#Blogtour The Blackbirds of St Giles by Lila Cain

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Blackbirds of St Giles by Lila Cain.

About the Author/s

LILA CAIN is the pseudonym for two authors writing together. 

Kate Griffin won the Faber/ Stylist Magazine competition with Kitty Peck and the Music Hall Murders and went onto to write three more novels in the series before writing her first standalone novel, Fyneshade. Follow @KateAGriffin on X

Born to Windrush-era Jamaican parents, Marcia Hutchinson worked as a lawyer before founding educational publishing company Primary Colours and was awarded an MBE for services to Cultural Diversity in 2010. Her solo debut novel Mercy is due for publication in summer 2025. Follow @marciathewriter on X

About the book

Some things are earned. Some things are worth fighting for…  

It’s 1782, Daniel and his sister Pearl arrive in London with the world at their feet and their future assured. Having escaped a Jamaican sugar plantation, Daniel fought for the British in the American War of Independence and was rewarded with freedom and an inheritance.   

But the city is not a place for men like Daniel and he is callously tricked and finds himself, along with his sister Pearl, in the rookeries of St Giles – a warren of dark and menacing alleyways, filled with violence and poverty.   

The underworld labyrinth is run by Elias, a man whose cruelty knows no bounds. But under his dangerous rule is a brotherhood of Black men, the Blackbirds of St Giles, whose intention is to set their people free.   

Can Daniel use his strength, wit and the fellowship of the other Blackbirds to overthrow Elias and truly find the freedom he fought for…? 

Review

Daniel's story begins with loss and simultaneously the severing of vicious ties to embark on a path to freedom. The version of the freedom he encounters is just another type of oppression and slavery. Tyranny comes in all shapes, sizes and colours, because surviving often means becoming what you despise the most.

It's a story that is sure to anger and infuriate, especially because of the injustice, the threats, the constant state of danger and battle to stay alive. The kindness and friendship that sets Daniel on his path to St Giles is rarely experienced gain after the death of his friend and comrade. The truth is the world is full of racists, thieves and cutthroats.

I couldn't connect to the core atmosphere of naiveté, the lack of self preservation and inability to have a realistic take on the majority of situations. The past experiences of both of them, but especially Daniel, should have instilled a greater sense of survival and definitely a lack of trust. It makes for great drama, but surely prior experience, trauma and life lived under extremely dire circumstances would give the majority of people a better instinct for survival. 

Given the ending I think it's possible we might be hearing more about Daniel and Pearl in the future - The concept would make great tv by the way. Here's to vindication, retribution and a little more justice for Daniel, Pearl and the Blackbirds in general.

Buy The Blackbirds of St Giles at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏:  Simon & Schuster UK, pub date 30 Jan. 2025. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Fire and Bones by Kathy Reichs

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of the Temperance Brennan series - Fire and Bones by Kathy Reichs, Temperance Brennan book 23. It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour!

About the Author

Kathy Reichs’s first novel Déjà Dead, published in 1997, won the Ellis Award for Best First Novel and was an international bestseller. Kathy was also a producer of Fox Television’s longest running scripted drama Bones, which is based on her work and her novels. 

Kathy uses her own dramatic experiences as a forensic anthropologist to bring her mesmerizing thrillers to life. One of very few forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, Kathy divides her time between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Montreal, Québec. Follow @KathyReichs on X

About the book

It's never easy working fire scenes. - Called to Washington, DC to analyse the victims of a mysterious arson attack, Tempe quickly finds her misgivings justified. The fire site is in Foggy Bottom, a neighbourhood with a colourful history, and as the pieces start falling into place, the property’s ownership becomes more and more suspicious.

Sensing a good story, Tempe teams up with a new ally, telejournalist Ivy Doyle. Delving into the past, the duo learns that back in the Thirties and Forties the home was the hangout of a group of bootleggers and racketeers known as the Foggy Bottom Gang. Though interesting, this fact seems irrelevant – until the son of one of the gang members is shot dead at his farm in Virginia.

When another Foggy Bottom Gang-linked property burns to the ground, claiming one more victim, what might have been coincidence starts to look more like targeted attacks. As she and Ivy dig deeper, Tempe’s instincts point towards the obvious: somehow, her every move since coming to Washington has been anticipated in advance. And every path forward brings with it a lethal threat.

Review

Might just be me, but I find some of the shorter Tempe books tend to pack more of a punch, especially when it comes to core issues incorporated into the story. Often ends up being an interesting learning experience, despite the gruesome murders along the way. I still occasionally whip out what I learnt about Burmese Pythons and the Everglades in one of said shorter books.

