Desire of Whimsy - Book review

Screen print: BookTasters on Twitter - "Desire of Whimsy"

We need escapist fiction during this pandemic time. Desire of Whimsy, by Charletta Barksdale, is a great read to do just that.

Thank you, to BookTasters, and the author, for giving me this opportunity

Desire of Whimsy by Charletta Barksdale
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book via BookTasters and the author, Charletta Barksdale. This in exchange for an honest review, which I am gladly doing.

I enjoyed this book from the moment I started reading it. In this pandemic global crisis time, this is a great escape from reality. The premise of being in charge of your dreams, and your dreams being impacted from an outside source, is an interesting concept. The main characters, Serenity and Trance, are so likable and feel like intimate friends. We get to share their thoughts, while trying to decipher their puzzling existence. I don't want to give away too much about the outcomes, and the unfolding of the relationship paradigms, because then it wont be such a treat to read...

This is a short read, and my only negative is that I would have wanted the book to be longer and explore the lives of the characters even more. The surrounding reality/world could have been explored in more detail.

Charletta Barksdale promises that there is a follow-up on the way, and I can't wait to immerse myself in this fictitious reality again.

Thank you, for giving me this opportunity!

View all my reviews

The War Between - Humans and Superhumans fighting for survival in a post-apocalyptic South Africa #bookreview

I have read another book through Cupcake Mummy's brilliant plan to get books to readers, and reviewers for books: Available for Review on Charlie Foxtrot! (Check it out!)

I selected The War Between, by Jennifer Withers, as the concept of a post-apocalyptic South Africa fascinates me, especially since the two main cities are called Jozenburg (Johannesburg) and Toria (Pretoria). Unfortunately there are no touch-points with the cities of today. (Thinking about it, would there be any resemblance to the previous cities after a devastating war?)


The story-line is strange, but I caught myself not wanting to put down the book until I have finished reading it! The main characters are believable and strong! I could identify with most of them.
I found Syra's character a bit frustrating. She makes a few bad decisions, and I do not think it was believable responses. It feels as if it is forced on her (by the writer), to complicate the plot!
The book finishes with a rhetorical question, which is quite brilliant!
It leaves us with a feeling of wanting more, but also with the knowledge that there is a satisfactory ending to the story!
I love Jennifer Withers' writing and the strange world we are plunged into in this book.
I love the characters and the inherent conflict between two different types of humans that feeds the story-line!

I would love to read more of the ongoing story! I hope this story does not end here, Jennifer Withers?

If you love fantasy and escapism, this book ticks the boxes!

I copied most of this from my Amazon Book Review.

Humans AND superhumans in post apocalyptic SA! Strange, but had to read to end! @JenWAuthor TX! @cupcakemummy pic.twitter.com/rWSsTV8ry6

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) May 11, 2016

Escape from the daily commute with The Sorcery Code #scorcerycode

The Scorcery Code, by Dima Zales

I love reading books, but I really struggle to finish a book. I only get to turn four or five pages a night, which takes me ages to finish a book! (I am really impressed with some of you who gets to read more!)

I think I have found a way! I turned on my Kindle's text-to-audio, and listened to it on my daily commute. It did not even take me a whole week to listen through the book, and I was in a much better mood arriving at work each day. Especially with the horrendous traffic that we have had to deal with since February.

Disclaimer: I found this book through a Tomoson promotion on my email, and could upload it for free through Amazon.

The Scorcery Code on Amazon

I was in a mood for a bit of escapism and this totally ticks all the "magic" boxes! (sic)

Who doesn't love a handsome hero who is a sorcerer as well, and who comes up with the best magic from The Spell Realm? It does not take long to be immersed in this totally different world with spell realms where a magical object appears in the human form of  beautiful Gala. The rest is fantasy, but the emotions and human conditions are real! I loved being transported to a different world, where the characters are introduced through the first person. It makes the reading experience intimate and believable!

I can't wait for the rest of the books in the series!

It is worth the audio commute read!

The pink house and the little sister

She has her own pink house which is far away. It is a light pink house. (Light pink is the favourite colour!)

Sometimes the house is as far away as London, and we will have to drive and drive and drive to get there...
Sometimes it is in the clouds, but she is adamant it is not like the "Up"-movie house with the balloons...

We are only allowed to come and visit when we are good! Mostly we are threatened that we won't be allowed!

She has a pink car as well, but it is too small for me to ride with her!

She has a little sister who is very small small. A tiny kind of small. She is younger, but it seems she knows stuff! The little sister stays in the pink house.

She has a number of dogs that stays at the house as well!

When she grows up to be in Grade R (the ultimate goal for a three-year old), she will be at University as well (where her sister is now).

Some of the stories that we are being told each day...


I hope her dreams only get bigger!