The Making of Maddy James by Sara Sartagne - #bookreview

Something woke her. Maddy peeled open her eyes, sticky with mascara that she hadn't taken off. Oh my God, what was the time...

The Blurb

She’s got dreams. Ludicrous, fanciful dreams to become a fashion designer.

But years spent caring for her adoptive mother and being a full-time breadwinner has forced Maddy to leave her dreams unspoken. It’s something of a family tradition – keeping secrets.

When her estranged aunt Tess invites her to spend the summer in Corfu, Maddy glimpses a different future. Designing a wedding dress for Adriana, daughter of the influential Gavros family, could be the break she needs.

However, the commission comes with conditions. And complications. Once again, Maddy must ignore her suspicions and stay quiet. And Kon, Adriana's uncle, is a complication she really doesn't need.

But they're not the only secrets she’s keeping…

As the summer unfolds and her secrets start to unravel, Maddy must decide: will she continue to live in the shadows of half-truths and compromise? Or finally find the courage to shape a life that’s truly her own?

My Review

This made for delightful reading, and I enjoyed every page.

For the past few years, Maddy has been working in admin whilst caring for her adoptive mother. Her dreams of being a designer have had to be shelved as she has had to financially and emotionally support her mum through her illness. When Maddy's mother dies, she is invited to Corfu to spend time with her estranged Aunt Tess. 

For me, reading this during the winter months was glorious. For a short while, I was taken away from the grey, wet skies of England to sunny Corfu, and I very much enjoyed my time there while I got to know Maddy.

As a dressmaker myself, I loved all of the descriptions of the clothes that Maddy was designing and making once she was in Greece. Maddy clearly is very skilled, and I loved watching her gain confidence in her own abilities. She was a great character, and the author did a marvellous job in making her come alive on the page. Equally good were the secondary characters, who all help in the portrayal of her character.

I have been to Corfu and so could readily imagine the streets Maddy walked down. The descriptions of the Greek island are lovely. They are just enough to help the reader envisage the surroundings but without getting bogged down with paragraphs of descriptions. Instead, we see it through Maddy's eyes as she familiarises herself with Corfu.

The book has been well written, and the author understands her characters very well. Equally, I felt she had researched and spent time in Corfu in order to compose such a compelling atmosphere for her novel.

I have never read anything by this author before. I enjoyed it very much and will definitely be reading more of her work next year.

I can highly recommend this novel. If you would like an escape from the cold winter days, then this would be an ideal novel to snuggle down with.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1918354003

Publisher:  Key Title Books

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  297 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Author Website

Amazon UK

About the Author

Sara wanted to be a journalist when she was younger, and actually ended up on the dark side, in PR. From there, it was a short skip to writing for pleasure, and from there to drafting her first book, The Garden Plot. This is the first novel in a romance series where gardens feature in a BIG way - She inherited green fingers from her grandmother, and gardening is a passion.

She moved from London to East Yorkshire in 2019 and is loving the open skies and the green fields. And a HUGE garden! Although not a country girl, She has discovered the joys of very dark country lanes with no streetlights, septic tanks and ordering logs. Going from an underground tube or bus every three minutes, bus timetables in a small Yorkshire town have been a bit of a shock.

She loves being a writer although it's not her only job - yet. Over the years since she began, she has cultivated some wonderful friendships with readers and she loves hearing from anyone who has thoughts about the books and characters - and even about gardening! 

You can also find Sara at:

Author Website

Facebook

Instagram

(ARC and media courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)

Tiger's Last Roar by Harriet Howe and Katie Cottle - #bookreview

Tiger and Mae

Queens of the Jungle

The greatest explorers...

The Blurb

After a whole day of exploring with Tiger, Mae loved drawing with Tiger and telling stories with Tiger.

Always with Tiger. Tiger and Mae. Queens of the Jungle.

Tiger and Mae do everything together, the very best of friends. But there is nothing they love more than exploring, racing and chasing across their jungle. That is, until the call comes for "TEATIME!" and they race back to the house. As time moves on, Mae realises that Tiger is getting old and tired. And when Tiger then dies, Mae feels lost in a whirlwind of anger, fear and sadness. Even the safety of their jungle is stripped away. Only through time and healing does Mae learn that Tiger lives on - through her memories, pictures and their jungle itself.

This book is a profoundly moving, hopeful and reassuring story that celebrates the strength that comes from love and supports a child (and adults too) through navigating the loss of a beloved pet. A necessary and important book for your bookshelf.

