#MiniBlogBlitz Inside Voices by Sarah Davis

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Inside Voices by Sarah Davis.

Enter the Giveaway below to Win a $15 Amazon Giftcard (Open INT)

About the Author

Sarah Davis is many things...wife, mother, veterinarian, writer. An avid reader, she enjoys stories that transport her into new and exciting lands. Having read more books than she could ever count, she has considered writing a novel for ages. It wasn't until the idea for "Inside Voices" popped into her mind that she finally started pursuing that dream, with much encouragement from her family. She and her incredible husband share their remote home on the prairie with their three extraordinary children and one mostly human Weimaraner. 

Follow @SarahDavisAuth1 on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Facebook Author page, Facebook personal page, Instagram pennyosborn, Instagram sarahdavis, Visit sarahdavisauthor.com, Buy Inside Voices

About the book

The mind is a strange beast...extraordinary, unpredictable, protective. 

Penny Osborn's mind is no exception. In High School, Penny witnessed a massacre and lost her father to the same killers. She had seen it unfold before it happened, in a premonition, but could not prevent it. 

A college research project at the edge of the Arctic is her chance for a new beginning. Struggling with PTSD, Penny's therapy includes running, dogs, and guitars. Yet her fresh start is plagued by new premonitions, dark and foreboding, that coincide with a rising number of murders in the community. Her visions are vague, offering little to identify the killer. 

When confronted with an orphaned polar bear cub, Penny risks everything to save its life. The deepening mystery of the murdered women, coupled with the exhaustive duties of caring for the small cub, draw her closer to her friend, Noah, and further from her sister. 

Fearful for the serial killer's next target, Penny discovers where her physical abilities can help her. 

Will letting go of the past lead to healing? And can she stop the murders? 

Review

When Penny becomes embroiled in a tragedy as a young girl it sets the tone for the rest of her life. If it wasn't for her strong bond with her twin sister, which seems to be linked to psychic-like abilities, she would not only have been a victim herself, but also not able to intervene in further tragedies.

Aside from the clear repercussions the massacre has on Penny, as she gets older and moves on with her life, I felt as if there was a lost opportunity there. The story goes straight from the event in a short chapter with young Penny to the older Penny, who is still coming to terms with the atrocity. That initial introduction to Penny, her abilities, her connection to her sister and the absolute horror of the event could be a story unto itself and not just a footnote in her history.

As the story develops and the truth unfolds there is this realisation of greater depth, both emotionally and from a plot perspective, which I personally found quite intriguing. It also leaves a lot of space for unanswered questions and possibly a prequel to the story.

I think Davis has some great ideas that all want to come out and play at the same time, so it's maybe a question of focus and direction. Is it a story about someone who is grief stricken enough to reach another level of perception or is it a story about a woman who can see beyond the constructs of our norms and boundaries.

Buy Inside Voices at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: darkstroke/crooked cat; pub date 23 Jun. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

Enter the Giveaway to Win a $15 Amazon Giftcard (Open INT)

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#BlogTour When The Music Stops by Joe Heap

Today it's a pleasure to introduce you to this special book and take part in the BlogTour for When The Music Stops by Joe Heap.

About the Author

Joe Heap was born in 1986 and grew up in Bradford, the son of two teachers. His debut novel The Rules of Seeing won Best Debut at the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards in 2019 and was shortlisted for the Books Are My Bag Reader Awards. Joe lives in London with his girlfriend, their two sons and a cat who wishes they would get out of the house more often.

Follow @Joe_Heap_ on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy When the Music Stops

About the book

What have you been up to?’ I shrug, ‘Just existing, I guess.’ ‘Looks like more than just existing.’ Robert gestures at the baby, the lifeboat, the ocean. ‘All right, not existing. Surviving.’ He laughs, not unkindly. ‘Sounds grim.’ ‘It wasn’t so bad, really. But I wish you’d been there.’

Ella has known Robert all her life. Through seven key moments and seven key people their journey intertwines. From the streets of Glasgow during WW2 to the sex, drugs and rock n’ roll of London in the 60s and beyond, this is a story of love and near misses. Of those who come in to our lives and leave it too soon. And of those who stay with you forever…

Review 

I cried.

I won't say which part of the book made the tears flow, because that would give some of the plot away, but Heap managed to tug on those strings when I least expected it. Completely blindsided me after I had become almost complacent to Ella's almost natural ability to sail through every situation. To draw upon the strength and love of others to save herself when she finds herself in a state of confusion and complete isolation.

I loved this book. It's plotted with precision and yet also has a unique element of chaos about it all at the same time. The endearing is combined with the selfish, the worry with the tender care, and the lies with the hard uncomfortable truth.

