Welcome to the Friday Edition of the Cafe and Bookstore with recent reviews for authors on the shelves.
The first book today with a recent review is Eternal Road: The Final Stop by John W. Howell..
About the book
James Wainwright picks up a hitchhiker and discovers two things 1. The woman he picks up is his childhood sweetheart, only Seventeen years older. 2. He is no longer of this world.
James began a road trip alone in his 1956 Oldsmobile. He stops for a hitchhiker only to discover she is his childhood sweetheart, Sam, who disappeared seventeen years before. James learns from Sam falling asleep miles back caused him to perish in a one-car accident. He also comes to understand that Sam was taken and murdered all those years ago, and now she has come back to help him find his eternal home.
The pair visit a number of times and places and are witness to a number of historical events. The rules dictate that they do no harm to the time continuum. Trying to be careful, they inadvertently come to the attention of Lucifer who would love to have their souls as his subjects. They also find a threat to human survival and desperately need to put in place the fix necessary to save mankind.
The question becomes, will James find his eternal home in grace or lose the battle with Satan for his immortal soul and the future of human life with it? If you like time-travel, adventure, mystery, justice, and the supernatural, this story is for you.
A recent review for the book
This is an amazing read! The first two pages lead one into one direction, then, suddenly off into an exciting new direction. Hardly able to put the book down. Highly recommended for those wanting a completely new adventure, unlike anything one has read, before.
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And : Amazon UK
Other books by John Howell
Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – and : Amazon UK – Goodreads: John Howell Goodreads – Blog: John W. Howell. com – Twitter – @HowellWave
The next recent review today is for The Last Pilgrim by Noelle Granger.
About the book
This book captures and celebrates the grit and struggle of the Pilgrim women who stepped off the Mayflower in the winter of 1620 to an unknown world – one filled with hardship, danger and death. The Plymouth Colony would not have survived without them.
Mary Allerton Cushman was the last surviving passenger of the Mayflower, dying at age 88 in 1699.
Mary’s life is set against the real background of that time. The Last Pilgrim begins from her father’s point of view – she was, after all, only four when she descended into the cramped and dank living space below deck on the Mayflower – but gradually assumes Mary’s voice, as the colony achieves a foothold in the New England’s rocky soil.
What was a woman’s life like in the Plymouth Colony? The Last Pilgrim will tell you.
A recent review for the book
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience though did become confused at times as to the relationships of people. I wonder if there was much inbreeding or if some of the religious rules were in effect against kinsmen marrying.
The frequent deaths especially of the women in childbirth was heart wrenching. The constant work for the good wives was unimaginable as compared to today’s times. We live such a cooshy life nowadays. With perinatal death and or maternal death grounds for malpractice.
The thoroughness of the research and attention to details was admirable. I could imagine myself in the house, garden or fields while I read this book. I would highly recommend this book as both an enthralling look into our past as well as emotional journey through the eyes of a wonderful woman’s life.
Thank you Noelle, for your fantastic journey you allowed us to accompany you on. It will stay with me for a very long time.
Read the reviews and buy the book:Amazon US – And:Amazon UK
Also by N.A. Granger
Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Blog:Sayling Away – Goodreads:Noelle A. Granger – Twitter:@NAGrangerAuthor
The final author today is Claire Fullerton with a review for her novel Little Tea.
About the book.
Southern Culture … Old Friendships … Family Tragedy
One phone call from Renny to come home and “see about” the capricious Ava and Celia Wakefield decides to overlook her distressful past in the name of friendship.
For three reflective days at Renny’s lake house in Heber Springs, Arkansas, the three childhood friends reunite and examine life, love, marriage, and the ties that bind, even though Celia’s personal story has yet to be healed. When the past arrives at the lake house door in the form of her old boyfriend, Celia must revisit the life she’d tried to outrun.
As her idyllic coming of age alongside her best friend, Little Tea, on her family’s ancestral grounds in bucolic Como, Mississippi unfolds, Celia realizes there is no better place to accept her own story than in this circle of friends who have remained beside her throughout the years. Theirs is a friendship that can talk any life sorrow into a comic tragedy, and now that the racial divide in the Deep South has evolved, Celia wonders if friendship can triumph over history.
A recent review for the book
I’ve just discovered a rare gem!
Beloved author, Pat Conroy left behind a legacy that weaves it’s way through so much of southern fiction, but I trust he stopped by Claire Fullerton’s pen and whispered some of his wisdom! The proof is in her novel “Little Tea”!
She has that same knack of real-life, honest storytelling wrapped in beautifully eloquent prose. Every word being composed so harmoniously with the next.
So refreshing!
Speaking of racism and social issues with both gentle heart and pulsating tension.
Love and relationships are lovely, exuberant, determined and even heartbreaking. When everything is cracking open like a broken glass on the hot Memphis asphalt, the sun is still shining through it.
Claire Fullerton speaks of the South and being a Southerner as a status only a few can attain. Almost a deserving right! The highest of honors! I love that she reveres the South so deeply and sincerely. She writes about the South with such love, you can sense her devotion! She elevates the Southern voice!! Claire is a true gift to both Southern and Literary Fiction!
I was completely enamored and enraptured with this story and each of characters. I even found myself beginning to put the book down one night, only to chose not to because I was just too captivated with even the places and more!! I just couldn’t sleep!