My Review

This is a moving story about losing a pet. The death of a pet is a difficult enough experience when you are an adult, but for children, it can be a sad and confusing time. This book is a reassuring story about Mae and her pet cat, Tiger. They do everything together, and across a few short pages, we observe Tiger ageing. As he grows older, he slows down and sleeps more, but is always there for Mae, until one day when he doesn't come home. Mae has to deal with the myriad of emotions of his loss. Sometimes she is quiet, other times she is angry, until the time comes when she shuts herself away completely. However, the book culminates in hope when she realises that although Tiger has gone, he will always be with her and around her. This book has been beautifully illustrated by Katie Cottle, and I love the way the colour palette changes based on Mae's emotions. They combine perfectly with the excellent text to produce a book that is just perfect to help both children and their adults to deal with such a difficult time. In fact, there is a section at the back of the book which is dedicated to adults in supporting their child cope with the loss of a pet. Publishing on the 11th September, this debut book is a perfect one to have on the shelf at home or in the classroom for when a child has to face the devastating loss of a pet. I highly recommend it.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1800789302

Publisher: Templar Books

Formats: paperback

No. of Pages: 40

Preorder Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Blackwell's

Waterstones

About the Author

Harriet's first word was "book", she's loved stories ever since, so it's a dream come true to end up writing her own. Originally from London, she now lives in Suffolk with her family. When not writing, Harriet works in television; she's filmed talking horses, chefs in jets and pop princesses in fabulous dresses. But she's happiest with a pencil in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, brewing up her next story.

You can also find Harriet at:

Instagram

X

Bluesky

About the Illustrator

Katie Cottle is a freelance illustrator and picture-bookmaker based in Bristol. Originally from Swansea, Katie graduated from the Illustration course at the University of the West of England in 2017. She enjoys telling stories through drawing, and uses a variety of media, including a mix of traditional and digital techniques. She was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for The Blue Giant. She particularly enjoys using bright colours and drawing grumpy faces. 

You can also find Katie at:

Website

Instagram

(ARC and media courtesy of Bonnier Books)

(Illustrator photo courtesy of katiecottle.com/)

(all opinions are my own)(Bookshop.org affiliated)

Ace, Marvel, Spy: A Novel of Alice Marble by Jenni L. Walsh - #bookreview

 

With a sigh, Alice lowers the newspaper. She knew the war was coming. Hadn't he - she won't think his name and drudge up all those memories - predicted it? But now to see the state of the world so clearly in black and white... it takes the wind out of Alice, while also igniting a fire inside of her...

***

The Blurb

Trailblazer, superstar, activist, and spy: Alice Marble is a true American icon.

Alice strives to have it all. At seventeen, Alice Marble has no formal tennis skills and no coach. What she does have is an ability to hit the ball as hard as she can and a strong desire to prove herself. With steadfast determination and one sacrifice after another, Alice plays her heart out on the courts of the rich and famous, at national tournaments, and—the greatest of them all—at Wimbledon, rising to be one of the top-ranked players in the world.

But then her world falls apart. With the outbreak of war with Germany, Alice’s tennis career and life come to a screeching halt, and for the first time, she is forced to confront who she is without tennis. As she seeks to understand her new place in the world and how she can aid in the war efforts, a telegram arrives with devastating news from overseas. Heartbroken and lost, she feels like she can only watch as the war wreaks havoc in every area of her life.

Until an unexpected invitation arrives. Alice is given the chance to fight back when the US Army sends her a request: Under the guise of playing in tennis exhibition games in Switzerland, she would be a spy for them. Alice aches for nothing more than to avenge what the war has taken from her and to prove herself against this new opponent. But what awaits her might be her greatest challenge yet.

From her start as a promising athlete with worn-out shoes to her status as a glamorous international star, Alice Marble’s determination to control her own life and destiny fuels a story of achievement, discipline, loss, and love.

Jenni L. Walsh’s Ace, Marvel, Spy brilliantly showcases the life of Alice Marble, a real-life tennis sensation known for her extraordinary talent and indomitable spirit. This fast-paced and action-packed historical novel spans multiple international settings and is enhanced by discussion questions that prompt readers to reflect on Alice’s challenges and triumphs, making it an ideal choice for book clubs.

My Review

This is a fascinating novel based on the life of the tennis player, Alice Marble.

I must confess that Alice Marble was completely unknown to me until I read about her in this book. I am so very glad that I was able to read about her as she was a fascinating woman who overcame much adversity in her ambition.

The narrative is divided into two different time periods which are headed as 'Now' and 'Then.' It was extremely easy to move from one time to the other, and the author has made this seamless. I was very interested to learn about this woman who hadn't even picked up a tennis racquet until she was 15 but had the ambition and determination to go on to become one of the top ranking tennis players in the world. Equally, it was her strength of character that enabled her to later be willing to risk her life by working as a spy.

Without doubt, she was a fascinating woman who passed away in 1990. Her legacy is a great one; not just for her tennis but for the bravery and courage that she faced life with. The author depicts the highs and lows of Alice's life, demonstrating how her strength of character helped her to face the love and losses of her life. 