Heap is an exceptional storyteller and that is perhaps what will attract the readers the most - his ability to switch from present, past and somewhere in between without losing focus or the attention of the person turning the pages. Ella isn't a perfect character. Ella is a main character who has lived a life full of regrets, wrong choices and paths never taken. 

This is what she realises subconsciously as her ability to keep memories, facts, people and time in a straight order is threatened by her own inner enemy.

The author connects Ella, her emotions and memories to her musical abilities and a very special guitar. All of which is born from a sense of guilt, loss and grief, which is perhaps why is reluctant throughout to actually live the life she wants to. Being good, better and exceptional becomes synonymous with the ghost of her past - living her life for someone else?

Her story takes place in a segment of memories, as she returns to those who have made the greatest impact in her life, as they in turn help her to overcome her fear in a time of need. It's truly an exceptional read I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to other readers.

Buy When The Music Stops at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HarperCollins | pub date 29th October 2020 | HB | EB | Audio. Buy at Amazon com. Buy a Copy at Hewsonbooks

#BlogTour One More For Christmas by Sarah Morgan

 

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour One More For Christmas by Sarah Morgan.

About the Author

Sarah Morgan is an international bestseller and the Top Ten Sunday Times bestselling author of The Christmas Sisters and A Wedding in December. She has sold over eighteen million books worldwide.

Sarah lives near London, England with her family and when she isn't writing or reading, she likes to spend time outdoors hiking or riding her mountain bike.

Follow @SarahMorgan_ @HQStories on Twitter, on Amazon, on Goodreads, on www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahMorgan,Visit sarahmorgan.com, Buy One More For Christmas

About the book

For sisters Samantha and Ella Mitchell, Christmas is their most precious time of the year—a time for togetherness, love and celebration. Most of all, it’s about making up for everything their childhood Christmases lacked. But this year, they’ll be buying presents for the most unexpected guest of all—their estranged mother. It’s been five years since they last saw each other. But when their mom calls out of the blue and promises that this Christmas will be different, Samantha and Ella cautiously agree to spend it all together…

Gayle Mitchell is at the top of her career, but her success has come at a price—her relationship with her daughters. She never seemed to say or do the right things. Her tough-love approach was designed to make them stronger, but instead managed to push them away…until a brush with her own mortality forces Gayle to make amends. As the snowflakes fall on their first family celebration in years, the Mitchell women must learn that sometimes facing up to the past is all you need to heal your heart…

Review

Gayle is a career woman who made a choice, a choice that meant leaving her two daughters behind her as she built her remarkable career. It takes a freak accident for her to realise that perhaps she made the wrong choice somewhere along the way.

There was a really interesting point made by Gayle at the beginning of the book, that when you achieve a lot or very often people tend to use the word 'lucky' in combination with your achievements. It absolutely is dismissive to assume that luck, as opposed to hard work, plays a role in a successful career, especially when it comes to women. 

It resonated with me because certain close individuals feel I achieved because I somehow had more help, when the truth is that I worked hard for each exam and to achieve each rung of my career ladder, because I was determined to succeed. These kind of phrases tend to be used in context with the success of women a lot more than men. Men are successful because they work hard, women are successful due to others or luck.

I think Morgan really hits the nail on the head with her personal note to readers. In these really difficult times, especially with a different kind of Christmas looming, we all need to be disappear into the folds of a heartwarming and jolly old festive story.

With that in mind I also want to note how much more depth the author is adding to her characters. She has clearly established a firm place in women's fiction. It's not just about fluffy unicorn love and endings, which is also fine, but Morgan digs deeper to make her characters more relatable to the reader. 

These fractured mother-daughter relationships could be something a reader responds to, because the reality is life isn't just all about happy, love and butterfly moments. Sometimes it hurts and huge steps have to taken to overcome pride, baggage and to right previous wrongs. As always Morgan gives readers an excellent reading experience.

Buy One More For Christmas at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Waterstones.

#BookBirthdayBlitz Love Offline: Looking For Romance In Real Life by Olivia Spring

Today it's the Book Birthday Blitz for Love Offline: Looking For Romance In Real Life by Olivia Spring.

Love Offline is available to read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited. It is also available to read for FREE in Prime Reading until late November. 

About the Author

Olivia Spring is a British, London-based writer of contemporary women's fiction, sexy chick lit and romantic comedy. Her uplifting debut novel 'The Middle-Aged Virgin', which was released in July 2018, deals with being newly single in your thirties and beyond, dating, relationships, love, sex and living life to the full.

Olivia published three novels in 2019: 'Only When It's Love', 'Losing My Inhibitions' and 'Love Offline'. ‘The Middle-Aged Virgin in Italy’, the hotly anticipated sequel to ‘The Middle-Aged Virgin’ and Olivia’s fifth novel, was published in July 2020. 