Tempe is drawn into a string of fire related deaths, the place and property seem to to play an important part in the solution. In a tense exquisitely detailed venture into forgotten crimes and the waves they often create far into the future, this crime takes a bite out of history to weave an unforgettable tale.

This one is also a testament to what a talented storyteller the author is - it ends with mixed feelings of nostalgia, helplessness and the realisation that sometimes there is no such thing as justice for the most heinous of crimes.

Still going strong after all these years, with no sign of the popularity of this fan favourite diminishing, the Tempe series is the gift that keeps on giving. Always an auto-buy author for me, because Reichs always delivers a great read.

Buy Fire and Bones at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon and Schuster Uk; pub date 6th August 2024 | £20.00. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Into The Flames by James Delargy

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Into The Flames by James Delargy.

About the Author

James Delargy was born and raised in Ireland, and lived in South Africa, Australia and Scotland before ending up in semi-rural England, where he now lives. He incorporates a diverse knowledge of towns, cities, landscapes and cultures picked up on his travels into his writing. His first novel, 55, was published in 2019 by Simon & Schuster and has been sold to 21 territories to date. It was followed by the standalone thrillers Vanished (2021) and Into the Flames (2024). Follow @JDelargyAuthor on X

About the book

A town under fire. A detective with something to prove. A killer hiding in plain sight. - The small town of Rislake in the picturesque Blue Mountains is about to be engulfed by a major bushfire. The order has been given for the residents to clear out. But a last sweep uncovers one person is missing: Tracey Hilmeyer, wife of one of the firefighters tackling the blaze.

Detective Kennard is in town to help with crowd control, but instead he finds himself driving straight towards the inferno to look for Tracey at the Hilmeyer home. When he gets there, he finds her dead at the bottom of the stairs, and it’s clear she was murdered.

With the evacuation almost complete there is barely enough time to save the living never mind the dead. But Detective Kennard has something to prove and cannot let this one go. Can he solve her murder before the crime scene, and the entire town, turns to ash?

Review

I think what the author does really well in this book, is describing the voice and imagery of the fire. I'm not sure people realise the level of destruction wildfires can cause. It's more than just a fire burning with such fierce intensity that it devours everything and anybody in its path. It's the miniscule details that help give the situation and the reader a 'right there in the moment' feeling. The tension, the fear, the heat - it's all part of the web around the core.

The core being the crime Kennard is trying to solve, and within that is a complex inner emotional product that he carries around with him. Blame and guilt live rent-free in his head, which is why he is unable to let go of a subconscious need to save and succeed. The save part is especially relevant. He couldn't save the boy, so he has to find the killer.

As I mentioned above, I think the strength of the story is the way the reader is drawn into the moment with such a visceral connection that at times you struggle to breathe in a room full of smoke. Interestingly it almost invites you along to disagree with decision making, especially when Kennard places lives before safety, solving the case before putting many others at risk. It is part and parcel of his inner turmoil.

I enjoyed the read a lot and wouldn't hesitate to read more and to recommend to other readers of course.

Buy Into The Flames at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. Publisher: Simon and Schuster Uk, Paperback Original | pub date 4th July 2024 | £9.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy.

About the Author

Sarah Freethy is first time novelist. She has been writing for television for the past three decades. Freethy has worked as an Executive Producer in factual TV and series as varied as Big Brother and Country House Rescue, to Clive James’ Postcard from Havana and TFI Friday.  In 2020, she was a Script Consultant on two broadcast drama series, Before We Die (Channel 4) and Professor T (ITV) for Eagle Eye Drama. Sarah is a keen artist and photographer, as well as being a collector of vintage ephemera and odds and sods. Follow @freethy on X

About the book

Germany, 1929. - When Max, a Jewish architect, and Bettina, a beautiful and celebrated German avant-garde artist, meet at a party, their attraction is instant. In love with each other and the art they create, their talent transports them to the dazzling lights of Berlin. But Germany is on the brink of terrible change, and their bright beginning is soon dimmed by the rising threat of Nazism. 

When Max is arrested and sent to the Dachau concentration camp, it is only his talent at making the exquisite porcelain figures so beloved by the Nazis that stands between him and certain death. At first, Bettina has no idea where Max has been taken but when she learns of his fate, she is determined to rescue him whatever the cost. 

Now, a lifetime later, Bettina’s daughter, Clara, sets out on a journey to uncover the truth about her identity. As she weaves together the fabric of her past, she discovers the terrible secret her mother wanted hidden forever. Two lovers caught at the crossroads of history. A daughter’s search for the truth… 

Powerfully moving and beautifully written, The Porcelain Maker is a testament to enduring love and courage.

