Ally Brown's Blog: The Whine Bar by Ally Brown

Reflect on this Quote and Move Forward with what you need to do to be where you want to be

How does this quote make you feel? I'd love to know! Please share in the comments below.

REMEMBER . . . YOU GOT THIS!

#createpositivechange #enjoythesimplethings #humpdaymotivation #motivation #thewhinebar #whinedownwednesday #selfcare #theallybrown

Reflect on this Quote and Move Forward with what you want do to create positivity in your life.

How does this quote make you feel? I'd love to know! Please share in the comments below.

REMEMBER . . . YOU GOT THIS!

#createpositivechange #enjoythesimplethings #humpdaymotivation #motivation #thewhinebar #whinedownwednesday #selfcare #theallybrown

Reflect on this Quote and Move Forward with what you want do to create positivity in your life.

How does this quote make you feel? I'd love to know! Please share in the comments below.

REMEMBER . . . YOU GOT THIS!

#createpositivechange #enjoythesimplethings #humpdaymotivation #motivation #thewhinebar #whinedownwednesday #selfcare #theallybrown

4 STAR Book Review from Ally Brown - Joseph Carrabis takes you on an out-of-the-box journey of self-discovery

Reflect on the Quote and Move Forward with what you need to do for you to move forward toward success.

How does this quote make you feel? I'd love to know! Please share in the comments below.

REMEMBER . . . YOU GOT THIS!

#coachingbyally #inspiration #quote #takeoffyourmask #possibilitestorealities #defineyoursuccess #selfcare #theallybrown #thewhinebar

Reflect on the Quote and Move Forward with what you need to do for you to move forward .

How does this quote make you feel? I'd love to know! Please share in the comments below.

REMEMBER . . . YOU GOT THIS!

#inspiration #quote #findyourpath #thewhinebar #success #selfcare #theallybrown #coachingbyally #possibilitestorealities #findyourpath

by Bethany Rae Salway

Queensman by Bethany Rae Salway tells the story of an unofficial band of characters that are unhappy that their queen was deposed and fight against their now false ruler who has taken their mostly peaceful life and turned it into segmented turmoil. The story is predominantly told through the eyes of two characters: the brave Senna and her childhood friend, Jed. Senna serves as a maid at the nasty Baron’s estate, a helpful position that enables her to gather the information that she can share with Jed and the other local "Queensmen", who are willing to do what it takes to overthrow this evil ruling power.

The author works to create a dramatic adventure with in-depth and likable characters; however, several opportunities could be improved for the desire to learn their tale. Rather than being immersed in the story, the reader sometimes becomes a stranger watching from the sidelines. Blanks in the narrative, brief discussions of action scenes after the fact, and missing descriptions of this fantastic world leave much to the reader's imagination and distract from what is trying to be told. That being said, once you fill in the blanks, the plot goes in some intriguing directions.

A word of warning: Queensmen is classified as a fantasy novel. Although it is set in a medieval-type made-up realm, its slow pacing and some themes similar to today's happenings make it read more like historical fiction. So, if you expect dragons, magic, and white-knuckle adventures reminiscent of GOT, you will be disappointed. Instead, think of it more like Robin Hood meets LoTR with fewer elves if it were shown in CGI on the History Channel.  It is a battle of good versus evil in a time-honored take on a classic adventure story, complete with self-appointed outlaws, spying, and even a dash of romance.

If that's what lights you up, then this is your read. As it does straddle that line between historical fiction and fantasy and seems inspired by Western folklore, it may be a good introduction to the genre for younger readers. However, it's a lengthy read, so Young Adult readers with a lengthy attention span will probably enjoy it more.

Queensman Review:

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by Dee Osah

Teka Legacy by Dee Osah tells the story of an idealistic woman and a family who are brought together through a serendipitous series of events, and their journey to find peace, happiness, and security. It is a heartwarming entanglement of family, faith, and romance reminiscent of "Hallmark Movie Channel" movies.

Although bland at times, the author's storytelling enticed this reader to turn the pages and partake in the journey the characters would embark on even though where the characters would eventually end up was quite predictable. In true Hallmark movie fashion, the story was slow to build, and therefore slow to capture my interest. However, as it went on, I became more engrossed. This was in part due to the slight twists and turns of the plot, the endearing qualities of the main characters, and the intuitive feeling that I was cautiously being taught about the challenges of a culture that I have had limited insight into.

