Tuesday, 22 July 2025

Deadly Odds 8.0 by Allen Wyler - #bookextract #excerpt

 


Today's book excerpt is from Deadly Odds 8.0 and I really hope you enjoy reading it. It is in a slightly different format to my usual posts, as requested by the publicity team.

 Deadly Odds 8.0 by Allen Wyler poses a chilling question: what if your pacemaker could be hacked?

 The story opens with a shocking moment—a man collapses on the steps of a Seattle church. But this isn’t a random tragedy. A shadowy hacker soon contacts the CEO of a major cardiac device company with a terrifying threat: shut down the business by week’s end, or more implanted patients will die. The hacker has discovered a way to take control of AI-powered pacemakers remotely, and he’s not bluffing. Arnold Gold and his team of elite cyber investigators—who’ve been keeping a low profile—are pulled back into the spotlight as they work to unmask the digital killer. With every hour that passes, more lives hang in the balance, and the pressure mounts to stop an invisible threat that operates through code, not bullets.


About the Author


Allen Wyler, a retired neurosurgeon and two-time Thriller Award nominee, brings real-world medical knowledge and heart-pounding suspense to the page. You can learn more about his work at allenwyler.com.


The Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Seattle—Sunday Morning


ELIJAH BROWN—DEVOTED husband and beloved father of two—stood at the front door to the Mount Zion Baptist church, flanked by his wife Tamika and eldest son Darnell. He was complimenting Reverend Johnson on his thought-provoking sermon when his heart began to beat wildly, then stop. Grimacing in pain, Elijah flattened his right palm to his chest, groaned loudly, and dropped onto the floor of the vestibule.

Tamika, Reverend Johnson, and nearby parishioners froze in stunned open-mouth horror.

“Elijah!” his wife called, now on her knees next to him, clutching his right hand. “Elijah, speak to me. What’s wrong, baby?”

Darnell was now also on his knees on the other side of him. He yelled, “Pops!”

Elijah Brown didn’t answer.

Darnell, a registered nurse, pressed his index and middle fingertips to his father’s neck feeling for the carotid artery pulse. Nothing. He adjusted his fingers, to make sure he wasn’t mistaken.

He yelled, “Call nine-one-one” while starting CPR.

“I just did,” shouted back a parishioner in a rapidly enlarging crowd of lookie-loos clotting around the unfolding drama.

Darnell swept his right hand in an arc, moving the onlookers away, “Back up,” he shouted, then dragged his father from the threshold to a spot just inside the church, giving him more room and a better position to continue cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

“C’mon, Dad, fight!” he yelled in between breaths.

His father’s pupils were not fully dilated, which he took as a good sign. A very good sign, actually, giving him strength to continue the vigorous pumping despite the rapidly developing fatigue consuming his shoulders and arms.

A hand tapped Darnell’s right shoulder as a deep male voice asked, “Want me to spell you?”

With sweat dripping from his chin now, his shoulders burning with lactic acid, Darnell kept on compressing his dad’s heart, counting to ten, then inflating his lungs. Pop’s eyes flickered open with the first sparkle of life since collapsing. He’d be damned if he’d risk delegating such a critical responsibility to someone whose CPR skill was unknown.

“Appreciate the offer,” he gasped, “but I got this.”

“What do we have here?” Darnell heard a commanding voice ask. A moment later a hand gently pulled him away from his father. He glanced up to see a paramedic in a dark blue short-sleeved Seattle Fire Department shirt kneel and put a stethoscope to Pops’s chest. Darnell stopped the CPR. After a quick listen, the medic ripped open Pops’s white dress shirt and grabbed a set of defibrillator paddles.

Darnell heard Moms yell, “Wait! There’s a defibrillator in him.”

Without breaking flow or slowing his well-rehearsed movements, the paramedic said, “I can see that, ma’am. But it’s not working.”

A moment later, paddles in place, Darnell heard the paramedic yell, “Clear!” just before sending 150 joules of electric current into Pops’s body, triggering a massive muscle spasm.


Sunday Morning—Seattle

John Harris replaced the steaming mug of freshly brewed Starbucks French Roast on the kitchen table just to the right of his laptop, then scrolled to the next page of The New York Times. His first cup of coffee on Sunday mornings had, over the years, become a sacred ritual, performed with the reverence of a devoted priest preparing communion for his flock.

He did not just savor the fresh aromatic brew but also glorified each small detail of the process: storing whole beans in a sealed bag in the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to maintain roasted freshness; running the beans through a Braun grinder to a perfect texture before pouring them into his cherished Chemex; then subjecting them to the precise volume of scalding water.

To complement his coffee, each Saturday he would pick up three flawless hot-out-of-the- oven croissants from La Parisienne French Bakery to savor with fresh salty butter and blackberry jam. Admittedly, the pastry was a day old by Sunday, yet its flaky dough still held the unquestioned distinction of being the best croissants Seattle had to offer. After all, with his office a mere two blocks south of the bakery, it was no problem to run over and pick them up Saturday morning since typically he was in his Cor-Pace office catching up on paperwork anyway.

Unless, of course, he was away on business. Which had been happening more often lately.

His cellphone rang.

He was annoyed at being interrupted during his one morning a week of total relaxation and respite from work. He glanced at the phone. UNIDENTIFIED.

Unidentified?

In that case, why bother answering?

He dumped the call.

Although robocalls were way down these past few years, they occasionally came, annoying and inconveniencing him. Worse yet, spam texts were beginning to sprout up.

