The Hangman's Master by Elyse Hoffman - #blogtour #bookreview

 The day that Stefan Harkel became a God was five years after he left the Nazi Party, one year after he joined the resistance, two months after Hitler's invasions of Poland, and one hour after he found his first mass grave...

***

The Blurb

In a world torn by hatred, reckless Stefan Harkel finds himself expelled from home at sixteen and drawn to the Nazi Party's Brownshirt Unit. But when the Führer turns against his own during the Night of Long Knives, Stefan vows vengeance for those he lost.

Joining an anti-Nazi resistance, Stefan’s thirst for revenge leads him to a supernatural twist: he’s chosen as a warden in Hell, granted a Contract for Zone N-1, home to the soul of Reinhard Heydrich, a key architect of the Holocaust. Yet, he’s not alone in this dark game; a ruthless Nazi seeks to claim the power of the Contracts for himself.

As the fate of Europe hangs in the balance, Stefan must protect his Contract from falling into enemy hands, confronting the ultimate battle between good and evil.

Elyse Hoffman delivers a gripping tale of redemption and resilience in the shadow of World War II.

My Review

I have had the good fortune of reading books by this author before so I was thrilled to be invited onto the blog tour for this book. In fact, they were all part of the Project 613 series. I haven't necessarily read them in order, or read the entire series as they do work very well as standalone novels. I have included links to my reviews of those books at the bottom of this review.

This book is slightly different in that it has a supernatural element running alongside a cracking good story. The main character, Stefan, is a German homosexual serving in the SA just prior to the beginning of World War II. However, some of the atrocities that he witnesses lead him to join the resistance group, Black Fox. The story takes quite a turn when Stefan is offered the opportunity to become a God of Hell and oversee the punishment of some of the Nazi's responsible for the brutal mass murders which he had witnessed.

I must confess, it took me a little while to reconcile these two differing parts of the story. However, I did feel that they aligned well enough by the end of the story. The author weaves the present, past and supernatural elements of the books together splendidly and it was easy to differentiate which part of the book that I was reading.

She is a good storyteller, and I have been very impressed by this series of books. There were some good twists and turns throughout the book and I was satisfied with the ending.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a supernatural element thrown in.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1952742354

Publisher:  Project 613 Publishing

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

No. of Pages:  216 (paperback)

Links to Reviews

Adiel and the Fuhrer

The Vengeance of Samuel Val

Black Fox One

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Amazon CA

About the Author

Elyse Hoffman is an award-winning author who strives to tell historical tales with new twists. Having studied WWII since the age of thirteen and with interests in fantasy and Jewish folklore, she loves to combine them in her writing. Elyse started writing novels at fourteen and finished her first historical fiction work at fifteen. She has published eight books: five in a series called The Barracks of the Holocaust, and three novels, including The Book of Uriel, Where David Threw Stones, and Fracture. In her spare time, she loves to read, work on pretty keyboards, and hang out with her co-authors - her Goldendoodle Ari and her ex-feral cat, Echo.

You can also find Elyse at:

Twitter / X

Linked In

FaceBook

(ARC courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

10 Ten Exciting Books I Want to Read in September 2024

 

I suspect by that by the end of this month our surroundings will be looking much more autumnal.

It hasn't been a brilliant summer in my neck of the woods. There hasn't been many consistently sunny days. However, there is something lovely about early autumn. It hasn't yet got too cold but the colours of nature are beautiful.

It is time to think about getting out the blankets and the warm socks back out of storage, although it's not cold yet. I wonder how long before the weather turns chillier?

Here are ten books that I would like to read this month; some new, some old and some for the little ones.

A Memoir of Jane Austen by J.E. Austen-Leigh

Monster Post by Emma Yarlett

The Frightened Ones by Dima Wannous

Hot Dog by Doug Salati

See Under: Love by David Grossman

The Stones of Burren Bay by Emily de Angelis

Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama

Michal's Destiny by Roberta Kagan

A Christmas Gift for the East End Library Girls by Patricia McBride

All the Old Knives by Olen Steinhauer

Happy September Reading!

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)

10 Ten Exciting New Book Releases in May 2024

 

In my small corner of the world there is a carpet of bluebells. In fact, I have a few growing in the garden. They come up every year and fill me with joy. However, this year, the puppy seems rather keen on rolling about in them so I am constantly behind her shooing her off.

Both puppy and the spring make me happy... as do shiny new books to read. Here are ten new releases that I am looking forward to getting my hands on.

Goyhood by Reuven Fenton

When Mayer (née Marty) Belkin fled small-town Georgia for Brooklyn nearly thirty years ago, he thought he'd left his wasted youth behind. Now he's a Talmud scholar married into one of the greatest rabbinical families in the world - a dirt-poor country boy reinvented in the image of God.

But his mother's untimely death brings a shocking revelation: Mayer and his ne'er-do-well twin brother David aren't, in fact, Jewish. Traumatized and spiritually bereft, Mayer's only recourse is to convert to Judaism. But the earliest date he can get is a week from now. What are two estranged brothers to do in the interim?

