Here you can read the latest reviews of my historical, contemporary, poetry and kids books.
Reviews are like oxygen for an author. Without reviews, other readers might not find out about how wonderful a book is. If you enjoy an enjoyable read, please take a minute to summarize your thoughts. Below are some of the reviews I have received for my books from readers, bloggers, and the press.
THIS COMMENT: “there are some authors that I would also recommend as they produce books that are always at the top of my preorder list as soon as I know they are available and no I don’t even read the blurb – Angela Marsons, LJ Ross, James Oswald, Rachel Amphlett, Patricia Furstenberg and absolutely anything written by authors published by Orenda Books.” (Mandie Griffiths, JenMen Book Reviews)
Transylvania’s History A to Z: 100 Word Stories reviews:
“This book will take you on a journey through time.” (5 Stars, Bonnie Reads and Amazon Review)
“An informative history book and an imaginative and descriptive work of fiction.” (5 Stars Amazon Reader)
“An excellent read for anyone like me who loves history!” (5 Stars Amazon Review and on Paddy’s blog)
“You will always discover something new between the words.” (5 Stars Goodreads Review and on Miss Judy’s blog)
“I bought the paperback version of Patricia’s book and was delighted by the photos and the short stories.” (5 Stars Amazon Reader and on Dawn’s blog)
Reviews for contemporary fiction novel Silent Heroes – read the first pages on my blog here.
One of the first reviews I received for Silent Heroes came from the amazing Mandie Griffith blogging Jen Med Book Reviews.
Mandie said: ” I have been a fan of Patricia’s books for quite some time. The majority of what I have read has been children’s books very much focused around animals. She has a great way of capturing their personalities and characteristics that engages the reader no matter what their age. Silent Heroes is another one of those books…
Although this is a work of fiction there are truths to it that will tug at your heart. For anyone who has not read one of Patricia’s books then I would recommend this one.”
Silent Heroes made the list of “Best Books of 2019” as compiled by wonderful book blogger Mani at Mani’s Book Corner. She said: “I’ve not read many books about soldiers and service dogs in the army, but this is a wonderful read.T” and “This was a great read. I loved every page. I also learnt quite a few interesting things.”
You can read Mani’s review on her blog.
Sally of Smorgasbord Book reviews, always supportive and an avid reader wrote a heart-warming review that couldn’t be more true to the book. She said “I recommend that if you are unfamiliar with why and how the young men and women of our armies are involved in this conflict, that you read Silent Heroes. It is a way to honour their service, that of their canine brothers-in-arms, and the bravery of the Afghanistan population, trying to exist in a country torn apart by devastating conflict.” You can read her thoughts here.
A review that made my heart sing came from Jen from Books by Jen:
“I feel like, diving into this review, I need to give a little bit of my own background and viewpoint. My degree is in World History with an emphasis on the Modern Middle East. I was exceptionally happy to read a novel that dealt so expertly with terrorism in a way that avoided stereotypes and hatred. I applaud the research that went into writing, which speaks highly of the author herself.
The beauty of language is expertly navigated by Furstenberg. She weaves together the words in an almost poetic way despite the prose nature of the novel. The imagery weaves reality with an abstract view of the subject. She does this at multiple points and there were definitely passages I reread just for the pure beauty of the words.
I would also like to talk about Furstenberg’s portrayal of the people of Afghanistan. She makes sure to show them as people. While the Taliban are in the forefront as the enemy, she doesn’t hesitate to show how normal and, well, not evil the vast majority of these people are. First off, she makes sure to show that the people of Afghanistan actually condemn the actions of their Islamic extremists and that they are just trying to survive. They are mothers, daughters, sons, fathers, aunts, and uncles. They are people. It is far too common to portray Middle Easterners as all one unit of evil. It’s always refreshing to see a portrayal of a group of people as not only diverse and not part of an extreme evil but as a unique people. She mentions different groups/tribes in Afghanistan alone. It is so nice to see this exploration of a diverse culture that isn’t stereotypical and full of extreme inaccuracies and prejudices.
The relationship between the dog handlers and their dogs was a highlight of the book. The dogs were given such strong personalities and their connection to their handlers was beautifully portrayed. The story revolves around these relationships and their importance. It gives a deeper level of humanity to the story when the dogs themselves are so full of generosity, love, and kindness. It is a perfect portrayal of the animal’s spirit.
I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading war stories or who are animal lovers.”
You can read Jen’s entire review here.
Chrissu from Book Review Hub enjoyed the book so much that she created some amazing visuals to go with her review, here. She thought: “Silent Heroes makes you value more everything that you have right now, everyone that is close to you. It definitely struck a chord inside me as my father is in the military himself. Bravery like that is extremely rare nowadays. Selflessness even more so. Read Patricia’s book and think about it. Deeply and with honesty in your heart. Be true to yourself. You owe them that.”
Have read both books. Very different from each other but equally great https://t.co/kEH0AO9AiB
— Mandie (@mgriffiths163) February 22, 2021
“I’ve read some of Patricia’s work in the past, which is partially why I said yes to reviewing this trilogy of animal tales. The rest of the reason is because the animals are so cute! I particularly love The Elephant and Sheep… These books made me feel warm and fuzzy inside, and a reminder that despite all the negative news in the media there is kindness in the world, and sweet events really do happen.” Talented Nayu from Nayu’s Reading Corner gave my books 10E/10, E=epic read!
“The illustrations are sweet and cute and really drew my two years olds attention where as my five year old really took to the poems… This book is absolutely perfect for dog lovers and I loved the journey that the little puppy took in the first 12 months of it’s life.” You can find out what else Rachel and her children thought of Puppy on Rae Reads.
