The Groucho Letters By Groucho Marx Review!

 

 

The Groucho Letters (1967) by Groucho Marx is a wonderful read.

 

We get to see lots of his letters to his family and friends and their responses. He came across as someone with a great sense of humour and maybe someone who used humour to combat harder elements of life. It is so interesting to see how his life was changing throughout the different times of the letters and it really is excellent that these letters survived to give readers a glimpse into his life and his relationships with those he loved and cared about. You get to hear about lots of things from the mundane to the big moments and he seemed really, really interesting and cool to be associated with. It is wonderful to see the effort he put into crafting his letters. A great writer and so much funny moments in his writing that you would laugh a lot as you are reading this book. He had a great interest in many topics and it was very interesting to read his thoughts on the many topics he was interested in.

The book has a great introduction by Arthur Sheekman and is divided into different sections which makes it easier for readers to look for a particular type of letter. There is sections like Movie Business, Private Life, Broadway and Hollywood, Friends Abroad and The Faintly Political Scene amongst others. The collection was requested by the Library of Congress who the letters were donated to. 

Very interesting and enjoyable.

 

To purchase The Groucho Letters by Groucho Marx go to:

For more about Groucho Marx and his work go to:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/43244.Groucho_Marx

My New Book Positive Affirmations: Dealing With Grief is Now Available On Amazon & Payhip!

My new book Positive Affirmations: Dealing With Grief is now out on Amazon and Payhip. The book contains 50 affirmations to deal with grief and were heavily influenced by my own grief after the deaths of the two main men in my life my father Brian and my dog Cookie. I hope that these affirmations help you. It is a really, really difficult time in your life with a rollercoaster of emotions causing you pain but it does get better eventually and one day you will be able to cherish your memories of your loved one or loved ones without being just as sad as you are now.

If you choose to purchase the book thank you in advance. 🙂

To purchase Positive Affirmations: Dealing With Grief go to:

https://payhip.com/b/Eu2O

5 Videos To Watch This Week On YouTube!

Hi everybody! 🙂

I am back with another 5 video suggestions post for you today:

Social Issues

This very interesting video by Vox explores the problematic history of casting predominantly white actors in the roles of Asian characters. The fact it ever happened and the fact it happens still today is an utter disgrace.

Books

I am listening to a lot of Agatha Christie audiobooks while I am writing at the moment. This short story was one of Agatha’s books I hadn’t heard of before but of course it’s brilliant. David Suchet and Hugh Fraser who are pretty much the ones I mostly think of as Poirot and Hastings due to the TV adaptations are performing and narrating.

Drag/TV

Season 13 of RuPaul’s Drag Race is starting soon and recently we met the queens who will be participating. It seems like a great cast. I of course have a few early favourites but they all seem cool.

History/Mythology/Supernatural

Christmas is coming so it seems a good time to watch a bit about the history of Krampus, Saint Nick’s nemesis. It was really interesting to hear the history of Krampus as I do not know much about them and learning about all the countries who have celebrations which are Krampus-related.

Music

From 1973’s Top of the Pops here is the Christmas classic Merry Christmas Everybody by Slade. Very fun tune.

My New Book 1000 Quiz Questions Is Now Available!

My new book 1000 Quiz Questions is now available on Amazon and Payhip.

The book contains 1000 questions from various different categories. It was a lot of fun and very interesting to put together. I think I might be a slight bit brighter since putting the book together if my memory can hold out. While writing the book, I have been doing the quiz with my Mum and Sister and it has been a lot of fun. I hope it is great fun for you and yours too or just to challenge yourself if you decide to purchase the book and thank you in advance. 🙂

To purchase 1000 Quiz Questions go to:

1000 Quiz Questions eBook: Reynolds, Lisa: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

1000 Quiz Questions – Payhip

My Book Positive Affirmations: Dealing With Bullying Is Now Available!

My book Positive Affirmations: Dealing With Bullying is now available on Amazon and Payhip.

This affirmations book contains 50 affirmations for helping you get through bullying. At the moment I am writing affirmations books related to bad experiences I have had myself in the hope I can help those going through those experiences. I was bullied in school for the majority of my school life. I also faced workplace bullying at one point in my life and it is these bad experiences I am drawing inspiration from for this collection. If I can help even one person in some way through this book then at least some good will come from those bad experiences. I hope this book helps you. 🙂

If you choose to purchase the book, thank you in advance. 🙂

To purchase Positive Affirmations: Dealing With Bullying go to:

https://payhip.com/b/B59p

5 Videos To Watch This Week On YouTube!

Hi everyone! 🙂

Here is five more video suggestions to watch on YouTube this week.

Music

Here is a classic Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. Good cheesy fun and I think the bar person in the music video is brilliant.

I was a huge fan of Steps when I was younger so this brings back memories! Here they are with Deeper Shade Of Blue. Great music and love the outfits.

