tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982036925364838552024-03-28T09:36:45.194+00:00Brewtiful FictionA cuppa and a good book is all you need.Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.comBlogger2975125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-56995993628828488652024-03-10T09:00:00.064+00:002024-03-10T09:00:00.132+00:00The Djinn's Apple by Djamila Morani Blog Tour <p style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">I've stepped back from blog tours recently. Trying to find that work-life balance (which I still haven't found). </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However when I was asked if I could take part in the tour for Djamila Morani's short novel The Djinn's Apple, the title itself had me intrigued enough that I felt excited to even be asked to be involved with it.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVf6D_6ak1NzJamuochUZjT8R_lGZQz74go5oGaBHmwWTs6YYWdUAeHwz8LE280Vyis2b0415JB9KGgVOvEhKwFuVpEdiOGQQZzKiDpHRzpqRtZFHnY7_Bokv9MchvHzknDaoYtEdMlOMRlsezpAuwr5BRgzB4PTsC2mlLA2L03DY0ylDfDKdyj2UShqw/s1600/unnamed%20(4).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="djinns-apple-tour" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVf6D_6ak1NzJamuochUZjT8R_lGZQz74go5oGaBHmwWTs6YYWdUAeHwz8LE280Vyis2b0415JB9KGgVOvEhKwFuVpEdiOGQQZzKiDpHRzpqRtZFHnY7_Bokv9MchvHzknDaoYtEdMlOMRlsezpAuwr5BRgzB4PTsC2mlLA2L03DY0ylDfDKdyj2UShqw/w640-h360/unnamed%20(4).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Historical fiction meets crime fiction in The Djinn's Apple , an award-winning YA murder mystery set in the Abbasid period—the golden age of Baghdad. A ruthless murder. A magical herb. A mysterious manuscript. When Nardeen’s home is stormed by angry men frantically in search of something—or someone—she is the only one who manages to escape. And after the rest of her family is left behind and murdered, Nardeen sets out on an unyielding mission to bring her family’s killers to justice, regardless of the cost…<span></span></i></span></p><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a very mixed genre book, YA and historical fiction combined with crime and mystery.<br /><br />But I can tell you . . . it works!</span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Winner of the English Pen award, Morani has written a tale that is quite unique.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Set in Baghdad, we follow our protagonist Nardeen as she seeks revenge on those who dared to kill her family.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was clear from the beginning just how strong and determined Nardeen was.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even when faced with such hardship and sorrow, she never lost sight of her end goal. I think it was this initial loss that really made Nardeen who she was. Using those emotions to help her grow and evolve. Anger and grief can be strong motivators.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">What I found interesting was how she kept everyone at a certain distance. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">She was living with Muallim Ishaq for a long time, learning so much from him but it was clear that she never fully let him in.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Split into two parts and written with short, sharp chapters. The story remained fast-paced throughout. and I liked how the ending was sort of left open. The possibility of a sequel? Even though I'm not very </span>knowledgeable<span style="font-family: inherit;"> when it came to the religion and the politics, it still made an impact. Definitely thought provoking.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The only thing I wasn't sure on was the romance element. I'm not sure it was absolutely necessarily, more of a filler.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall an entertaining book.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From a reader perspective if I didn't already know, there was nothing to indicate that the story had been translated. And I appreciated the glossary at the back as it gave me an extra understanding of certain elements of the story.<br /><br />You'll have to read it yourself to see if justice prevailed.</span></p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-56965071137441487042024-03-10T08:00:00.004+00:002024-03-10T08:00:00.121+00:00Secrets of Malta by Cecily Blench Spotlight Post<p style="text-align: justify;"> I'm joining the blog tour today for Cecily Blench's novel Secrets of Malta. It won't be a full review from me today but I wanted to shine the spotlight on this fantastic novels in the hopes that some of you will want to read it!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaCHbUl0E5k10VRSTqjfQK2EAC0wRg1xiqKJQL-SAUsOjqv8Agek8dWwkBh3xkeuJ_dTieKGe6jWlfscgEMAEjCI3_jWDr2vfJOp2lPosUeSi_DP1S_h0SvHi1io-wqBzjrA78OkkJJbo9ms9owIYuhWCE5GMH8qcVD5MsDTPuJRHPxZ-pGdex0TgtA0g/s1704/Secrets%20of%20Malta-Recovered.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="secrets-of-malta-blog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1704" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaCHbUl0E5k10VRSTqjfQK2EAC0wRg1xiqKJQL-SAUsOjqv8Agek8dWwkBh3xkeuJ_dTieKGe6jWlfscgEMAEjCI3_jWDr2vfJOp2lPosUeSi_DP1S_h0SvHi1io-wqBzjrA78OkkJJbo9ms9owIYuhWCE5GMH8qcVD5MsDTPuJRHPxZ-pGdex0TgtA0g/w640-h482/Secrets%20of%20Malta-Recovered.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br />Keep reading for the blurb . . . <span></span></p><a name='more'></a><br /><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Malta, 1943. The war in the air above Malta is over, but the battle for Europe is about to begin. Margarita, a young singer in a Valletta nightclub, has not seen her former lover Henry Dunn since breaking off their affair. His wife Vera, an enigmatic archaeologist, arrives at the club to tell her that Henry has disappeared, presumed dead. While investigating, Margarita stumbles upon the hunt for a notorious and dangerous Nero. As an unlikely bond develops between the two women, and strange secrets emerge, an urgent quest to unmask Nero starts - before he can enact a deadly plan that may threaten the course of the war.</span></i><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is an escapist historical novel filled with women, spies and a world at war. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So if you like a bit of espionage and an abundance of great female characters, then you'll be pleased to know that the book is available to buy now.</p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-78920204048053363962024-03-01T09:00:00.102+00:002024-03-01T09:00:00.123+00:00The Memory of Us by Dani Atkins Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> It's the last stop on the blog tour for The Memory of Us by Dani Atkins. This is an author I adore. A Million Dreams and Fractured are two stand out novels for me so I was really excited when I was asked if I'd like to read and review her latest story.<br /><br />A twist of fate. An unexpected love story is how the blurb begins and I just knew I'd find an emotional and meaningful story within the pages.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfG2jPBYY4wCZ8OsAAsu045eoy66K-ZGJerzipwiqUoDrOmOyRPQ6ZC-fIeFCTsNByGmJoXVSgTJzyS7y2GwA6vWR_MTpHapag3EOCQs8uzW_K4G77OMtvNzvQJUmnyQVds7vjzyxQctSWVudLayaKRHpyZ0ow60Os6vE4itmyhFsWEs-UOzwnrU7BdNj/s2000/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the-memory-of-us-blog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="2000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfG2jPBYY4wCZ8OsAAsu045eoy66K-ZGJerzipwiqUoDrOmOyRPQ6ZC-fIeFCTsNByGmJoXVSgTJzyS7y2GwA6vWR_MTpHapag3EOCQs8uzW_K4G77OMtvNzvQJUmnyQVds7vjzyxQctSWVudLayaKRHpyZ0ow60Os6vE4itmyhFsWEs-UOzwnrU7BdNj/w640-h360/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If she had been found moments later, Amelia's heart would have stopped and never recovered. Instead she was taken from the desolate beach to the nearest hospital just in time to save her life. When her sister Lexi arrives from New York, Amelia's heart is beating, but the accident has implanted a series of false memories. These memories revolve around a man named Sam, and a perfect love story that never existed.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Determined to help her sister, Lexi enlists the help of Nick, a local vet who bears a striking resemblance to Sam. Together, Lexi and Nick recreate and photograph Amelia's dream dates in the hopes of triggering her true memories.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But as love starts to stir between Lexi and Nick, they must navigate a complex web of emotions. How can Lexi fall for Amelia's dream man without hurting her sister?<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We follow Lexi after her sister Amelia has an unexplained accident and is left in hospital with false memories of a man named Sam who she strongly believes is her partner.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What we get as the reader is a journey of discovery as well as a touch of love and an abundance of family loyalty.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I liked Lexi as a character right from the beginning. It was clear that family was important to her and that she was used to doing the 'right thing' for other people even if that meant putting her own happiness to one side.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After a frantic phone call revealing that her older sibling was currently in hospital, Lexi drops everything (including a possible promotion) to travel back home to be with Amelia and their mum. Wanting to aid in the recovery process.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What happens after is strange, unexpected but could also be fate.<br /><br />As the blurb suggests, Amelia wakes up believing that she's been living an alternative life to the one that her family knows her to have been living and when Lexi happens upon a man who looks exactly like the one Amelia had been describing, she sets herself a mission to make these memories a reality.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The thing Lexi didn't see coming was her own love story.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">With a supernatural element to the tale, I thoroughly enjoyed it all. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wonderfully paced, the feelings that grew with each chapter were believable and intoxicating. I felt myself smiling throughout and my heart was well and truly warmed.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This isn't just a love story, this is a tale that demonstrates the decisions that can be made when faced with unforeseen circumstances. Impulsive and perhaps crazy choices that may not be practical but are done with the best intentions. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Atkins really knows how to do romance right because she mixes it with the highs and lows of life itself. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Authentic and convincing. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">No wonder I cried.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Memory of Us has all the feels and was a true pleasure to read.</p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-55176072678661660662024-01-24T09:00:00.049+00:002024-01-24T09:00:00.134+00:00Betrothal & Betrayal by Janet McGiffin Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> I do like a good book series, although I'll be honest, I prefer to wait until all books in a series have been released before I start reading them as I am a tad inpatient.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">However, I'm making an exception for Janet McGiffin's novel Betrothal & Betrayal which is the first book in the Empress Irini Series.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDYl7357_Bj2yk7j-71YmLWojLt9xewMBNatXFgzzx6daw3TFgUpeaHJVmGi0BaGX5XWlQH5q9xZ3wEfDFCjG4-VjhAGZuZOtkbyrptqGDiqbiefLDB8-31Zmp5BHOPL6CNTxYlhSC8u3iu97e1WaB4ul1D-htMjMrckUityQfRZhBGWdcA4HpM1M80LS/s1600/unnamed%20(3).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="betrothal-betrayal" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDYl7357_Bj2yk7j-71YmLWojLt9xewMBNatXFgzzx6daw3TFgUpeaHJVmGi0BaGX5XWlQH5q9xZ3wEfDFCjG4-VjhAGZuZOtkbyrptqGDiqbiefLDB8-31Zmp5BHOPL6CNTxYlhSC8u3iu97e1WaB4ul1D-htMjMrckUityQfRZhBGWdcA4HpM1M80LS/w640-h360/unnamed%20(3).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Seventeen-year-old Thekla needs her quick wits and knife to track down her betrothed, a soldier who has left her at the altar for the third time. Elias the monk travels with her to Constantinople where she meets Irini of Athens, an extraordinarily beautiful orphan her same age who has been brought by powerful Emperor Constantine to marry his son, Co-Emperor Leon. The two women join forces to survive this vigorous capital of the Roman Empire of the East which is rocked by religious and political strife. But will Thekla help the ambitious and ruthless Irini of Athens find the power that she craves?<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first in a four volume series, the story will ultimately revolve around Princess Irini however in this book I feel our main protagonist is Thekla. A seventeen year old girl who definitely knows what she wants.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After continually being stood up by her betrothed (3 times to be exact), she sets off on a mission to find her fiance in order to make this marriage happen.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What happens during her journey is not what she quite imagined.