When she's not writing, Olivia can be found making regular trips to Italy to indulge in pasta, pizza and gelato and of course, seeking inspiration for her next book!

Follow Olivia on Amazon, on Goodreads, Buy Love Offline

About the book

Emily’s Struggling To Find Romance Online. Will Ditching The Dating Apps Lead To True Love? 

Online dating isn’t working for introvert Emily. Although she’s comfortable swiping right at home in her PJs, the idea of going out to meet a guy in person fills her with dread. 

So when her best friend challenges her to ditch the apps, attend a load of awkward singles’ events and find love in real life, Emily wants to run for the hills. 

Then she meets Josh. He’s handsome, kind and funny, but Emily’s had her heart crushed before and knows he's hiding something… 

Is Josh too good to be true? Can Emily learn to trust again and if she does, will it lead to love or more heartache? 

Review

Emily has a choice to make - hide away from the world or accept that the world is going to move on with or without her, so she might as well make sure it is with her. Breaking up with her boyfriend was hard, but seeing him happy with someone else has taken her to a breaking point.

Her best friend decides to help get Emily out of her rut by forcing her to engage with the world outside via events for singles. A daunting thought for anyone in her position.

In a way this is a coming-of-age story, albeit a young adult who starts to discover their own strength and confidence. Finding a way out of the mind-set of living in a world where online acceptance carries more weight for some than actual real interactions.

I think Spring makes an interesting point about the way people are consumed by the online lives, photos and storylines made specifically for viewers - for an audience. You have to acknowledge the fakery or be able to differentiate between the real and the fake. And you don't have to play happy families with your ex. You are entitled to put them far behind you in the past.

Although it is a story of hope, as a reader I couldn't help but feel sympathy for the plight of women and men having to navigate the world of meeting a partner when everything is online and takes place in a throwaway society.

Buy Love Offline at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher - Paperback: Hartley Publishing pub date 28 Oct. 2019. Buy at Amazon com. 

#BlogTour The Illustrated Child by Polly Crosby

Today it's an absolute pleasure to take part in the Blog Tour The Illustrated Child by Polly Crosby.

About the Author

Polly Crosby lives in Norfolk with her husband and son, and her very loud and much-loved Oriental rescue cat, Dali. To Find more about Polly's writing, visit pollycrosby.com. Sign up to Polly's newsletter here.

Follow @WriterPolly on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy The Illustrated Child

About the book

Romilly lives in a ramshackle house with her eccentric artist father and her cat, Monty. She knows little about her past – but she knows that she is loved.

When her father finds fame with a series of children’s books starring her as the main character, everything changes: exotic foods appear on the table, her father appears on TV, and strangers appear at their door, convinced the books contain a treasure hunt leading to a glittering prize.

But as time passes, Romilly’s father becomes increasingly suspicious of everything around him, until, before her eyes, he begins to disappear altogether.

In her increasingly isolated world, Romilly turns to the secrets her father has hidden in his illustrated books, realising that there is something far darker and more devastating locked within the pages…The truth.

Review

Romilly lives her life through the eyes of her adoring father. The single father raising a daughter, a man who puts pen to paper and creates stories for everyone to enjoy. This exposure of her life comes with a lack of privacy and at times even danger and transgressions. The stories carry the suggestion of a hidden treasure, which tends to generate the interest of many - not enough interest to care how Romilly is dealing with being the main character in a series of books though.

The only thing keeping her halfway sane is her strange, domineering and unkempt friend, who comes and goes as they both go through the different stages of growing-up. They agree, they fight and ultimately the best friend can also be very manipulative at times.

Romilly also has to cope with a disinterested mother, and a parent who is so involved with himself he neglects her emotionally, psychologically and physically. There is still some semblance of love at times, but is it love or just a means to an end?

Although this falls under the YA category for me personally even though it is certainly a coming-of-age story for the majority of the story, it wanders far beyond those boundaries. It's a complex combination of mystery, discovery of self and sexuality, the almost incestuous leanings of a confused and distraught parent at times, the guilt and the neglect.

There are just so many aspects of this story I would love to go into each fascinating element in depth, but would absolutely give the plot away by doing so. (Arrgh) It's such a multi-layered piece of work. I loved the way Crosby went from literary to contemporary to mystery and speculative. All within a blink of an eye. The reader is never quite sure which thread to grasp onto at any given time.

It's a brilliant story with an ending which suits the beginning and a middle that pays homage to the past. A wonderful story. One that speaks of a culmination of imagination and coping techniques, after many years of solitude and mind games.

Buy The Illustrated Child at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ; pub date 29 Oct. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Death of the Sentence by Richard Doyle

 
Today it's my turn and the last day of the BlogTour The Death of the Sentence by Richard Doyle.

