Beyond Time and Tide by Anna Franklin Osborne - #coverlove

 This gorgeous cover is from Beyond Time and Tide by Anna Franklin Osborne. It is being published today and looks like being a fabulous read.

Dunkirk 1940

Three young people are thrown together in the waters of Dunkirk. 

Elsie, a young English girl, struggling to keep her family safe and desperate to rescue her brother from the beaches. 

Monique, a French farmer, running from the untold damage done unto her by German soldiers, with no plan but to get away from the German army and the home they defiled.

Josef, a German soldier who has committed an offence to his own honour, deserting the German army for whom he will no longer fight.

Three young people whose lives become intertwined in a way that will change each of them forever.

Beyond Time and Tide follows their struggle to survive their past: love, friendship and betrayal, and an onward quest to find redemption and what was lost to them all.

A Silent Voice Speaks by Trishna Singh OBE - #BookReview #BlogTour

 

Have you ever noticed her - the wee Indian woman on the bus? Have you ever wondered who she is? Maybe you think, 'she's not been here long,' or 'These people just keep themselves to themselves.'

Well can I tell you something? This wee woman has probably been here longer than you. She was born in the 1950s, to the first wave of people who came over here from India when the British carved up their land and made them homeless refugees. She was one of the invisible children. Always on the sidelines, watching the world go by.

***

Trishna Singh, OBE, was born in Glasgow in the 1950s, a first generation Scottish Bhat Sikh. Her father came to the UK in the late 1930s and her mother followed after the Partition of India by the British in 1947.

Trishna left school, at the age of 13, with no qualifications. She had an arranged marriage, aged 21, and moved to Edinburgh to live with her husband – a first generation Bhat Sikh too, from Leith.

As a young girl, she questioned the cultural requirements of her community which stated that married women were subservient to their mothers-in-law and their husbands, and existed solely to have children and look after their families, in direct opposition to the teachings of the Sikh religion which states man and woman are equal. And although Trishna’s marriage was a marriage of equals, she was still expected to adhere to the social and cultural restrictions placed upon her by the wider Scottish Bhat Sikh community.

Trishna’s life has been challenging, in part. She has battled against her community’s traditions which she rightly saw as archaic customs, begun in India, and designed to ‘keep women in their place’ and has lived her adult life in a city she did not grow up in but which is now her home.

In 1989 she founded Leith Sikh Community Group, now Sikh Sanjog. Its aim was to provide support for women in the Sikh community who had been settling in Edinburgh since the 1950s. Thirty-plus years later, Trishna remains a director of Sikh Sanjog, along the way having studied and attained a BA in Community Learning and Development.

***

Trishna Singh's book comes with two alternative titles - The Wee Indian Woman on the Bus and The Story of a Sikh Woman in Scotland. Both of these would be just as appropriate as it's actual title - A Silent Voice Speaks.

The author has achieved lots in challenging the traditional role that was expected of her in a Scottish Bhat Sikh community. The book is insightful, and I have learnt much about the Sikh religion. I found this aspect of the book to be informative and interesting.

Without doubt Mrs Singh is a remarkable woman to have broken free of the role that was expected of her by her elders. As a first-generation child to be born to Indian parents, her path in life was pretty much mapped out for her according to the traditional beliefs of her immigrant elders.

She had an arranged marriage to a man that she had never met prior to her wedding day. However, the author relates how this was a case of love at first sight, and the marriage was successful and fulfilled. Her husband allowed her the freedom not typically open to Sikh wives and was permitted to follow her own journey of self-achievement.

Trishna relates the journey of her accomplishments well. The book tells of her life as a child in Scotland through to her receiving an OBE at Buckingham Palace and to becoming a graduate at Glasgow University. She was also instrumental in setting up a charity which enables Sikh women to access a community which would previously been denied them.

The book includes several photos and there is a helpful glossary at the back. I think it will be of interest to anyone who would enjoy reading about how a woman can thrive and blossom within a tightly prescribed environment.