This is an extremely well written book; a novel based on fact which has the ability to draw the reader in. Personally, I am not a big sports fan but I very much enjoyed this novel about the strong and remarkable woman who was Alice Marble.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1400246748

Publisher:  Harper Muse

Formats: e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  336 (paperback)

Pre-Order Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Blackwell's

About the Author

Jenni L. Walsh is a USA Today bestselling author of over twelve books. Her passion lies in transporting readers to another world, be it in historical or contemporary settings. She is a proud member of the Tall Poppy writers, a graduate of Villanova University, and lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with her husband, daughter, son, and various pets.

For adults, Jenni has written historical novels Becoming Bonnie, Side by Side, A Betting Woman, The Call of the Wrens, Unsinkable, and the forthcoming Ace, Marvel, Spy. She also writes books for children, including the nonfiction She Dared series and novels Hettie and the London Blitz, I Am Defiance, By the Light of Fireflies, Over and Out, Operation: Happy, and The Bug Bandits. 

You can also find Jenni at 

Website

Facebook

Instagram

(ARC courtesy of the publisher)

(media courtesy of the author's website)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org afilliated)

Borrowed Memories by Mark Foss - #bookreview

 

When I pulled up to the cottage, my father is standing outside the main garage, jamming a steel rod into a metal pipe like he's priming a cannon. It's his latest attempt to build a pole for his air force flag...

***

It has recently come to my attention that I must make it clear at the beginning of my reviews that I received this book for free from the publisher. I have not been paid for doing this and all opinions are my own. I am Bookshop.org affiliated, which means I earn a very small amount of money if you buy from there using my direct link. Although I include purchase links to Amazon, I am not affiliated with them. I include them to make it easy for you to navigate to them if you so wish.

***

The Blurb

In the midst of the Arab Spring's upheaval, Borrowed Memories unravels a tale of shifting identities and the profound impact of memory. Meet Ivan Pyefinch, a freelance translator seeking solace in the Thousand Islands as he tends to his aging parents, Horace and Aida. Horace, a former World War II pilot, fights to reclaim his driver's license, while Aida grapples with the relentless advance of Alzheimer's. Their borrowed time is both a burden and a gift, and Ivan is determined to make the most of it.

Enter Mia Hakim, an immigrant filmmaker from Quebec with a penchant for other people's memories and an unyielding quest for her Sephardic roots. When she seeks Ivan's help in translating her scenario for a research trip to Tunisia, the collision of their worlds becomes inevitable. As Mia unexpectedly arrives at the Pyefinch home on the eve of Remembrance Day, a family health crisis sets in motion a profound narrative that explores the intricacies of love, loss, and the perennial search for identity.

My Review 

Let me start off by saying how much I really enjoyed this book. It is the story of Ivan, a middle aged man, and his coming to terms with the ageing of his parents, Horace and Aida.

Aida's health is deteriorating as she has Alzeimer's. Horace, who is totally self obsessed, is not without his health challenges either. Through Ivan, the book asks the question as to how much are adults responsible for the care of their failing parents? Should that care take precedence over their own lives?

I lost both of my parents some years ago, and so I was readily able to identify with Ivan. He is an interesting character. He has just come out of a failed relationship, and his work as a translator enables him to spend this level of time with his parents. 

Through his eyes we observe his relationship with Horace and Aida and their relationship with one another. Ivan recognises that Horace is not giving his wife the care that she needs, but Horace is insistent that he can look after her himself. I could not help but wonder in how many families that this scenario is playing out. I think it's relatablility elevates this book to another level.

I was mesmerised by this trio of characters and their situation. When Mia, who Ivan is doing some translation work for, enters the picture it adds another dynamic to the household. Her presence opens the readers eyes to how neglected Aida has been. Mia steps in and provides her with some of the care that has been absent.

Mia is an immigrant film maker, and through her we hear of her exile. In many ways, Ivan is an exile in his own life. He doesn't quite belong anywhere. The book considers identity and belonging and the part that memories have to play in that.

I thought this was a fabulous book. It is a short novel at 228 pages. The fact that Mr. Foss was able to convey such feeling and emotion in so few words demonstrates great writing skill. I was really moved by this book.

I highly recommend this to anyone who likes a slower paced literary novel.

Book Details

 ISBN: 978 1926716787

Publisher: 8th House Publishing

Formats:  Paperback

No. of Pages:  228 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon US

About the Author:

Mark Foss is the author of the novels Molly 0 and Spoilers, as well as the short-story collection Kissing the Damned. His fiction and creative nonfiction have also appeared in print and online literary journals, including The Fiddlehead, The New Quarterly, subTerrain, Numéro Cinq, carte blanche, and Montréal Serai. A radio drama, Higher Ground, was broadcast on CBC. He lives in Montreal.