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Based in the world of Constantinople, we are introduced to a different world of politics and social classings.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thekla herself is an interesting character. I rather enjoyed how she was portrayed. Her various interactions and the way she made herself useful in any situation or place. Admirable for a girl her age.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Another character that featured immensely was Elias, a supposed monk who soon becomes a sort of saviour for Thekla. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We get to know snippets about Irini, our soon be empress through Thekla's own actions and circumstance. She in my opinion isn't going to be a hugely likeable character in subsequent books. I'd describe Irini as ruthless.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One thing that really made the book for me was the glossary at the end, it allowed me to go back through the story and really get myself well acquainted with this world in ancient Byzantium.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Betrothal & Betrayal is essentially setting the scene for the rest of the stories as in there are a few threads to the story that I believe will be expanded on further so I'm looking forward to seeing what direction the author takes the series.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Overall a great start to an intriguing piece of historical fiction for both younger and older readers.</p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-63067600380493412462024-01-08T09:30:00.097+00:002024-01-08T09:30:00.124+00:00War of the Wind by Victoria Williamson Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> I've always been a fan of middle-grade/young adult fiction, so when I was asked if I would like to join the blog tour for Victoria Williamson's latest book War of the Wind, I couldn't turn down the opportunity to read and review the book.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VZ7YAhQdqrd5iIpSRwfkZgPeIy8aAswmEII7xVwPAAo2j_9SZM0DgJAwKM4FqpHC7Boj776XCvuL2KxPmx4UC6jF0_1M4_IUTzX7Um1wTyROlwPreVvKlMmbJ0UfTUpP4jBGA3BPFpwze38j2cvIdX0-ah7owAShc8aGIlW7M5pdiVZQ8bp1PNbBxDUf/s1600/unnamed%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="war-wind-tour" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VZ7YAhQdqrd5iIpSRwfkZgPeIy8aAswmEII7xVwPAAo2j_9SZM0DgJAwKM4FqpHC7Boj776XCvuL2KxPmx4UC6jF0_1M4_IUTzX7Um1wTyROlwPreVvKlMmbJ0UfTUpP4jBGA3BPFpwze38j2cvIdX0-ah7owAShc8aGIlW7M5pdiVZQ8bp1PNbBxDUf/w640-h360/unnamed%20(1).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br />First, have a read of the blurb to wet your whistle:<br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On a remote Scottish island, fourteen-year-old Max’s life changes forever when he loses his hearing in a boating accident. Struggling to make sense of his new life and finding it hard to adapt in school, he begins to notice other — even stranger — changes taking place when a new wind farm appears off the island’s coast.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">With the help of three school friends with additional support needs, Max discovers that a sinister scientist, Doctor Ashwood, is using wind turbines to experiment on the islanders. They must find a way to shut down the government’s secret test before it spins out of control…<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Can you imagine losing your hearing?<br /><br />I certainly can't. But that is exactly what happens to our protagonist Max after a boating accident. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The novel is narrated by this teenage boy and right from the start I was in awe of him. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now aged fourteen, Max has managed to learn sign language but he doesn't enjoy school with the 'specials', and feels I guess quite abandoned from by his old friends. It seemed to me that he was existing rather than living as he tried to adapt to his new normal.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What you should know is that Max lives on Scragness Island, this is in Scotland. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Remote is probably an understatement, and this means their wifi is rather inadequate (a teenagers worst nightmare) so when a company comes to the island the island with a plan to put up wind turbines and promises of high speed broadband many of the residence are happy. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">However . . . </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The turbines are put up and everyone is sent their phones - this seemed weird to me - there's no wifi? They can however access certain aps and games. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Stranger than that, after the installation of these turbines and substations, the inhabitants of the island begin to get rather lethargic, people not getting much sleep? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">They mystery deepens when Max and Erin happen to be looking into the bay and they discover that the rocks are covered bats, dead ones at that! </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Where did they come from? How did they die?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is when Max calls on the help of some of the 'specials' to help him essentially defeat Doctor Ashwood, the doctors are always evil aren't they.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I rather enjoyed the story.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Imaginative and unique. It was filled with adventure and mystery as well as themes of friendship, family, disabilities, environment and individual journeys of discovery.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Williamson did a fantastic job of creating an exciting good vs evil story whilst hi-lighting the difficulties that people with disabilities face in the world even now. I was really impressed with British Sign Language alphabet that was at the start of the book. I think we could all benefit from learning this. I always think of the scene in Miracle on 34th Street when Santa uses sign language with the girl in the store. Always melts my heart.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Anyway I've gone of on a tangent. . .</p><p style="text-align: justify;">War of the Wind is an all round winner. Great character interaction with a fully entertaining story from start to finish. </p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-50091846763794512292024-01-02T08:01:00.005+00:002024-01-02T08:01:46.405+00:00My Top 23 Books in 2023<p style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: arial;">What a year 2023 was for books. So many great releases from debuts to follow ups in series and go to authors that continue to write fantastic stories.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In total, I read 150 books (a nice even number) so it was difficult to pick just 23 books as my stand-out favourites. But I did it so read on to see which novels I loved. Let me know if you've read any of them or if you perhaps still have them on your tbr list.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSIkbQKC_K4ztdFiME8R3maF3eosmR00cWk825HzHNxrqMwsrHui0hNSxnH6jaYqZWgyinyEz9baPf_aEsoChfNFDMJv9B-q6OWftHbiSXY4xQ_hjtPhtd-T9zlyjq7g_uQ4jkIoQzpOJyZG4ZmNTdlprXyf6k__3I9y0aGxZxg-KvERoT4uUN_JZB1Z0Q" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="stack-of-books" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSIkbQKC_K4ztdFiME8R3maF3eosmR00cWk825HzHNxrqMwsrHui0hNSxnH6jaYqZWgyinyEz9baPf_aEsoChfNFDMJv9B-q6OWftHbiSXY4xQ_hjtPhtd-T9zlyjq7g_uQ4jkIoQzpOJyZG4ZmNTdlprXyf6k__3I9y0aGxZxg-KvERoT4uUN_JZB1Z0Q=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top 23 books in 2023</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In no particular order . . .<span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Still Life by Sarah Winman</span></i></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Another Life by Jodie Chapman</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Now She is Witch by Kirsty Logan</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L Armentrout</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney </i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Where the Light Goes by Sara Barnard</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Four Winds by Kristin Hannah</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Children of the Sun by Beth Lewis</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Threadneedle by Cari Thomas</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Because of You by Dawn French</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>One by One by Ruth Ware</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>The Stargazers by Harriet Evans</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>The Moongate by Amanda Geard</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Nothing Serious by Emma Medrano</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu </i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">Out of all of the books mentioned above, if I had to pick just one book to recommend it would have to be The House in the Cerulean Sea. Klune just has a special way of writing. This story in particular really warmed my heart and I'm so excited for the sequel Somewhere Beyond the Sea which is releasing in September this year. A top 24 contender?</span></span></p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-72638143605002211712023-12-18T09:00:00.095+00:002023-12-18T10:02:19.097+00:00Between the Lies Louise Tickle<p style="text-align: justify;"> I do like a good psychological thriller, so when I was asked if I'd like to join the blog tour for journalist Louise Tickle's debut novel Between the Lies, the only answer I could give was yes.<br /><br />Have a read of the blurb before you dive into my review:<br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When it comes to families, is anyone a reliable witness?</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Cherry Magraw can never forget the date her mother and brother were killed – the night of her ninth birthday. When her father was jailed for their murders, she lost everyone she loved.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Twenty years later, Cherry is a freelance journalist investigating domestic abuse and the secret world of the family courts, when she gets a letter from her father – still in prison for the killings – which contains a startling request.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">From that point on, her past becomes entangled with her work, dismantling everything Cherry thought she knew about her family tragedy and plunging her into a dangerous of game of cat and mouse. Will her history cloud her judgement about another desperate family? And how far will she go to save someone else’s children?<br /><br /><br /></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKL6uYbZ-4wUbvJkggw3fhC-b1J9h5td0cO2Uzir9-sY4PPy27zec7gTJIRjRko2opP8ObtPRmrPHKDI_bUIyXhgvzUTaPbDLp5F7hR1xi0SW4ulzV-IaPmKhp9Z34j9ItNLsXIp_6osBYsAHRJSYmNomd2aNknOFcUxzdQv2ZyMgQ2mKBMUCFDeL_xZm/s1080/BTL%20blog%20tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="between-the-lies-blog-tour-poster" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKL6uYbZ-4wUbvJkggw3fhC-b1J9h5td0cO2Uzir9-sY4PPy27zec7gTJIRjRko2opP8ObtPRmrPHKDI_bUIyXhgvzUTaPbDLp5F7hR1xi0SW4ulzV-IaPmKhp9Z34j9ItNLsXIp_6osBYsAHRJSYmNomd2aNknOFcUxzdQv2ZyMgQ2mKBMUCFDeL_xZm/w640-h640/BTL%20blog%20tour.jpg" width="640" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></i></div><i><br /></i><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This was an interesting story.<br /><br />From the concept to the execution, I got a real sense of how much research had gone into the novel, including the authors own professional knowledge as she specialises in the subjects followed within the story.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">*Trigger Warning* This book contains a lot of talk of domestic violence. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is done in a great manner, honest and thought provoking.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Cherry was a powerful protagonist. A freelance journalist, who investigates domestic abuse and family court proceedings. Early on in the story she receives a letter from her dad, who at the time is in prison for the murder of both her mother and her younger brother. What could he want and what can he tell her about what really happened? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">From this point it becomes clear that her past is beginning to become entangled with her work. I could sense how hard it was for her to remain impartial when it came to reporting such things, but I also admired how determined she was to see that wrong-doings in court were revealed.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The focus on the actual court proceedings was brilliant as we often forget the in-between from the initial crime to the end result.<br /><br />The over all story was gripping.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There were times where I was left wondering whether certain situations had been misinterpreted by the victim and their attacker and this I guess is where the real problem lies because when it comes to the courts we are putting our faith in others and hoping that they can remain neutral when deciding the fates of families because unfortunately the abuse isn't always visible!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's quite heartbreaking to see just how much the decisions made can really impact so many lives.