So begins the Belkins' Rumspringa through America's Deep South with Mom's ashes in tow, plus two tagalongs: an insightful Instagram influencer named Charlayne Valentine and Popeye, a one-eyed dog. As the crew gets tangled up in a series of increasingly surreal adventures, Mayer grapples with a God who betrayed him and an emotionally withdrawn wife in Brooklyn who has yet to learn her husband is a counterfeit Jew. 

The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton

In 1573, Countess Erzsébet Báthory gave birth to an illegitimate child. The infant, a girl, was swiftly bundled up and handed to a local peasant family to be brought up in one of the hamlets surrounding the Castle. Many years later, 15-year-old Boróka reluctantly leaves the safety of the only home she has ever known in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Trusted members of the countess's household have been sent out to gather new serving girls, and the kindly old man who has taken care of Boróka for almost all her life knows that it is dangerous to turn them away.

Boróka struggles to find her place at Cachtice Castle: she is frightened of the countess's reputation as an alleged murderer of young girls, and the women who run the castle are terrifyingly cruel. When plague comes into the heart of the castle, a tentative bond begins to form between Boróka and the Countess Báthory. But powerful forces are moving against a woman whose wealth poses such a threat to the king: can the countess really trust the women who are so close to her? And when the show trial begins against the infamous 'Blood Countess' where will Boróka's loyalties lie?

Threadbare by Jane Loeb Rubin

Threadbare recounts the story of an innocent but tenacious young girl who chooses marriage to Abe, a lonely widower, rather than follow her farming community north as urban development transforms rural Harlem. Convinced Abe will help her attend high school on the Lower East Side, she faces a rude awakening to the filth and disease of the tenements. Through the following decades, Tillie turns her energy and intelligence to partnering with Abe as he builds a thriving button business while she and her neighbor Sadie launch a unique garment company. Pushing back against anti-Semitic Victorian values dominating the time, she acquires wealth only to have her life upended by a devastating, unforeseen challenge.

Identity by Nora Roberts

What turns someone into a monster? Are they born that way, or is it a choice? I suppose it can be either or both

Morgan Albright dreams of owning her own bar one day but she's bartending for now - working hard, saving money. Life is hectic but she loves sharing a house with her best friend, Nina, and she is even finding time to date for the first time in what feels like forever.

When a seemingly random attack turns Morgan's life upside down, she must leave the city to return to her family home. She hopes that moving back to a small town where she can feel safe will help her to put the horror of that day behind her but, as Morgan soon discovers, sometimes your past just doesn't want to let you go...

The Happy Hour by Cressida McLaughlin

Jess is happy working in Greenwich market selling trinkets to well-heeled locals and excitable tourists.

Then one Sunday, Jess is thrown together with handsome, funny Ash, as they chase a pickpocket through the market, and before long they are making a habit of running into each other at the same time each week.

Jess starts to realize that their hour together is the brightest part of her life. But Ash isn’t telling her everything – can she discover the truth before it’s too late?

The Peasenhall Murder by Neil. R. Norman

In May 1902, a great storm hit the small village of Peasenhall, Suffolk. The following morning, the body of Rose Harsent was found in the house where she worked. Whilst originally believed by the doctor to have been suicide, her brutal injuries, alongside evidence of an attempted fire, told a different story. When looking for a murderer, there were very few suspects, but as more details unfolded, the evidence started to point towards one William Gardiner. William was a respected figure in the community, with a loving family, a job as a foreman carpenter at the local Seed Drill Works, and several positions within the local church. However, the previous year, William had been involved in a scandal that suggested an affair between him and Rose; one that had brought an inquest into the matter and could not be forgotten in such a small village. This made him a person of interest for the police, and when a medicine bottle filled with paraffin was found near her body with the Gardiner family name on it, alongside letters from him amongst Rose's things, it comes as no surprise he was arrested for her murder. Rose was also pregnant at the time of her death; was this the motive? _The Peasenhall Murder_ explores the crime in great detail, from the original scandal through to the aftermath of the trial. It's the perfect read for lovers of true crime and a murder mystery, and those with an interest in Edwardian England.

Old Girls Behaving Badly by Kate Galley

Something old, something new, something stolen…?

Gina Knight is looking forward to the prospect of retirement with her husband of forty-three years. Until, to her surprise, said husband decides he needs to 'find himself' – alone – and disappears to Santa Fe, leaving a Dear John letter in his wake.

Now Gina needs a new role in life, not to mention somewhere to live, so she applies for the position of Companion to elderly Dorothy Reed. At eighty-nine, ‘Dot’ needs someone to help her around the house – or at least, her family seems to think so. Her companion’s first role would be to accompany Dot for a week-long extravagant wedding party.

But when Georgina arrives at the large Norfolk estate where the wedding will take place, she quickly discovers Dot has an ulterior motive for hiring her. While the other guests are busy sipping champagne and playing croquet, Dot needs Georgina to help her solve a mystery – about a missing painting, which she believes is hidden somewhere in the house.

Because, after all, who would suspect two old ladies of getting up to mischief?

Blame My Virgo Moon by Freya Nicole Woolf

Hilarious follow up to Never Trust a Gemini featuring Cat Phillips, astrology aficionado and chaotic teen lesbian, as she struggles to balance romance, friendship and a star turn onstage.