Ten seconds later the marimba ringtone sounded again.

Damn. Same goddamn unidentified number.

Undoubtedly someone dialing a wrong number. In other words, if he didn’t answer the call and set the idiot straight, it would ring again.

Goddamnit!

He swiped ACCEPT, raised the phone to his ear, and barked, “Yes?”

An electronically distorted voice asked, “Mr. Harris?” in a strangely demanding tone.

The disorienting, out-of-context voice shocked him, jolting a surge of adrenaline through his arteries, tingling his fingertips and toes, robbing him of speech. He glanced at his familiar surroundings for a reality check. Yes, Joyce, his wife, was still on the other side of the kitchen table, oblivious to the acute sense of vulnerability clawing at his heart. Instinctively he understood that an electronically distorted voice from an unidentified number meant bad news.

“Mr. Harris,” the voice repeated, more demanding this time.

What now? Answer? Hang up? What?

Was this some sort of joke? Hard as that was to believe…

John Harris stammered a tentative “Yes?”

“Until this moment you didn’t know I existed. I mean, why should you? But I know I exist, and now so do you. And as of this moment, I’m the most important person in your life.” Pause.

“Care to know why? Of course you do.”

A prank? Was that what this was?

Distortion aside, the words rang with enough sincerity to make him question it being a prank.

“You have no idea what I’m talking about, do you,” the weirdly metallic voice stated flatly.

“I’ll explain. As of today, I hold absolute power over your company’s destiny. Shall I explain this too?”

Confused and now afraid, Harris was speechless.

“Because I can control every Cor-Rate II in your Everest trial.”

What?

A spike of raw anger stabbed his heart.

“Bullshit,” he blurted.

“Bullshit? Really?”

The icy intonation in the back-to-back questions flipped his anger into fear again. The caller knew his name and his cellphone number. Not only that, but he knew about their clinical trial.

This was sobering, giving the outrageous claim a distinct ring of credibility. Harris slowly closed his mouth and listened for the asshole’s next words.

Three seconds of heart-thumping silence ticked past.

Darth Vader said, “Shocked?”

Again, Harris knew better than to answer. The unprecedented situation robbed him of a rational response as his innate canniness cautioned against saying anything in error.

A moment later his strong pragmatism kicked in, giving him an objective overview of the situation.

So what if this nutcase knew the name of their clinical trial?

Everyone from the Cor-Pace board of directors to the enrolled patients’ family members knew that. And besides, his name and phone number were at the end of the consent form. In other words, every scrap of information that the mystery voice had thrown out to intimidate him was in the public domain if you knew where to look.

His confidence began building.

And what about the bastard’s outrageous claim of being able to control their devices?

Impossible. The device passcodes were vaulted in an ultra-secured encrypted database.

No way could he get his hands on those.

His initial helplessness was shouldered aside by blood pressure-pounding anger at this asshole for playing games with his Sunday morning.

All for what? To satisfy some infantile urge to prank someone?

Sunday mornings were his alone to savor. He needed them. No, he deserved them. They were not to be frivolously disrupted. Bootstrapping a start-up medical device company from a concept into a marketable product in an ultra-competitive environment was hard enough without having to endure the harassment of some fraternity-level bullshit prank.

“I’m sorry,” Harris said, “what did you say your name is?”

“I didn’t,” replied the metallic voice. “But if you feel a need to give me a name, why not call me Hacker. Or, better yet, make that Mr. Hacker.”

Hacker? That word drove a fear-laden voodoo pin through his heart, unleashing a previously unthought-of possibility.

Maybe, just maybe this whacko—for despite the electronic masking, Harris was convinced that the voice was male—was somehow able to penetrate their database. If so, maybe he could manipulate one of their devices.

Was that possible?

He thought hard about it.

No, no way. How could he?

The devices themselves were encrypted and their serial numbers stored in an encrypted database. Meaning that for the claim to be possible, this self-proclaimed hacker would’ve needed to break into their secure database as well as know their encryption key.

No, that combination of events wasn’t possible.

His fear flip-flopped back to anger. How dare the sonofabitch! Time to call the bastard’s bluff.

“Look, Hacker, I have no idea who the hell you think you are or why you’re getting off on this little charade, but I don’t respond well to crank calls and I—”

“I’m sorry to hear that, John, because this isn’t a crank call, and you haven’t even heard my demand yet.”

Demand? Christ, that did it.

“Your demand? Listen to me, you crazy bastard, I’m going to hang up now.”

“I wouldn’t advise that, John.”

Something in that tone of voice…something floating over the electronic distortion, kept John Harris from pushing the red disconnect icon.

Something that made him ask, “Why’s that?”

“Because the same thing that happened to Elijah Brown can happen to the rest of your patients if you simply blow this off.”

Harris froze. That name…wasn’t he one of their patients? Yes, he was sure of it.

“Caught your attention?” the unnerving voice asked.

By now Joyce was eyeing him questioningly, mouthing, Who is it?

Waving away her question, Harris scrambled for something to say, something non-inflammatory that could draw out more information.




Monday, 21 July 2025

People's Choice by Litty Williams - #bookspotlight #blogtour


 I've heard lots of good things about this book, so I am delighted to be shining the spotlight on it today. People's Choice by Litty Williams is part of the Manticore Challenge series and I can't wait to tell you about it.


The Blurb

In near-future NewBrit, where only Winners succeed, Maz Tallis is a Loser. All she wants is the expensive medicine that could save her half-brother, Kyle.

