a huge issue and needs addressing. Because of this, I almost gave four stars to this read, but instead have given 4.5, rounded up to 5 for rating purposes, due to the other aspects of the narrative being so well done.

I especially loved Davy’s character, young man with mental development issues, whom the author portrayed wonderfully. And the interactions between the other characters and Davy were fantastic and felt realistic. Lots of fun banter enlivens the dialogue and overall warm, cosy feel of this period romance read.

I highly recommend Kelly Miller and her Pride and Prejudice adaptations for anyone who enjoys clean romance in a historical setting.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by

 

For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …

UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/

US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/

The post #BookReview: A Dutiful Son: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Kelly Miller @Kellyrei007 #RegencyRomance novels #Romance @bookroar_tweets first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

#NewBook #BlogTour: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss @gmplano

Hi everyone! Today, I’m excited to share my next stop on my three-week blog tour for my new book of poetry, Sorrowful Soul.

I’m thrilled to be visiting fellow author, blogger, Story Empire member, and friend, Gwen Plano. As well as being a wonderful, kind, generous, and inspiring, human being, Gwen is the author of both a book of memoirs and also three books of fiction. You will find her works on her Amazon Page, and they’re well worth a look! Thanks for stopping by, everyone!  Thanks for stopping by, everyone! 

I’ve closed comments so you don’t have to comment here as well as on today’s blog visit!

Where I have the links ahead of the day’s post, I’ve added them below, but they won’t work until the date they go live.

Thanks so much for all your support. Hugs

TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday 22/11/2022 …………… Beem WeeksWednesday 23/11/2022 ……….. John HowellTuesday 29/11/2022 …………… Yvette M. CalleiroWednesday 30/11/2022 ……….. Gwen PlanoThursday 01/12/2022 ………….. Joan HallFriday 02/12/2022 ……………… Staci Troilo and Debby Gies KayeMonday 05/12/2022 ……………. David ProsserTuesday 06/12/2022 …………… Jacqui MurrayWednesday 07/12/2022 ……….. Robbie CheadleThursday 08/12/2022 …………… Stephen GeezMonday 12/12/2022 …………….. C. S. BoyackTuesday 13/12/2022 ……………. D. L. FinnWednesday 14/12/2022 ………..Jan SikesThursday 15/12/2022 …………… Mae Clair

 

The post #NewBook #BlogTour: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss @gmplano first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

#NewBook #BlogTour: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss @YvetteMCalleiro

Hi everyone! I hope you’ve all had a great weekend. Today, I’m excited to share my next stop on my three-week blog tour for my new book of poetry, Sorrowful Soul.

I’m thrilled to be visiting fellow author, blogger, and friend, Yvette M Calleiro. As well as being a talented and generous human being, Yvi is the author of many books of fiction. You will find her works on her Amazon Page, and they’re well worth a look! Thanks for stopping by, everyone! 

I’ve closed comments so you don’t have to comment here as well as on today’s blog visit!

Where I have the links ahead of the day’s post, I’ve added them below, but they won’t work until the date they go live.

Thanks so much for all your support. Hugs

TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday 22/11/2022 …………… Beem WeeksWednesday 23/11/2022 ……….. John HowellTuesday 29/11/2022 …………… Yvette M. CalleiroWednesday 30/11/2022 ……….. Gwen PlanoThursday 01/12/2022 ………….. Joan HallFriday 02/12/2022 ……………… Staci Troilo and Debby Gies KayeMonday 05/12/2022 ……………. David ProsserTuesday 06/12/2022 …………… Jacqui MurrayWednesday 07/12/2022 ……….. Robbie CheadleThursday 08/12/2022 …………… Stephen GeezMonday 12/12/2022 …………….. C. S. BoyackTuesday 13/12/2022 ……………. D. L. FinnWednesday 14/12/2022 ………..Jan SikesThursday 15/12/2022 …………… Mae Clair

 

The post #NewBook #BlogTour: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss @YvetteMCalleiro first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

#NewBook: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss via @sgc58

Hi everyone! I hope you’ve all had a great weekend. Today, I’m excited to be showcased over at Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore Christmas Fair with my new book of poetry, Sorrowful Soul.