Review

Clara has managed to trace a certain amount of porcelain figures to an auction, the figures are the key to discovering something about her past. A secret that has been kept hidden from her, because the truth is too painful for everyone involved. Her hope is that the owner of said figurines can point her in the right direction - if not, then she may never discover the truth.

Although there are certainly comparisons to be drawn between the stories written by Morris, at least this author is clear on source material, and about the fictional aspects of it. There is no attempt to use a very traumatic historical narrative to enhance, instead fact and fiction run respectfully hand-in-hand to create a good read.

Aside from the tragic and traumatic story of Clara's search for the truth about her origins, I think there is a poignant element highlighted and encapsulated in the pieces of porcelain, and indeed the path they travel. The destructive stance the Nazi regime took towards all variations of the arts is one mirrored often in fascist, authoritarian and regimes led by dictatorships.

The free thinkers, the creative, the solution seekers and those who both influenced and spoke to all senses with their creations and expressions via any medium possible. Of course any restrictive regime would limit freedom and voice, whether that be via the written word, painted picture, sculpture or music. The oppressors weren't opposed to using the value of said art to enhance their pockets and portfolios though.

It's a story steeped in trauma, humanity and the natural desire to uncover the fabric of our heritage and parentage. Unfortunately that doesn't always gel well with the people guarding any secrets. I enjoyed the read and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Buy The Porcelain Maker at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon and Schuster Uk; pub date 23 May 2024 - Paperback - £9.99. Buy at Amazon com. 

#Blogtour Five Bad Deeds by Caz Frear

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Five Bad Deeds by Caz Frear.

About the Author

Caz Frear has a first class degree in History and Politics, and spent twelve years working as a headhunter before she started writing. She hasn’t lost her enthusiasm for networking, and is a popular member of the crime fraternity. She lives in Coventry with her husband. 

Her debut, the number one bestseller Sweet Little Lies, was the winner of the Richard & Judy Search for a Bestseller Competition 2017 and went on to sell over 250,000 copies. It was followed by Stone Cold Heart and Shed No Tears, both of which feature her police detective Cat Kinsella. Five Bad Deeds is her first standalone thriller. Follow @CazziF on X

About the book

One Womans Secret, Two sides to every story, Three deadly betrayals, Four potential suspects, Five bad deeds.

Ellen Walsh has done something very, very bad. If only she knew what it was . . .

Teacher, mother, wife, and all-around good citizen Ellen is juggling non-stop commitments, from raising a teen and two toddlers to job-hunting, to finally renovating her dream home, the Meadowhouse. Amidst the chaos, an ominous note arrives in the mail declaring:

Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.

Why would someone send her this note? Ellen has no clue. She's no angel - a white lie here and there, an occasional sharp tongue - but nothing to incur the wrath of an anonymous enemy.

Everyone around Ellen - her husband, her teenage daughter, her sister, her best friend, her neighbours - can guess why, though. They all know from bitter experience that while Ellen’s intentions are always good, this ultimately counts for very little when you’ve (unintentionally?) blown up someone’s life. Could the five bad deeds that come to haunt Ellen explain why things have gone so horribly wrong?

As she races to discover who’s set on destroying her life, Ellen receives more anonymous messages, each one more threatening than the last . . . and each hitting closer and closer to home and everything she cherishes.

Review

I really enjoyed the vibe of this story - deliciously wicked undertone of authenticity and lack of clarity when it comes to black or white - everyone has their own version of somewhere in between. Sharp wit, thoughtless jibes, nasty intentions - no wonder someone has had enough and wants to expose the hypocrisy.

Interestingly Ellen doesn't really evoke sympathy, empathy or much compassion. I think the majority of readers understand why Orla makes Ellen ragey, why hubby frustrates her, why the twins make her feel as if her life is a constant cycle of chaos. Her sister is somewhere between frenemy and jealous friend, her friends a necessity for appearances - actually that seems to be a lot of negativity, perhaps because it is and she is.

That's without even wandering into the murky secrets Ellen keeps locked away, not well enough it seems. Someone is out to expose her one secret at a time - she isn't the only one keeping secrets though. As the threats pile in Ellen becomes a little less cautious and a lot more willing to keep her life intact.

It's a riveting psychological thriller. The sharp-tongued and brutally honest main character resonates, mainly because life really is just a series of choices, secrets, compromises and challenges. Some of us can cope with them without doing anything drastic, other people not so much. Highly recommend.

