Reading Roundup for June 2024 - #bookreviews #guestposts #spotlights #blogtours

 

Here we are at the end of June and I could not resist sharing this photo of my lovely Roxie with you. If a dog was to have a bad hair day this would be it! I can hardly believe that she is almost seven months old already. It seems no time at all since we brought her home. I adore this puppy and cannot imagine life without her now. 

The weather has been nice enough that Roxie and I have been able to sit in the garden with a book and a bone respectively. I have read some really good books this month. What have you been reading?

Books I Have Read

Leeza McAuliffe Has Loads More to Say by Nicky Bond - This was a great read which is aimed at a young adult audience. I enjoyed it very much. You can read my review by clicking here.

Bring Me Sunshine by Alex Brown - This is a wonderfully uplifting read which is perfect for summer. If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Warrior's Forbidden Maiden by Lissa Morgan - This book made for a fabulous few hours of historical escapism.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

Monti and Leo: A Newcomer in Pocketville by Sylvie Kantorovitz - A charming graphic novel for early readers.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Last Line by Stephen Ronson - This was chosen by my Book Group this month. Enjoyable as it was set in my hometown during WWII.

Northern Boy by Iqbal Hussain - This made for a fabulous read and was easily my favourite book this month.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

Serendipity by Maria de Fatima Santos - This is based around the Traveller community in Scotland and is a fantasy story aimed at middle grade readers.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Mother by Valerie Keogh - Another excellent book from the pen of Valerie Keogh.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Butterfly Garden by Rachel Burton - Lovely dual timeline book set in 1963 and 2018. If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

Belly Woman by Benjamin Black - This is the memoirs of Dr. Benjamin Black, an obstetrician who travelled to Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak in 2014. If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

All Among the Barley by Melissa Harrison - This was worth every moment spent reading it. If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Clarks Factory Girls at War by May Ellis - This book is set in Somerset during World War One, and features the lives of three seventeen year old young women. If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

Upstairs at the Beresford by Will Carver - This was not my usual reading fare. It was an interesting read but quite dark at times.

Books I am Partway Through

The Warden by Anthony Trollope

The Attraction of Cuba by Chris Hilton

Book of Longing by Leonard Cohen

Maya Angelou: The Complete Poetry by Maya Angelou

Leeza McAuliffe Has Loads More to Say by Nicky Bond - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Sunday 1st January

'My name's Leeza McAuliffe, I'm 11 years old, and my family does my head in.'

If I were writing a book, that's how I'd start. Straight to the point, no messing around...

***

Leeza McAuliffe is used to change. The previous year saw a house move, a family wedding, and the surprise arrival of baby Harvest. The next twelve months should be calmer. Except...

A new girl at school is causing Leeza headaches. What is her problem, anyway? Best mate Jake can cheer her up but their friendship has begun to spark gossip. And the arrival of a letter brings change that none of the McAuliffes saw coming.

Join Leeza as she charts another rollercoaster year. Whether it's misunderstandings about her love life, getting to grips with the brand new world of periods, or having her very first kiss, she's determined to record the highs and lows, no matter what.

***

Although this book is the second in the Leeza McAuliffe series, it worked perfectly well as a standalone novel. I have not read the first book, Leeza McAuliffe Has Something to Say, but that did not impede my enjoyment of this book at all.

Written in the form of Leeza's diary, we get to know her via her own words. This was exceptionally well done. Although the book is aimed at young adults, reading this as an adult was equally enjoyable. In fact, I think an adult reading perspective gave us a glimpse into the secondary characters; particularly when she is writing about her parents. For example, it was easy to read beyond the text when Leeza writes about her annoying parents because as adults we can interpret their actions via Leeza's response. Very cleverly done.

However, although  my girlhood is a good few years behind me know, I was still able to identify with Leeza. She is a fantastic main character, and I think readers will love her. I definitely intend to keep my copy of the book back for when my granddaughter reaches the appropriate age to get the best out of this book.

I love the way Leeza imagines that her diary will become a historical artefact of the future. It made for an amusing and entertaining read. The author has created a character with a distinct voice and who is an extremely likeable character. I very much hope that there will be more books in the series as I would love to accompany Leeza on her journey through her teens.

This is well worth reading and I think young people and adults alike will enjoy reading this book.

ISBN:  978 0995657458

Publisher:  Take-Away-Tea Books

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  350 (paperback)

About the Author:

Nicky Bond was born in Liverpool, UK, in 1978. The eldest of seven children, she found books were a perfect way to drown out the lively household around her, and meant her hands were never free to change a nappy. 

She studied Psychology and English Literature at University College Northampton before embarking upon a career in Education. Twelve years later, she stopped procrastinating and got writing.

Her first novel, 'Carry the Beautiful' was published in 2017. Her second, for pre-teens and those that care for them - 'Leeza McAuliffe Has Something To Say' - came out in 2019. 'Assembling the Wingpeople' - the sequel to her first novel - was published in Autumn 2021.

Nicky is a regular supporter of Liverpool Women Football Club, relaxes by cooking, and spends a lot of time drinking tea.

(book and media courtesy of Love Books Tours)

(author photo courtesy of her website)

(all opinions are my own)

Miracle Number Four by Paul Marriner - #BookReview #BlogTour

 

In the autumn of 1974 my mother stopped going to work at the bakery. I passed there often, and the ladies in their blue tabards still smiled but stopped speaking. It didn't bother me. It wasn't until the following spring, when out with my sister, that I realised they were offering sympathy. Susan knew. We had been walking to the chemist to collect Mum's prescription - Susan on half-day from the salon and me just home from school - when the smiles and silence at the bakery's open doors stopped her. More accurately, it was the whispering when we'd passed that she noticed. Turning sharply, she spoke slowly and clearly.

