How to Enjoy a Review!

happy kittens

I’m very grateful to author Patricia Leslie for reading and reviewing How to Survive Your Magical Family. Yes, I did warn you I’d be sharing reviews 🙂

 

https://www.patricialeslie.net/single-post/book-review-how-to-survive-your-magical-family-by-clare-rhoden

A small extract from Patricia’s review:

 

I’d recommend How to survive your magical family for any reader young adult and up. No need to limit yourself if you’ve passed that age bracket. Clare Rhoden is an excellent author. Her storytelling will draw you in. An afternoon of entertaining reading pleasure awaits you.

Thank you so much Patricia!

Halloween: Special Price on magic cats and scary adventures

girl reading book

This Halloween, there’s a special price on signed copies of How to Survive Your Magical Family!

Order here before MIDNIGHT on OCTOBER 31st for your copy at the spooktacular price of $22.95 including postage! Australia only.

Grab your copy now!

Here’s what readers are saying:

What an incredibly sweet story about a boy, friends, family and a loveable group of cats! — Megs, on Goodreads

This is a fun magical story! Really really cool worldbuilding here. I love in general that cats are the “good guys” even though this is a story about cool, sometimes spooky, magic. — Julia, on Goodreads

“Waiting is the hardest thing ever.” Heart, soul, and adventure; this one has it all. Absolutely a light, fun read. — MyBookNest7

I really liked how cute the story was, where it went, the cats, and how they colored the whole story. I feel like there’s a second book in the future. There is not really a cliffhanger, or any thing to indicate that specifically, but I was left with some questions I could see wrapping a second story around and I would absolutely be there to read it. — Steph Bauer

♥️If you like books featuring cats…ESPECIALLY magical cats….this is your next book to pick up♥️
🐈‍⬛ 👀🐈‍⬛👀🐈‍⬛👀🐈‍⬛👀🐈‍⬛👀 — ShortBookThyme on Instagram

Hashtag Magical Family! Miaow!

Read all the Goodreads reviews here

My cat fever is getting spooky

boy holding book

I have cat fever. It’s like hay fever but much more furry. Can it have anything to do with How to Survive Your Magical Family?

Everywhere I look, there’s a cat. It’s quite spooky now that my cat book is here. Seems the neighbourhood cats know something.

Maybe they sense me spending too much time on cat memes and images like these.

black kitten looking sad
Cats everywhere! Image by Huda Nur from Pixabay

My page of cat links is live with cat-loving video games, movie recommendations and more. Can you suggest any more links for me to feature?

In the meantime, here’s a little snippet of the action:

While Helen drew the sedan over to the side of the carriageway, I walked slowly along the wet verge, scanning the asphalt where the cat was struck, listening for any mewing. There was no sound other than the slick swishing of tyres on rainy road as the traffic sorted itself back into its usual pattern. There wasn’t even any blood. In the gutter, though, was a silver bracelet.

The bracelet was pretty battered and bent, but it looked like solid silver. I considered picking it up. It had a charm clipped on it, in a kind of round shape. But I was searching for something alive, so I walked right on, scanning the verge. Nothing. I turned back toward the car.

Passing that shining bit of silver again, I could see that the round charm was actually in the form of a cat, and the bracelet was more of a bangle and not so battered as I first thought. When I turned to look at it a third time, the round cat charm was seated upright on top of the bangle, looking directly at me.

I gave in. I’m not my father’s son for nothing. Okay, cat plus charm plus silver equals magic. Though why the street cat thought this was a kitten …

I picked up the bangle…

***

Can’t wait to read on? How to Survive Your Magical Family is available now at these online stores:

Odyssey Books

Booktopia

Amazon Australia

Barnes & Noble

book cover How to Survive Your Magical Family
How to Survive Your Magical Family

But wait – there’s more!

Watch out for more news – a Halloween special is coming.

With a book featuring magic cats and clever crows, it’s only right.

Spook you soon – I mean, speak to you soon!

How to Survive Your Magical Family

cat and book cover

How to Survive Your Magical Family is here.

I have actual paperback copies in hand and I’m thrilled.

smiling woman with book
It’s here! How to Survive Your Magical Family is in the hands of readers. Enjoy!

Here’s the blurb of my new book:

Toby’s family is no ordinary family.

They are magical, talented, and special.

Toby’s father is a surgeon and his older sister is a lawyer. But Toby’s dad is also a renowned wizard, and so is his uncle, and his sister can influence people. His mum was special too, but she had to leave…

Toby isn’t any of those things. The only special thing he can do is pretty useless. Toby can talk with cats.

When Toby and his sister rescue a family of abandoned cats on the side of the road and Toby spots a mysterious silver bangle in the gutter, everything changes.

Mia is Toby’s best friend. She’s not magical either – she doesn’t even know magic exists! But when she watches Toby get on the wrong bus to school and a ferocious bus driver screams away with Toby on board, Mia’s world is about to change too.

