tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59524447585012387702024-03-12T21:59:29.996-05:00Writer by NightKen Doyle, Independent Authorkdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-47519301028411635992016-09-21T11:14:00.001-05:002016-09-21T11:15:22.375-05:00Book signing: Gateway of India (September 24, 2016)For anyone in the southern Delaware area, come spend an afternoon at the beach, and get a signed copy of Gateway of India:<br />
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<a href="http://www.browseaboutbooks.com/event/ken-doyle-gateway-india">http://www.browseaboutbooks.com/event/ken-doyle-gateway-india</a>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-65688057195819364602016-09-06T19:47:00.000-05:002016-09-06T19:53:46.928-05:00Book review: Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #2) <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316133973/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&linkCode=li1&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=e2742862a99a82330340621c49c28cc9" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0316133973&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=li1&o=1&a=0316133973" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1739020575">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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4.5 stars really, only because Taylor used the phrase "off of" (and not even in dialog). Why? WHY?<br />
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There wasn't much of Prague in this book, which was one of the main attractions for me in the first one. Instead, the setting on the human side of the portal shifts to an abandoned casbah in Morocco (the Shareef don't like it!) which has been taken over by the chimaera forces. <br />
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The characters are more developed here and Taylor's gifted prose, lyrical at times, makes for an enjoyable read. The world-building, in both the human realm and in Eretz, is also far more developed. Overall, I enjoyed this sequel more than the first book, largely because there was less sappy romance. Now, I have to get a hold of book three.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>
kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-59869500751803939052016-08-21T14:00:00.002-05:002016-08-21T14:00:59.710-05:00Book review: The Book of Blood and Shadow, by Robin Wasserman<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375868763/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&linkCode=li1&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=73f11418e7fbfa68fba6d9bcee32a3b1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0375868763&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=li1&o=1&a=0375868763" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1726718452">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I discovered Robin Wasserman by accident (with the <em>Cold Awakening</em> trilogy) a couple of years ago, when looking for Scott Westerfeld's books. I haven't read anything by her since then, so I'd forgotten what a fantastic writer she is.<br />
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Part of my attraction to this book was the setting. I'm fascinated by Prague, and it's near the top of my list for cities I'd visit if I were independently wealthy and could spend my days traveling. Wasserman certainly does the setting justice: the dual storyline, with the parallelism between 16th-century Prague and the present day, added to my enjoyment.<br />
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I'm not a big fan of the current trend to stick a romance in every YA book, but in this book it was woven into the story well enough that it was integral to the plot. The characters have surprising depth, again a tribute to Wasserman's skill. I've heard others draw comparisons to certain Dan Brown books, and that's probably apt, except I would add the qualifier that I enjoyed the writing much more--it often has a poetic quality that you don't find in many fast-paced YA books. Highly recommended!<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-13685047932649744402016-04-22T18:41:00.001-05:002016-04-22T18:44:49.256-05:00Book review: Andrew's Brain by E.L. Doctorow<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400068819/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&linkCode=li2&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=7f0c35dc32b8fce5d7e7279e6a0daf67" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1400068819&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1400068819" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1613499260">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I've enjoyed many (perhaps most) of Doctorow's short stories, but I wasn't enamored of the only novel of his I tried, <em>City of God</em>. I did really like the short story, though, so I may need to go back and give the novel another chance.<br><br>This is a beautifully written, quirky, and nonlinear exploration of the workings of a man's mind. It's filled with dark humor, which is my favorite kind. The stream-of-consciousness style enhances the narrative, and Doctorow's prose leaves me more than a little envious of his talent. I thought about quoting a passage or two here, but it would be hard to single just one out for special mention. The addition of the White House segment, especially Chaingang and Rumbum, was a nice touch and had me laughing out loud.<br><br>I don't recommend this book if you're one of those readers who demands plot and structure in every novel, but if you enjoy immersing yourself in elegant prose, read it. It will leave you pondering its intricacies days and weeks after you've turned the last page.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>
kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-47447638967095238322016-04-20T17:07:00.002-05:002016-04-20T17:07:43.289-05:00Book review: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062403168/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&linkCode=li2&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=664555d2595c4a9cbff5dabb5d350fb9" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0062403168&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=li2&o=1&a=0062403168" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1248877450">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This is my second book this month that involves two stories in one, and both books were by two of my favorite YA authors. In this one, however, the secondary story happens mostly in the background, unlike Scott Westerfeld's <em>Afterworlds</em>, in which the chapters alternate between two very different stories.<br />
