A History of Herbalism: Cure, Cook and Conjure by Emma Kay - #BookReview

 

From the Introduction:

It is quite hard to define a herb; Rosalind Northcote described them thus: 'a herb is a plant, green and aromatic and fit to eat, but it is impossible to deny that there are several undoubted herbs that are not aromatic, a few more grey than green, and one or two unpalatable, if not unwholesome.'

So, there you have it - the definition, if somewhat vague and incomplete, of a herb in its simplest terms. Many books about herbs tend to include a myriad of miscellaneous plants and all the spices as well. This is probably because spices are often traditionally lumped together with herbs as generic medicines or culinary additions...

***

Food historian Emma Kay tells the story of our centuries-old relationship with herbs. From herbalists of old to contemporary cooking, this book reveals the magical and medicinal properties of your favourite plants in colourful, compelling detail. At one time, every village in Britain had a herbalist. 

A History of Herbalism investigates the lives of women and men who used herbs to administer treatment and knew the benefit of each. Meet Dr Richard Shephard of Preston, who cultivated angelica on his estate in the eighteenth century for the sick and injured; or Nicholas Culpeper, a botanist who catalogued the pharmaceutical benefits of herbs for early literary society. 

But herbs were not only medicinal. Countless cultures and beliefs as far back as prehistoric times incorporated herbs into their practices: paganism, witchcraft, religion and even astrology. Take a walk through a medieval physick' garden, or Early Britain, and learn the ancient rituals to fend off evil powers, protect or bewitch or even attract a lover. 

The wake of modern medicine saw a shift away from herbal treatments, with rituals and spells shrouded with superstition as the years wore on. The author reveals how herbs became more culinary rather than medicinal including accounts of recent trends for herbal remedies as lockdown and the pandemic leads us to focus more on our health and wellbeing.

***

I was fortunate enough to be gifted an advance publication copy of this book from NetGalley. Having read it, I now intend to purchase a copy as I can foresee myself dipping in and out of it in the future. It is packed full of information and I particularly enjoyed the history surrounding herbs and their uses.

As a post-graduate historian Ms. Kay has presented her material in a knowledgeable and accessible style. She has researched her subject thoroughly and presents her material by dividing the book into three sections which are preceded by an informative introduction which is well worth reading.

On a personal note, I particularly enjoyed reading about James Murrell from whom I am a descendant. Her chapters relating to cunning folk and their practices were fascinating.

She gives equal attention to the way in which herbs have been used in medicine and culinary purposes. There are plenty of recipes along with an exhaustive list of the ways that herbs can be used in healing. She lists their individual properties and their practical applications.

A thoroughly interesting book which I recommend highly.

ISBN: 978 1399008952

Publisher: Pen & Sword

Formats: Hardback

No. of Pages: 224

About the Author:

Emma is a post-graduate historian and former senior museum worker. Now a food historian, author, and prolific collector of Kitchenalia, she is a member of The Guild of Food Writers. Her articles have appeared in publications including BBC History Magazine, The Daily Express, Daily Mail, Times Literary Supplement and The Victorian Review. She has featured on numerous national and international radio programmes and podcasts and contributed historic food research for several TV production companies.

During 2021 Emma cooked and presented a selection of historic dishes from the Regency era to accompany a new CTVC series for Channel 4 and was interviewed and filmed demonstrating Medieval cooking techniques for a documentary series on KBS-TV in South Korea.

In 2020 Emma created a Roman banquet and presented the origins and influences of Roman cooking for Channel 5 series Walking Britain’s Roman Roads.

At the end of 2019 Emma appeared as an expert contributor across several episodes of Channel 5 series, Britain’s Lost Battlefields.

In 2018 she appeared in a ten-part series for the BBC and Hungry Gap Productions, The Best Christmas Food Ever and on BBC Countryfile, co-presenting a feature exploring the heritage of the black pear with Anita Rani.

(author photo courtesy of Linked In

bio info courtesy of the publisher

ARC courtesy of NetGalley)

Reading Roundup - June 2022

 

I love the month of June when the roses are at their best. Their varied shape, colour and fragrance are wonderful and a joy to behold. It is lovely to have the windows open and to have the beautiful aroma creeping in.

It has been a busy month beginning with the Queen's Jubilee celebrations which were lovely. In addition, I have also had a birthday and a canal boat trip in Berkshire.

It has also been a good month for reading and here are the books that I read.

Books I Have Read

Silas Marner by George Eliot - This was my book group read for the month and it was enjoyed by all.

The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore - I enjoyed reading this. My review is written and I will be uploading it very soon.

The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay by Julie Brooks - I read this as part of the blog tour and was one of my favourites reads this month. You can find my review by clicking here.

While You Were Reading by Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus - This was such a fun and entertaining read. My review will be up very soon.

Cheat Play Live by Lisa Edwards - This was a fascinating insight into the authors path of self discovery. You can read my review by clicking here.

Hope: A History of the Future by G.G. Kellner - This was an interesting book and you can read my review by clicking here. The author also featured as my guest on the Desert Island Books slot and you can read all about the eight books that she would take to a desert island by clicking here.

A History of Herbalism: Cook Cure Conjure by Emma Kay - I enjoyed reading this non-fiction book very much. You can read my review by clicking here.

