Serendipity by Maria de Fatima Santos - #bookreview

 

"I miss school!" exclaimed Gaia, standing by the window.

Julia, her grandmother, rose slowly from her armchair and took a few steps towards Gaia.

It was a cloudy morning. There was no sun. The sky was covered by a mantle of fog...

***

Not so long ago, nomadic communities in Scotland told stories around camp fires and slept in bow tents made of hazel and canvas. In this book, their culture is introduced through Cant’s vocabulary, a dialect spoken by Scottish travellers. Following them, Serendipity takes you to Helge’s Hole in Forres, Hermitage Forest in Dunkeld, and Glen Lyon in Perth, meandering through the valleys and cragged peaks of the Scottish Highlands, in a quest for Truth, Beauty and Goodness. Dive into Scottish culture as the old grandmother, Julia, recounts to her granddaughter Gaia the tale of a little girl of pure heart. With love for nature, the story takes us to Titania’s court, the Queen of the People of Peace, to defeat the Giants of the Underworld and restore balance to the Land of the Young.

***

I recently read a book called Before the Swallows Come Back by Fiona Curnow. The reason I am mentioning this book here is that it is set in Scotland and one of the characters is a traveller. This book inspired me to find our more about the traveller community. If you would like to read the review you can find it here. 

So when the author, Maria de Fatima Santos, asked me if I would consider reading her book, I was delighted to do so as it is about the traditional traveller stories which are passed on from the older generation to the next.

It is a fantasy story aimed at middle grade readers. It is clearly a story from the oral tradition, when the travellers sat cosily around a camp fire relating stories to one another. It transports the reader to that setting and the way of life of the Scottish travellers.

The text is littered with 'traveller' language which is highlighted in green with their meaning alongside. Additionally, there is a glossary at the back which translates these words too.

The illustrations are very evocative and they have been well executed and selected for inclusion in the book. 

Children who enjoy fantasy stories will like reading this short book. It is due for release on the 22nd of July.

ISBN:  978 1912092277

Publisher:  Palavro

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  60 (paperback)

About the Author:

Maria was born in Angola and brought up in Portugal. 

Maria moved to Scotland in 2007 and now divides her time between Portugal and Scotland. Maria has a profound love of the natural world and is deeply interested in regenerative projects in agriculture, horticulture and forestry. She loves photographing nature and landscape - particularly in Scotland. Her writing stems from her passions for nature, Celtic culture and storytelling - all of which she explores in her debut novel, "Serendipity". Maria wrote "Serendipity" as a tribute to her own grandmother.

(media courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)

The Fortune Keeper by Deborah Swift - #excerpt #extract #blogtour

 

I am so happy to be bringing you an excerpt today of The Fortune Keeper by Deborah Swift. Deborah has been a regular on the blog. I have previously reviewed her books, The Shadow Network and Shadow on the Highway. If you would like to read my reviews of those two books please just click on the title links. She has also featured as one of my guests with her choice of eight books that she would take to a desert island with her. If you would like to read this feature please click here.

Deborah's book, The Fortune Keeper, looks every bit as great as her others, and so I am delighted to bring you an excerpt of it today.

The Blurb

Count your nights by stars, not shadows ~ Italian Proverb

Winter in Renaissance Venice

Mia Caiozzi is determined to discover her destiny by studying the science of astronomy. But her stepmother Giulia forbids her to engage in this occupation, fearing it will lead her into danger. The ideas of Galileo are banned by the Inquisition, so Mia must study in secret.

Giulia's real name is Giulia Tofana, renowned for her poison Aqua Tofana, and she is in hiding from the Duke de Verdi's family who are intent on revenge for the death of their brother. Giulia insists Mia should live quietly out of public view. If not, it could threaten them all. But Mia doesn't understand this, and rebels against Giulia, determined to go her own way.

When the two secret lives collide, it has far-reaching and fatal consequences that will change Mia's life forever.

Set amongst opulent palazzos and shimmering canals, The Fortune Keeper is the third novel of adventure and romance based on the life and legend of Giulia Tofana, the famous poisoner.

ISBN: 978 1916891579

Publisher:  Quire Books

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  412 (paperback)

The Excerpt

From Chapter 1

Venice

November 1643

Mia unhooked the clasp and swung her cloak off, hanging it on the back of a chair. ‘Here, signor. The new Torah, properly bound at last,’ she placed the book before him like an offering.

‘Ah!’ Signor Bravaggio picked up the top volume and lifted it towards his nose. ‘There’s nothing I like more than the smell of new books. Especially Jewish books!’ He inhaled deeply then turned the book in his hand, weighed it, sniffed it again, then smoothed the surface of the embossing with his thumb. ‘Beautiful. Your father has done another exceptional job with the binding. I hate to see these go, but my client is getting impatient, and won’t wait.’

Bravaggio examined the other volumes and then unlocked the iron bound coffer that lived in the kneehole under the desk. She paced around the room examining it for anything new, but turned at the rattle of coins. 

