ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN DE MODE APR-MAY-JUN (Vol IV, Issue XXII)
Article Published on: 21TH JAN 2023 | www.demodemagazine.com
Staying aware of the entirety of the furthest down-the-line must-read books can rapidly transform into a staggering undertaking - finish one, add five more to the heap, and the cycle wears on until it's essentially too horrendous to even think about focusing any longer. Here's another arrangement: Leave the arranging of what's good and what's terrible to us, devoted perusers of perfect taste. We read a ton of books in the first quarter of 2021 and consider these to be the 12 best deserving of adding to your ceaseless heap this season.
'BECKLAN'S DOLL' BOOK 1 OF THE CRESTEMERE SERIES BY CAMERYNE KAYNE
'FINDING THE BEAUTY IN UGLY SITUATIONS' BY DESIREE P. MIDDLETON
'HUMAN: BREAKING, HEALING & FLOURISHING' BY JAYDEN O'HARA
'STRUCK IN THE CROSSFIRE' BERZERKERS MC SERIES #1 BY LINNY LAWLESS
'BURNING DESIRE FADES - PART 2' BY AUTHOR M. L. STARK
'MELANCHOLY VISION' A REVOLUTION SERIES NOVEL BY L. C. HAMILTON
'BROKEN FRENCH' A WIDOWED, BILLIONAIRE, SINGLE DAD ROMANCE BY TASHA BOYD
'YELLOW WIFE: A NOVEL' BY AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR SADEQA JOHNSON
'ARIANDNE' BY AUTHOR JENNIFER SAINT
'BEDAZZLE' BY AUTHOR & DR. SHAMOLY KHERA
'DON'T LOOK FOR ME' BY AUTHOR WENDY WALKER
'ONE HUNDRED DAFFODILS' BY REBECCA WINN
1. 'BECKLAN'S DOLL' BOOK 1 OF THE CRESTEMERE SERIES - BY CAMERYNE KAYNE
On a hunt into the unknown, Audrina Henry is determined to find what she’s looking for in the abandoned city of Crobania; a life-changing promotion to land her dream gig as a head anchor at PNN news. But when she finds herself inside a hidden world, she’s beyond stunned while adapting to her newfound role as a Blood-doll in an immortal kingdom. However, she’s not to serve just anyone; she’s to serve the dark prince of Crobania, Master Becklan Chestermere. And as his charms take by her storm, she’s strong-willed and ready to escape his web of seduction… until he kisses her. It’s not long before she finds herself falling for the unthinkable, an immortal Prince and the underworld in which he reigns.
Becklan Crestemere loathes his new status as the most sought-after bachelor in Crobania, but it is his duty as an immortal prince to provide a queen for his kingdom. He must take a wife before the king, his uncle, retires the throne. Meanwhile, his future hangs in the balance with an arranged marriage until his estranged cousin gifts him with a Blood-doll. But when Becklan discovers the unknown woman in his mate his world shifts into a lust-fueled pandemonium while trying to save the kingdom from inevitable ruin. Audrina suddenly becomes his obsession, and the answer he’s been searching for all along. He doesn’t want just her blood. He wants her in his bed, for good.
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THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR CAMERYNE KAYNE
Cameryne Kayne is a paranormal romance guru since she was young, residing just above the Mason-Dixon line in Pennsylvania. Where she enjoys downtime with her two children, and her black Siamese cat, Duchess. She reads as much as writes. Inside the darkness of paranormal romance is where her passion for writing can be found, where she invites you into the world of the Crestemere Series. Starting with her novel debut, her first publication and the first edition to the series released in July of 2020, Becklan’s Doll. A besotted and heart-racing tale between love and sacrifice.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF AUTHOR CAMERYNE KAYNE - www.ckayne.org
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Read Author CAMERYNE KAYNE's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
2. 'FINDING THE BEAUTY IN UGLY SITUATIONS' - BY DESIREE P. MIDDLETON
Finding the Beauty in Ugly Situations, written by Author Desiree P. Middleton will take you on an emotionally uplifting ride as she guides you through the very ugly chapters of her life. Beginning early on in her childhood by experiencing grief for the first as she knew it when she lost her favorite barbie doll after it was chewed to pieces by her brother’s German Sheppard puppy. Desiree timelines these very ugly instances chapter by chapter as she vividly describes childhood sexual assault, having low self-esteem, rape, teen pregnancy, dropping out of high school, experiencing domestic abuse, heartbreak, alcoholism, financial strains, and much more.