About the Author

Richard Doyle is an old-school SF fan who began writing seriously in 2001. He has a Diploma in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and collaborated on a book in 2006. He has had poems published in the UK poetry magazines Orbis and Sarasvati and is a regular member of the Bristol Stanza Poetry Group. 

Follow Richard on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy The Death of the Sentence

About the book

The death of the sentence is the debut role of the writer; the plight of the poetry pamphlet; an inventive homage; science in the novel; science fiction in the real world; prose spaceship and singular music; both fun-

Simple in style yet steeped in emotion, I recommend The death of the sentence for poetry newbs and aficionados alike - Dystopic.co.uk

Review

Let's begin with the fact the title is an oxymoron. The Death of the Sentence, whereby the use of words and sentences are the tool of communication. The conduit for emotions, frustrations, thoughts and speculative leaps. 

Indeed the comparisons between the pieces are often an intentional contradictory reading experience.

It's a book of speculative poetry. Exposing inner ambitions, expectations and letting the reader glimpse more than they expected perhaps. Is Doyle at times questioning what is inside or what wants to be out there amongst us. Is it a conversation written in prose and experimental poetry?

I think it would be interesting to see what the author does next and how much depth he can ring to the table, and indeed is there a door beyond the world of this short and yet intimately poignant short experience of words.

Buy The Death of a Sentence by Richard Doyle at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Independently published 10 July 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BookBirthdayBlitz Lady in Red by Tessa Buckley

 

Today it's the Book Birthday Blitz Lady in Red by Tessa Buckley.

About the Author

Tessa Buckley was an inveterate scribbler as a child, and spent much of her time writing and illustrating stories. After studying Interior Design, she spent fifteen years working for architects and designers. She took up writing again after her young daughter complained that she couldn’t find enough adventure stories to read. This led, in 2016, to the publication of  Eye Spy, the first in a series for 9-12 year olds about two teen detectives. There are now two more books in the series: Haunted, which was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2017,, and Lady in Red. She lives by the sea in Essex and recently completed an Open University arts degree.

Follow Tessa on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit tessabuckley.com, Buy Lady in Red

About the book

Pursuing the truth can be a dangerous game…School’s out for the summer, and Eye Spy Investigations have a new case - looking for Lady in Red, a lost masterpiece by Victorian painter, Gabriel Pascoe.

The clock is ticking for Alex and Donna, because the artist’s house, Acacia Villa, where their friend Jake lives, is due to be demolished, and vital clues may be destroyed. And Alex has an additional problem: he is terrified of snakes, and Jake has a pet snake called Queenie…

As the twins pursue their enquiries, they come up against the man who wants to demolish Acacia Villa. But Mr Mortimer is the godfather of their baby half-sister, Sophie, and criticising him could open up family rifts, which have only just healed.

Then Queenie goes missing, setting in motion a disastrous train of events that will turn the search for Lady in Red into the twins’ most dangerous case yet.

Review

This is the third book in the Eye Spy series. It can absolutely be read as a standalone novel. It's in the YA category, but I wouldn't hesitate to give it to a younger reader - the category it is perhaps better suited for.

Alex and Donna accidentally fall into their next case when they befriend a young man and his pet snake. It turns out he is living with the descendant of a famous artist. The house of his ancestor is under threat by a local bigwig developer, which means they have to try and get to the bottom of his own personal mystery really quickly - the hunt for a missing painting is on.

Buckley gives readers the kind of cosy mystery vibe you get from Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, but with a more modern take on the subject. The detectives are nosy, dominant and think they can barge in anywhere and demand change in a heartbeat. One has to admire the tenacity of the young who are willing to take on the criminals of the world and still be of an age where they need permission to stay out late.

Buy The Lady in Red at Amazon Uk (eBook) Publisher: Matador pub date 10 Nov. 2019 or Paperback, Publisher: Troubador pub date 16 Oct. 2019 or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Troubadour. At IBooks.

#BlogTour The Good Samaritan by C. J. Parsons

 

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour The Good Samaritan by C.J. Parsons.

About the Author

C J Parsons was born in Britain and grew up in Canada. She graduated from Montreal's McGill University with a degree in psychology and went on to earn a graduate degree in journalism. She worked as a newspaper reporter at Canada's Globe and Mail before moving to Hong Kong, where she became a columnist at The South China Morning Post. 

She also spent two years covering crime, seeing first-hand the disturbing forces that drive people to kill, something that has informed her writing to this day. After returning to Britain, she moved into television news, working as a broadcast journalist for both the BBC and CNN International. C J is now a senior producer at CGTN. She lives in north London with her twelve-year-old daughter.

Follow @charlopar on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit cjparsonswriter.com, Buy The Good Samaritan

About the book

When five-year-old Sofia is taken from the park, her mother, Carrie, is beside herself with worry. Carrie has a condition which means she struggles to read facial expressions, so she is terrified she missed something that put her daughter in danger.

