Harmony Kent's Blog, page 9

July 11, 2023

#BookReview: Eve and Scribbles – The Great Rainbow Chase by Mark Rusk and Leysan Shayakbirova (Illustrator) #ChildrensFiction #LifeLessons

Hi everyone. Today I have a book review for you for a children’s book by an author new to me, Mark Rusk, with wonderful illustrator, Leysan Shayakbirova. Next week, I’ll have a poetry review for you. Here’s my review >>>

About the Book:

Sure, we’ll see and learn lots of colours as we journey, but that’s not what this tale is about!  More importantly, we’ll find out what it takes to get to our goal, and above all else, make sure we enjoy the adventure while it’s happening!    “So let’s do it, before the sky gets any duller!      Nothing to it, I assure you, just follow the colour!”

Eve and Scribbles love adventuring – drizzly sky or not!  See what happens once the sun peers through the rain drops, as they jaunt through the vibrant hues of the rainbow on a multi-coloured escapade! A spooked ginger cat, a soothing blue whale and a noisy yellow duck are among the colourful sights Eve and Scribbles stumble across as they parade across the pages of this delightful book. Children will immediately respond to Leysan Shayakbirova’s flat, boldly coloured illustration. Combined with Mark Rusk’s singsong text, they create fantastical images of a swashbuckling adventure through the colours of the rainbow!
The Great Rainbow Chase  is an unforgettable story of imagination and adventure.  From audacious and funny to creative and clever, the rhythmic rhyme expresses all the brilliance and originality of children at play. With beautiful and humorous illustrations, and a myriad of striking and colourful scenes, this is a book grown-ups will love reading over and over (and over!) to kids at story time and bed time! A great gift for any occasion and especially for all intrepid little girls and fans of rhyming picture books.  The Great Rainbow chase  has an educational and touching message that applies to everyone, young and old!

My Review:

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

A fun, colourful book about adventure and enjoying the journey rather than only focusing on the goal

A rhyming book about a girl and her friendly little fox. I love the rhymes, the vivd colours, and the message in this awesome children’s read.  I totally love that not only does this great story take a child through the colour spectrum, but it teaches an important message at the same time. The pictures below say way more than I can. Highly recommended! …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A solid five 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.

For anyone interested, here is the universal Amazon link …

 a-fwd.com/asin=B07RYN79WF

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

 

The post #BookReview: Eve and Scribbles – The Great Rainbow Chase by Mark Rusk and Leysan Shayakbirova (Illustrator) #ChildrensFiction #LifeLessons first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
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Published on July 11, 2023 18:48

July 10, 2023

#NewBook: In the Shadow of Rainbows by Selma Martin @SelmaWrites #Poetry #BookReview

Hi everyone! Today, it gives me great pleasure to host author and longtime online friend, Selma Martin, who has released her debut book of poetry! I’ll let you meet Selma and hear all about her fab new book >>>

Hi everyone, Selma here! It’s such a pleasure to visit with you all today. [It’s so lovely to have you over to visit!]

Harmony and friends, I waited almost my whole life for this moment, and once I found enough courage, I worked on it for months, and earlier, when I sent out my June newsletter to my dear subscribers, my fingers took over and wrote:

“Pen pal, I assign you the custodian of my secret
If I were to expire tomorrow
I want you to tell the world that this girl is on fire!”

Well, that’s just how this ordinary woman feels right now. But I tell you, this fire is unwieldy; not going in the direction I want it to go. (In fact, I am at a loss on how to proceed … shhh, don’t tell anyone).

Still, I peppered my initial words by adding: I’ll confide in you, something I’ve been keeping under wraps for around nine months. Now, please don’t think me vain (“vainglorious, I’m just a little euphorious” ~Ogden Nash); if I die tomorrow, the last nine months will go down with me as the best nine months of my writing life.

Sure, I’ve had euphoric moments like this on and off while I explored novel writing and the month-long elation of National Poetry Writing Month, but nothing that amounts to nine consecutive months. So much so that, as far as I’m concerned, I have accomplished what I set out to do. And the fact that this intense feeling of excitement, happiness, and triumph has prevailed for so long tells me that I’m in the right place right now. [Every fellow writer here can relate to this, Selma! Welcome to the club 😁]

“I know there is no straight road,
no straight road in this world.
Only a giant labyrinth of
intersecting crossroads.”
~ Federico Garcia Lorca

Nine months of writing poetry with a purpose bigger than myself—I cannot wait to share it with you! We are about to give birth to a book of poetry.