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">All the characters within this story are well-drawn. I found myself feeling quite emotional about a lot of it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I can't believe this is a debut novel.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Expertly written, I found myself struggling to put it down.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Highly recommended. And if I haven't enticed you enough, check out the first chapters here: <a href="https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/68366684/between-the-lies-sample-chapters">https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/68366684/between-the-lies-sample-chapters</a></p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-74870978531269503462023-12-10T10:30:00.062+00:002023-12-10T10:30:00.240+00:00A Winter Wonderland by Rosie Green Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> I adore Rosie Green's books. Her 'Little Duck Pond Cafe' series are simple, feel good stories that allow for a tiny piece of escapism, always managing to put a smile on my face.</p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">And with the festive season upon us, Rosie is back with the latest installment to the set, A Winter Wonderland.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDLPagVGqx2io3ayL2B1hnH11rzvgh65Ftlm-I_zdVoC_X9oBCH4sS7eOBTqJ9p17CtUAzl7kP1gkUuc-dPglTn-d-Urg5tzQwaRyjleQhlZ9G94Frxx51A9_qeuDpQ14N98StmT6Uzr7I47AtDerpwyMh0YraMAc0ogylwQilTK95yLv_56mrItk3XAA/s698/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a-winter-wonderland-rosie-green-blog-blitz" border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="698" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDLPagVGqx2io3ayL2B1hnH11rzvgh65Ftlm-I_zdVoC_X9oBCH4sS7eOBTqJ9p17CtUAzl7kP1gkUuc-dPglTn-d-Urg5tzQwaRyjleQhlZ9G94Frxx51A9_qeuDpQ14N98StmT6Uzr7I47AtDerpwyMh0YraMAc0ogylwQilTK95yLv_56mrItk3XAA/w640-h252/unnamed.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The festive season is fast approaching and the Little Duck Pond Café menu has been given a mouth-watering sprinkling of December magic. Jaz is hoping for the perfect festive season with little daughter Emma. But her feelings for next-door neighbour, Milo, are getting in the way. With his old love back on the scene, is she really prepared to risk her heart and make it the best Christmas ever?<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">What I love about these stories is that there isn't just one main storyline.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The focus is always on the community as a whole.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In A Winter Wonderland we see Jaz trying to navigate being a single parent whilst coming around to the idea of finding love again. Then there's Freddy a newly homeless teenager, who is also new to the town after running away from his parents. And mixed in with this, there is talk of weddings, IVF and trigger warning, there is also mention of abusive relationships.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Honestly, what Rosie creates is like a less dramatic episode of Eastenders.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Set in the month of December, looking at the build up to Christmas, Green reminds us that we never truly know what others are going through.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I really felt for all of the characters and as always, it was lovely to see them grow, learn and find a bit more of themselves along the way. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">You all know that I am a sucker for a good romance so I was of course routing for Jaz to begin to trust in love again although her rather dashing neighbour Milo wasn't helping matters at certain times. Men really have no clue sometimes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jaz's daughter gets a special mention for being utterly adorable.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Honest and realistic, this is a story that made me remember that we shouldn't judge anyone, we should instead offer kindness and acceptance.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wonderfully festive, A Winter Wonderland is like a hug in a book, the perfect winter warmer.</p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-91381148820952953272023-11-10T09:00:00.000+00:002023-11-10T09:00:00.127+00:00Only for the Holidays by Abiola Bello Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> I am a huge fan of Abiola Bello. I loved her novel <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4998499286" target="_blank">Love in Winter Wonderland</a> and her contribution to the Very Merry Murder Club Anthology and now she's back with another wintery delight, Only For the Holidays.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXMRo90ovMT5RL_iaVY5egvNTXJqhdc2fUn860bC0-JaZmXxefywIoI8ht7LTrW0xAgkPI1uf38D1FmhCXCdFLCd1YsadsvbjfbeUuNse2T6qWcjtS3c5fEWRvk5lZbG5mOqmbajjFXsdjOU7T8JEnRF6qZxtA8w1PHogqJq_a9Z2eV9LNXqclNVIpp_7/s5000/Tis%20the%20Season%20Blog%20Tour%20Graphic%20-%20Twitter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="only-for-the-holidays-blog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="2617" data-original-width="5000" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXMRo90ovMT5RL_iaVY5egvNTXJqhdc2fUn860bC0-JaZmXxefywIoI8ht7LTrW0xAgkPI1uf38D1FmhCXCdFLCd1YsadsvbjfbeUuNse2T6qWcjtS3c5fEWRvk5lZbG5mOqmbajjFXsdjOU7T8JEnRF6qZxtA8w1PHogqJq_a9Z2eV9LNXqclNVIpp_7/w640-h334/Tis%20the%20Season%20Blog%20Tour%20Graphic%20-%20Twitter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">City girl Tia Solanké is dreading the festive period. She’s on a break with her boyfriend and the last thing she wants to do is spend Christmas away from London. Arriving at Saiyan Hedge Farm, Tia takes an instant disliking to it. She falls in horse manure, is chased by sheep and the Wi-Fi sucks. How is she meant to stalk her ex now and concoct a foolproof plan to win him back?</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Country boy Quincy Parker and his family run the farm, and this year they’ve been selected to host the biggest event in the town's calendar – the Winter Ball. Preparations are underway, and Quincy is working around the clock to make it a success. The only problem is, he’s told everyone he has a date to the ball, when in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">At first, Tia and Quincy don’t see eye to eye, until they realise they both have something to gain by pretending to be a couple. But when a snowstorm threatens to cancel the Winter Ball, their fake relationship is put to the test. Will Tia and Quincy be able to keep up the pretence and save the day, or will real feelings get in the way?<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now before I get into my review for this exceptional novel, I was lucky enough to be given the chance to ask Abiola a question and I'd like to share with you what she thought:<br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>I had the pleasure of reading Love in Winter Wonderland and I'm pleased to say I also rather enjoyed your contribution in the Very Merry Murder Club Anthology. Both equally entertaining but also very different. Do you have a preference when it comes to which genre you are writing?</i></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>If you asked me this a few years ago I would have said </i></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>yes and it was middle-grade preferably fantasy</i></span></span><i style="font-family: verdana;"> but I feel like I've been stretched in terms of writing different genres and age groups so now I'm up for anything. I was so nervous to write a love story and a mystery but I enjoyed both a lot and I'm always keen to do more of it.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">On to my thoughts on Bello's latest book . . . </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Described as The Spanish Love Deception meets The Holiday, this is your classic fake dating YA romance filled with entertaining characters and a good dose of drama to boot.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Told from two points of view.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We get to know both Tia and Quincy. Two young adults that aren't having a the best time when it comes to love.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tia has just been told by her boyfriend that he 'needs space' and it just so happens her mum has surprised Tia and her sisters with a surprise holiday to Saiyan Hedge Farm, so Mike's going to get a lot of distance.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And then there's Quincy, his family own Saiyan Hedge Farm, he's just had his girlfriend cheat on him with his best friend and is now left without a date to the all important Winter Ball.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Seems like fate right?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It really felt like opposites attract.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But we all know that the course of true love never comes without its ups and downs.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">With a good pace right from the beginning, I read this book in less than 3 hours and was left with a lovely warm and fuzzy feeling inside.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">From the cast and the ongoing relationships, to the added drama and secondary storylines. I loved it all. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">What stood out the most for me was the family dynamics.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Their interactions felt believable, honest and I guess comforting. It was lovely to see that even in difficult and unfortunate times, they were able to come together and support each other. I especially loved all of their adoration for Banks (the youngest solanke sibling).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'd describe Only For the Holidays as ideal festive escapism.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Super cute!</p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-54519057226490767902023-11-08T07:00:00.000+00:002023-11-08T07:00:00.129+00:00Mary or the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> Tis the season for gothically mysterious novels so what better to read than Anne Eekhout's moody tale Mary or the Birth of Frankenstein.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is a beast inside her, a monster. It wants to scream, it wants to tear things apart.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbraxNMl4Pmt_SFqBPF08mlopYw9QfU-1KYAzN6vrhgG5bWpWxxG8YPKedZBBovgJZmm6I0_d7u08NQu_fSYNfCeO3x1WUEngEmstzUnYQ4h8VR_lskX9RIWoNrfWsJbyh6NZ6hZpEHTK0uIglgRSSrPUodsGujTcDToFtUCTpKOYWEKyIanz_UIsVCEe/s2500/002Blog%20Tour%20Mary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="mary-or-the-birth-of-frankenstein-blog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbraxNMl4Pmt_SFqBPF08mlopYw9QfU-1KYAzN6vrhgG5bWpWxxG8YPKedZBBovgJZmm6I0_d7u08NQu_fSYNfCeO3x1WUEngEmstzUnYQ4h8VR_lskX9RIWoNrfWsJbyh6NZ6hZpEHTK0uIglgRSSrPUodsGujTcDToFtUCTpKOYWEKyIanz_UIsVCEe/w512-h640/002Blog%20Tour%20Mary.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Scotland, 1812.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When Mary is sent to the countryside for her health, she soon finds herself falling for Isabella, the brooding, grief-stricken eldest daughter of the Baxter family. While the girls explore the local countryside that has harboured stories of witches, ghosts and monsters for centuries, they come across a creature unlike anything they’ve seen before…</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Switzerland, 1816.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In the famous year without a summer, Mary is caught between her husband’s ideals of free love, her stepsister’s narcissism and the immense anguish she feels for her recently lost child. While her days are filled with strife, she spends the intoxicated, laudanum-filled nights sharing ghost stories. As Mary grapples with the inspiration for her famous novel amid the mists of oblivion, a flash of memory takes her back to her time in Scotland, and also to David Booth, the ominous man who took a sinister interest in Mary and Isabella…<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is the story of Mary Shelley. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">But not the woman as we have come to know her as. No, this looks at her teenage years and what shaped her early life.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Told via two differing time lines, four years apart. Straight away I found this intriguing as it wasn't like many stories where it is more past and present, instead these are two clearly significant years in Mary's life.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">From the beginning, this book exudes an unsettling atmosphere.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As though there's something waiting around the corner to surprise you.</p><div style="text-align: justify;">However, it's also strangely beautiful.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Reads like some sort of vivid dream.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During 1812 we see Mary both as a more innocent and teenager, unsure of the world and more easily swayed into thinking certain things and acting in ways that she feels will please others. And then as we reach 1816, there's Mary, more grown. A mother, more self aware, displaying a confidence previously unseen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A compelling read. