#BlogTour The Stolen Sisters by Louise Jensen

Today it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Stolen Sisters by Louise Jensen

About the Author

Louise Jensen is a global No.1 bestselling author of psychological thrillers. Louise has sold over a million English language books and her novels have been sold for translation to twenty-fine territories, as well as being featured on the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestsellers' lists. Louise was nominated for the Goodreads Debut Author of 2016 Award and the Guardian's Not the Booker 2018. the Gift has been optioned for TV and film.

When Louise isn't writing thrillers, she turns her hand to penning love stories under the name Amelia Henley. Her debut as Amelia Henley, The Life We Almost Had, is out now.

Louise lives with her husband, children, madcap dog and a rather naughty cat in Northhamptonshire. She loves to hear from readers and writers and can be found at www.louisejensen.co.uk, where she regularly blogs flash fiction and writing tips.

Follow @Fab_fiction on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, on Facebook, on Instagram, Buy The Stolen Sisters

About the book

Three little girls missing. One family torn apart…

Leah’s perfect marriage isn’t what it seems but the biggest lie of all is that she’s learned to live with what happened all those years ago. Marie drinks a bit too much to help her forget. And Carly has never forgiven herself for not keeping them safe.

Twenty years ago these three sisters were taken. What came after they disappeared was far worse. It should have brought them together, but how can a family ever recover?

Especially when not everyone is telling the truth . . .

Review

It's the nightmare every parent hopes they never experience - their child going missing. When three little girls from the same family go missing at the same time, everyone is glad it isn't their family. A tragedy, an unbearable nightmare.

The sisters learn to protect and rely on each other, even after everything they have experienced together and the losses they suffered. Each one of them has their own scars to carry and damage to control. It makes having relationships difficult and sometimes the memories have to be drowned in the bottom of a bottle.

Leah in particular has very specific demons to battle, which are enhanced by the need to keep her own child safe. Her marriage is suffering because of her inability to leave the past behind her, but then some people are determined to keep the past alive.

Jensen lets the reader decide where to lay blame and guilt, if indeed they decide to do so. There isn't really a way to discern the true measure of pain, betrayal and a lifelong sense of fear - no way to measure the times it interferes with their lives and the way each sister conducts or interacts with the outside world. So, no I'm not sure there is a real way of distributing the blame, despite the fact the sisters do it quite well themselves, albeit often in an unbalanced way.

The author takes a horror scenario and fills it with a shocking twist that changes the narrative, and yet the bond between the characters remains strong. The feeling of gratefulness overshadows the events and even the anger towards the guilty, at least to a certain extent.

It's a domestic psychological thriller, which probably won't read or go the way you expect it to. A typical riveting Jensen read.

Buy The Stolen Sisters at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ; pub date 30 Sept. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour How We Got To Today by Ben Ellis

 

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour How We Got To Today by Ben Ellis.

About the Author

Ben Ellis is from Worthing, UK and writes in his spare time. 'In a Right State' is his debut novel. 'Broken Branches' is his second novel.

Follow @b3n3llis on Twitter, on Goodreads, Visit b3n3llis.com, Buy How We Got to Today

About the book

How can you find love, when you've lost sight of yourself?

Sheridan doesn't know what he looks like. There's nothing wrong with his vision, it's just that he's the only person in the world who can't see his own face.

Despite this, he has it all going for him - a good job as an optometrist, a nice home, and a wonderful girlfriend. All until Heidi, totally out of the blue, dumps him.

And to make matters worse, not only has she broken his heart, but she's disappeared. Distraught, Sheridan begins to search for her, and ends up finding himself along the way. . .

This is a story about how sometimes it's the people closest to us that see us the best and, if we lose sight of ourselves, can tell us who we really are.

Review

It starts off a little wobbly, but I can only suggest you stick with it. The element that drew me in completely is possibly not what other readers will be attracted to with this read. It might be the disappearance, the search for love or the inability to view oneself as others do.

I was absolutely engrossed by the premise of Sheridan not being able to see his own face or facial features. His obsession with being able to see what others do with such ease and them having such a blasé attitude about it all. The determination to see himself almost eclipses everything except the loss of his girlfriend.

He becomes convinced that there is something more nefarious to her disappearance and all the ties she has broken off, including their relationship. Sheridan wanders between stalkerish, manic and just plain old weird behaviour.

Are the eyes the window to the soul, is there no soul or acknowledgement of self if one is unable to see into the window. What happens when there is a recognition of self?

Although I loved this book I sort of wished Ellis had run with the story of Sheridan a little bit more. I found it absolutely fascinating. The ending of this book fits with the overall narrative and plot, and is special in it own way. However, oh my gosh the absolute pot of literary gold in this story was and is the story of Sheridan and his lack of recognition of self, and being unable to see his own face. Something worth exploring in another book perhaps?

Either way it is a read I would recommend and one that doesn't necessarily fit into a specific genre per se. Ellis has a grasp on something really special in this read. I'll be interested to see what he comes up with next.

