Harmony Kent's Blog, page 45

#BookReview: An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse @MrsAmandaProwse

Hi everyone. Today, I have a book review for you from an author who is fast becoming a favourite, Amanda Prowse.

 

About the Book:

From the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a tale of love, loss—and one last extraordinary dance.

Christmas Eve, 2019. Ninety-four-year-old Molly lies in her hospital bed. A stroke and a fall may have broken her body—but her mind is alive with memories.

London, 1940s. Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. Life becomes brighter when she meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But then war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice, and when she’s brought to her knees by a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, only her sister knows the secret weighing heavily on Molly’s heart.

Now, lying in her hospital bed, Molly can’t escape the memories of what she lost all those years ago. But she is not as alone as she thinks.

Will she be able to find peace—and finally understand that what seemed to be an ordinary life was anything but?

My Review:

Many thanks to the author for a free signed review copy of this book. Having read and loved The Boy Between, a vital book about depression and its effects, which Amanda Prowse co-wrote with her son Josiah Hartley, I was thrilled to receive this pre-release paperback.

A tale of love and loss and perseverance, An Ordinary Life is set in war torn 1940s London. The story begins with ninety-four-year-old Molly struggling to write a letter to her son. Before she can do more than make a start, she suffers a fall and a stroke. The narrative then moves back in time to a youthful nineteen-year-old Molly.

I found this read a real tear-jerker at times, so make sure you have your tissues ready. Other points in the book made me smile and at times chuckle aloud.

Despite the title, this is no ordinary book, and Molly’s life is actually quite extraordinary at times. An emotional and engaging read, I give An Ordinary Lifea solid 5 stars and will be looking at other books by this writer.

If you enjoy women’s fiction, tales of love and endurance, and wartime reads, you’ll love this book.

***

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 …

US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1542017297/

UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1542017297/

 

The post #BookReview: An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse @MrsAmandaProwse first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

Expansion Pack: The Return of Comedy | Story Empire

Hi everyone. Craig has a fun and informative post over at Story Empire today all about homour. Well worth a look >>>

 

Hi gang. Craig here again with more comedy items you can plot out ahead of time. The last post was pretty popular, so why not a sequel. The previous post contained a list of traditional gags along …

Source: Expansion Pack: The Return of Comedy | Story Empire

The post Expansion Pack: The Return of Comedy | Story Empire first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

Short Stories | Story Empire

Hi everyone. Denise has a great post about short fiction over on Story Empire today >>>

 

Hi SEers! Denise here with a post about something I’ve been enjoying lately, short stories. When I get an idea in the middle of the night or the shower, I write it down. It can be the first paragra…

Source: Short Stories | Story Empire

The post Short Stories | Story Empire first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

How to Make a Video Using Canva

Hi everyone. Today, you’ll find me over at Story Empire with a post on how to make a book movie trailer in Canva. It  sure takes a lot of the work and heartache out of movie book trailers! >>>

 

Hi SErs! Harmony here Today, I have another Canva tutorial for you. This one is all about using Canva to make a free and easy video, which you can use for all sorts of promotional purposes ……

Source: How to Make a Video Using Canva

The post How to Make a Video Using Canva first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

#amwriting #FridayFiction Part 4 #TheVanishedBoy @harmony_kent #newbook #crimethriller

https://harmonykent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Vanished-Boy-Teaser.m4v

Hi everyone. Welcome to another amwriting post. My manuscript on The Vanished Boy now stands at around 65,000 words, and the first draft is done! If you’re a regular here, you’ll have seen the blurb and cover already, so feel free to skip down to this week’s excerpt. It’s a short one this time. I’d love to know your thoughts, bearing in mind this is straight from the WIP and is the first, unrevised draft. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone

About the Book:

It’s so remote out here. Anything could happen …

 

 A missed phone call in the night is all it takes.

When Carole’s 18-year-old son goes missing, she breaks into Jayden’s laptop to try to understand his life.

All too soon, Carole discovers just how little she knew her boy.

And when one lead after another dead-ends, the distraught mother has to face the unthinkable.

Sucked into a sticky web of deceit and lies, nothing is as it seems.

 

When your life turns inside out and upside down, who would you trust?

 

Excerpt:

While the walls of a house may well hold many secrets, they don’t deign to reveal any to her. All the cold plaster offers is an empty echo of her failings as a mother. How could she not have known? That haunting question seems to be the one thing that she keeps slamming back into, pierced on its barbs each and every time she hits it. How much more can she survive?

 

 

© Harmony kent 2021

You can find all of my books at Amazon: http://author.to/HarmonysBooks

 

 

The post #amwriting #FridayFiction Part 4 #TheVanishedBoy @harmony_kent #newbook #crimethriller first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

#BookReview: Every Missing Thing by Martyn Ford @Martyn87

Hi everyone. Today, I have a book review for you from debut author Martyn Ford. This is a gripping crime thriller and psychological thriller.