As her final term at Albion House Academy begins, Maz enters the Manticore Challenge, a competition offering the winner 1,000 Life Chances—credits that can be exchanged for life-saving treatments. For Maz, this could be her only shot at getting the medication Kyle so desperately needs.

To improve her chances of winning, Maz comes up with a bold plan. But when Felix, a charismatic Winner, steals her idea, they become fierce rivals. To make matters worse, Kyle gets a superbug, making the need for treatment even more urgent.

As Maz uncovers a disturbing secret at the heart of the competition, she faces an agonising save her brother or expose the threat. Battling self-doubt and a corrupt system, Maz must decide if she will risk everything to reveal the truth. And will she find a way to save the people she loves without losing herself?


Book Details

ISBN:  978 1835741900

Publisher:  The Book Guild

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 368 (paperback)

Series: Book One in the Manticore Challenge series


Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Amazon CA


About the Author


Born in Merseyside, Litty Williams wrote her first story at the age of twelve and has been writing off and on ever since. During her early career she worked in sales and corporate finance, then retrained to become a business psychologist where she really enjoyed helping people achieve their potential.

During a Masters in Creative Writing at City University in London Litty finished her first complete novel! Hurrah! This achievement had a massive impact on her belief in herself as a writer – and she has since written several novels and movie scripts.

Litty was inspired to write People’s Choice when working at Wellcome Trust.

Litty explains: “I used to work at Wellcome Trust, a global health charity that runs the brilliant campaign #StopSuperbugs. We face a terrifying future if we can’t #StopSuperbugs, and this forms the backdrop for Maz’s story. At the same time I was (and still am) angry at how much pressure is put on school kids in terms of both exams and social pressures. I’m also concerned about the global refugee crisis, which will only get worse due to climate change. Using my fear and anger, I created Maz’s story, where there’s jeopardy, excitement, and clean teen romance – with lots of dark humour and attitude…(inspired by my own kids.)”

Having worked in the UK, Italy, Hong Kong, and Russia, Litty is now a full-time writer living in south London. In her spare time, Litty plays the violin, is a listening volunteer and wages an ongoing campaign to win the affection of her standoffish cat, Lucy.


You can also find Litty at:

Author Website

Instagram

Tik Tok

Facebook

X





(media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)


Friday, 18 July 2025

Enchanted Beach by Esther Freud & Illustrated by Emma Chinnery - #bookreview

 


Enchanted beach is where we play, through the seasons, blue or grey.

Sand and pebbled, deep and wide. Miles and miles from side to side...

The Blurb

A lyrical picture book celebrating the changing seasons and living at the seaside with a gentle environmental message by an award-winning author and an exciting new illustration talent.

From summer days spent playing on the beach, to flying kites in autumn, to buffeting winter storms and treasure hunts in spring, this is a magnificent celebration of the seaside throughout the changing year. This joyful story charts family life by the sea and celebrates many milestones such as birthdays and New Years. Esther’s lively poetic and lyrical text combines perfectly with Emma’s classic illustrations to captivate and enchant young readers.


My Review

This is such a lovely book which portrays the beauty of the beach in all seasons and weathers.

We follow a family and their dog as they visit the beach. They go there to play when it's warm. In autumn they go to fly their kite. In winter to skim stones on the water. At New Year they watch the swimmers taking a cold dive into the icy waters, and in the storms they see what treasures the sea has washed onto the beach.

The book has been beautifully illustrated by Emma Chinnery in water colour style paintings. These pictures accompany Esther Freud's text perfectly.

Their collaborative skills have made for a wonderful combination and have succeeded in producing this beautiful and charming book for young children. Both pre-schoolers and early independent readers will enjoy what this book has to offer.


Book Details

ISBN:  978 1529522822

Publisher:  Walker Books

Formats:  E-book and hardback

No. of Pages:  32 (hardback)


Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Blackwell's

Amazon UK

Amazon US


About the Author


Esther Freud trained as an actress before writing her first novel, Hideous Kinky, which was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys prize and made into a film starring Kate Winslet. After publishing her second novel, Peerless Flats, she was chosen as one of Granta’s Best Young British novelists. Her other books include The Sea House, Lucky Break, and Mr Mac and Me, which won Best Novel in the East Anglian Book Awards.

You can also find Esther at:

Author Website

Instagram


About the Illustrator

Emma is a British illustrator and writer living in Suffolk.

Her debut author-illustrated children’s picture book My Friend Andy was published in March 2024 with Little Tiger.

After working as a graphic artist in London for several years, she followed her passion for children’s books and studied on the MA Children’s Book Illustration course at the Cambridge School of Art, graduating with a Distinction in 2021.

She loves to work with children and run workshops and live drawing sessions in schools and libraries.

She enjoys sketching people out and about and looking for those little stories going on everywhere around us! 

When she's not drawing or writing, you’ll find her on a bike, cycling the country lanes of Suffolk.

You can also find Emma at:

Author Website

Instagram

X


(author photo/bio courtesy of Good Reads)

(illustrator photo/bio courtesy of her website)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)


Thursday, 17 July 2025

Murder Most Wilde by Helen Golden - #extract #excerpt #blogtour

 

There's nothing I like more than a book with a dog on the cover, and this one is so appealing.

I am delighted to have an excerpt from this lovely book today. Murder Most Wilde by Helen Golden looks like a fabulous read, and is part of A Right Royal Cozy Investigation Mystery series.


