5 Star Review for Moragh, Holly's Ghost

            Review: Moragh Holly's Ghost                

by

Maggie Tideswell

All Holly ever wanted was to be married and have children. She thought she had her life's dream with Donald, her now husband and father of their two beautiful boys, and she thought he wanted the same. Why then did he find it necessary to cheat on her with his new assistant Gwen? She thought he loved her as much as she loved him. And now, why does he feel he has to be so cruel by keeping the boys away from her? What desperate measures will she resort to in order to be with her children and how many lives will it affect?  Follow Holly in her quest to answer all of the questions haunting her life and find out how magic and the supernatural play a huge role in it. The tortured spirit of Moragh, who wanted her story told in death because her life, her very existence, was taken from her and thrown aside like yesterday's garbage.

 

Cape Town, South Africa

In Moragh, Holly's Ghost, Maggie once again shows brilliance in breathing life into her characters, allowing them to crossover into the reader's reality. As a reviewer and fan of Maggie's, I was excited when asked to review Moragh, Holly's Ghost not knowing anything about the subject matter, which peaked my imagination. I walked with Holly as she encountered love, disappointment, betrayal, magic and a bit of ghostliness. My heart was into this book from the beginning to the end.

Moragh, Holly's Ghost is not your typical love story. It is a well written story by an author who puts all of her creativity, imagination, talent, heart and soul into her work. You as the reader will not be disappointed, and I encourage you to take a chance and get your copy today!

I give Moragh, Holly's Ghost five stars *****

                                   Reviewed by  Nora Chipley Barteau

Reviewers Helping Authors

http://norachipleybarteau.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

Barn Owl

 

 

 

 

The Next Big Thing

 

Many thanks to Delinda McCann for inviting me to be a part of this week’s The Next Big Thing blog posting group. Read what Delinda says about her book, Something About Maudy http://delindalmccann.weebly.com/blog.html 

 

The Next Big Thing is a meme that is creating an ever-growing wave through the blogs of authors who write in a variety of genres, with each participant answering the same questions about either a work in progress or a work currently being marketed. Each author then chooses five other authors to keep the chain going. The following is my contribution:

 

What is the title of your book?

Moragh, Holly's Ghost

 

How did you come by the idea?

The idea of a marriage of convenience has always intrigued me, especially when the couple doesn't know each other before the wedding ceremony. That was the original idea. The ghost inserted herself, so to speak, although ghosts and things unexplained have always intrigued me.

What genre does your book fall under?

Moragh, Holly's Ghost is a paranormal romance. Owls feature quite prominently, which to me hightens the paranormal elements (ghosty and witchy) in the novel. The owl is deeply connected with magick, and it’s gift of heightened senses enables one to see through deception, external appearances and illusion, and to discover hidden truths. It is also a symbol of protection, though in some cultures owls are seen as harbringers of death.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters if it were a movie?

Holly will be played by Kirsten Dunns. She has that fragile look that I saw in Holly while writing her character. Holly is strawberry blond and unaware of her beauty. She is down to earth and wholesome, just like Kristen.

Moragh will have to be Lily Cole. She has that ethereal beauty and wild red hair, just as I saw Moragh while writing the ghost. Picture this girl in a misty setting wearing a long, flowing white dress...

 

 

Joshua looks like Matt Bomer, strong,

dependable, sinfully sexy. Add rich landowner, businessman, dying to have children of his own - oh boy. Matt and Kirsten would make a lovely couple.                    

 

 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Helpful friends, a marriage of convenience and an interfering ghost, will Holly find love before an old muder is resolved?

Will your book be self-published or traditional?

Traditional. It will be published by All Things That Matter Press, a small press in Maine, USA

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first draft of Moragh, Holly's Ghost probably took me about 4 months, though the story as it will be published grew over several years and many rewrites. Mind you, I did write 6 other novels in between. The first, Dark Moon, was published in 2011. At first I couldn't decide which genre suited me best, but once Dark Moon fell into place, there was no question about genre anymore.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Barbara Irskine's Daughters of Fire. Just like in Moragh, Holly's Ghost, the past interferes in the present in Daughters of Fire with chilling effect.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Ghosts. I love the theme that nothing is as it seems.

 

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Moragh, Holly's Ghost is set in Cape Town, South Africa and the surrounding winelands of the Cape. There is an element of the craft that runs throughout the book with the tarot spread (right) threading through the novel, providing clues and red herrings. And of course, as the title implies, there is a ghost who cannot rest until she had been avenged.

The authors I’ve chosen to continue the chain are:

1) Trish Jackson http://romanticreviewramble.blogspot.com/

2) Agy Wilson  http://agyart.blogspot.com/ 

3) CL Pardington http://www.clpardingtonbooks.com/atlantean-blog.html       

4) Roxanne Bland http://roxannebland.com                             

Another 5* Review!