You can also find Mark at:

Author Website

Instagram

Bluesky

(all author media courtesy of the author's website)

(all opinions are my own)

The Idle Stance of the Tippler Pigeon by Safinah Danish Elahi - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Daylight dims outside my window, as I heave a sigh, I wrap up my work for the day. The electricity bills for this month are higher than they were last month... I take one last look at the screen, hoping for the number to magically change...

***

Zohaib, Misha and Nadia believed they would be in each other's lives forever. As children they played, argued, teased and loved one another. Yet nothing could have prepared them for the tragic turn of events one fateful afternoon in Karachi, Pakistan, when the divisions and differences between them are revealed.

Years later and they are still trying to piece their lives back together, still trying to make sense of what happened. Zohaib is living in London, haunted by the ghosts of the past. Nadia has escaped the household where she first met Misha and Zohaib but finds fate delivering her back to their door…

The Idle Stance of the Tippler Pigeon is a beautifully rendered portrait of love, healing, and long-buried pain, digging deep into the nature of trauma and class division.

***

What a fantastic title to catch a readers eye with.

This is the story of three lives; Misha, Zohaib and Nadia, and the chapters are told from their individual perspectives. There are also occasional chapters narrated by secondary characters. Misha and Zohaib are siblings and Nadia, along with her mother, work as servants in the household of the brother and sister. However, Nadia's position is slightly different to that of most children of her class as she is being educated alongside Misha.

The book moves backwards and forwards through time. Zohaib's chapters are set in present day London where he lives as an adult. Nadia's are also set in the present day in Lahore, but Misha's are set during her childhood in Karachi, Pakistan. This provides for a varied narrative of the three characters and has been extremely well executed. In the beginning I was puzzled by how the three stories were connected to one another, but it does all become clear as the book progresses.

This is a fairly short book but is a very powerful read. It is heartbreaking at times to realise how vast the repercussions that one childhood event had on them. It deals with themes of equality, racism and the issue of class within this one Pakistani household. However, it is also about loss and friendship.

The author is a great storyteller, and not a word of this novel has been wasted. She has carefully constructed a tight narrative and has done so extremely well. It is a character led novel with the plot gently simmering along in the background. It moves along at a fairly slow pace which is essential for this book as it gives the reader the opportunity to soak up the characters themselves.

This will appeal to readers who enjoy literary fiction, and I recommend it.

ISBN:  978 1911107705

Publisher:  Neem Tree Press

Formats:  Paperback

No. of Pages:  250

About the Author:

Safinah Danish Elahi is a lawyer, poet, writer, and the founder of an independent publishing house based in Pakistan. Her poetry collection has been critically acclaimed and one of her novels has been commissioned for television. Safinah was selected for the Iowa Writer’s Workshop 2022 Fall Residency and is often on the judging panel for writing competitions across Pakistan.

(book and media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

Dark Clouds Bring Waters by I.R. Ridley - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Dear Billie,

I'm sorry it's come to this after ten years. I once loved you deeply but now that love has been overshadowed by what's happened and all that we've become, sad to say. I just couldn't go on like that nor live under the same roof as you any longer. Drama, sound and fury have become too tiresome and overwhelming for this ageing stick-in-the-mud, as you described him...

***

Comedy writer Luke Jessop's life is in stasis. He hasn't written a word since his wife, Billie, died almost three years ago and on finding a pile of old letters from her ex, Adam, he has begun to wonder how well he really knew her. Embarking on a pilgrimage to Italy, Luke determines to piece together the full story about his wild and sometimes secretive love. But with Adam refusing to answer his questions and a flame-haired hotel guest threatening his fragile calm, can Luke finally face the truths of the past and learn to live again?

***

Sometimes it is the cover that initially attracts me to a book. Other times, it might be the blurb or reviews that I have read. What initially intrigued me with this book was it's title. I guessed it was a quote from somewhere, but I could not identify it. 

However, one of the characters explains in the book,

"Dark clouds bring waters,"... It's a line from The Pilgrim's Progress. You know, by John Bunyan? It's saying how soothing the rain can be after oppressive heat."

And that sums up the experience of the main character perfectly. Luke's wife, Billie, passed away three years ago.  Upon discovering some letters which she had kept from her first husband, Luke becomes consumed by the need to understand her life before he met her.

This is a short book at 146 pages, and its principal theme is grief and bereavement. Admittedly, not the jolliest of topics but it is so eloquently written that it was a pleasure to read. It reads as contemporary literary fiction and I was drawn into this by the beautiful descriptions of Italy.

The author lost his own wife in 2019 and he clearly draws on the rawness of his own experience, and has thus created a moving and heartfelt novel. My heart went out to Luke; his need to understand and have questions answered was visceral and made for an emotive read.

It also made for positive reading. We accompany Luke on his journey to find out more about his wife but we also observe his personal growth throughout the novel. 

