Stuart Ayris

Stuart Ayris has a wonderfully playful way with words which makes his work almost poetic.  It's certainly very creative and I enjoy it a great deal.

Tollesbury Time Forever

Link to Amazon.com   Tollesbury Time Forever

My review -

This book is unlike any I've read before. It's poetic, literary, beautiful but not in any stuffy way that would put you off. It's accessible, wise, clever and funny. It has given me insights into mental health issues I would never have considered before. Simon doesn't tell his doctor all that he sees or hears but just all that he feels his doctor can cope with. Now I'd not have thought of that.

There are things in Simon's past that have pushed him to where he is today. Zachariah Leonard is a character whose real identity I didn't see coming. The second part of this book is wonderfully written and in parts very poignant. It's a book to grab you by the heart and not let go. It is gripping, hard to put down and full of the author's own personal wisdom. I'm so glad I read it.

The Bird that Nobody Sees

Link to Amazon.com   The Bird that Nobody Sees

My review -

I will start with a disclaimer - I proof-read and copy-edited this book but I did it free of charge because I love and respect the author's work. I gain no advantage when the book makes a sale. Right, I like to be up-front about things. Now that's out of the way -

This book is full of the author's exuberant and optimistic philosophy of life. We read the story of Rod, technically a midget, and his wife, only just over the height requirement. He is unjustly imprisoned for a short time and comes out with a determination to take a life which changes when he meets an angel. He also meets with a very accepting group of friends in a doleful pub and is invited on a holiday weekend with them. They treat him as a friend and not as a figure of fun.

Those who have read Tollesbury Time Forever will be familiar with FRUGALITY - if you haven't you will meet with it here. It is an uplifting and wise way of looking at the world. Stuart Ayris has a wonderful way with words, creative, playful and most definitely his own. His work makes you feel better about yourself and more understanding of others. Stuart's many fans will gain a great deal of enjoyment from this book - and a longing for more. I certainly did!

A Cleansing of Souls

Link to Amazon.com  A Cleansing of Souls

My review -

I was very surprised to read that the author wrote this when aged only 22. It is a very mature piece of writing and details the stories of two damaged people as they briefly meet then go their separate ways. Stuart Ayris shows amazing wisdom and a depth of feeling in his work and his characterisations which touch the reader deeply but fall well short of being sentimental.

Tom is going through the angst of a young man, his parents through mid-life and job loss and the loss of their younger child. Poor Michael, a really lovely character, cannot shake himself free of his memories.

This is another unforgettable book from a talented new author. I really look forward to his next published work.