fantasy – Emotional Shadows

#BookReviews – Must read #Books

Published on July 3, 2026 by balroop singh46 Comments

I have read and reviewed many books last month, but I have to make a special mention of these two, as they are different from the usual books, and I would highly recommend them to all book lovers.

Maggie Watson’s profoundly personal poetry, ‘Wildflower’ inspires and empowers all those who find themselves in an abusive relationship. She assures that it is possible to escape, to seek a healing path, and move on.

When she says, “I still sob my heart out,” “I still doubt myself.” She highlights the agony and the irreparable psychological distress that persists.

The imagery in ‘Once Upon a Time, Someone Stripped The Bark from My Tree’ is stunning! But in the same breath, she says, “I am not bullet-ridden. I am a survivor. I have risen from the flames.” Though scalded and scarred, she holds hope and calls upon all those who are naive, who have been eager to please others, to have courage and rise against their tormentors. Healing may take time, but the “will to survive” can steer us through life’s storms.

Whether they were the jagged edges of rocks or the thorns that tore through her breast, or she was thrown off balance into the deep waters, she knows she has the resilience to flounder and rise. The one who considers “darkness as her guide” and “tears as diamonds,” she has to be a “warrior” of life. Written in a straightforward style, each poem is loaded with the power of a bullet that can pierce your heart.

With mind-blowing imagery and persistence of a bull, Watson exhorts you to be a “lioness” like her to carve your own future. A powerful and emotional poetry with meaningful messages.

‘Tales From the Irish Garden:The Missing Pieces’ is like a whiff of fresh breeze, lifting us from the mundane world of thrillers and murder mysteries, transporting us to the magical world of love, kindness, and peace. Here, in the garden of the Emerald Island, meet with the Storyteller – the character, who holds various threads of the stories together. Cronin weaves them into a magical garland, and the link sounds realistic despite the fantasy backdrop. Anyone who comes to the Storyteller’s garden finds comfort, solace and confidence to face the world.

Characters are of utmost importance in all the stories and each one shines under the pen of Cronin. She doesn’t need to describe them, as their emotions and reactions are enough to tell about them. It is a marvel how Bebechat (a cat) becomes a part of characterisation and holds your attention with real human feelings.

While reading the stories, you get sucked into the power of positivity floating in the vibrant garden of the Storyteller, bask in the glory of his sanctuary, inhale the fragrant air, enjoy the music created by Ramon, and devour the homemade scones and cakes baked by Lilah. Also, enjoy the weddings! You have to read this book to visit the spectacular sanctuary.

Happy reading! Thank you.

Have you checked Beyond the Fetters? It is a poignant and engaging story of cultural compulsions and emotional deluge.

#TankaTuesday #Poetry #ButterflyCinquain

Published on October 14, 2025 by balroop singh35 Comments

Mother Nature’s Commands

Crimson,
ochre, yellow
robes of Mother nature
catch zephyrs loaded with verglas
even
when the wind speaks soft syllables
leaves comply, drifting down
to honor the
commands.
© Balroop Singh.

I See the Moon Nymphs

Moon smiles
through my window,
shines brighter to entice
I marvel at his pristine eyes.
spellbound,
I look at his glorious light
and admire the nymphs who
glide on moonbeams,
with grace.
© Balroop Singh.

Thanks to Willow and Colleen for the inspiration to write syllabic poetry.

I chose to write two butterfly cinquains.

Willow has offered two subjects: The October Hunter’s Moon or the aging of the year. In fact, you can use those two prompts literally, or you can use one or the other or both and explain in your poetry how they make you feel.

Thank you for reading my poetry.

All the posts on my blog are created by me and are protected by copyright. It is strictly prohibited to use them to train AI technologies.

Thank you Diana, Joy, Denise and Priscilla for awesome reviews of
Beyond the Fetters

#Book Reviews – Five Stars for each one

Published on January 9, 2025January 8, 2025 by balroop singh35 Comments

Last year, I didn’t post any reviews here though I had read a few books that I wanted to highlight. I was drifting into darkest corridors, writing only when I felt like crying my heart out. Sharing my emotions through poetry has really helped me to gather my strength. I am thankful to all my blogger buddies for their love and support.

This year one of my resolves is to read more and post the reviews. Here are some FIVE STAR reads!

‘Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver’ is a wondrous fantasy that connects with realism at many levels. Trust, love, respect, courage and struggle are intrinsic parts of the plot. The struggle to weave spring – the season of hope and light is a profound symbol of survival in this world, replete with strife.

Erith has inherited the magic of weaving the seasons, and an eye for color from her mother, Dania. She has a tremendous responsibility as the seasons couldn’t change without her presence. Despite the doubts about her talents, Erith completes her first tapestry and is ready to deliver the change of season but Winter King is indignant and she is caught between the rancor of the charmed and the mistakes of human beings who forget their place and think that they are more powerful than the forces of nature.

Peach has a knack for creating a stunning situation to grab you into it, making you one of the characters standing there, watching how they will handle the crisis. The prologue prepares you for an incredible action, as terror unleashes from page one, but there are many soft moments in this multidimensional story. The growth of Erith is phenomenal, as she learns to acknowledge her talent and gathers confidence.