Ultimately, it is a story of love, loss and personal growth and I highly recommend this excellent novel.

ISBN: 978 1739639624

Publisher:  V Books

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

No. of Pages: 146 (paperback)

About the Author:

IAN RIDLEY is a writer and journalist who spent 35 years on national

newspapers, including 18 on The Guardian and The Observer. DARK CLOUDS

BRING WATERS is his third novel, and a move into literary fiction after his two

crime thrillers, OUTER CIRCLE and DON’T TALK, in the ‘Jan Mason

investigative journalist’ series.

Ian has also written 14 non-fiction books, including two shortlisted for the

William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award. Addicted, written with the former

Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams, was a Sunday Times No. 1

bestseller while The Breath of Sadness: On love, grief and cricket is a poignant

account of coping with the death of his wife Vikki Orvice, a trailblazing sports

journalist, in February of 2019 at the age of 56.

(book and media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

A Brilliant Life: An Unforgettable Memoir of Love, Loss and the Ability of the Heart to Heal by Rachelle Unreich - #bookreview

 

My mother has always told her stories perfectly. When her grandchildren were little, they would long to stay overnight at her house - in part for the nightly ritual of hot chocolate and the heavy European bedding that wrapped them up in a buddle of goose down until they succumbed to sleep, but mostly for the magical way she could tell a story...

***

A powerful, true story of a Holocaust survivor told by her daughter - a tale that reminds us of the resilience of the soul and the ability of the heart to heal.

Born in Czechoslovakia, Mira was only 12 years old when World War II broke out and 17 when the Nazis finally caught up with her. Torn apart from her family, she went on to survive four concentration camps, including Auschwitz, and a Death March when she was too weak to walk. She lived when almost everyone she knew did not.

At 88, living in Australia, Mira is diagnosed with cancer and her daughter, a journalist, decides to interview her to distract her from her illness. As Mira gives her testimony Rachelle comes to understand how Mira's unique perspective - seeing her experiences through the lens of the goodness of the people who helped her - protected her from the depths of humanity's cruelty, and enabled her to go on to live a full and brilliant life.

Rachelle also fits together the jigsaw pieces of her own life as a child of a survivor. She comes to understand that however different their lives have been, she and her mother are uniquely united by a fierce inner strength to live, and a mystery of strange things that always seem to happen around them.

A beautiful story of love, loss, wonder and the deepest kind of trust in life, A Brilliant Life questions the role that fate, chance and destiny play. It is a tribute to family, a story of incredible resilience, and a chronicle of the deep connection between a mother and a child which not even death can destroy.

***

When I sit down to write a review of a book, I try to compare it to similar books that I have read in the same genre. However, that method never works when it comes to reviewing Holocaust memoirs. How can I possibly compare them? I have no right to judge the experience of one over another. So, I tend to give all Holocaust memoirs five stars for this reason because I admire the bravery and courage it has taken a survivor to tell of their extreme trauma. 

However, as the number of them lessen, the mantle is taken up by second generation Holocaust survivors. In A Brilliant Life, Rachelle Unreich tells the story of her mother, Mira, and she does so with skill, love and admiration of a mother who gifted her daughter with love and understanding.

Ms. Unrecich, a journalist, conveys us from the point of Mira's birth in Czechoslovakia through to the time of her death in Australia. She interviewed her mother towards the end of Mira's life, utilizing the skills of her profession, and this book is the result. She writes extremely well and factually. 

I have read many Holocaust memoirs over the years, and even though we are decades on, they still have the power to shock. The author details the experiences of Mira's time in the concentration camps, the murders of her family at the hands of the Nazis, and yet still she was capable of seeing the goodness in people.

It is impossible to read this book without feeling emotional. The author has the skill to transport the reader to a time and place in history that we should all be grateful we did not have the misfortune to live through. She writes with compassion and eloquence and has produced an excellent account of the life of her mother.

Mira's legacy was happiness and gratitude. Throughout the devastating losses and suffering, she chose happiness. While surrounded by the most despicable of human behaviours, Mira still chose to see the best in people. What a brave and admiral woman and I applaud the author for telling us Mira's story. What an extraordinary woman she was and this is an equally remarkable book. I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 1785306525

Publisher:  Black and White Publishing

Formats:  audio and hardback

No. of Pages:  336 (hardback)

About the Author:

Rachelle Unreich started her journalism career when she was completing her Arts/ Law degrees at Monash University. In addition to studying writing at UCLA, she has lived in New York, Los Angeles, Sydney and Melbourne. She has been a journalist for over 35 years, and has had regular columns in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Herald Sun and Elle magazine. Her work has appeared extensively in Australia, US, UK and South-East Asia. She currently lives in Melbourne.

(ARC courtesy of Net Galley)

(author media courtesy of Curtis Brown)

(all opinions are my own)

Black Fox One by Elyse Hoffman - #BookReview #BlogTour

 

"Ava!"

