Hello readers,
I am not very comfortable with self-promotion, but the search terms continue to reveal an interest in reviews of the titles I have available online.
I did not know when I put these books online that they would attract any interest. Consequently, I gave no time or attention to editing. They were converted to pdf from word documents and posted, that's all. With the benefit of hindsight, I can only apologize for the frustration of having to read unedited work. I really did not know so many of you would persevere.
Because they were not considered suitable for publication I have never submitted for, or requested, reviews for any of the titles. Reviewers are well within their rights to rate such unpolished submissions low, and I saw no point in accumulating low rated reviews.
Thankfully, readers have been much kinder and have not only overlooked the errors in punctuation and responded with positive, supportive comments, but have also passed the titles on, [as I expressly permitted when they were published] and they are now wild and free on the many download sites and bit torrent streams.
Thank you so much, readers everywhere.
So, REVIEWS.
They are few and far between, but I have collected those I know of here, including the email comments I have been so fortunate as to receive. If you know of a comment or review anywhere on the web that I have missed, please let me know.
*****
Comments:
Wanted to say I just discovered your novels over a holiday weekend and I love them! Have already gobbled up 2 and am looking forward to the third!
Anika.
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i loved!!!!! brittannia!!!!!!!!!!!!! actually just finished it a few minutes ago and now looking for more!!!!!!!! u have a unique grasp of.... well just a unique grasp!!! Wangari Kamau
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I started reading Petra this weekend and I love it! I had given romance novels a chance in the past (paperback copies from my local library), but after about three of them, the formula became so obvious that I lost all interest. So I definitely appreciate a writer who is not using a formula. I love the tension you create in your story. I'm really interested in your leading man who comes across as sensitive and complex and of course, I'm wildly curious about the fate of the virgins and whether Ishaq will catch up with them.I think what I enjoy most is the whole ambience. It feels so right. I really get a strong sense of Petra and the outpost of Roman Empire. The characters are perfect for the whole backdrop. I guess what I'm saying is, you've created a realistic world. The tension is great! I love the struggle as Jaida is torn between faith and passion. It has a classic quality, rather than just being a quick read.
Jennifer L Armstrong, Author and moderator of Free Online Novels.
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At obooko all four titles have been repeatedly rated at 5 stars. There is no facility for public comment or review at obooko.
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bibliotastic Petra only.Editor review: 5 stars.
This story had me drawn in right from the beginning. It was one of those stories I found hard to put down! I thought the characters were really well written the story moved at a good pace. I particularly liked the descriptive way in which the book was written as it really brought the places and people in the story to life when reading it. I would recommend this book!
Comments:
5 stars - Wonderful Read.
Didn't quite know what to expect with this book, turned out to be one of the best books I have read
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I downloaded this book as I was going on a trip to Jordan and actually going to Petra. Great book as I could picture everything when I was there!!
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Really enjoyed this book. Couldn't put it down until I finished it. The book drew you into the story and character became so real. Thank you for a well written book.
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4 stars - I wasn't expecting this storyline or the plot twists. Really enjoyed reading this.
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5 stars - Really enjoyed reading this book.
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woo...i did not know what happened outside.....i just went on reading till i found that am on the last page.....great experience,....
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4 stars - This was an enjoyable read. It moved along at a good clip and was very descriptive. The mention over and over again of the main characters' sexual attraction at a point became tedious and almost humourous...a lttle overdone.
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A well written piece that was most enjoyable.
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Web Fiction Guide.
4.5 stars, 3.5 and 3 stars. A review is available:
BRITANNIA
Damsel in distress does what she can
Editor: Fiona Gregory
April 24, 2010
As the story opens, Maia, a girl born a slave but adopted by a well-off provincial villa owner, is in the odd position of being married to her stepbrother, which is apparently legal, but not to either of their liking. Maia is an innocent, a painfully anxious, downtrodden girl, but fiercely determined NOT to be left behind in the clutches of her demeaning stepmother, whom she recognizes is destroying her. So, the first chance she gets, she escapes on a quest to find her errant husband and get some answers.
The story is told from Maia’s perspective, and the mood changes as she does – sad, hopeful, curious, passionate. The characters she interacts with are complex and ambiguous. The backdrop is the Roman Empire’s campaign to subjugate Britain, which by this point has dragged on to bloody and wearisome lengths. It’s fun to be immersed in a period like this. In fact, I would have enjoyed even more historical detail. For example, I wondered about the Lupae; are they historical or madeup? – they seemed a little improbable, but I may be wrong.
This is no bodice-ripper; the reader has to wait quite a long time for the romance to develop, but when it comes, it is intense. I am reminded of the Victorian historical romance, like The Last Days of Pompeii (although one chapter gets more sexually explicit than Victorians would!). Some may find the tale to drag a bit at times, or the prose to tend toward the purple, but the first few chapters should be enough to tell you how interested and convinced you will be by Maia, Lucian, and their predicament.
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Touchstone has twice been rated 8/10 at Muse's Success.
Smashwords has two reviews showing:
Review:
Catherine Black
May 01, 2012 :
this book is an intriguing mixture of the blood of war,
exposure of a flawed society and concoction of relationships. part of
me is barracking for Lenka and Dragan to get it together and while
hoping for Freya and Dragan to work it out. The structure of the
society on which this story is based reflects the view that this is set
on a world unlike our own. Similar yet different, for me this point
could have been more drawn out and explored more especially as the
relationship of Freya and Dragan was predicated on this world's society.
I have very much enjoyed reading this story and look forward to
reading the other books in Letitia Coyne's repetoire.