Review of 'Dark Moon' by Maggie Tideswell

Kirstie Vizard on her blog All In One Place

Blurb:

Set in the romantic city of Cape Town, Storm tries to force a proposal from Trevor, and instead, she meets Jarred. Trevor has been preparing himself for what he plans for Storm, which is not quite what she expects. When she tells Trevor that she is carrying Jarred's baby, she releases true evil in Trevor. Storm, feeling that he ruined her life, refuses to have anything to do with Jarred, but he pursues her relentlessly. Donna, Storm's roommate, bears the brunt of Trevor's anger. Elle, Trevor's sister, a fact unknown to them, makes it her mission to catch Trevor and bring him to justice, but he draws power from her for his evil purposes. Their mother senses what Trevor is doing and she uses her considerable knowledge and experience as a witch to curtail him. For a while it works, but he soon gathers his power, which he uses to his unfair advantage on Storm. Would Sybil and her helpers get through to Storm before she makes the mistake of her life.

My Review:

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: Paranormal, romance, adult, couldn't put down, witches, tense

dark - in this case, of human nature. Maggie Tideswell begins 'Dark Moon' by introducing her protagonists and although the reader meets 7 characters in the first 10 pages there is never a feeling of being overwhelmed. Maggie Tideswell gives her reader fragments of information about the characters- which is

I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

As the name of the book suggests the plot is about light and enough to know that they have secrets and to be excited about the story that will unfold.

I found that once I started 'Dark Moon' I was compelled to continue reading and following genuinely fearful moments, sadness and romance, I had unknowingly finished the book several hours later!

Maggie Tideswell deals with the subject matters of rape, the occult and witchcraft, amongst other things, yet she is sensitive in her approach. The pace of her writing means the reader never has time to dwell but we still have time to experience the emotions of the characters.

All those in 'Dark Moon' are intense and remarkable. Trevor and Elle represent the dark and the light - they are both self-serving and in my view untrustworthy, but Trevor's evil is from where the story originates.

Storm and Jarred are also damaged but seek comfort in each other and often the banter between them provides a light-hearted release from the rest of the story. I found it impossible not to become attached to these two and I loved the way in which Maggie Tideswell wrote their story, yet wound it so cleverly with everyone else's.

This plot is dramatic and the subject matter is heavy but 'Dark Moon' is an excellent book with a story that draws its reader in and holds them there.

I would definitely recommend 'Dark Moon' and look forward to reading more of the author's work.

http://kvlovesbooks.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/review-of-dark-moon-by-maggie-tideswell.html

Dark Moon by Maggie Tideswell

Dark Moon by Maggie Tideswell

Review by Cara Crabtree

Age Rating: 17+

Summary: Storm is living a simple, but good life. She has a boyfriend named Trevor, and lives with her best friend Donna. She has about everything she could want but an engagement to the man of her dreams. All that she has is about to be turned upside down by two different events that happen. She meets a guy name Jarred on the beach, and ends up getting pregnant by him. On top of this a series of rapes that happen in her area, someone is raping and killing women. The rapes/murders have been for occult purposes. The purpose for the murderer doing them is unknown to everyone. Elle, who is the only survivor of the attacks, tracks down Storm, so she can get a psychologists opinion of the attacker. Elle is desperate to solve these attacks, before the attacker comes back to finish what he started. Elle tells her that Trevor is the one who is doing these attacks. Could Trevor be this evil man that everyone claims he is? Trevor may not have the purest intentions when it comes to Storm, but will Storm find this out in time to save her life?

Review: It took me a little bit to get into this book, but once I was I was sucked into it. I think my big problem was that the beginning was little confusing. The story has 8 or 9 points of view here and there, but the main one being Storm. Once I got everyone sorted out and how they all fit in this story, it became a lot easier to understand. I kind of liked being in everyone’s heads, and seeing their thoughts.

 

This novel is set in Cape Town, Africa, which I found really interesting. I don’t think I have read a book set in Africa since a college literature class I took a few years ago.

 

Storm- She is so stubborn about things she should probably be a little less stubborn about. It took me awhile to start liking her character, but after a little bit I did grow attached to her. She is just misguided.

 

Trevor- You find out that Trevor is the serial murderer pretty fast, so I am not putting in any big spoilers there. I was kind of disappointed I found it out so fast at first. But then I quickly realized it isn't really a story of who done it, it was something bigger than that. I hated Trevor.

 

Jarred- I really liked Jarred, he knew what he wanted and he went after it. Storm was so stubborn about him. She should have been more stubborn about Trevor.

Donna- This was Storm’s roommate. She was pretty cool, and a really good friend. Donna tried to help Storm every step of the way.

 

Elle- She is a very tough woman. She was able to get her emotions together, and help with the investigation. She only has eyes for Jarred, which makes for some rough waters in the books.

Overall, it was a pretty good book, with an interesting story. This was definitely an unexpected ride, which I truly enjoyed. I hope you guys will check this book out. I suggest it to anyone who likes books about witches.  