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Imaginative and quietly passionate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have to say for a piece of fantasy/historical fiction, it felt quite real. I got a the sense that it was all thoroughly researched, like we were getting a good glimpse into Mary's inner thoughts and feelings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Made even more impressive by the fact that this was a translated story. Laura Watkinson has done a superb job as it flowed brilliantly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mary or the Birth of Frankenstein is bold and brooding, truly bringing Mary Shelley back to life.</div>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-30957743853220880472023-11-02T10:30:00.065+00:002023-11-02T10:30:00.128+00:00Change of Heart by T.A. Williams Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> Looking back through my blog, you'll see that I'm a huge fan of T.A. Williams. I've read and reviewed many of his novels and each one has left me feeling truly uplifted and I guess you say comforted too.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">His latest book, Change of Heart, gave me that exact same feeling.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyofmbqYO1oNPegHOPIaPPGzulLNGkUKaClkjBWnXTdqy80eDtzy-zf7_QRETbpqd8bNolVqPig6CSLO4DyH8Vn6jywRE8R-iQuZ95c6CyAYSRuLuywk6Axr5-n0xtwPvpOBEMDU8JdCjGJvsTQn6QaMhdhuuy6RaCznkAH38svUJk-_-X5CbqOShoEEn1/s1600/image2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="change-of-heart-cover" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1044" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyofmbqYO1oNPegHOPIaPPGzulLNGkUKaClkjBWnXTdqy80eDtzy-zf7_QRETbpqd8bNolVqPig6CSLO4DyH8Vn6jywRE8R-iQuZ95c6CyAYSRuLuywk6Axr5-n0xtwPvpOBEMDU8JdCjGJvsTQn6QaMhdhuuy6RaCznkAH38svUJk-_-X5CbqOShoEEn1/w418-h640/image2.jpeg" width="418" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Read on to see exactly why.<br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Two families at war and Alice finds herself caught in the middle. Can she re-write a story as old as time?</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When cutbacks force Alice out of her assistant manager role at a Devonshire stately home, she turns her sights the picturesque hills above the historic city of Parma. An aristocratic Italian family are looking to open their medieval castle to the public, and Alice is just the woman for the job.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Four years ago, a life-changing accident pushed Alice into depression, but the beauty and charm of the Italian countryside works its magic in brightening her days. Especially when she keeps bumping into handsome Luca … But rivalries run deep in the town, and Alice’s work – not to mention her potential love life – are caught in the middle of a long-standing feud between two families.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">With her job and future happiness in peril, can Alice save the future of the castle, and bring two warring families together?<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This story follows our main protagonist Alice.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A young woman, who finds herself being made redundant from her current job.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As luck would have it an Italian family way up in the hills of Parma (Italy) are looking to open their much loved castle to the public and Alice who previously worked in Italy might just be the woman for the job.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Could this be fate?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What follows is nothing short of remarkable.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Like his previous stories, Williams manages to write a beautiful romance blended in with glorious surroundings.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I found myself wanting to jump on a flight to Italy. Not only for the descriptions of the town and its farmland surroundings but also for the food that I could instantly imagine melting in my mouth.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of course the path of true love never runs smoothly.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Along with a long-standing family feud, just to keep things interesting, there is also a bit of mystery added to this story too. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Over all, I'd describe this tale as wonderfully cosy.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Special mention to Frank the dog, the animals are always the stand out characters aren't they?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you are looking to escape the world for a couple of hours then look no further than Change of Heart, it really is the perfect pick-me-up. </p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-75121061045117095902023-10-24T10:30:00.052+01:002023-10-24T10:30:00.132+01:00Snow Days With You by Leonie Mack Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> As we near the winter months, it only seems right that we start to enjoy books themed for the season. And it just so happens that I have the perfect book, Snow Days With You.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is the latest novel from author Leonie Mack.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you are a lover of romance and getting cosy with a good love story, this may well be the ideal book for you.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIkux80R_AgJ4Wb5sD8qhgsqdjhrVuO2SMDLXi3FikoS3bDRcvHM22zvJcvrSn8J2bjPaRShRIwG7Azu-LzTtIaRKeQlocdqmdheNv0x9CWY87QDxoI_RWMVl8EADeqN2iRCeykFTt5e2Z1PNlUxj07Ky8HE240Q0_x7AEhxKf5o7tSnpnSyWGrc8piqB/s1080/10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="snow-days-with-you-front-cover" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIkux80R_AgJ4Wb5sD8qhgsqdjhrVuO2SMDLXi3FikoS3bDRcvHM22zvJcvrSn8J2bjPaRShRIwG7Azu-LzTtIaRKeQlocdqmdheNv0x9CWY87QDxoI_RWMVl8EADeqN2iRCeykFTt5e2Z1PNlUxj07Ky8HE240Q0_x7AEhxKf5o7tSnpnSyWGrc8piqB/w640-h640/10.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When Luna Rowntree gets an unexpected and life-changing legacy from a man she’s never met, she’s determined to find out why – even if it is Christmas Day and her family are expecting her.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, with only her mother’s ashes for company – it’s a long story, but Luna knows her mother would have wanted to come on the adventure too – Luna sets off in her trusty Astra to the skiing resort in Chamonix, where her mysterious benefactor had lived.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But her little car isn’t designed for driving through snow-covered mountains, and when she runs out of fuel heart-breakingly close to Chamonix, Luna is relieved to be saved by her very own knight-in-shining armour. Well, knight in mountain rescue uniform anyway.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yannick is charmed if baffled by Luna’s mission, and before he knows it, he has agreed to help. But Yannick has his own secrets calling him from the mountains, and his own reasons to run away. As he helps Luna understand her past he realises he has to face his as well if he’s ever going to risk opening his heart to love.<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Well what can I say.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This story was an utter delight to read. It provided me with a much needed distraction, as soon as I started to read, I felt recent stresses melting away. A swoon worthy romance combined with a touching personal journey.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Luna is a woman on a mission. After losing her mum and suddenly being given a life changing amount of money from a mysterious benefactor, she is determined to find out just why she has been gifted such wealth from someone she has never met. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Then there's Yannick. An unassuming man who is just the saviour Luna needs to help her complete the task she's set herself (he just doesn't know it quite yet).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Set in the beautiful surroundings of Chamonix, a chance meeting when Luna's car breaks down leads to something neither party could ever have imagined.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This was quite an emotional story.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What I enjoyed the most was that although there was a blossoming love story - I'm a sucker for this - Leonie does a great job of making this secondary to Luna's original reasons for being quite literally stuck in the snow.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Altogether touching, tender and truthful.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'll admit Yannick was a fantastic knight in shining mountain uniform and my heart melted when I read his interactions with his daughter.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Like Mack's other stories, this is a hug in a book.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Snow Days With You is a much needed piece of escapism that despite being set somewhere cold, really warms the heart. You won't regret reading it.</p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-38947226984366594872023-10-17T10:57:00.050+01:002023-10-17T10:57:00.130+01:00A Cranberry For Christmas by Charlie Dean *Spotlight*<p style="text-align: justify;"> I'm definitely starting to feel festive so here is a spotlight post about a book that I thought you might enjoy.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A Cranberry for Christmas by author Charlie Dean is out now!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif84Q_RD-frvoJlDjoHfjcnyEBoBFhskQfMFFLNaLA3g0RjbKUSWgHcmho1ws9b3wLExzG6aeZf_Dw3rP78i96dPlDRnCJFNb-0l4GYgxSjbhFWL0xWE6hUyoy86yfkFp8eFm0_7rgZm-aSURhUlJ9jnG17WSE5HHWOFhG2KwaMWXCrgZT1_8taAdS3zJM/s700/A%20Cranberry%20For%20Christmas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cranberry-for-christmas" border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="700" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif84Q_RD-frvoJlDjoHfjcnyEBoBFhskQfMFFLNaLA3g0RjbKUSWgHcmho1ws9b3wLExzG6aeZf_Dw3rP78i96dPlDRnCJFNb-0l4GYgxSjbhFWL0xWE6hUyoy86yfkFp8eFm0_7rgZm-aSURhUlJ9jnG17WSE5HHWOFhG2KwaMWXCrgZT1_8taAdS3zJM/w640-h252/A%20Cranberry%20For%20Christmas.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Take a look at the blurb to see if it gives you a little bit of Christmas spirit.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Alisha Jones, or Princess Christmas as she is affectionately known, is joint heir to her Grandpa Frost’s family fortune, but being third behind an older sister and brother means she has to work three times as hard to prove herself. Marsha Underwood, her Grandpa’s PA and ever present thorn in her side, is determined to undermine her at every turn and Alisha finds herself powerless to prevent this. An encounter with a fortune teller at the Frost Christmas Ball leads to a bewildering dream of the future; and the added complication of Tom Walker, the son of Frost’s new business partner leads to a tumultuous year.</b></span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>With her friends by her side, will she be able to turn things around? And what exactly does the strange dream mean?<span></span></b></span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A story of family, friendship and love at first sight with a sprinkle of Christmas magic.<span></span></span></b></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sounds good right?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Romance with a sprinkling of good cheer, I will definitely be reading this festive delight. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />You can purchase from here: <a href="https://amzn.eu/d/fpTksgE">https://amzn.eu/d/fpTksgE</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">And do give Charlie Dean a follow on X (Twitter) <a href="https://twitter.com/CharlieADean">https://twitter.com/CharlieADean</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-20271895432736717282023-10-14T10:30:00.088+01:002023-10-14T10:30:00.130+01:00Still Life by Val McDermid Book Review<p style="text-align: justify;"> I do love a good crime thriller but I have a confession to make...</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I've never read a novel by Val McDermid before. Well that has now been rectified thanks to my lovely Squad Pod. This month I had the pleasure of reading one of Val's latest stories Still Life.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Spoiler alert, I loved it. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Read on to see just why.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Rs9mN6AM8JpQD5yaRymKKhEexXB-SUyiyLxLUuDaBO781yG5kXAUle5j2_YVOmxPHDA0CQPbWYjOohcHtWiEfaMb4tYEFWRevUH3jjZ6MWnG_sjhQvxq5wqFyydwRlGrxz0pNYwEmgd0basDstYcHKuMxH0_Bg3yDnFefBUGX-SOZUWA8C6IljsTybED/s600/still%20life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="still-life-val-mcdermid" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Rs9mN6AM8JpQD5yaRymKKhEexXB-SUyiyLxLUuDaBO781yG5kXAUle5j2_YVOmxPHDA0CQPbWYjOohcHtWiEfaMb4tYEFWRevUH3jjZ6MWnG_sjhQvxq5wqFyydwRlGrxz0pNYwEmgd0basDstYcHKuMxH0_Bg3yDnFefBUGX-SOZUWA8C6IljsTybED/w400-h400/still%20life.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When a lobster fisherman discovers a dead body in Scotland’s Firth of Forth, Karen is called into investigate. She quickly discovers that the case will require untangling a complicated web—including a historic disappearance, art forgery, and secret identities—that seems to orbit around a painting copyist who can mimic anyone from Holbein to Hockney. Meanwhile, a traffic crash leads to the discovery of a skeleton in a suburban garage. Needless to say, Karen has her plate full. Meanwhile, the man responsible for the death of the love of her life is being released from prison, reopening old wounds just as she was getting back on her feet.