Buy How We Got To Today at Amazon Uk  or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Headline Accent; pub date 24 Sept. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Reformed Dreamer by Deborah King

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Reformed Dreamer by Deborah King. Reformed Dreamer will be .99 c /p until 4th October.

About the Author
Deborah King is a spirited woman who was inspired to pursue her dreams due to her mother’s death from early onset Alzheimer’s disease. She has the unique ability to read people and tackle life’s hardships.

Deborah is an acclaimed, distinctive new voice in romantic women’s fiction. After raising two children, working with a not-for-profit wildlife rescue organization, and reading too many books to count, she retired from her personal training and weight management business to follow her dream of writing.

She is extremely grateful for having the opportunity to work with many different people sharing and teaching what inspires her, which you’ll catch glimpses of in her books.

Deborah’s lived in several diverse areas in her city as well as three years in a rural setting. She lives in Missouri with her supportive husband, two rescue cats, who believe they’re dogs, her mini fitness store, and her eclectic collection of books

For all the latest information, excerpts from her upcoming books, general fun, or to chat, follow Deborah on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DeborahKingAuthor.

She loves to hear from her fans. To follow Deborah’s social media links, reviews of her women’s fiction books, her blog, and to sign up for her monthly updates, visit her at https://deborahkingbooks.com.

Follow @dkingnovels on Twitter, on Facebook, Inside Scoop/Facebook, on Pinterest, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy Reformed Dreamer

About the book
She’s wreaked havoc in everyone’s lives. Can she find forgiveness… even from within?
Former drug addict Melinda desperately wants to make amends for years of misguided aggression. Fresh out of rehab and in control of her type of bipolar disorder, she’s grateful to have a secure job and a safe homestead for her long road to recovery. Welcomed by a glorious cliffside sunset and her handsome rancher host, she’s surprised by their instant attraction.

Determined to excel at her work, Melinda does her utmost to display kindness and forges a healthy connection with the horses. And when her dedication warms the heart of the steeds’ drop-dead gorgeous owner, she starts to believe in the possibility of unexpected love and a new future.
Can Melinda truly conquer the demons of her past to find redemption?

Reformed Dreamer is the fourth and final book in the sweet Inspiration in Cologne women’s fiction series. If you like hard-won second chances, surprising romance, and rising above mental health hurdles, then you’ll love Deborah King’s touching story.

Review
This is the fourth and final book in the Inspiration in Cologne series. Reading the other books in the series isn't a necessity to get the gist of the series, however it will help readers to comprehend some of the secondary characters in this series and the overall sense of the stories. They are very much a combination of betrayal, doubt, addiction, love and learning to respect yourself.

I have to say I think Melinda gets a hard sell. Yes, she has proven herself untrustworthy, instable and has plenty of baggage and issues. But she seems to get no respite from all of the aforementioned, and it isn't the main job of her friends to be her therapists, judge and jury over every waking moment. Just saying.

At times it feels as if the pressure put on her to be healthy could be counterproductive at the very least, and there isn't much accountability on her part, especially in the beginning, because she doesn't get the chance to even breathe without someone being right there questioning motives and emotions.

King has created a interesting group of friends and stories which she combines with romance, friendship and also more serious topics. I think the dialogue is too detailed with many superfluous moments and scenes, however King has stepped up her game when it comes to the plot, the characters and the emotional connection between reader and story. Realism meets dream, mental health meets compassion, and love meets understanding.


Buy Reformed Dreamer at Amazon Uk (Kindle) or Paperback or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com (Kindle) or Paperback.

Read my review of Daring Dreamer by Deborah King.

#BlogTour Tutankhamun and Nefertiti by Nick Drake

It's my second turn on this two book BlogTour Nefertiti and Tutankhamun by Nick Drake. I reviewed Nefertiti a few days ago and am reviewing Tutankhamun today.

About the Author
Nick Drake was born in 1961. He is an award-winning poet and screenwriter. He is also Literary Associate at the National Theatre.

Follow @nickfdrake on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit nickfdrake.com, Buy Tutankhamun

About the book
A king in danger. A battle to stay alive. - On the shadowy city streets the cryptically mutilated bodies of several young people are discovered. These brutal acts are destabilizing a ruthless regime already unstable thanks to corruption and the appalling divide between rich and poor.

Meanwhile, Tutankhamun, at 18, has inherited an empire that should be at the height of power and glory. But he faces only a Court full of conspiracies and plotting, and a bitter struggle for power.

And when his own security is threatened by an intruder in the palace, he needs an outsider he can trust to track down the traitor. Rahotep receives a mysterious invitation to the labyrinthine halls of the Royal Palace.

But what he discovers at the dark heart of power will put his life, and his family, in grave danger. .

Review
The story of Tutankhamun, the young king and his short reign, is one filled with many mysteries, myths and questions. The author takes all of these things and turns this fascinating chapter of ancient Egypt into a mystery featuring a member of that civilisations idea of a detective - a part of  the Thebes Medjay division. 