'April will bloom again.'

***

A song of the suburbs: a story of family, friends, first love, tragedy, hope and rock and roll

It's 1976 and with dreams of a career in rock, a crush on the prettiest girl in town, and a mother in remission from cancer, Mike’s future looks bright.

Music brings excitement and a chance to shine, but life off-stage is complicated.

Together with family, friends and band-mates, Mike finds joy, sadness and loss. Troubling secrets surface while a new friend brings both fresh perspectives and a cruel reality. The radios and pubs blast rock into the suburban nights and the band prepare for their big break. Is Mike ready?

A warm, thoughtful, questioning novel; a reminder of simpler days, complex emotions and music of a generation.

***

Publishing in paperback today, this is a lovely coming of age story set in 1970's London suburbia.

Having grown up in London during the 1970's I was instantly attracted to this book and it's period and setting provided me with a wonderful trip down memory lane.  Music is a big feature of this book and plays as important a role as any of the characters.

This is a dialogue led book and propels this story along very nicely. The narrative is well written, but it is largely the conversations between the characters which make for an easy read and which makes the characters so easy to engage with.

The main character, Mike, aka JB, is delightful. The author presents him as a fully formed adolescent, and we observe him as he learns about love, life and music. He is a multi-layered character, and I enjoyed watching him make sense of the world.

There is also a wonderful cast of secondary characters, and I enjoyed reading about each of them. Mike's family and friends interacted perfectly and were all very believable.

There are many themes running throughout the book; love, loss, friendship and growing up, all written with both humour and poignancy. I enjoyed this book very much and can forsee it being one I pop back to read now and then.

I was thrilled to realise in the end pages of the book that the author has previously written a book about one of the characters, Richard. Just as I was sorry to be leaving Mike and the other characters I now realise I do not have to and can read more about Richard in the book, Three Weeks in Summer.

I loved Miracle Number Four, and I highly recommend it.

ISBN:  978 1999620066

Publisher:  Bluescale Publishing

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

About the Author:

Paul grew up in a west London suburb (not unlike the suburbs in which his latest book – Miracle Number Four – is based) and now lives in Berkshire with his wife and two children. He is passionate about music, sport and, most of all,  writing, on which he now concentrates full-time. Paul has written five novels and his primary literary ambition is that you enjoy reading them while he is hard at work on the next one (but still finding time to play drums).

(book and author photo courtesy of Love Book Tours)

(author bio courtesy of the publisher)

(all opinions are my own)

The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop - #BookReview

 

It's TOO HOT to be outside for long. Sweat is starting to dampen my scalp, thickening in the roots of my hair and pooling in the crevices of my collar bone. My t-shirt sticks to my spine and my arms are tinged pink, an ungainly line of skin beginning to blister along the top of my thigh in the almost unseasonable blaze of sun. I curl my toes into the damp sand and feel the sharpness of a small shell against the sole of my foot.

Please, don't let him have left without me, I think, I'll do anything. I need him to come for me.

From my spot on the sand I can just make out the dock. Rising out of the sea is the rickety wooden platform where I disembarked months ago, seasick and tired...

***

Rachel has loved Alistair since she was seventeen.

Even though she hasn't seen him for sixteen years and she's now married to someone else.

Even though she was a teenager when they met.

Even though he is almost twenty years older than her.

Now in her thirties, Rachel has never been able to forget their golden summer together on a remote, sun-trapped Greek island. But as dark and deeply suppressed memories rise to the surface, Rachel begins to understand that Alistair - and the enigmatic, wealthy man he worked for - controlled much more than she ever realized.

Rachel has never once considered herself a victim - until now.

***

This is such a powerful novel that I hardly know where to begin. It is a book that is highly relevant to todays society and to the #MeToo campaign. 

Written in chapters alternately titled 'Then' and 'Now' it is a story of manipulation, control and deception. Consequently, it does not always make for comfortable reading. That said, the author treats the subject with sensitivity.

The main character, Rachel, is an innocent abroad and cannot see how she and her friends were being lured into a situation that they had not anticipated. She, in particular, becomes completely embroiled in the attentions of Alaistair, a man twenty years her senior, and is completely blind to the situation that is playing out around her. 

The descriptions of the stunning scenery were beautiful and a distinct contrast to the dark theme of the story. However, with the story being told from the perspective of Rachel, to whom life appeared wonderful, it is important that the author was able to portray her view of the surroundings and relationships. 

As the reader, I flitted between wanting to hug Rachel to giving her a strong wake up call. I was completely absorbed in the book and found Rachel a frustrating character. Her inability to later comprehend what had happened to her, how she had been used and abused and how she let this impact her future life in the way that she did made me feel rather exasperated with her at times. 

This is a sedately paced and atmospheric novel which is sufficiently compelling to ensure that I was fully engaged by the story. It has been well written and is an excellent debut from Ms. Bishop.

ISBN:  978 1787636002

Publisher:  Bantam

Formats:  e-book and hardback

No. of Pages:  353 (hardback)

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About the Author:

Katie Bishop is a writer and journalist based in Birmingham, UK. She grew up in the Midlands before moving to Oxford to work in publishing in her early twenties.

Whilst working as an assistant editor she started writing articles in her spare time, going on to be published in the New York Times, Guardian, Independent and Vogue.

Katie started writing The Girls of Summer during the first UK COVID lockdown, after becoming increasingly interested in stories emerging from the #MeToo movement.

The novel is inspired by her own experiences of backpacking, and by her interest in how personal narratives can be reshaped and understood in light of cultural and social changes.

In 2020, Katie moved back to the Midlands, and now lives in Birmingham with her partner. She is a full-time writer.

(book courtesy of the publisher)

(Author photo and information courtesy of the author's website https://www.katiebishopwrites.com/)

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