Life should be Gucci gooseberry gorgeous for loved-up Cat. And it is … until her über-cool and swoonsome girlfriend, Morgan Delaney, takes on Cat’s friend – and the most powerfully popular influencer in Lambley Common – Siobhan Collingdale, for the hotly contested spot of Head Girl.

With her loyalties put to the test, Cat throws herself into the gender-indifferent school production of Romeo and Juliet. (A decision she soon regrets...)

Magicalia: Race of Wonders by Jennifer Bell

FEEL THE MAGIC. CONJURE THE IMPOSSIBLE.

When her dad is kidnapped by a woman with a giant hamstoceros, Bitsy and best friend Kosh are swept into a secret world of ancient meteorites and strange beasts called magicores, each conjured using a different emotion. Using a powerful bestiary called Magicalia, the friends must quickly become conjurors themselves, before following a trail of clues that will take them from London to India to Paris, in a race to rescue Bitsy’s dad from a mysterious villain…

Devil in Profile by Kimberley G. Giarratano

In this sequel to to 2023's Death of a Dancing Queen, New Jersey P.I. Billie Levine finds herself at the forefront of a new crime adventure... perfect for fans of Veronica Mars and Serial.

Unlicensed P.I. Billie Levine is trying to bank some extra cash, so she picks up hours working as a process server for another investigative firm. Mindless and mostly 9 to 5, Billie is content to simply hand over court documents until during a routine stakeout, she stumbles upon the corpse of an elderly man, an art collector with ties to Nazi Germany.

Compared to Billie, the dead man has it easy. Billie is feeling on edge lately. Maybe it’s because her father is insisting his estranged kids come to his wedding in Sedona, or that David is making plans to move out, or that a smug teaching assistant is getting underfoot on her latest case.

Although, it’s possible she could use the help when the cops zero in on Billie’s boyfriend, Aaron, and his connections to an international art ring. Turns out, Aaron’s stint in Israel has left him with more than just a thick scar across his neck. The woman he screwed over wants revenge, and she’s determined to leverage Billie’s murder case to get it.

With the detectives focused on Aaron, Billie sets her sights on stopping a killer who is tying up loose ends ― Billie being one of them.

Reading Roundup for March 2024

 

Here we are, almost at the end of March and spring is in the air.

I am a little early with my reading roundup for March but I prefer to be early than late with things. I am one of those people that arrive everywhere half an hour before I need to be there!

Have you read anything good that you think I might like this month?

Books I Have Read

In Sickness and in Health/Yom Kippur in Gym by Nora Gold - This is a flip book of two novellas. Both were five star reads for me. You can read my review by clicking here.

The Shadow Network by Deborah Swift - An excellent book set during WWII. I was gripped by this. You can read my review by clicking here.

Dark Clouds Bring Waters by I. R. Ridley - A short book which made for beautiful reading. You can read my review by clicking here.

A Swift Return by Fiona Barker - A picture book for children with a strong ecological message. You can read my review by clicking here.

Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor - This modern classic was my favourite book this month. 

Newborn by Kerry Hudson - Such a good memoir about life as an expat during pregnancy and illness during the pandemic. You can read my review by clicking here.

At the Stroke of Midnight by Jenni Keer - An excellent book with a time travel element. Well worth reading. You can read my review by clicking here.

The Teacher Who Knew Too Much by Rob Keeley - A lovely book for middle grade children. You can read my review by clicking here.

And Now There's Zelda by Carolyn Clarke - I loved this book which is being published in May. My review will not be published until then.

Wuthering Heights - by Emily Bronte - I have read this a few times already. It was chosen by my book group so read it again. It is not my favourite of the Bronte novels.

Counting Sheep: A Farmyard Counting Book by Michelle Robinson - This is a wonderful picture book for little ones and well worth reading. You can read my review by clicking here.

The Curious Kidnapping of Nora W. by Cate Green - This was another five star read for me. My review will be up later this week.

The Mistress by Valerie Keogh - I love her books. You can read my review clicking here.

The Complete Stories of A. A. Milne by A. A. Milne - A lovely and varied collection of stories from the creator of Winnie the Pooh. My review will be up tomorrow as part of the blog tour.

The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh - Beautifully written fiction about a soldier during the Vietnam War.

Books I Am Currently Reading

Does My Dog Love Me? by Graeme Hall

From Crime to Crime by Richard Henriques

Murder on the Dance Floor by Katie Marsh

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

10 Ten Books I Want to Read in March 2024 - #TBR

 

Welcome to March! 

Today is also St. David's Day and I wish you all a happy one filled with happiness and daffodils like the one above. Unfortunately, the ones I had in my garden have been eaten by slugs/snails. They tend to decimate everything in my garden; with the exception of the weeds naturally!

What reading plans do you have for March? Here are ten books that I hope to read this month.