Rahotep is called to solve the murder of a dead boy a boy who bears certain similarities to their young king, which could just be a coincidence, and the majority of those are based on rumours.

He quickly becomes drawn once again into the dirty politics of those who have power and want to rule, and are willing to do anything to maintain their status. The powerful who plot to deceive, kill and threaten. They steal, betray and lie without blinking an eye - all for greed and a firm grip on a country ripped apart and driven by the uncertainty the previous ruler caused.

That scene with Amenmose in the last few chapters - the pot - it was gripping, and also what makes Rahotep finally comprehend that his choice between mystery and family can and will have repercussions for himself and his loved ones. There is only so many times you can work against and stand up to the most powerful men in the kingdom and not expect some kind of blowback.

Having recently read the previous book in this series, Nefertiti, I think this one shows a honing of craft and how Drake has made his world-building, dialogues and plotting much stronger. I also think the possible theories drawn from factual history, theories by historians and his own fictional story make absolute sense out of the many mysteries surrounding the young king. It's a gripping historical crime read.

Buy Tutankhamun at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Transworld Digital; pub date 18 Jan. 2011. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of Nefertiti by Nick Drake.

#BlogTour Tipping Point by Michelle Cook

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Tipping Point by Michelle Cook.

About the Author
Michelle lives in Worcestershire, UK, with her husband Daniel, their two young children, and a cat called Lyra Belacqua. By day, she works for the NHS, a job which she has almost as much passion for as fiction.

Her first joyful steps into creative writing were at the age of ten, when the teacher read out her short story in class. A slapstick tale of two talking kangaroos breaking out of a zoo, the work was sadly lost to history. Still, Michelle never forgot the buzz of others enjoying her words.

More recently, she has had several flash pieces published, was long-listed for the Cambridge 2020 prize for flash fiction, and placed first in the February 2020 Writers’ Forum competition with her short story The Truth About Cherry House. Tipping Point is her debut novel. Connect with Michelle Cook via https://linktr.ee/michellecookwriter

Follow @CookieM72 on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Goodreads, on BookBub, Visit michellecookauthor, Buy Tipping Point

About the book
A tale of loss, manipulation, and the search for the truth. What would you risk to turn back the tide?

Essie Glass might have been a typical eighteen-year-old – had life not dealt her an early blow. Struggling to come to terms with the loss of her family in a terrorist attack, and left with nothing, Essie’s not kidding herself about her world. She wants change, and she’ll be honest about it, whatever the cost. From behind her keyboard, that is…

After all, this is England, 2035. Earth’s climate continues its accelerating collapse. A powerful elite controls the disaster-weary population with propaganda, intimidation, and constant surveillance.

By all appearances, Alex Langford is a respected local businessman – until Essie discovers that he’s a murderous conspirator who’d see the planet die for his fortune. When their paths collide, Essie must decide: how much is she really willing to pay for her honesty?

Her choices, and the events she sets in motion, pit her against both enemies and supposed friends as she risks more than just her life to thwart them. Will she succeed in revealing the truth? And will she survive?

Review
Essie is consumed by survivor's guilt, which makes her susceptible to predators, vigilante causes and anything in general really. Being the only survivor of her family makes her seek acceptance, love and also some understanding of what has happened to her. It makes her doubt herself and her friends at times. Then again are her friends really who they say they are or is she just a vulnerable young adult trying to find her place in a society in the year 2035 that determines every thought and word you say.

Overall I thought it was a really good premise and read. It's a futuristic dystopian thriller with Orwellian overtones and the dangers of climate change. It's a read that fits in both the YA sub-genre and upwards.

Cook takes 21st century fears and turns them into reality, but also incorporates the paranoia, the doubt and the inevitable conspiracy theories. All of which go along with any kind of disaster or change, regardless of whether man-made or not. At this point I do have to say that allowing for an implication or belief of global corporations and or government involvement in something of global proportions does play into the misguided paranoia of many. Fiction you say? I knew it - they will shout.

But you know what they say about paranoia - it isn't paranoia when they really are out to get you. I'll be interested to see whether Cook takes this story or futuristic society forward and if so hope that it gets fleshed out more, gives the characters more depth and it's less flighty.

I enjoyed the Big Brother state ideas combined with the smallest wave of insurgence starting to create bigger waves, better resistance infrastructures, and yet simultaneously the complete chaos caused by the police state and complete surveillance. One wonders if this is a worrying look into our bleak future - 2035 is only fifteen years from now.

Buy Tipping Point at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: darkstroke / crooked cat; pub date 22 Sept. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour A Song of Isolation by Michael J. Malone

Today it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour A Song of Isolation by Michael J. Malone.

About the Author
Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers.

His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines, After He Died and In the Absence of Miracles soon followed suit. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.