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The writing was, as usual for Ness, excellent: quirky, well-developed characters, settings with just the right amount of detail to make them come alive, and a compelling narrative voice. Somehow, though, the book just didn't grab me by the throat and shake me until my teeth rattled, which is something I've come to expect from Ness. Instead, it was more of a slow, simmering process. Well worth reading, though.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>
kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-91982020872385017462016-04-20T17:03:00.002-05:002016-04-20T17:05:46.944-05:00Book review: Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1481422340/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&linkCode=li2&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=c06b0ab953518561e20cbbc988c9e447" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1481422340&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1481422340" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1597650217">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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4.5 stars<br />
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I couldn't give this a perfect score, only because I have very high standards when it comes to Scott Westerfeld: I expect every book to be uniformly excellent. This one was pretty damn good, but it was missing just the tiniest touch of his magic.<br />
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The dual-story concept was a bit jarring at first, but I actually liked it as I went along. I may be doing something similar for a novel I'm working on (1st-person narrative with 3rd-person main story), so the book was helpful from that standpoint.<br />
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Like many reviewers, I thought the premise of the whole Darcy story was pretty far-fetched (as much as I'd like to have that much faith in the publishing industry). But hey, this is fantasy, right? Still a good read.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-61985846656240251202016-02-14T19:58:00.002-06:002016-02-14T19:58:31.301-06:00Book review: The Best Small Fictions 2015<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938466624/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1938466624&linkCode=as2&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=BAIHHSMWVTLO6JXV" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1938466624&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1938466624" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1528068370">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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As someone who has dabbled with flash fiction, I recognize the challenges of writing "short short" or microfiction. Every word has to count, for there is absolutely no margin for error, no room for luxury.<br />
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This collection might more aptly be titled "The Best of the Best..." because it is exactly that. Each story in contention was nominated by a literary magazine or journal, and the guest editor, Robert Olen Butler, made the final selection.<br />
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Butler says in his introduction, "They are small but brimming with our shared human experience." I found the quality of these stories to be uniformly excellent. A few didn't connect with me on a personal level, but even then, I admired the quality of the writing.<br />
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It's very difficult to pick favorites in a collection like this, so I won't even try. The stories cover a broad range of issues, from the safety of abandoned mine shafts to the irony surrounding a corporate job filled by a long-dead employee. They span the spectrum from light to dark, and the lengths range from a tweet (140 characters) to flash (1,000 words). There is truly something for everyone who likes short fiction: a variety of styles and forms give the collection a subtle rhythm that attests to the skill of the editors. The collection will take its place on my virtual shelves along with its longer cousins in short fiction from George Saunders, Kurt Vonnegut, and E.L. Doctorow. <br />
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Note: I received a free review copy of this book from the editor.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>
kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-72462023891082902652016-01-27T07:54:00.004-06:002016-04-20T17:04:26.409-05:00Book review: While Mortals Sleep by Kurt Vonnegut<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385343744/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0385343744&linkCode=as2&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=DDF3WLGEXLN5ZIFQ" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0385343744&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0385343744" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1511109129">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I often feel that posthumous releases of an author's early work are little more than a money grab by the publisher. However, in this case, I'm glad these early stories made their way into the world.<br />
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This is a side of Vonnegut that fans of his later work may not completely appreciate, but I enjoyed all the stories. Warm, often funny, and with a gentle reminder of the simpler morals of a time long passed, the stories are a light read--well worth it for anyone who appreciates short fiction.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>
kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-37247256429196190792015-11-20T11:02:00.002-06:002015-11-20T11:02:43.004-06:00Goodreads giveaway for Gateway of India (Omnibus Edition)<div id="goodreadsGiveawayWidget162975">
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_new">Goodreads</a> Book Giveaway
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27800701"><img alt="Gateway of India by Ken Doyle" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1447256802l/27800701.jpg" title="Gateway of India by Ken Doyle" width="100" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27800701">Gateway of India</a>
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by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6927035.Ken_Doyle" style="text-decoration: none;">Ken Doyle</a>
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Giveaway ends November 29, 2015.
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See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/162975" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a>
at Goodreads.