The Blurb

In the world of amateur theatre, the drama isn’t all onstage…

Tragedy Strikes the Windstanton Players

Popular local actor, Noel Ashworth, who collapsed during the rehearsal of Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, was pronounced dead at the scene. As shock ripples through Windstanton’s tight-knit amateur theatre group, the Fenshire Police are looking at them as suspects.

I can’t let Perry’s acting debut end in disaster! With the cast spooked and the local police under-resourced, Bea—along with Perry, Rich, Simon, and her trusty Westie, Daisy must shift through the cast’s petty jealousies and diva behaviour to unmask the killer before they strike again. 

When the show must go on...will everyone make it to opening night?


The Excerpt

Intro

Perry Juke is excited to take on the part of Algernon in The Windstanton Player’s adaptation of The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde. As rehearsals begin in the village hall, Perry is settling into the role and looking forward to opening night. Four weeks before the preview they move to the Windstanton Theatre Royal for their rehearsal in the historic theatre and everyone seems a little tense. Suddenly one of the lead actors, Noel Ashworth, collapses on stage during a scene with Perry, and panic sets in…

***

Oh my giddy aunt! Perry’s heart hammered against his ribs as he raced towards Noel’s crumpled form.

Crunch!

His polished boot crushed something beneath it, but Perry barely registered it. His mind was laser-focused on Noel as his eyes locked on to the unmoving form of his fellow actor. 

Emily beat him there by a hair’s breadth, dropping to her knees beside Noel’s body. “Noel! Can you hear me?” Her normally unflappable voice pitched with urgency.

Perry joined her on the floor. Noel lay still, his skin a sickly pale sheen of sweat. Perry’s stomach twisted. This is bad. Really bad.

“Call an ambulance! Now!” Em barked over her shoulder, her steely gaze resting on Kurt, who stood rooted to the spot, gaping at them, his face pale and blank as if his mind had short-circuited. 

Perry clenched his fists. “Kurt! Call for help! Ring an ambulance!” 

Kurt blinked at him dumbly. Perry wanted to shake him. Of all the times to go into shock! He patted his pockets out of habit and groaned. No phone. Brilliant! “Do something, man!” he bellowed, his frustration bubbling over. 

That seemed to jolt Kurt into action. He fumbled for his phone. His movements were jerky as he turned away, muttering into the receiver.

Beside Perry, Em was trying to reposition Noel’s limp body. “We need to get him in the recovery position. Perry, help me.” 

He hesitated. His instinct told him it was already too late. He’d seen his fair share of corpses over the last few years. The grey tinge to Noel’s skin, the slackness in his face... Perry swallowed hard. But he bit back his doubts. If there was any chance Noel could be saved, then they had to try. Together, he and Em rolled Noel onto his side. His head lolled unnaturally, his skin waxy and slick with sweat. She pressed a trembling finger to Noel’s throat. The pause that followed seemed to last forever.

Her face twisted. “I can’t feel…” she whispered, her composure cracking as she rolled Noel onto his back. “Colin! Get the defibrillator!”

Without hesitation, she clasped her hands and began chest compressions—firm, 

fast, steady. “If it is a heart attack, we might still have a chance, right?” Her eyes met Perry’s. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile as he heard footsteps bolting in the direction of the wings. 

He crouched nearby, his heart thudding in his throat, watching her hands rise and fall in rhythm. If Colin doesn’t come back quickly… What do I have to do? Think! He’d practised CPR before, years ago—but had never used it in real life. What was the song you have to give compressions to? He remembered and began reciting the words of the children’s song “Nelly the Elephant” under his breath, mentally preparing himself to take over from Em. 

“Come on, Noel,” Em muttered, breathless with effort. “Come on…”

Footsteps thundered back into the room. Perry stood and shuffled back to make space, his foot landing on something small and hard. Noel’s fake cigarette, its casing broken. Without thinking, he scooped up the pieces and tucked them into his pocket. 

Colin skidded to a halt beside him, his eyes wide, the defibrillator clutched to his chest. “I’ve never used one of these before!” he gasped, thrusting the machine at Perry. “I’ll take over CPR.”

Perry caught the unit, nodded, and shuffled into place beside Noel as Colin dropped to his knees opposite Em and immediately took over compressions.

Perry suppressed a sigh of relief as he flipped the lid up. At least the machine will talk me through what to do…

He powered it on. The device came to life with a mechanical voice. After telling him to call for help, it continued, “Apply pads to patient’s bare chest.”

He knelt closer and helped Em tear open Noel’s shirt. The skin was clammy beneath the pads, the adhesive slow to stick. Still, they got them in place as shown in the illustration.

Perry knelt back as the voice instructed, “Analysing heart rhythm. Do not touch the patient.”

Colin stopped, and everyone froze. 

“Shock not advised. Begin CPR.”

Em gave a curt nod, and Colin resumed compressions, singing what sounded to Perry like “Staying Alive” by the Bee Gees under his breath.

Perry swallowed hard. No shock? That must mean there was no shockable rhythm…

A sharp scream startled him. His head jerked up to see Stella standing frozen half-way along the stage, her eyes wide with horror, one hand clamped over her mouth.

“Tom!” Em shouted, her voice snapping like a whip. “Get Stella out of here!”

Tom remained rooted in place, gawking at Noel’s lifeless form. Em shot Perry a pleading look. “We’ve got this, Perry. Can you…?”