Follow @michaelJmalone1 on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit mjmink.wordpress.com, Buy A Song of Isolation

About the book
Film star Amelie Hart is the darling of the silver screen, appearing on the front pages of every newspaper. But at the peak of her fame she throws it all away for a regular guy with an ordinary job.
The gossip columns are aghast: what happened to the woman who turned heads wherever she went?

Any hope the furore will die down are crushed when Amelie’s boyfriend Dave is arrested on charges of child sexual abuse. Dave strongly asserts his innocence, and when Amelie refuses to denounce him, the press furore quickly turns into physical violence, and she has to flee the country.

While Dave is locked up with the most depraved men in the country and Amelie is hiding on the continent, Damaris, the victim at the centre of the story, is also isolated – a child trying to make sense of an adult world…

Review
Amelie Hart is distraught when her boyfriend is arrested for child sexual abuse. She just knows one thing for certain, that he is innocent. Her own experiences might have made her cautious, but there is no way he would ever harm a young girl, is there?

The fact she is a well-known celebrity make the situation tenfold worse and there are repercussions for everyone involved. Even the victim and her family. It really helps to make the snakes come out of the grass. The blame game and guilt is something they are all confronted with.

This was a harder one to read for me at the moment and was certainly framed through my personal experience of inadequate systems unable to protect the vulnerable. Systems that put the rights of the perpetrator above those of the victim.  I do however absolutely acknowledge why it's necessary to show a scenario like this from a completely different perspective.

The smallest percentage of invalid cases tends to get the largest amount of press exposure, which then invalidates the other very valid cases. I get it though, when you throw feces, especially when the media make it a point to - some of it will stick and the stench never goes away completely, regardless of what anyone says or does.

With each book Malone is getting more serious and the subject matter darker. The need for the opposite side of the coin to be out there and envisaged is a necessity. It's a domestic thriller that wades into the quagmire of inadequate judicial, police and social systems, but more importantly I think into the realisation that journalism no longer means printing facts. It's now all about opinions, speculations and how much hype any media outlet can create to sell their medium of choice.

Aside from the serious subject matter of the plot, this is perhaps the most important aspect of the story for me - the public, the press and social media have become judge, jury and executioner. There is no longer such a thing as a fair process and if a jury is involved there is no way they can be kept away from the information flow we live in now.

On top of that people need to be aware that many laws have been changed to accommodate the ability to create a situation, such as the main character finds himself in. Better safe than sorry if you are sure the culprit is guilty, right?

Buy A Song of Isolation at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Orenda Books; Publication Date 17 September 2020 | Paperback Original | £8.99. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Orendabooks.

#BlogTour Nefertiti and Tutankhamun by Nick Drake

It's my turn on this two book BlogTour Nefertiti and Tutankhamun by Nick Drake. I am starting with Nefertiti today and will be posting my review for Tutankhamun in a few days.

About the Author
Nick Drake was born in 1961. He is an award-winning poet and screenwriter. He is also Literary Associate at the National Theatre.

Follow @nickfdrake on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit nickfdrake.com, Buy Nefertiti

About the book
A Missing Queen. A Dark Game of Power.

With her husband, Akhenaten, Nefertiti - the most powerful, charismatic and beautiful Queen of the ancient world - rules over an Empire at the peak of its glory and domination.

Together, they have built a magnificent new city in the desert on the banks of the Nile and are about to host kings, dignitaries and leaders from around the Empire for a vast festival to celebrate their triumph. - But suddenly, Nefertiti vanishes.

Rahotep - the youngest chief detective of the Thebes division- can see patterns where others cannot. His unusual talents earn him a summons to the royal court.

With ten days to find the Queen and return her in time for the festival, Rahotep knows that success will bring glory - but if he fails, he and his young family will die...

Review
I wonder how long it takes Rahotep to realise that the reason he is chosen is more a question of - if your assignment goes pear-shaped then it will be the end of the youngest chief detective of the Thebes division and his beloved family or because he has an talent for seeing what others don't. He has no idea he will be drawn into a mystery about the most powerful woman in the kingdom.

He has a clock ticking over him like a bomb waiting to go off if he doesn't manage to find Nefertiti within a certain timeframe. Will it be enough time to discern between deception, fear of discovery and just plain old haughty arrogance.

I was intrigued by the parallels between other power couples in history or perhaps just autocrats, who decide to reinvent the wheel of religion, politics and power - of course it's always in a way that benefits themselves. The way it can turn the tide of populations or bring them together as one mechanism and tool.

Admittedly the first thing I did was read up on Nefertiti. Obviously she tends to be known for being a beauty first and a strong woman who left her mark on Egyptian history second, but I was unaware of the fact that there is also quite some mystery surrounding her. Drake has taken inspiration from various theories by historians about the powerful queen and created a compelling mystery thriller set in the world of ancient Egypt.

Rahotep is a bit like Sansom's Shardlake, but with more reverence for the dangers of the times he lives in and the rules of whomever is in power at the time. As in most societies ruled by one person every day can be like walking on eggshells when the people around you are waiting to say or do the wrong thing.

