Tag: book reviews

The Bad Bridesmaid, by Rachael Johns

Waylen: ‘Mum’s about to call you, and I thought I’d better give you a heads-up.’
Fred (aka Winifred): ‘Don’t tell me she’s got a new boyfriend.’
Waylene: ‘Worse. She’s getting married’.

So begins a desperate campaign by Fred, or Winifred as she hates to be called, to stop her mother, Tracy, marrying for the sixth time. She accepts being nominated as her mum’s Matron of Honour only because being on the spot will give her a better chance to stop what she feels is a terrible mistake. How far will she go to carry out her plot?

Rachel Johns novel the Bad Bridesmaid is avidly read by our romance loving bear, Lizbeth
Our in-house lover of romance, Lizbeth Bear, sets aside Sense and Sensibility to find out just how bad a bridesmaid can be

As we compulsively read on to find out why on earth Fred is so antagonist toward marriage generally and for her mother in particular, we are taken from Perth to Norfolk Island and even across to the world to London. Why has her mother married so often though? And isn’t Fred just a little too upset about her mother apparently finding happiness?

Fred is even writing a book called “21 Rules For Not Catching Feelings” in which the 21st rule (this is not a spoiler) is, ‘If anyone shows signs of attachment, end it immediately.’ When she meets her prospective brother-in-law, Leo, Fred is horrified to discover she might in fact be catching a feeling or two. Her Rule 21 faces a severe test.

Among the little treats for readers to love along the way are the descriptions of Norfolk Island where the wedding is planned to take place, the references to Austen’s Sense and Sensibility and to the old movie, The Parent Trap, and the fact that Fred works in a library and that her house mate is a rag doll cat called Aunty. (Go on, try resisting all that. You have to read it now, don’t you.)

Author Rachael Johns not only has 30 novels to her name but also hosts an online bookclub and does podcasts and library visits. I heard her speak at a local library and she is very entertaining. Her books tend to be corralled under the heading “Women’s Literature” but she herself prefers the term “Life Literature”. For a good example of an often sombre, thoughtful and satisfying read about serious issues faced in life, consider looking for her novel, “The Greatest Gift” which revolves around issues of infertility and egg donation. This bloke really recommends that one.

Where to find The Bad Bridesmaid

All Rachael’s books can found through Rachael Johns own website . You can also listen to audio extracts there. They are available on all the big on-line retailer sites and in actual bookshops too. Print, Audio, and Ebook formats are available. I suggest getting a copy or several in print because after reading them, you are going to want to press them on to your friends so they can enjoy them too.

Your host, Mark, is Mawson Bear’s Guardian, photographer, editor, blundering typist, chocolates fetcher and cushions re-arranger. Mawson’s own Blog is Mawson, A Writer-Bear for Our Befuddled Times.
Baffled Bear Books ABN: 4787910119.

Your Review is Welcome in a Writer-Bear’s Neighbourhood

Each review is wanted,
Each review is good,
Your review is welcome
In a writer’s neighbourhood.

Mawson Bear’s Guardian Mark speaks: As you know, our Mawson is a Writer-Bear. One of his books is called Dreamy Days and Random Naps. It’s about slowing down, indulging in big dreams of a grand world, and resting on cushions. This is the perfect for all the tired daydream-believers who want to give themselves permission to relax for little while Could this be you?

I’m sure many frazzled grownups would enjoy escaping for a peaceful half hour into this cosy world – If only they knew about it. And this is the same for every writer: if only readers knew about their books!

Writers need your help. Yes, YOUR help: When you are quiet sort of writer (or a quiet writer-bear) it is not easy to be heard out there in the wide world. Only YOU, the all-powerful reader, can help. You can post your own review about a book on one of the book-retailer websites.

How to do it: Go to your chosen book retailer. Here are some retailers: Amazon and Good Reads, Barnes and Noble (USA), and Booktopia (Australia). (There are more listed below.)
Search for the book title, or author name, or ISBN number.
After you find the book, scroll down to the field headed ‘Leave A Review’, or ‘Write Your Own Review’.
If you haven’t before used that book retailer you need to register to do so. This does take a couple of minutes of bother, I know, but then comes the fun.

Smiting at the Star Ratings. With all the power of your mighty keyboard, bash at the ratings. If you love the book, keep on smiting. Smite Thrice!!! Smite Fourfold!!!! And, yea even unto Five times!!!!!  (Err, smiting only once is right out!)

Our Scotland the Brave charges at the ratings and smites for all he is worth.

Adding Words. Just smiting will do but adding words is even better. Now don’t be alarmed by the word ‘review’. An essay is not required, rather just a few words about what you think of the book and what you liked. For instance, ” I loved the pictures of these happy, sleepy bears and can’t wait for more”. (Umm, that sort of thing would really help a certain writer-bear.)

You can post your review on other sites too: Having tasted your awesome power, why stop there? You can copy and paste your review to any other on-line retailer. Do as many as you like, depending on how mighty doth waxeth your smiting arm that day.

Other ways to help writers that cost nothing:
Look at the reviews left by other readers and click the “helpful” or “like’ buttons.
Share the links about that book all over the place.
You can look at the writer’s other titles too and if you are not able to buy one just now, add to a ‘Wish List.’ On GoodReads add it to “Want to read’ list.
These small actions tell the websites’ algorithms that people are taking notice of the book. It all adds up. And up. And UP. And it means lots of people will fall in love with our Dreamy Days and Random Naps (and the other books you review, of course) just like you did. All writers will be grateful for these things which you can do in a jiffy.

Can you help with Mawson’s Dreamy Days and Random Naps?

Please let me know if you would like to do a review for Dreamy Days and Random Naps. I can send you a PDF version. Short remarks are fine. It is, after all, a little book. Or just bash away at those star ratings.

Where to find Dreamy Days and Random Naps

FIND DREAMY DAYS AND RANDOM NAPS at Odyssey Books. Or roll off your cushions and flop over to Bookshop Org (supporting local bookshops),  Amazon everywhere,  Booktopia, Walmart, AbeBooks, at Google Books, at Booklubben , Ad Libris, Desert Cart , Fa Saxo (Denmark),   Linnaeus Boekhandel,  Loot (South Africa),  Saxo , McNally Jackson (New York), at Loot (South Africa), Mighty Ape (New Zealand),

Your host, Mark, is Mawson Bear’s Guardian, photographer, editor, blundering typist, chocolates fetcher and cushions re-arranger. Baffled Bear Books ABN: 4787910119.