How to Survive in Medieval England  by Toni Mount

The Good Servant by Fern Britton

At the Stroke of Midnight by Jenni Keer

The Sewing Factory Girls by Posy Lovell

Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Call it Sleep by Henry Roth

The Trawlerman by William Shaw

The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves

The Incredible Adventures of Gaston le Dog by Michael Rosen

Adiel and the Fuhrer by Elyse Hoffman - #bookreview #blogtour

 

***

Adiel Goldstein has a good life. Despite the anti-Semitism he faces as a German Jew, he has everything he wants. A dream job as an art professor, good friends, a loving father, and a precious nine-year-old daughter, Kaia. But his life is about to be upended. An old comrade from his time fighting in the Great War is gaining power: a man named Hitler. Adiel’s father insists that they need to leave the country before Hitler becomes the leader of Germany.

Adiel and his family plan to move to America, but before they can even pack their bags, he and Kaia make a shocking discovery. Adiel’s father, Natan Goldstein, is from the future. A Holocaust survivor who lost his family to unspeakable tragedy, Natan was given the chance to go back in time and take the life of Adolf Hitler. But when he failed to kill the future Führer, he devoted himself to his new family and awaited the inevitable.

Natan can’t face the Holocaust again, but Adiel’s unique connection to Hitler means he might be able to succeed where his father failed. Adiel now has a choice: escape as planned and let history repeat itself, or sacrifice everything to stop the Holocaust before it can begin.

Award winning author Elyse Hoffman has crafted a thought-provoking and daring work of historical fiction which will tug at your heartstrings.

***

Although this is the fourth book in the Project 613 series, they absolutely work as stand alone novels. I have previously read and reviewed The Vengeance of Samuel Val which is the second book in the series. I've also read the third, Black Fox One. You can access both of these reviews by clicking on the respective titles. Having read and enjoyed those two, I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to read this one too. 

In all honesty, this book took me a little longer to get into than the previous books. I am not blaming the book for this. Trying to read whilst keeping the puppy amused is not necessarily an ideal combination. However, once I was able to focus on it, I enjoyed it every bit as much as its predecessors.

The book deals with the question; what would happen if we could go back in time and prevent Hitler engineering the atrocities of the Second World War? The plot delivers lots of surprises along the way most of which I did not anticipate and definitely kept me reading.

Each of the characters has something to contribute to the story. Mostly, the characters are fictional but several people from history have a part to play in this story.

The story follows the life of Adiel, the main character, from infancy to adulthood. He is an extremely compelling character as the reader is able to ponder the complexities of his life alongside him. His daughter, Kaia, equally has a significant role in the book and she is the instrumental in bringing the Jewish and Nazi element together on the page.

Ms. Hoffman competently combines a story of Jewish folklore, time-travel, historical fiction and successfully pulls them all together to produce an excellent novel. I recommend this book and it will be enjoyed by anyone who likes historical fiction or time travel elements in their reading.

About the Author:

Elyse Hoffman is an award-winning author who strives to tell historical tales with new twists. Having studied WWII since the age of thirteen and with interests in fantasy and Jewish folklore, she loves to combine them in her writing. Elyse started writing novels at fourteen and finished her first historical fiction work at fifteen. She has published eight books: five in a series called The Barracks of the Holocaust, and three novels, including The Book of Uriel, Where David Threw Stones, and Fracture. In her spare time, she loves to read, work on pretty keyboards, and hang out with her co-authors - her Goldendoodle Ari and her ex-feral cat, Echo.

(book and media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

10 Ten Exciting New Releases in March 2024

 

If we are already looking ahead to March that means that spring should not be too far away. Bring it on...

In no particular order, here are ten exciting new books due to be published in March.

And Now the Light is Everywhere by L.A. Macrae

Where does a story end and the truth begin?

Argyll, 1998.

Stories run deep in the MacArthur family, passed from generation to generation. Tales not just of selkies and changelings, but of the lives and deaths of the family themselves. Anna MacArthur has heard how her beautiful grandmother Netta boarded a ship for Canada after the war, leaving behind her young son Donnie, and was never seen again.

Now, fifty years after her disappearance, Anna accidentally pulls a loose thread in the story of Netta's fate, causing the tale of her vanishing to unravel completely. As Anna pieces together a far more disquieting version of events, she is also forced to examine her own memories of her father Donnie's death.

Yet the truth is sometimes bent and buried for a reason. And bringing to light what some have concealed for years may not be free of consequences . . .

At the Stroke of Midnight by Jenni Keer

It’s 1923 and in a decade that promises excitement and liberation, Pearl Glenham and her father are invited to a mysterious country house party on the Dorset coast, by a total stranger.

Her father claims not to have any prior association with Highcliffe House, but upon arrival, it is apparent that he has a shared history with several of the guests, although he won’t admit it. Belatedly discovering that her father was blackmailed into attending, Pearl’s worries are compounded when their host fails to arrive…

Intimidated by everyone at the party, she escapes to the nearby cove and stumbles upon a mysterious mercury clock hidden in a cave. This strange encounter sets in motion a series of events that will culminate in an horrific house fire, claiming the lives of all the guests, including Pearl herself.

But then Pearl wakes up back in the cave, seemingly destined never to live past midnight. She can repeat the day. But can she change its outcome?

The Rebel Pianist of Majdanek by Nicola Pittam

Former Polish teenage piano prodigy Mosha Gebert is teaching when the Nazis come for her. They kill her student, but she is taken to Majdanek concentration camp. There, Commandant Josef Hanke spots her and recognises her as the pianist he fell in love with years earlier.