A Silent Voice Speaks by Trishna Singh - I learnt so much about Sikhism from reading this book. You can read my review by clicking here.

Maus: 1 & 2 by Art Spiegelman - This was my first venture into graphic novels. My review will be uploaded shortly.

A Midlife Holiday by Cary J. Hansson - The first in an eagerly anticipated trilogy. You can read my review by clicking here.

House Boy by Lorenzo DeStefano - This powerful book was my favourite this month. You can read my review of this fantastic book by clicking here.

The Appeal by Janice Hallett - I literally finished this last night. It was a fantastically original books and I will be writing my review very soon.

Books I Did Not Finish

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman - I borrowed this from the library and it just was not my cup of tea. However, my husband had a read of it and thought it was great.

Murders at the Winterbottom Women's Institute by Gina Kirkham - I really wanted to love this book but it just did not happen for me. I did feature it as one of my Tuesday Teaser slots which you can read here if you would like to know more about the book.

Books I am Partway Through

The Redeemer by Victoria Goldman

Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie

The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay by Julie Brooks - #BookReview #BlogTour

 

Rose scrambled down the bank in a storm of sand, arms flailing and legs protesting. Funny how her legs didn't work as well as they had once. Inside she still felt like the girl who had landed on these shores forty years ago, yet her body resembled an old woman's more each year. Sometimes, catching a flicker reflected in a window, she didn't recognise herself.

Reaching level ground, she shook the sand from her shoes, before settling the canvas hold-all on her shoulder and looking up to see the bay spread before her like a half-moon of glittering blue, Cape Bridgewater jutting into the ocean to the west with rugged Cape Nelson and its lighthouse rising to the east. 

***

England, 1919: Rose and Ivy board a ship bound for Australia.

One is travelling there to marry a man she has never met.

One is destined never to arrive.

Australia, 2016: Amongst her late-grandmother's possessions, Molly uncovers a photograph of two girls dressed in First World War nurses' uniforms, labelled 'Rose and Ivy 1917', and a letter from her grandmother, asking her to find out what happened to her own mother, Rose, who disappeared in the 1960s.

Compelled to carry out her grandmother's last wish, Molly embarks on a journey to England to unravel the mystery of the two girls whose photograph promised they'd be 'together forever' . . .

***

I love a dual time line novel. Partly, because I am fascinated by the connection that the present has with the past, and also because I think it is exceptionally difficult to pull off successfully. Julie Brooks has achieved this incredibly well, and I enjoyed reading every word of this book very much.

Furthermore, it is a book of secrets and is full of twists and turns, many of which I had not anticipated. It made for an interesting and intriguing reading experience as little by little the secrets of the past are revealed.

The characters were all well portrayed, and as an amateur genealogist myself, I could identify with Molly who was attempting to join the dots between herself and her ancestors. Ivy, whose story was set in the earlier time frame was a wonderful character and I thoroughly enjoyed reading how the author developed her character.

This is Ms. Brooks debut historical fiction novel for adults and I am looking forward to reading more of her work. Her next novel, The Keepsake, is due for release in the UK in January 2023.

I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. I would love to hear your thoughts if you read it.

ISBN: 978 1472279163

Publisher: Headline Review

Formats: e-book, audio, paperback and hardback

No. of Pages: 400 (paperback)

About the Author:

Julie Brooks was born in Brisbane, Australia, but has lived most of her life in Melbourne. She taught English and Drama in secondary schools before working as an editor of children’s magazines. She has been a full-time author since 1999 and is the author of several young adult novels as well as children’s fiction and non-fiction. The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay is her first novel writing as Julie Brooks.  

(author photo and bio. info. courtesy of the publisher

ARC courtesy NetGalley)

Desert Island Books by G. G. Kellner

 

Hello and welcome back to Desert Island Books on the blog. I am thrilled to have G. G. Kellner joining us this month.

You may remember that I reviewed Gayle's book, Hope: A History of the Future, a couple of weeks ago. If you would like to read my review you can do so by clicking here. You can also find some interesting information all about Gayle herself.

The newly released book Hope, A History of the Future imagines a peaceful, just, verdant future world that could arise. It is a novel based on scientific projections and historical precedence. 

Gayle, how do you think you would manage life on a desert island?

It’s not often that being a nerdy introvert is handy, but I think I’d love being on a desert island with eight of my favourite books! I actually live on an island in real life and love it. Of course, I’m not here entirely alone. This is a fun question for me too because some of the characters in my book Hope, A History of the Future get stranded on a deserted island! 

If the imaginary island had a good swimming hole, a hammock in the shade, and a few fruit trees I’d settle in happily with my books for quite a while. My nerdy side is about to be exposed. 

The History of the World by J.M. Roberts &Odd Arne Westad

At 1260 pages with five dozen maps History of the World is large enough to double as a pup-tent. I am currently rereading this for the second time (it took me a year and half the first time.) It is a fascinating account of what we know of the beginnings of humankind from prehistory 600,000 years ago to the present. It is organised in such a way that the reader is taken on a spiralling path around and around the world stopping at each continent and civilisation as the authors wind up and around the globe chronologically moving forward in time. The first-time I read this book it knit together history for me like a patchwork quilt. I began to comprehend how historical events and civilisations are deeply intertwined. At four inches thick it will also make a good weapon or a decent pillow. 