He nodded and rose. “Come on, Stella,” he said softly, going over to her. Her 

gaze didn’t waver from Noel, her limbs rigid. He put an arm around her shoulders, but she didn’t budge. 

“Is he…?” she whispered.

“They’re doing everything they can,” Perry told her, though the words felt hollow.

Just then, Millie appeared, looking flushed. “Can I help?” she asked as her eyes settled on the morbid tableau taking place before her.

Perry blinked, surprised to see her. She isn’t due until later. Then again, maybe she’d mixed up the schedule like Stella had.

“Noel’s been taken… er, ill,” he blurted. “Please, Millie, take her somewhere. Get her a cup of tea. Plenty of sugar. She needs to sit down.”

Understanding dawned in Millie’s eyes, and she murmured her agreement, her face solemn. She gently pulled Stella towards the curtain, whispering reassurances. 

Perry’s gaze darted back to Noel. Should I take photos of the scene? He shook his head. No. That’s ridiculous. This was almost certainly a heart attack, not something nefarious. Noel was very young to have a cardiac arrest, but if drugs were involved… He let the thought trail off as the distant wail of sirens reached his ears.


Book Details

ISBN:  978 1915747341

Publisher:  Drew Bradley Press

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

No. of Pages:  324 (paperback)

Series:  Book 12 in the A Right Royal Cozy Investigation Mystery series.


Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US


About the Author


Helen Golden spins mysteries that are charmingly British, delightfully deadly, and served with a twist of humour.

With quirky characters, clever red herrings, and plots that keep the pages turning, she’s the author of the much-loved A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series, following Lady Beatrice and her friends—including one clever little dog—as they uncover secrets hidden in country houses and royal palaces. Her new historical mystery series, The Duchess of Stortford Mysteries, is set in Victorian England and introduces an equally curious sleuth from Lady Beatrice’s own family tree—where murders are solved over cups of tea, whispered gossip, and overheard conversations in drawing rooms and grand estates.

Helen lives in a quintessential English village in Lincolnshire with her husband, stepdaughter, and a menagerie of pets—including a dog, several cats, a tortoise, and far too many fish.

If you love clever puzzles, charming settings, and sleuths with spark, her books are waiting for you.

You can also find Helen at:

Instagram

Facebook

Tik Tok

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(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)


Wednesday, 16 July 2025

This is Me Trying by Jenna Adams - #bookreview #blogtour

 


The Blurb

In this contemporary coming-of-age YA novel, a teenage girl navigates a romance with an older boy when they're cast as the leading roles in their drama group's production of Romeo and Juliet.

When Brooke and Matt are cast as romantic leads in their drama group's performance of Romeo and Juliet, they don’t mean to actually fall in love. Secrets and lies seem a small price for Brooke to pay for an older boyfriend, until they take their relationship to the next level one night in an empty auditorium. After she learns of the illegality of Matt’s actions, Brooke’s anxiety reaches breaking point and she makes a decision that changes her life forever. Years later, Matt is reunited with Brooke, desperately seeking redemption. But what sense can they make now of a love that never did run smoothly?

Exploring mental health, co-dependency, and the blurred lines of sexual consent, this captivating debut recounts a young woman’s journey to independence as she strays beyond all she has ever known to confront her traumatic past.

Previously published as Can I Stray.


My Review

This was a five-star read for me, and I enjoyed every page.

The two main characters in this book meet at a drama group when Brooke is fourteen, and Matt is eighteen. They are cast in the roles of Romeo and Juliet. Brooke already has a crush on Matt, and it is not long before her feelings are reciprocated. What follows is a complicated, messy romance, which made for fascinating reading. 

The chapters are alternated between Brooke and Matt and cover the coming few years. We can observe them mature through their individual narratives, which gave a fabulous insight into their thoughts and emotions. 

This is a very heartfelt and emotive book. There were times when I felt heartbroken at the story that they had to tell. They both had to face some very complex issues. The author did a fantastic job of portraying the range of emotion and complex needs that both Brooke and Matt have to face.

Thus, the book deals with some difficult themes, and Ms. Adams deals with them with sensitivity and compassion. The issues of consent, depression, and codependency are covered in this book with realism and honesty. My heart went out to Brooke in particular, and how her lack of self-esteem affected her and those around her. It would be impossible not to feel devastated on behalf of her mother.

This is Me Trying is being published tomorrow, and I highly recommend that you get your hands on a copy. However, I should add some trigger warnings to that recommendation. Issues of consent, mental health issues, and abandonment are all present in this book. But it is a brilliant book and well worth reading.


Book Details

ISBN:  978 1917275101

Publisher:  Neem Tree Press

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  432 (paperback)

Previously published as Can I Stray


Preorder Links

Bookshop.org

Blackwell's

Amazon UK

Amazon US


About the Author

Jenna Adams began writing at the age of fourteen and now writes from her third-floor flat, which is full of houseplants. She has written for a variety of publications including The Book Network, Brook Charity, and The Content Wolf, and is passionate about exploring mental health, consent, and codependency in her writing.

You can also find Jenna at:

Author Website

Instagram

Tik Tok

Facebook


Why not check out some of the other fabulous bloggers on this tour.


 


(ARC and media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)

Tuesday, 15 July 2025

10 Ten Exciting New Releases in August 2025

 


Hasn't the weather been glorious? A little too hot for some perhaps? However, there is nothing nicer than finding a shady spot, a long cool drink and settling back with a good book.

There are some exciting new releases coming out next month. Here are just ten that have caught my eye.