He dropped a jute bag on the table before her. ‘Same as we agreed,’ he said. ‘Be careful carrying that amount around the streets.’ He withdrew a sheaf of unbound paper from the coffer and flapped it at her. ‘The Trickster of Seville by a monk, Tirso de Molina,’ he said.  ‘A play in Spanish, but the translation is with it. Tell Herr Weber it’s to be set in print and then bound in red calfskin like the others. And here; the new Haggadà, the rite written in everyday Italian.’ He handed her a slim wooden-bound volume. ‘Space for pictures too, if Herr Weber can find someone brave or foolish enough to carve them.’

‘Not a chance. But Fabio will love binding this Haggadà as much as the play. He reads them all, you know, before he makes the covers. He’s never been in a synagogue but he’s the best-educated Jew in the ghetto.’ 

Bravaggio laughed. ‘He knows a good idea when he sees one, your father.’

‘I worry he doesn’t go to Mass though; it might raise questions with the Inquisition.’

‘Don’t even speak of the name. Fabio’s always been his own man; he’ll be all right. It’s Weber’s good fortune he took him on, or Weber’d have no print business at all. But here, something else that will interest you.’ He smiled and passed over a hand-copied manuscript. She read the frontispiece and saw it was by Girolamo Cardano — an astrological commentary.

She looked up, to see Bravaggio’s amused eyes.

‘Is this what I think it is?’

He laughed; a dry, parched sound. ‘The one that dares to include a horoscope of Jesus the Galileean? Yes. Cardano lost his professorship over it.’

‘You’d trust me with this?’

‘As long as you’re careful. It’s not for binding, just for reading. And I want it back when I return. ’ He tapped his nose. ‘Like the others, it’s on the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. If anyone catches you with it, the Inquisitors will want to know. But knowing your interest in the heavens, I know you’ll be careful.’

‘I wish you’d reconsider and take me as a student, teach me what you know, signor.’

‘I’ve told you, I’m too old for teaching now. And you know it’s not possible. Fabio says that your mother doesn’t hold with anything that even whiffs of a dispute with the church.’

Mia put everything into her calico shoulder bag, along with the money. ‘Yes, these days Giulia forbids nearly everything.’ She sighed. ‘It makes things hard. But there’s nowhere else I can go. Only the convent. She frowns every time I get out my charts. When shall I tell Fabio these others must be finished?’

‘For when I return. I’ll be gone a month, but you understand it’s not for my benefit, but for the benefit of my Armenian client, and those awaiting the new thoughts from Madrid. But to some, it’s heresy. So be careful.’

‘So what’s new? Everything you give me is heresy. You’d have no business without it.’

Bravaggio chuckled, and wagged his finger at her. ‘Why do you think I wear gloves? To keep the stink of it off my hands.’

She grinned at him. They understood each other. He knew she loved coming here, to his library, full of shelved books from floor to ceiling, and the drawers full of old parchments from antiquity and the fresh printings of new ideas, like new shoots coming up from the earth. Only to him could she explain her restless mind, and her obsession with the stars and the night sky.

About the Author:

Deborah Swift is a USA TODAY bestselling author who is passionate about the past. Deborah used to be a costume designer for the BBC, before becoming a writer. Now she lives in an old English school house in a village full of 17th Century houses, near the glorious Lake District. Deborah has an award-winning historical fiction blog at her website www.deborahswift.com.

Deborah loves to write about how extraordinary events in history have transformed the lives of ordinary people, and how the events of the past can live on in her books and still resonate today. 

The first in her series about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, The Poison Keeper, was a winner of the Wishing Shelf Book of the Decade, and a Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal, and the latest in her WW2 Secret Agent series, Operation Tulip, is coming soon.

(excerpt and media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

(all opinions are my own)

The Clarks Factory Girls at War by May Ellis - #bookreview

 

"I can't believe we've been at Clarks for two years already," said Louisa. "Do you remember our first day? We thought we were so grown up, didn't we?" She laughed. "We were so wet behind the ears. We've learned a lot since then."

***

Can love blossom in times of trouble?

Life-long friends Louisa, Jeannie and Kate are following in the footsteps of their families, working at the Clarks shoe factory.

But when Britain declares war on Germany, the Somerset village of Street is shaken to its core. The Clarks factory is at the heart of life in the village, but the Clark family are Quakers and pacifists. Before long, there are fierce debates amongst the workers and tensions between those who oppose the war and those who believe the village men should go to fight.

Each of the girls must decide her own position but as brothers and sweethearts leave for France, Louisa is relieved that her sweetheart Mattie, a Quaker, who won’t be signing up. But she’ll soon find that they face fierce opposition at home as well as across the Channel.

Will the girls’ friendship be enough to keep them together, as everything around them falls apart?

***

I have been wanting to read this book for a while, but other books kept getting in the way. Then I was offered the sequel, Courage for the Clarks Factory Girls, for a blog tour next month. It was the perfect nudge to bump this, the first in the Clarks Factory Girls series, up my reading list.

The book is set in Somerset during World War One, and features the lives of three seventeen year old young women; Kate, Jeannie and Louisa. The friendship between them is the main theme of the book and it was well presented. They have been friends since school and I loved the loyalty to one another that they shared.