Music/TV

I love the Eurovision Again idea and was very pleased to see 1990 being one the years shown as that is when I was born. Such an entertaining show. Years gone on and all but Liam, you done us proud! 🙂

Books/Supernatural

This video from Slapped Ham presents books which are thought to be cursed and speaks about the history and the stories which surround them. I don’t believe in it all but I still don’t think I would like to read them or own them all the same! 🙂

History

This is the first part of an animated video showing the history of The French Revolution from OverSimplified. A really informative and entertaining way to learn history indeed. Very creative.

My New Book Positive Affirmations: Dealing With Gaslighting Is Now Available!

Hi everyone! 🙂

I have just released my book Positive Affirmations: Dealing With Gaslighting on Amazon and Payhip. It is a very personal book to me and I hope it can help people out there in similar situations.

This is my fourth affirmations book. The first three books were a mixture of different affirmations about being generally confident and positive about yourself but in this book I wanted to specifically write affirmations to help people who are being gaslit or are dealing with scars from being gaslit. There is a personal reason why I put this book together because I have being gaslit and I still am being. But the difference now as opposed to before is that I no longer take in the negativity or believe it. Of course there is times I get doubts but it’s not as regular or as dangerous to my mind as it used to be because I don’t regularly believe what gaslighters say about me anymore.

Like my previous three affirmations books, I have put together 50 affirmations for this book. I hope that they help in some way and I just want to say if you are suffering due to gaslighting, you can come through it even though it doesn’t always feel like that. You have so much potential, never let anyone take that away from you.

This is my thirtieth book and releasing my thirtieth book on my sister’s birthday which is today couldn’t be more apt as she has been so incredibly supportive of both my writing and of me as person so happy birthday Sharon and it seems so right to reach such a special milestone on the birthday of such a special person. 🙂

To purchase Positive Affirmations: Dealing With Gaslighting go to:

https://payhip.com/b/rTz8

My Book Elm View Mansion & Other Halloween Stories Is Now Available!

Hi everyone! 🙂

My new book Elm View Mansion & Other Halloween Stories is now available on Amazon and Payhip.

Elm View Mansion & Other Halloween Stories is a collection of six Halloween stories.

Contents:

Elm View Mansion
Sexy Vampires
Halloween Dad
Missing Them
The Local Witch
Halloween Hook-Up

Happy Halloween to you all & if you choose to purchase thank you. I loved putting this collection together and met so many new and amazing characters. 🙂

To purchase Elm View Mansion & Other Halloween Stories go to:

https://payhip.com/b/f8nH

My New Book Positive Affirmations: Unleash Your Potential Is Now Available!

Hi everyone! 🙂

My new book Positive Affirmations: Unleash Your Potential is now available to purchase on Amazon and Payhip. 🙂

Positive Affirmations: Unleash Your Potential is a mixed bag of affirmations which I use myself to help me feel confident and more happy in my skin and I hope these affirmations can do the same for you too. Like my two previous affirmations books there is once again 50 affirmations in this book. 🙂

If you choose to purchase the book, thank you so much in advance. 🙂

To purchase Positive Affirmations: Unleash Your Potential go to:

https://payhip.com/b/9z36

Hiding Cracked Glass Blog Book Tour @jamescudney4 @Shalini_G26

Hi everyone! 🙂

Today I am taking part in the blog book tour for author James J. Cudney’s Hiding Cracked Glass. The blog book tour is been hosted by Shalini at Digital Reads Blog Tours (@Shalini_G26). Thank you very much to both James and Shalini. 🙂

Title: Hiding Cracked Glass

Series Name: Perceptions of Glass

Author: James J. Cudney

Publisher and Next Release Date: Next Chapter, October 8, 2020 (Yes y’all, that is today! :-))

Synopsis

An ominous blackmail letter appears at an inopportune moment. The recipient’s name is accidentally blurred out upon arrival. Which member of the Glass family is the ruthless missive meant for?

In the powerful sequel to Watching Glass Shatter, Olivia is the first to read the nasty threat and assumes it’s meant for her. When the mysterious letter falls into the wrong hands and is read aloud, it throws the entire Glass family into an inescapable trajectory of self-question. Across the span of eight hours, Olivia and her sons contemplate whether to confess their hidden secrets or find a way to bury them forever. Some failed to learn an important lesson last time. Will they determine how to save themselves before it’s too late?

Each chapter’s focus alternates between the various family members and introduces several new and familiar faces with a vested interest in the outcome. As each hour ticks by, the remaining siblings and their mother gradually reveal what’s happened to them in the preceding months, and when the blackmailer makes an appearance at Olivia’s birthday party, the truth brilliantly comes to light.

Although everyone seemed to embrace the healing process at the end of Watching Glass Shatter, there were hidden cracks in the Glass family that couldn’t be mended. Their lives are about to shatter into pieces once again, but this time, the stakes are even higher. Someone wants to teach them a permanent lesson and refuses to stop until success is achieved.  