This book will keep you entranced chapter by chapter, captivating your attention, by not allowing you to put it down once you pick it up. Giving you the motivation and courage that you may need to overcome your own ugly situations. The author’s stance within this story is to “just keep living...”, encouraging you to never stop where you are, if she can overcome, so can you, regardless of what you may be facing. Written during a time when she was dealing with heartbreak due to an unfaithful marriage, Desiree turned back to her love for writing to heal past the pain. She credits her ability to indulge in her writing emotionally to help create vivid, and powerful stories leaving the reader to feel similar emotions. Her gift of motivating herself and others is what creates this amazing work within this 173-page book. Be sure to read and be amazed at what one can overcome, you will feel a sense of wanting to push forward even through your own ugly circumstances.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'FINDING THE BEAUTY IN UGLY SITUATIONS' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
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THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR DESIREE P. MIDDLETON
Desiree P. Middleton was born in a small rural town thirty-plus miles away from Charleston, South Carolina called McClellanville. The only daughter and the youngest of two boys, Desiree’s parents Patricia and Kevin Middleton Sr. recognized that their daughter had a gift at an incredibly young age. Her mom, a local school teacher, and journalist at heart would practice writing and sight words with Desiree before she could read and comprehend clearly. This developed and nurtured her gift of reading and writing. Desiree, at the age of thirty-four, now resides in Summerville, S.C. with her three daughters, Armani (15), Amaya (14), and Taylor (4).
Desiree is known around her community for being a motivator, entrepreneur, and one who chases her dreams. Becoming the founder of a female empowerment group 'W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L Organization', which focus on helping women deal with and cope with trauma, such as rape, sexual abuse, domestic violence, teen pregnancy, etc. Desiree personally faced and survived all these worse situations in her life, so she encourages women to know that life does not end here, it goes on even after you have been through the worst.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF AUTHOR DESIREE P. MIDDLETON - www.authordesiree.com
Read Author DESIREE P. MIDDLETON's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
3. 'HUMAN: BREAKING, HEALING & FLOURISHING' - BY JAYDEN O'HARA
Jayden's poetry book, Human, illustrates ideas of self-love, healing, heartbreak, and learning to love. Her poems are about thoughts she has had and different challenges she has faced throughout her life. She wanted to share her work to guide others in understanding self-love and healing from trauma. She wrote this book to build a community of positivity, allowing people to learn from each other.
She always has been inspired by a variety of writers including Atticus, Rupi Kaur, and Courtney Peppernell. All of them have a different style that speaks differently. She always wanted to write her own style in hopes that it speaks to others as well.
Her journey of writing and compiling 'Human' brought Her journey of writing and compiling 'Human' brought her a few challenges too. The biggest one is the actual fear of writing a book and sharing her work. Poetry used to be a well-kept secret of hers that very few knew. Slowly this secret of Jayden grew to hundreds of people and, that terrified her a lot while writing her book. But the support she received through this journey was overwhelming.
She believes that her work can inspire others to look at life with a little more grace and look at themselves with a little more love and acceptance. DE MODE recommends 'Human' as a must-read book for all.