Whether or not my poems are top-notch is yet to be seen by a discerning public audience. But my editor seems to like them—not superlative, but okay. Hehe. And her suggestions and edits are making me look better than I am. Wait and see! *wink* [Folks, you can see my glowing review at the bottom of Selma’s post! 🥳]

Along with the revelation of this secret, I assign you the custodian of my fate. I entrust you with the words that have ripened inside me and burst me into bloom—the words I want to send gliding in hopes that you, too, burst into bloom.

Like a Shaman, I close my eyes
and reach out to you
across the miles
hoping you hold my hand.

And now, here I am with you, dear Harmony and friends, sharing with an audience far greater than my puny newsletter list that has been the greatest joy I tap into once monthly.

My New Book Launches on Sunday, July 15th, 2023! 

Universal Purchase Link:  a-fwd.com/asin=B0CB5PLMB6

And what is it I’ve accomplished and set out to do?
I assembled all the little poems that have lived within me for so long, put them side by side where they can interact with each other, and soon, with their new wings, they will soar to places they have never been before. This collection is a great accomplishment for someone who hoards memories, loves shadows, and has written a collection of songs of presence based on the shadows of memories (she sees). Thanks for sharing my words.

— An extract (excerpt) from one of the poems in In the Shadow of Rainbows:

Golden Durability

Patched up here and there with gold alloy to
preserve malleability, Mom’s bracelet keeps the markers.

She wore that bracelet everywhere, and I
cannot remember a time when it didn’t dangle on her wrist.

To the chagrin of the others, who wished
it melted and reformed, I inherited the artifact.

What kind of abrupt movement cut through the
heavy-duty set hinges to become unchained from its source?

If gold is so precious, why does it break?
And what makes one want to reform it to erase the markers?

I inhale the gold band and slide my hand
in to sense what Mom suffered. I pretend it’s her wrist I kiss.

 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

 

In this dazzling debut poetry collection of over 60 carefully selected poems, author Selma Martin points the way to the beauty in the everyday, the shadow of the rainbow, and the silver lining at the edge of every cloud.

Favouring lyrical forms, and revelling in rhymes and musical language, the individual poems in this collection harmonise together in symphonic splendour to form an enlightening and delightful whole.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Selma Martin is a retired English teacher with 20 years of teaching children ESL. She believes in people’s goodness and in finding balance in simple living. She lives in Japan with her husband.
Selma once self-published a short story:  In 2017, Selma enrolled in her first short story writing competition with a welcoming online community of writers. She practiced earnestly there and had the honor of mingling with seasoned Writers and newcomers like herself.


In 2018, she participated in a networking course–offered by that online community–whose final lesson was to publish a story on Amazon. After many failed attempts, she completed the course and, with “a lot of help” from her new friends, self-published her short story, “Wanted: Husband/Handyman,” in 2019.

 

Later, collaborating with her peers, she published “Wanted: Husband/Handyman” (again) in Once Upon A Story: A Short Fiction Anthology.


Selma became engrossed with poetry in 2021 when, looking for ways to curb her wordy sentences, someone suggested she try poetry. It was love at first sight. She joined her first Tanka Tuesday with Colleen Chesebro and got her feet wet with her first National Poetry Writing Month. She has participated in NaPoWriMo for three years in a row.


Selma feels she has arrived at her first major crossroad and hopes to continue galumphing in poetry for a long time to come.

You can find Selma on:

 

Twitter
Instagram
Facebook

And/Or join her once-a-month PenPal newsletter.

Now you’ve heard all about these poems and their origins from Selma, here’s my review of this wonderful debut collection …

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

A wonderful debut collection of Soul-felt poetry.

Many thanks to the author for a free ARC PDF of this book.

***

At the end of the author’s note on what she wants her poems to do, poet Selma Martin introduces us to the theme with a beautiful and moving poem, which I feel sets the tone for the rest of the book perfectly …

‘the wind disguised from me | the cry of the river | you won’t hear it either | unless you climb the bank | the poem disguised itself from me | it hid in burrows | and places I wouldn’t go looking: | inside shadows, whispers and echoes | until one day I saw rainbows on my eyelashes | — come with me, I’ll help you find your poem…’

Also from the introduction, I love this line:

‘… through wet eyelashes and learning to stand under the sun just so, I marveled at the rainbows that settled on my watery eyes.’

Below are some of my favourite poems and extracts from those poetic lines …

From Confess:  ‘ Don’t look at me that way, like a blank white page waiting, imploring I succumb and confess.’

And …

From Kindled Echoes:  ‘ Richest are the echoes | of whispers at half-light | which make for good bedfellows | that in the dark, ignite.’