My Review

Hiding Cracked Glass (2020) is an amazing read. It is the second installment in the Perception of Glass series and follows on brilliantly from the first book Watching Glass Shatter. What is really great about this series is the variety of characters and how they all interact with each other. The Glass family are definitely a family with drama and secrets which always works well in stories especially mysteries. Because there is so many different types of characters within the family alone, most readers will not identify or like the same characters and I think that makes things interesting.

The plot is really interesting and well-thought out. The family has gathered for mother Olivia’s birthday but the celebrations are somewhat dampened when a blackmail letter comes before. The name of who the letter is for is unreadable which kind of reminded of something Agatha Christie might do actually so I thought that was cool. The family all believe the letter was meant for them and believe themselves to be in danger which means they set about finding out more. Very intriguing plot idea. This novel has some great red herrings throughout to keep you guessing and is really a very gripping read. Sometimes it is hard to put down to be honest.

Great drama. Great mystery. Great read.

My rating: 5 stars

About The Author

Background

James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College, an historic but small liberal arts school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with a degree in English literature and minors in Education, Business and Spanish. After college, I accepted a technical writing position for a telecommunications company during Y2K and spent the last ~20 years building a career in technology & business operations in the retail, sports, media and entertainment industries. Throughout those years, I wrote some short stories, poems and various beginnings to the “Great American Novel,” but I was so focused on my career in technology and business that writing became a hobby. In 2016, I refocused some of my energies toward reinvigorating a second career in reading, writing and publishing.

Author

Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind and my body. At some points, it was just a few poems or short stories; at others, it was full length novels and stories. My current focus is family drama fiction, cozy mystery novels and suspense thrillers. I think of characters and plots that I feel must be unwound. I think of situations people find themselves in and feel compelled to tell the story. It’s usually a convoluted plot with many surprise twists and turns. I feel it necessary to take that ride all over the course. My character is easily pictured in my head. I know what he is going to encounter or what she will feel. But I need to use the right words to make it clear.

Reader & Reviewer

Reading has also never left my side. Whether it was children’s books, young adult novels, college textbooks, biographies or my ultimate love, fiction, it’s ever present in my day. I read 2 books per week and I’m on a quest to update every book I’ve ever read on Goodreads, write up a review and post it on all my sites and platforms.

Blogger & Thinker

I have combined my passions into a single platform where I share reviews, write a blog and publish tons of content: TRUTH. I started my 365 Daily Challenge, where I post about a word that has some meaning to me and converse with everyone about life. There is humor, tears, love, friendship, advice and bloopers. Lots of bloopers where I poke fun at myself all the time. Even my dogs have had weekly segments called “Ryder’s Rants” or “Baxter’s Barks” where they complain about me. All these things make up who I am; none of them are very fancy or magnanimous, but they are real. And that’s why they are me.

Genealogist & Researcher

I love history and research, finding myself often reaching back into the past to understand why someone made the choice he or she did and what were the subsequent consequences. I enjoy studying the activities and culture from hundreds of years ago to trace the roots and find the puzzle of my own history. I wish I could watch my ancestors from a secret place to learn how they interacted with others; and maybe I’ll comprehend why I do things the way I do.

Websites & Blog

Website: https://jamesjcudney.com/

Blog: https://thisismytruthnow.com

Amazon: http://bit.ly/JJCIVBooks

Next Chapter Pub: https://www.nextchapter.pub/authors/james-j-cudney

BookBub:https://www.bookbub.com/profile/james-j-cudney

Social Media

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamescudney4

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesJCudneyIVAuthor/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BraxtonCampusMysteries/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsMyTruthNow/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jamescudney4/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamescudney4/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jamescudney4

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescudney4

Genres, Formats & Languages

I write in the family drama and mystery genres. My first two books are Watching Glass Shatter (2017) and Father Figure (2018). Both are contemporary fiction and focus on the dynamics between parents and children and between siblings. I’m currently writing the sequel to Watching Glass Shatter. I also have a light mystery series called the Braxton Campus Mysteries with six books available.

All my books come in multiple formats (Kindle, physical print, large print paperback, and audiobook) and some are also translated into foreign languages such as Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and German.

Goodreads Book Links
Watching Glass Shatter (October 2017)
Father Figure (April 2018)
Braxton Campus Mysteries
·       Academic Curveball – #1 (October 2018)
·       Broken Heart Attack – #2 (November 2018)
·       Flower Power Trip – #3 (March 2019)
·       Mistaken Identity Crisis – #4 (June 2019)

·       Haunted House Ghost – #5 (October 2019)
·       Frozen Stiff Drink – #6 (March 2020)

Giveaway

To win your free book go to (2 Winners):

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e5ee1a9220/?

Good luck everyone! 🙂

To purchase Hiding Cracked Glass by James J. Cudney go to:

Amazon Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Hiding-Cracked-Glass-Perceptions-Book-ebook/dp/B08F3YWTYX
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hiding-Cracked-Glass-Perceptions-Book-ebook/dp/B08F3YWTYX
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54399989-hiding-cracked-glass  

Best of luck to James with the book and to both James and Shalini with the rest of the blog book tour! 🙂