If just one thing becomes clear in this story it's the fact that you can't trust anyone in ancient Egypt.

Buy Nefertiti at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Transworld Digital; pub date 18 Jan. 2011. Buy at Amazon com.

#WartimeClassics #BlogTour Green Hands by Barbara Whitton

Today it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour for another book reprinted and published by the  Imperial War Museum.

The Wartime Classics Series was launched by the Imperial War Museum in September 2019 to great acclaim. The novels were all written either during or just after the Second World War and are currently out of print. Following the IWM’s commitment to tell the stories of those who experienced conflict first hand, each novel is written directly from the author’s own experience and takes the reader right into the heart of the battle or their experience of war, which doesn't always include combat.

About the Author
Margaret Hazel Watson (writing under the pseudonym Barbara Whitton) was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1921. She was educated at the Church High Girls School in Newcastle, and later sent to St Leonards School in St Andrews. Due to study Art in Paris, her training was curtailed by the outbreak of the Second World War.

Having volunteered for the Women's Land Army (WLA) in 1939, she worked as a Land Girl for around a year before moving to the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) and later joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) as a driver, where she remained for the duration of the war. Her novel Green Hands is a fictionalised account of her time spent as a Land Girl, detailing the back-breaking hard work and intensity of her experience with good humour and an enchanting lightness of touch. During her time with the ATS she met her husband Pat Chitty and they were married in 1941. After the war, she wrote a number of accounts of her wartime experience and retained an interest in art, literature and horticulture throughout her life. She died in 2016.

Buy Green Hands at Amazon Uk

About the book
It is 1943, and a month into their service as Land Girls, Bee, Anne and Pauline are dispatched to a remote farm in rural Scotland. Here they are introduced to the realities of 'lending a hand on the land', as back-breaking work and inhospitable weather mean they struggle to keep their spirits high.
Soon one of the girls falters, and Bee and Pauline receive a new posting to a Northumberland dairy farm. Detailing their friendship, daily struggles and romantic intrigues with a lightness of touch, Barbara Whitton's autobiographical novel paints a sometimes funny, sometimes bleak picture of time spent in the Women's Land Army during the Second World War.

Review
This story is a fictional account based on the real experiences of Margaret Watson, during World War 2. In 1943 the 17000 women who had already volunteered to help on the homefront were supplemented by adding conscription to the mix. This meant single women had to play their part in winning or fighting the war.

I think we can agree that no matter whether they opted to join the WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force), ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service), WRNS ( Women's Royal Naval Service) - work in a wartime factory or join the Land Girls as a member of WLA (Women's Land Army) - the propaganda looks and looked different from the reality.

Even now when I look at the posters and literature I can absolutely see the nostalgic feeling, but most importantly the emotions of pride and sense of belonging it would have evoked. The emotional bond and thread it would have created between the men giving and risking their lives for their country, and those left behind doing their part.

If anything at all Bee's story, and indeed that of her friends, serves to prove how hard it actually was, and that it wasn't the way it is often portrayed on television. As jolly young women with headscarves doing their bit and making great lasting friendships and romances at the same time.

Instead it was hard labour and environments full of misogynists, chauvinists and sexist men, who were perhaps disappointed at their own homeland role instead of being overseas with their fellow brothers.

I really enjoyed this eye-opening look at an experience that is always made to look romantic, fun and something every girl would sign-up for - the propaganda worked I'd say. It's important the women played their part and proved equality isn't or wasn't a fictional prospect, although they had to return to secondary roles after the war ended, but it is equally important that their roles are portrayed and written about in a truthful manner.

Buy Green Hands at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Imperial War Museum; pub date 10 Sept. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my reviews of these Wartime Classics - Warriors for the Working Day, Patrol, Eight Hours from England, Trial by Battle and From the City, From the Plough.
Buy Warriors for the Working Day by Peter Elstob
Buy Patrol by Fred Majdalany
Buy Eight Hours from England by Anthony Quayle.
Buy Trial by Battle by David Piper.
Buy From the City, From the Plough by Alexander Baron.

About the Imperial War Museums - IWM

'IWM (Imperial War Museums) tells the story of people who have lived, fought and died in conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth since the First World War.

Our unique collections, made up of the everyday and the exceptional, reveal stories of people, places, ideas and events. Using these, we tell vivid personal stories and create powerful physical experiences across our five museums that reflect the realities of war as both a destructive and creative force. We challenge people to look at conflict from different perspectives, enriching their understanding of the causes, course and consequences of war and its impact on people’s lives.

IWM’s five branches which attract over 2.5 million visitors each year are IWM London, IWM’s flagship branch that recently transformed with new, permanent and free First World War Galleries alongside new displays across the iconic Atrium to mark the Centenary of the First World War; IWM North, housed in an iconic award-winning building designed by Daniel Libeskind; IWM Duxford, a world renowned aviation museum and Britain's best preserved wartime airfield; Churchill War Rooms, housed in Churchill’s secret headquarters below Whitehall; and the Second World War cruiser HMS Belfast.'

