amreading – Lee A. Vockins.

Book Review: The Missed Kiss by Nicola Lowe.

Honestly, this is not my usual genre to read, but I was pleasantly surprised by how this book gripped me. The Missed Kiss is a beautiful tale of love and friendship, full of twists and turns that will keep you reading until the end. The characters are superbly crafted, lovable and relatable.

I quickly found myself immersed in this world that Nicola created, with the pacing of the story and the character development being perfect.

The Missed Kiss is a well written and fun read, that will leave you wanting more. If you’re after a rollercoaster of emotion, grab this book – it won’t disappoint.

(Side note – if you’re a guy thinking about giving this a read, you should certainly give it a try. As I said, romance isn’t my usual genre, but this was so well written that I couldn’t stop reading.)

Conclusion- You can feel the love and emotion that went into this book’s creation. It’s sweet, with a modern edge. Truly a brilliant and beautiful debut novel.

Buy here!

Book Review: Diversion To Urasha by Laura Hopgood.

“Want some YA Sci-fi action that will keep you turning page after page, chapter after chapter, until you’ve realised that time has somehow disappeared? Then you should pick up this book, NOW.

Like a combination of Valerian and Avatar, with a sprinkle of Star Wars, Diversion to Urasha will take you on a wondrous journey, filled with adventure and peril. Meet a diverse group of well written personalities, as they travel through the mysterious landscapes of Urasha. As they move towards their goal of finding an all-powerful artefact, you will become captivated as the characters progress the story through self-discovery, strength and courage.

Laura Hopgood brings this story to life with her brilliant writing ability, immense imagination and entertaining style of narration. Diversion to Urasha is a thoroughly thought-out Sci-Fi adventure with an ending that will leave you immediately wanting to return for more!”

I wrote this review for an older edition of this book, and my opinion has remained much the same for this updated version. I think that the one thing that I didn’t pick up on before was the elements of fantasy that have been masterfully woven into this epic piece. It has dragon-like creatures and an alien race that, in hindsight, remind me of the Dark elves of my D&D days. With sword fights and powerful warriors and deadly monsters, this book truly has it all! And, even more exciting, book 2 is now released, so I can carry on with this thoroughly enthralling journey. I recommend Laura’s work to anyone that wishes for an easy read and a quick escape from reality. She is a talented individual, that writes with emotion and heart. I, once again, give Diversion to Urasha 5/5 stars.

Buy here!

Book Review: The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday.

After reading Happy by Derren Brown, I was eager to learn more of the philosophy of Stoicism, in which he spoke so much about. After some research, I found The Daily Stoic to be the starting point of many a new Stoic. Within its pages are 366 meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of living, in the form of analysed quotes from great Stoics, such as Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius.

Although this book is written to be read one page per day (the pages are dated), I found myself reading three to five (or more) and meditating on each. I think I actually managed to finish it in two months! I will be returning to this book next year, to read a page a day, in aid of keeping my mind focused the wisdom of the Stoics.

I found this book to be a great way to start my day, with a coffee, silence, and a meditation to reflect upon. I feel that The Daily Stoic is a great introduction to this useful and thought-provoking philosophy. If you heed its teachings, I believe that it has the potential to change the way you think about life and its challenges. It could make you stern and resolute in the face of any situation. It will help you find serenity and peace of mind in the chaos of this modern world. I will be re-reading this for years to come and will continue to use it for references and my morning meditations.

For its great and diverse selection of quotes, and well written analysis of each, I give this book 5/5, and would recommend it to anyone interested in philosophy or self-help literature.

Buy here!

Book Review: Happy by Derren Brown.

It had been a while since I picked up some non-fiction to read, but this book kept me captivated toward the end. It was in my search for a “self-help” book that I stumbled upon Happy. This is ironic, however, as Derren Brown takes a very anti-modern-self-help approach to aiding us in our search for happiness. Brown takes us on a journey through history, as we learn of the ideal of being happy, in its ever-changing form. He has us challenge these ideals, as he discusses old and new psychotherapies, and his personal experiences.

Much of this book is heavily leaned toward giving an introduction into the philosophical stance of the Stoics (or so I felt). This certainly isn’t a negative, however, as it has convinced me to research further into this ancient philosophy, to aid my own self-improvement. Could this be this answer to a happier life in a modern world that’s so chaotic and exhausting? Perhaps.

Brown uses many great quotes in his work, from philosophers and leaders, such as Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus and Seneca, and puts them fully under analysis. Most interestingly, I found, he discusses with us the fear of death, and its potential hindrance in our life. This book will have you questioning much about your life, but then if you picked it up for the reason I did, you have probably already begun questioning. It is through questioning ourselves about our situation and choice, that we can make change, and this book is a perfect stepping stone to that longer journey of discovery.

In short, this book is engaging, thought provoking and thoroughly entertaining. I would highly recommend this to anyone that is uncertain about their meaning in life, and would recommend this over much of the self-help literature out there. I give this book 5/5.

Buy here!

What I’m reading!

That’s my reading sorted for the next couple of months!

I’m beginning to write books reviews for here (and other platforms), first of which, as I have just finished it, is Happy by Derren Brown. Keep an eye out for the review on Sunday!

I plan on growing my collection of fiction by indie authors, check out the first of which here; we have SpaceEra 1 & 2 by Laura Hopegood (@nebowska_) and Hope Quest 1 & 2 by melanie ever moore (@realign.my.stars). Go show them some love on Instagram. Reviews will be coming soon!

Wish to recommend me a book? Have a self-published novel you’d like me to review? Drop me message or contact me on authorleea@outlook.com.

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