Buy Five Bad Deeds at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon and Schuster Uk; pub date 11th April 2024 | Hardback £14.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan

It's a pleasure to take part on the Blogtour Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan .Two detectives - One human, One AI. And the hunt for an undetectable killer... 

'The hotly anticipated follow-up to Sunday Times bestseller In The Blink of an Eye, one of the most talked about and original debuts of 2023'

About the Author

Jo Callaghan works fulltime as a senior strategist, where she has carried out research into the future impact of AI and genomics on the workforce. After losing her husband to cancer in 2019 when she was just forty-nine, she started writing In the Blink of an Eye, her debut crime novel, which explores learning to live with loss and what it means to be human. In 

The Blink of an Eye was selected for BBC 2’s ‘Between the Covers’ in Spring 2023, and Jo was a featured debut at Harrogate Crime Festival and Bloody Scotland Festival. She lives with her two children in the Midlands. Leave No Trace is her second novel. Follow @JoCallaghanKat on X

About the book

One detective driven by instinct, the other by logic. It will take both to find a killer who knows the true meaning of fear . . . 

When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of Mount Judd, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – and DCS Kat Frank are thrust into the spotlight as they are given their first live case. But with the discovery of another man’s body – also crucified – it appears that their killer is only just getting started...  

The police issue a controversial warning to local men to be vigilant: do not walk home alone at night, do not leave a pub with a stranger… The Future Policing Unit is thrust into a hostile media frenzy as they desperately search for connections between the victims. But time is running out for them to join the dots, so they must combine their human instinct and algorithms to catch the killer before the strike again.  

For if Kat and Lock know anything, it’s that killers rarely stop – until they are made to. 

Review

This is the second book in the Kat and Lock series, where AI Detective Lock and Detective Kat Frank deal with their first live case - a heinous murder with disturbing details. Can their combined talents help them find a vicious killer who has only just started their reign of terror. Logic, pattern recognition and facts vs hands-on experience and the human factor, a win - win combo, right?

Kudos for using this threat to men and the recommendations or safety strategies they are asked to put in place, which in turn highlights the reality of dangers women live with daily and the strategies they have to use all the time.

Not going to lie - I find this futuristic concept of police and detective work quite fascinating. Perhaps more so because the author presents the limitations, the scrutiny, the criticism and equally also the positive aspects of this kind of technological advancement. I'm hoping we also get an similar adversary with less positive intentions, but that might create an irreversible question mark above Lock and the existence of AI technology in a human driven field of work. Can fact or should fact and patterns always supersede the element of humanity and compassion?

After the great success of the first book in the series, it was great to see the second live up to the hype. I think it has so much potential going forward, ergo let's have more please.

Buy Leave No Trace at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon and Schuster Uk, pub date 28 March 2024 | Hardback | £16.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Hidden Years by Rachel Hore

Sunday Times bestseller Rachel Hore’s captivating new novel of secrets, loss and betrayal - set on the beautiful Cornish coast during World War Two and the heady days of the 1960s. 

It's my turn on the Blogtour The Hidden Years by Rachel Hore.

About the Author

Rachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, where she taught publishing and creative writing at the University of East Anglia before becoming a full-time writer. She is married to the writer D. J. Taylor and they have three sons. Rachel Hore is the author of twelve previous novels, many of them Sunday Times bestsellers. Follow @Rachelhore on X

About the book

When talented musician Gray Robinson persuades Belle to abandon her university studies and follow him to Silverwood, home to an artistic community on the Cornish coast, Belle happily agrees even though they’ve only just met. She knows she is falling in love, and the thought of spending a carefree summer with Gray is all she can think about. 

But being with Gray isn’t the only reason Belle agrees to accompany him to Silverwood. Why does the name Silverwood sound so familiar? What is its connection to a photo of her as a baby, taken on a nearby beach? And who is Imogen Lockhart, a wartime nurse who lived at Silverwood many years ago? As the summer months unfold, Belle begins to learn the truth – about secrets from the past that have been kept hidden, but also about the person she wants to be. 

Review

It's the 60s and Belle is about to embark on a new path, a deviation from her plans from her sensible life. Why? The charm of a persuasive man is so convincing that she is willing to become a butterfly floating on the winds of change. Sounds so convincing, right?

She follows Gray to a place called Silverwood, and eventually it's as if she was meant to follow him to that place, because it appears to hold the answers to some secrets she was never aware of.

The second timeline begins on the cusp of the start of World War II and Imogen, who helps to accompany two evacuees to a house that becomes an important fixture in the story. Somehow the two must be connected right, but perhaps the stories connect in a different way completely.

