With the current phenomenon of the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy to hit the shelves and homes of women and men all across the world. One of my favourite book company brands "SmartPop" have decided to release a collection of essays on the topic titled "Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades". Review: Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey - Edited by Lori Perkins - November 2012 When I first saw this book, I knew right then and there that it was one that I wanted to read . A book that would have me engrossed from the very first page and I was absolutely correct, though some essays were a tad disturbing and some a bit too educational for my liking , the majority of the essays were OUTSTANDING And AMAZING. If you love psychology and delving in the unknowns of a book , analysing the book in it's pages. Then SmartPop Books who are producing Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades , is the place for you as I adore all their books. Reading Fifty Writers , will be one ...

      As a supporter of budding writers, I like to support and host the opportunity for other writers who are wanting to get published , a chance to guest blog on The Phantom Paragrapher. Today's Guest Blogger is Sara Dawkins . She is an active Nanny and Freelance Writer and frequently posts content for www.nannypro.com   Two Children’s Books Authors to Remember When I was a child, I loved reading. I had so many favorite books and book authors that my shelves were literally packed. Of those fond memories, two authors in particular stand out in my mind. Both of the authors had extensive collections of books they wrote, as well as several series. Their names are Bruce Coville and Pamela Service. In fact, they still write books for children and young adults today. Here are a few of the books they wrote and why they are still among my favorite authors: Bruce Coville wrote many books that I remember fondly from my childhood. Among them were ...

  Reading my way through the Gifted series and unfortunately as this is a series I'm getting from work it won't be in order but as far as I can tell with the first and fourth book , they mainly have their own storylines. Get ready for Book #4 Finders Keepers reviewed on The Phantom Paragrapher. Review: Finders Keepers - Book #4 Gifted Series - Marilyn Kaye - 2010 Following the Gifted series , in Book #4 we meet Ken - a star Soccer Player and an all-round jock. Like Amanda , he is one of the popular kids and he too is hiding a special ability. Ken discovered after an accident occured , that he could speak to the dead . He may not be able to see them but he definitely can hear them loud and clear and it is his job to pass messages onto their living ones so that the dead can rest their weary souls. Finders Keepers tells the tale of Ken , who finds an invitation to a Seance in his locker- unsure if it is a prank, he goes along taking Amanda with him. It turns out to b...

    Moving from Teens to Adult fiction ? Looking for a novel that has a hint of Dystopian and also a mystery aspect ? Check out Helen Smith's latest book "The Miracle Inspector" with a review to come at a later date. Author Helen Smith has also provided us with a list of her Top Dystopian Novels as a Guest Post and a number of them listed are my favourites too especially my all-time favourite "The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood.  Synopsis: The Miracle Inspector - Helen Smith - September 2012 The Miracle Inspector is a dystopian thriller set in the near future. England has been partitioned and London is an oppressive place where poetry has been forced underground, theatres and schools are shut, and women are not allowed to work outside the home. A young couple, Lucas and Angela, try to escape from London – with disastrous consequences. “…this is an absolutely exceptional piece of fiction, a work of art befitting the best in socially...

  Do you enjoy reading series about students with special abilities ? Ever wondered what it would be like to go to High School having abilities ? Check out the Gifted series by Marilyn Kaye with today's review of Book #1 . Review: Out of Sight, Out of Mind - Book #1 Gifted series - Marilyn Kaye - Feb 2009 Imagine if one of your worst nightmares came true ? How would you cope , what would you do to fix it ? Meet , Amanda Benson she is the Queen Bee of the local high school. She is the IT Girl. Being the IT girl and Queen Bee , comes with alot of responsibilities and some of those are the not -so-nice tasks of bullying those in what you call the "social rejects or loser pile". One of the girls who is a constant target for Amanda's bullying is a girl called Tracey Devon. When Amanda starts to feel sorry for Tracey , strange things start to happen and Amanda somehow ends up in Tracey's body as we discover Amanda has the gift of body snatching. As Amand...

    As it nears Labour Weekend , I thought I would catch up on posts as I haven't been able to get on since Monday which is so unlike me, but the past few weeks especially this week has been so hectic with a lot of changes going on and some of them quite scary as well.  So readers with things that are happening and also with only three more assignments to go and I would have completed my study. Life has been pretty full-on, so my site has taken a little seat on the back burner for now.   Have you read any of Sheila Robert's books ? I read her book "The Snow Globe" back in December 2010 and I really enjoyed it . It was a sweet, inspirational christmas tale. The review can be found @ http://thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.co.nz/2010/12/snow-globe-sheila-roberts.html    Today's book spotlight is her new release "Better Than Chocolate" - Hmmm , what can be better than Chocolate , well Sheila's latest book can be .   Synopsis: Better...

      Samhain   Bow the head. Honor the dead Summer’s dying. Leaves are flying. Samhain!   We are creatures of the light, and the light is dying on All Hallow’s Eve. The nights draw in, children. Come, gather to the fire. Closer, now. Tuck that blanket in. Hug that warmth to you. You’ll be glad, soon. So very glad. Closer. Listen.   The dirge is drumming: Winter’s coming. Autumn’s breath is summer’s death. Samhain!   Shiver. The cold creeps up on you. Come, drink a mug of chocolate with me. Warm inside, warm outside, eh? Gather closer. See, there, the trembling in your mug. That’s the devil’s footfall outside. Stomping through the autumn leaves, stirring them up in a cloud, loud and cloven-hoofed. Listen.   Winter’s chilling. The blood is stilling. Feed the fire. Flames leap higher. Samhain!   Wood! More wood n...