Ten year old Jonas Amsel was entirely certain that his best friend was going to kill him. He had followed Avalina Keller into the woods as he often did, but the girl had been too excited and had run ahead, leaving the boy to stumble through the thrush and desperately try to track her down.

"Ava!" he cried again, and this time he heard a musical giggle somewhere close by. Jonas perked up his ears and tottered forward, trying to figue out where she...

"Boo!"

***

Jonas Amsel and Avalina Keller, devoted Nazis and best friends, have a bright future in Hitler’s Third Reich. Ava, a talented gymnast, wants to serve Germany in the Olympics, and Jonas, who has loved Ava since they were children, wants nothing more than to marry her and start a family. When he is about to propose, however, Ava and her entire family vanish without a trace.

Jonas blames the Jews for Ava’s disappearance and throws himself into a career in the Nazi Party. He serves the Reich under the ruthless Chief of the Gestapo, Reinhard Heydrich. Jonas becomes particularly good at capturing members of the Black Foxes, an anti-Nazi resistance group, earning Heydrich’s respect and the moniker of “the Fox Hunter.”

Impressed by Jonas’ skills, Heydrich gives him his most difficult task yet: capture the elusive Black Fox One, the Black Foxes’ most deadly and mysterious operative. No Nazi who has pursued Black Fox One has returned alive, but Jonas is determined and confident. Capturing Black Fox One might bring him one step closer to finding Ava.

But while he is hunting Black Fox One, Jonas makes a shocking discovery, forcing him to make an agonizing decision. He must choose between his love for the Reich and his heart, torn between the lies he has been taught all his life and the new truth before him.

Black Fox One is a thrilling World War II story of lost love, bravery, and the hard road to redemption.

***

This book is the third in a series, and it follows on from The Vengeance of Samuel Val which I recently read. If you would like to read my review you can find it by clicking here. Black Fox One does work perfectly well as a standalone novel. There are a couple of the characters from the previous book who put in an appearance but knowing their backstory is not vital to the plot.

The story begins with the two main characters, Jonas and Ava, as childhood best friends, before their relationship develops and they become lovers. This is a familiar trope in novels, but its familiarity did not hinder my enjoyment of this novel as their circumstances were a little different to the average.

Both Ava and Jonas were well developed characters and easy to identify with. They are both strong people in their own right but who stand on two very different sides of the fence. It was interesting to see how their relationship could possibly develop given the circumstances and the author did a great job through narrative and dialogue in moving this this along. 

There are a few twists and turns throughout the plot which keep the reader enthralled. A good plot along with strong characterisation makes this an excellent read.

My only criticism is that I felt the epilogue was an unnecessary addition to the story. Overall, this was an extremely good book, and I recommend it to lovers of historical fiction.

ISBN:  978 1952742286

Publisher:  Project 613

Formats: e-book and hardback

No. of Pages:  244 (hardback)

About the Author:

Elyse Hoffman is a best-selling 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 studied English, History, and Law at George Mason University. 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.

(ARC and all media materials courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

The Stories We Cannot Tell by Leslie A. Rasmussen - #BookReview

 

It had been an exceptionally warm February in Los Angeles, but for the last four hours, rain had been drumming on the windows of Rachel's classroom, leaving her no choice but to keep her kindergarten students inside for both recess and lunch. The caged-in five year olds were bouncing off the walls like tennis balls from a high-speed launcher someone forgot to turn off.

Rachel worked in an upscale private school, the kind of place where kids would bring sushi in for lunch instead of a turkey sandwich. She loved her students, except when they forgot to take their lunchbox home on Fridays.

***

There can come a point in life where you'll always remember what came before and what came after.

Rachel is a thirty-year-old married Jewish woman who's wanted a baby for a long time. Katie's a thirty-two-year-old single, catholic woman who has been trying to find a man who'll stick around. We follow the women individually as they find themselves pregnant-Rachel happily, Katie, not. As they enter their second trimester, they're shocked to hear that there's something very wrong with the babies they're carrying. Rachel and Katie meet in a support group and bond as they help each other through not only the excruciating decision they need to make but through the issues that come with making that decision. The Stories We Cannot Tell explores friendship, loss, love, hope, and family.

***

I like books about strong women, and this book offers us two main characters, Rachel and Katie, who fit the bill perfectly.

Rachel and Katie are two very different women who find themselves in a similar situation. Katie is Catholic and Rachel is Jewish and it was interesting to read of the impact that their different religious backgrounds have on the very difficult decisions that they both face. I liked the way the book alternates between the two characters and allows the reader the opportunity to appreciate the dual perspective of their lives.