(reviewed long after purchase)
Review:
Jennifer L. Armstrong
April 27, 2012 :
A rich and absorbing novel, full of detail. I was carried away by the setting as much as by the story. Well done!
(reviewed within a week of purchase)
Full Disclosure: I requested this book for review from the author, Letitia Coyne.
I had a hard time writing a review
forTouchstone, not because it isn’t beautifully written and
thought-provoking, it definitely is. The trouble lies in the fact that
the blurb is just a little too good at telling you everything you need
to know about the story. This is a very straight forward tale. There
aren’t many surprises to be had. This isn’t a criticism, as I feel the
book is mainly character driven and luckily for me the characters are
very interesting.
Freya is the perfect soldier, married to the job. She is a hard woman
to love, something Dragan hasn’t yet begun to suspect. He’s all too
eager to take her away from this life and settle down. But settling down
was never in Freya’s plan. Touchstone doesn’t
just ask can two people who’ve only known war survive peace, it also
asks what happens when you only love the idea of a person, and not who
they really are deep down in their core. This is something I’ve thought
about a lot in life and so the book really resonated with me on that
level.It also looks at what happens when you take away the thing that we
feel defines us as individuals, and whether or not we can live with
ourselves afterward.
For all of her flaws-hell, because of her flaws, Freya is a very
relate able and enigmatic character. She is human and falls victim to
fear when she realizes the life she planned for herself is being
compromised by Dragan’s dreams-good intentions-for them. She’s always
known she’d die on the battlefield, but Dragan’s having none of that.
He’d prefer she end up some “fat-ass farmgirl”, fat and happy on his
farm in the mountains. But she’s not so sure their ideas of happiness
are one and the same. I admit…I found it very hard to like Dragan, even
though I understood his motivation.
Just in case I have any followers in the HEA crowd (only God knows why you’d be here), Touchstone is not the book for you.
Everyone else? Go read it with my blessing.
You can purchase Touchstone from Amazon or Smashwords.
At Goodreads:
May 18, 2012
Alexis
rated it
i enjoyed
this book although it was a little confusing and hard to get into. The
book over all was good and i thought it was nice to have a women warier
it gives a different perspective.
Mar 01, 2012
Georgia Conroy
rated it
So there you are. I hope they answer any questions you might have. If not, feel free to email me any time.
Shalom.
Touchstone has twice been rated 8/10 at Muse's Success.
Smashwords has two reviews showing:
Review:
Catherine Black
May 01, 2012 :
this book is an intriguing mixture of the blood of war, exposure of a flawed society and concoction of relationships. part of me is barracking for Lenka and Dragan to get it together and while hoping for Freya and Dragan to work it out. The structure of the society on which this story is based reflects the view that this is set on a world unlike our own. Similar yet different, for me this point could have been more drawn out and explored more especially as the relationship of Freya and Dragan was predicated on this world's society. I have very much enjoyed reading this story and look forward to reading the other books in Letitia Coyne's repetoire.
(reviewed long after purchase)
this book is an intriguing mixture of the blood of war, exposure of a flawed society and concoction of relationships. part of me is barracking for Lenka and Dragan to get it together and while hoping for Freya and Dragan to work it out. The structure of the society on which this story is based reflects the view that this is set on a world unlike our own. Similar yet different, for me this point could have been more drawn out and explored more especially as the relationship of Freya and Dragan was predicated on this world's society. I have very much enjoyed reading this story and look forward to reading the other books in Letitia Coyne's repetoire.
(reviewed long after purchase)
Review:
Jennifer L. Armstrong
April 27, 2012 :
A rich and absorbing novel, full of detail. I was carried away by the setting as much as by the story. Well done!
(reviewed within a week of purchase)
Full Disclosure: I requested this book for review from the author, Letitia Coyne.
A rich and absorbing novel, full of detail. I was carried away by the setting as much as by the story. Well done!
(reviewed within a week of purchase)
I had a hard time writing a review forTouchstone, not because it isn’t beautifully written and thought-provoking, it definitely is. The trouble lies in the fact that the blurb is just a little too good at telling you everything you need to know about the story. This is a very straight forward tale. There aren’t many surprises to be had. This isn’t a criticism, as I feel the book is mainly character driven and luckily for me the characters are very interesting.
Freya is the perfect soldier, married to the job. She is a hard woman to love, something Dragan hasn’t yet begun to suspect. He’s all too eager to take her away from this life and settle down. But settling down was never in Freya’s plan. Touchstone doesn’t just ask can two people who’ve only known war survive peace, it also asks what happens when you only love the idea of a person, and not who they really are deep down in their core. This is something I’ve thought about a lot in life and so the book really resonated with me on that level.It also looks at what happens when you take away the thing that we feel defines us as individuals, and whether or not we can live with ourselves afterward.
For all of her flaws-hell, because of her flaws, Freya is a very relate able and enigmatic character. She is human and falls victim to fear when she realizes the life she planned for herself is being compromised by Dragan’s dreams-good intentions-for them. She’s always known she’d die on the battlefield, but Dragan’s having none of that. He’d prefer she end up some “fat-ass farmgirl”, fat and happy on his farm in the mountains. But she’s not so sure their ideas of happiness are one and the same. I admit…I found it very hard to like Dragan, even though I understood his motivation.
Just in case I have any followers in the HEA crowd (only God knows why you’d be here), Touchstone is not the book for you.
Everyone else? Go read it with my blessing.
You can purchase Touchstone from Amazon or Smashwords.
At Goodreads:
May 18, 2012
Alexis
rated it
i enjoyed
this book although it was a little confusing and hard to get into. The
book over all was good and i thought it was nice to have a women warier
it gives a different perspective.
Mar 01, 2012
Georgia Conroy
rated it