With Her Own Hands by Nicole Nehrig

A rich and intimate exploration of how women have used textile work to create meaningful lives, from ancient mythology to our current moment.

Knitting, sewing, embroidery, quilting—throughout history, these and other forms of textile work have often been dismissed as merely “women’s work” and attached to ideas of domesticity and obedience. Yet, as psychologist and avid knitter Nicole Nehrig wonderfully explores in this captivating book, textile work has often been a way for women to exercise power. When their voices were silenced and other avenues were closed off to them, women used the tools they had—often a needle and thread—to seek freedom within the restrictive societies they lived in.

Spanning continents and centuries, With Her Own Hands brings together remarkable stories of women who have used textiles as a means of liberation, from an eighteenth-century Quaker boarding school that used embroidered samplers to teach girls math and geography to the Quechua weavers working to preserve and revive Incan traditions today, and from the Miao women of southern China who, in the absence of a written language, pass down their histories in elaborate “story cloths” to a midcentury British women’s postal art exchange. Textiles have been a way for women to explore their intellectual capacities, seek economic independence, create community, process traumas, and convey powerful messages of self-expression and political protest.

Heartfelt and deeply moving, With Her Own Hands is a celebration of women who have woven their own stories—and a testament to their resilience.

Preorder Link - Bookshop.org


 Wedding Bells for the East End Library Girls by Patricia McBride

The library girls are determined to keep their community’s spirits high.

With their beloved library damaged by bombing, they’ve found a temporary home in the local school, but they long to return to the place they love.

Mavis’s wedding should be a time of joy, but beneath the celebrations, she carries a secret. Determined to stay strong, she refuses to dampen the happiness of those around her.

Jane is finally stepping into the life she deserves. After years of self-doubt, she is beginning to find her confidence and – with the support of her two best friends – perhaps even an opportunity she never thought possible.

And for Cordelia, hope is also on the horizon. As the war winds down, her partner Robert may finally return from Africa. For the first time in a long time she is looking forward to a future filled with love and joy. But dare she dream of more wedding bells?

Preorder Link - Amazon UK


 Cuckoo in the Nest by Diane Saxon

What secrets lie within?

I've moved into a shared house. My three new housemates aren't just reserved, there's a distinct chill in the air, an unspoken tension that makes me uneasy.

I'm not here to make friends, though.

I have my own secrets.

Nikki is like a sister to me and I'm here to find out what happened to her.

Where is she?

I'm convinced someone knows more than they're letting on. Is she simply missing? Or has something far more sinister occurred within these walls?

I'm not leaving until I find out if Nikki is alive or dead.

Preorder Link - Amazon


The Girl From the War Room by Catherine Law

Through the trees in St James's Park she spotted the white facades of the Whitehall offices, and her stomach contracted. But it wasn’t nerves. Fortitude, yes, and a kind of hell-bent willingness. An understanding of the importance of her work; to do something, however small, to help. A privilege.

1941: A world away from idyllic childhood summers spent in Devon, Cassie Marsh steps through the sandbagged entrance to the War Room, determined to do her part for the war effort.

The air crackling with tension, the urgency of whispered conversations, the weight of secrets – nothing in her quiet upbringing has prepared her for this. Here, women like her are expected to work tirelessly, remain composed, even as their homes – and lives – are devastated by the Blitz.

But Cassie’s heart is already divided between love and duty. She dreams of rich summers at Greenaways from a lifetime ago, before her world was torn apart. She dreams of one person… the one she cannot – but must – forget.

And as her family begs her to return to safety, to the soothing, reassuring walls of the country house, Cassie must decide where her heart really lies. In times of war, can you ever afford to question your loyalty?

Preorder Link - Amazon


 Snowflakes Over Starr's Fall by Kate Hewitt

As the stars twinkle and the snow drifts over the town… someone’s about to find the magic she didn’t even know she’d been missing…

Jenna has lived in Starr’s Fall for most of her life, and has run the general store for over ten years. Secretly she might dream of love and romance, but she’s happy as she is. Really.

That is, until Starr’s Fall’s newest resident—ex-New Yorker, millionaire investment banker—Jack Wexler breezes into Jenna’s store, seemingly furious they don’t stock smoked salmon. Jenna is as amused as she is annoyed. Who is this ridiculous guy, and doesn’t he realize he’s not in Manhattan anymore?

Jack meanwhile can’t believe he lost it in public. But ever since being forced to leave his high-flying career to focus on his health, he’s not been himself. What’s more, the last person he’d expected to be attracted to is the shrew of a storekeeper he’s just encountered… which he might have called Jenna, in a moment of temper…

Neither of Jenna or Jack’s ideal of romance includes these sorts of furious sparks flying. But when they’re both roped in to organizing the town’s Winter Wonderland parade, they’re forced to work together. And as Christmas approaches – will two opposites merely attract? Or, in magical Starr’s Fall, could they fall in love for keeps?

Preorder Link - Amazon


 Daughter of the Tarot by Clare Marchant

Two women, linked by the cards, unravel a secret spanning the decades...

1644: Portia is living in London, having escaped an abusive man in Italy, with just baby Vittoria and the clothes on their backs. Making her living reading tarot cards, she starts to realise there are other women like her – who need help. As she delivers the Devil card to their door, each has the chance to escape… But to what future? Because Portia is a woman with secrets. And they are about to come back to haunt her.