There is much about the Quaker religion which was very interesting, particularly during a period of war. They were staunch pacifists and refused to go to war which could cause much difficulty within the community and were sometimes labelled as cowards for their beliefs.

The author depicted the period in which the book is set extremely well. The role of women at the time was well portrayed. For example, the lack of equal pay. Also, women were not permitted to vote until 1918, and even then not all women were eligible.  The acceptance of the way in which wives and children were sometimes badly treated by their husband/father was appalling. I would like to say this was confined to the period but even today women and children are still subjected to domestic abuse. However, the author deals with this sensitively and there is certainly nothing graphic in the book.

I have really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this book and I can hardly wait to get started on the next book in the series Courage for the Clarks Factory Girls.  Please keep an eye out for my review on the 2nd of July.

ISBN: 978 1835330197

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  336 (paperback)

About the Author:

May Ellis has been a legal executive, registered childminder, professional fund – raiser and a teacher. She has travelled the world, including trekking in mountains, deserts and the Great Wall of China, as well as helping build a house in Thailand. She went to university in her forties and gained a first class degree and an MA while still working full – time. Her first book, a contemporary romance, was published in 2014. Since then she has had five more novels published, including another romance and a YA time travel adventure. The last three are gritty dramas set in the 1960s/70s published by Darkstroke Books. She live s in Somerset, within sight of Glastonbury Tor, volunteering at her local library and for the Alfred Gillett Trust (custodians of the Clark’s archives). Her current series, based on the factory workers at Clark’s Shoes was inspired by her move to the area and her love of social history.

(author media courtesy of Boldwood Books)

I Died on a Tuesday by Jane Corry - #spotlight #publicationday

 

Today I am excited to be shining the spotlight on Died on a Tuesday by author, Jane Corry.

 It is publishing in paperback tomorrow, and I couldn't be more excited to read this.

The Blurb

THERE’S THE STORY EVERYONE BELIEVES . . .

The victim: Eighteen-year-old Janie leaving home for a new life.

The criminal: World-famous rockstar, Robbie, who harbours a shocking secret.

The protector: Witness support officer, Vanessa, desperate to right the wrongs of her past.

They tried to bury that fateful day. Now it’s back to haunt them.

. . . AND THEN THERE’S THE TRUTH.

ISBN:  978 0241996126

Publisher:  Penguin

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  480 (paperback)

About the Author:

Sunday Times best-selling author; Washington Post best-seller; sold over 1.5 million copies world-wide in over 20 countries including the States; features writer for numerous magazines including Woman and Woman's Own; regular contributor to The Daily Telegraph; short story writer; columnist for My Weekly magazine; former creative writing tutor at Oxford University; former writer-in-residence at high security male prison; former Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Exeter University, past winner of the Elizabeth Goudge trophy for short stories and the Vera Brittain cup for short stories.

(media courtesy of the author's website https://www.janecorryauthor.com/)

Northern Boy by Iqbal Hussain - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Despite the years, her handwriting remains unchanged: big loops, rounded forms and circles for dots. I smile, then tut. She's put Sydney on the envelope rather than Melbourne. Judging by the date on the postmark, it's been round the whole of Australia to get here.

***

It's 1981 in the suburbs of Blackburn and, as Rafi’s mother reminds him daily, the family moved here from Pakistan to give him the best opportunities. But Rafi longs to follow his own path. Flamboyant,

dramatic and musically gifted, he wants to be a Bollywood star.

Twenty years later, Rafi is flying home from Australia for his best friend’s wedding. He has everything he ever wanted: starring roles in musical theatre, the perfect boyfriend and freedom from expectation. But returning to Blackburn is the ultimate test: can he show his true self to his community?

Navigating family and identity from boyhood to adulthood, as well as the changing eras of ABBA, skinheads and urbanisation, Rafi must follow his heart to achieve his dreams.

***

This was a wonderful book to read. Anyone who has grown up feeling that they were different will love this book. Even if that was not you, this is a great book to read. It is a heart rending story, filled with love and humour.

We follow the main character, Rafi, from his childhhood in the north of England, through to adulthood in Australia. Rafi is a fully realised character and I thorougly enjoyed getting to know him in this book. As a child he is theatrical and flamboyant. He is bullied at school and by his older brother at home, but when he is with his best friend Shazia, he is a child able to dazzle.

Rafi's mum, has a huge role in the book too. She is a colourful character, who wears flowers in her hair, sings, dances and cossetts Rafi. Whilst Rafi has his heart set on Bollywood, she wants him to have a respectable career as doctor, lawyer or account; the standard aspirations for sons in her Pakistani Muslim community. Her concerns with how others will perceive Rafi is to the forefront of her mind.

To the reader, it is abuldantly clear from the outset that Rafi is homosexual. How he will handle this within a community that is unaccepting is the main theme running through the book. The author accomplishes this superbly. His writing is full of compassion but imbued with humour. There were several occasions on which I would have liked to reach into the book and give Rafi a hug.  I was fully invested in his story and I do not think I will forget him in a hurry. 