Hanke demands that Mosha play ‘Ode to Joy’ for him, but she refuses. She will never play in such a horrific place – or for such an evil monster. So begins a battle of wills and repeated torture. Even when Hanke causes her to lose her hearing, Mosha refuses to play.

When her sister arrives in the camp, Hanke tries to use her as leverage but Mosha is steadfast in her hatred for Hanke and the Nazis. Even when her sister is subjected to worse punishment, Mosha does not waver. Instead of playing for Hanke, she begins teaching the women camp songs.

Hanke finally turns his anger on Mosha, breaking one of her fingers. She convinces prison guard Elsa to smash the rest of her fingers with a rock.

Mosha believes crippling herself is the only way for her to survive and triumph over Hanke, but what will this do to him? Will Hanke forgive her? Or will this last desperate act finally push him over the edge?

Be My Sunflower by Kathryn Simmonds

A warm and reassuring picture book about finding your courage even when you'd rather play it safe.

The children are planting sunflowers at school and Carla gets given a seed called Vernon. All the other children's seeds are excited to get out of the packet and start growing. Not Vernon. He knows about slugs, and birds, and thunderstorms. The world is scary.

Carla waters him lovingly, but Vernon is the only seed that doesn't grow into a seedling. "Safe and snug, snug and safe," mutters Vernon, until he realizes how upset Carla is. Vernon understands that he needs to pluck up his courage, push himself out of the ground, and face the world. He needs to do it for Carla. And as Vernon blossoms into a sunflower, he discovers that although the world is not perfect, it can be ... wonderful.

In Sickness and In Health/Yom Kippur in a Gym by Nora Gold

This flip book features two separate novellas: In Sickness and In Health: Lily's most cherished goal in life has always been to be "normal," so as an adult she has painstakingly constructed a "normal" life for herself, with family, friends, and career. But her need to keep hidden her invisible disability, due to its stigma and her shame, now threatens to destroy everything she has worked so hard for. Yom Kippur in a Gym: Five isolated strangers in a synagogue on Yom Kippur – a day of intense reflection and soul-searching – are each struggling with a major personal crisis, when unexpectedly they are thrown together by an emergency that, in one hour, changes all their lives forever.

Moral Injuries by Christie Watson

You're trained to save the lives of others. How far would you go to protect your own?

Ruthlessly ambitious Olivia, anxious perfectionist Laura and free-spirited risk-taker Anjali couldn't be more different. Yet their friendship, which began on the first day of medical school, has kept them inseparable for twenty-five years. As wild all-nighters and exam pressures gave way to the struggles and joys of new motherhood and intense jobs, their bond remained unbreakable. Years ago they promised that nothing would come between them and that they'd do anything for one another, including burying one night they have never spoken about: a drug-fuelled university party that forced them to make a deadly choice that could still destroy them.

When an eerily similar tragedy strikes involving their teenage children, everything the three women have built threatens to shatter around them. And they are left asking: just how far can you stretch a friendship before it snaps?

A Woman of Pleasure by Kiyoka Murata

The year is 1903, and tenacious and spirited Aoi Ichi is sold to the most exclusive brothel in Kumamoto, Japan, becoming the protégée of Shinonome, the oiran, or the highest-ranking courtesan.

Through Shinonome's teachings, fifteen-year-old Ichi begins to understand the intertwined power of sex and money. Education for a courtesan extends beyond the art of seduction, and as Ichi is taught to read and write she develops a voice that refuses to be dampened by the brothel's rigid hierarchy.

Outside the cloistered world of the red-light district, rumours of local worker strikes grow, and as the seasons change in Kumamoto, Ichi, Shinonome and their fellow courtesans begin to wonder how they might redistribute the power and wealth of the brothels among themselves.

Critically acclaimed veteran writer Kiyoko Murata creates in stunning detail the harsh yet vibrant lives of women in a red-light district at the turn of the twentieth century. Based on real-life events, A Woman of Pleasure is a testament to the bonds between women and the power of owning one's language and freedom.

The Final Hours of Muriel Hinchcliffe M.B.E. by Claire Parkin

Muriel, a former bestselling romantic novelist, and Ruth, a journalist, are best friends. Inseparable since they were little, they’ve shared everything; unable to be without each other, even after the most vicious of fights.

Now fate has left them living together in a North London home, with Ruth caring for Muriel in her deteriorating health, playing Scrabble, arguing and making up, passing the days in monotony, ignoring the scars of their relationship. Then one afternoon, Muriel makes a shocking and sinister announcement, sending Ruth’s world into chaos. Only one thing is certain. Life, as she knows it, will never be the same again . . .

The Devil and Mrs. Davenport by Paulette Kennedy

The first day of autumn brought the fever, and with the fever came the voices.

Missouri, 1955. Loretta Davenport has led an isolated life as a young mother and a wife to Pete, an ambitious assistant professor at a Bible college. They’re the picture of domestic tranquility—until a local girl is murdered and Loretta begins receiving messages from beyond. Pete dismisses them as delusions of a fevered female imagination. Loretta knows they’re real—and frightening.