One of things the author does really well in this book is bring to life the forgotten world of the first line of defence, ergo the coastal communities during the war. The preparation for a possible invasion, the actual invasion of friendly forces - the way the allies changed the fabric of certain areas, and just how many stories remain locked in and forgotten.

Set across two timelines this historical fiction story has the heart of a fighter, the compassion of an open heart and keeps the reader engaged from the get-go.

Buy The Hidden Years at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon and Schuster, pub date 15th February 2024 | Paperback | £9.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Sisterhood by Katherine Bradley

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Sisterhood by Katherine Bradley.

About the Author

Katherine Bradley worked for many years managing services for people who are marginalised by society; her work has taken her into prisons, mental health hospitals and alongside the homeless. She currently works in education. She holds a first-class degree in English Literature, in addition to qualifications in creative writing and teaching. 

As Kate Bradley, she published two suspense thrillers - To Keep You Safe (2020) and What I Did (2021). Her work has been described as 'addictive, original and brilliantly twisty' by T. M. Logan and 'heart-stopping' by David Nicholls. Katherine lives in a small coastal town just outside of Brighton with her husband and sons. Follow @kate__bradley on X

About the book

In Oceania, whoever you are, Big Brother is always watching you. Trust is a luxury that no one has. Julia is the seemingly perfect example of what women in Oceania should be: dutiful, useful, subservient, meek. But Julia hides a secret. A secret that would lead to her death if discovered. For Julia is part of the underground movement called The Sisterhood, whose main goal is to find members of The Brotherhood, the anti-Party vigilante group, and help them to overthrow Big Brother. Only then can everyone be truly free. 

When Julia thinks she’s found a potential member of The Brotherhood, it seems like their goal might finally be in their grasp. But as she gets closer to Winston Smith, Julia’s past starts to catch up with her and we soon realise that she has many more secrets than we’d first imagined – and that overthrowing Big Brother might cost her everything – but if you have nothing left to lose then you don’t mind playing the game . . . 

This is a story about love, about family, about being a woman, a mother, a sister, a friend and ultimately about what you would sacrifice for the greater good. 

Review

I think to get a better and perhaps a more objective view of the book you have to try and forget what has gone before. Experience the story without the frame of reference of the reimagining of the classic, then afterwards compare and examine if you want. 

Fresh eyes experience the oppression of a dystopian society with a bleak shimmer of hope coursing through the veins of the few who haven't given up quite yet. Sisterhood speaks volumes and suggests vast connections with the feminist reimagined character development of 1984.

It deserves the objective eye and to stand on its own merit even if the base idea is inspired by the well of another. This idea well has allowed growth beyond expectation, despite the societal construct of complete oppression, monitoring and control being an old concept. Although it is both worrying and an eye-opener how the degeneration happens in the first place - is it not upon us already as we speak? 

I found it riveting. The author knows how to captivate the reader with the fraught tension, the risk and constant danger, and does so in the midst of a bleak concept. Bare minimum makes you focus on the small interactions, the barely evident body language and expressions, the repressed emotions and fear in the back of your neck.

Excellent read - hopefully there is more to come.

Buy The Sisterhood at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon and Schuster, pub date 18th January 2024 - Paperback | £9.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Zero Days by Ruth Ware

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Zero Days by Ruth Ware.

About the Author

Ruth Ware is an international number one bestseller. Her thrillers In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, The Death of Mrs Westaway, The Turn of the Key and One by One have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including the Sunday Times and New York Times. Her books have been optioned for both film and TV, and she is published in more than 40 languages. Ruth lives near Brighton with her family. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @ruthwarewriter or at ruthware.com.

About the book

International bestseller Ruth Ware returns with this adrenaline-fueled thriller about a woman in a race against time to clear her name and find her husband’s killer.

Hired by companies to break into buildings and hack security systems, Jack and her husband Gabe are the best penetration specialists in the business. But after a routine assignment goes horribly wrong, Jack arrives home to find her husband dead. To add to her horror, the police are closing in on their only suspect – her.

On the run and out of options, Jack must decide who she can trust as she circles closer to the truth in this unputdownable and heart-pounding mystery from 'one of the best thriller writers around today' Ruth Ware. 

Review

Whilst the story starts with a Mission Impossible kind of vibe, it soon turns into a fight for survival after Jack finds her life ripped apart by a vicious murder. A murder the police is convinced she committed or rather they appear to be fitting all the facts around the scenario they find the most plausible.

The police become the enemy instead of the people invested in finding the truth and Jack struggles with the idea that her innocence isn't as clear to everyone else, as it is to her. Eventually she realises she has to pull up her socks and fight to prove she isn't a killer, and find out who killed the man she loved.