How to Survive Your Magical Family is an exciting adventure filled with mystery, cats, friendship, and of course, magic!

girl reading e book
Making little waves in reader-land: How to Survive Your Magical Family

If you love cats, or magic – and especially both! – this is your book. For confident readers 10+, and cat lovers of all ages. It’s a book with a dual point of view (‘dual POV’ in book-speak), with half of the story told by Toby and half told by Mia.

cat posing for scratches
Is this Katkin the arch-cat? Image by rihaij from Pixabay

I’ve made a page all about this new book, including a variety of buy links, and I’m also putting together a page of CAT LINKS!

If you love cats, you might want to check it out.

And if you have any great cat sites that should be included, please let me know!

Miaow for now, my friends.

My Five Star Reads of 2021 … and a peek at 2022

taking-baby-for-a-walk

Here are (some of!) my five-star reads from 2021.

Of the 80 or so books I read every year, some stand out. As I’ve mentioned previously (see my post on book choices), I’m pretty good at judging what books will suit my readerly needs. I should be, after reading so many!

If your reading preferences are anything like mine, you might like to check out this selection from my 5-star reads this year.

Recommended Reads 2021

Permafrost

A stunning debut collection of wonderful short stories

 

Permafrost by SJ Norman

Coralesque

Prepare to be amazed. A great book to take on your beach holiday, full of scary seaside stories

Artifact Space

A wonderful first instalment in a new coming-of-age series. take yourself to the stars and beyond with this exciting and diverse novel

Worldshifter

A brilliant little novella about a world-building alien who just happens to be one of the sweetest -dog-like characters you’ll ever meet

Worldshifter by Paul Di Filippo
Worldshifter by Paul Di Filippo

Taking Baby for a Walk

A terrifying story about a missing child, set in an ordinary Queensland town. Unputdownable. How about that cover in the top image of this post?!

Danged Black Thing

Black fiction that leaps and cavorts, alive with challenge, wit and a very big heart. Read these stories with gusto and amazement

Before You Knew My Name

An unusual read for me. This is the best murder mystery I’ve ever encountered, and I love the way it foregrounds the victim instead of the vile killer. Eye-opening and such great writing.

Court of Silver Flames

My favourite of the entire series. An insightful and tender exploration of depression and anxiety through the lens of dark fantasy.

The Gulp

Ha! Want to be terrified on your summer road trip around Australia? Meal-sized tales of antipodean horror from a master.

The Harp of Kings

The first of a new series by Juliet Marillier, whose evocative writing immerses the reader in ancient Ireland. Myth, romance, adventure and tragedy combine in this wonderful story.

Watch out for in 2022

As a reviewer, I’m privileged to read quite a few books prior to their release, in the form of ARCs (advanced reader copies). I love being considered an advanced reader LOL! Here’s one I adored for its teeming, lush fantasy world.

Saint Death’s Daughter

And here’s two that I can hardly wait for! From the marvellous Odyssey Books, out early in 2022:

Fleetwalker by J Victoria Michael
Fleetwalker by J Victoria Michael

Fleetwalker

The eagerly-awaited third book in the GriffinSinger series … and of course

How To Survive Your Magical Family

A fabulous new fantasy from yours truly 🙂

The link is to the Booktopia pre-order page, but I’ll have my own pre-order page early in the New Year. Keep your eyes peeled!

 

How to Survive Your Magical Family (2022 release)
How to Survive Your Magical Family (2022 release)

Australia Reads!

Kitten and question

Do you love cats? Do you love reading?

Yes of course!

Do you like hearing yourself read? Hmm, not so sure 🙂

This happened to me this week:

I recorded a reading for Australia Reads

And I read … the first chapter of my forthcoming book HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR MAGICAL FAMILY

Kitten
If you love kittens, you’ll love How to Survive Your Magical Family

You can hear this sneak peek in Episode One of Australia Reads from Australian Book Lovers

For the celebration of Australia Reads this month, our friends at Australian Book Lovers (ABL) gathered together over 4 HOURS of free stories from Australian authors.

I’m thrilled to take part and even more excited at the opportunity to promote reading.

With thanks to all the fabulous Australia Reads Ambassadors in every state, and especially to ABL for including me 🙂

Check out the fabulous titles! I’m very pleased to see fellow Odyssey Books authors Phil Hore and Lachlan Walter among the list.

Here’s the all-important link:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1718602/9185906

And here are the

Show Notes:

From ABL: To celebrate Australia Reads and the Australian Reading Hour, we’ve put together an audio extravaganza of truly spectacular Aussie authors reading from one of their amazing stories! So tune up the ears and ready the imagination for the following wonderful audio treasures –

The Link in case you missed It:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1718602/9185906

 

Keep an eye out for more news about

How to Survive Your Magical Family