Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – Author Updates – #Reviews – #Paranormal Roberta Eaton Cheadle, #HistoricalRomance Christine Campbell, #Prose/Poetry Colleen M. Chesebro

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

Welcome to the Wednesday edition of the Cafe and Bookstore update where I share recent reviews for authors on the shelves.

The first author featured today is Roberta Eaton Cheadle for Through the Nethergate.

About the book

Margaret, a girl born with second sight, has the unique ability to bring ghosts trapped between Heaven and Hell back to life. When her parents die suddenly, she goes to live with her beloved grandfather, but the cellar of her grandfather’s ancient inn is haunted by an evil spirit of its own. In the town of Bungay, a black dog wanders the streets, enslaving the ghosts of those who have died unnatural deaths. When Margaret arrives, these phantoms congregate at the inn, hoping she can free them from the clutches of Hugh Bigod, the 12th century ghost who has drawn them away from Heaven’s White Light in his canine guise. With the help of her grandfather and the spirits she has befriended, Margaret sets out to defeat Hugh Bigod, only to discover he wants to use her for his own ends – to take over Hell itself.

One of the recent reviews for the book

JP Unique

I enjoyed this unique novel. It follows the story of a girl who loses her parents in a tragic accident, and through various circumstances, encounters ghosts who are trapped by an evil being who wants to take over Hell itself. I enjoyed the fact that this was a mash-up of all different types of genres – paranormal, horror, historical fiction – and pulled no punches. I would say fans of Supernatural, Stephen King, and gritty YA stories would like this one.

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US

And: Amazon UK

A selection of other Sir Chocolate stories co-written with Michael Cheadle and other books by Robbie Cheadle

Read all the reviews and buy the books :Amazon US

And: Amazon UK

Read more reviews and follow Robbie : Goodreads

Connect to Robbie via her blog: Robbie’s Inspiration

The next review is for Christine Campbell… A Mountain of Memories.

About A Mountain of Memories

A childhood trip from Edinburgh to explore Caitlin’s family’s history results in tragedy on a mountainside above the village of Kinlochleven.

As an adult she is still affected by the events that took place there, though most of her memories of that day were lost as a result of its trauma.

Over a century earlier, Caitlin’s great-great grandmother, Mhairi, watched the village of Kinlochleven being born, suffering through its birth pangs. Caitlin and Mhairi’s lives are linked by their common heritage, and as their stories become intertwined, Caitlin is drawn back to the question that has haunted her for eleven years.

What really happened on that mountainside?

A historic story folded into a contemporary story, the two linked by family, location and events.

One of the recent reviews for the book

Lizanne Lloyd Fascinating history blend with a modern mystery

I know from previous reading that a novel by Christine Campbell will be about realistic characters dealing with human problems. There will be soul searching and suffering but also kindness and love. In A Mountain of Memories, the understated hero, Matt, is dependable and considerate. He supports Caitlin as she endures physical pain and panic attacks rooted in a traumatic event that occurred when she was 13. A family trip to Kinlochleven to see the home of her great great grandmother Mhairi Merry resulted in a tragic accident in which Caitlin had also been injured.

We move back to 1904 to meet Mhairi, a hard-working, spirited crofter’s daughter, who like Caitlin, grew up, alone with her father. Life for Mhairi and her father is about to change dramatically as hundreds of Irish navvies and their families arrive to build an enormous dam for the production of the first hydro-electric power in Scotland. The work is dangerous, and their living conditions are harsh but locals like James Merry resent and distrust the newcomers. Despite this, Mhairi makes friends amongst the women and soon she meets “the most beautiful man she ever did set her eyes upon.”

I was fascinated to read about the experiences of Mhairi and her kin in such a dramatic era of change in the Highlands and really hoped for her happiness but I also enjoyed accompanying Caitlin as she tried to solve the mystery of her lost memories. The outcome is life-changing and upsetting but it strengthens the relationships she has with those she can trust. An unusual, thought-provoking read.

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon UK

And: Amazon US

A selection of other books by Christine Campbell.

Read all the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US

And : Amazon UK

Read more reviews and follow Christine on : Goodreads

Connect to Christine via her blog: Christine Campbell at WordPress

And the final author today is Colleen M. Chesebro with a review for Fairies, Myths & Magic

About the collection

Step into a world where fairies, dragons, and other magical beings converge in a collection of poetry and short stories inspired by the celebration of Litha, the Summer Solstice.

Meet Drac, a dragon cursed by his own poisonous deeds, and two pixies who help an old man remember a lost love. You’ll meet a pair of fairies with a sense of humor, and a young girl who fulfills her destiny after being struck by lightning. Learn what happens when a modern witch’s spell goes terribly wrong. Meet the Sisters of the Fey, a group of Slavic Witches who sign a pact with the Rusalki Fey to preserve their magic for the good of all.

Atmospheric and haunting, the prose and poetry, will rewrite the mythologies of the past bringing them into the future.

One of the recent reviews for the collection

Brenda Marie Fluharty Love her knowledge of Myths and folklure

This is an amazing read for anyone who loves magic, myths and folklore. It combines knowledge and wisdom with an array of stories and poetry that will take you to another realm. This book is a must have and a great summer read. You will not be able to put it down and you will want to read it over and over again. A great book for all ages.

Read the reviews and buy the collection: Amazon US

And: Amazon UK

Also by Colleen M. Chesebro