And …

From Poetry:  ‘… for in nature, the poet exists

I’d love to share more of these gems, but you’ll have to read it for yourself as I’ll end up quoting most of the book if I don’t stop here!

In addition to the pull quotes, I especially loved the poems … You Know Her, The Sea, Could it Be?, Failure, Ebb and Flow. Again, I could go on and on.

As you may have guessed, In the Shadow of Rainbows by Selma Martin—a debut collection of poetry at that—gets 5 rainbow stars from me. If you love inspirational poetry which takes a real look at life, you’ll love this book. You can also find more of Selma’s poetry on her website: selmamartin.com

***

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

Universal Purchase Link:

a-fwd.com/asin=B0CB5PLMB6 The post #NewBook: In the Shadow of Rainbows by Selma Martin @SelmaWrites #Poetry #BookReview first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
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Published on July 10, 2023 18:40

July 5, 2023

#BookRecommendations: The Glade #Supernatural #Thriller and Life & Soul #Poetry @BruceABorders @bwb @sgc58

Hi everyone!

I’ve had two fantastic surprises this week:

The first is from BookShepherd, where Bruce A Borders gave the most wonderful recommendation for the 2nd book I wrote way back at the start of my writing career:

The second is from Sally Cronin’s Smorgasbord Blog Magazine.

Life & Soul book coverWhere Sally shares a wonderful review for my 2nd book in the Soul Poetry series: Life & Soul. Sally also promotes poetry by Balroop Singh, whose book Hues of Hope I highly recommend, and flash fiction and poetry by M J Mallon, whose books I look forward to taking a look at!

I’d be delighted if you could pop over to each page and offer some love!

[Unfortunately, BookShepherd doesn’t yet have a sharing button, so for Twitter, you’ll have to go the old-fashioned route and copy and paste the URL from the browser address bar. On the Tweet, you can use the @tags: @bwb and @BruceABorders, as well as @harmony_kent for little ole me if it doesn’t come up automatically.]

Health Update:

Apologies for my long absences online these days. I’ve been dealing with a lot of difficult days, and finding ways forward takes much of my energy and focus. I appreciate each and every one of you, and I miss interacting with you all like I used to do. I’ll get there … at least, I’m determined to! Hugs, Harmony 🤗💕😊

The post #BookRecommendations: The Glade #Supernatural #Thriller and Life & Soul #Poetry @BruceABorders @bwb @sgc58 first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
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Published on July 05, 2023 05:34

July 4, 2023

#BookReview: Monkey Stuff by Rebecca Bielawski also the Illustrator #ChildrensEducation #Counting

Hi everyone. Today I have a book review for you for a children’s book by an author new to me, Rebecca Bielawski, who also does her own illustrations. Next week, I’ll move away from children’s fiction, for a little while. Meanwhile, here’s my review >>>

About the Book:

A children’s rhyming counting book

A beautifully illustrated children’s book full of life and color.

Young children will encounter the numbers 1 to 10, a naughty little monkey, lots of familiar animals, people and objects and a funny rhyming text.

Elements include: a crocodile, a lion, a dog, a princess, an ant, a cow, a baker, an apple tree, a horse and a bird.

 

 

My Review:

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

A fantastically fun way for kids to learn numbers!

A rhyming book about a naughty monkey with beautiful illustrations, which will help younger children learn to count up to 10. (See photos below.)

I loved the monkey’s antics, and can see parents/caregivers and children having such fun reading this together. It’s rated as baby to 6, but I’d say it wants to be more like 18 months to 2 years as the lower age.

The pictures and fun story will motivate most children to learn to count up to 10. Highly recommended!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***

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.

For anyone interested, here is the universal Amazon link …

 a-fwd.com/asin=B007AK7FB0

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

 

The post #BookReview: Monkey Stuff by Rebecca Bielawski also the Illustrator #ChildrensEducation #Counting first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
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Published on July 04, 2023 18:09

June 27, 2023

#BookReview: A House for a Mouse by Lisette Starr with Gustyawan as Illustrator #ChildrensFiction #Friendship #Kindness

Hi everyone. Today I have a book review for you for a children’s book by an author new to me, Lisette Starr. In the coming weeks, I’ll have a few reviews for children’s fiction, which often struggles to gain feedback. Here’s my review >>>

About the Book:

It’s so cold outside. Oscar the mouse wants somewhere warm to stay for the night!

“One thundery night I was cosy and warm,
under the covers and safe from the storm.
I was lying awake counting sheep in my head
When I heard something moving under my bed.
Suddenly I was trembling with fear.
Could there be a monster about to appear?
Then I heard it again, that scuttling sound.
It was so scary it made my heart pound!”