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<script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/widget/162975" type="text/javascript"></script>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-30978294425284914682015-11-13T08:47:00.001-06:002015-11-13T08:47:50.460-06:00Gateway of India (Omnibus Edition) now available<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLyPigfUjSIlZpp0aqyHIUCWd1QnrJWFDScpgDPzqHMsiCv2H-G1YU9ct1pCdQ9BVOwGJpeqpZBHXKBaAUn5LvC9HPF-EhwNd7c5hhCpX-aEF2Upkva3VJAXwd2l8DjtjVyICV0Sevwz1/s1600/GatewayCoverFinal_Omni_800x1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLyPigfUjSIlZpp0aqyHIUCWd1QnrJWFDScpgDPzqHMsiCv2H-G1YU9ct1pCdQ9BVOwGJpeqpZBHXKBaAUn5LvC9HPF-EhwNd7c5hhCpX-aEF2Upkva3VJAXwd2l8DjtjVyICV0Sevwz1/s320/GatewayCoverFinal_Omni_800x1200.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
The Gateway of India, built in the early twentieth century, served as a ceremonial entrance to the city of Bombay. Today, it remains the city’s most famous landmark. <br />
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Set in 1980s Bombay, this collection of stories and a novella provides a gateway into the lives of ordinary citizens. A doctor who retires to begin a new life, a bus conductor, a police inspector, the residents in an affluent neighborhood, a schoolteacher and his students—each vignette captures the unique struggles and triumphs of life in India’s commercial capital.<br />
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The special omnibus edition contains all three books in the Gateway of India series and includes a bonus story, <i>Saturday Date</i>.<br />
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Kindle Edition: <a href="http://amzn.to/1l9wIOn">http://amzn.to/1l9wIOn</a><br />
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Paperback: <a href="http://amzn.to/1MMaDvo">http://amzn.to/1MMaDvo</a> kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-61445500978402052942015-11-03T14:51:00.002-06:002015-11-03T14:56:17.078-06:00Book review: Eragon, by Christopher Paolini<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375826696/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375826696&linkCode=as2&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=TGGAMKMS3OE4FUYH" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0375826696&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0375826696" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1Pkb0SW">Eragon</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8349.Christopher_Paolini">Christopher Paolini</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/122244167">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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3.5 stars<br />
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I've had this on my shelf for a while. I have to say, it's not bad for a 15-year-old, although I'm sure the original version was probably edited pretty heavily when Knopf picked it up. I doubt I could have written something as sophisticated when I was 15.<br />
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I'm surprised by the hate for this book. I've seen a lot of it being dismissed as derivative, especially with regard to LOTR and even Star Wars. The thing is, pretty much every epic fantasy written in the last 50 years has been influenced by LOTR in some way. The pacing is a bit slow initially, but I did keep reading, and I tend to prefer slower pacing over hot and heavy action on every page. I would have liked some more character depth.<br />
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Overall, worth reading for me. I may actually check out the other books.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>
kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-73434972141352829512015-11-01T17:21:00.000-06:002015-11-01T17:21:00.570-06:00Gateway of India (Book Three and Omnibus Edition) release dateThe date is set: On Tuesday, November 10, the last book in the Gateway of India series will be available for Kindle.<br />
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There will also be a special omnibus edition, containing all three books. The Kindle edition will be available November 10, and a paperback edition should be out within the following week.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqmz7Yzy0dmKajhwjaRcpB7Eo1wB0NdrzaemkLORipvUDGpfV8JDQjiGAYvygAqjFpmDUju1xcUGpEmPi504-U2D9LXBsc5JFMxHR2nwq8JMhVK-fXQxXo3SufMaNQynKGvvKKVAsHgOP/s1600/GatewayCoverFinal_Omni_800x1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqmz7Yzy0dmKajhwjaRcpB7Eo1wB0NdrzaemkLORipvUDGpfV8JDQjiGAYvygAqjFpmDUju1xcUGpEmPi504-U2D9LXBsc5JFMxHR2nwq8JMhVK-fXQxXo3SufMaNQynKGvvKKVAsHgOP/s320/GatewayCoverFinal_Omni_800x1200.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-3033775949440945362015-10-17T12:55:00.000-05:002015-11-01T16:22:30.861-06:00Book review: The Leaving of Things, by Jay Antani<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KDOYEFU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00KDOYEFU&linkCode=as2&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=QR3LDSSWAOJV5IQL" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00KDOYEFU&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00KDOYEFU" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/975347032">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This book intrigued me, largely due to its dual connection: Madison, Wisconsin, where I lived for 20 years and India, the country of my birth. It's an interesting approach by an expat Indian author, and the reverse of the normal Indian immigrant stories. Antani captures the sense of dislocation perfectly--the feeling of being plucked from a comfortable environment in spite of being in a minority, and being dropped in the tumultuous, disorienting mess of life in an Indian city. Antani switches settings with ease from suburban Ahmedabad to Bombay and even to the Taj Mahal, although at times he gets a bit carried away with the historical backdrop. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading Indian fiction.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-72257925067978449682015-10-09T16:36:00.003-05:002015-10-09T16:37:11.653-05:00Book review: James Potter and the Morrigan Web, by G. Norman Lippert<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13549535-james-potter-and-the-morrigan-web" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="James Potter and The Morrigan Web (James Potter, #4)" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398908198m/13549535.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13549535-james-potter-and-the-morrigan-web">James Potter and The Morrigan Web</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1127619.G_Norman_Lippert">G. Norman Lippert</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1168736610">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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"Bloody brilliant," as Ron would say.<br />
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Lippert captured Rowling's magic in his setting and characters from the first book. However, he's even managed to develop her famous, progressively darker story arc across the series. This book is a page-turner, with a complex plot that builds to a larger conclusion. Unfortunately, we may never get to see the rest of the series. I really wish Rowling, her publishers, and Warner Brothers could work out an arrangement where Lippert could be compensated for his work. Meanwhile, I'll continue to buy him coffee.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-69538993588409787482015-09-08T19:47:00.003-05:002015-11-01T16:24:01.483-06:00Book review: Brave New Girls (Anthology)<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z1YV1KI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00Z1YV1KI&linkCode=as2&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=D6DLNAMBYV37VRJN" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00Z1YV1KI&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00Z1YV1KI" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1371153595">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I'm always cautious about reading anthologies, because they can be a mixed bag--I much prefer collections by a single author. However, this anthology sparked my interest because of its theme, and the fact that the proceeds were being used to fund an effort to attract more young women to STEM fields.<br />
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Overall, the the quality of the writing was very good. A few stories fell prey to common issues like POV inconsistencies and a tendency to indulge in infodumping, but those could be fixed with tighter editing. Most of the stories portrayed realistic, gritty protagonists without pandering to common stereotypes and the dreaded love triangle that seems to pervade much of YA literature. For the most part, the stories showcased their characters' abilities to use their brains to solve problems, and that's the kind of science fiction I especially enjoy reading.<br />
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It's hard to pick favorites when there are so many good stories, but I enjoyed these the most: The Outpost by Paige Daniels; Blink by Kate Moretti; Graveyard Shift by Kimberly Giarratano; and Fledgling by Jason Kucharik. Overall, this anthology will appeal to most lovers of YA science fiction and speculative fiction.<br />
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Note: I received a free advance review copy of this book from the publisher.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-15529951370188541462015-08-18T19:11:00.001-05:002015-11-01T16:25:47.563-06:00Book review: All the Time in the World, by E.L. Doctorow<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004IK8PZA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004IK8PZA&linkCode=as2&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=KVKXJO2UIFRJM4GA" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004IK8PZA&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004IK8PZA" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1350236548">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I didn't care very much for <em>City of God</em> when I read it around 18 months ago. However, I may have to give it another chance, because <em>Heist</em>, the short story on which it's based, is absolutely brilliant. Perhaps this is just more evidence for my belief that some stories simply work best in the short form. All the stories in this collection are very good, and Doctorow's settings are completely immersive. It's been a while since I visited New York, but within a paragraph or two of his stories, the memories came back in full force. He does justice to his setting in every story, whether it's an old farmhouse in a remote Illinois location or a run-down school building. The stories span a variety of styles, and Doctorow shifts gears with no apparent effort, keeping the reader enthralled as he spans distances and centuries. This book is definitely going on my "favorites" list.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-87202884048190177202015-07-01T10:38:00.000-05:002015-07-01T10:38:00.956-05:00Changes at the buffetEver since e-book subscription services debuted, I suspected that they would not be financially sustainable for long. Last month, Amazon confirmed this suspicion when they changed the payout terms for Kindle Unlimited. Yesterday, <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/scribd-cuts-romance-catalog.html" target="_blank">Scribd announced</a> it was dropping most romance and erotica titles from its catalog. Apparently, these readers are the equivalent of Homer Simpson at an all-you-can-eat buffet.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="288" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://www.hulu.com/embed.html?eid=hinknzf3iz7s2pkqt2erow" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="512"></iframe><br />