'Human' can be found online on Amazon, Chapters Indigo, Kindle, Word Smash Barnes and Noble, and Apple Books as either paperback or eBook.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'HUMAN: BREAKING, HEALING & FLOURISHING' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
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THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR JAYDEN O'HARA
AUTHOR & POET JAYDEN O'HARA began writing poetry when she was about 13 years old. Writing poetry was her way of dealing with stress and anxiety. She is a young aspiring author and always wanted to publish a book for a long time, and something about the Covid-19 lockdown gave her the time and courage to do so. Throughout high school, she was involved in a writers' club where they would discuss each other's work, and this was the first time in her entire life that she shared her work with anyone. Author Jayden also joined the Literary Café, where they would showcase their best work, and there she learned that how incredible it felt to have people simply enjoy your work without tearing you down for doing something that you love. The poems in her book 'Human' were written from the age of 13 to the age of 19 and are little pieces of who she is today. These pieces are based on all types of personal experiences, that she had to learn about both herself and others.
FOLLOW THE AUTHOR ON INSTAGRAM.
Read Author JAYDEN O'HARA's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
4. 'STRUCK IN THE CROSSFIRE' BERZERKERS MC SERIES #1 - BY LINNY LAWLESS
The story comprises 2 characters: Stryker and Izzy. Stryker - A club member’s betrayal killed those that I loved, and revenge is the only justice you serve because that’s all you have left. You keep fighting and keep breathing, even when you’re empty of any soul. I had to fight and kill to earn the President’s patch of the BERZERKERS MC. We rule our criminal empire of underground fighting. Money and blood are all that is important to me now. The brazen dark-haired spitfire named Izzy made a stupid choice to steal from my club, and now I’m obligated to deal out her punishment and decide her fate. But it’s not easy when she ignites this basic primal need to protect her instead.
Izzy - I survive this outlaw MC world of fighting, killing, and gambling. It was the hand I was dealt in life. And when you’re desperate to keep the ones you love safe and alive, you will do anything. I come faceto face with the devil himself – Stryker – the President of the BERZERKERS MC. His hard body is quick and lethal. His dark eyes are empty of any kindness or mercy. But there’s something else I do see in him, and it kindles a strange warmth straight to my shielded and tattered heart.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'STRUCK IN THE CROSSFIRE' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
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THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR LINNY LAWLESS
AUTHOR LINNY LAWLESS grew up in Northern Virginia, just outside Washington DC. She is a bookworm, biker chick, and international best-selling indie author. She published her debut novel, “Salvation in Chaos,” in January of 2018 and is very passionate about writing suspenseful and action-packed romances.
In the 1980s and 1990s, she mainly read historical romances. Her two favorite authors of all time are Jean M. Auel and Anne Rice. Some self-published writers inspired her to dive right in and write her own stories. Since 2018, she has attended book signing events all over the United States, making a healthy connection with talented writers, photographers, models, editors, and fellow readers. Author Linny has only just begun her journey as an indie writer, plus she also designs book covers and graphics for other authors.
She writes characters who are far from perfect. The anti-hero is her favorite type of character to write about - that bad guy you should hate but end up liking because you can relate to him somehow. She wants the reader to feel what her characters feel - sadness, happiness, love, and hate. Author Linny's favorite story theme is vengeance, and her favorite romance trope is enemy to lovers.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF AUTHOR LINNY LAWLESS - www.linnylawless.com
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Read Author LINNY LAWLESS's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
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5. 'BURNING DESIRE FADES - PART 2' - BY AUTHOR M. L. STARK
BURNING DESIRE FADES: The Psychopath and the Girl in Black Prada Shoes’ - Part 2 presents the continuation of the malicious agenda of Doctor Bates and will leave you in a trance of shock with its vigorous narrative. A moment ago, it seemed, it was yesterday full of happiness. Tomorrow it is a matter of survival for Mary as her life is on the brink of insanity her Knight in Shining Armor. As she meets Drake again she becomes a slave in the madness of love. Before Mary notices the dangerous life, she gets deeply trapped in Drake’s dodgy mesh, but it’s too late for her to escape. Fraud, lies, dominance, torment, and the complexity of an abusive relationship evolve, and will unexpectedly be a new part of Mary’s life. Drake’s sinister betrayal sneaks slowly in as he lures Mary like a ravenous wolf in sheep’s clothing.