Now: After her mother’s death and father’s hasty plans to remarry, Beatrice has left home to open a tarot shop in London. But when she’s unpacking, she finds a set of cards she’s never seen before, one that’s evidently been handed down through generations of her family. It’s a set that is missing a card though… the Devil’s Card. She begins to search for the lost card, but she also starts to hear rumours of that very card being linked to a series of murders of women in 17th century London… 

Will she find the truth… or will she only see the illusions the cards are suggesting?

Preorder Link - Amazon


If Not for My Baby by Kate Golden

Clementine Clark isn't looking for love. She's a talented singer, but she's set her dreams of stardom - and romance - aside to care for her ailing mother.

And then her best friend calls her with a life-changing opportunity: join Irish megastar Halloran on his first US tour as a backing vocalist. Clementine wants to reject the offer, but the pay would change her and her mom's life. Overnight, Clementine goes from serving enchiladas at the Happy Tortilla to belting high notes before a cheering crowd.

But the whiplash of trading small-town Texas for sold-out stadiums is nothing compared to the rush of performing with the enigmatic Thomas Patrick Halloran. Poet, introvert, and lyrical genius, Halloran quickly gets under Clementine's skin. The two couldn't see the world more differently. And yet, over the course of the next eight weeks on tour, the romantic rockstar might just strike an unforgettable chord in Clementine. But will it be enough for an encore?

Preorder Link - Bookshop.org


 The Secret Librarian by Soraya M. Lane

New York, 1942: Avery is engaged to be married. Longing for adventure instead, she jumps at an unexpected offer to trade her library job for undercover intelligence-gathering in Portugal. But her new life in Lisbon, known as the Capital of Espionage, challenges everything she thought she knew about herself.

Local bookshop owner Camille, a French widow with access to the enemy newspapers and magazines Avery needs, befriends her. But are the rumours that swirl around Camille true—does she really have a Nazi boyfriend? And what secrets did she bring with her when she fled France? Avery must decide—fast—if she can fully trust Camille. Millions of lives depend on it.

As Avery discovers more about Camille’s world, she realises that living in a city of spies will take all her courage. With suspicions growing, they are both playing a terrifyingly dangerous game. And not everyone will live to tell their story. Can Avery and Camille stay far enough ahead of their enemies to survive?

Threaded through with daring, sacrifice and love, this is the inspirational story of two women prepared to risk everything to help others survive the horrors of World War II.

Preorder Link - Bookshop.org


 Rooms for Vanishing by Stuart Nadler

For the Alterman family, Fania and Arnold, and their children Sonja and Moses, the universe has been fractured.

In 1938 Sonja is lifted onto a Kindertransport train that will take her from Nazi-occupied Austria to London. She is the only member of her family to survive.

In 1966 Fania works as a massage therapist in Montreal, a place that has provided her safe haven after she lost her entire family in the war.

In 2016 Arnold lives out the last of his days and the last memories he has of his family in the city he has always called home.

And in 2000, Moses awaits the birth of his grandson, unaware that the strings that tie him to his past are being drawn tighter and tighter.

Surely none of these realities co-exist, and yet they seem to be drawing closer . . .

Moving between Vienna and Prague, London and Montreal, New York and Miami, Stuart Nadler's Rooms for Vanishing is a spellbinding exploration of what might happen when grief and hope collide.

Preorder Link - Bookshop.org


 In Berlin by Eric Silberstein

Software engineer Anna Werner lives at a rapid clip, relishing her work and adopted city as much as her early morning runs. All comes undone on a sweaty August evening when, in the course of a 20-minute commute, Anna goes from worrying vaguely over a sore shoulder to staggering her way into an ambulance. She has suffered a spinal stroke. Over the coming months, her parents join the insurance man in telling her to get ready for life in a group home.

The only person who recognizes what Anna is still capable of is Batul al-Jaberi, a recent Syrian immigrant who meets Anna while doing her rounds as a janitor at the hospital. Batul is applying to medical school, where she hopes to regain control of a life hijacked by her family's flight from persecution in the early days of the Arab Spring.

At first the friendship is what Anna and Batul each need to regain mobility. But as their relationship deepens, Batul finds she must choose between her family and Anna-a choice that will force both women to rewrite their notions of loyalty.

In Berlin is a work of empathetic precision, exploring both the unpredictable nature by which geopolitics and scientific breakthroughs touch our lives, and the brave, bold, and sometimes quiet ways in which people reassert agency in the face of loss. Most of all, it taps a throughline of emotion that binds characters and readers alike across geographies, cultures, and ambitions.



(all opinions are my own)

Monday, 14 July 2025

Victory for the Foyles Bookshop Girls by Elaine Roberts - #bookreview #blogtour

 


Alice stifled a yawn as she stood huddled with her friends Victoria and Molly near the counter in Foyles Bookshop, their voices low as they snatched a moment between customers to catch up...


The Blurb

London, 1918: the war in Europe may be drawing to an end, but there are new challenges for the Foyles bookshop girls.

As their dreams of the war ending look like they might finally come true, the girls of London’s Foyles bookshop allow themselves to look forward to a brighter future.

But their hopes may be shattered when news of a terrible flu that is gripping the world reaches London, and the girls realise they are not out of danger yet. Meanwhile, they have their own challenges to face when Alice discovers her father has been living a double life; Victoria’s beloved husband Ted struggles to adjust to life after the trenches; and the secret Molly has been keeping finally comes to light.

But, working side-by-side in London’s Foyles bookshop, Alice, Victoria and Molly have become more like sisters than friends. And together, they can brave any storm.