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I'm sure that Oyster and other services will follow suit, making changes either to their fees, payment system, or content. Regardless of what happens, these moves also conform what most of us have known for a while: the most popular genres, by an overwhelming margin, are romance and erotica.kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-85895084967728617512015-06-22T14:09:00.005-05:002015-06-22T14:10:05.382-05:00Interview for Live Encounters magazineI was recently <a href="http://liveencounters.net/?page_id=10939" target="_blank">interviewed</a> by Natalie Irene Wood for Live Encounters magazine. It's probably my most in-depth interview to date.kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-23731885668982950762015-06-01T20:30:00.000-05:002015-06-01T20:30:01.401-05:00Gateway of India (Book Two) now available<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOv90r4Tlye4d_cUs_Kym5QvjjOMcVY_eSmPNolx2aMuIgIBC_3m3yKqCv80aYZzg36S9RR8U0hSlBOm4fqw5DYQmZMMOotH3xNVhX9er1Ml_aojqZhplmZMI8CLY_RK6aMtt3LNuMmXT/s1600/GatewayCoverFinal_Two_300x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOv90r4Tlye4d_cUs_Kym5QvjjOMcVY_eSmPNolx2aMuIgIBC_3m3yKqCv80aYZzg36S9RR8U0hSlBOm4fqw5DYQmZMMOotH3xNVhX9er1Ml_aojqZhplmZMI8CLY_RK6aMtt3LNuMmXT/s320/GatewayCoverFinal_Two_300x450.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Gateway of India (Book Two) is <a href="http://www.kenneth-doyle.com/p/books.html#gateway_two">now available</a> for Kindle, iBooks, Nook, and more.<br />
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The Gateway of India, built in the early twentieth century, served as a ceremonial entrance to the city of Bombay. Today, it remains the city’s most famous landmark. <br />
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This collection of four linked short stories provides a gateway into the lives of the residents of Chughani Manor, a building in an affluent Bombay neighborhood. A retired cricketer gains a young protégé who helps him make an important choice. A research director reflects on how his childhood experiences influenced his career. A resident befriends an ayurvedic practitioner whose fame spreads throughout the neighborhood. Slum redevelopment efforts bring new meaning to a couple dealing with their empty nest. This second book in the series provides snapshots that capture a different side of India’s most cosmopolitan city.<br />
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<br />kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-11143671394777409362015-05-26T19:26:00.000-05:002015-05-26T19:26:26.879-05:00Gateway of India (Book Two): Release dateIf all goes well, <i>Gateway of India (Book Two)</i> will be available a week from today: Tuesday, June 2. The book continues the series, containing four linked stories. This time, the e-book will be available on Amazon as well as other major publishing channels.<br />
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Here's a preview of the cover:<br />
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<br />kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-37674223172302056972015-04-14T13:44:00.000-05:002015-04-14T13:44:22.200-05:00Progress!The workshop of my imagination is littered with partially used tubes of caulk, dried out yet hoping to be reused but ultimately destined for the trash.<br />
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On the bright side, I'm finally making progress with <i>Gateway of India, Book Two</i>. I have rough drafts of four stories and am now starting the cycle of rewriting/revising/editing. I'm hoping for a release date early next month.kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-64205573647796119242015-03-11T08:05:00.001-05:002015-03-11T08:05:41.366-05:00Please help me fight animal abuse in ChinaThis month (March), I’ll be donating all proceeds from the sales of my books to the Humane Society International fund to end dog meat trade. The biggest effort is focused on Yulin, China. Every year, on the summer solstice, this city engages in a barbaric “festival” that includes torturing, killing, and eating dogs and cats.<br />
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I won’t include any links because the content is very disturbing and contains graphic images. However, Google “Yulin 2015” or check the #StopYulin2015 hashtag on Twitter if you want to find out more.<br />
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How can you help?<br />
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<ol>
<li>Spread awareness by sharing and tweeting this information.</li>
<li>Donate to the <a href="https://donate.hsi.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=104&ea.campaign.id=28590" target="_blank">Humane Society International</a>.</li>
<li>I don’t have much faith in online petitions, but you can sign one at change.org (search for Yulin 2015). It requires little effort and no cost.</li>
</ol>
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Thank you.kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-76991810651483758202015-02-16T14:22:00.000-06:002015-11-01T16:32:22.192-06:00Book review: 2 States: The Story of My Marriage, by Chetan Bhagat<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8129132540/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=8129132540&linkCode=as2&tag=d0dc4-20&linkId=ROJHLTZXPYGPQTML" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=8129132540&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=d0dc4-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=d0dc4-20&l=as2&o=1&a=8129132540" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1195104419">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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3.5 stars<br />