ISBN: 978 1912280520

Publisher: Fledgling Press

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 224 (paperback)

About the Author:

Trishna is the Founder/Director of Sikh Sanjog the only Sikh Family Support charity in Scotland and Punjabi Junction Social Enterprise the first Sikh women’s Social Enterprise in Scotland. She has over 30 years’ experience working in the Voluntary sector. She graduated from Glasgow University with a degree in Community Learning and Development in 2007 and in recognition of her services to the community, she is the first Sikh woman in Scotland to have received an OBE in 2014. Her work is centred on the thematic areas of Community Development Gender- Social Justice, Civic Engagement, Race Equality and Human Rights.

She was appointed first Honorary Sikh Chaplain to Edinburgh University in 2012 and is currently part of the Chaplaincy team. She has extensive knowledge and understanding of the Sikh religion and culture from the lived experience of women.

Her wealth of experience together with knowledge of ethnic communities in particular the women of the Bhatra Sikh Community in Scotland and their needs has resulted in her being asked to represent the Sikh Community in a variety of arenas both statutory and voluntary.

She is keen to continue to build links that can create pathways for women of all communities to participate in civic life. Her aim is to continue to break down barriers to learning, reducing the obstacles that get in the way of people receiving a service and improving communication between professions about the needs of the Sikh and other BME women. She would like to see the inequalities gap closed, especially in terms of disadvantage and exclusion relating to education, skills and training at all levels.

(author photo courtesy of The Poverty Alliance

author bio info courtesy of Sikh Sanjog

ARC courtesy of Love Book Tours.)

Tea at the Palace: 50 Delicious Recipes for Afternoon Tea by Carolyn Robb - #BookReview

 

During my thirteen years as a royal chef, I was very privileged to call some of Britain's most splendid royal palaces and castles my 'place of work'. It was immensely inspiring to cook for such incredible people in such impressive surroundings. Each royal residence has its own distinctive character, traditions and ambience, dictated by its whereabouts and its history, which in many cases, dates back hundreds of years. I have created this collection of special recipes in celebration of a unique aspect of each of the twelve superb locations.

***

Set against a backdrop of twelve of Britain’s most stunning palaces and residences, the recipes are a mix of traditional, contemporary and whimsical; each one with its own unique twist.

 

Every chapter tells a tale, with inspiration drawn from sources as diverse as a 200-year-old royal banquet menu, an intriguing 17th-century chocolate kitchen commissioned by William III and Queen Victoria’s highland retreat.

Gingerbread soldiers in sentry boxes, striking raspberry swirl meringues, miniaturised cream scones, cacao nib nuggets and warm salmon tartlets are just a few of the teatime temptations.

 

Written by the Former Personal Chef to TRH the Prince and Princess of Wales.  

***

I don't often review cookery books, but when I do I always like to have a go at one of the recipes before I write it, and this is no exception. I needed to make a cake as the centre piece for my WI's Jubilee Celebration so this book was perfect to find a recipe for this occasion (more about my efforts later.)

There are some truly sumptuous looking cakes and bakes in this book, all of which have all been beautifully photographed by John Kernick, making it a visual delight. I could have happily baked my way through most of the recipes. 

However, not only are the photographs of the bakes gorgeous but there are also wonderful photos of the royal palaces. The recipes are divided up by royal residence with appropriate bakes attributed to each venue. They are: 

Buckingham Palace

Sandringham House

Kensington Palace

Hampton Court Palace

Brighton Pavilion

Highgrove House

Blenheim Palace

Balmoral Castle

The Castle of Mey

Kew Palace

Windsor Castle

Caernarfon Castle

In each section, Ms. Robb writes about her experience at each royal residence, followed up with recipes she has cooked. I did, in fact, use two of the recipes to make one cake as I needed the quantities of cake mixture from the White Chocolate and Mint Cake (Highgrove House) but with the filling of the Strawberry Bunting Cake (Buckingham Palace).

I found the recipe in this timely publication easy to follow and I was very happy with the result.