Defying Pete’s demands, Loretta finds an encouraging supporter in parapsychologist Dr. Curtis Hansen. He sees a woman with a rare gift, more blessing than curse. With Dr. Hansen’s help, Loretta’s life opens up to an empowering new purpose. But for Pete, the God-fearing image he’s worked so hard to cultivate is under threat. No longer in control of his dutiful wife, he sees the Devil at work.

As Loretta’s powers grow stronger and the pleading spirits beckon, Pete is determined to deliver his wife from evil. To solve the mysteries of the dead, Loretta must first save herself.

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways by Eve Kellman

Are you on a date that doesn’t feel right?

Can’t shake that creepy guy at the bar?

Worried you’re being followed home?

Message M.

After one too many terrifying encounters, Millie Masters sets up a hotline for women who feel unsafe walking home alone at night: Message M.

But very quickly she realises that there’s much more to be done to help the women who call in. Because the men just do it again the next night, and the next, and the next…

And when her own sister is assaulted on a night out, the temptation to take the law into her own hands becomes too much to resist.

Because M can also stand for murder…

Blood Libel by Michael Lynes - #BookReview

 

Deep in the heart of the night and I am alone in my cell. Sleep will not grace me with its balm. A single candle sputters, its light flickering across this parchment where I transcribe the secrets I dare not share with anyone, except you. I began this testimony two months ago having no one to confide in. The confession stall is far too dangerous. I must finish this entry before Lauds; it might be my last. I'll discover the verdict of my earthly masters in a few hours. Then I may not have much longer to wait for the heavenly father's judgment...

***

1495 Seville, Andalusia.

Can Isaac find the real killer to save his best friend from execution?

The Inquisition is determined to execute heretics like Isaac - those who practice Judaism in secret. Friends and family are arrested and set against each other. Isaac's best friend is accused of heresy, and he is forced to choose between him and his own family. King Ferdinand offers to help him - can Isaac trust him? As the mystery unravels what secrets will Isaac uncover about himself, his friends, and his family?

***

This is the first in the Isaac Alvarez series and if this book is anything to judge by I am in for a treat with the rest of the series.

This well written novel, which is set at the end of the fifteenth century, portrays a time in Seville during the infamous Spanish inquisition. I was gripped by the story and could hardly wait to get back to it between each reading session.

It has clearly been extensively researched and provided me with much food for thought. It was a problematic period in history and whilst I previously had a basic knowledge of this period from other sources, this book brought alive how fearful people must have been during this time.

I liked Isaac's character as well as the rest of his family. They were well drawn, and the author did a good job in portraying them.

The dual narrative between Isaac and Friar Alonso added another perspective to the story and elevated it to the next level. Friar Alonso's writings throughout the book added an apparent authenticity to the story, and they were interesting to read.

This book is educational as well as being a great read. It challenges the reader to think about the levels that a person will go to protect their family. Consequently, family is a strong theme in this book, and I can hardly wait to see how this develops in the next book, The Heretic's Daughter. Although, I read this book independently I am on a blog tour for the next two books so my reviews will be coming up soon.

I highly recommend this book to historical fiction readers and to those who enjoy religious history.

ISBN: 978 1739117399

Publisher:  Romaunce Books

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  288 (paperback)

About the Author:

Michael writes historical mysteries and has a particular interest in early 16th century Andalucia. He is fascinated by the interplay between cultures, globalization and religious intolerance of the period. The Isaac Alvarez mysteries are set against this rich background. He won a prize for his fiction at the 2020 Emirates Literature Festival and is an alumna of the Faber Academy’s Writing a Novel course.

Michael is originally from London but currently lives in Dubai with his family.

(book courtesy of the publisher)

(author media courtesy of the authors website https://www.michaellynes.com/)

(all opinions are my own)

Ten Books I Want to Read in August 2023

 

It is almost August. The children have all broken up from school and six glorious weeks lie ahead of them. I expect that the kids will read more books that the adults but I hope those of you with children to take care of will enjoy sharing some books together.

Here are ten books that I would like to read.

In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes

But You Did Not Come Back by Marceline Loridan-Ivens

The Contest by Karen Hamilton

The Hundred Lives of Juliet by Evelyn Skye

Anne Boleyn: An Illustrated Life of Henry VIII's Queen by Roland Hui

The Plantagenet Prelude by Jean Plaidy

Charlotte's Snowman by Lainey Dee

All Good Things by Amanda Prowse

The Wolf Hunt by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen

The East End Nurse by Sheila Newberry

What is on your reading list this month?

Happy reading!

Unorthodox Love by Heidi Shertok - #BookReview

 

On the scale of catastrophic things in the world, being a twenty-nine year old virgin isn't that bad. It's not like losing a loved one or getting robbed at gunpoint or being thrown in prison for a crime I didn't commit, or anything else that requires therapy and a good lawyer. Which is why if tonight's date ends up being a total disaster, I'm going to be just fine... I will not curl into a ball on the floor and imagine dying as an old maid, then go to the kitchen and finish off a tub of ice cream. In fact, I will not even think about the cookie dough ice-cream sandwich that gazes at me with seductive eyes every time I open the freezer.