Encyclopedias Brittanica

First you must know, I have trouble with insomnia sometimes. I love reading old encyclopedias just before bed or if I wake in the night. The internet has pretty well made encyclopedias obsolete but there is no better way for me to pass an hour or two than filling my head with nearly useless and certainly out of date information like the population of Nebraska in 1950 (1,327,000; I wouldn’t have guessed that high). Or I can wonder around the topography of Italy, climbing the hills of Tuscany in my mind. I especially like the set of encyclopedias I inherited from my grandmother. I can find out the major exports of long forgotten countries and the names of little remembered now dead presidents. Nothing seems quite as serious through the filter of time. And when I’m done reading them all I can make them into the deck of a raft. 

A Dictionary

Yeah, a big one. One that can double as a footstool. My current toe stubber is The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language third edition by Houghton Mifflin. I really like it because it has little pictures. Like the one I’m looking at right now of two flamenco dancers intertwined mid-step. On the opposite page is a long-legged flamingo bird (before I looked, I thought these were the same words!) When I’m not learning new words, I can stand on top of it and look far out to sea or reach that perfectly ripe avocado. If a fellow castaway was to wash up, we would be able to play Scrabble with a reliable word referee.  

Love & Math: The Heart of Hidden Reality by Edward Frenkel

I was over 50 years old when I learned that I loved math. I like it so much, if I live long enough, I may be tempted to get a degree in mathematics someday. So, if I was stuck on a desert island I’d wake up and read this book in the morning right after a refreshing swim. The inner workings and mysteries of math and the world around us is so much more interesting than most teachers in school ever let you know.  

Hope: A History of the Future & A Blank Book

Books five and six would have to be a copy of my own book Hope, A History of the Future and a blank book. I could probably spend years reworking parts that I currently think could be better and if nothing else it would make a good fire starter. In the blank book, I could write the sequel to Hope, A History of the Future. I’d have to choose my words carefully. With no word processors, I’d likely be writing it with a homemade charcoal pencil like the character Mia in my story.  

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey

I haven’t read this in years, but it is on the top of my “read again” list. I remember being mesmerised by his descriptions of nature and the small things which I’m guessing by month four or five on a desert island would begin to take on a whole new significance. 

Thirst by Mary Oliver

I could easily just bring poetry books and forget everything else! So, for my last selection I would have to bring a book from one of my favourite poets Mary Oliver. I think I’d bring Thirst. It seems a fitting title for a companion book on a desert island. How many things one can thirst for besides water? Quite a few I bet! In this book is one of my all-time favourite poems, The Uses of Sorrow, which I included (with special permission from Mary Oliver’s estate) in Hope, A History of the Future. It is very short. Like a kaon, it could be something to think about whilst sitting in the sand day after day,

“A friend once gave me a box full of darkness 

It took me years to understand 

that this too was a gift” -Mary Oliver 

*

Now that I've made this list I don’t think one lifetime is enough for me on a desert island! I’m going to go find my swimming suit and start building a raft. 

I love the way that many of your choices have a practical element too.  Thank you, Gayle, for sharing your choices.

If you are an author and would be interested in taking part, then please get in touch by emailing me at leftontheshelf1@gmail.com.

In the Heart of Hidden Things by Kit Whitfield - #CoverLove

 Hello and welcome to this week's cover love feature. And isn't this cover absolutely gorgeous? It is being published today and I suspect that the cover alone will have many of us reaching for it.

I am looking forward to reading this. Watch this space. I hope to be back with a review very soon.

Everyone knows that if you fall afoul of the People, you must travel the miles to Gyrford, where uncounted generations of fairy-smiths have protected the county with cold iron, good counsel and unvarnished opinions about your common sense.

But shielding the weak from the strong can make enemies. Ephraim Brady has money and power, and the bitter will to hurt those who cross him. And if he can’t touch elder farrier Jedediah Smith, he can harm those the Smiths care about. 

The Smiths care about Tobias Ware, born on a night when the blazing fey dog Black Hal roared past the Wares' gate. Tobias doesn't understand the language or laws of men, and he can't keep away from the Bellame woods, where trespass is a hanging offence. If Toby is to survive, he needs protection. 

It should be a manageable job. Jedediah Smith has a head on his shoulders, and so too (mostly) does his son Matthew. Only Matthew's son John has turned out a little… uncommon. But he means well. 

It wasn’t his fault the bramble bush put on a berry-head and started taking offence. Or that Tobias upset it. But John’s not yet learned that if you follow the things other folk don’t see, they might drag those you love into the path of ruin.

Cheat Play Live by Lisa Edwards - #BookReview - #BlogTour

 

If you're spending your honeymoon in a motorhome, driving around New Zealand, New Brighton Beach is a good place to start. It's not the most beautiful beach, but it's not far from Christchurch and you can reset your body clock after a long-haul flight. It's the perfect place to plan the weeks ahead in a local pub and wake up on your first morning for a romantic walk on the long beach and a coffee sitting in the dunes.

That is, of course, unless you've married the wrong man.

There were no rose petals or champagne breakfasts on our honeymoon. Instead, the two of us woke up in a motorhome bed, feeling wretched. Graham knew he'd gone too far and put his arm around my shoulders as we crested the dunes that backed the beach. He never did that normally - he said it made his arm hurt.