On the outside, it seems Drake is loving and has a high IQ, above normal. On the inside, he is a devious psychopath. The story will drastically unfold to a complexity of a love drama, crime, fraud, and Drake’s delusions of grandeur. In a secluded area outside Hong Kong, the mafia attempt to kill Drake. We will follow the two sweethearts in how they try to escape from the difficulties with the Asian Mafia. Not only once, but several times the two lovebirds are on the run in the shadowy darkness of the night, fleeing as two shifty thieves. Mary will experience love, hatred, and deception; however, will she continue to be Drake’s victim in the mystiques and hefty deceptions he gets during the nights? This is part two of the Burning Desire trilogy. It will obsess you.
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THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR M. L. STARK
AUTHOR M. L. STARK wrote the “Burning Desire” series based on experiences from her personal life. For the past decades, she wanted to write a book about her life experience, from being born in the strict late Catholic fifties in Germany, to be abandoned as a newborn baby and left in miseries at a German Catholic orphanage. At the age of 8-yearold, her mother immigrated to Denmark where she shortly after was finding herself being brought up in several different orphanages. She was growing up during the free hippie time in a fast-growing developing time age in Denmark until she became an adult person in the twenty-first modern century, where she went through three difficult stages in life. ‘Childhood Horror!’ and ‘Matrimonial success, living in a rich environment with love and hate, until the difficulties appeared in the marriage ending with a divorce’ until she lastly was dating a mean suppressive person. Phase three; ‘Living in Hell!’ She is a mother of 4 and is blessed with four grandchildren. During her 21-year period of marriage that tragically followed the trauma of the death of her first-born child. Author M. L. Stark also enjoys helping abandoned animals and supporting children’s causes if needed as it gives her the greatest optimistic values in her life.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF AUTHOR M. L. STARK - www.ml-stark.com
Read Author M. L. STARK's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
6. 'MELANCHOLY VISION' A REVOLUTION SERIES NOVEL - BY L. C. HAMILTON
'Melancholy Vision - A Revolution Series' by Author L. C. Hamilton is an urban fantasy path that lets the reader dive into a world full of magic, horror, and diverse LGBTQAI+ characters. The opening story to a deeper layer of magic between creatures, conflict, and a corrupt system. Are you ready to join?
The story begins with Kilian and Jegor Lancaster, two cousins and magicians in the world called the New Born Kingdom. They live in the palace of Icon, the city where the journey starts. Their newest case kicks off with a tragedy of 19 dead Tricksters, who all got killed in one night. Eventually, this leads to a much bigger opening – a prophecy that the two cousins are involved in; The Legend of Merlin.
Together Jegor and Kilian need to find five other children of the seal to protect the magical barrier between the human world and the New Born Kingdom. They are up against a group called the Seven Deadly Sins that want to throw over the regime of Icon and the whole magical system. The journey takes the two cousins on a road between love, lies, and a corrupt system that gets revealed bit by bit. Both of them have to face struggles that they have never faced before. Kilian is also confronted with owning up to his responsibility as the future king of Icon.
The world invites the reader on to a journey of moral conflicts, where they then get to decide who the good and bad guys are. A ride between magic, mythology, and monsters, as well as politics. Melancholy Vision is the first book in a lgbtqai+ diverse series of eight books in the Revolution Series.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'MELANCHOLY VISION' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
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THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR L. C. HAMILTON
AUTHOR L. C. HAMILTON is a 25 years old genderqueer author, artist, podcast host, and spiritual and creative mentor, known better as Laura, Lola, or Charles Hamilton. As a genderqueer person, Hamilton is confident with any pronouns and stands for breaking and bending gender norms and roles in any aspect of life. Hamilton currently lives in London, the center and heart of the creation when it comes to her book series and all things around the Revolution Series.