#BlogTour Not Myself Today by Muriel Ellis Pritchett

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Not Myself Today by Muriel Ellis Pritchett.

About the Author
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Muriel Ellis Pritchett graduated from the University of Georgia and began her journalism career while living in Japan and Germany. Her journalism career included playwriting, editing and writing for magazines and newspapers, and working in public relations, university relations, and media relations.

After retiring, Muriel’s family doctor recommended she get a hobby.  So, she began writing fun fiction about feisty older women who had been wronged and had to pull themselves up out of the muck. But her award-winning fourth book, Not Myself Today, is a change in genres—a YA paranormal thriller. It is scheduled for release September 24, 2020. Her first three “fruity” books, fun romance for older women, are Making Lemonade, Like Peaches and Pickles, and Rotten Bananas and the Emerald Dream. She is currently working on another “fruity” book, titled Sour Grapes and Balmy Knight.

When not writing, Muriel loves cruising all over the world, eating good Belgian chocolate, and spending time in any Disney park. Her favorite Disney attractions are SOARING at Disney World’s EPCOT in Florida, Alice’s Curious Labyrinth at Disneyland Paris, Journey to the Center of the Earth at DisneySeas in Tokyo, and Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland in California.

Follow @PritchettMuriel on Twitter,  on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit murielpritchett.com, Buy Not Myself Today

About the book
High school soccer star Lindsey Anderson was at the top of her game with graduation approaching and a full-ride soccer scholarship offer in her hand. Then she dropped dead on the soccer field, only to wake up in the body of a teenage sex-trafficking victim. No one believes who she really is. Not even her dad. Chased by her new body’s drug-dealing pimp and rabid parapsychologists out to dissect her, Lindsey searches to get her body and her life back before graduation day. Can her BFF and the high school nerdy boy she detests help save her life?

Review
Lindsey is on top of the world. Everything is going her way. She is a top athlete with a full scholarship looming - just one more game to go. The next thing she knows she wakes up in hospital, but everything seems to be a little bit off.

For some strange reason everyone thinks she is some dirty teen with addiction problems and a myriad of criminals and troublemakers following her around. What the heck is going on? Why won't anyone believe her when she tells them who she really is.

It's a YA paranormal read with a crime element.

The question is what do you take from the read? The Freaky Friday aspect of it, the parapsychologists need to discover more frontiers or the sex-trafficking? It's interesting how Pritchett keeps the story entertaining with a lot of discord, but weaves some serious issues into the fabric of it.

The majority of people seem to have set ideas about what sex or human trafficking entails. Foreign countries and kidnapped women and children come to mind, but nobody thinks of all the national in-country children, who fall prey to the predators. The vulnerable, the runaways, the homeless and the missing.

Saying that, Pritchett keeps the YA vibe flowing, which means there are sweet moments and eye-openers, and also the kind of moments you only get when you happen to die and end up in the wrong body. I can imagine this plot being ramped up and venturing into the NA genre.

Buy Not Myself Today at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Black Rose Writing; pub date 24 Sept. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Summer of Madness by Alexander Raphael

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour The Summer of Madness by Alexander Raphael.

About the Author
Half-Welsh, half-Mexican and growing up in London, Alex Raphael was surrounded by different influences and interests. But it was always books that spoke to him most and had the greatest impact. He started writing when at college, where his love of reading evolved into a desire to write, in particular focusing on poetry and short stories.

Studying English and American Literature at university meant he took a break from writing, as well as giving him the chance to see more of Mexico on his travels. He concentrated on his journalistic career while working on different writing projects, but his favourite genre of literature has always been short stories as they are what first inspired him to write.

That’s why his first book was The Summer of Madness, a romantic short story that tells of a guy who goes out to try to win his ex-girlfriend back. Will you be rooting for Kurt and his big public gesture or is it more complicated than that and you don’t want her to date him again? Either way you’ll get to know a memorable set of characters along for the ride.

His second book Illusions, Delusions reflects Raphael’s love of alternative short stories from the writers of his childhood and challenges the idea of the narrative. Will your favourite be the story in the form of a questionnaire, a poem or a set of jokes, among the seven very different styles?
Alex Raphael is currently working on his third collection of short stories, which will provide a wide blend of genres and an assortment of very original premises and distinctive character, with his trademark imagination, humour and memorable dialogue.

Follow on Amazon, on Goodreads, Buy The Summer of Madness  Visit alexanderraphaelwriter.com and alexraphael.wordpress.com,

About the book
In the summer of love, or rather of madness, a whole set of stories are emerging. But there is one that has got everyone talking. When Kurt Vannes decides to win back his ex-girlfriend with the help of a literary classic, he sets off a string of events that will build to a dramatic finale.

Review
It's a short read, perhaps speculative if literary fiction can be considered that. Also disjointed and sometimes seeming like a story with no connection or ability to reach out to the audience - it reminded me of flash fiction. But let's get down to the nitty-gritty.