***

Lisa is looking for love, freedom and absolution on the beaches of the world. Grieving for the loss of her parents, married to the wrong man and stuck in a toxic work situation, she has become increasingly dependent on alcohol to numb her pain. After using a dating site for married people, she decides to leave her husband, believing that the grass is greener on the other side. But no one is waiting in the wings to claim her – only younger men looking for an older-woman experience.

Lisa roams the beaches of the world looking for love but in Goa, she discovers yoga, a sober life and a tribe of inspirational women who show her a new path to self-love and independence, breaking the lock on the secret she's been keeping inside her since she was a little girl.

So when The Most Handsome Man in Goa walks into her life, Lisa must decide if her new-found solo freedom is worth holding onto.

***

I enjoyed reading this book and getting to know Lisa very much. She relates her story in a warts 'n' all manner, which in itself, illustrates her bravery and honesty.

She breaks her story down into three parts, represented by its title. This made for an easy to read book which is both an engaging and interesting memoir. Lisa is a fascinating woman who has accomplished many things through her bravery and courage to face up to life and therefore achieve.

I loved reading about her travels and who wouldn't feel a little jealous as she describes the beautiful beaches upon which she walked? Each description was an emotive experience for her. She was doing much more than having a holiday. For Lisa, she was discovering more about herself than merely enjoying her surroundings.

I think that there are aspects of her story that many women will be able to relate to. I am full of admiration for her ability to remove herself from a marriage and career that the rest of the world would interpret as successful.

This candid tale is uplifting in the way that she lays her path to self-discovery out for all to see. She is inspirational and something I have taken away from reading this is the importance that we should all place on being true to ourselves rather than living up to the expectations placed upon us.

Bravo Lisa, for telling your story and helping women realise that we do not have to live up to the expectations of others all the time.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about strong women, travel and self-realisation.

ISBN: 978 1739934019

Publisher: Redwood Tree Publishing

Formats: e-book, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages: 252 (paperback)

About the Author:

Lisa Edwards is a former publisher who is now a freelance writer, editor, agent and yoga teacher. She grew up in North Wales, but has lived mostly in southeast England. She lives in Worthing, West Sussex, where she lives alone and walks by the sea every day. She splits her time between the UK and India. 

Murders at the Winterbottom Women's Institute by Gina Kirkham - #bookextract #blogtour

 

The Blurb

It’s a quiet English village—except for one crazed murderer—in this delightful romp by the author of the Constable Mavis Upton series.

Librarian Prunella Pearce has left heartbreak behind to start a new life in the village of Winterbottom, where there’s little social life to be had aside from the meetings of The Winterbottom Women’s Institute at the parish hall.

But a bit of excitement ensues when the group is about to elect a new president—and the nominees for the position begin dropping like flies. One is found facedown in a lemon drizzle cake, stabbed with a crochet needle. Another nearly dies spectacularly in the revolving doors of a Harrogate hotel. When Pru and her friend Bree agree to do some undercover snooping to help the police, little do they know that one of the Winterbottom women is hiding a scandalous secret . . .

Extract

The whiteness crunched underfoot, a sound that Maisie found quite comforting. She quickly took her eyes from the ground, raised her head and tilted her chin to look ahead. It momentarily hurt, making her blink rapidly. The whiteness had no end. It stretched from the carefully crafted stone edges of Magdalen House, across the vast gardens, over the boundary hedges and then draped itself on the bare branches of the dense trees in Winterbottom Woods.

She could almost imagine her life being completely white.

No darkness.

No fear.

No desperation.

Just white.

She bent down, her small fingers curled around the icy cold snow, patting it into a little ball. Once it was the right shape and size she took aim. Bringing her arm back, she tested her own flexibility before launching it at a squirrel that had until that moment been sitting unaware of her on the fence, a small acorn between its paws. The snowball missed, but it was enough to startle it. The grey flash disappeared over the hedge, leaving the top of its foraged nut peeping out from the snow.

She wasn’t sure why she had done that. Now she was alone again. It was only a squirrel, but better some company than none at all. She glanced back to look at the windows of Magdalen House. They were the eyes of her world.

Sometimes they allowed her to see out.

Sometimes they looked out to see her.

Like today.

Today they were watching her.

She turned her back, not wanting to see their disapproval, not wanting to feel their wrath.

***

A Midlife Holiday by Cary J Hansson - #BookReview

 

"Stevie Nicks is a Legend!"

"What?" Daisy, who sat nearest the door and whose job it should have been to say this coded warning, looked up, eyes blanks as buttons.

"Stevie Nicks," Helen hissed again, "is a legend!" She already had her coat on, ready to go home, and her arms were filled with a bouquet of M&S Finest Seasonal Blooms, a bottle of Bucks Fizz and a box of Honey Dust Kissable Body Powder. Still she managed to jab her elbow in the direction of the corridor.

The penny dropped. Daisy grabbed her mug, making a show of drinking from it. So did Anne. And Tina. Then, along with Helen, they all turned and beamed at Dr Ross, who was now standing in the doorway having seemingly forgotten why she was there.

***

She wanted a change. But will a girls' trip to the Mediterranean recapture her joy?

Helen Winters worries the walls are closing in. With her children grown and her selfish husband absent on her fiftieth birthday, she regrets not taking the exciting paths she dreamed about in her youth. So when a well-meaning gift reveals a depressing image of her future, she takes a leap of faith and jets off to Cyprus with two lifelong friends.