I'm intrigued by the way this author always comes at their stories from a different angle - a variation in the crime. Sometimes locked room mystery, psychological thriller, dark domestic thriller and tech thriller. Never boxed into a niche and always willing to explore the boundaries of the genre. 

This is a combination of domestic and tech thriller. It has the emotional drive of the first and the technological know-how of the latter. The story is a two-tier experience with the same goal in both instances - the destruction of an allegedly grieving widow. 

It's a fast-paced crime read, a multi-layered experience when it comes to crime, guilt and the question of accountability.

Buy Zero Days at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon and Schuster; pub date 6 July 2023 | Hardback | £16.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Drowning by T.J. Newman

It was a pleasure, and a bit of a blast from the past, to take part in the Blogtour Drowning by TJ Newman. 

About the Author

T. J. Newman is a former bookseller and flight attendant whose first novel Falling became a publishing sensation and debuted at number two on the New York Times bestseller list. The book was named a best book of the year by USA TODAY and Esquire, among many others, and has been published in over thirty countries. The book will soon be a major motion picture from Universal Pictures. T. J. lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Drowning is her second novel. Follow @T_J_Newman on Twitter

About the book

Flight attendant turned New York Times bestselling author T. J. Newman returns for her second book, an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a commercial jetliner that crashes into the ocean, and sinks to the bottom with passengers trapped inside, and the extraordinary rescue operation to save them.

Six minutes after Flight 1421 takes off, it crashes into the ocean. The passengers who survive the crash think it's a miracle. They believe they're the lucky ones. Then the plane begins to sink to the ocean floor. The survivors are trapped inside. Against all odds, a massive rescue operation is launched to save them. There is not much time. There is even less air

Review

This reminded me of old school catastrophe movies - the original Poseidon and Airport '77. It had the same kind of desperado last chance rescue attempts and core stories about a small group of survivors, who have to fight for their lives despite all the odds being stacked up against them.

Will realises quite quickly when the flight he is travelling on with his young daughter turns into the kind of nightmare only few people survive. Within minutes a normal flight turns into an impossible fight for survival.

I'm guessing this also has a good chance of being optioned for the big screen. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author has an excellent eye for detail, drama and what brings the audience to the table. The desperation, fear and return to base emotion is a key factor in the story.

What do you do in a situation where the most obvious escape route is deemed a bigger threat to your life than staying in a situation that almost certainly also means death. Do you listen to the one lone voice or to the one inside your head?

It's a great read. Fast paced, a constant high threat level mixed with real erratic emotional reactions of men, women and children in distress. It brings out the worst and the best in people.

Buy Drowning at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon and Schuster, pub date 8 June 2023 | Hardback | £14.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Preloved by Lauren Bravo

It's my turn on the Blogtour Preloved by Lauren Bravo.

About the Author

Lauren Bravo is a freelance journalist who writes about fashion, popular culture, food, travel and feminism, for publications including Grazia, Refinery29 UK, Cosmopolitan, Stylist, easyJet Traveller, Time Out, Delicious, the Telegraph and the Guardian. She is the author of two non-fiction books, What Would the Spice Girls Do? (2018) and How To Break Up With Fast Fashion (2020). Lauren lives in East London, and Preloved is her debut novel. Find out more on her website www.laurenbravo.co.uk. Follow @laurenbravo on Twitter

About the book

Gwen’s life has stalled. She’s in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the country and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around herbaceous borders and the council’s wheelie-bin timetable. Above all she’s lonely. But then, isn’t everyone?

When Gwen’s made redundant from a job she drifted into a decade ago and never left, she realises it’s time to make a change. Over what might be the best – and most solitary – meal she’s ever eaten, Gwen vows to find something meaningful to do with her life, reconnect with her family and friends – and finally book herself a dentist appointment.

Her search for meaning soon leads her to volunteer in a local charity shop where she both literally and metaphorically unloads her emotional baggage. With the help of the weird and wonderful people she meets in the shop and the donated items bursting with untold stories that pass through its doors, Gwen must finally address the events and choices that led her to this point and find a way to move forward with bravery, humanity and more regular dental care.

Brimming with life, love and the stories bound up in even the most everyday items, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss, being true to oneself no matter the expectations – and the enduring power and joy of charity shops.

Review

It's a bit of a shock to discover that mid-thirty is the new past the sell-by-date, especially when you've just been turfed out of your job. It al leaves Gwen feeling unwanted, unloved and quite frankly invisible - which is not unusual for women after a certain age, perhaps because they are often treated as second best due to their advancing age. I say that with every bit of irony I can muster without being a tad insulting towards a society that has a Logan's Run age identity crisis at the core of their societal standards.