After 12 years Hamilton picked up the pen for the first time and started to write her own stories, knowing that one day she wanted to bring stories into the world that would make a change. By now Hamilton has created an LGBTQAI+ urban dark fantasy multiverse, the so-called Revolution Series, and started through with a team of twenty creatives, to build and grow the Revolution Series beyond the books. The Revolution Series is a safe space for any gender, sexuality, and ethnicity – what once started as help between friends, has now grown into a creative collective, which drive is here to bring change in the world that the creative industry & especially the book industry needs.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF AUTHOR L. C. HAMILTON - www.revolution-series.com
Read Author L. C. HAMILTON's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
7. 'BROKEN FRENCH' A WIDOWED, BILLIONAIRE, SINGLE DAD ROMANCE - BY TASHA BOYD
BROKEN FRENCH is a standalone (not part of a series), contemporary romance. It includes luscious scenes of sparkling blue ocean, and tantalizing, seductive food, as well as a smoking hot, dirty-talking Frenchman. If traveling scares you, or sexy times scare you, then this book is not for you. But if you're looking for a decadent armchair vacation after being stuck in one place for over a year--a story that will make you laugh, swoon, fan yourself, and cry--then this one is for you!
Take a decadent and sizzling armchair vacation to the South of France this summer ...
Josie Marin thought she was getting a promotion at her architectural firm, but instead, her career implodes. She impulsively takes up her roommates' offer to nanny for a little girl on a mega yacht in the South of France. Even though she can't stand boats, this seems like fate giving her an opportunity to lick her wounds in a bucket list paradise while she figures out how to get her life back.
But this little girl she's arrived to look after has a daddy. A widowed, hot, billionaire of a daddy. And if there's anything that Josie needs less than having to be stuck on a yacht, no matter how luxurious, it's an inconvenient and highly combustible attraction to her new boss. A man who, for all his wealth, is grumpy, conceited, and utterly closed off.
Xavier Pascale is on an emotional island of his own making. It's just him and his daughter and he likes it that way. He works hard, his shareholders are happy, and his best friends are his bodyguard and the people who work for him. What's wrong with that? But then he meets Josephine Marin. Her arrival in his life is like a deep ocean tremor along a catastrophic emotional fault line. And now... well, now, he's very, very aware of his isolation and his very human need. But he can't be distracted. When he gets distracted terrible things happen.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'BROKEN FRENCH' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
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THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR TASHA BOYD
AUTHOR NATASHA BOYD (writing romance as Tasha Boyd) is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and historical fiction.
Her historical fiction, The Indigo Girl takes on the true story of 16-year-old Eliza Lucas and the indigo trade in 1740’s America. It has won numerous library and reader’s choice awards.
Tasha Boyd romances have been translated into French, Italian, German, Turkish, and Indonesian and sold in over 55 countries around the world. Her latest romance, BROKEN FRENCH, is a feast for the senses set mostly on a yacht on the French Riviera. Author Natasha Boyd was born in Europe but currently lives in the Southeastern US until she can persuade her family and her dog to move.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF AUTHOR NATASHA BOYD - www.natashaboyd.com
Read Author NATASHA BOYD's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
8. 'YELLOW WIFE: A NOVEL' - BY AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR SADEQA JOHNSON
Born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, Pheby Delores Brown has lived a relatively sheltered life. Shielded by her mother’s position as the estate’s medicine woman and cherished by the Master’s sister, she is set apart from the others on the plantation, belonging to neither world.