Raphael draws an interesting comparison between Wuthering Heights and Kurt and his love story and the attempt to regain his lost love. Presented as the boyfriend who wants to win back his girlfriend no matter what - he stages something akin to a romantic ploy to get her back.

Now there is twofold here. Raphael has picked a classic novel, and her favourite book, which is predominantly known for being a romance and tragedy like none other. On the flip-side the author knows many interpret that same story as one of manipulation, of a dysfunctional love, a destructive relationship painted in such unicorn colours that many are willing to forget the darkness and the pain.

Said girlfriend doesn't want to return to him though and views his attempts as manipulative, embarrassing and perhaps even a little scary. The smaller group of individuals who view his attempts as supportive of this Mr Darcyesque public outcry of thwarted love, but when it all becomes known to the wider world the word stalker slips into the vocabulary.

It's intriguing how Raphael presents four views of the same relationship. You have Kurt, the girlfriend, the more intimate gathering and then the wider public. Each has a slightly different view on the matter and his actions, which of course is exactly what happens in real life. The girlfriend and her feelings become secondary to his needs, his wants and his convictions. She is silenced and there is no consent.

The smaller group is convinced by his charm and enthusiasm, whereas the larger group sees a bigger picture or is it more about the greater unknown finding something to critique?

I'd like to see the author bring more order into both his ideas, the dialogue and the writing. There can't be any expectation that the audience will see what is inside your head and what you believe is on the pages - reading will always remain a subjective experience.

Buy The Summer of Madness at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour My Christmas Number One by Leonie Mack

Today it's the last day on the BlogTour My Christmas Number One by Leonie Mack.

About the Author
Leonie Mack is a debut romantic novelist. Having lived in London for many years her home is now in Germany with her husband and three children. Leonie loves train travel, medieval towns, hiking and happy endings! Sign up for her newsletter here

Follow @LeonieMAuthor on Twitter, on Instagram, on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads,Visit leoniemack.com, Buy My Christmas Number One

About the book
There’s nothing quite like a Christmas love story, to get you in the mood for celebrating…
Cara doesn’t do sexy and she only does ‘Happy Christmas’ under duress. She is, after all, a serious musician, and her stubborn streak is born from her struggle to recover from a serious injury.

Javi lives for escapist fun - in his music, and in his life - especially since he’s always failed at life’s more serious challenges, including marriage and fatherhood.

Javi and Cara are forced to record a Christmas single together, but neither of them have plans to spend any more time with each other than they absolutely have to. With Christmas traditions that couldn’t be more different, and outlooks on life that are worlds apart, the chemistry just shouldn’t work. But the magic of Christmas can bring even opposites together…

From the snowy beauty of London at Christmas, to the candle-lit magic of Javi’s traditional family celebrations, let Leonie Mack whisk you away on a memorable festive adventure. Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Mandy Baggot and Holly Martin.

Review

Although this is ultimately a story about Christmas and being able to enjoy it or not, it's more about people connecting on a deeper level. People who under different circumstances would never even entertain the idea of being together. Ships that notice each other as they pass in the night, and only notice the presence of the other briefly.

Cara and Javi are thrown together by forces not under their control. Music contracts determine a collaboration that makes both of them doubt whether they can work together at all. A Christmas single by two people who have completely different Christmas traditions and music styles, and where Cara is concerned it's a case of - Christmas is a no no.

And yet they still have to find away to connect their music styles, their thoughts on life and the whole concept of Christmas. What happens instead is this beautiful bond that happens with people who have a visceral reaction and connection to the sound and creation of beautiful music, and that is the unexpected beginning of a foundation they are both unaware of.

Despite the fact this is a Christmas read, it isn't necessarily a jingle bell jolly one. I found it very much one of hope, of experiencing a person who is your opposite, and in doing so being able to discover new elements of life and rediscover the emotions you have been keeping buried for so long.

Mack manages to create a fun and often witty read, which is actual quite deep at times. I think this author is particularly good at being able to make readers feel the passion, which in this case isn't the one you might think of per se, but very much being able to experience the Joie de vivre certain characters absolutely bring to the pages.

Buy My Christmas Number One at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Boldwood Books; pub date 10 Sept. 2020. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Boldwood Books.

#BlogTour The Second Marriage by Gill Paul

Today it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Second Marriage by Gill Paul.

About the Author
Gill Paul's historical novels have reached the top of the USA Today, Toronto Globe & Mail and kindle charts, and been translated into twenty languages.

They include The Second Marriage  (titled Jackie and Maria in the US), two bestselling novels about the Romanovs - The Secret Wife and The Lost Daughter - as well as Women and Children First, which was shortlisted for the 2013 RNA Epic Novel of the Year award, No Place For a Lady, shortlisted for a Love Stories award, and Another Woman's Husband, about links you might not have suspected between Wallis Simpson and Princess Diana.

Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects, and she speaks at libraries and literary festivals on subjects ranging from the Titanic to the Romanovs.
Gill lives in London, where she is working on her tenth novel, and she swims daily in an outdoor pond.

Follow @GillPaulAuthor on Twitter, on Instagram, on Goodreads,Visit gillpaul.com, Buy The Second Marriage

About the book
Jackie - When her first marriage ends in tragedy, Jackie Kennedy fears she’ll never love again. But all that changes when she encounters…

Ari - Successful and charming, Ari Onassis is a man who promises her the world. Yet soon after they marry, Jackie learns that his heart also belongs to another…

Maria - A beautiful, famed singer, Maria Callas is in love with Jackie’s new husband – and she isn’t going to give up.

Little by little, Jackie and Maria’s lives begin to tangle in a dangerous web of secrets, scandal and lies. But with both women determined to make Ari theirs alone, the stakes are high. How far will they go for true love?

Review
Two of the most famous women of their time had a man in common. A man who wanted to own the voice of Callas, own the tragic widow of the ex-president, whilst his own family became victims of his obsessive behaviour driven by his mega-bucks.

Jackie Kennedy was expected to put up with infidelity, betrayal and a lack of compassion. Brought up to expect no emotional response from her match made in prosperity and political importance, and a mother who did nothing to address the jealousy between Jackie and Lee later in life.

If you know anything about the relationship between Maria Callas and Ari, but perhaps more so about her own life then it's easier to understand the finer nuances the author has picked up on and
used in this fictional story based on factual relationships and history.

Callas was a woman filled with insecurities courtesy of the mother who compared her constantly to the thinner more beautiful sister. Maria was overweight, a face and body she would grow into and was short-sighted. The beauty within was changed for the purposes of belonging to society when she was noticed by a her future husband, a man many decades older, she began to mix in certain circles as she perfected her fantastic voice.

This is how she met the man who would use her as an object to own and parade around like a prize horse, used for sexual gratification when needed. The bird in a cage owned by King Midas. She would ultimately die of a broken heart and the disappointment of unrealised dreams and a career she forfeited for false love.

At the end of the book Paul adds in some extra factual detail which put the lives of all three women into perspective a little more. Why did Jackie pick Ari? Revenge, one-upmanship? I actually think there are comparisons to be made between Diana's controversial choice of Dodi, because she knew what it would mean to the reputation of the Royal Family. The Kennedy family is American political royalty and perhaps Jackie decided it was time to move out of their controlling sphere and cause a stir of her own. Being able to sock it to her sister might have been the crumbs she followed to the choices she made.

What Maria, Ari, Jackie and Lee all have in common is tragedy, perhaps more than the usual amount people experience in a lifetime. Gill captures this well in this saga of love, money, ownership and heartbreak.

Buy The Second Marriage at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Avon; pub date 24 Aug. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier

Today it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier.

About the Author
Lives in Los Angeles. Pizza Girl is her debut novel.

Follow @gojeanfraziergo on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon,Visit gojeanfraziergo.com Buy Pizza Girl

About the book
Eighteen years old, pregnant, and working as a pizza delivery girl in suburban Los Angeles, our charmingly dysfunctional heroine is deeply lost and in complete denial about it all. She's grieving the death of her father (who she has more in common with than she'd like to admit), avoiding her supportive mom and loving boyfriend, and flagrantly ignoring her future.

Her world is further upended when she becomes obsessed with Jenny, a stay-at-home mother new to the neighborhood, who comes to depend on weekly deliveries of pickled covered pizzas for her son's happiness. As one woman looks toward motherhood and the other towards middle age, the relationship between the two begins to blur in strange, complicated, and ultimately heartbreaking ways.

Review
I don't want to lay her issues at the door of a title like perinatal depression. At the core it is something much simpler - that the child of an alcohol addict may fall prey to addiction at the the sign of any hurdle. Pizza Girl slips slowly into the grip of the same addiction that tormented and ultimately caused her father's death.

She finds herself in a bit of a predicament - she is eighteen and pregnant and whilst others seem to be overjoyed at the thought, she finds herself slipping into a large dose of denial.To counter the denial she makes a connection with a random person. Someone she just happens to decide to do a favour for.

The favour itself takes on a greater meaning - the parent and child relationship, perhaps one she would have preferred. The care, to attempt to please unto the last detail, as opposed to the most certain neglect the alcoholic addiction of her father would have caused.

It's both an interesting and sad story. A tale of human connections created by chance with irreversible footprints left in both lives. An abused and neglected child and wife, but the child especially reveres instead of feeling disdain, perhaps because it is an easier picture to live with.

I'm hoping Frazier takes this win and opens up a wee bit more and gives us the real emotional depth bubbling at the surface. Let the pain speak for itself, the insecurities shine brighter than the sun on a cloudless day. This is an inching in and a slow reveal, and I expect to see much more from this author - if she opens the doors wide open enough.

Buy Pizza Girl at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ; pub date 17 Sept. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.