<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">What I immediately loved about this book was that although it was part of the famous Karen Pirie series, book six to be precise, you can easily read it as a stand alone novel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Something else that felt quite refreshing was the fact that it didn't feel unnecessarily dramatic, no unrealistic plot twists, it all read as very plausible. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story follows two cases, both taking place in Feb 2020 just before the covid pandemic. One starts with a murder that leads to an historic case being re-opened and the other begins with a discovery of an extremely dead body found in a van in someone's garage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Both cases however have something in common, Karen Pirie.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From Paris to Ireland, from art forgery to changed identities, each investigation comes with its own set of demands, but what is clear throughout is Karen's passion for the job. I loved the use of police chat, especially the nicknames for certain colleagues, gave the characters a sort of authenticity. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DS Daisy Mortimer was a stand out character for me. Clever and determined, she complimented Pirie and I do hope to see this partnership feature more in future books.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the story progresses and increasing amounts of evidence is found, it becomes apparent just how well researched everything within this book is, especially when it comes to how investigations proceed when in European hands.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You'd be forgiven for thinking that this book may well be a complicated read due to both its size and its contents but I'm pleased to say that this is not the case. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Still Life is a straightforward and well presented police procedural story that remains satisfyingly mysterious throughout without having to be outlandish.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm sure you can guess from my review, I will definitely be reading more of McDermid's works. Look out for my review of her newest novel Past Lying next month.</div>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-39400413704765440412023-10-13T10:30:00.095+01:002023-10-14T11:32:47.727+01:00The Takedown by Carlie Walker <p style="text-align: justify;"> I am a huge fan of romantic comedies. Sometimes we need something a bit more light-hearted to give us back a bit of positivity. And that's exactly what I got with Carlie Walker's novel The Takedown. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Described as Miss Congeniality meets The Love Hypothesis with the spice of Mr and Mrs Smith, this is a romcom that is written to make you laugh whilst giving you all of the feels.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWORZxNcw9SPHmHmYsKHa8EnUgA3xfLrU5GuBqGbUHtKAGTDyHaVnVRRmLo_WiEN4CCLfE70lf-_z36RYm3GzPfTOmBgfddzZ4fv-DbKGEK0dTz1ewD-kQBqP7z4PRH5wXGBmJ5TU93-AghG8kY3mA7odwCBvZoLhbL8qqUmGQy9ZDez2_slO6mMoemh2/s671/image002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the-takedown-front-cover" border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="437" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWORZxNcw9SPHmHmYsKHa8EnUgA3xfLrU5GuBqGbUHtKAGTDyHaVnVRRmLo_WiEN4CCLfE70lf-_z36RYm3GzPfTOmBgfddzZ4fv-DbKGEK0dTz1ewD-kQBqP7z4PRH5wXGBmJ5TU93-AghG8kY3mA7odwCBvZoLhbL8qqUmGQy9ZDez2_slO6mMoemh2/w416-h640/image002.jpg" width="416" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>He wants to take her out.<br /></i></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>She wants to take him down...</i></span></h2><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Sydney's mission is</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>1. Stop her little sister from marrying a notorious criminal</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>2. Seduce his bodyguard to gather intel for the FBI</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>3. Definitely do not fall in love...</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Agent Sydney Swift is going home for the holidays. She's just discovered that her younger sister, Calla, is engaged to Johnny Jones - the heir to the nation's most notorious crime dynasty - and she's determined to stop their perfect winter wedding at any cost.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>But gathering incriminating evidence on Johnny isn't as easy as she'd hoped, especially as her biggest obstacle is Nick, his infuriatingly handsome and charming bodyguard!</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>As Sydney spends more time with Nick, lines begin to blur, and while seducing him to gather intel was bad enough, falling for him is even worse. Soon Sydney is faced with a difficult decision - one that certainly wasn't covered in her training...<span></span></i></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you couldn't tell by my intro, I really loved this book.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So let me share a few more details about the story and I think you'll quickly begin to see just why I want to read it too.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We are introduced to our protagonist right from the start. Sydney Swift. She is a coveted undercover CIA agent, who has just been given her toughest mission yet. Spy on her sister's </span>fiancé<span style="font-family: inherit;"> (a member of a notorious criminal family) and hopefully take them down.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What's the problem I hear you cry.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well firstly her family are completely unaware of her 'real life' job, she hasn't made it home in 3 years and of course there's the tricky part where she's going to get her sister's soon to be husband arrested. However Sydney is nothing but professional and is determined to get the job done, that is until she happens to meet Johnny's bodyguard . . . </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nick.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is where mission Takedown becomes slightly more difficult.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">New agenda before exposing Johnny, seduce Nick. The Nick that she happens to have already seen naked and yes people, he is rather good to look at!!<br /><br />What transpires after this is nothing but hot and hilarious.<br /><br />Carlie has managed to write a great rom com that I guess you could also categorise as a crime novel. And I'm well informed that this is her first adult novel so it's even more impressive. The storyline combined with the characters instantly put you in a good mood.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sydney's family are a great supporting cast, big shout out to Sweetie Pie- the family’s dog, the true star of the show. <br /><br />Sexy and suspenseful, The Takedown has it all. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thrills, spills and a kick arse heroine. It's fast paced and exciting. The perfect book to get you out of a reading slump.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYSVzr1JM00rdVe1r2llLzMitG1nf6Oy7a0b-ig7XQJVUatO0kcEGnTTFrbIaGjxTOvPYA1eGYblBKra0CIAXQs09KIoC01vV4VT-NBml4T26Upcc3EEy6Y37-fYCsKcdCe7A3rZ0XhraqpMYjNEIMgVd4OxX40H5J_4N8I98DAZ6w39KmP5FlWu8ILxb/s900/The%20Takedown%20blog%20tour.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="takedown-blog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYSVzr1JM00rdVe1r2llLzMitG1nf6Oy7a0b-ig7XQJVUatO0kcEGnTTFrbIaGjxTOvPYA1eGYblBKra0CIAXQs09KIoC01vV4VT-NBml4T26Upcc3EEy6Y37-fYCsKcdCe7A3rZ0XhraqpMYjNEIMgVd4OxX40H5J_4N8I98DAZ6w39KmP5FlWu8ILxb/w640-h640/The%20Takedown%20blog%20tour.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-81588623768441826432023-10-08T10:30:00.081+01:002023-10-08T10:30:00.165+01:00My Book of Revelations by Iain Hood Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> When the millennium was looming I was only thirteen years old. To be honest I was overly concerned with the Y2K mania but I know there were plenty of people who were.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Iain hood (author of This Good Book and Every Trick in the Book) is back with his latest novel My Book of Revelations and he's delving into the thoughts and feelings of oh so many of you out there as the countdown to the 2000's began.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwrjAF_zKdvqh8M-dGlqETFUk2yedGuJnwsRthVEx5BvRjmWXQ3JqlXzX4ta306teBSFOUjc8MztIKr86v2wGrsUv9RK3sE2PAmpZbWTzsQSqR_v3aoighqGdD65pVlccBY5FIQZYy_P6lbF4OmCG9OD3_A9m_5eJgkfrWl0F-oq9MsqpvtTAP9ujRVWd/s2339/My%20Book%20of%20Revelations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="my-book-of-revelations" border="0" data-original-height="2339" data-original-width="1524" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwrjAF_zKdvqh8M-dGlqETFUk2yedGuJnwsRthVEx5BvRjmWXQ3JqlXzX4ta306teBSFOUjc8MztIKr86v2wGrsUv9RK3sE2PAmpZbWTzsQSqR_v3aoighqGdD65pVlccBY5FIQZYy_P6lbF4OmCG9OD3_A9m_5eJgkfrWl0F-oq9MsqpvtTAP9ujRVWd/w260-h400/My%20Book%20of%20Revelations.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>The countdown to the millennium has begun, and people are losing their heads. A </i></span><i style="font-family: helvetica;">so-called Y2K expert gives a presentation to Scotland’s eccentric Tech Laird T.S. </i><i style="font-family: helvetica;">Mole’s entourage in Edinburgh, and soon long hours, days, weeks and months fill </i><i style="font-family: helvetica;">with seemingly chaotic and frantic work on the ‘bug problem’. Soon enough it’ll be </i><i style="font-family: helvetica;">just minutes and seconds to go to midnight. Is the world about to end, or will </i><i style="font-family: helvetica;">everyone just wake up the next day with the same old New Year’s Day hangover? <span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have to say I was rather intrigued when I read the blurb of this book.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As I explained at the beginning of my post, I wasn't overly bothered by all the craziness at the time but I was a teenager and I did like to listen into what the adults around me were saying.<br /><br />Interestingly, Iain begins his countdown a lot further back in history. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Carefully and cleverly exploring just how our world has changed over the years. Giving his own insight into how the idea of 'the end of the world' actually came about and why so many people bought into this wild concept.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hood writes in a way that is both humorous and insightful.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There were plenty of moments that I found myself nodding along with, smirking because those moments really did happen but it seems entirely preposterous in this day and age that they were even a thing.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Short and snappy, My Book of Revelations is a refreshing read.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For me, it highlights in some ways just how much we haven't changed as a nation . Communication or lack there of it is still very much the same (I think) when it comes to all of those important decision making times.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And lets be honest, in a world where clickbait is an every day occurrence, I think if the events of the millennium were to happen now, a lot of us out there would probably panic even more because as is stated on the front of Iain's book, 'the apocalypse is coming, isn't it always?'</p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-60914686151199847532023-09-21T10:30:00.121+01:002023-09-21T10:30:00.134+01:00Once a Monster by Robert Dinsdale Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> My love for historical fiction has grown immensely over the past couple of years and there have been some wonderful novels released within that time.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One such book is Robert Dinsdale's latest release, Once A Monster. It only too me reading the blurb for <br />me to know that this story was going to be something quite special.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now I assume you've joined this blog tour to find out more about this magical tale and I feel I've got an important job being the first stop to make you want to buy a copy ASAP.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpqSOhkTWqiBNfC2kz-pBYQ4QzHUZp7wMtybkDLzD84IihRCvz2bh89_9Tk6KiKJOD0unfy8ImUHyq5rkY03ZdGeK5BzxMUD6PdOv2ZSVnmMP4TJHFQRXiaxyijg6pQoMrpF-MZOwwK2qWmBleU12S5pP5siOA13H15_PUViqupHjcVrSFrLsEq3FAqOa/s1200/Once%20A%20Monster%20blog%20tour.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="once-a-monster-blog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpqSOhkTWqiBNfC2kz-pBYQ4QzHUZp7wMtybkDLzD84IihRCvz2bh89_9Tk6KiKJOD0unfy8ImUHyq5rkY03ZdGeK5BzxMUD6PdOv2ZSVnmMP4TJHFQRXiaxyijg6pQoMrpF-MZOwwK2qWmBleU12S5pP5siOA13H15_PUViqupHjcVrSFrLsEq3FAqOa/w640-h320/Once%20A%20Monster%20blog%20tour.