***

Penina has grown up believing the Orthodox Jewish teaching that there is one soulmate out there for everyone. But now she's twenty-nine and single, she's starting to wonder if she's the exception.

She has tried everything to find 'the one' and after yet another disastrous date, she can feel even her faith starting to dwindle.

Add to that spending her days surrounded by diamond engagement rings in the jewellery store where she works and her new boss, Sam Kleinfeld, making her life a living hell, and Penina feels more hopeless than ever.

Until she meets Zevi, a handsome, successful, Orthodox singleton just like her. Who has a rather unusual proposal.

Could Penina be about to get everything she's ever wanted?

But then there's Sam, her pain of a boss, who she just can't stop thinking about...

***

I am always a little wary when a book is described as 'laugh out loud funny'. Humour is so subjective that I sometimes find that I barely raise a smile to books described in this way. This book was the exception to that, and I thought it was hilarious in parts, and did indeed laugh out loud.

It was also interesting to read a romantic comedy set in an Orthodox Jewish community. I was already familiar with many of these concepts, but I think this would equally appeal to a reader who is less accustomed to the background.

Penina was a wonderful main character. She was quirky, fun, loyal and a delight to read about. Her relationship with her family and her employer were lovely and very believable. She was a social media influencer of modest fashion and this provided the reader with something a bit different.

The author did an equally good job with the secondary characters. Pernina's sisters were particularly good, and I really enjoyed reading about them.

All in all, this was hugely entertaining whilst being an entirely wholesome book and I loved every page. I found myself thinking about it when I was doing other things and could not wait to get back to it each time. I heartily recommend this to anyone who enjoys romantic comedy or has an interest in Judaism.

ISBN: 978 1471413384

Publisher:  Embla Books

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  368 (paperback)

About the Author:

Heidi Shertok is an Orthodox Jewish woman, wife to a stud muffin engineer, and mother of three. When she isn't writing, she can be found walking her eight pound attack dog, admiring other people's gardens, or hiking in high heels.

(ARC courtesy of NetGalley)

Ten Exciting New Releases in June 2023

 

I can hardly believe that June is only a couple of weeks away. I am quietly confident that this month will bring weather which is nice enough to sit in the garden with a book. Fingers crossed everyone!

Here are ten new releases that look exciting.

The Loneliness in Lydia Erneman's Life by Rune Christiansen

Winner of the Brage Prize, the most prestigious award in Norwegian Literature, The Loneliness in Lydia Erneman's Life is a quiet, beautiful exploration of solitude and how we relate to other beings. It has been lauded by European critics for doing something very rare: offering deep pleasure and joy in reading with little theatrics.

Having grown up as an only child in Northern Sweden, Lydia is used to isolation and being on her own. She fills her days with her love of animals, nature, and hard work. She eventually settles into a career as a vet in rural Norway and embraces the rhythms of rural life. In a series of poetic sketches, Lydia tends to the animals in her community, spends time with her aging parents, and falls in love. Despite an increasing need for closer human contact that begins to encroach on her contented solitude, ultimately it is Lydia's satisfaction with her inner life that speaks of an elegance and hope often lost in these clamoring times.

Written in concise prose, the gravity and tranquility of this novel make it a gift― a soothing, contemplative offering about the depths of our inner worlds.

True Crimals by Robert Bryce Milburn and Richard Adrian

Dax and Daryl, two small-time crooks, concocted an ambitious plan to retire—frame themselves for kidnapping and murdering a rap superstar's trophy wife in an unsolved missing person case! To guarantee their capture, they broke into the crime scene and left behind some incriminating evidence—their blood, saliva and... *wink, wink* more intimate organic material—in the hope that the notoriety it gained would attract Hollywood producers and land themselves a movie deal! Their plan worked—and then it immediately backfired! Their dream becomes a nightmare, and they now have to prove their innocence or face the consequences of the death penalty.

The Twilight Garden by Sara Nisha Adams

In a small pocket of London, between the houses of No.77 and No.79 Eastbourne Road, lies a neglected community garden.

Once a sanctuary for people when they needed it most, the garden’s gate is now firmly closed. And that’s exactly how Winston at No.79 likes it – anything to avoid his irritating new next-door neighbour.

But when a mystery parcel drops on Winston’s doormat – a curious bundle of photographs of a community garden, his garden, bursting with life years ago – a seed of an idea is planted . . .

Somewhere out there, a secret gardener made a decades-old promise to keep the community’s spirit alive. And now it’s time for The Twilight Garden to come out of hibernation . . .

Sweeping through the 1970s to a modern corner of London, this is a life-affirming story of small spaces, small pleasures – and a community lost and found.

The Expectant Detectives by Kat Ailes

For Alice and her partner Joe, moving to the sleepy Cotswold village of Penton is a chance to embrace country life and prepare for the birth of their unexpected first child. He can take up woodwork; maybe she'll learn to make jam. But the rural idyll they'd hoped for doesn't quite pan out when a dead body is discovered at their local antenatal class and they find themselves suspects in a murder investigation.

