One of the happiest moments for a book blogger is eagerly going to their postbox & seeing what delightfully wicked print books have arrived for their reading pleasure! I have always held a keen interest in postal mail, being a long-term postal letter correspondent which has given me such a heart of joy seeing envelopes & bundles of love arrive from dear friends around the world. Imagine my new excitement in seeing the books I am reviewing arriving by publisher, author, publicist, or literary agent! Such an exciting new chapter in postal splendor!

I have been wanting to blog about my excitement about being placed on certain blog tours and/or in receiving books for review direct from authors, publishers, or publicists. I originally came across a weekly meme on Mondays entitled Mailbox Monday and you could say, that my new feature on Jorie Loves A Story is an extended idea from the original! Except to say, with one minor switch-up! Although I attempt to write down when books arrive by Post, I am never quite as certain when the books arrive as I am always reading the next book in hand! Therefore, please join me as I get excited about the books on my shelf which are next in line to read!

• ChocLitUK postal bundle: The Maid of Milan by Beverley Eikli, Flight to Coorah Creek by Janet Gover, Romancing the Soul by Sarah Tranter, The Silent Touch of Shadows by Christina Courtenay, & The Road Back by Liz Harris arrived with much elation as I have created a bit of a niche of celebrating ChocLit Romances in my exclusive feature entitled: #ChocLitSaturdays!

Each Saturday that I am able too, I highlight a ChocLitUK author & novel! I also strive towards hosting the authors for extra features as they are available to do so! Curling up with a ChocLit novel is quite delightful indeed, as you know your going to meet such a wonderful cast of characters, with the warm comfort of romance soaking into your heart as you enter the narrative! I appreciate the well-built back-stories, the honour of courtship and/or marriage, and the ability of a story being wholly wholesome as it is appealing to the senses!

Being a book reviewer for this lovely Indie Publisher from England is a true honour for me as I have always appreciated well-written and conceptualised romance! They tuck in a special goodie for me to find alongside the four books I requested to review, and as you can see from the list of books I mentioned, my surprise this time around was a book! Previously I have been surprised with mocha chocolate covered pencils which declare “Where heroes are like chocolate – irresistible!” For a free taste visit: www.love.choc-lit.com!! The hardest part by far is settling on which books to request, as I am always finding there is such a large breadth of choice! A happy problem to have yet a daunting one at the very same time!

Imagine my happy shock to realise that these particular mocha coloured pencils were not merely chocolate in appearance but how they can be smelt? I suffer through horrid seasonal allergies (i.e. pollen) and the entire time I’ve been receiving the pencils I never could ‘sniff out’ the smell! IF I had not caught a whiff of the chocolate scent attached to these wicked sweet pencils in a ChocLit newsletter (they were relaying the success of the chocolate pencils & pink shirts at a book festival) I am not sure when I would have realised it? I can happily report my nose is overjoyed! I am planning on using the pencils for sketching and illustrations! What a happy day it will always be when I sit down to draw!

I knew I wanted to re-visit the writings of Ms. Liz Harris after having read A Bargain Struck as much as having a delightfully spontaneous conversation with her on Twitter about writing and Oxford. The bits she shared with me about her début novel The Road Back, as much as the trivia about how she came to know the writer behind the Inspector Morse novels (who enscribed a blurb on this novel) inspired me to want to read this myself! In times like these, I feel very blessed for Twitter and for the ability it gives all of us to reach out to the writers we are reading and the writers of whom touch our hearts with the stories they compose! Twitter is a conveyor of conversations and of connecting readers to writers. Such a wonderful moment though, to realise that whilst I am sitting in the East Coast of America, Ms. Harris was typing back a reply to me settled in Oxford, England! This reflection reminded me of the initial phone calls I would make aboard whilst calling my dear friends for the first time and hearing their voices coming through with accents and clever turns of phrase! The world is not as large as we may think as it draws closer than we can sometimes believe possible.