This is an outstandingly compelling book which is well deserving of a five star rating. Reading it made for an immersive and gripping experience. This is Mr. Hussain's debut book and I think he is one to watch. I would defintely want to read another novel by this author if he were to write one. It is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 1800183148

Publisher:  Unbound

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  359 (paperback)

About the Author:

Iqbal Hussain is a writer from Blackburn, Lancashire and he lives in London. His work appears in various anthologies and on websites including The Willowherb Review, The Hopper and caughtbytheriver.

He is a recipient of the inaugural London Writers’ Awards 2018 and he won Gold in the Creative Future Writers’ Awards 2019. In 2022, he won first prize in Writing Magazine’s Grand Flash competition and was joint runner-up in the Evening Standard Short Story Competition. In 2023, his story ‘I’ll Never Be Young Again’ won first prize in the Fowey Festival of Arts and Literature short story competition. He was also Highly Commended in the Emerging Writer Award from The Bridge Award. Northern Boy is his first novel.

(book and media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

10 Exciting New Releases in July 2024

 

There are so many fantastic looking books being published in July. It has been difficult to choose only ten but here they are; my favourite ten.

Whoever You Are, Honey by Olivia Gatwood

BEHIND THIS GLASS, EVERYTHING IS MORE BEAUTIFUL

On the Santa Cruz waterfront, every house is as perfect as the people inside. Not so for Mitty and Bethel, the oddball pair in the dilapidated bungalow – they are the last vestiges of a town now housing the tech elite. But Mitty is about to cross the threshold. Someone has arrived next door who finally wants to know this forgotten girl.

Lena is different and she knows it. Reliant on her entrepreneur boyfriend Sebastian, her life is oddly limited for someone bathed in wealth. But when she sees Mitty, Lena begins to recognize a part of herself she has yet to face, something anxious, something broken – something real.

And in this salt-blasted town, friendship will bleed into obsession, minds and bodies will betray, and the past will come back with a howl and a bite.

Thrilling, seductive and prescient, WHOEVER YOU ARE HONEY is a blazing debut that dissects perfection, examines how women are made and explores the intersection of passion, technology, and power.

The Seal on the Beach by Mara Bergman & Brita Grandstrom

Little Maggie is on holiday with her aunt and uncle. Meanwhile her mum waits for Maggie’s baby brother to come home from hospital. On a walk across the wild Norfolk shoreline, Maggie finds a seal pup stranded on the beach, all alone. She is the sweetest thing Maggie has ever seen. But without her mum, how will the seal survive? Who will rescue her and will she ever be returned to the sea, and find her family again? Expressed through her vivid dreams and thoughtful actions, Maggie longs for the rescue and survival of this dear little seal pup. And, all the while, she hopes with all her heart to be reunited with her own mum and baby brother again.

A Love Letter to Paris by Rebecca Raisin

Late at night when I wander the streets of Paris, my thoughts turn to her… How do I tell her how I feel? Perhaps, I need to show her…

The pretty little streets of Montmartre are abuzz with a rumour. Apparently a mystery matchmaker, known only as ‘Paris Cupid’, has somehow helped the city’s most famous bachelor find love.

But old-fashioned romantic Lilou is staying very quiet. She’d just wanted to set up her best friend, and to get on with her life selling whimsical old love letters, in Paris’s famous St. Ouen market.

She hadn’t imagined her little Paris Cupid project could ever have attracted so many people looking for true, heartfelt romance. Though the truth is that Lilou adores helping people find the right person. Even if her own love life is nothing short of disastrous.

But then a message arrives. And it’s just for her. Someone is in love with her. Someone who knows her secret. But they’re keeping their own identity secret too… Could it be from cheerful, talkative, flame-haired Felix? Or quiet, beautifully handsome Benoit? Or even Pascale – who drives Lilou mad every day?

After so long of helping others find their soulmate, is it time for Lilou to find love of her own in Paris herself?

Text Book Romance by Kristen Bailey

When maths teacher Zoe Swift meets the irresistibly funny and charming Jack Damon at her friends’ wedding, sparks fly faster than you can say "the square root of sixty-nine."

And when Jack turns up at her school, newly recruited as a supply teacher, she can’t ignore the intense effect he has on her when their paths cross in the corridors. But Zoe is still reeling from her husband's recent jaw-dropping betrayal and adjusting to life as a single mum to two teenage kids. She's not sure if she's ready to open her heart to a fling with a younger man.

As Zoe and Jack's connection grows deeper, their undeniable chemistry and Jack's steadfast support help Zoe rediscover the good things in life: her love of a good dance, the soothing power of takeout, the secret thrill of receiving a well-timed chicken emoji and the wonder of multiple orgasms…

But with complicated family dynamics and co-parenting with her ex to manage, a sizeable age gap, and Jack's uncertainties about his future to factor in, she’s about to find out that love isn’t always a simple equation.

Can Zoe accept this gift from the universe and take a chance on a far-from-textbook romance?

A Girl's Guide to Winning the War by Annie Lyons

Can two young women and one book change the course of war . . .?