As London faces its toughest year yet, will the Foyles bookshop girls make it through to victory together?


My Review

I so enjoyed being able to revisit the staff of Foyle's Bookshop in this book. I have previously read The Foyles Bookshop Girls' Promise which I really enjoyed, and this one was every bit as good.

There are rumours that the end of World War One is approaching, and people are being cautiously optimistic, and looking forward to a time of peace. Friends Victoria, Molly and Alice who all work at the bookshop are busy with work and supporting their menfolk who have already returned from the war. Each are mentally battle scarred in their own way.

Just as everyone is feeling hopeful of the war coming to an end, they are hit by an unseen enemy in the shape of the Spanish flu epidemic. Much of this will resonate with the reader as it was not dissimilar to the covid pandemic of recent years. People were required to take similar safety measures. The bookshop was forced to close for a short while but the staff rallied around its customers and provided a delivery service.

There were also hidden secrets in the lives of the three main characters, which we, as readers, were aware of. However, it made for interesting reading to observe how this would play out upon revelation to other characters within the book.  Although the girls had so much to contend with throughout the book, they remained optimistic and they were a joy to read about. The author has done a great job in her creation of these characters. The secondary characters are equally well portrayed, and each had an important role to play within the plot.

Ms. Roberts also depicts the time period with an authenticity which helps the reader to become immersed in the story. It was a compelling read which I enjoyed very much.

This was a quick, easy and delightful book to read. It is a heartwarming and uplifting novel which left me smiling and feeling satisfied.


Book Details

ISBN:  978 1805497226

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

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

No. of Pages:  280 (paperback)

Series: Book 6 of the Foyles Bookshop Girls series


Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Waterstones


About the Author

Elaine Roberts is the bestselling author of historical sagas set in London during the First World War. She joined a creative writing class in 2012 and shortly afterwards had her first short story published. She was thrilled when many more followed. Her home is in Dartford, Kent and she is always busy with children, grandchildren, grand dogs and cats.

You can also find Elaine at:

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

(all opinions are my own)


Friday, 11 July 2025

The Silent Witness by K.J. McGillick - #bookspotlight #blogtour


 I am so pleased to be shining the spotlight on this book today. The Silent Witness by author, K.J. McGillick is part of the Art of Deception series.

The Blurb

History is fragile. A single brush can forge it anew.

When a stolen Klimt painting becomes a death sentence, lawyer-turned-writer Saoirse St. James must choose between justice and survival.

Eleanor Ashford should have been safe in her Boston home. Instead, she’s found murdered—and The Golden Veil, her priceless Gustav Klimt, has vanished without a trace. As executor of Eleanor’s will and the painting’s unexpected heir, Saoirse inherits more than art: she inherits a target on her back.

What begins as a simple insurance claim spirals into a deadly conspiracy stretching from Boston’s elite galleries to Venice’s shadowed auction houses. Alongside enigmatic investigator Matthew O’Donnell, Saoirse uncovers a criminal network that has been rewriting history itself—using forged masterpieces to manipulate the past, reshape power, and conceal the truth behind decades of crimes.

But Eleanor’s death was just the beginning. As bodies fall and evidence vanishes, Saoirse realizes The Golden Veil hides secrets that could expose this empire of lies—and powerful people will kill to protect it. Every step toward the truth draws her deeper into the crosshairs of Maximilian Devereaux, a ruthless powerbroker whose fortune and influence were built on stolen identities, forged provenance, and silenced witnesses.

From Zurich’s cobbled streets to Venice’s labyrinthine canals, this fast-paced thriller follows Saoirse as she stays ahead of assassins who erase their victims as cleanly as they forge the records of history. Because in a world where beauty masks brutality and culture conceals corruption, the most dangerous thing isn’t possessing a stolen masterpiece—it’s knowing who forged it and why.

Some inheritances are worth dying for. Others are worth killing for.


Book Details

ISBN: 979 8317310820

Publisher: Independently Published

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

No. of Pages: 372 (paperback)

Series: Part 1 in the Art of Deception series.


Purchase Links


Amazon UK


Amazon US


About the Author


From the bustling courtrooms of Atlanta to the vibrant tapestry of 16th-century England, Kathleen McGillick’s life and career have been a captivating blend of legal expertise, artistic passion, and a thirst for adventure.

Fueled by an undergraduate and graduate degree in nursing, Kathleen built a foundation of compassion and care. This dedication to service later led her to pursue a Juris Doctorate, allowing her to navigate the intricacies of the legal system for nearly three decades. Her courtroom experience now breathes life into the intricate details of her legal thrillers, ensuring every courtroom scene crackles with authenticity.

But Kathleen’s story does not end there. A deep fascination with art history led her to delve into the world of renowned artists and captivating eras. Her particular passion for 16th-century British history allows her to transport readers to richly detailed historical settings, immersing them in the culture, politics, and societal nuances of the time.

Driven by an unwavering dedication to her craft, Kathleen has independently published twelve  thrillers since 2018. Her commitment extends beyond solo creation, as she actively engages with the writing community, honing her skills through workshops and courses led by renowned authors.

And when she’s not crafting captivating narratives, Kathleen embarks on international journeys, soaking in diverse cultures and experiences that further enrich her writing. This global perspective adds another layer of depth and realism to her stories, allowing readers to connect with characters and settings that transcend geographical boundaries.

You can also find her at:

Author Website

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(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)