Whereas with Romancing the Soul, I decided to embrace a story centered around a past life regression and entertain the idea of how love can become entwined throughout time and not limited to a single life lived. I spoke about this a bit whilst I reviewed a wicked sweet short story entitled: Time Out of Mind. I like seeing different approaches of a story being explored and as the soul is immortal, there is always a certain element of surprise in how far we are willing to eclipse conventional reasoning and enter into the realm of the impossible where dreams, past lives, and elements of the supernatural envelope into our everyday lives. I find it all rather exciting! Flight to Coorah Creek was a bit of a given I would request because I have always held a long-term fascination with Australia and with small Western townes in the United States. Partially out of my love of small townes, frontier settlers, and cattle ranches I eked out a passion for Western & Cowboy literature! Likewise, the Australian Outback mirrors the Western Mountains & Plains due to the long stretch of miles in-between settlements and civilisation! Not to mention the fact, that air ambulances arrived in Florida during my childhood years to help forestall major trauma patients from expiring before they could reach the hospitals who had the right staff of doctors and specialists who lived hours outside of where they were injured or taken ill. The helios that fly the skies with the medical cross are always the ones I try to remember to say a silent prayer over as much as after having witnessed or driving past a newly found accident on the road. First responders have always had my utmost respect due to their selfless dedication of saving lives where nanoseconds count and love hangs in the balance.

The book they surprised me with is The Maid of Milan penned by my very first ChocLit novelist I consumed! Ms. Beverley Eikli wrote the smashingly brilliant The Reluctant Bride! I have decided to read this unexpected ChocLit novel for my next ChocLitSaturdays – the 19th of April!

The Maid of Milan Book Trailer via Beverley Eikli

Whilst visiting the Wenches (over at The Word Wenches; a favourite haunt of mine) I was caught up in a discussion about time slips & time travel! The visiting author that day happened to be Christina Courtenay of whom I have started to get to know via Twitter (as she is one of the ChocLit authors who tweets quite regularly; inasmuch as the Wenches truly!). I had not expected to win her lovely book but it also happened to be the very book I was betwixt about requesting via ChocLitUK! You see, I could not quite decide whether or not to request this title OR The Silent Touch of Shadows,… I felt that whichever book I did not request I’d make sure to request the next time around! Ha! The stars aligned and I am able to read both! I think what was fantastic about her visit with the Wenches, is finding that I am not the only reader plumb addicted! to time slips and/or time travel stories! I am always quite bemused to see how each writer handles the differences in time, setting, and scope of creating the reality ‘between the layers’ as I am to be fully engrossed into two separate yet equal time eras! I cannot wait to find out how ChocLit authors choose to venture into this exciting realm!

As I have two examples of time slips from Ms. Courtenay to absorb into and find what motivates her as a writer to create the allure for those of us who seek to read time slips in fiction! The last time I was taken by surprise by the utilisation of a clever time slip was when I read Letters from Sky by Jessica Brockmole! To take letters and correspondences to a heightened level of narration was simply the icing on the cake for me! It is the treatment of interweaving a time slip into a story which attracts me the most! This extra special treat of receiving The Secret Kiss of Darkness will round out my #ChocLitSaturdays!

Oh, and I nearly had forgotten to mention that Ms. Courtenay surprised me with a bookmark for The Secret Kiss of Darkness and a miniature crystal ball which is a remarkable likeness to the one on the book cover! I am always happily surprised to see what an author tucks into the book and/or the package in which the book is sent inside! I am not sure about my fellow book bloggers, but I always lit up with such pure joy in seeing the little touches which makes receiving these little bundles of books by post such a wonderful mail day for me! I get all giddy and excited when I find they have enscribed the book to me as well! A little surprise I am not always expecting as most of the books I receive are direct from the publishers or publicists alike! Little moments of happy joy sprinkled into my ordinary days!

I have always fully supported self-published and independently published writers, as I personally always loved the different avenues authors take towards publication. This is one reason why you will oft-times find me showcasing an author from every different side of publishing: mainstream, independent, self-published, and inspirational. Which are truly the four main branches in today’s publishing world, except to say, that I do not put more weight on any single branch, as I accept all writers and all stories on equal ground. Therefore, when I was first approached through the Book Blogging Community by self-published author J. Woods to read her paranormal romance Gilded Feathers I was must esteemed! The story sparked the series which followed known as “the Gilded Feathers” and the premise is quite supernaturally enticing!

I had originally planned to read and review her début novel late last week, but due an unexpected series of life moments running interference with my blog life and my reading adventures, I have had to unfortunately push back my posting schedule. Not only for Gilded Feathers but for my A to Z Challenge posts as well. It is my goal now to read my third foray into paranormal romance alongside a gutting fictional testimony of overcoming insurmountable odds to restore your right to be a mother and to keep your family intact. The book I am now speaking about is Etched On Me by Jenn Crowell who is a traditionally published author I crossed paths with through a weekly twitterverse chat called “#LitChat”. What struck me about her novel is that she is bold about the stories she tells in giving a portal of a glimpse inside the world of a harsh reality many might not realise is completely ‘etched out of one woman’s living reality’. The dichotomy difference between the two will be most apparent, but I also find Ms. Woods to be of equal strength in daring to believe in her writings to the brink of making them available to the world through a lot of grit and determination by choosing the self-publishing route. Each woman strives to give stories which will challenge the perception and the empathy of their readers in different genres. My review of Etched On Me will post on Tuesday, 15th of April whereas my review of Gilded Feathers will post on Monday, 12th of May.