It is a well written book which deals with the difficult topic of pregnancy that can go wrong, infertility and loss. The author deals with these subjects with enormous sensitivity. Speaking as a woman who has faced loss during pregnancy, at no point did I find the book traumatic. Instead, Ms. Rasmussen uses her pen to convey compassion at the difficult choices women sometimes have to make.

I enjoyed the developing friendship between the two characters and how it served to illustrate the support that women sometimes need from each other. The author developed her characters extremely well and I felt as though I personally knew them both by the end of the book as they were so easy to engage with.

It is a thought provoking and heart-felt book which moved me greatly. It encourages readers to think how they might react in a similar situation, and although the subject manner is an uncomfortable one, it is ultimately a book about hope, resilience and strength.

I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading more from this author.

ISBN:  978 1956851601

Publisher:  TouchPoint Press

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  326 (paperback)

About the Author:

Leslie A. Rasmussen is the award-winning author of the novel, After Happily Ever After. She was born and raised in Los Angeles and graduated from UCLA. She went on to write television comedies for Gerald McRaney, Burt Reynolds, Roseanne Barr, Norm McDonald, Drew Carey, as well as The Wild Thornberrys and Sweet Valley High. After leaving the business to raise her boys, she obtained a master’s degree in nutrition and ran her own business for ten years. Recently, she’s written over twenty essays for Huffington Post, and Maria Shriver, and spoken on panels discussing empowering women in midlife and other women's issues. 

Leslie is a member of The Writers Guild of America, as well as Women In Film and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. In her free time, Leslie loves to read, exercise, and hang out with friends. She lives in Los Angeles and is married and has two sons.

(ARC courtesy of NetGalley)

(all author info courtesy of the author's website https://www.lesliearasmussen.com/about)

(all opinions are my own.)

The Story of Us by Dani Atkins - #BookReview

Despite the obvious assumption, it was definitely the deer that caused the accident and not the daiquiris, and it most definitely wasn't due to Caroline's driving, because she hadn't touched anything stronger than lemonade all night.

As hen parties go, mine had been a fairly subdued event. Nothing tawdry; no strippers, no L-plates, no drunken antics that come back to haunt you in the months to follow. At twenty-seven I felt I was perhaps a little too 'elderly' for the night of raucous partying which had been a signature note to my university days...

***

Emma Marshall can't wait to marry her childhood sweetheart, Richard. But then a tragic accident changes everything, and introduces a stranger, Jack, into her life. Gorgeous and mysterious, Jack is like no-one Emma has met before. But Richard is the man she loves...

Two different men.

Two different destinies.

How will Emma end her story?

***

This was one of those books that I did not want to put down. I was gripped from the very first sentence where we are immersed into the car accident that friends, Emma, Caroline and Amy, are involved in.

It is beautifully written and the author has a very real understanding of her characters and their feelings. Emma is the protaganist and I felt very involved in her life, and one way or another, I was rooting for her throughtout the story.

Ms. Atkins is an excellent storyteller and uses a mixture of narrative, dialogue and description throughout the book; all of which combine to move the story along at an appropriate pace for the subject matter.

It was an interesting protrayal of friendship, love, loss and betrayal. It made for an emotive and heart-felt reading experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I am very much looking forward to reading more from this author.

ISBN: 978 1781857144

Publisher:  Head of Zeus

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  384 (paperback)

About the Author:

Dani Atkins was born in London in 1958, and grew up in North London. She moved to rural Hertfordshire in 1985, where she has lived in a small village ever since with her family. Although Dani has been writing for fun all her life, Fractured was her first novel. She has since written several other books, including The Story of Us.

The Rescue by S. L. Rosewarne - #BookReview #BlogTour

 

'She's very bright you know,' Pip said to everyone when I was little. He may have been biased, but it was still gratifying to have my intelligence acknowledged.

He still said it now, five years on; most recently on their wedding anniversary, when we had a day out to our favourite beach. A little boy mis-hit a tennis ball which landed nearby and bounced over to me. I stood guard over it, my eyes fixed on the boy as he ran over.

***

When terrier Moll’s owner dies, she is determined to protect his widow, Suki. And that means finding her anew man to care for her.

As Suki navigates grief, dating and men with baggage of their own, Moll tries gently to push her beloved owner to moving on with someone Moll has chosen, with a good sense of humour, a generous heart, and a steady supply of biscuits.

But Suki has a frustrating habit of doing things the way she wants, instead of Moll’s way. Until she meets Ted, who Moll adores almost as much as Suki does.

Ted, though, has demons of his own - so is he really the right choice for Suki?

With Moll getting older, and Suki still struggling, can this devoted pup fulfil her promise to look after her owner, before her time runs out?

A quirky tale of second chances, told through the eyes of woman’s best friend.

***

Dog lovers will adore this book which is narrated by the authors dog, Moll. She tells the story of her owner, Suki's experience as she steers her through a journey of love and loss en route to finding happiness again.