Yet it was the family dynamics of the Teka's that truly pulled me in. We seldom get to choose who our family is, and because of this, we may take them for granted or set unrealistic expectations, ending up hurt, angry, or disappointed. The Teka family, a diverse group that was "hand-picked" to be put together, loved each other despite their differences and their challenges. Using the physical and emotional scars of both the female and male protagonists, the author formed the foundation of the transformative path that all would have to travel, each in their own way. The "family" was in no way perfect, but showed that they were perfect for each other. So much so that this reader began to wonder if Teka Legacy is not pure non-fiction but largely based on the personal experiences of the author, or someone quite close to her.

The sometimes poorly demonstrated parallel timelines, and repetitive sharing of internal thoughts, led to my not having high expectations for this book. I was pleasantly surprised. If you are looking for a light read, and will not be turned off by the blatant Christian theme, or clean mushiness, you just may be surprised too.

Teka Legacy Review:

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by W.R. Rosche

Heroes Borne: Tales of the One True Realm by W.R. Rosche tells the adventures of a mismatched band of anthropomorphic animals as they search for the truth about the disappearance of the main character's grandfather.

Before even starting the actual story, I instantly had mixed feelings. On one side the author gave me a chuckle with the wit of his fake reviews page. On the other side, I feel like I was instantly set up to expect mediocrity with his introduction of how the story came to be. But alas being the eternal optimist, I persisted.

With vivid descriptions of scenery, the author creates a strange realm inhabited by a hierarchy of talking animals and "bald apes". This sets the background for an interesting but challenging setting for the hero's journey of a donkey by the name of Hoof Hearted and his companions. . .

Wat Ho: his spiritual guardian with two personalities occupying the body of a giant panda-like creature with a "sack" reminiscent of that of a child explorer Manuel Isareali Sobad, a handicapped burrito-loving Chihuahua, and Pete Sake - an amoral mixed-breed Macaque.

The group of unlikely friends traverse this fantastical land encountering various allies, and what seems like frequent enemies. Often, the need for battle arises, characters are injured, and in their healing, we gain more insight into the character that was injured. Then it's off to the next adventure, the next likely battle, and the next lesson.

To be quite frank, the entire story was a roller coaster ride for me. What unfolds in the pages is nothing short of a political fable, paralleling much of what is happening in our world today. The author's attempt at using humor, such as naming an area of annex "Coshon Aeire", was overshadowed by many of the characters being given stereotypical names and traits, and the obvious inclusion of recent appalling events.

If you are a fan of George Orwell's Animal Farm - which I am admittedly not - and you are not easily taken aback by some racial undertones or the mockery of the direction of our political landscape, then you will enjoy this book. For me, perhaps the story should have stayed within the private conversations of the author and those close to him.

Heroes Borne Review:

#thewhinebar #thenovellounge #bookreviews #theallybrown #blastradiusbookbyally #bookreviewsbytheallybrown

by W.R. Rosche

Heroes Borne: Tales of the One True Realm by W.R. Rosche tells the adventures of a mismatched band of anthropomorphic animals as they search for the truth about the disappearance of the main character's grandfather.

Before even starting the actual story, I instantly had mixed feelings. On one side the author gave me a chuckle with the wit of his fake reviews page. On the other side, I feel like I was instantly set up to expect mediocrity with his introduction of how the story came to be. But alas being the eternal optimist, I persisted.

With vivid descriptions of scenery, the author creates a strange realm inhabited by a hierarchy of talking animals and "bald apes". This sets the background for an interesting but challenging setting for the hero's journey of a donkey by the name of Hoof Hearted and his companions. . .

Wat Ho: his spiritual guardian with two personalities occupying the body of a giant panda-like creature with a "sack" reminiscent of that of a child explorer Manuel Isareali Sobad, a handicapped burrito-loving Chihuahua, and Pete Sake - an amoral mixed-breed Macaque.

The group of unlikely friends traverse this fantastical land encountering various allies, and what seems like frequent enemies. Often, the need for battle arises, characters are injured, and in their healing, we gain more insight into the character that was injured. Then it's off to the next adventure, the next likely battle, and the next lesson.

To be quite frank, the entire story was a roller coaster ride for me. What unfolds in the pages is nothing short of a political fable, paralleling much of what is happening in our world today. The author's attempt at using humor, such as naming an area of annex "Coshon Aeire", was overshadowed by many of the characters being given stereotypical names and traits, and the obvious inclusion of recent appalling events.

If you are a fan of George Orwell's Animal Farm - which I am admittedly not - and you are not easily taken aback by some racial undertones or the mockery of the direction of our political landscape, then you will enjoy this book. For me, perhaps the story should have stayed within the private conversations of the author and those close to him.

Heroes Borne Review:

#thewhinebar #thenovellounge #bookreviews #theallybrown #blastradiusbookbyally #bookreviewsbytheallybrown