What inspires me the most about stories and the art of story-telling is how varied the diversity of choice is within what is being offered right now in the world of publishing. Old established literary branches are getting dusted off and revitalised by ingenuity and passion from the voices of today whereas emerging platforms of story craft are bursting out seeking an audience who wants a refreshing change from the passage of what used to be considered the norm. I even find it remarkable how ChocLit is redefining the world of ‘Chick-Lit’ by providing the alternative voice within the already netted and complex world of Romance! Hence why I am always lamenting I am a ‘Choc-Lit’ girl rather than a ‘Chick-Lit’ girl! Laughs heartily. And, although I would truly love to be wrapped inside the comfy cosy soft world of romance on any given day of the week — alas, this girl aches for a healthy relationship-based meeting of the souls; I do find a great amount of joy in mixing it up and adding dashes of intrigue, thought-provoking historical narratives, and books which entice me to stretch further outside the realms of my traditional go-to narrative settings, styles, and time periods. To keep an eye out for the cutting edge daring souls who are a part of a collective movement to write a story which stands on its own wings and feet as to be representative of a new wave of literature. This is what excites me as a reader and what makes being a book blogger such an incredible gift!

Coming up on Friday, 18th of April, will be my review of Inscription a decidedly epic historical romance set amidst intrigue, adventure, and courageous wit! When I read these affirmations attached to the plot, I wasn’t sure if I had bit off more than I could chew OR if I was about to settle into the most wickedly intriguing jolt of my life! Methinks the latter will come into play moreso than the former! Laughs. I must confess that although I oft considered myself to be a daredevil reader, never pinned into any particular genre or styling of story, it was not until I started to host blog book tours that I started to notice that part of my reading world was a bit cut-away from the rest of what was being offered! I think the years I have been without an Indie bookshoppe have hindered me a bit, as I remember the days of my youth in being transfixed by the local author shelves and the event lists of upcoming authors & bookish events treating my heart and mind to the larger sea of fish publishing affords to an eclectic reader. When your a bit out of touch with an Indie bookshoppe, even though I have a beautiful local library, what I am missing are the random conversations overheard about such and such author who is either self-published or using a local press to get their feet wet. Therefore, I am evermore blessed to be crossing paths with all the lovely writers I am right now because as a book blogger who is inspired dearly by the stories and characters she encounters, the girl behind the blog feels an intense gratitude for the opportunities to engage with the stories which alight in her hands!

I am curious then, if any of the newly arrived books for review which are upcoming this week on Jorie Loves A Story, would entice a visiting reader to pick them up for themselves!? OR, if they perchance had the opportunity already to read them, what were their impressions?! What drew you to the author or the narrative within!? And, if you are a fellow book blogger how do you feel your literary wanderings have increased since you started blogging about your reading life? Do you find the twitterverse an exciting portal towards extending friendship and conversation? And, what do you feel is the best gift you’ve received since you started your book blog!?

Cross-posted with Mailbox Monday (a weekly meme) on Monday, 14th of April where book bloggers & readers alike share their inbound books for review, newly purchased books, or otherwise added to their shelves to read. Conversing via: #MailboxMonday My feature was inspired by Mailbox Monday, however as I am always in throes of reading books for review and/or borrowing books from my library, I am never quite as certain which week the books have arrived!

{SOURCES: Jorie Loves A Story badge created by Ravven with edits in Fotoflexer by Jorie. The Maid of Milan, The Secret Kiss of Darkness, The Silent Touch of Shadows, Flight to Coorah Creek, Romancing the Soul, and The Road Back Book Covers provided by ChocLitUK for both review and promotion; used with permission. Gilded Feathers book cover was provided by the author J. Woods for promotion and review; used with permission. Etched On Me book cover was provided by Simon & Schuster for promotion and review; used with permission. Collage of #ChocLitSaturdays created via PicMonkey. The book trailer for The Maid of Milan had either URL share links or coding which made it possible to embed this media portal to this post, and I thank them for the opportunity to share more about this novel and the author who penned it.}

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