It is a heartfelt account of the routes upon which grief can send you. However, at times it is humorous, at other times it's poignant and at all times it is an enjoyable read.

The descriptive passages of Cornwall made me want to hop on a train and walk through its countryside with my own dog. However, he is elderly and riddled with arthritis and cannot walk far but I think he would strongly identify with Moll's ability to enjoy a good sniff.  Although I have visited Cornwall in the past, and it is indeed a beautiful county, reading this book has initiated my desire for a return visit.

The book contains a certain charm, and it's being narrated by Moll elevates the story. Whilst based on the author's own experiences, it is imaginatively constructed and well written. I am already looking forward to reading the author's next book, Lainy's Tail.

I defy anyone who reads this not to fall in love with this little bundle of canine intuition.

ISBN: 978 1912009343

Publisher: Compass Publishing UK

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 308

About the Author:

S. L. Rosewarne writes contemporary women’s fiction with an underlying theme which can be overcoming grief, second chances, how to live with anorexia, dealing with a problem rescue dog - everyday dilemmas that many of us face. 

She hopes that by sharing her experiences, wrapped up in characters that have grown from her imagination, you may laugh and cry with her, and enjoy reading how she overcome her dilemmas.

(author photo and bio information courtesy of the authors website)

(book courtesy of Rachel's Random Resource)

The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs - #BookReview

 

This was a big moment for Natalie. The biggest in her career so far, for sure. The whole company had gathered in the reception hall of Pinnacle Fine Wines to celebrate her promotion and the million-dollar deal she'd made for the firm. But her own mother was a no-show.

True to form.

To be fair, the drive from the city up to Archangel could be unpredictable in the afternoon. It was equally possible that Blythe Harper had completely forgotten that she'd promised to show up to celebrate her daughter's achievement.

***

Heartbroken Natalie Harper inherits her mother’s charming, cash-strapped bookshop and finds herself the carer for her ailing grandfather Andrew. She thinks it’s best to move him to an assisted-living home to ensure his care, but to pay for it, Natalie will have to sell up the bookshop. However, Grandpa Andrew owns the building and refuses to budge.

Moving into the studio apartment above the shop, Natalie hires a contractor, Peach Gallagher, to do some repairs. His young daughter becomes a regular at the shop, and she and Natalie begin reading together while Peach works. Slowly, Natalie’s sorrow begins to dissipate as her life becomes an unexpected journey of new friendships. From unearthing hidden artefacts in the bookshop’s walls, to learning the truth about her family, the bookshop is full of surprises. Can Natalie reveal her own heart’s desire and turn a new page…?

***

I can never resist books about book shops so when I found this on the library shelves, I knew I had to borrow it. And what a good choice it was. It did not disappoint in any way, and now I cannot wait to read more from this author.

In fact, she has an extensive back catalogue and having checked, I am delighted that the library has lots of them in the county.

There is a cast of well developed and likeable, characters. Natalie is an excellent main character and her relationship and challenges with her grandfather were wonderful to observe.

It has a certain charm to it, and Natalie was easy to identify with. She is a woman who, at the outset, is trapped in a job that she finds unfulfilling, and it was fascinating to see her character mature as she takes on the bookshop and has to deal with so much loss.

The bookshop itself was as significant as the characters, and I could almost smell the mustiness of the old books, as well as the freshly printed pages of the new. The author has done an excellent job of bringing the shop to life on the page.

On the surface, this book is about grief, but it is about so much more. Love, hope and passion are woven throughout it's pages. Some might say the book is predictable, and certainly there were no rapid twists and turns. But sometimes, a calm stroll through a book is exactly what I need, and this one hit the nail firmly on the head for me.

ISBN: 978 0008358754

Publisher: Harper Collins

Format: e-book, audio, paperback and hardback

No. of Pages: 400 (paperback)

About the Author:

Susan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends…and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and in good weather, she commutes to her writers' group in a 21-foot motorboat. She’s been featured in the national media, including NPR, PRI, and USA Today, has given programs for the US Embassies in Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and is a popular speaker locally, nationally, internationally, and on the high seas.

From the very start, her writings have illuminated the everyday dramas of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her books celebrate the power of love, the timeless bonds of family and the fascinating nuances of human nature. Today, she is an international best-selling, award-winning author, with millions of copies of her books in print in numerous countries and languages. According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterises her books as "real and true and unforgettable."

Her novels have appeared in the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List, and have captured readers’ hearts around the globe with translations into more than 20 languages and 30 countries. She is a three-time winner of the RITA Award,. Her recent novel, The Apple Orchard, is currently being made into a film, and The Lakeshore Chronicles has been optioned for adaptation into a series.

The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. She lives on an island in Puget Sound, where she divides her time between sleeping and waking.

(author photo and bio. information courtesy of the publishers website - harpercollins.com)