She’d been promised freedom on her eighteenth birthday, but instead of the idyllic life she imagined with her true love, Essex Henry, Pheby is forced to leave the only home she has ever known. She unexpectedly finds herself thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil’s Half Acre, a jail in Richmond, Virginia, where the enslaved are broken, tortured, and sold every day. There, Pheby is exposed not just to her Jailer’s cruelty but also to his contradictions. To survive, Pheby will have to outwit him, and she soon faces the ultimate sacrifice.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'YELLOW WIFE: A NOVEL' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
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BOOK REVIEWS
“A fully immersive, intricately crafted story inspired by the pages of history. In Pheby, Sadeqa Johnson has created a woman whose struggle to survive and protect the ones she loves will have readers turning the pages as fast as their fingers can fly. Simply enthralling.” - Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of "Before We Were Yours".
"Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson is a page-turner of a novel that is utterly transporting. Johnson's rich historical detail and enchanting prose sucked me into another world from the very first page. The book is a reminder that the inner lives of black women are as complicated as they are fascinating and make for some of the most affecting literature in American history. I loved it." - Attica Locke, New York Times Bestselling Author of "Heaven, My Home".
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR SADEQA JOHNSON
AUTHOR SADEQA JOHNSON is the award-winning author of four novels. Her accolades include the National Book Club Award, the Phillis Wheatley Book Award, and the USA Best Book Award for Best Fiction. She is a Kimbilio Fellow, a former board member of the James River Writers, and a Tall Poppy Writer. Originally from Philadelphia, she currently lives near Richmond, Virginia, with her husband and three children.
She is also the author of "Love in a Carry-On Bag", "And Then There Was Me: A Novel of Friendship, Secrets and Lies" and "Second House from the Corner: A Novel of Marriage, Secrets, and Lies". All of her books are available in Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover format ready to deliver in any part of the world. Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, Target, and Simon & Schuster.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF AUTHOR SADEQA JOHNSON - www.sadeqajohnson.net
Read Author SADEQA JOHNSON's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
9. 'ARIANDNE' - BY AUTHOR JENNIFER SAINT
A mesmerizing retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Perfect for fans of CIRCE, A SONG OF ACHILLES, and THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS.
'ARIADNE' gives voice to the misused Princess of Crete who betrayed her father to save Theseus from the Minotaur. Relevant and revelatory.
As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year.
When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods - drawing their attention can cost you everything.
In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne's decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover's ambition? ARIADNE gives a voice to the forgotten women of one of the most famous Greek myths and speaks to their strength in the face of angry, petulant Gods. Beautifully written and completely immersive, this is an exceptional debut novel.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'ARIANDNE' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
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BOOK REVIEW
What happens after the monster is defeated and the princess leaves with the hero? Jennifer Saint's ARIADNE is a shimmering tapestry of two sisters bound by deceit and the shadows of family history. . .With a fresh voice and keen insight, Saint adds flesh and bone to an ancient myth, drawing the reader into an uneasy world of ever-afters.' ~ Yangsze Choo, Author of 'THE NIGHT TIGER'
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR JENNIFER SAINT
Due to a lifelong fascination with Ancient Greek mythology, Author Jennifer Saint read Classical Studies at King's College, London. She spent the next thirteen years as an English teacher, sharing a love of literature and creative writing with her students. ARIADNE is her first novel and she is working on another retelling of ancient myth for her second.
Writing has always been a passion for her. She has been writing stories for as long as she remembers. For Author Jennifer, it’s a way of escaping to another world and inhabiting different voices that can be soothing, therapeutic, absorbing or frustrating at times – but always worthwhile. However, writing was something she found she was always putting to one side especially once her children were born and there were always so many demands on her time to manage her teaching career and her family. The writing felt like an indulgence and was something she wasn’t prioritizing until she decided to write ARIADNE and make writing part of her daily routine again.