You have to read this book slowly to savor the poetic style of writing, as the words rise to request a halt and chew the expressions like “blood bloomed, bright as a summer rose,” “her veils an opalescent mist,” ice-spanked finery,” and many more. The imagery like “embers whirled like fireflies past the moon’s face” delighted my heart. Whether it is the description of Winter Palace or the legend of Nelithi, the Spring Princess or Autumn Prince, Peach excels in conjuring a perfect world, worth visiting. I would highly recommend this book – a symphony of seasons.

‘Protective Instinct’ is a fast-paced, intriguing thriller with a multi-dimensional plot. It was difficult to put it down and I raced through it just like its non-stop action. When bestselling author Sebastian Bartoli’s friend devises a plan for him to disappear to a secluded location, I had my doubts. Familiar with York’s writing style, I couldn’t trust anyone and could figure out the sinister designs around him. The suspense mounts with Morgan’s entry – has she been planted? Is she really what she seems to be?

Wow! It only proves to be the tip of the iceberg. There is much more that lies buried and York handles it masterfully! I bet it is not easy to predict what lies ahead when Max Fontana makes his dramatic entry. Once again, I slipped off my seat, eager to know whether he was a truthful man and what his real motive was.

I was awe-struck by Morgan’s character – so different from the traditional female protagonists – independent planner, decisive, adventurous and a survivor with outstanding values. Other characters are drawn with brilliant strokes and fit into the story so well, as the shades of gray and black mingle to define them.

This book is a riveting read that keeps you invested till the last page. Highly recommended.

‘And Then You Were Gone’ is a powerful comment on bullying. The immediate effects may not be visible; the victim may put up a brave front but emotional scars can mar a person’s personality.

A single mother raises her daughter with immense love. Her life centers around Sophie, who has a childhood friend – her playmate, and they find happiness in the little joys of life. However, growing up brings along unseen burdens that may prove to be challenging for teenagers. Sophie’s peer group shapes her into a different kind of person.

A combination of realism and fantasy, the story flows well. It conveys some subtle messages, and highlights the importance of sharing your thoughts and emotions. Isolation makes you more vulnerable. Nick is eager to help but Sophie chooses Tristan, thereby slipping deeper into the abyss that was inescapable. The ending stunned me. I didn’t expect it.

Logan handles the mother-daughter relationship astutely, giving space to each other. The helplessness of a doting mother stands out, as Sophie draws into her shell. I would like to recommend this novella to teenagers as well as parents who want to raise responsible and sensitive children.

Thank you. More reviews are coming soon.

Here is the Amazon link for my new poetry book.

For more poetry, hang out with Hues Of Hope

Welcome The Necromancer’s Daughter: #fantasy #book @Dwallacepeach #NewRelease

Published on September 24, 2022September 23, 2022 by balroop singh113 Comments

I am honored to welcome D. Wallace Peach, a wonderful author who has a new release. I am also sharing my review of the book at the end of this post. One of my favorite authors, Diana conjures a unique world in her novels – a different one in each book. I love her poetic style of writing and her descriptions are vividly exquisite.

She is a poet too!

There are two poems in The Necromancer’s Daughter, and she has shared the second one here with us. It’s an incantation that summons and animates the dead.

Here it goes:

Death seeks what is frail
your blood pooled and bones brittle
eye sockets empty
owls and flies hover, hungry
to consume your flesh
if death is the ice of night
you ride a stray wind
whisper from shores of nothing
dare not let crows comfort you
for I am the cusp
the gate-keeper, dawn-breaker
I lead you back to your bones
meld your blood with mine
rimmed in eagerness and fear
I restore your heart
summon the flame’s ardent breath
which raging seas cannot quell
by blade or infirmity
your apparition
awakens from your slumber
begone Death’s black wings
for what I know of nature
the beauty of life grows back.

“I hope you enjoyed that. Like the other poem, this one is based on the syllabic form called the choka, but I needed more lines, so I wrote a variation using both forms of the nine-line poem, plus the shorter tanka,” says Diana. The true rules of the syllabic form can be found on Colleen Chesebro’s blog: https://wordcraftpoetry.com.

Book Blurb:

A healer and dabbler in the dark arts of life and death, Barus is as gnarled as an ancient tree. Forgotten in the chaos of the dying queen’s chamber, he spirits away her stillborn infant, and in a hovel at the meadow’s edge, he breathes life into the wisp of a child. He names her Aster for the lea’s white flowers. Raised as his daughter, she learns to heal death.

Then the day arrives when the widowed king, his own life nearing its end, defies the Red Order’s warning. He summons the necromancer’s daughter, his only heir, and for his boldness, he falls to an assassin’s blade.

While Barus hides from the Order’s soldiers, Aster leads their masters beyond the wall into the Forest of Silvern Cats, a land of dragons and barbarian tribes. She seeks her mother’s people, the powerful rulers of Blackrock, uncertain whether she will find sanctuary or face a gallows’ noose.

Unprepared for a world rife with danger, a world divided by those who practice magic and those who hunt them, she must choose whether to trust the one man offering her aid, the one man most likely to betray her—her enemy’s son.