That same night, I found I was reading the last sentence, and I knew without a doubt I had been introduced to one of the most talented writers of our time!
In closing, I look forward to reading Claire Fullerton’s Collection! Time to order every single book!
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And : Amazon UK
Also by Claire Fullerton
Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – and: Amazon UK – Follow Claire : Goodreads – website: Claire Fullerton – Blog: Claire Fullerton WordPress – Twitter: @Cfullerton3
Thank you for dropping by today and I hope you are leaving with some books.. thanks Sally.
Three fantastic books! Already on my TBR, and of I’ve already read Claire’s book. Congrats to Claire, Noelle, and John. ❤
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Thanks Debby.. thank goodness for great reading ahead while we wait for things to blow over..♥
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Amen to that! ❤
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Oh, the company I keep all because of the magnanimous heart of Sally ( and Debby Gies is ALWAYS on the case, may I add!) Thank you !
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Delighted to share such a fantastic review Claire..and you are right Debby is always on the case…hugsxx
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Three fantastic books! Congratulations, John, Claire, and Noelle. Thank you, Sally, for sharing. 💗
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Thanks very much Gwen…have a lovely weekend..♥
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Looks like a wonderful selection.
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Thanks Craig and have a good weekend. x
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Thank you so much for featuring Eternal Road, Sally. I appreciate your support very much. The other books look great too.
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Great review John and delighted to share.. have a good weekend..hugsx
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Nice features here today, Sally!
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Thank you Joan.. have a good weekend.
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Wonderful reviews! I’m just about to start John’s book tonight 🙂
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Fantastic Jacquie.. enjoy hugsx
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Yay. I hope you enjoy it Jacquie. 😊
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I have all these books on my kindle, Sally. Now I just need to find more time to read. I feel like I am in a WW1 trench so far this year, and I’ve only been back 8 days.
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Hopefully it will settle down Robbie, you are trying to juggle several balls at the same time and it is challenging. I am hoping to keep to my new schedule of writing and reading but thank goodness I don’t have a full time job as you do… You do very well.. hugsx
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I try to make the best of my time. When I’m less busy at work, I write as much as possible. All the best with your new schedule, Sally.
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Thanks Robbie…getting some reading and writing done…xx
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Congratulations everyone, a fab collection all book lover’s TBR. Thanks Sally for bringing them to my attention.
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Glad you enjoyed today’s offerings Jane.. do love to put temptation in the path of my friends..hugsx
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LOL lead us not and all that…:)
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lol…hugsxx
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Great selection of books and authors today. And wonderful reviews. I’m familiar with John’s Eternal Road–and think it’s great–and I’ll have to check out both Noelle and Claire’s books. Thanks for sharing, Sally. Hugs xx 🙂
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Thanks Harmony and I can personally recommend all three books today…hugsx
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I’m looking forward to Noelle’s book – it’s going to be the one after next, I think!
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Wonderfully detailed and I felt I was back living in the time.. I am sure you will enjoy Terry.. hugs
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Great reviews, Sally. John’s has been on my radar for a while now. Kudos to all the authors.
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Thanks Staci.. and have enjoyed all of John’s books..xxx
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Great selection of books! John’s book is definitely on my TBR list. I’ve read all of his books and they just keep getting better and better. I’ll have to check out the others as well. Sharing on my blog to help with more exposure.
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Great Don and I thoroughly enjoyed Eternal Road and can recommend…thanks for sharing and it certainly does help..xx
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You’re welcome. Glad to hear it helps.
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Thank you, Don. 😁
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You’re welcome.
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Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Check out these great books featured at the Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore from this post on Sally Cronin’s blog.
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Great bunch of authors 🙂
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Thank you Jemima.. have a good weekend.. x
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Thank you, Sally! You are doing a yeoman’s job of helping authors market their books during the time of Covid. I enjoyed writing The Last Pilgrim so much I am thinking of doing another historical novel!
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That is great news Noelle and I think right now readers are looking for strength from the past, and reading the Last Pilgrim highlights how very tough it was back then and how good we really have it today..hugsx
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A historian friend of mine also said that to me – that I wrote a reminder of how lucky we are to be living now!
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Absolutely… even under the current circumstances at least so many of the medical issues that they suffered from including the dangers of childbirth are so much better today for most of us in the Western world.. xxx
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Three lovely books and authors, Sally. I’ve read Noelle and John and need to give Claire’s writing a try. Her book sounds wonderful. Congrats to everyone on the great reviews. 🙂
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Thanks Diana.. and agree with you about Noelle and John’s books.. Claire writes beautifully and I enjoyed Little Tea very much.. hugs
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Hi, Sally! All three books read fascinating. Cheers to one of my favorite writers, John Howell! Congrats to all the authors! ❤ xo
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Thanks Vashti.. and they are all wonderful books and I really enjoyed them all..♥
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Thank you, Vashti. 🤗
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Great books. I loved Eternal Road and have the other two on my TBR list.
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Thank you, Denise.
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Great reading ahead of you then Denise.. enjoyed them all..hugs
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Wonderful post, Sally. I have some reading to catch up on. I have only read John’s book which was fantastic. Congratulations to all three authors.
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Thanks Karen.. and I can recommend all the books.. fantastic authors..hugsx
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