Anyone who enjoys baking or reading about the Royal Family would enjoy this book, and I can envisage it one that I would come back to on several subsequent occasions.

ISBN: 978 0711279650  

Publisher: White Lion Publishing

Formats: e-book and Hardback

No. of Pages: 160 (hardback)

About the Author:

Born and raised in South Africa, Carolyn Robb’s culinary education began at ‘The Tante Marie School of Cookery’ in Surrey, UK. Her first job was at Kensington Palace cooking for TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester after which she served as the personal chef for TRH The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for 11 years. Since then she has lived and worked in Dubai, California and the UK, as a culinary consultant, in event management, product development, in the travel sector and as a food critic, judge and author. Tea at the Palace is Carolyn’s second book. 

(author photo courtesy of Speakers Connect 

 bio info courtesy of The Quarto Group

ARC courtesy of NetGalley)

Books to Read in June 2022

 

June is set to be an especially good month as the whole country will be celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. There are lots of community events taking place which I am thrilled to be a part of. 

My baking skills will be put to the test as I will be making a cake to feature as part of a local event. It is also my birthday around the same time so I will be making scones and looking forward to having a cream tea in the garden - weather permitting. There is so much to look forward to this month.

Of course, there are also some great books on my list for this month, and I cannot wait to get started.

Maus by Art Spiegelman

Murder Before Evensong by Richard Coles

The Magician by Colm Toibin

The Most Precious of Cargoes by Jean-Claude Grumberg

Powerless by Vicky Ball

The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore

The Girl From Oto by Amy Maroney

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan

Belle Nash and the Bath Souffle by William Keeling

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

(photo courtesy of Royal UK)

Reading Roundup - May 2022

 

May has been a mixed month for me. We were finally able to take a long needed holiday. My husband and I packed up the car with the dog and a pile of books, and headed off to spend a week in Yorkshire followed by a week in Lincolnshire.

Yorkshire is a beautiful county and we had a wonderful week there. The photograph above is one that I took at the library in Cottingham. I love to visit libraries when I visit other parts of the country.

Our week in Lincolnshire got off to a great start. Our accommodation was beautiful and we were surrounded by yellow rape seed fields. It was stunning. Unfortunately, part way through this week we both contracted covid which was far from ideal. 

However, regardless of that, it was wonderful to get away for a while to two such beautiful parts of the country. It was so good to relax with our books and we had some lovely walks with the dog. We are back home now, refreshed and recovered and looking forward to a new month ahead.

Books I Have Read This Month

Still Life by Sarah Winman - this was my book group choice this month. I adored everything about this book.

Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon - a nice cosy read which was ideal for holiday reading. You can read my review by clicking here.

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga - this has been languishing on my TBR for so long. It was my favourite book this month and you can read my review by clicking here.

The Shocking Price of a Pair of Shoes by Andy Tilley - The premise of the book was interesting but I didn't enjoy it much.

A Rip in the Veil by Anna Belfrage - This did not work for me either.

Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir - I am enjoying this series of books. My review is written and will be up very soon.

Tell Me Everything by Laura Kay - I enjoyed reading this very much and you can read my review by clicking here.

Tearoom on the Bay by Rachel Burton - This was my first foray into audio books in decades and I really enjoyed it. 

The Ascension of Mary by William West - An interesting story with chapters being told by three generations of a family.

Tea at the Palace by Carolyn Robb - This is a lovely book full of recipes fit for a Queen. I will be uploading my review for this in the next few days.

Books I Did Not Finish

Munich by Robert Harris

Books I am Partway Through

A History of Herbalism: Cure, Cook and Conjure by Emma Kay

A Silent Voice Speaks by Trishna Singh

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore

Hope: a History of the Future by G.G. Kellner

The Queen's Spy by Clare Marchant - #CoverLove

 We are always being told not to judge a book by its cover. However, if like me, you are seduced into reading a book by it's gorgeous cover, you are not alone. Let me be honest, when I am browsing books in a book shop or the library, it is frequently the cover that prettily whispers my name, and like an enchanted being, I have to pick it up.