Today, I’m thrilled to be at this wonderful fellow author, blogger extraordinaire, and friend, Sally Cronin’s blog. As well as being a talented, generous, and inspiring human being, Sally is the author of many books of fiction and poetry. Sally is one of the most prolific and generous bloggers and author supporters I know. You will find her works on her Amazon Page, and they’re well worth a look! Thanks for stopping by, everyone!

I have Sally’s latest book, Variety is the Spice of Life, on my ereader waiting for me, and I’m excited to read this! If you haven’t checked out this great new book, you can find it on Amazon UK and Amazon US.

I’ve closed comments so you don’t have to comment here as well as on Sally’s post today! 

Thanks so much for all your support. Hugs

 

The post #NewBook: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss via @sgc58 first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

#Thanksgiving … I’m #Grateful for you all

Hi everyone! Although I’m in the UK and we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for your fantastic support! Have a wonderful rest of your week  

The post #Thanksgiving … I’m #Grateful for you all first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

#NewBook #BlogTour: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss @HowellWave

Hi everyone! Today, I’m excited to share my next stop on my three-week blog tour for my new book of poetry, Sorrowful Soul.

I’m thrilled to be visiting fellow author, blogger, Story Empire member, and friend, John Howell. As well as being a talented, generous, and inspiring human being, John is the author of many books of fiction. He’s won a number of awards for his books. You will find his works on his Amazon Page, and they’re well worth a look! Thanks for stopping by, everyone! 

I’ve closed comments so you don’t have to comment here as well as on today’s blog visit!

Where I have the links ahead of the day’s post, I’ve added them below, but they won’t work until the date they go live.

Thanks so much for all your support. Hugs

TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday 22/11/2022 …………… Beem WeeksWednesday 23/11/2022 ……….. John HowellTuesday 29/11/2022 …………… Yvette M. CalleiroWednesday 30/11/2022 ……….. Gwen PlanoThursday 01/12/2022 ………….. Joan HallFriday 02/12/2022 ……………… Staci Troilo and Debby Gies KayeMonday 05/12/2022 ……………. David ProsserTuesday 06/12/2022 …………… Jacqui MurrayWednesday 07/12/2022 ……….. Robbie CheadleThursday 08/12/2022 …………… Stephen GeezMonday 12/12/2022 …………….. C. S. BoyackTuesday 13/12/2022 ……………. D. L. FinnWednesday 14/12/2022 ………..Jan SikesThursday 15/12/2022 …………… Mae Clair

 

The post #NewBook #BlogTour: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss @HowellWave first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

#NewBook #BlogTour: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss @BeemWeeks

Hi everyone! I hope you’ve all had a great weekend. Today, I’m excited to launch my three-week blog tour for my new book of poetry, Sorrowful Soul.

I’m thrilled to be visiting fellow author, blogger, Story Empire member, and friend, Beem Weeks. As well as being a talented, generous, and inspiring human being, Beem is the author of many books of fiction and short stories. He truly is an author of talent. You will find his works on his Amazon Page, and they’re well worth a look! Thanks for stopping by, everyone! Together with Stephen Geez and Fresh Ink Group, Beem does weekly podcasts, which you don’t want to miss! You can find those HERE. 

I’ve closed comments so you don’t have to comment here as well as on today’s blog visit!

Where I have the links ahead of the day’s post, I’ve added them below, but they won’t work until the date they go live.

Thanks so much for all your support. Hugs

TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday 22/11/2022 …………… Beem WeeksWednesday 23/11/2022 ……….. John HowellTuesday 29/11/2022 …………… Yvette M. CalleiroWednesday 30/11/2022 ……….. Gwen PlanoThursday 01/12/2022 ………….. Joan HallFriday 02/12/2022 ……………… Staci Troilo and Debby Gies KayeMonday 05/12/2022 ……………. David ProsserTuesday 06/12/2022 …………… Jacqui MurrayWednesday 07/12/2022 ……….. Robbie CheadleThursday 08/12/2022 …………… Stephen GeezMonday 12/12/2022 …………….. C. S. BoyackTuesday 13/12/2022 ……………. D. L. FinnWednesday 14/12/2022 ………..Jan SikesThursday 15/12/2022 …………… Mae Clair

 

The post #NewBook #BlogTour: Sorrowful Soul–Book 3 in the #SoulPoetrySeries #Poetry #Grief #Grieving #Loss @BeemWeeks first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

Harmony is Vocal! #ShortStory: This Was Your Life in @Vocal_Creators #Fiction #challenge #ReadersofTwitter

This Was Your Life

Hi everyone. I’ve written short story (3000 words) called This Was Your Life for Vocal’s The Mystery Box Challenge.