Read Author JENNIFER SAINT's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
10. 'BEDAZZLE' - BY AUTHOR & DR. SHAMOLY KHERA
Bedazzle reveals the art and science of confidence in today’s world. The book puts a spotlight on how the human mind has the power to self-actualize its truest potential through self-evaluation, and self-awareness & reach heights of unlimited achievement. Bedazzle deconstructs the core aspects of subconscious motivation and handpicks the triggers to understand confidence at a deeper level. Successful people are often perceived as confident but it is less acknowledged that it is immense confidence that makes them successful in the first place. The book reveals multiple action plans that can aid a person in maintaining consistent confidence.
It's not just inner confidence, portraying this externally is equally essential in dominating today’s world as well as one’s sphere of work and life. From body language to voice to the walk and the elevator pitch – all of it matters. Bedazzle unravels the perceptions of the human mind and how we can rewire our inner programming to u reinforce positive perceptions. Because only when a person masters both inner & outer confidence, can he truly Bedazzle!
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'BEDAZZLE' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
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BOOK REVIEWS
MUST READ FOR NON-FICTION!! Bedazzle is an amazing non-fiction book and I think I can say that the best one I have read yet. It's true I have read less non-fiction but this one really won my heart. This book teaches us all about confidence. It talks about things that make a person confident, which factors affect our confidence, and how we can develop our confidence with small but impactful steps. ~ SEJUTI MAJUMDAR
GOOD BOOK FOR A NEWBIE IN THE SELF-HELP GENRE, ESPECIALLY A YOUNGER AUDIENCE!! ~ THE POST BOOK
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR DR. SHAMOLY KHERA
Dr. Shamoly Khera, the author of the debut book Bedazzle, published by Bloomsbury, is a well-known personality in the Indian media & TV industry. She has many accolades to her name and has had an illustrious career as a TV Presenter. Her professional education in medicine and a celebrated career in working with top Bollywood celebrities and corporate executives have armed her with numerous anecdotes, stories & observations that are now part of her personality.
Born and raised in Mumbai, Shamoly pursued medicine and practiced as an aesthetic physician for the first few years of her career. She later switched fields to pursue her passion in media and anchoring. She studied theatre with Barry John Acting School, performed in plays, and then took up TV presenting & producing with leading media networks. Over the last decade, Shamoly has been the face of various television networks like UTV Stars, Zee, TLC, Colors, and MBC and created connections with a wide audience across cultures and continents. Besides being an author and coach, she currently is the Director at her content distribution house - One Take Media Co.
Read Author DR. SHAMOLY KHERA's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
Download/Order the full issue here.
11. 'DON'T LOOK FOR ME' - BY AUTHOR WENDY WALKER
They called it a “walk away.” The car was abandoned miles from home on a stormy night. The note was found at a nearby hotel. The shattered family that couldn’t be put back together.
It happens all the time, they said. Women disappear, desperate to leave their lives behind and start over. But is that what really happened to Molly Clarke?
When a new lead comes in two weeks after the search has ended, Molly’s twenty-one-year-old daughter, Nicole, begins to wonder. In spite of their strained relationship and the tragedy that rocked their world, nothing about her mother’s disappearance makes any sense.
Against her father’s pleas and the skepticism of local law enforcement, Nicole returns to the small, desolate town where her mother was last seen, determined to find the truth. The locals are sympathetic and appear eager to help. The innkeeper. The bartender. Even the police. Until secrets begin to creep from the hidden corners of their lives. When Nicole learns about another woman who vanished from the same town, then discovers a small hole cut into a fence that guards a mysterious, secluded property, she comes closer to finding the truth about that night – and to the danger that is all around her.
For Molly, the night she disappeared began with a storm, running out of gas, and a man with a truck who offers her a ride to town. The man is not alone – with him is a beautiful little girl who reminds her of the daughter she lost five years ago. It feels like a sign. It feels safe. And Molly is overcome with the desire to be home, back with her family - no matter how broken it has become. She accepts the ride but when the doors close, locking shut, Molly begins to suspect that she has made a terrible mistake.