In this new feature on the blog, I am going to be looking at book covers, and showing you which book cover has most recently seduced me.

This week's cover is The Queen's Spy by Clare Marchant. I am sure you will agree, it is rather gorgeous.

1584: Elizabeth I rules England. But a dangerous plot is brewing in court, and Mary Queen of Scots will stop at nothing to take her cousin’s throne.

There’s only one thing standing in her way: Tom, the queen’s trusted apothecary, who makes the perfect silent spy…

2021: Travelling the globe in her camper van, Mathilde has never belonged anywhere. So when she receives news of an inheritance, she is shocked to discover she has a family in England.

Just like Mathilde, the medieval hall she inherits conceals secrets, and she quickly makes a haunting discovery. Can she unravel the truth about what happened there all those years ago? And will she finally find a place to call home?

Enchanting and gripping, The Queen’s Spy effortlessly merges past with present in an unforgettable tale of love, courage and betrayal – perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley and Kathryn Hughes.

Tell Me Everything by Laura Kay - #BookReview #blogblast

 

"See," Georgia says, "it was worth the walk, wasn't it?" She picks up a peach from the picnic basket in front of us and takes a bite. The juices dribbles down her chin.

I might lean forward and wipe it off but instead I sit back and watch her, pink from our walk in the sun, sleeves rolled up on her white T-shirt, cross-legged with her trainers kicked off. I smile despite not really believing it was worth the three hours and severe sunburn it took for us to get here.

"It was," I say. 

She sticks out a foot and nudges me gently in the thigh. "You're not even looking at the view."

***

Would you entrust your life choices to someone hell-bent on avoiding theirs?

Natasha has everything under control, at least that's what her clients think. As a therapist, she has all the answers but when it comes to her personal life, she seriously needs to start taking her own advice.

Still living with her ex-girlfriend, Natasha's messy love life is made up of dates and one-night stands. After all, why would you commit to one person, when there is an endless stream of people waiting for you to swipe right? Besides, people always leave.

But when Margot arrives on the scene, everything changes. Flailing between mending long broken relationships and starting new ones, Natasha's walking the line between self-actualisation and self-destruction... With denial no longer an option, it is time for Natasha to take control of her own happiness.

***

If I said that this book was an easy read but demonstrates much depth, would it make sense? Let me explain. Tell Me Everything is an easy read, and had time permitted I could have guzzled it up in a couple of sittings.

However, the vast majority of books which I would describe as 'easy' are books which I race through and forget about almost as soon as I have turned the final page. This book was different, and I have not stopped thinking about the main character, Natasha, ever since.

She possesses all of the traits that you would hope to find in a main character. She is interesting, flawed and engaging. I found her to be very likeable, and I could empathise with her short-comings. Not only was she well portrayed but all of the more minor characters were equally well fleshed out.

The principal themes of the novel are love, relationships and how we fit into those relationships with other people, be they family or friends. What the author does is to write about those aspects in an intelligent and sensitive way.

Her writing flowed beautifully and it was a pleasure to read. The concept of the flawed therapist is a familiar one, and I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying Natasha on her journey towards understanding herself.

Overall, I found the book to be inspiring, heart-warming and up-lifting. I think it will appeal to anyone who enjoys character led progression in their fiction. I will definitely be adding Ms. Kay's previous novel, The Split, to my now toppling to read pile.

ISBN:978 1529409857 

Publisher: Quercus

Formats: audio, e-book and hardback.

No. of Pages: 416 (hardback)

About the Author:

Laura Kay is a London based writer whose work has appeared in Diva Magazine and the Guardian. She has a Masters degree in History from the University of Sheffield where she received the Sir Ian Kershaw Dissertation Prize. Laura was one of ten writers selected for Penguin's 2018 WriteNow programme, during which she developed her debut novel, The Split, which was published by Quercus in March 2021.

(author photo and bio info from the author's own website)

(early reading copy courtesy of Quercus Books)