#Blogtour Someone to Blame by J.J. Green

It's my turn on the Blogtour Someone to Blame by J.J. Green.

About the Author

J. J. Green is an Irish writer who hails from Donegal and lives in Derry. She writes both fiction and non-fiction. Her non-fiction work is published as political essays focusing on economic and environmental injustice. Her first novel, The Last Good Summer, was published in February 2023. Someone To Blame is her second novel. Follow @JJGreenwriter on X

About the book

Shay Dunne is a poison pen. Not that she wants to be one. But a recent tragedy in her life has left her hell-bent on dishing out some punishment to the two people she blames. Sending them a letter containing a vague accusation will do the trick.

Only the letters set in motion a series of unintended consequences, and Shay soon discovers that in the close-knit Irish village she calls home, a community still reeling from Covid, there are sinister secrets everywhere.

Review

Buried beneath what could be perceived as tale of betrayal, deceit and mistrust that is the surface of a hidden layer of chaos, is perhaps just a little bit more when you peel back the layers. The title speaks of blame, which is often an emotion that goes hand-in-hand with grief. The need to place it at any door, except our own. Blame means the sound of guilt is less noisy.

Shay is struggling with anger and grief. A recent tragedy awakens a spontaneous need to cause pain and disruption to those she feels are responsible for said tragedy. How better than to cast accusations and cause worry, whilst remaining hidden from view.

Her small actions set a series of counteractions in motion, which lead to castles built upon lies crumbling and people getting their own ideas on how to get revenge - with the finger of blame pointed straight in Shay's direction.

It's a story of regret, loss and consequences. Perhaps most poignant is the way the plot mirrors human behaviour no matter the era, people or place. We all have something to hide, which we are most likely to think of when accused, even when said accusation is a mere guess.

Buy Someone to Blame at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎The Book Guild Ltd; pub date 28 Oct. 2024. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore.

About the Author

Georgina Moore grew up in London and lives on a houseboat on the River Thames with her partner, two children and Bomber, the Border Terrier. The Garnett Girls is her first novel and is set on the Isle of Wight, where Georgina and her family have a holiday houseboat called Sturdy. You can find her as @PublicityBooks on Twitter and @georginamooreauthor on Instagram.

About the book

Love makes you do things you never thought you were capable of… 

Forbidden, passionate and all-encompassing, Margo and Richard’s love affair was the stuff of legends – but, ultimately, doomed. When Richard walked out, Margo locked herself away, leaving her three daughters, Rachel, Imogen and Sasha, to run wild.

Years later, charismatic Margo entertains lovers and friends in her cottage on the Isle of Wight, refusing to ever speak of Richard and her painful past. But her silence is keeping each of the Garnett girls from finding true happiness.

Rachel is desperate to return to London, but is held hostage by responsibility for Sandcove, their beloved but crumbling family home.

Dreamy Imogen feels the pressure to marry her kind, considerate fiancé, even when life is taking an unexpected turn.

And wild, passionate Sasha, trapped between her fractured family and controlling husband, is weighed down by a secret that could shake the family to its core…

Set on the beautiful beaches of the Isle of Wight, The Garnett Girls asks whether children can ever be free of the mistakes their parents make. 

Review

The aftermath of dysfunctional relationships, especially when it is a couple with children, is hard to quantify or reproduce because external factors will never be exactly the same. What the author captures really well is the way a fractured relationship between parents can become a tidal wave of epic proportions to any child involved.

When a couple parts ways in a less than amicable way and there are many reasons to hold feelings of anger and regret, especially when one person just leaves the family behind, the person left behind can either use the children as a sounding block for their pain or let the children grow with a healthy imagery. Sometimes there is only so much you can control though.

It's evident that Margo never really heals from the wounds caused by Richard and his treatment of her. Her turmoil, and perhaps lack of honesty about their father, creates a ricochet of emotional warfare, which leaves a lasting mark on Rachel, Imogen and Sascha. In turn it leaves a chaotic imprint on each of them and their respective lives.

It's a read that is relatable, possibly because it is easy to see a bit of ourselves in some of the scenarios and recognise the struggles or vulnerabilities. The bigger picture also means a better understanding of choices made and lives lived. It's a poignant and memorable read.

Buy The Garnett Girls via Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Published by HQ, Harper Collins | pub date 16th February 2023 | Hardback £14.99 | Available in Ebook & Audio. Buy via Amazon com. Buy via Harper Collins.

#Blogtour Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt

 Catching up and a wee bit late - it's my turn on the Blogtour Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt.

About the Author

Susie Boyt is the author of six acclaimed novels and the much-loved memoir My Judy Garland Life which was shortlisted for the PEN Ackerley Prize, staged at the Nottingham Playhouse and serialised on BBC Radio 4. She recently edited The Turn of the Screw and Other Ghost Stories by Henry James and writes columns and reviews for publications ranging from the Financial Times to American Vogue.  

Boyt is a director at the Hampstead Theatre in London. She also works for Cruse Bereavement Care. She is the daughter of Lucian Freud and the great granddaughter of Sigmund Freud. Follow @SusieBoyt on Twitter

About the book

When your beloved daughter is lost in the fog of addiction, and you make off with her baby in order to save the day, can willpower and a daring creative zeal carry you through? 

Examining the limits, disappointments and excesses of love in all its forms, Loved and Missed is a wonderfully absorbing book, full of insight and compassion, by the author of My Judy Garland Life.

Review

And exhale.

This was a bit of a tough read for me - it mirrors some of my own journey in my own role of a Ruth. The author touches upon the constant state of battle, the complete and utter inner turmoil, and the dissociation one has to install, so accurately it is frightening. The voice in the back of your head waiting for the doorbell to ring with the worst news, and feeling guilty because it might be a relief.

Ruth feels guilty for taking care of Lily, she feels as if it could be perceived as a friendly kidnapping. Of course that is probably easier than accepting the truth, which is that the intervention saves Lily. Having to openly acknowledge that her own daughter is capable of neglect. To Ruth it is a mirror, her mothering and failure being reflected right back at her, and to everyone who knows about her situation.

Is she infallible? Is any mother? You can raise multiple tiny humans in the exact same way, and yet their interactions with the external world will all be different, as will their reactions. Some of them wander into the grasp of an illness so void of any humanity that it is difficult to look beyond the addiction, and the actions of an addict when they are willing to do anything for a hit.

This book made me sad and grateful in equal measures. Grateful that someone recognises the invisible voices and lives, and saddened that addiction leaves so many victims in its wake. Boyt is an incredibly perceptive and talented writer.

Buy Loved and Missed at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Virago, pub date 16th June 2022 | Paperback. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Virago Press.