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THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR WENDY WALKER
Wendy Walker is the bestselling author of All is Not Forgotten, Emma In the Night, The Night Before, Don’t Look for Me, and Hold Your Breath. She has sold rights to her books in twenty-three languages as well as film and television options. Most recently. Her work has been featured in the Reese Witherspoon Book Club, Emma Roberts’ Belletrist, and The Today Show. Her next novel, American Girl, will be published by Audible Originals in late 2021. She is currently at work on her next work in the genre of psychological suspense.
Wendy started writing while taking time off from her legal career to care for her young children. Living in suburban Connecticut for most of her life, she developed a fascination with the culture and social dynamics of this area and explored these themes in her first two general fiction novels, Four Wives (St. Martin’s Press 2008) and Social Lives (St. Martin’s Press 2009). She also edited three compilations for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Power Moms, Thanks Mom, and Thanks, Dad.
Read Author WENDY WALKER's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
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12. 'ONE HUNDRED DAFFODILS' - BY REBECCA WINN
John Muir once said, "When you tug on a single thing in nature, you realize it is connected to everything else." This simple but sage truth is at the heart of One Hundred Daffodils, a collection of connected essays inspired by moments that author, naturalist, and horticulturist Rebecca Winn, observed during contemplative moments in nature. These moments became deep noticing of the wisdom of nature and combined to give Winn the courage to create an entirely new life for herself in midlife, and complete self-reinvention after the end of her 30-year marriage, and a subsequent devastating relationship with a beguiling younger man. Elegantly written with uncommon honesty, and beautiful, lyrical prose, One Hundred Daffodils offers readers the kind of relatable connection that we all hunger for and love to share with each other. It is a book whose words, like those of a trusted friend, are often raw, frequently funny, reliably uplifting, sometimes painfully familiar, and always vulnerable, honest, and wise.
One of the overarching invitations within the pages of 'One Hundred Daffodils' is to look closely at the world around us, guiding readers to an awareness of nature's power to teach, comfort, and inspire. The book shows us the power of connecting with nature on an energetic, psychological, emotional, and spiritual level, and translates those experiences into relatable, inspiring stories of the kind we hunger for and love to share.
Parsed into manageable essay lengths, 'One Hundred Daffodils' is the kind of book readers return to again and again, and that women give to each other, because we've all been there in one way or another, and there is nothing more powerful and inspiring than the story of someone who has experienced an emotional abyss and emerged in the other side, not always with grace, but eventually into it, which makes it a must-read book for this season.
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BOOK REVIEW
"This is not a voice we have heard before. - Rebecca Winn tells the story of her recovery from loss in a tone that is casual and comfortingly conversational yet stunningly eloquent and authentic. Winn’s description of working through loss updates the less than-helpful and unproven “stages of grief” from decades ago. Grief does not take place in neat simplistic prescribed phases. " 〜 Julia Ann Dodson, LCSW.
THE JOURNEY OF AUTHOR REBECCA WINN
Rebecca Winn is the author of One Hundred Daffodils; Finding Beauty, Grace, and Meaning When Things Fall Apart, which was considered for the National Book Award in 2020 and the Pulitzer Prize in 2021. She is a multiple award-winning landscape designer and floral designer with 39 awards in design, including a LUXE Magazine RED Award (Residential Excellence in Design), and over 300 awards in horticulture. Rebecca is also the creator of the inspirational Facebook blog, Whimsical Gardens, which has over half a million devoted followers.
Born in Dallas, Texas, Rebecca’s family moved to Europe when she was in first grade, providing her with the opportunity to grow up surrounded by many rich, diverse cultures as well as the majestic, centuries-old gardens of Italy, Scotland, and England, which strongly influenced both her garden designs and her writing. Rebecca’s eye for nature’s beauty and her unique blend of wisdom, insight, and humor inspired her to write her first book.
Read Author REBECCA WINN's interview with DE MODE & about her upcoming books in the APR-MAY-JUN 2021 GLOBAL ISSUE (MAGAZINE).
Download/Order the full issue here.