 

About the Book:

One family. Two missing children. A lifetime of secrets.

Ten-year-old Ethan Clarke’s disappearance gripped the nation. Just as his parents are starting to piece together a life ‘after Ethan’, their world is ripped apart once more when their daughter, Robin, disappears in almost identical circumstances. They’ve lost two children within a decade … and now doubts about their innocence are setting in.

Detective Sam Maguire’s obsession with the first case cost him his own family, but he has unfinished business with the Clarkes. He is convinced that discovering what happened to Ethan holds the key to finding Robin. But what if the Clarkes know more than they’re letting on?

With the world watching eagerly, the clock is ticking for Sam as he embarks on an investigation that forces him to confront his own demons. To uncover the truth, he must follow a trail of devastating deception—but the truth always comes at a cost …

My Review:

A gripping read from a debut author. I look forward to more books from this writer.

Most parents can’t imagine how they’d cope were a child to go missing, never to be found. Ten years on, your boy remains missing presumed dead. Then your daughter vanishes as well. What do you do with that and the subsequent media frenzy while your husband comes under suspicion?

The story is told from multiple points of view … the wife, the husband, the daughter, and the detective. Each voice is distinct, and the troubled detective is excellently written. I connected with each character.

Here are a couple of lines that stood out for me:

‘To fall into a void so absolute that not even memories can find you.’

‘The truth is such a powerful animal if only we respect it. Just touch its warm skin, feel its fur, and you’ll see it’s like silk when stroked head to haunch, a coarse brush stroked any other way.’

The story has many layers and plenty of dark twists and turns. I thought I’d sussed out how this one would end but I hadn’t. The finale took me completely by surprise. If you like a gritty crime drama, you’ll love this read. Every Missing Thing gets a resounding 5 stars from me.

***

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 …

US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0841YG2HC/

UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0841YG2HC/

 

The post #BookReview: Every Missing Thing by Martyn Ford @Martyn87 first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

Co-authorship Part IV: Conclusion | Story Empire

Hi everyone, Gwen has the final post in the Co-Authorship series over on Story Empire today. A great post with lots of helpful tips and pointers >>>

Hello SEers! Gwen with you today to wrap-up the discussion on co-authorship. John Howell began with an overview, and you can find his first post here. I continued the following week by focusing on …

Source: Co-authorship Part IV: Conclusion | Story Empire

The post Co-authorship Part IV: Conclusion | Story Empire first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic | Myths of the Mirror

Hi everyone. A special reblog today … what an awesome post on behalf of Sue Vincent from Diana. I definitely plan on taking part and would love it if you could join in too >>>

 

I’m so pleased to share this, and you bet I’m saddling up! For those of you who don’t know Sue Vincent, she’s one of those special bloggers in our community who inspires peo…

Source: Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic | Myths of the Mirror

The post Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic | Myths of the Mirror first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

Blogging Breaks: The Good, Bad, and Ugly | Story Empire

Hi everyone. Mae has a thought-provoking post on blogging breaks over at Story Empire today >>>

 

Hi, SEers! You’re with Mae today for one of my Good/ Bad / Ugly posts. At the end of 2020, I took a two-month break from blogging. I’d only planned one—November, to participate in NaNoWriMo—but end…

Source: Blogging Breaks: The Good, Bad, and Ugly | Story Empire

The post Blogging Breaks: The Good, Bad, and Ugly | Story Empire first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.

Empty Planet ‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ Week #34 NEW Image Prompt. Join in the fun! #IARTG #ASMSG @pursoot #WritingCommunity

Hi everyone! It’s that time of the week again …fun flash fiction from Suzanne Burke. This week’s theme led me down a poetic path.

Here’s the poem I came up with >>>

 

Image by Comfreak from PixabayEmpty Planet

Only the elephants remember 

The last dying embers 

Of the human race

Mother Nature has embraced

And reclaimed

Her empty planet, maimed

Tentative, new born

The sun shines on this brave dawn

Clean water, glorious fresh air

Because they remember, the elephants dare

And Life begins again

As this empty planet nature does reclaim

 

 

© Harmony Kent 2021

I’d love to know what you think of this poetic piece … so please don’t be shy and leave me a reply.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Image by Comfreak from Pixabay

The rules:

Please put your entry (or a link to it) in a comment HERE or email it to Sooz at her email address. by DEADLINE: 4pm EDT on Thursday, February 4th. Subject: Fiction in a Flash Challenge. If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to THIS page would be much appreciated.

UPDATE: The response to the prompts has been just wonderful. As a result, Soooz be sharing all entries received, and her own contribution on her blog AS SHE RECEIVES THEM. Rather than posting all of them only over a few days.

 

Find Sooz at …

My author page on AMAZON.

On Twitter.

On Facebook

On Goodreads.

By Email.

 

The post Empty Planet ‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ Week #34 NEW Image Prompt. Join in the fun! #IARTG #ASMSG @pursoot #WritingCommunity first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.