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>London, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell belongs to a crew of mudlarks who work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway. An orphan since her mother died four years past, leaving Nell with only broken dreams and a pair of satin slippers in her possession, she spends her days dredging up coals, copper and pieces of iron spilled by the river barges – searching for treasure in the mud in order to appease her master, Benjamin Murdstone.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>But one day, Nell discovers a body on the shore. It’s not the first corpse she’s encountered, but by far the strangest. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head are the suggestion of horns. Nell’s fellow mudlarks urge her to steal his boots and rifle his pockets, but as she ventures closer the figure draws breath and Nell is forced to make a decision which will change her life forever . . .<span></span></i></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Set in a darker side of London during the year 1861, this isn't your typical Greek myth re-telling. Based on the ideas of Minos (the minotaur), Dinsdale takes us on a true journey of discovery.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We follow ten year old, feisty Nell as she tries to make it away from the dirty rivers and her fellow Mudlarks and instead follow her dreams to become a dancer, a talent that her now deceased mother had recognised in her.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But the realities of Nell's life aren't making this quest an easy one because of the man who was chosen to care for this unfortunate child after her mum's passing. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Benjamin Murdstone. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">He is one truly unlikable character!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">However, one night fate seems to set in, when Nell makes a shocking discovery along the shore line. Creature or human? It's hard to tell but what becomes clear is that an unlikely friendship is about to be formed and the decisions that Nell makes from this point onwards will change her life in ways that she could never have imagined.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For me, this story was both beautiful and sad.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">All consuming at times.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The relationship between Nell and Minos is remarkable. It really warmed my heart seeing how much they cared for one another. They didn't see what others saw from the outside, no they looked past those imperfections and reached further within.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Admirable.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There was a real good versus evil vibe, Exploitation, the complexities of right from wrong, it's hard to judge some of the decisions made as I'm not sure how I'd react if faced with the same choices.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Truly thought provoking.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What I found most fascinating was the almost blending of genres. The use of Greek mythology alongside the ruins of 1860s London was brilliant. They somehow ran parallel with each other like they were meant to be together.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Slow in pace, the author held my attention with intriguing details and distinct, descriptive language. Every character made me curious, my concentration levels were high throughout.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Over all Once a Monster provides us with a story that is atmospheric and quietly thrilling. An excellent piece of literature, one that I would happily re-read.</p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-53860980250664069462023-09-11T10:30:00.002+01:002023-09-11T17:46:40.557+01:00Scareground by Angela Kecojevic Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> Scareground is the latest book from author Angela Kecojevic.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The question is will the story be as scary as the book suggests?<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYzRTaPNjB0XTm_4c-kNYabXLRue4QN8mkrZxJjG-fLUPAyuiJOqi-iamuWMlecSPMxC_VhOUomK1ms7NDL2UIQIg9B_L6AhBygbpdRkaL5rZ-yyjIPRzbFn8Dszk21s4OVSAd3krZGPc1NJNtAkSkSaLOMdb3AlnDEWQ_epKSbPqlLLxtn9Rhc7yx4pA/s1080/unnamed%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="scareground-blog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYzRTaPNjB0XTm_4c-kNYabXLRue4QN8mkrZxJjG-fLUPAyuiJOqi-iamuWMlecSPMxC_VhOUomK1ms7NDL2UIQIg9B_L6AhBygbpdRkaL5rZ-yyjIPRzbFn8Dszk21s4OVSAd3krZGPc1NJNtAkSkSaLOMdb3AlnDEWQ_epKSbPqlLLxtn9Rhc7yx4pA/w640-h640/unnamed%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Roll up, roll up, the Scareground is in town!</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Twelve-year-old Nancy Crumpet lives above a bakery and her life is a delightful mix of flour, salt, and love.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yet her mind is brimming with questions no one can answer: Why did her birth parents disappear? Why can she speak with the sky? And why must she keep her mysterious birthmark hidden?</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Everything changes when the Scareground returns to Greenwich. When Nancy and her best friend meet the fair's spooky owner, Skelter, and discover a world full of dark magic and mystery, she must confront her greatest fears to get to the truth. But is Nancy ready for the secrets the Scareground will reveal? for all the secrets the Scareground will reveal?<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">What a daring book.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Not overly frightening, if it was in film form I'd say be prepared for some jump scares.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We follow our feisty protagonist Nancy, who lives with her adoptive parents the Crumpets (love that name!).<br /><br />Nancy is curious, she's on the look out for an adventure with her one friend Arthur and it just so happens that the fair is coming to town.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But this isn't your typical funfair and Nancy's parents do not want her going.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Run by a spooky looking fellow named Skelter Tombola and with a name like Scareground, I'm not sure I'd have the courage to enter but Nancy has her heart set on going and I guess she's like most children in the sense that when your parents tell you to do something you tend to do the opposite.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What she discovers is all quite dark and mysterious but surely the strange magic that they're seeing isn't real, all just a clever trick, right?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Secrets and spine-tingling moments come together to give you the heebie jeebies. May I suggest not reading this book in the dark. Although an ideal read for Halloween.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is Angela's debut MG novel and I have to say I was impressed. <br /><br />There's a great balance of drama and emotion. The ever growing friendship of Nancy and Author was wonderful to see, their sense of loyalty was quite lovely.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm wondering whether there will be anymore escapades including this plucky pair?</p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-12200656584094597562023-08-23T10:30:00.110+01:002023-08-23T10:30:00.133+01:00The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm by Karen Foxlee Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> I think you all know by now, I am a huge fan of children's literature. It's just pure escapism and I'm still quite partial to a good illustration.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Karen Foxlee has definitely mastered the art of writing because we have in her Guide to Monsters series is a great sense of adventure and a fantastic protagonist who goes by the name of Miss Mary-Kate Martin.<br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg0ksV9Qf9OCANWnOpT5f1oTgHFwrgSQA-b4QqyCCSf2amv9ATzGzDO3IQWATjZsqwHg9GmkoieGU8lqvp7lFAtgIC0bzHhbN8-7d3qFIWxPsV2xpA3P5iDEuy1sM7Kv8Y5ftvRHPi6UZpZQAYyOHmOr79GHA_jZr6qhNeZR3REAH-N1LRix4ZymXd5Ex1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="woolington-wyrm-blog-tour" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="680" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg0ksV9Qf9OCANWnOpT5f1oTgHFwrgSQA-b4QqyCCSf2amv9ATzGzDO3IQWATjZsqwHg9GmkoieGU8lqvp7lFAtgIC0bzHhbN8-7d3qFIWxPsV2xpA3P5iDEuy1sM7Kv8Y5ftvRHPi6UZpZQAYyOHmOr79GHA_jZr6qhNeZR3REAH-N1LRix4ZymXd5Ex1=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There are those that hunt monsters to harm them and there are those that hunt monsters to help them. Which one are you?</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dressed in sparkly red shoes and carrying her strawberry-scented notebook, Mary-Kate is accompanying her archaeologist mother to the tranquil English countryside to investigate some interesting bones found in an old well. But once they arrive, they realise that the village of Woolington is not as peaceful as it seems. Mysterious noises, earth tremors and a terrifying legend have the locals frightened.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Could there be any truth in the myth of the beast who lives in the ancient well? And if so, why would it return? Mary-Kate might be anxious, but she is not afraid to get to the bottom of this monstrous mystery.<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is what I'd describe as middle grade (MG) fantasy. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">A magnificent start to what promises to be an entertaining series of books.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mary-Kate is what can be described as an anxious child. She likes routine, and even better she likes sparkly shoes!<br /><br />Our escapades begin with her archaeologist mum Professor Martin being called to a site in a little village called Woolington. Any other time Mary-Kate would stay with her Granny when her mum - or Prof as she calls her - needs to work away, but Granny is travelling on one of her bus trips so this time she must go with her.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Straight away it becomes apparent that this is no normal village. Bowls and buckets of milk sit outside the shops, cottages and the pub named the Hook & Wyrm where they are to be staying, that leads to the first question . . . why?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now the reason Prof has been called to this strange place is because a shopping centre is about to be built on and around a well in the town square. However legend says that there is a creature living in the well and below this quiet place and The Woolington Wyrm Watch Society strongly protest against the shopping centre being built at all.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Is the creature a myth, a figment of people's imaginations, or is there some sort of truth behind this ongoing mystery.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our determined and rather brave protagonist is determined to get to the bottom of all of it and what happens along the way is quite remarkable indeed.</p><div style="text-align: justify;">Now I mentioned at the beginning that Mary-Kate has quite a nervous disposition and in my opinion I'd say she could possibly be autistic which can increase levels of anxiety. This is something that I think should be presented more in books because it shows that they are in fact just as amazing as the rest of us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Along with a great supporting cast, it is wonderful to see Mary-Kate's confidence bloom as the story progresses. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A special shout out to Pickles the pony who is really the unsung hero of this tale.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'd also like to mention this books illustrator Freda Chiu who has managed to put an extra fun element into this quirky tale with their imagery.<br /><br />Over all The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm is a charming novel, ideal for those who love a good detective styled story. I'm very much looking forward to the next instalment, The Trouble with the Two Headed Hydra!</div>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-28286278185981718312023-08-04T10:30:00.077+01:002023-08-04T10:30:00.131+01:00The Exiled by Sarah Daniels Blog Tour <p style="text-align: justify;"> Sarah Daniels is back with the follow up to The Stranded. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nik and Esther stories are not over and I'm definitely here for The Exiled because I need to know where they are now!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZUSfzI2MAMX3pI954keNdVyb5d0xNRY08FclBQp8xH9C5RtEl7d5hYBlJw6ndQuRt6mHmprGdERUg1zkSjdURowCGK8jFZHijLcDii547uQHwppcPfhm1Fyt9F-ZqZlzJ1P5slDKCrWvfpTBOYbRC8ZxKDXKoZJgrnTRaFidUiiw5n6veBAtpeu2uOJo/s1600/unnamed%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the-exiled-blog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZUSfzI2MAMX3pI954keNdVyb5d0xNRY08FclBQp8xH9C5RtEl7d5hYBlJw6ndQuRt6mHmprGdERUg1zkSjdURowCGK8jFZHijLcDii547uQHwppcPfhm1Fyt9F-ZqZlzJ1P5slDKCrWvfpTBOYbRC8ZxKDXKoZJgrnTRaFidUiiw5n6veBAtpeu2uOJo/w640-h360/unnamed%20(1).png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It is six months since the Arcadia set sail for the first time in forty years. But this wasn't the freedom the inhabitants were hoping for. Esther Crossland did what she had to do, but it has left a trail of destruction in her wake. Now the wrecked ship is abandoned. Its inhabitants are in exile, trapped in sprawling make-shift shelters made up of warehouse, tents, shipping containers.