Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore Update #Reviews – #Suspense Joan Hall, #Memoir Karen Ingalls, #Poetry Jude Itakali

Welcome to the Friday edition of the Cafe and Bookstore with recent reviews for authors on the shelves.

The first author today is Joan Hall who has received great reviews for her recent release  Cold Dark Night: Legends of Madeira

About the book

New husband, new house, new town… and a new mystery to solve.

Tami Montgomery thought her police chief husband was going to be the only investigator in the family when she gave up her journalism career and moved with him to Madeira, New Mexico.

But after the historical society asks her to write stories for a book celebrating the town’s one-hundred fiftieth year, she becomes embroiled in a new mystery. If she can’t solve this one, she could lose everything. Her research uncovers a spate of untimely deaths of local law enforcement officials. Further digging reveals a common link—they all lived in the house she and Jason now share.

Tami isn’t a superstitious person, but the circumstances are too similar for coincidence. Then she unearths an even more disturbing pattern. And if history repeats itself, Jason will be the next to die.

One of the early reviews for the book

D.L. Finn 5.0 out of 5 stars I loved the characters, and Madeira was a place I’d like to visit! Reviewed in the United States

I read the prequel to this story, “House of Sorrow,” and loved that, so I was eager to read the first book in the Legends of Madeira Series. Jason and Tami Montgomery left Driscoll Lake for Jason’s new job as the town’s police chief in Madeira, New Mexico. They buy the house that was in the prequel and quickly settled into the small, mostly welcoming town. It was nice to see characters from the Driscoll Lake series, but unnecessary to have read those books to appreciate this story. I enjoyed Jason’s growth and how he approached his new job.

Tami immediately made friends and got involved in the town’s historical society that was doing a book on the town’s history. Tami, who had been a journalist, jumped right into her part of researching past police chiefs. She soon found herself looking for more answers as she dug deeper into the murder mystery of two of these chiefs. I loved the characters, and Madeira was a place I’d like to visit. Many subplots were woven in that added an extra depth to the story. Tami was a favorite character, as was the neighborhood’s stray cat, Oscar.

There was a mystery to be solved, and it appeared Jason was in danger. I had a few guesses and changed my mind more than once, but finally, by the end. I realized who it was, but not why. I love the use of legends, history, and psychic abilities mixed in with well-rounded characters and a mystery that goes back over one hundred years. This is a nicely paced read that I can highly recommend.  

Also by Joan Hall

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Read other reviews and follow Joan: Goodreads – Website: Joan Hall – Blog: Joan Hall – BookBub: Joan Hall – Facebook: Joan Hall Writes – Twitter: @JoanHallWrites

The next book with a recent review is written by ovarian cancer survivor, author and retired nurse Karen Ingalls – Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Survivor.

About Outshine

When Karen Ingalls was diagnosed with Stage II Ovarian Cancer, she realized how little she knew about what was once called ”the silent killer.” As Ingalls began to educate herself she felt overwhelmed by the prevalent negativity of cancer. Lost in the information about drugs, side effects, and statistics, Ingalls redirected her energy to focus on the equally overwhelming blessings of life, learning to rejoice in each day and find peace in spirituality.

In this memoir, Karen is a calming presence and positive companion, offering a refreshing perspective of hope with the knowledge that ”the beauty of the soul, the real me and the real you, outshines the effects of cancer, chemotherapy, and radiation.”

Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir is a story of survival, and reminds readers that disease is not an absolute, but a challenge to recover.

One of the recent reviews for the book

Robin McGraw 5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational and well guided  Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2021

I have had the pleasure of meeting Karen Ingalls at a few of the support groups recently. I am a one year survivor of endometrial cancer. Karen has been so very helpful to myself and many other survivors as this I am sure of. She is there for any question or encouragement you may need. She is truly an inspiration to be positive and on the right path with my journey going forward. I read her book Outshine recently and find her even more amazing as she has shared her inner thoughts and own journey with us. The book is very well written and very interesting to read as she takes you through a life with Cancer and the challenges it faces for many of us. Thank you Karen for being so thoughtful, caring, inspiring and truly a wonderful human being!!! I look forward to reading more of your books in the future. Much Love to you and your family.

Other books by Karen Ingalls

All proceeds from the book sales go to gynecologic cancer research. 

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Follow Karen: Goodreads – Blog: Karen Ingalls – Twitter: @KIngallsAuthor

The final review today is for Jude Itakali for his poetry collection – CROSSROADS (Winds of love): Poetry and Prose

About the collection

In the corridors of love, at the crossroads of loneliness, we stand at our most vulnerable. As the winds of love swirl, we are often ill prepared for the portends and promises that they carry. The longing, lust, fear and deception. But also the hope, renewal and lessons of love. In this book, may we be strengthened by the memory of things we have survived, soothed with the understanding of perspective, and comforted with the hope of things yet to come.

May these poems, prose and short stories touch each of us in our own particular way.

A recent review for the book

Balroop Singh

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful and emotional poetry  Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2021

Crossroads (Winds of Love) takes you through various corridors, which you may have visited yet missed the intense moments of exhilaration; it explores many more aspects of love, compels you to ponder and cultivate resilience. A resilient love is open to maturity but also vulnerable.

Written in a simple and straightforward style, Jude’s poetry is seeped in ecstasy of sensual love as well as yearning to find love’s freedom; loneliness and wisdom are the rewards – paradoxical? But that is love!
“Loneliness has wrapped me in its embrace, A broken heart has tamed me with wisdom.” How true!
“Once a joy, now an ache” – that is the price of love!

This may be Jude’s debut book but his poetry is so powerful that it draws on your emotions, stirring bittersweet memories and awakens you to “love’s deceptive light.” If you like free verse and want to understand love, this is a perfect book for you.

Read the reviews and buy the collection :Amazon US – And:Amazon UK – Follow Jude:Goodreads – Blog: WordPress – Tales Told Different – Facebook: Kirya Itakali Jude – Twitter: @jude_clutch