1940. Whip-smart librarian Peggy Sparks is determined to make sure that her brother Joe returns from the frontline to their London home, which they share with their beloved mother and grandmother. So when she is offered a once-in-a-lifetime job at the heart of the war effort, Peggy jumps at the prospect of making a real contribution to her country.

But when she finds herself working under the fanciful socialite Lady Marigold Cecily, Peggy discovers that those around her are more keen on dancing at the Café de Paris than on ending the war. Writing accounts of her daily life is the only thing keeping Peggy's hopes alive. But when she finds her inner-most thoughts accidentally published by the Ministry of Information, Peggy realises she needs Marigold's help to save her job, and to bring her brother home . . .

Rabbit on the Rampage by Lorna Watson and Rikin Parekh

Rabbit has a special curly carrot which she loves very much. So, when her beloved carrot goes missing … well, Rabbit is VERY upset and soon finds herself on a rampage, bursting into rooms and accusing her innocent friends – Mouse, Hedgehog and Badger – of vegetable THEFT.

Will Rabbit's friends forgive her rampage? And have YOU seen curly carrot?

Under a Lightning Sky by Pam Lecky

London is under attack. But within the rubble, a greater danger lurks…

The Luftwaffe has been bombing London continuously since September 1940.

During a bombing raid, Madeline Fairfax is caught in her kitchen whilst cooking for her husband and children. She becomes trapped in the rear of her home, but regains consciousness just in time to see a familiar face, offering hope of rescue. But instead, Madeline is tragically strangled to death.

As a dangerous murderer uses the Blitz to cover their crime, local detective Jamie Barton enlists the help of Madeline’s sister and volunteer firefighter, Penny Fairfax to help. Now, caught in a web of uncertainty and mistrust, a grieving Penny must find the truth and do whatever it takes to protect those she loves most.

Together, will they unravel this case before it's too late…?

Tudor Executions by Helene Harrison

The Tudors as a dynasty executed many people, both high and low. But the nobility were the ones consistently involved in treason, either deliberately or unconsciously. Exploring the long sixteenth century under each of the Tudor monarchs gives a sense of how and why so many were executed for what was considered the worst possible crime and how the definition of treason changed over the period. This book examines how and why Tudor nobles like Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham; Queen Consort Anne Boleyn; Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey; and Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, fell into the trap of treason and ended up on the block under the executioner’s axe. Treason and the Tudor nobility seem to go hand in hand as, by the end of the sixteenth century and the advent of the Stuart dynasty, no dukes remained in England. How did this happen and why?

Honeycomb by S.B. Caves

Amanda Pearson was once the hottest rising star in the music world. Not anymore. Washed up, broke and directionless following a public breakdown, she is certain she will never be adored again. But she is very wrong.

Her old manager calls her out of the blue with an opportunity: a week’s stay at an isolated mansion with five strangers, all under constant observation. Every day they must take a pill. Five people will be taking a placebo, but one person will take an experimental drug that they are assured has no adverse side effects. So, what’s the catch? Amanda isn’t sure, but the pay is too tempting to turn down.

However, it soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary experiment. Each day Amanda discovers more about her fellow housemates, that the old mansion holds horrifying secrets, and that there is no way out…

Between Friends and Lovers by Sharon Obuobi

Talia Hibbert meets Carley Fortune in this swoon-worthy story of love and friendship in the age of social media - where what you see might not be all you get.

Dr Jojo has it all figured out. Or so it seems to her Instagram followers, who love her no-nonsense advice about men, self-love, dating and sex.

But behind the camera, it's a different story - she's in love with her best friend, Ezra, and he doesn't feel the same way.

Committed to moving on, Jo soon finds the perfect distraction - sweet, shy and sexy writer Malcolm. As the pair begin to date, sparks fly, and Jo's hard exterior begins to soften.

But when she discovers her feelings for Ezra aren't as unrequited as she thought, Jo finds herself with a tough decision to make. Will she seize the opportunity for romance with her best friend, or is new love the path to her happily ever after?

(header photo courtesy of Pexels)

Saving Rebecca by Alex Amit - #spotlight

 

Today, I am delighted to be shining the spotlight on Saving Rebecca by Alex Amit.  

Saving Rebecca is publishing today in e-book and is already available as a paperback.

I think this book looks great, and I really hope to carve out some time to read it very soon.

The Blurb

In the shadow of the Nazi regime, one woman fights to shield her daughter from the talons of evil.

Paris, 1941. Sarah, a Jewish woman, finds herself trapped in the city with her five-year-old daughter, Rebecca, as World War II rages on. Desperate to escape the tightening grip of Nazi oppression, they attempt to flee to neutral Spain. However, their hopes are shattered as they are captured by the French police and sent to the Drancy internment camp, located north of Paris, where French Jews are being ruthlessly rounded up by the Nazi authorities.

Within the confines of the camp, surrounded by a bleak reality, Sarah strives to preserve Rebecca’s innocence through enchanting tales of a bear and the good hunters who watch over it. Yet, even as she weaves these tales of hope, Sarah must also teach her daughter the harsh lessons of survival and how to defend herself against those who seek to harm them.