A healer with the talent to unravel death, a child reborn, a father lusting for vengeance, and a son torn between justice, faith, and love. Caught in a chase spanning kingdoms, each must decide the nature of good and evil, the lengths they will go to survive, and what they are willing to lose.

Meet the author:

A long-time reader, best-selling author D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life when years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books. She was instantly hooked.

In addition to fantasy books, Peach’s publishing career includes participation in various anthologies featuring short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She’s an avid supporter of the arts in her local community, organizing and publishing annual anthologies of Oregon prose, poetry, and photography.

Peach lives in a log cabin amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon’s rainforest with her husband, two owls, a horde of bats, and the occasional family of coyotes.

My Review of The Necromancer’s Daughter:

The Necromancer’s Daughter by D. Wallace Peach is a riveting saga of Aster, a still-born royal daughter who was awakened to life by a necromancer and raised with immense love. Peach doesn’t let you breathe and savor the beauty of her exquisite style but builds up the tension with each page, compelling you to keep clutching your emotions and watch how Aster escapes The Red Order, which believes healing death is evil and pursues her even after they had shattered her life, burnt her home, and ripped away her father.

The backdrop and the pictureque winter landscape adds a chilly charm to the challenges faced by Aster. The descriptions are vivid, the friendships exceptional and the kindness exemplary. Peach’s characters stay alive long after you’ve read the last page of her book and the characters in this book stay true to this fact. Can you ever forget Barus, an embodiment of kindness, with a pleasant face but a crooked spine and misshapen hands or lose sight of Teko, the loyal protector of Aster?

Oscillating between his beliefs and intense desire to help Aster, Joreh – the reluctant admirer – gets mired in faith, politics and emotion but he would

win your heart despite his imperfections. Aster’s mysterious connection to dragons, her will-power and determination to accomplish whatever she thinks is right and her loving heart makes her an endearing protagonist. A female oriented story doesn’t forget to give ample attention to its male characters.

If you enjoy fantasy, if you admire vibrant characters that add to the story, if you like a sonorous style, with a rich vocabulary, this is a perfect book for you. Some magnificent quotes: “The sun surrendered to vermillion clouds and the nightlings flickered between evergreen limbs as they bowed beneath winter’s weight.”
“Sky wept frozen tears for the folly of men, covering their blood as it buried their sins.”
“When dawn pried its fingers through the cracks in her walls”

I am sure you would like to pick up your copy, here are the links:

US: https://www.amazon.com/Necromancers-Daughter-D-Wallace-Peach-ebook/dp/B0B92G7QZX

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Necromancers-Daughter-D-Wallace-Peach-ebook/dp/B0B92G7QZX

CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Necromancers-Daughter-D-Wallace-Peach-ebook/dp/B0B92G7QZX

AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Necromancers-Daughter-D-Wallace-Peach/dp/B0B9FY6YZJ

IN: https://www.amazon.in/Necromancers-Daughter-D-Wallace-Peach-ebook/dp/B0B92G7QZX

Thank you. Happy reading!

Welcome to Charm: A Unique Village!

Published on June 30, 2022 by balroop singh33 Comments

If you are unfamiliar with the magic of this village, I must share my yesterday’s experience with you. I was trying to write this post and when I uploaded the picture of this book, my laptop went blank! It said: “you are not connected.” I tried all possible ways and means to figure out what went wrong, I couldn’t get connected! In frustration, I gave up and went to bed, thinking I’ll finish this post in the morning. Surprisingly my phone was working fine. So I rebooted my laptop and started once again but no luck!

Hence this post got so late.

Here I am with the book review of ‘Welcome to Charm,’ the most original fantasy I have come across.

‘Welcome to Charm’ is an amazing fantasy with a gentle romance thrown in to keep you hooked. Are you tired of digital devices? Is the stress of life getting on your nerves? Do you crave a vacation in lush green surroundings with exotic flowers without paying a penny? Do you feel the pinch of inflation? Welcome to Charm – a unique village where you don’t have to pay a penny for a burger, can live in your dream house, never would have to lock it or lease it! Sounds incredible? Tonya has a surprise for you at each step, as this story proceeds.

Abby is astounded in the beginning but finds serenity the moment she learns to accept the inevitable. So intoxicated she gets by the company of Nash and the healing touch of Mother Nature; she feels that living in Charm is like living a fairy tale. She agrees to stay and discovers the real reason why she has been brought to Charm and why she couldn’t find an exit road to reach Crestview.

There is another noteworthy aspect of this book. Though it thrives on fantasy, it also returns to realism when it quotes from the poet Emerson: “there is nothing which nature cannot repair.” It reminded me of the “back to nature” call by the poets of the Victorian Era. William Wordsworth said, “To her fair works did Nature link the Human soul that through me ran.” Penrose uses this unifying theme of life and Nature most effectively.

The childlike charm of this book, the subtle wisdom and the way it has been shared makes it a superb reading experience. I would like to visit Charm!

If you want to accompany me, leave your digital devices behind, as they won’t work there.

Thank you.

– Balroop Singh