A delightful story with bright, fun illustrations and a great positive message!

 

My Review:

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

A fun way for younger children to learn important life lessons

A fun story with rhyming text and beautiful illustrations, (See photos below) which introduces children to the concept and importance of friendship, kindness, and generosity, even to something that’s different … in this case a cute little mouse!

This is rated for ages 3 — 8, and I agree with that. A good book for parents/caregivers to read to younger children, and for older kids to read themselves.

Some lines I loved …

‘But then I realized the sound was quite small. It just didn’t sound like a monster at all. So I summoned my courage and turned on the light. I took a deep breath and prepared for a fright.’

And …

‘But then I realized the sound was quite small. It just didn’t sound like a monster at all. So I summoned my courage and turned on the light. I took a deep breath and prepared for a fright.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***

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.

For anyone interested, here is the universal Amazon link …

 a-fwd.com/asin=B07X9QGBQM

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

 

The post #BookReview: A House for a Mouse by Lisette Starr with Gustyawan as Illustrator #ChildrensFiction #Friendship #Kindness first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
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Published on June 27, 2023 18:42

June 20, 2023

#BookReview: Mr Maloof by Danielle Marietta with Sarah Jane Docker as Illustrator #ChildrensFiction #StayingYoung

Hi everyone. Today I have a book review for you for a children’s book by an author new to me, Danielle Marietta. In the coming weeks, I’ll have a few reviews for children’s fiction, which often struggles to gain feedback. Here’s my review >>>

About the Book:

Every kid is a bit goofy, and Mr. Maloof was no different. Until he grew up and became quite a grump. Then one day a little blue hair appeared right on the top of his head. With his new blue hair and the help of some neighborhood kids, Mr. Maloof is reminded the importance of staying young at heart.

 

My Review:

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

A fun, cute story for kids and their caregivers

A quick, fun read about the importance of staying young at heart. The illustrations are wonderful. (See photos below.)
The text rhymes and adds to the entertainment. The age range is stated as 3 — 6, and I would agree with that. A good book for parents/caregivers to read with younger children, and for those a little older to read themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***

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.

For anyone interested, here is the universal Amazon link …

 a-fwd.com/asin=B09TBHWMSV

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

 

The post #BookReview: Mr Maloof by Danielle Marietta with Sarah Jane Docker as Illustrator #ChildrensFiction #StayingYoung first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
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Published on June 20, 2023 18:28

June 15, 2023

River of Tears and Imposter Syndrome: Two poems from Harmony via @Vocal_Creators #poetry #life #pain #self-esteem

River of Tears and Imposter SyndromeHi everyone. I’ve written two poems on Vocal, one another short, acrostic poem, based on the word DISTRACTION. And a second, free verse poem, which takes an emotional look at the cyclic nature of life and suffering,

You can find my entries below. Vocal estimates these as a 1-minute reads.

River of Tears

 

 

 

River of Tears

 

 

 

 

 

Imposter Syndrome

— Imposter Syndrome

 

 

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 River of Tears and Imposter Syndrome: Two poems from Harmony via @Vocal_Creators #poetry #life #pain #self-esteem first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
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Published on June 15, 2023 07:35

June 13, 2023

#BookReview: Pens, Pads and Poets: Words of Hope by Karina Guardiola-Lopez #Poetry #SocialCommentary

Hi everyone. Today I have a book review for you from a poetry anthology written by teens of colour. The writing is raw and left largely as it was written, which makes this more authentic than if it were highly polished. With that in mind, here’s my review >>>

About the Book:

Pens, Pads and Poets: Words of Hope, is a collection of poems based on The Pen, The Pad and The Poet workshop, mentoring and open mic series founded and facilitated by Karina Guardiola-Lopez. The workshops took place at the Children’s Aid Society’s Hope Leadership Academy.

 

My Review:

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Raw, Real, Relatable, and Remarkable

I came across this wonderful book of poetry while browsing on Amazon. When I picked up this copy it was free (May 2023), but I have to say the content is priceless. I read this short collection in one sitting but will go back and take my time to savour these heartfelt and vital words.

Yes, some areas could do with an edit and/or a proofread, but I love and prefer that this collection has been published as it was written by the young attendees of various The Pen, The Pad, and The Poet workshops as part of this Collection of poems by The Children’s Aid Society‘s Hope Leadership Academy Program. These unique and brave voices need to remain intact.

Below, I list some of the poems/lines which stood out for me. However, I commend each and every entry.

‘Made me understand that my mind was | The most important part of my entity | That my mind had a density greater | Than that of my hips | I am absolutely content being the unique individual Me.’ written by Aaliyah Corke, Untitled.