As time slips away, it becomes increasingly clear that the Germans are determined to send all the Jews in the camp to a single, horrifying destination – a notorious camp in the East, only whispered about in fearful tones.

With the fate of the trains looming ever closer, Sarah faces an impossible choice. Will she find a way to keep Rebecca safe from the iron grasp of the Nazis, or will their fates be sealed by the cruelty of war?

This powerful women’s fictional novel tells the story of a mother’s unwavering love, a testament to the unbreakable bond between parent and child in the face of unimaginable adversity. This book will grip your heart and linger in your mind long after the final page is turned.

Currently available on Kindle Unlimited

About the Author:

Alex Amit is a historical fiction writer and author of the novels “The Girl Under the Flag,” “The Wounded Nurse,” “Until I Hold You Again,” and “A Woman’s Flame.”

After dedicating more than a decade to learning the history of WW2 and armed with a BSc in Psychology, Alex’s writing focuses on women’s bravery during those dark days.

When Alex was a child, he would lie in his bed at night, reading history books, imagining himself traveling in a time machine to all those historical moments. Many years have passed, and finally, he built his time machine, using his words and imagination.

(media courtesy of the author's website)

(all opinions are my own)

The Warrior's Forbidden Maiden by Lissa Morgan - #bookreview

 

Llywelyn stood in the shadow of the church - the old church but with a new Norman tower now - and gnawed his lip. Twilight was falling over the landscape, shrouding everything in shadows of blue and black...

***

Will forbidden love become forever love in this medieval romance?

The warrior's fiercest battle?

His duty versus his desire...

Seven years ago, Llywelyn was ready to renounce everything to become a monk. But on the eve of his departure, he shared a forbidden night with his childhood sweetheart, Cristin. Then his world was turned upside down by the death of his brother...which left Llywelyn as his family's sole heir, duty bound to fight on the battlefield. Now a hardened warrior, he's reunited with Cristin. But will he return to his vocation...or remain with his love?

***

This book makes for a fabulous few hours of historical escapism.

Although it is the second book in the Warriors of Wales series, it works perfectly well as a standalone novel. The Warrior's Reluctant Wife is the first in the series, and you can read my review by clicking here.

The two main characters are Llywelyn and Cristin. Friends since children, by the time we meet them in this book, they have already been lovers. However, Cristin is the maid to Llywelyn's parents and thus they are from very distinct parts of the social spectrum, ensuring that their love for one another can never be.

Llywelyn is a complex character. Knowing that his love for Cristin can never be, and as a second son he has always intended to go into the monastery. When his older brother dies he is catapulted to the status of his father's heir and must become a warrior.

Cristin is a courageous character. She hides Llywellyn's parents when they are overthrown by the Norman's, at considerable risk to herself. When Llywellyn returns she is left wondering if he will come back to her or will renew his original intentions of becoming a monk.

The author brings these two characters to life on the page. The pent-up passion between them oozes from the pages and had me completely invested in their story. 

Whilst there is much indecision about whether they will get together, being a book of this genre it is pretty obvious to the reader that all will come good for them in the end. It was a lovely few hours I spent reading this book and accompanying them on their journey and I enjoyed it very much.

Set in twelfth century Wales, the location of the novel is almost as important as the characters. The text is littered with Welsh words, and although I did not understand them, their meaning was fairly obvious from the context and added validity to both the period and the setting.

This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys historical romance, particularly set in the medieval period and I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 1335596239

Publisher:  Harlequin

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  272 (paperback)

About the Author:

Lissa Morgan hails from Wales but has travelled far and wide over the years, usually in pursuit of the next new job.  A history graduate and former archivist, she now works in academia and freelance website design, which she fits in around her writing time. She lives between the mountains and the sea in rugged north-west Wales surrounded by medieval castles that provide the perfect inspiration for her books. 

(book courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)

Monti and Leo: A Newcomer in Pocketville by Sylvie Kantorovitz - #bookreview

 

There were four things Monti Mole liked to do in the morning... he welcomed the day...he stopped by the Pocketville Bakery... he visited the Pocketville library... settled on his favourite rock by the river and gazed peacefully at the water... It was a perfect routine...

***

A charming graphic novel for early readers with strong themes of friendship and kindness that celebrates difference and new ideas with a light-hearted touch.

Pocketville is a small town, set in its ways, and the arrival of a stranger causes a stir. Monti the mole is stunned one morning to find Leo the crocodile hogging his special reading rock. When Monti visits the bakery and the library, he learns that the last cinnamon roll has been purchased, and the book he was waiting for has been checked out. What’s a fastidious mole to do? When Monti confronts Leo, the newcomer turns out to be agreeable in the extreme, and friendship is a given. Now to convince the town’s cantankerous baker, Ms Sheep, to stop turning everyone against Leo. Together, Monti and Leo hatch a plot that will have Ms Sheep singing Leo’s praises in no time. This reassuring tale of friendship against the odds from the creator of the graphic memoir Sylvie draws on the author’s experiences as an immigrant and will appeal to anyone who has struggled to fit in in a new place.