But just days later, Sofia is found unharmed. The police immediately suspect Josh, the man who found Sofia, but with no evidence against him they are forced to let him go without charges.

Josh is keen to make sure Sofia is safe and well and Carrie is charmed by his kindness. Carrie also befriends Tara, a mother from the park who helped with the initial search party. But with the identity of Sofia's abductor still unknown, how much should Carrie trust those who have offered their help?

Are they good Samaritans or has Carrie missed the warning signs?

Review

When Sofia is enticed away from her mother and disappears it is fair to say that a nightmare begins for Carrie. Could it be the child's own father, who struggles with mental health issues, was Sofia targeted or was she just a child in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Luckily the child is returned by a friendly stranger who just happens to find her. Instead of calling the police or calling for help, he just carries the child home. Slightly odd or just in shock from finding a young child who has been abducted? Carrie finds herself enamoured with more than just one good Samaritan on the day her daughter goes missing and is returned.

I think the automatic reaction for many will be the lack of understanding when it comes to the reactions of the mother, regardless of her diagnosis. It makes it seem, at least from her outward responses, as if she is missing any normal maternal instincts. Saying that, there are plenty of women without any difficulty with their social interaction skills and emotional responses, who also lack the ability to listen to a gut instinct, simply lacked maternal instincts or just don't care.

It's a dark domestic thriller, a worrying tale of trust and betrayal. How easy it is to lose what it is you love the most, despite your best efforts to keep everyone safe. Parsons writes the story from the perspective of a main character who doesn't interact with the world in the way society expects, and questions whether our lack of comprehension in that regard enables a lack of safeguarding for those on the spectrum. When it comes to both adults and children. It's an interesting take on the regular crime scenario.

Buy The Good Samaritan at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Headline ; pub date 26th November 2020 Paperback | £8.99. Also available in Ebook & Audio. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

 

Today it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline.

About the Author

Christina Baker Kline is the author of seven novels, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Orphan Train. Her essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Money, More, and Psychology Today, among other publications. She lives in New York City and on the coast of Maine.

Follow @bakerkline on Twitter, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit christinabakerkline.com, Buy The Exiles

About the book

London, 1840. Evangeline, pregnant and falsely accused of stealing, has languished in Newgate prison for months. Ahead lies the journey to Australia on a prison ship. On board, Evangeline befriends Hazel, sentenced to seven years’ transport for theft. Soon Hazel’s path will cross with an orphaned indigenous girl. Mathinna is ‘adopted’ by the new governor of Tasmania where the family treat her more like a curiosity than a child.

Amid hardships and cruelties, new life will take root in stolen soil, friendships will define lives, and some will find their place in a new society in the land beyond the seas.

Review

It's a very effective way of disposing of a problem - accusing them of a crime and having them shipped off across the other side of the globe. Evangeline finds herself at the wrong end of the stick, after being lured into a false romantic relationship. A gentleman who will say or do anything to get what he wants.

Unfortunately those choices lead to her ending up on a transport as a prisoner on the way to Australia. Pregnant and abandoned, but determined to survive for herself and her child. She connects with other women in similar situations. Their bonds become threads of support and survival.

You often hear jokes about the how the country of Australia or rather the non-indigenous descendants are for the greater majority ex-convicts. Hoards of men, women and children who were shipped off to the other side of the world, sometimes for merely stealing some food, but also more serious crimes such as murder.

The joking glosses over the inhumanity, the violence and the inequality of crime vs punishment. It was an easy way to provide the upper echelon with servants, labour and a way to establish a multiple tier society, such as the British were used to. Colonialism has a lot to answer for.

Of course that is entirely without taking the indigenous people into account. Their fate is often forgotten, perhaps because the fate of the Native Americans tends to be better known. The story of Mathinna is just an example that only hints at the horrors experienced by the Australian indigenous people.

Baker Kline writes a compelling story, historical fiction mixed with fact, which is always a bit of an eye-opener. It's a story of betrayal, violence and most of all of perseverance. Perhaps also that ou of bad can sometimes after many years come something good.

Buy The Exiles at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Allison and Busby; Publication Date 22nd October 2020 | Demy Format HB | £16.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Audiobook #BlogTour The Bad Place: Stories from the Margins by Shane Dunphy

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Bad Place: Stories from the Margins by Shane Dunphy - narrated by Shane Dunphy.

About the Author

Shane Dunphy was born in Brighton in 1973. A child protection worker for 15 years, he is the bestselling author of 16 books. His first nine titles dealt with his time on the frontline of social care work, and include the number one bestseller Wednesday’s Child. His series of crime novels (written under the name SA Dunphy) feature the emotionally damaged criminologist David Dunnigan. Stories From the Margins, his new series of True Crime books written for Audible, is critically acclaimed as well as being an audio-bestseller.