 

Rating: out of 5

http://readingpassion03.blogspot.com/2012/11/dark-moon-by-maggie-tideswell.html

Dark Moon: Review and Author Interview

Author: Maggie Tideswell
Published: All Things That Matter Press
Release Date: September 2011
Source: Provided to me
“A spell-binding novel of love, murder and the supernatural.”
To start off, I have to rave about the cover a bit. I LOVE the satin black fabric background. It seems to give the book a boost that just says “Read Me”. It was definitely what caught my eye to begin with when I came across this book by Maggie Tideswell.
My Thoughts: Many characters played into this spell-binding novel. The major premise was based around Storm and her decisions that she had to face involving her friendships, family members and her love life. She had the burden of having to decide between opportunities that would ultimately change the fate of her future – especially when it came to the men in her life. Both Trever and Jarred are set on Storm spending her life with them, but with the men being so completely different from each other her choice between them was very torn around whether to be loyal or follow her heart and feelings – and is love what they really both have in mind for Storm’s future?
Possibly my favorite character in the story was Donna – Storm’s roommate and best friend. She didn’t play as big of a role as some of the other main characters, but I loved how Donna had backbone and was not afraid to stand against evil and hold her ground. She was able to help her friend through some tough decisions that had been clouded by Storm’s personal feelings. Having someone to stand for what they believe is always a great character to relate to.
Maggie has spent her life growing up in South Africa, so her inspiration for characters and settings has a fresh approach to it that I liked. Dark Moon is packed full of twists and turns that had me second guessing what the characters would do next.

To learn more about who she is, check out my Author Interview with Maggie Tideswell:

Hi Maggie, I just wanted to thank you for giving me the opportunity to read Dark Moon! The story was so different from anything I’ve read lately. I’d like to start by learning a little more about what encouraged you to be an author?
Thank you so much for your time reviewing Dark Moon, Kaitlin. I have always wanted to be a writer. As a child, it was the story-telling that drew me, the living in somebody else’s world, the make-believe. I have always made up stories, though it was only relatively recently that I started writing them down. And even then it was mostly for my own amusement, never believing that anything I wrote would ever be published. Love is very important to me, so at first, I told very simple love stories. But there is more to life, isn’t there. Over time, they became more complex. The crafts is also very important to me and this too had to be reflected in my novels
Dark Moon is described as a “spell-binding novel of love, murder and the supernatural”, what do you feel was your biggest inspiration for this story?
The influence people have on each other. Some people go out of their way to manipulate others for their own ends, others influence the people around them without even trying to. Nobody lives in a cocoon. Everybody exerts and influence on the people they come into contact with. The question is whether that influence is for the higher good or selfishness.
A lot of times, a writer’s setting can help clear their mind for writing. Do you have a favorite spot to sit down and write?
Not really, though I mostly write in my dining room. I don’t like clutter around me and I prefer not to have noise from the TV or radio, though I retreat into my own private world to such an extent that I filter most disturbances out.
What can we look forward to from you next?
My second novel, Moragh, Holly’s Ghost will be released in 2013. It is also a paranormal romance set in the Cape region. Holly has a problem with her ex-husband over her visitation rights and her roommates advertise for a husband for her. From the moment Holly agrees to marry Joshua, a man she has never met, Moragh enters her life with the demand that her story be told. After the wedding, Holly meets the people from Joshua’s world, his mother and ex-fiancée, neither of whom are kindly disposed towards the bride. The ghost also follows Holly to her new home and Holly’s life is threatened by somebody who wants to keep the past a secret. There are strong craft elements in Moragh, Holly’s Ghost.
Having lived in South Africa your whole life, do you have any fun facts for those of us who have never been there?
South Africa is a vast, beautiful country with a diverse and interesting population. We have eleven official languages, including Afrikaans and English. We have come a long way since the apartheid era and there is no discrimination on the basis of skin color alone anymore. South Africa boasts the wide open spaces of the many game reserves to the vibrant vibes of the cities, gorgeous beeches and majestic mountains. South Africa is a relatively young country, its history spanning the last 500 odd years. We have the world’s first heart transplant to our credit.

With Dark Moon, the story takes wild turns from beginning to end and had me on my toes more often than not. I struggled a bit in the beginning to wrap my head around each character with the quick jumps between whose point of view we were following, but once I started to get a better idea of who was who with the characters it helped the story to run a little more smoothly. ★★★
I’m glad I got the opportunity to check out Maggie’s book for myself, you can find Dark Moon on Amazon and will be able to check out her new novel Moragh, Holly’s Ghost in 2013!

To learn more about Maggie and her work,

you can find her on

Twitter - https://twitter.com/LunaMags 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maggie-Tideswell/161954970541011#!/pages/Maggie-Tideswell/161954970541011 

Website - http://maggietideswell.weebly.com

Don’t Miss the Dark Moon Book Trailer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvFqnD20-IE&playnext=1&list=PLD72BD0C90E38611E&feature=results_main

I've had to start a whole new blog. Somehow Maggie's Post became corrupt and unusable. I created Wondreful Words to replace it.