With a cloud of suspicion hanging over the heads of the whole group, Alice sets out to solve the mystery and clear her name, with the help of her troublesome dog, Helen. However, there are more secrets and tensions in the heart of Penton than first meet the eye. Between the discovery of a shady commune up in the woods, the unearthing of a mysterious death years earlier and the near-tragic poisoning of Helen, Alice is soon in way over her head.

CAN YOU SOLVE THE MOTHER OF ALL MURDERS?

Unorthodox Love by Heidi Shertok

Penina has grown up believing the Orthodox Jewish teaching that there is one soulmate out there for everyone. But now she's twenty-nine and single, she's staring to wonder if she's the exception.

She has tried everything to find 'the one' and after yet another disastrous date, she can feel even her faith starting to dwindle.

Add to that spending her days surrounded by diamond engagement rings in the jewellery store where she works and her new boss, Sam Kleinfeld, making her life a living hell, and Penina feels more hopeless than ever.

Until she meets Zevi, a handsome, successful, Orthodox singleton just like her. Who has a rather unusual proposal. Could Penina be about to get everything she's ever wanted?

But then there's Sam, her pain of a boss, who she just can't stop thinking about...

The Choice by Michael Arditti

As a woman in the early 1980s, Clarissa Phipps is unable to pursue her vocation to the priesthood.  Instead, she joins the BBC's religious affairs department, where she is sent to interview celebrated artist, Seward Wemlock, about the panels he is painting for an ancient Cheshire church.

 Thirty years on, Clarissa, now rector of that same church, chances upon Brian, the chief bell-ringer and husband of her closest friend, fondling fifteen-year-old David.  Dismissing David's claim that they are in love, Clarissa is obliged to act. Will she choose friendship or conscience, sympathy or her official duty of care?

The fallout from that choice forces her to reflect on the original controversy over Wemlock's panels and her concerns about his relationship with the teenagers who modelled for Adam and Eve.  Had she acted on the whispers that reached her at the time, how many lives - her own included - would have turned out differently?

I Heard What You Said by Jeffrey Boakye

Before Jeffrey Boakye was a black teacher, he was a black student. Which means he has spent a lifetime navigating places of learning that are white by default. Since training to teach, he has often been the only black teacher at school. At times seen as a role model, at others a source of curiosity, Boakye’s is a journey of exploration – from the outside looking in.

In the groundbreaking I Heard What You Said, he recounts how it feels to be on the margins of the British education system. As a black, male teacher – an English teacher who has had to teach problematic texts – his very existence is a provocation to the status quo, giving him a unique perspective on the UK’s classrooms.

Through a series of eye-opening encounters based on the often challenging and sometimes outrageous things people have said to him or about him, Boakye reflects on what he has found out about the habits, presumptions, silences and distortions that black students and teachers experience, and which underpin British education.

Thought-provoking, witty and completely unafraid, I Heard What You Said is a timely exploration of how we can dismantle racism in the classroom and do better by all our students.

Morgan is My Name by Sophie Keetch

An atmospheric, feminist retelling of the early life of famed villainess Morgan le Fay, set against the colourful chivalric backdrop of Arthurian legend.

When King Uther Pendragon murders her father and tricks her mother into marriage, Morgan refuses to be crushed. Trapped amid the machinations of men in a world of isolated castles and gossiping courts, she discovers secret powers. Vengeful and brilliant, it's not long before Morgan becomes a worthy adversary to Merlin, influential sorcerer to the king. But fighting for her freedom, she risks losing everything – her reputation, her loved ones and her life.

My Heart Was a Tree by Michael Morpurgo

Discover the beauty and wonder of trees in this stunningly illustrated collection of poetry and stories celebrating trees and what they mean to the world around us . . .

Inspired by the woods around his home, the mighty forests that support our life on Earth, and the Ted Hughes poem which gives this book its title, My Heart Was a Tree is a celebration, and Sir Michael Morpurgo's love letter to trees.

There are stories from an ancient olive remembering Odysseus and Penelope, and from a eucalyptus that gave shelter to a koala; from a piece of driftwood that was made into a chair, and from a tiny sapling carried by a refugee as a reminder of home – these are poems and stories that will amuse, move and energise families and readers of all ages to appreciate the beauty and wonder of trees.

Yuval Zommer's beautiful, detailed illustrations bring the natural world to life, and make My Heart Was a Tree a book to pore over for hours and hours, discovering something new each time.

The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd Robinson

‘My father had spelt it out to me. Choice was a luxury I couldn’t afford. This is your story, Red. You must tell it well . . .’

A girl known only as Red, the daughter of a Cornish fortune-teller, travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient method: the Square of Sevens. When her father suddenly dies, Red becomes the ward of a gentleman scholar.

Now raised as a lady amidst the Georgian splendour of Bath, her fortune-telling is a delight to high society. But she cannot ignore the questions that gnaw at her soul: who was her mother? How did she die? And who are the mysterious enemies her father was always terrified would find him?

The pursuit of these mysteries takes her from Cornwall and Bath to London and Devon, from the rough ribaldry of the Bartholomew Fair to the grand houses of two of the most powerful families in England. And while Red's quest brings her the possibility of great reward, it also leads into her grave danger . . .