Basking in the glorious sunshine and crystal-blue waters while enjoying the attention of handsome men, Helen starts to feel truly alive. But her best friend isn't in Cyprus for the sunshine, and when Helen learns the true reason, tensions threaten their lifelong bond and she fears nothing will ever be the same again.

Can she shake off years of disappointment and claim well-deserved happiness?

***

Three long established best friends, Helen, Caro and Kay know and understand each other really well. However, when they all go on a girls holiday to Cyprus, things take an unusual turn.  They discover things about each other that surprises them all, and the author dealt with this exceptionally well.

In the characters of all three women we can see aspects that we can either identify with, or know someone a bit like them. It is this ability to be able to identify with them that made this both an engaging and worthwhile book to read.

It is very much a character led novel which is driven ahead with excellent dialogue as well as wonderful descriptions. I would challenge anyone who, having read this, does not want to immediately jump on a plane and sit on a Cyprus beach. 

The author excellently describes women of middle age and the feeling that there are still so many things that they each wanted to achieve, but have not been able to due to various responsibilities they have toward careers and families.

This is a highly engaging book which I enjoyed from start to finish and strongly recommend it. I am also delighted to discover that this is the first in a planned trilogy. A Midlife Baby is due to be published in November of this year and I can hardly wait.

ISBN: 978 9198758733

Publisher: Hansson Publishing

Format: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 318 (paperback)

About the Author:

Cary grew up in the UK, but now lives in Sweden. After a varied career that saw her tap-dancing in a pantomime and selling towels on shopping channels, she settled down to write contemporary fiction. She swims in the Baltic year round, stands on her head once a day and enjoys Merlot over Shiraz.

(author photo courtesy of the authors Twitter page and ARC courtesy of NetGalley)

New Releases in July 2022

 

Casting my eye about for royalty free pictures for the header of this post I came across this gorgeous photograph. Details of the photographer are below, and I am sure you will agree that it is perfect for July.

Here are my favourite top ten new releases and I hope that you will find a book that tickles your reading fancy from this list of books being released in July, and with school holidays looming there are a couple for our younger readers. 

Happy summer reading to you all.

The Lost Song of Paris by Sarah Steele

1941. Darkness descends over London as the sirens begin to howl and the bombs rain down. Devastation seeps from every crack of the city. In the midst of all the chaos is a woman gripping a window ledge on the first floor of a Baker Street hotel. She is perched, ready to jump. And as flames rise around her, she is forced to take her chances.

1997. Amy Novak has lost the two great loves in her life: her husband, Michael, and her first love, music. With the first anniversary of Michael's death approaching, Amy buries herself in her job as an archivist. And when a newly declassified file lands on her desk, she is astonished to uncover proof that Agent 'Colette' existed - a name spoken only in whispers; an identity so secret that it has never been verified.

Her discovery leads her to MI6 'godmother' Verity Cooper - a woman with secrets of her own - and on to the streets of Paris where she will uncover a story of unimaginable choices, extraordinary courage and a love that will defy even the darkest days of World War Two . . .

Blind Dates by Gordon Macmillan

Is true love just a few dates away ... or even closer than you think?

Tom has always been a hopeless romantic: but now he's just hopeless. After lockdown in particular made the millennial a reclusive introvert, it was finally time to get back 'out there' - at least according to his best friends Adam, Allison, Josh and sister Sarah.

As the group sets up ten miracle dates to rejuvenate Tom's love life, he soon realises how difficult the dating scene has become, along with juggling his Shakespearean-themed café on the side and a hobby of romantic mixtape making.

As the dates continue to turn into disasters, an old flame keeps reappearing in Tom's sight - along with bittersweet memories. Fearing it may be too little too late, Tom must decide whether he can date his way to happiness, or find his true match was under his nose the whole time...

Deception by Lesley Pearse

What happens when the person closest to you has led a life of deception?

After the funeral of her mother, Sally, Alice Kent is approached by a man named Angus Tweedy. He claims to be her father and tells her that he served time in prison for marrying Sally bigamously.

What does he hope to gain by telling her this now, thirty years on? How can her adored dad Ralph not be her true father? And why did her mother betray her so badly?

She had accepted Sally's many faults, and her reluctance to ever speak of the past. But faced with this staggering deception, Alice knows she must uncover the whole truth about her mother.

Whatever the cost.

As Alice journeys into the past she discovers her mother may never have been the woman she claimed to be . . .

The Extraordinary Voyage of Katy Willacott by Sharon Gosling

Living among the flowers and ferns of Kew Gardens, Katy has always dreamed of more – of the sky and the stars and the sea. Unfortunately for Katy, her father doesn’t understand. He says young girls should be content to stay at home, not go off gallivanting around the world.

So when news reaches London of a meteorite falling in the faraway land of Brazil and an expedition being put together to find it, Katy knows it’s her chance to follow her dreams and prove her father wrong. And winning a place on the trip is just the start of her extraordinary voyage on the trail of a fallen star…

A thrilling historical adventure from the author of THE HOUSE OF HIDDEN WONDERS, perfect for fans of Katherine Woodfine, Lucy Worsley, Jennifer Bell and Robin Stevens.

The Woman Underwater by Penny Goetjen

No one disappears without a trace....