Follow @shanedunphy1 on Twitter, on Facebook, shanedunphyauthor.com, Buy The Bad Place: Stories from the Margins 

About the book

The Bad Place sees Shane Dunphy contacted by an old friend seeking advice about children who went missing in the 1980s. The call forces him to revisit a dark time in his early career as a child protection officer, when a young girl described children in care being taken to a residence known as the Bad Place. As a conspiracy emerges that goes to the top of the Irish police and Government, Dunphy recognises the MO of the alleged killer as The Dark Man, a terrifying figure he encountered over thirty years ago, who nearly ended his career before it had even begun.

Determined to confront his past, Dunphy decides to investigate, uncovering a vast international child trafficking ring involving cases of historical child disappearances, unsolved abductions, collusion with the Catholic church and its culture of secrets, lies and cover up

Review

I love the way the music, the talk of the culture, history and folklore of Ireland are interwoven into the stories. The frightening uncertain balance between fact and fiction, abuse and murder, and the general stereotypical ideas that come to mind when the country and people are mentioned.

Dunphy lifts the lid on the horrors, the reality and the unspoken is a direct contradiction to the image portrayed by anyone outside of the aforementioned. These brutally honest stories of True Crime will often make listeners shake their heads in horror, dismay and disbelief, especially given what appears to be complacency about the systemic abuse and murder committed against children and the vulnerable in Ireland.

Dunphy also delves into the status of the Irish Travellers as an ethnic minority. History builds a picture of why there is such a divide between the travelling community and the rest of Ireland. There is so much in this second book in the Stories from the Margins it would be hard to go into each story individually and would also spoil the listen for other listeners.

I'll be honest some of the stories are tough to listen to, others are riveting because they explain so many unanswered questions, but overall this is a fascinating listening experience. One I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Dunphy's personal experiences result in a commentary, which will of course be uncomfortable for many, but it is important to open the doors on these horrors that the perpetrators want to keep hidden. Too many predators are organised in a way that is shockingly accurate, clever and done in a way that functions just below the surface of the face of normality. Somebody has to be the voice of the lost, the innocent and the forgotten. Shane Dunphy is one of those important voices.

Buy The Bad Place: Stories from the Margins at Amazon Uk 

Listening Length - 7 hours and 43 minutes, Author - Shane Dunphy, Narrator - Shane Dunphy, Audible.co.uk Release Date - 15 October 2020, Publisher - Audible Studios, Program Type - Audiobook, Version - Unabridged, Language - English.

Stories From the Margins #3 – Ceremony For the Dead (to be released March 2021)

Ceremony of the Dead – A group of childhood friends are coming after the man who abused them and put one of their friends in a coma; can Shane Dunphy stop their murderous plans but still bring the predator to justice?

#BlogTour Stonechild by Kevin Albin

 

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Stonechild by Kevin Albin.

About the Author

I served 25 years with the police in the UK, eight years of which were with a tactical firearms team. In 2002, I took a career change, and retrained as an International Mountain Leader working across the globe guiding on mountaineering trips and expeditions. 

I have led many trips to the jungles of Borneo, my favourite destination, an enchanting place that has sadly seen much deforestation. My trips were based on education and conservation.

In 2011, I won the Bronze in the Wanderlust Magazine World Guide Awards for my work..

It was whilst working on a corporate training day in London, when I pictured a statue coming to life to give my clients the answer to the clue they were working on. The rest grew from there. 

My hope is that my writing will continue to spread the word on conservation and protection of all species. - I live in France.

A word puzzle for the readers of Stonechild and with a prize to be drawn on the 10th December, which is Human Rights Day. Here’s the link with all the details https://kevin-albin.com/book-kevin-albin/puzzle-time-for-readers-of-stonechild/

Follow @KevAlbin on Twitter, on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads, on LinkedIn, on Instagram,Visit kevin-albin.com, Buy Stonechild

About the book

Where do we go to when we die? Imagine human consciousness embedded in the molecules of a statue. So, when the statues of London come to life, it is a spectacle like non other, and they come with a specific message, and an offer we cannot refuse.

As the world reels in this wonder of science and religion, Molly Hargreaves has other plans and she sets out to prove that things are not as they seem. 

Chased, captured and confined, Molly confronts the statues and her own fears. But who can she convince? The people are welcoming, the Government has succumbed, and the police try to act, but how do you shoot stone and metal? Be prepared to be run ragged around London on a mystery worthy of the great Sherlock Holmes.

Review

It's an interesting question - where do we go when we die - does some part of our energy or consciousness go somewhere. In this case the people worthy or not worthy, depending on the historical context, of having a statue created in their honour, their consciousness is embedded at times inside the statue. One kind of wonders where everyone else goes - no?