***

This is a very sweet graphic novel that is aimed at early readers; children around six to eight years of age. It would also be perfect for reluctant readers too.

I loved the simple cartoon like illustrations that make this into a lovely humourous novel. They are clear and uncluttered and serve to demonstrate more than is written in the actual text.  It is written in chapter form, so is an excellent introduction to chapter books.

Monti and Leo's burgeoning friendship has much to teach about embracing difference and welcoming newcomers into the community. It is also about friendship and acceptance. This would be a great aid in schools to teach about welcoming new children into the classroom and why we should demonstrate kindness to one another.

And who amongst us would not like to start our day with a visit to the library and bakery? I know I would!

ISBN: 978 1529518566

Publisher: Walker Books

Formats:  hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  80 (paperback)

About the Author:

Sylvie was born in Casablanca in 1960 and grew up in France.She has lived longer in the US than in France. And yet, her accent gives her away very quickly!

After high school, she became a school teacher and read and drew for her students. She loved teaching but she also wanted to study art. 

In 1980, I went to New York City for a year and studied at the Art Students League. Back in France, I studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. It is during these years that she discovered — or re-discovered — the magic of children’s books. 

She moved to the US in her 20s, and now lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley with her partner, Barbara Lehman. Barbara is also an author-illustrator of books for young readers.

She started her career in books for young children with the illustrations for a Raffi Song to Read: Wheels on the Bus.

 She grew up reading popular French comics — or graphic novels.  When the form became more popular in the US, she embraced it wholeheartedly and found it the perfect way to tell her stories.

She loves books, movies, art (ethnographic art, medieval art, contemporary art, street art, outsider art, book art, children’s art, etc), strolls in town or in nature, drawing and doing collages.

(book courtesy of the publisher)

(all opinions are my own)

All Among the Barley by Melissa Harrison - #bookreview

 

Last night I lay awake again, remembering the day the Hunt ran me down in Hulver Wood when I was just a girl.  It was December, as it is now, and I had ventured out into the icy afternoon to cut come green boughs for the house...

***

The autumn of 1933 is the most beautiful Edie Mather can remember, though the Great War still casts a shadow over the cornfields of her beloved home, Wych Farm.

When charismatic, outspoken Constance FitzAllen arrives from London to write about fading rural traditions, she takes an interest in fourteen-year-old Edie, showing her a kindness she has never known before. But the older woman isn't quite what she seems.

As harvest time approaches and pressures mount on the whole community, Edie must find a way to trust her instincts and save herself from disaster.

***

This is a heartbreaking book that was worth every moment that I dedicated to reading it. It was suggested by one of the members of my Book Club. I must confess that until then I had not come across this book or the author.

In many ways it is an unsettling story. We witness the unravelling of the mind of the main character. Edith is a fourteen year old girl who is befriended by an older woman, Constance, who is a visitor from London and is not quite what she seems. As the reader, I suspected that she had an agenda of her own, but it is not until the end of the book that her motivations become apparent.

What we observe in this book is also the unravelling of a way of life. The book is written with a gentleness that reflects the way of life in a rural community. On one hand, it depicts the beauty of the countryside, and it's slow pace of life, but on the other, it demonstrates the harsh realities that farmers were facing during the period in which the book is set. 

The environment in which this book is set is all-consuming. The way of life is not described in sentimental terms, and it does not depict a romantically idyllic version of country life. What it does do is to demonstrate the hardships afforded such families as they faced the change of farming with mechanisation, coupled with poverty and debt.

The book is perfectly paced for its subject matter. I enjoyed the slow rhythm of the writing, coupled with the slow-moving pace of life it depicted.

This is a fantastic book that I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend wholeheartedly. 

ISBN: 978 1408897973

Publisher:  Bloomsbury Publishing

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  352 (paperback)

About the Author:

Melissa Harrison is the author of the novels Clay and At Hawthorn Time, which was shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award and longlisted for the Bailey's Women's Prize, and one work of non-fiction, Rain, which was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize. She is a nature writer, critic and columnist for The Times, the Financial Times and the Guardian, among others. Her new novel All Among the Barley was published in August, 2018.

(author media courtesy of Good Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

Bring Me Sunshine by Alex Brown - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Sinking her toes into the sand, she savoured the soft sensation as the plump, peach sun streaked the sky amber, bathing the sea with its shaft of shimmering gold. Leaning into him, she rested her head on his shoulder as they sat together on a large rock at the water's edge listening to the waves tumbling over the sand. The holiday was almost over...

***

Mamma Mia meets Shirley Valentine in the brand-new holiday romance for 2024 from the International No.1 bestseller.

Gina Bennett has had enough after her husband of twenty-seven years lets her down one time too many. Deciding to choose herself, she embarks on a transformative solo journey to break free from the monotony of her life.

She escapes to the gorgeous Greek island of Kalosiros, where she holidayed in her youth, and where she had her first romance with the handsome Nico. Encountering two kindred spirits in Rosie and Deedee, the women bond over art classes and cocktails, renewing their lust for life and a shared quest to find Gina's lost love.