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I’ve been intrigued by Chetan Bhagat’s success for some time and decided I should study his work to see what makes him tick. I was lucky to get a copy of 2 States from a Goodreads member, because most of his books are not widely available here in the US. <br />
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Bhagat is clearly aiming for a mass-market novel—a light, easy read—and he does a good job in that respect. He writes in Indian English, appropriate for his characters, which probably makes the book more relatable to the millions of Indian readers who speak English as a second language. I didn’t like the way dialogue tags were handled and many of them were simply unnecessary, but that’s probably more the editor’s fault than the author’s. 2 States doesn’t make any pretenses at being literary, and that’s okay. In fact, Bhagat reveals his disdain for literary fiction when Krish says (describing the smells of food cooking), “If this was one of those prize-winning Indian novels, I’d spend two pages on how wonderful those smells were.”<br />
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I didn’t particularly like the ending, which seemed too simplistic and contrived. However, romance novels are supposed to have HEA endings, and I can understand why Bhagat wrote one. Overall, I liked this book more than I thought I would.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-67291442527707992932015-02-10T17:48:00.004-06:002015-02-10T17:48:54.631-06:00Book review: Village Books by Craig McLay<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13580960-village-books" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Village Books" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334413615m/13580960.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13580960-village-books">Village Books</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5807185.Craig_McLay">Craig McLay</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1184699220">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I have an entirely impractical dream of owning a small, independent bookstore. That's why Village Books intrigued me. It soon convinced me that I'd better hang on to my day job. McLay does a fine job of populating his story with colorful characters, each of which has at least one notable eccentricity. The narrative voice is witty and ruthlessly skewers everything from the quintessential evil corporate conglomerate to midlist authors at book signings. (No, I have never done a book signing, because I suspect it would turn out exactly as McLay describes.)<br />
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The romance is fairly predictable and somewhat trite, but I didn't read this book for the romance. I chuckled through most of it, and that was good enough for me. A few of the secondary characters seemed to blend into one another after a while, and some could even have been eliminated without affecting the story. But that's a minor quibble. Overall, a light and enjoyable read.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952444758501238770.post-12453314753884015782015-01-22T13:42:00.000-06:002015-01-22T13:42:21.094-06:00Book review: The Cunning Woman’s Cup, by Sue Hewitt<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21446981-the-cunning-woman-s-cup" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Cunning Woman's Cup" border="0" src="https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/111x148-c93ac9cca649f584bf7c2539d88327a8.png" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21446981-the-cunning-woman-s-cup">The Cunning Woman's Cup</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8049911.Sue_Hewitt">Sue Hewitt</a><br />
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4.5 of 5 stars<br />
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I’m not part of the target demographic for this book, due to my Y chromosome, but I enjoyed it immensely. Hewitt does a great job detailing the setting—the small, rural town of Duddo near the Scottish border in Northumberland. You can feel the chill of a foggy morning in your bones and the mud squelching under your boots after a long rain. The bonds of friendship between two women, as well as the site of their chance meeting, near an ancient stone circle, form the primary threads for the story.<br />
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Hewitt also weaves another tale into the story, one that took place in ancient times. As the book progresses, the two stories are knit together with an expert hand. The mystical connections that lead to the discovery of an archeological artifact and its impact on the characters are gradually revealed as well.<br />
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This is beautiful writing, a character-driven story that will appeal to any reader who enjoys literary fiction or someone who has a particular affinity for the English countryside. At times, I felt that some of the plot point resolutions were a bit too perfect, but it didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the story. The ending may seem a bit abrupt to some, but I like stories that leave the reader asking questions. I hope a sequel is on the way!<br />
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Note: I received a free copy of this book for review.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3943400-ken">View all my reviews</a>kdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11651103142869896875noreply@blogger.com0