When they suddenly come to life and start spreading the word about an important message they have for humanity, everyone around them is scared at first. Then the implications of these important historical figures demanding time and change is astonishing and then becomes sinister.

Young Molly has had a connection with them for many years ago, some of them recognise her and some of them try to warn her. Things are not as they seem, but she can't seem to make people believe that these statues aren't all equal and don't all have the same goal.

This story fits in the YA category, however I would also recommend it to younger more advanced reader. It's a combination of speculative fiction, magical realism and adventure. The sense of menace and the unexplained Albin weaves into the read suggests a larger picture we might be reading about again at some time. Who is pulling the strings and why? Is the reason they gave the real one or is there something more nefarious going on?

Like I said, the author leaves plenty of unanswered questions and threads which could lead to another venture into the world of Stonechild. It's a concept with plenty of potential, especially if Albin explores that interesting sentence between representation via a symbol not always representing the reality of the person in question.

Buy Stonechild at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Deep Fakes and the Infocalypse by Nina Schick

 

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Deep Fakes and the Infocalypse: What You Urgently Need to Know by Nina Schick.

As a political advisor to select technology firms, Schick is at the forefront of trends emerging from the worlds of data science, machine learning and AI. In Deep Fakes and the Infocalypse, Schick tells us what we need to do to prepare and protect ourselves.

About the Author

Nina Schick is a political commentator, advisor and public speaker, specialising in how technology is reshaping politics in the 21st century. Most recently, her work has seen her focusing on the evolution of disinformation, and the fallout generated by election interference in the US (and around the world) since 2016.

Nina has advised global leaders including Joe Biden and Anders Fogh Rasmussen (the former Secretary General of NATO), through her research on next-generation disinformation and AI-generated deep fakes. She has also worked at the heart of historic campaigns, including on the presidential campaign, the Brexit referendum and with Emmanuel Macron.

Half German and half Nepalese, she speaks seven languages and holds degrees from Cambridge University and University College London. She divides her time between London, Berlin and Kathmandu.

Follow @NinaDSchick on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit ninaschick.org, Buy Deep Fakes and the Infocalypse

About the book

In Deep Fakes and the Infocalypse, Nina Schick warns us urgently of the impending information overload (known as the ‘Infocalypse’) and explains the dangerous political consequences of this Infocalypse, both in terms of national security and what it means for public trust in politics. Deep Fakes have been around for less than three years, to silence and for revenge and fraud. Government, business and society are completely unprepared.

Schick also unveils what it means for us as individuals, how Deep Fakes will be and are used to intimidate and to silence, for revenge and fraud, and how unprepared governments and tech companies are. 

The malicious use of Deep Fakes is not only a real threat for democracy but they take the manipulation of voters to new levels. With the impending US election, and with vast amounts of money being spent of social media, it is expected that Deep Fakes will become a huge story later this year - - AI generated fake content is here for good, and we will have to figure how to navigate a world where seeing is no longer believing.

Review

I think this is a book everyone should read, especially anyone engaging with social media or the media in general. Younger generations should be taught how information is manipulated to an extreme that decides political opinions, elections, actions and the landscape of how we receive and digest information. 

More importantly when you replace the word information with facts, how facts have become a nostalgic concept of the last century and how we are now governed by fakes news, deep fakes and misinformation steered by those who seek to determine their own narratives at the expense of others and the truth.

'We now exist in an increasingly dangerous and untrustworthy information ecosystem' - absolutely true. So the question is how do we awaken those in denial to this situation and how do we combat it going forward. Even now, despite clear evidence to the contrary, people are unwilling to accept that they have been and are still being deceived by deep fakes to sway their opinions and votes for instance. Sharing memes, gifs, pics and articles, which are constructed for the majority by foreign entities, who choose to intervene in the politics for example for other countries to gain control and manipulate world events.

The example of Estonia vs Russia is used quite successfully by Schick to demonstrate what is going on. What is hard to comprehend is the unwillingness of other, more powerful and well-equipped countries to accept this reality and do something about it. 

Perhaps it suits certain people too well, who are pulling their own strings behind the scenes. Cries of you are taking freedoms away, foundations of democracies are being threatened when you silence opposing views are heard, but that is an entirely separate issue. This is about power grabs. This an undercurrent of rebuilding what was lost and using doing so by any means possible.

Buy Deep Fakes on Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Monoray; pub date 6 August 2020 | £8.99 | Paperback. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogBlitz Endless Skies by Jane Cable

 

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Endless Skies by Jane Cable.

Endless Skies will be 99p until 23rd October. 