Don't try to tell Victoria Sands that time heals all wounds. It doesn't work that way for a woman who's lost her husband the way she did. She was never able to say goodbye. Never able to arrange a memorial. Receive friends at the service. Write thank-you notes for the flowers and donations sent in his name. Because it didn't happen that way.

Victoria's husband never returned home at the end of a work day. And no one seems to know what happened to him.

In the seven years since his disappearance, no witnesses have stepped forward and no credible evidence has been collected-not even his car. The few tenuous leads the police had are now ice cold. He simply vanished on a field trip with the private boarding school where he taught behind stone walls-the same school their son now attends.

But someone has to know what happened. And that someone may be closer to Victoria than she realizes.

The Misunderstanding of Charity Brown by Elizabeth Laird

Inspired by award-winning author's Elizabeth Laird's own childhood growing up in post-war London, The Misunderstandings of Charity Brown is a classic coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of The Skylarks' War and I Capture the Castle.

Charity Brown’s life is about to change – her family have been left a huge, rambling house by a mysterious benefactor, and her parents want to move in and throw open its doors to the needy.

Only recently back from hospital after months of isolation with polio, Charity is over-protected and lonely as the only child still at home. Her family are very religious – her sisters are called Faith and Hope, and her brother Ted is studying to be a preacher – so she's both excited and nervous at the thought of sharing her family and new home with strangers.

It’s a recipe for confusion, joy and endless misunderstandings, including with the new neighbours, an Austrian family with a daughter just Charity’s age . . .

A Mother's Fight by Libby Ashworth

Will love be enough to protect her children?

After her husband Jack is transported to Australia as a convict, Hannah and her children are sent to the workhouse. Hearing nothing from Jack and believing he’s dead, Hannah reluctantly agrees to marry widower Ellis Duxbury.

But her children must remain in the workhouse, and when they are sent away as apprentices, it’s up to Hannah to track them down.

On Christmas Eve, Hannah is blessed with a miracle when Jack returns to the village. Yet more trouble lies ahead as Hannah is arrested, accused of bigamy and threatened with deportation herself. Having fought so long for her and her children’s freedom, Hannah must once more dig deep to keep her family together.

 

Beyond a Broken Sky by Suzanne Fortin

Some secrets are better left buried...

2022. Stained-glass expert Rhoda Sullivan is called to Telton Hall to examine a window designed by an Italian prisoner of war during WW2. It should be a quick job but when she and the owner's son, Nate Hartwell, discover a body underneath one of the flagstones in the chapel, Rhoda cannot let the mystery go. She knows what it's like to miss someone who is missing – her twin brother disappeared just before their eighteenth birthday, and she has been looking for him for nearly a decade. But when the threats start, it's clear someone doesn't want the secrets of Telton Hall to come to light.

1945. Alice Renshaw is in trouble. Pregnant and alone she is sent away to hide her shame and taken in by Louise Hartwell who has a farm in Somerset worked by prisoners of war. As the weeks pass, Alice finds solace in new friendships, but not everyone at Telton Hall is happy about it. And even though peace has been declared in Europe, the war at home is only just beginning...

Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

A propulsive and dazzling debut novel set against the backdrop of the Chinese Exclusion Act, about a Chinese girl fighting to claim her place in the 1880s American West

Daiyu never wanted to be like the tragic heroine for whom she was named, revered for her beauty and cursed with heartbreak. But when she is kidnapped and smuggled across an ocean from China to America, Daiyu must relinquish the home and future she imagined for herself. Over the years that follow, she is forced to keep reinventing herself to survive. From a calligraphy school, to a San Francisco brothel, to a shop tucked into the Idaho mountains, we follow Daiyu on a desperate quest to outrun the tragedy that chases her. As anti-Chinese sentiment sweeps across the country in a wave of unimaginable violence, Daiyu must draw on each of the selves she has been-including the ones she most wants to leave behind-in order to finally claim her own name and story.

Perfectly Ordinary People by Nick Alexander

In occupied France, two people sacrificed everything. Now their granddaughter has come looking for the truth…

Ruth’s childhood was a happy one, and her family—on her mother’s side—large and loving. But her father’s French origins have always remained a mystery. Now, with aged relatives beginning to die, Ruth decides to research her father’s family before it’s too late.

When she discovers a series of long-lost cassettes, everything she thought she knew about them shatters. The tapes expose an unimaginable truth – an epic wartime story of hidden love and sacrifice, stretching back to occupied France.

These long-buried confessions will rock Ruth’s family—and finally piece together the puzzle of her father’s heritage. But are any of them ready for the truth?

     

(header image courtesy of @iriser/unsplash)

Festival in Time by Tracey Scott-Townsend - #TuesdayTeaser

Hello and welcome to this week's Tuesday Teaser. The place where we take a sneaky peek at a book that has caught my eye.

This week we are looking at Festival in Time by Tracey Scott-Townsend.

This looks like being a fascinating book which I hope to be reading and reviewing very soon. In the meantime, here is a short introduction to whet your appetite.

The Blurb

At the Great Western Express Music Festival in Bardney, Lincolnshire, 16 year old Annette Woods abandons her sisterly responsibilities in favour of a tryst with Justin, an up-and-coming folk musician.