Together, they navigate the challenges of middle-age, self-discovery, and the liberating power of skinny-dipping. Will Gina find love again with her teenage sweetheart Nico, her husband, or with someone new? 

Bring Me Sunshine is a wonderfully uplifting, coming-of-middle-age story about female friendship, romance and starting over, set on a gorgeous Greek island in the sun. The perfect summer read!

***

This is a wonderfully uplifting read which is perfect for summer.

When I saw a new release from Alex Brown was being offered on a blog tour I jumped at the chance to get my hands on it. I have previously read two of her titles, The Great Village Show and The Great Christmas Knit Off. You can find my review of the latter by clicking here..

Bring Me Sunshine would be an ideal book to read on the beach. However, it worked perfectly well for me on a rainy day in June in the UK. It may have been a typical English summer day here in the UK, but the book filled my heart with sunshine. It was an uplifting read and I sighed with satisfaction when I turned the final page.

The main character, Gina, is a lovely creation. She has lost her confidence due to her husband, Colin, criticising her. When he refuses to join her on a planned holiday to Greece, she boldly goes by herself. There she meets DeeDee and Rosie who help her to rediscover the confident and brave woman that she really is. I was rooting for her every step of the way. Additionally, I was really hoping that Colin would get his comeuppance for the horrible way he treated her and took her for granted.

I loved the strong friendship that these three women formed. Each of their voices were very distinct and hugely likeable characters. Ms. Brown is able to bring her characters fully to life on the page.

The book is well written, and I could have sat and gobbled the whole thing up in one had time permitted. The descriptions of the Greek island of Kalosiros were sublime. I have been lucky enough to visit Greece in the past and it is every bit as beautiful as the author conveys on the page. I was left longing for hummus and hot pitta bread after reading it described in the book.

This is a novel to get completely lost in, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this book. I highly recommend it.

ISBN:  978 1836030782

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Formats: e-book, audio, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  232 (paperback)

About the Author:

Alex Brown is an international #1 bestselling women’s fiction author. Her novels have been published in twenty-one countries and have sold over a million copies. Previously published by HarperCollins, her first title for Boldwood, Bring Me Sunshine, will be published in June 2024.

(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

Belly Woman by Benjamin Black - #bookreview #blogtour

 

The woman is lying on the floor outside the maternity department; her large pregnant belly slopes to one side as her back arches, face muscles clench and a violent, jerking convultion resumes. It's past midnight, the air is warm and humid, hanging heavily around us. The two men who had squeezed her on to the back of their mototbike stand silently, staring; everyone is staring...

***

Hailed as "a must-read for our times" (Aminatta Forna) and "eye-opening, kind, and inspirational" (Adam Kay), Belly Woman tells the story of what happens to pregnant women when a humanitarian catastrophe strikes.

May, 2014. Sierra Leone is ranked the country with the highest death rate of pregnant women in the world. The same month, Ebola crosses in from neighbouring Guinea. Arriving a few weeks later, Dr Benjamin Black finds himself at the centre of an exponential Ebola outbreak. From impossible decisions on the maternity ward to moral dilemmas at the Ebola Treatment Centres: one mistake, one error of judgment, could spell disaster.

An eye-opening work of reportage and advocacy, Belly Woman chronicles the inside journey through an unfolding global health crisis and the struggle to save the lives of young mothers. As Black reckons with the demons of the past, he must try to learn the lessons for a different, more resilient, future.

***

Although this is not quite what I was expecting when I agreed to take part in the blog tour, I am so very glad that I did as it is a fantastic book.

It is the memoirs of Dr. Benjamin Black, an obstetrician who travelled to Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak in 2014. The novel focusses on his experiences there whilst volunteering with Médecins Sans Frontières. The latter half of the book addresses his experience during the covid pandemic of 2020/21.

Needless to say, the book addresses some complex issues facing all medical staff attending to patients during those two catastrophic events. From necessity, decision making needed to be detached. However, Dr. Black writes in a way that conveys the humanity of his patients and brings them to life on the page.

He writes with compassion but without sentimentality, and his writing is clear, accessible and highly readable. I have no medical background, but I was able to understand his descriptions of the decisions made based on the clinical procedures necessary. And there were certainly some difficult decisions to be made surrounding maternity care.

This book was certainly an eye-opener. We all watched newsreels during the Ebola crises, and we lived through the covid pandemic, and we are blessed in that we survived it. However, this first hand account of being on the front line provided me with much food for thought and the realisation that I could not even begin to comprehend the reality of having to make impossible decisions in the face of such adversity.

This is a powerful, non-fiction title that I highly recommend.

ISBN:  978 1911107576

Publisher:  Neem Tree Press

Formats:  e-book, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  368 (paperback)

About the Author:

Dr Benjamin Black is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and a specialist advisor to international aid organisations - including Médecins Sans Frontières. His focus on sexual, reproductive and maternal healthcare for populations in times of crisis has taken him to many countries working with humanitarian organisations, UN bodies and government departments. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic he provided frontline healthcare to pregnant women and developed international guidelines. Benjamin was a member of the expert panel for the inquiry into racial injustice in UK maternity care.

(e-book and all media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)