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Esther and Nik, architects of the rebellion, are on the run. Esther is in hiding, desperate to do something to help her people, and Nik seems to have abandoned all hope, on a journey taking him further and further from home. And neither of them want to face up to their true feelings about one another . . .</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Not only that, there is a new villain in town. With the fall of Commander Hadley, it's left to the ruthless Admiral Janek to deal with the traitors, and her own past is beginning to catch-up with her.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Then the shaky ceasefire negotiated by General Lall, Nik's mum, falls apart. Nik and Esther find themselves in a world of betrayals and double crossings - a game of power, with no one to trust but themselves.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It's time for the final showdown.<span><a name='more'></a></span></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As soon as I started reading The Exiled I felt like I'd never left the world she'd created. And this world is expanded immensely this time. This is demonstrated through the maps on the inside covers of the book, I don't know about you guys but I am a sucker for a well drawn map in a book.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Six months after the fall of Commander Hadley, we are back to see just what has happened to the inhabitants of The Arcadia.<br /><br />But this time there's a new baddie, Admiral Janek!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I can say out without a doubt that I found this even better than the first book.<br /><br />Even more explosive than the first instalment, there was great character progression - some of whom I loved to hate - and what I really liked was the connections to The Stranded, cleverly weaved in which made the storyline even more mysterious.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Meg is one of those connections and I think I just felt sorry for her, like I wanted to mother her and guide her in a different direction.<br /><br />What I saw as I read was a real cat and mouse chase.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Tensions were electrifying and expanding threats loom round every corner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With a love triangle, new enemies to fight and emotions running high, there is everything to love about this story (which I don't want to spoil for you).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">An additional POV - four this time - bought with it new details and an extra layer of secrets.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Over all I was impressed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The continuation of the tale was seamless, there were no plot holes that I could find. I was fully immersed from start to finish.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I wouldn't be surprised if Sarah manages to change this duology into a trilogy! </div></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-39434718131174435672023-08-02T10:30:00.064+01:002023-08-02T10:30:00.128+01:00The Stranded by Sarah Daniels Blog Tour <p style="text-align: justify;"> I've always been a fan of young adult books, whether that be coming of age stories, romances, but especially when they are more fantasy or dystopian.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What Sarah Daniels has created with her novel The Stranded is a mixture of all of the above!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2MUImce_JmliwISIgCuP7p2GSpJbtQKCVudLC-lUt5v1hctY3Q3Ay-AW9vr6IV53tAf7Iwqer7GzGvZDp_j_dIzEcpIT3UqCsiUj4J-oRynWKYnLyPDINRBVFju4C0pznX_Z6nb3o-AWQkRAbn5vt_mR9mV9lFySPXeNYu2LYkjbQ_n6SvXVwgHVg01ky/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the-stranded-blog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2MUImce_JmliwISIgCuP7p2GSpJbtQKCVudLC-lUt5v1hctY3Q3Ay-AW9vr6IV53tAf7Iwqer7GzGvZDp_j_dIzEcpIT3UqCsiUj4J-oRynWKYnLyPDINRBVFju4C0pznX_Z6nb3o-AWQkRAbn5vt_mR9mV9lFySPXeNYu2LYkjbQ_n6SvXVwgHVg01ky/w640-h360/unnamed.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Welcome to the Arcadia.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once a luxurious cruise ship, it became a refugee camp after being driven from Europe by an apocalyptic war. Now it floats near the coastline of the Federated States - a leftover piece of a fractured USA.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For forty years, residents of the Arcadia have been prohibited from making landfall. It is a world of extreme haves and have nots, gangs and make-shift shelters.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Esther is a loyal citizen, working flat-out to have the rare chance to live a normal life as a medic on dry land. Nik is a rebel, planning something big to liberate the Arcadia once and for all.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When events throw them both together, their lives, and the lives of everyone on the ship, will change forever . . .<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Being part of the blog tour, I was lucky enough to be sent both books in the series (keep an eye out for my review of The Exiled) and you better believe I read them with a real speed, and that's because this was a storyline I could really sink my teeth into.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'll be honest, the story started off at a slower pace.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I guess it eased me into what was to come.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Set on The Arcadia, a ship essentially stranded on the ocean, kept there for decades to keep its inhabitancies safe from a 'deadly contagion'.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But those people have had enough of waiting for things on land to become safe again and the rebels are about to fight back.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We are treated to three POV throughout the novel: Nik who's main focus is to help with the increasing rebellion, Esther who is unaware of the problems, she's simply trying to study and become an experienced medic and it wouldn't be right if we didn't have the views of the apparent baddie, Hadley.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I loved the mix of characters, the author did a fabulous job of making me doubt each and every one of their intentions. Were they there to help or were they doing things for purely selfish reasons?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And I did mention at the beginning that there was a bit of romance.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Personally I was shipping Nik and Esther before there was even a possibility of them starting to like each other.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you wanted to compare The Stranded to other books then you'll be looking at series like The Hunger Games and Divergent.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A good mix of action, drama and the usual teenage angst.<br /><br />You can see how this was based on events which arose from the covid pandemic but Daniels has written with detail, the world building was expertly done and although more dystopian/sci-fi because of the comparisons to real life (think the Diamond Princess), it all felt highly believable which made it all the more terrifying to read.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Chaotic and charismatic, I'd love to see this on the big screen. </p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-38373685960009095222023-06-30T10:30:00.067+01:002023-06-30T10:30:00.128+01:00Sea Haven by JM Simpson Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> JM Simpson is back with the latest novel in the explosive Castleby series.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And I'm pleased as punch to be part of the blog tour for Sea Haven. I've followed this series from the beginning and I can't believe we've reached book number four!<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ITyodbgP_6SBKe6S3Rz3aMpiSXtqz5hy7HjmVDSEgUK-zpZi8Xzg0KJJBMuPoIUlg9qZQKDDMxjkwWmLaBCawlUJELr_ar8I3q1730Dop0cjL8O3A6sX97bgwVcf8oLV-FlUo0NzugTXIXG0-nUr11vTLC8sYOP1FruuRE0DkMkpD5q_ygOJridiAa6t/s1600/OBRT%20Sea%20Haven%20TWITTER%20Still%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sea-haven-bog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ITyodbgP_6SBKe6S3Rz3aMpiSXtqz5hy7HjmVDSEgUK-zpZi8Xzg0KJJBMuPoIUlg9qZQKDDMxjkwWmLaBCawlUJELr_ar8I3q1730Dop0cjL8O3A6sX97bgwVcf8oLV-FlUo0NzugTXIXG0-nUr11vTLC8sYOP1FruuRE0DkMkpD5q_ygOJridiAa6t/w640-h360/OBRT%20Sea%20Haven%20TWITTER%20Still%20(1).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One tragic death. Five people know the truth. Who is to blame?</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Hollywood darling Cassie Warner is tragically killed three weeks before Christmas in a car crash on the outskirts of Castleby. Her daughter, Tabatha, narrowly survives the crash. Detective Steve Miller suspects foul play and discovers evidence confirming he is dealing with a murder enquiry.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Local crime mafiosi, Mickey and Pearl Camorra’s empire is at risk from rival gangs who plan to take over. Anxious to avoid a violent and bloody turf war Detective Miller reluctantly supports them to keep control.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ex-soldier Foxy takes in a troubled loved one and does all he can to help, but the odds are stacked against him.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As Detective Miller investigates the crash, he discovers a broken family with a long history of neglect and abuse. Digging deeper, he is faced with five potential suspects, but who is really to blame?</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Murder, obsession, intrigue and suspense continue in the fourth of the Castleby Series.<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is a set of stories that just gets better and better, like a fine wine.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I love the fact that we are introduced to new characters as well as getting reacquainted with some old faithful's (Foxy remains a firm favourite for me).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sea Haven is another fast paced tale. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">And for me it is unique, it's crime with a twist because it reads like a soap opera. The drama levels are always high. It is one of those novels where you'd rather lose sleep to find out what exactly is going to happen.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We are of course back in Castleby and this time the focus is definitely more on the dangerous criminals rather than the infamous lifeboat crew, however I think this worked and gave the story even more depth.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Dark and I guess disturbing at times, there are some triggering themes throughout which could be traumatic. This is the same for the previous books but Simpson does an expert job at navigating these subjects in a sensitive manner. Nothing felt brushed over but none of it is in your face either - if that makes sense.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I won't divulge details of the tale as I think it would ruin the impact but my personal favourite part of these books is that they are multi-layered whilst remaining easy to follow. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Some of the characters within always feel like old friends and I truly want to know how life has been for them.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Although part of a series I still think these books can be read as stand alones (although I highly recommend reading them all). </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Will there be another book in the series? I sure hope so!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the mean time, make sure to follow the rest of the blog tour for more insights into this novel and the lovely author too.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-50357793874352313562023-06-06T10:30:00.059+01:002023-06-06T10:30:00.133+01:00My Brother George by Kelly and Zoey Allen Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> I love that there is starting to be a lot more diversity in books and that goes for both children and adult genres. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">One such book that was bought to my attention recently was <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/my-brother-george/kelly-allen/zoey-allen/9781915235398" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Brother George </a>by Kelly and Zoey Allen. This is a beautifully illustrated story that follows Molly and her family as her brother George stands up for himself showing that his wonderful long hair and hair clips are just part of what make him who he is. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SLXYpKHyIC9dNDXJPJpMuvk-GtlpHEu1dyOOZ4J18vz52faNj2tiOnrQJOhhGxPbIH3qpI_RmjgWj4MiipSsQC-6NTsB7eSt5QGCKaqfNcX8dKPerlILjeudpaniJDbZr8Y0uQ1sjhk3gIRLKsU10tQ2Nky8SGmWaZp7V0bOox5-_EdYPZUydKdQBA/s2954/9781915235398.