Vocal says, “The key to the Mystery Box Challenge is to capture a sense of mystery. How does the arrival of something unexpected change the course of one’s day? What is the true motive of the package’s sender? We can’t wait to see how you think outside the box.”

Due to health issues, and getting sidetracked by Vocal’s Haiku and Aquarium challenges (lols), it took me about two weeks to get this finished, so it ended up becoming a bit of a labour of love. I had fun writing this story and hope you enjoy the read!

Photo by jesse orrico on Unsplash

You can find my short story HERE.

I’d love to know what you think! And I would be delighted if you could read and heart. To heart and/or comment, you’ll need to sign in to Vocal, which is free to do.

Thanks for all your support! Hugs  

The post Harmony is Vocal! #ShortStory: This Was Your Life in @Vocal_Creators #Fiction #challenge #ReadersofTwitter first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

#BookReview: Vox by Christina Dalcher @CV_Dalcher

Hi everyone! I have a review for an author new to me, Christina Dalcher. When she published this book in 2018, it was her debut novel, which blows me away >>>

About the Book:

Silence can be deafening.

Jean McClellan spends her time in almost complete silence, limited to just one hundred words a day. Any more, and a thousand volts of electricity will course through her veins.

Now the new government is in power, everything has changed. But only if you’re a woman.

Almost overnight, bank accounts are frozen, passports are taken away and seventy million women lose their jobs. Even more terrifyingly, young girls are no longer taught to read or write.

For herself, her daughter, and for every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice. This is only the beginning…

 

My Review:

A frightening, realistic look at the denial of female freedom

I haven’t read Christina Dalcher before, but I will be sure to check out her other books. First up, I am AMAZED this was her debut novel. Wow—just W-O-W.

‘If anyone told me I could bring down the president, and the Pure Movement, and that incompetent little shit Morgan LeBron in a week’s time, I wouldn’t believe them. But I wouldn’t argue. I wouldn’t say a thing. I’ve become a woman of few words.’ … From this understated opening line, we enter the world of Jean McClellan, who like all women, now spends her time in almost complete silence, limited to just one hundred words a day. A wrist band gives you increasingly violent electric shocks if you exceed your daily quota. Add to this the fact women are not allowed to read or use sign language, and you see the sinister picture this novel paints. From here, things only get worse.

I found the characterisation and world-building incredibly well done, and this read felt all too possible and real—especially given recent events surrounding the curtailment of women’s rights and the rising of sinister groups such as Incels, among others. Given the situation around today’s world, this makes for a chilling and sobering read, but one that also offers humour and hope. I read this quite quickly, it was so good, and here are some lines I loved …

‘… you can’t protest what you don’t see coming.’

And …

‘I didn’t turn to look; those pieces of glass looked too much like our marriage.’

And …

‘He’s mad, he’s hurt, and he’s frustrated. None of this justifies the next words out of his mouth, though, the ones he will never be able to take back, the ones that slice deeper than any shard of broken glass and make me bleed all over. “You know, babe, I wonder if it was better when you didn’t talk.”’ … This one hit me in a visceral way.

And …

‘All my words ricochet in my head as I listen, emerge from my throat in a heavy, meaningless sigh.’

With the women not allowed to work and having any and all assets and money transferred to a ‘responsible male’, this novel has strong echoes of The Handmaid’s Tale. And if you enjoyed that book/series, you’ll love this read. Having said that, this story stands on its own feet and isn’t simply a carbon copy of Margaret Atwood’s classic. 

I would love to see this fantastic dystopian debut made into a movie, and Vox gets a resounding 5 stars from me. A must read for everyone.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.

4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.

3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.

2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.

1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

 

I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by

 

For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …

UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/

US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/

The post #BookReview: Vox by Christina Dalcher @CV_Dalcher first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.