“How I love the wonderful descriptions that Patricia Furstenberg uses for the cheetah and the dog, I just have to use an example.
‘Two pointy ears with one long tail
Chased the flopping ones with a wiggly end.’
There is no doubt whatsoever about who is who in the story… This is a tale told in Africa based on a true friendship between the two animals. Just lovely. You can read Susan’s wonderful review here.
“The children I asked to read this story for my review were fired up by the power of petition and how, by joining forces, the able seamen in Patricia’s lovely novel are able to save the friendly great dane from a terrible fate. Joyful Trouble is a must read for all animal lovers and would make a wonderful gift for grandparents to read to grandchildren on visits.” – reviewed by talented children’s author Julia Thum on her website.
The Lion and the Dog – Book Review by wonderful Susan Hampson on her book blog, Books From Dusk Till Dawn: “This is a beautiful story and knowing that it really happened makes it even more special. It sends out a huge message that there are no limits to friendships no matter how different we all are. It is also about caring enough not to give up when someone is having a really terrible time” – do read the entire review here.
“Two unlikely animals become the best of friends despite their diverse physical differences. This is yet another excellent story from the author that special bonds can form between two completely different species. The rhyming is gentle and has a nice motion to it. I almost didn’t notice the rhyming because the story was so beautifully engaging.
Children will love the illustrations. They are delightfully simple and colourful. Both boys and girls will enjoy this wonderful friendship story from Patricia Furstenberg.” – read this entire review written by wonderful Jodie for Whispering Stories, here.
“The illustrations deserve special mention in this beautiful book; they are vibrant and superbly colourful but more than that, they are filled with a whole host of different creatures for children to point out. This adds a more interactive element to the reading experience and plenty of opportunity to expand the story and get creative – I love it!” – Amazon review by Bex, Top 500 Reviewer.
Puppy, 12 Months of Rhymes and Smiles – Book Review and Author Interview with lovely Jenn blogging at Readrantrockandroll:
5STARS: “This cute little children’s book follows a puppy through its first 12 months of life, through all the seasons, through Christmas and the New Year, and back to spring again. The story is told from the puppy’s point of view and includes colorful illustrations throughout.
We enjoyed reading this sweet book that highlights the importance of family and will influence children to cherish and care for their pets. It’s educational, and the format is easy enough for young readers, yet perfect for reading out loud with your kids as well.” – read more here.
Puppy,12 Months of Rhymes and Smiles, has the highest Rating on GoodReads – as read by lovely book reviewer Kerry, blogging at Chat About Books Website. Read more on “Are you on Goodreads.com? If so, did you join in with the 2017 challenge?” – on Chat About Books with lovely Kerry here.
“Besides entertaining, the story also educates children about how to deal with difficult situations. The story shows children that ‘Determination and faith …will always get you through the tough times.’ Joyful Trouble’s friends must ‘work together’ to resolve a problem thus exploring the importance of teamwork to neutralise conflict. ” Read the rest of this review by Jessie Cahalin on Books In My Handbag here.
“I cannot recommend Puppy enough to readers that want a fun and educational story to read to their children and eventually have those children reading it to them. I could honestly feel the love and attention to detail that Patricia poured into every page, and cannot imagine a child not loving this wonderful story!”
**** DANDELION INSPIRED BLOG
“My daughter loved this book. She enjoyed pointing out what was happening in the illustrations and listening to what the puppy got up to.
This is a great book for adults to share with their young ones time and time again. I certainly will.” ***** WHISPERINGSTORIES
“Puppy: 12 Months of Rhymes and Smiles will be sure to bring a long-lasting smile to all dog lovers for many years to come. I very much enjoyed Patricia Furstenberg’s look into the typical first year of a dog’s life, and am looking forward to reading more of her published works in the future.” ***** READERS FAVORITE
“Grown up or not, Puppy, 12 Months of Rhymes and Smiles is a must-read for children that will teach them love and tenderness towards animals.”***** NADANESSINMOTION
“It was sweet and fun to read to my two year old son. He liked listening to me reading the story out loud, and he also enjoyed looking at the adorable illustrations in the book. It’ll definitely be a story that will appeal to young readers (and parents with kids too young to really start reading yet).” ***** BOOK REVIEWS BY JASMINE
“This book is definitely aimed at younger children and will delight them as an adult reads it out loud to them. However any dog lover will also love this book and will no doubt smile as they do so.” ***** GILLY918
Find out for yourself why they all loved Puppy.
“I loved how the story of Joyful Trouble was spread over several days for the children, which is realistic to how bedtime stories are told. I liked how childlike Tommy is, and how Ana loved him despite his getting carried away in puddles. Being able to handle a dog helped her grandfather handle Tommy, and tell the magnificent tale of who Joyful Trouble was, why he was a special Navy dog, and what happened in the end which made me rather teary.” (10/10E, NAYU’S READING CORNER
“The characters are adorable, especially Tommy, whom I absolutely loved. He’s super cute and funny and makes the book light, whereas his sister Ana is the grown up one who keeps asking her grandfather to tell her more about Joyful Trouble and his adventures. Overall, Joyful Trouble is a must read for all ages.” NADANESS IN MOTION
“The writing and description of Furstenberg is delightful to read. It’s a story that can be read by children or read to children. I know a young child who loves dogs and she would really love this book. Adults can also read it and enjoy the story and adventures within. To find out what happens to Joyful Trouble you will have to find out for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.” ***** BOOKS ARE MY OBSESSION
Have read both books. Very different from each other but equally great https://t.co/kEH0AO9AiB
— Mandie (@mgriffiths163) February 22, 2021