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="my-brother-george" border="0" data-original-height="2954" data-original-width="2941" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SLXYpKHyIC9dNDXJPJpMuvk-GtlpHEu1dyOOZ4J18vz52faNj2tiOnrQJOhhGxPbIH3qpI_RmjgWj4MiipSsQC-6NTsB7eSt5QGCKaqfNcX8dKPerlILjeudpaniJDbZr8Y0uQ1sjhk3gIRLKsU10tQ2Nky8SGmWaZp7V0bOox5-_EdYPZUydKdQBA/w638-h640/9781915235398.jpg" width="638" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">These are the kind of books that we need in libraries and schools and I'm so pleased that I now get to share with you from Kelly herself about the book:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>My Brother George is full of many gorgeous illustrations. From cover to cover, Tara O’Brien has created a feast for your eyes! Each moment immortalised on the page is so beautifully and thoughtfully created by Tara, it’s actually hard to pick one part of the book, so I’ve chosen two!</i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><br /></i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>The reason I’ve chosen two is because the first is quite a simple spread, but the joy it evokes is priceless. The scene where George finds his voice and says, ‘I think you should get to know someone before you find out their gender’ is the most poignant part of the book, and Tara has created gorgeous images of George and Molly and the joy in that actual moment. </i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><br /></i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>I adore how they’ve been captured on the page, their smiles and rosy cheeks. The moment of pure strength from George and adoration from Molly, it’s just beautiful.</i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><br /></i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>When it comes to a more detailed spread, I adore the images of their favourite days out together. There’s so much colour and detail, joy and love. For me it’s a reminder of glorious childhood memories. George and Molly climbing trees, discovering bugs, and splashing in muddy puddles with Ziggy.</i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrHD2xM0zhKSiXEskuOc21NKHQiwoTkFQvMiRT5kHLsutGX-WcLpyDGwFekdfjzcLyZEBYvPJLq0NEFANvN8p6qPN2WCPviS24IxvFAHGf0tVXlF1hu_Qr3wBebODUQE1GsLVcVEK2HaThAbX_hXLEhV8s2bPb5A2vOLXHpvZ4yV_RxB-CooDY6DUgw/s5669/MyBrotherGeorge_10-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="my-brother-george-illustrations" border="0" data-original-height="2835" data-original-width="5669" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrHD2xM0zhKSiXEskuOc21NKHQiwoTkFQvMiRT5kHLsutGX-WcLpyDGwFekdfjzcLyZEBYvPJLq0NEFANvN8p6qPN2WCPviS24IxvFAHGf0tVXlF1hu_Qr3wBebODUQE1GsLVcVEK2HaThAbX_hXLEhV8s2bPb5A2vOLXHpvZ4yV_RxB-CooDY6DUgw/w640-h320/MyBrotherGeorge_10-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><i><br /></i></span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Tara has this magical talent where she creates beautiful moments, moments that might seem ordinary to some. She takes those moments and shows the true magic within them, the magic we all feel and need in our lives. </i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><br /></i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>I hope these moments are as beautiful for readers to see as they are for me to remember. My Brother George has so much magic within the reality of the ordinary world, a perfect match for a story focused on being who you truly are and the beauty that comes with owning it. </i></span></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;">You can follow the rest of the tour for more pieces like this to get a real insight into this gem of a book.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xZ0go8Km0g9Gha2T56xXVzBzTbwC5umR5c-U-Pby4II9d9Uzx7DY2-0PbmHuStiGvRODcBvYVUuaqUeXlBASPXWD6eVxhuGyOh8JUuBcwLHg63zFE7JER-oqEuXhdLOZjZ_hQi5cWnFYo5r4aKL3d_LIpx_j1oEZLrhlud1dNUHOsA8bEj7Jw4CskQ/s1100/amended%20tiwtter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="my-brother-george-tour" border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1100" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xZ0go8Km0g9Gha2T56xXVzBzTbwC5umR5c-U-Pby4II9d9Uzx7DY2-0PbmHuStiGvRODcBvYVUuaqUeXlBASPXWD6eVxhuGyOh8JUuBcwLHg63zFE7JER-oqEuXhdLOZjZ_hQi5cWnFYo5r4aKL3d_LIpx_j1oEZLrhlud1dNUHOsA8bEj7Jw4CskQ/w640-h366/amended%20tiwtter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-87686978420084112672023-06-06T10:30:00.053+01:002023-06-06T10:30:00.133+01:00Michael, the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog by Terrie Chilvers Blog Tour <p> Who doesn't love a children's book, especially when they contain mind-reading dogs!<br /><br />Terrie Chilvers has come up with something eccentric and entertaining, alongside hilarious illustrations, this is a story designed to make you laugh out loud.</p><p>And I'm rather excited to be a part of the blog tour.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hcOnyoVmmo_3yshSQL4Gh1F7iDcTsaivdnY_EACj1VWhBWa1hxh_l3ib_8uhstPZU4Ku2fs6Jg1geRNX-oNKo393QqGrwdaMgc5WLPijc_KPN_6G3_7jzQCPqxeHyGU39GNokBiIIBZQF4IIZL6HF2BOd6fCsqh1Z69TvK7Wj7kIqRJmcbBkbF0EZg/s600/Michael_BlogTour%20image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="mind-reading-sausage-dog-blog-tour" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hcOnyoVmmo_3yshSQL4Gh1F7iDcTsaivdnY_EACj1VWhBWa1hxh_l3ib_8uhstPZU4Ku2fs6Jg1geRNX-oNKo393QqGrwdaMgc5WLPijc_KPN_6G3_7jzQCPqxeHyGU39GNokBiIIBZQF4IIZL6HF2BOd6fCsqh1Z69TvK7Wj7kIqRJmcbBkbF0EZg/w640-h640/Michael_BlogTour%20image.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>And now I have an exclusive about the wonderful superstar cast (of dogs) that you'll get to meet along the way:<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><br /><p></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Michael and the Dogs of Hollywoof!</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Michael the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog comes from a small town called Snuffles by the Sea but has always dreamt of making it big in Hollywoof. And when he discovers that he can read the minds of other dogs, his journey to stardom begins. Michael would tell you that he is obviously the star of the book, but there are lots of other talented dogs to look out for. I wanted to include a whole range of breeds for dog-loving kids to spot along the way. At one point Michael even meets an entire A to Z of dogs – with a dog breed for every letter of the alphabet (yep – there are even ones for X and Z!).</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For now, here are some of other superstar dogs that give Michael a run for his money…</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Susan the Chocolate Labrador</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Susan is Michael’s arch nemesis and is perpetually getting in the way of Michael’s success. Her talent is balancing peanuts on her nose – and much to Michael’s annoyance, she always goes down a storm with audiences!</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Clyde the Rockstar Chihuahua</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Small, but extremely loud, Clyde is a rockstar icon in Snuffles-by-Sea. He loves to party and more often that not performs in last night’s leather jacket because he was out so late he hasn’t even been home yet. </span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Wolfgang and Schnitzel</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Global sensations, Wolfgang and Schnitzel are a Giant Schnauzer and Chihuahua magician duo. When their show, Magic by Moonlight arrives in Hollywoof, it becomes serious competition for Michael and his gang. Wolfgang can make a dozen Dobermans disappear! And Schnitzel can saw a dog in half, without actually cutting it in half! </span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Greyhounds of Sound</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">An acapella choir of greyhounds, the Greyhounds of Sound provide the soundtrack for some of the best Hollywoof acts. With the voices of angels, they love singing and moving the audience with their unique sound. </span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Stanley Big Dog</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A list of talented dogs in Michael the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog wouldn’t be complete with Stanley! He’s Michael’s trusty sidekick and while his job as Michael’s assistant is to showcase Michael’s talent, Stanley does get to unleash his own special talent later in the book… I won’t share it here, but let’s just say it involves a lot of sausages. </span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That’s just a glimpse of some of the cast, there are lots more to meet. I really hope readers enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them! </span></i></b></p><div>Make sure to follow the rest of the tour outlined above for more exclusive content and if you haven't already, make sure to order your copy of <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/michael-the-amazing-mind-reading-sausage-dog/terrie-chilvers/9781915444134" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael, the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog</a> now.</div>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798203692536483855.post-52779288957039457012023-05-25T10:30:00.001+01:002023-05-25T10:30:00.142+01:00Maybe it's About Time by Neil Boss Blog Tour<p style="text-align: justify;"> Some books really resonate because they use such recent topics that make us think, make us remember and perhaps put a different perspective on things for us.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I believe that is what Neil Boss has done with his novel Maybe It's About Time.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEk3rj3wFRt_31tlnfR8VoSKlnYXzPZ8Yaj_HSbGGlSOsg29sPF1ph3JIF3pwKgzwH1uy-FLpygC2-r4ctxHaS_dteMj3TWd8VBFg1VZCCG-oEVhfmrUt1rRPmLowm5lSOMnhHXiAQvoJ6Q5tcgraWId8AAkkgtXrrzz_JsK7g81jV38Nm3xVqZIQ_kg/s2048/maybe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="maybe-its-about-time" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEk3rj3wFRt_31tlnfR8VoSKlnYXzPZ8Yaj_HSbGGlSOsg29sPF1ph3JIF3pwKgzwH1uy-FLpygC2-r4ctxHaS_dteMj3TWd8VBFg1VZCCG-oEVhfmrUt1rRPmLowm5lSOMnhHXiAQvoJ6Q5tcgraWId8AAkkgtXrrzz_JsK7g81jV38Nm3xVqZIQ_kg/w640-h320/maybe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Two people trapped in their different worlds. One by wealth and one by poverty. Twenty years working for The Firm has given Marcus Barlow everything he wants but has taken his soul in return. Finding a way to leave has become an obsession.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Claire Halford’s life hits rock bottom when she is caught stealing food from Tesco Express. Left alone by her husband with two small children and an STI, her suicide music is starting to play louder in her head.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A chance meeting brings them together. As a mystery virus from China starts to run riot across the country, their world’s collide and they find they have more in common than they knew.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Set in the early months of 2020, Maybe It’s About Time is a story about the difficulty of changing lives for the better. Starting as a funny and satirical view of the egocentric world of professional services, it gives way to a heart-warming story of an unlikely friendship that rejuvenates Marcus and Claire, giving them both hope for a better future.<span></span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'll be honest, when I first received the book I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish it in time for the tour. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">At 520 pages long, it is quite a substantial size novel but when I began to read it, the pages were rather rapidly turned.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is the story of two people, Marcus and Claire. From outward appearances their lives seem completely different, poles apart. However on closer inspection it becomes clear that whilst they may not share the same experiences, in the end they do desire similar things.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is a story for our times.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The use of covid within the narrative gave the tale a more realistic feel. The emotions drawn from it felt oh too familiar at times as these characters had to find their way through stressful events that went alongside lockdowns, shortages of many items, and the devastating sudden deaths that I don't think any human was prepared for.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I liked that both Claire and Marcus were seen separately at the beginning.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We as the reader were given a chance to truly get to know them and that made their growing friendship throughout the story even more heart-warming knowing their backgrounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of course it isn't just these two that we are introduced to. Gavin gets a big mention, after all he plays a pivotal role in this budding companionship. And then there is the rest of the cast of supporting quirky characters - neighbours and friends.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Neil has created something that is exceptionally entertaining. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are plenty of moments within this novel that made me smile. Of course there are sadder moments too, but there was an over-riding sense of hope throughout the majority of it all.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Maybe It's About Time is well crafted and expertly researched.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A real pleasure to read.</p>Brewtiful Fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829009107898468171noreply@blogger.com0