And …

‘Life… is like a mouse trying to find its way through a maze.’ written by Angel Jackson, Life.

And …

‘I don’t look into your eyes, I look into you.’

I highlighted so many more and found it difficult to choose just these three. I cannot recommend this book of poetry highly enough, especially for those who care about the disparities of our world and societies. Pens, Pads and Poets: Words of Hope’ gets a resounding 5 stars from me. A must read collection.

***

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.

For anyone interested, here is the universal Amazon link …

 a-fwd.com/asin=B08L3H3LFZta

I’ve tried a new way of doing an easy universal amazon link, so if it doesn’t work for you, please let me know. Thanks!

[I have to thank Jacqui Murray for her wonderful tip on an easy universal Amazon link. Here’s Jacqui’s instructions:

1. Type in the Amazon Universal link URL … http://a-fwd.com/asin=
2. Add your book ASIN after the =. For example, Jacqui’s book is: http://a-fwd.com/asin=B0B9KPM5BW]

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

Quick note: I’m changing internet provider today, so I may or may not be able to respond quickly, depending on how smoothly or otherwise the process goes! 🫣 Thanks for understanding 🤗

 

The post #BookReview: Pens, Pads and Poets: Words of Hope by Karina Guardiola-Lopez #Poetry #SocialCommentary first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
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Published on June 13, 2023 18:05

June 12, 2023

Dancing with Death: An Acrostic poem from Harmony via @Vocal_Creators #poetry #Age #Youth

Dancing with Death [The Illusion of Youth]Hi everyone. I’ve written a short, acrostic poem on Vocal, based on the word DISTRACTION.

You can find my entry below. Vocal estimates this as a 1-minute read.

Dancing with Death

 

 

 

Dancing with Death

 

 

 

 

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 Dancing with Death: An Acrostic poem from Harmony via @Vocal_Creators #poetry #Age #Youth first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
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Published on June 12, 2023 06:04

June 6, 2023

#BookReview: Going Zero by Anthony McCarten #Fiction #SocialMedia #Surviellance #Spyware

Hi everyone. Today I have a book review for you from an author new to me, Anthony McCarten. I’ll be sure to check out more reads from this writer. Here’s my review >>>

About the Book:

Going Zero, a high-concept thriller from Oscar-nominated screenwriter Anthony McCarten. Erase yourself. The hunt has begun. Perfect for fans of I Am Pilgrim and The Circle.

TWO HOURS TO VANISH
Ten people have been carefully selected to Beta test a ground-breaking piece of spyware. Pioneered by tech-wunderkind Cy Baxter, FUSION can track anyone wherever they are on earth. But does it work?

ONE CHANCE TO ESCAPE
Each participant is given two hours to ‘Go Zero’ – to go off-grid and disappear – and then thirty days to elude the highly sophisticated Capture Teams sent to find them. Any Zero that beats FUSION will receive $3million in cash. If Cy’s system prevails, he wins a $90 billion-dollar contract with the CIA to develop FUSION and revolutionize surveillance forever.

ZERO ALTERNATIVES
For contestant Kaitlyn Day, the stakes are far higher than money, and her reasons for entering the test more personal than Cy could have ever imagined. Kaitlyn needs to win to get what she wants, and Cy will stop at nothing to realize his ambitions. They have no choice but to finish the game and when the timer hits zero, there will only be one winner…

 

My Review:

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Brilliant, scary, and an essential read that will stay with you!

I picked up this book on a Bookbub deal and I am so pleased I did! I now have a new favourite author. From the first page to last, this read grabbed my attention and didn’t let go even after I’d finished it. Honestly, this fantastic fiction read, which is all too real and possible, will stay with me for a long time. I highlighted so many lines and passages that stood out for me, it’s hard to share only a few here …

Who needs more of the kind of life she’s been living? Her life needs exploding. Well, here she is, living in the smithereens.’

And …

‘The look that this last comment generates on Burt’s up-till-now-neutral face could reverse global warming.’

And …

‘Maybe he should leave the country for a while? Go zero. But where can you go and truly not be found? Where can anyone go anymore?’

If you love modern thrillers about how easy it is to use our online presence, from social media to shopping, etc., to track us and gather information to track us, and where we might be headed in the near future, all encapsulated in humour and gripping drama and action, you’ll love Going Zero. This read gets a solid 5 stars from me. Go buy 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.

For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08B8BDLW1/

US https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08B8BDLW1/

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

 

The post #BookReview: Going Zero by Anthony McCarten #Fiction #SocialMedia #Surviellance #Spyware first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
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Published on June 06, 2023 18:04