Meanwhile 13 year old Janie has a public meltdown, unwittingly instigating a racially-motivated attack on her new friends by the on-duty constabulary.

The injustice inspires Justin there and then to change his career path from music to politics.

Fast forward more than forty years.

Annette and Janie are called home to Lincolnshire to look after their sick mother. There they unearth childhood resentments but also prove the indelibility of their bond, when Annette makes a reckless choice that turns out to be the best thing for both sisters.

For Justin Citizen, too.

Now the Leader of the Opposition, his recurring dreams of an island of sanctuary are propelled into action when a provocative news headline prompts him to make a momentous decision of his own. That same headline is the catalyst that finally brings him back together with Annette, the girl at the festival who he has never forgotten.

Festival in Time explores how home can turn out to be something different than what we imagined, how family is not always put together traditionally, and how politics can be pursued in ways other than on the Party tour bus.

In the Beginning...

Annette, 1972

The weather forecast was for rain and more rain, after a long sunny spell. Mum had actually banned me from going to the festival, but wild horses wouldn’t keep me away. Sure, I’d have to miss the Friday night bands but I’d still get to see Genesis. They were my favourite group of all time. 

Looking back, I should’ve gone on my own. If I had, our whole lives would have turned out different. 

If you’d ever met my little sister Janie, you might have understood why me taking her along could turn out to be a really bad idea. 

But whatever. 

I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. My best friend Mary had chickened out when her mum threatened to cut off all her hair if she defied her. 

So Janie was the only option I had left. 

I was indulging in a fantasy about meeting Peter Gabriel backstage when Janie appeared at the top of the stairs, toilet flush muffled by the carefully closed door behind her (well done, Janie). I watched as she neatly sidestepped the same creaks I had on the stairs – looking suspiciously as if she’d also done this before. 

I helped her into her backpack. 

I’d put the flask and sandwiches in there the night before along with my extra jumper. She looked at me sideways and pulled in a shivering breath. 

‘All right,’ she said. ‘I’m doing this. I’m going to a music festival.’ She looked at me properly then and nodded, fringe falling back into her eyes. Normally she didn’t go out of the house at weekends unless it was to the library. 

I wondered if she’d still be playing with her dolls on Monday. The only band she’d ever heard of at the festival was a brand new one called Roxy Music. It would be their first festival performance, but her best friend was a second cousin of one of the band members and it was one of the ways I’d managed to persuade Janie to come as we’d whispered in the dark the night before. I’d said she could get a souvenir of some sort for Sally. 

Hope: A History of the Future by G.G. Kellner - #BookReview

 

The clatter of something falling in the library startled Joyce, who was in the kitchen making a cup of tea. She went to investigate. Through the old wavy glass panes of the French doors that separated the library from the rest of the timeworn house, she saw a large book lying face down in the middle of the room.

It was a completely quiet afternoon - not a breath of wind outside, no music playing inside. No one else was in the house besides her daughter Grace, home from school sick, sleeping in her bedroom. Their cat, Plato, curled in his favourite library chair, seemed unconcerned by the noise or the large book on the floor.

***

One quiet afternoon in 2037, Joyce Denzell hears a thud in her family’s home library and finds a book lying in the middle of the room, seemingly waiting for her―a book whose copyright page says it was published in the year 2200. Over the next twenty-four hours, each of the Denzell family members discovers and reads from this mystical history book from the future, nudged along by their cat, Plato.

As the various family members take turns reading, they gradually uncover the story of Gabe, Mia, and Ruth—a saga of adventure, endurance, romance, mystery, and hope that touches them all deeply. Along the way, the Denzells all begin to believe that this book that has seemingly fallen out of time and space and into their midst might actually be from the future—and that it might have something vitally important to teach them.

Engaging, playful, and thought-provoking, Hope is a seven-generation-spanning vision of the future as it could be—based on scientific projections, as well as historical and legal precedence—that will leave readers grappling with questions of destiny, responsibility, and the possibility for hope in a future world.

***

I am confessing from the outset that I was drawn to this book because of the cute cat on the cover.

Anyone who has been following my blog for more than about a week will know that I can be easily seduced into reading a book solely by the prettiness of its cover. And if it has an animal, books or a pretty dress on then it is in my basket before I can say "whoops." 

My son argues that for every new book I bring into the house, I should relieve my overburdened bookshelves of one and send it to the charity shop. Yeah right! Never going to happen! I love my books too much for that, although I do have the occasional cull and donate those books to the library. Anyhow, this book was gifted to me as an early reading copy from the lovely people at NetGalley and, therefore, it does not have to go on my crowded book shelves and so it does not fit his theory.

This is very much a book within a book as it demonstrates various members of a family reading a book which mysteriously appears, and therefore, we also get to read the book verbatim alongside them.

The premise of the book is an interesting one, and I was keen to read it. The idea of a book from the future which explains how the world will progress is an exciting concept. When the book, The History of the World To the Best of Our Knowledge, Researched and Compiled for the Hall of Records by The World Council Committee for Remembrance Published 2220, appears to Joyce from nowhere she, of course, wants to read it.

What I did not quite understand was why the whole family, who find the book at various points, are so reluctant to share it with one another. Perhaps, I just missed the point with that aspect.