It's time to buckle up and reinvent the wheel. Life as Gwen knows it is about to become quirky and a lot more accepting of her and those around her, as she decides to wade in waters hitherto unknown to her.

Delightful, this would make a great tv series. An item from a charity shop creating a connection between two people, as their stories unfold every week. The main character trying to find themselves and the meaning of life in the midst of one person's thrift item is another person's treasure.

Aside from the quaint characters and the lovely premise I think it's worth noting that thrift shops are the ultimate recycling centre, but people don't see it as such because they are run as shops. In the majority of cases the profit goes to charitable causes. It's much better to let someone else have your preloved item instead of it going to a landfill. 

In a way the characters themselves lend themselves to the description and title. What are we if not preloved when we are emerging from a past relationship.

Buy Preloved at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer Publisher : Simon and Shuster, pub date 27th April 2023 | Hardcover | £14.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Daughter-in-Law by Fanny Blake

 It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Daughter-in-Law by Fanny Blake.

About the Author

Fanny Blake was a publisher for many years, editing both fiction and non-fiction before becoming a freelance journalist and writer. She has written various non-fiction titles, as well as acting as ghostwriter for a number of celebrities.

She regularly reviews fiction in the Daily Mail and has been a judge for the Costa Novel Award, the British Book Awards and the Comedy Women in ~Print Award among others. She was the commissioning editor for Quick Reads, a series of short books by well-known authors. She has written ten novels, including An Italian Summer and A Summer Reunion. Follow her on Twitter @fannyblake1 and @fannyblake1 on Instagram

About the book

When Hope's only son Paul met and married Edie, Hope was delighted that he had found love and was settling down to make his own family. Hope loved being a mother and is happy to help out now and again as a grandmother but she worries about overstepping the line.

Edie thought that having children with Paul would fulfil her as much as her busy job as a barrister has. But the reality is far from her dream. And with her mother-in-law Hope constantly interfering she finds herself frustrated and alone.

Both women could be each other's greatest ally, but both have secrets that could ruin their relationship. Secrets neither wants Paul to uncover...

Review

I enjoyed the way the author captures a life lesson of sorts - one that tends to lend itself to relationships between sons and mothers more so. It's slightly different when mothers and daughters navigate difficult boundaries of the next generation. In the constellation of a son creating a new family with another woman the priorities change.

It can be difficult for the mother who becomes the second most important woman instead of number one. Relationships can become strained when grandchildren come along, because respecting boundaries isn't always a given.

I think respecting boundaries is the most important element of the story - learning to take a step back to let your grown children make their own choices and mistakes. Respecting and supporting instead of taking over, especially when it comes to grandchildren.

The other poignant theme is motherhood versus career and the way society still thinks women have to make a choice, and if they do they are condemned for doing so. Stay at home mothers are considered lazy ( dumbest take ever ) and the career woman is considered cold, heartless and unable to fulfil their role. Those points of view meet for a duel at dawn in this book, which is an emotional battlefield of modern family life.

It's the kind of read that will make you nod and shake your head in equal measures. It hits the core of reality frequently enough to leave a lasting impression.

Buy The Daughter-in-Law at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Simon & Schuster UK, pub date 16 Feb. 2023. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Simon & Schuster Uk.

#Blogtour Dawnlands by Philippa Gregory

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Dawnlands by Philippa Gregory. 'Political intrigue, rebellion, and scandal in the royal court of the Stuarts, brought to life by one of the nation's foremost historical novelists'

About the Author

Philippa Gregory is the author of many bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl, and is a recognised authority on women's history. Her Cousins' War novels, reaching their dramatic conclusion with The King's Curse, were the basis for the highly successful BBC series, The White Queen. 

Philippa's other great interest is the charity that she founded over twenty years ago: Gardens for the Gambia. She has raised funds and paid for over 200 wells in the primary schools of this poor African country. Philippa graduated from the University of Sussex and holds a PhD and Alumna of the Year 2009 at Edinburgh University. In 2016, she received the Harrogate Festival Award for Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction. Philippa lives with her family on a small farm in Yorkshire. Follow @PhilippaGBooks on Twitter

About the book

In a divided country, power and loyalty conquer all… It is 1685 and England is on the brink of a renewed civil war against the Stuart kings with many families bitterly divided. Alinor, now a successful businesswoman, has been coaxed by the manipulative Livia to save Queen Mary from the coming siege. The rewards are life-changing: the family could return to their beloved Tidelands, and Alinor could rule where she was once lower than a servant.