About the Author

I write romance with a twist, that extra something to keep readers guessing right to the end. While my books are character driven my inspiration is always a British setting; so far a village in Yorkshire (The Cheesemaker’s House), a Hampshire wood (The Faerie Tree), gorgeous Studland Bay in Dorset (Another You) and rural Lincolnshire (Endless Skies).

I was born and raised in Cardiff but spent most of my adult life living near Chichester before my husband and I upped sticks and moved to Cornwall three years ago. 

I published my first two novels independently and have now been signed by Sapere Books. I am an active member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and contributing editor to Frost online magazine.

Follow @JaneCable on Twitter, on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit janecable.com, Buy Endless Skies 

About the book

As archaeologist Rachel excavates a World War Two airfield, could a love story from the past hold a lesson for her as well?

After yet another disastrous love affair Rachel has been forced to leave her long-term position for a temporary role as an Archaeology Lecturer at Lincoln University. Rachel has sworn off men and is determined to spend her time away clearing her head and sorting her life out. But when one of her students begins flirting with her, it seems she could be about to make the same mistakes again...

She distracts herself by taking on some freelance work for local property developer, Jonathan Daubney. He introduces her to an old Second World War RAF base. And from her very first visit something about it gives Rachel chills…

As Rachel makes new friends and delves into local history, she is also forced to confront her own troubled past. Could a wartime love story have any bearing on her own situation? Could this time be different?

Review

Rachel isn't exactly always on the right track when it comes to men. In fact crossing boundaries, breaking rules seem to be habits of a lifetime. Her last disastrous relationship resulted in a transfer and is making her rethink her career options. It also leads her into a life that includes new relationships, friendships and a connection with the past.

Her need to cross the line or rather the inability to say no when she should gets her into a lot of trouble. Meeting Jonathan is where life starts to change and perhaps his lack of interest in her is what draws her to him and a job that opens up her eyes into a world, which walks alongside us all everywhere we go.

Memories and energy of the past. Unresolved pain, emotions so strong they are shadowed in the present. Rachel is drawn into a long forgotten mystery. A story that helps to heal her own wounds, mistakes and perhaps even change the path she has put herself on.

Cable has created an interesting combination of historical fiction, romance, magical realism and ghost story. All elements of the story flow really well into each other and the result is a read filled with all the elements that may tug at the heartstrings and the yet it is also a mystery that will keep the readers engrossed until the end.

Buy Endless Skies at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Sapere Books; pub date 27 July 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Deptford Girls by Patricia A McBride

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour The Deptford Girls by Patricia A McBride.

About the Author

Patricia lives in Cambridge, England with her husband Rick. She first wrote non-fiction, mainly self-help books, but became inspired to try her hand at fiction. In addition to writing she volunteers for a local museum and Addenbrookes Hospital.

Follow Patricia McBride on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Buy The Deptford Girls

About the book

A country at war. Friends in trouble. A fascist traitor. Stepping up can only lead Lily to danger. Rescuing friends or spotting spies; Private Lily Baker always gets involved.

While London burns she looks out for workmates and girlfriends but also uncovers a web of deception at the Depot where she works.

When the ruthless suspect knows she’s closing in, she must act fast to unmask the traitor and save her friends, herself, and the brave soldiers overseas whose lives are at risk.

The Deptford Girls is the fourth in the Lily Baker wartime series. This heart-wrenching story features courage, friendship, betrayal, compelling characters, and a captivating plot.

If you like vivid stories that take you right into the world of the characters, you’ll love The Deptford Girls. Cuddle up with a cuppa and enjoy this exciting, warm-hearted read.

Review

This is the fourth book in the Lily Baker wartime series. This can be read as a standalone novel but I would suggest perhaps reading the others for continuity of character stories.

As London is turned into complete chaos and the person next to you can easily become the next victim, Lily is still alert and invested in keeping those around her safe, even if it is difficult at times. She uses her gut instinct, which serves her well in this story, and yet also never loses her empathy for others, despite the difficult and often challenging circumstances.

The sub-plot of Lily's friend is indicative of the time - plenty of women and children became tragic casualties of old-fashioned rules and societal norms. Scandals that often led to lifelong regrets, damaged individuals and traumatised women.

McBride captures the brutality of living in a country at war. The repercussions of battle on soldiers, who often suffered from conditions, which were yet to be correctly examined or diagnosed. How those left in Britain coped with being a target of vicious bombings. The evacuation of their children, the destruction and death around them. The loss of their loved ones.

On top of that considering the implications of the enemy working from the inside out to weaken the strategy of the opposition, and those who chose to put profit above safety and hide in the chaos of wartime. It certainly shows the reader that life goes on regardless of what is going on around them in a greater context.

It's a quick pleasant read that delivers, drama, action and the emotional turmoil of the genre.

Buy The Deptford Girls at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.