However, the actual book, Hope, felt like it was two very different books. The contents of the mysterious book flowed really well and were pleasing to read. Interestingly, the parts with the family felt more stilted, as though they were included solely as a vehicle for portraying the book from the future, but this is more of an observation than a criticism. I almost felt the author would have presented a better book if she had just told the story of the futuristic book.

Having said that, I did love the cat, who has an intriguing part to play. There are some enjoyable aspects of the book and please do not let my earlier comments deter you from reading it. As I have said on many occasions, reading is a very subjective experience.  Hope has some good things to offer, so please do read it and I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts.

ISBN: 978 1684631230

Publisher: Spark Press

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 336 (paperback)

About the Author:

G. G. Kellner is a writer, an artist, a poet, and an educator. Her major focus over the last few years has been the completion of her book  Hope, A History of the Future in which she envisions a world seven generations into the future in which we have solved the some of the major social, political and environmental crisis of our time.  

Her essays, letters, and poems have appeared in Utne Magazine, Orion Magazine, The Loop, The Beachcomber, and The Nature of an Island. Her most recent publications include the poem "Instructions: On Getting Ready to Die."  It can be seen on line at everywritersresource.com and her essay How to be Mistaken As an Islander was recently published in the collection, "The Heart of Vashon."   

She is currently a regular guest and occasional host on the community radio program The Brown Briefly VOV 101.9 FM. Her paintings and sculptures have been shown at Lopez Library, the Blue Heron Center for the Arts, and the Barnworks. Her work in stone has been shown at the International Museum of the Horse in Lexington Kentucky. She recently facilitated a community art project as part of a local movement to move to a fossil free future. 

Gayle lives on an island in the Salish Sea in a home that has been in her family for five generations. She spends most of her time writing, reading, working on artistic interests in painting and sculpture and walking the beaches and forests of her island home with her dog. She is allergic to cats.

(author photo courtesy of Book Sparks

author bio info courtesy of the authors own website

ARC courtesy of NetGalley)

Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir - #BookReview

 

"A health to the bride!" Sir John Seymour smiled and raised his goblet as the company echoed his toast.

Jane sipped her wine, watching as her new sister-in-law blushed prettily. Edward seemed besotted with his new wife. At seventeen, Catherine was a very comely girl, a year younger than he. Jane has been surprised at how practised she was at the art of coquetry, and how warmly the men were looking at her. Even Father seemed to be under her spell. Catherine's father, Sir William Fillol, was leaning back in his chair replete, looking well pleased with the match - as he should be, for Edward, being Father's heir, had good prospects and the determination to do well. Even at the age of ten, Jane knew that for an ambitious young man, marriage to the well-bred co-heiress of a wealthy landowner would be a great advantage.

***

THE WOMAN HAUNTED BY THE FATE OF HER PREDECESSOR.

Eleven days after the death of Anne Boleyn, Jane is dressing for her wedding to the King.

She has witnessed at first hand how courtly play can quickly turn to danger and knows she must bear a son . . . or face ruin.

This new Queen must therefore step out from the shadows cast by Katherine and Anne. In doing so, can she expose a gentler side to the brutal King?

JANE SEYMOUR

THE THIRD OF HENRY'S QUEENS

HER STORY

Acclaimed, bestselling historian Alison Weir draws on new research for her captivating novel, which paints a compelling portrait of Jane and casts fresh light on both traditional and modern perceptions of her. Jane was driven by the strength of her faith and a belief that she might do some good in a wicked world.

History tells us how she died.

This spellbinding novel explores the life she lived.

***

I am enjoying reading this series of books very much. This is the third in the Six Tudor Queens series. I have read the previous two, Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen and Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession. You can read my review of the second book by clicking here.

One thing that I am particularly enjoying from these books is the overlap between them. For example, Jane Seymour was initially one of the maids of honour to both Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. Therefore, the reader has the opportunity to follow each of Henry VIII's Queens in their individual context and place within the royal court.

As we can expect of Ms. Weir, the novel has been extensively researched. We can rely on the fact that this fictionalised account is set around real events and which affords the novel some gravitas.

I very much admired Jane's commitment to Katherine and how she maintained her view of Katherine as Queen, even when Henry had set her aside and married Anne Boleyn. However, and this is not a criticism of the book, I found it hard to believe that Jane remained as trusting of Henry when she had not merely observed, but lived in the royal court and seen the way in which he had treated his previous two wives.

However, the author did a great job of portraying Jane's quiet determination to appeal to Henry's better nature about the execution of Anne Boleyn and his treatment of his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth. What was equally well portrayed through both Jane and Anne, was the way in which women were used as pawns for the advancement of men in their families.

Excellently written in an accessible style, Ms. Weir has brought another of Henry VIII's Queens expertly to life. I will definitely be reading the next in the series, Anna of Kleve: The Princess in the Portrait very soon.

ISBN: 978 1472227713

Publisher: Headline Review

Formats: e-book, audio, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages: 544 (paperback)

About the Author:

Alison Weir is a British writer of history books and has sold over 2.7 millions books worldwide. She has published eighteen history books, including her most recent non-fiction book, Queens of the Conquest, the first in her England's Medieval Queens quartet. Alison has also published several historical novels, including Innocent Traitor and The Lady Elizabeth. 

Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen is her third novel in the Six Tudor Queens series about the wives of Henry VIII, which was launched in 2016 to great critical acclaim. Alison is an honorary life patron of Historic Royal Palaces.