Inspired by news of a rebellion against the Stuart kings, Ned Ferryman returns from America with his Pokanoket servant to join the uprising against roman catholic King James. As Ned swears loyalty to the charismatic Duke of Monmouth, he discovers a new and unexpected love.

Meanwhile, Queen Mary summons her friend Livia to a terrified court. Her survival, and that of the Stuart kings, is in the balance, and only a clever and dangerous gamble can save them… 

A compelling and powerful story of political intrigue and personal ambition, from one end of the empire to another, set between the palaces of London, the tidelands of Fowlmire and the shores of Barbados. 

Review

This is the third book in the Fairmile series, all of them can be read as standalone, but I would recommend reading Tidelands and Dark Tides just because they are great reads. They are also for the majority based on a set of fictional characters entwined with certain historical facts - a tad different from previous series.

What remains the same is the way this author in particular puts historical women at the forefront of her stories. The women who tend to be written out of history, forgotten and are often falsely portrayed. Their subtle manipulations from the side-lines, their importance as political tools, and perhaps most underestimated their power to drive the agenda as mothers, daughters and wives.

Moving slightly away from the usual political intrigue and power plays at court, although the court of the Stuarts gives plenty of fodder for those who seek it. The story also moves into other areas that carry the stamp of colonial oppression - the slave trade and the sugar industry for instance. 

I'm not going to go through all the characters we know and love (or dislike) from the previous books - needless to say Livia is doing what Livia does best, Ned follows his heart and a keen sense of justice or rebellion, depending on where you stand. At the core of this is a family, how they are tied to each, their experiences and home.

The author always delivers a riveting historical read - story and reader come before all else.

Buy Dawnlands at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon & Schuster, pub date 8th November | Hardback - £20.00. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Simon and Schuster.

#Blogtour When We Fell Apart by Soon Wiley

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour When We Fell Apart by Soon Wiley.

About the Author

A native of Nyack, New York, Soon Wiley received his BA in English & Philosophy from Connecticut College. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Wichita State University. His writing has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and earned him fellowships in Wyoming and France. He resides in Connecticut with his wife and their two cats. When We Fell Apart is his debut novel.

About the book

A profoundly moving and suspenseful drama that untangles the complicated ties that bind families together – or break them apart…

When the Seoul police inform Min that his girlfriend Yu-jin has taken her own life, he’s sure it can't be true. She was successful, ambitious, happy, just on the cusp of graduating from university and claiming the future she’d always dreamed of. Min, on the other hand, born to an American father and Korean mother, has never felt quite the same certainty as Yu-jin about his life’s path. 

After growing up in California, where he always felt ‘too Korean’ to fit in, he’s moved to Seoul in the hope that exploring his Korean heritage will help him find a sense of purpose. And when he meets Yu-jin, little does he know that their carefree relationship will set off a chain of events with tragic consequences for them both. Devastated by Yu-jin’s death, Min throws himself into finding out why she could have secretly wanted to die. 

Or did she? With a controlling and powerful government official father, and a fraught friendship with her alluring and destructive roommate So-ra, Yu-jin’s life was much more complex than she chose to reveal to Min. And the more he learns about her, the more he begins to doubt he ever really knew her at all.

As Yu-jin’s story – a fraught exploration of selfhood, coming-of-age, and family expectations – collides with Min’s, the result is an engrossing page-turner that poses powerful, urgent questions about cultural identity, family bonds, secrets, and what it truly means to belong.

Review

This is one of those reads I really want to talk about - get into the nitty-gritty of the premise, but I am also mindful of giving away the whole story.

Although the characters are quite similar in a sense that they are looking for a certain degree of autonomy, independence and searching for their self, their identity and it is indeed a discovery of self. Simultaneously they couldn't be more different, and their paths are actually going in opposite directions, although for a while they walk together on the same path.

Yu-jin, my heart breaks for her and anyone who has to live up to the expectations of Tiger-parents (Tiger equality there). There are certain cultures where those expectations are higher, and held to a higher ransom, than say in other cultures. In a world where the pressure to succeed and be the best is already a standard bar, the failure to do so can appear to be the end of the world, especially when loved ones attach such importance to success.

There is no space for personal choice, for a pursuit of personal happiness. It's not hard to imagine that for many young people the bar is too high and/or the fear of disappointing family and society is the last drop in the already very full barrel.

Min is an interesting character, and I think he is indicative of many who straddle two cultures, multiple origin stories. Feeling obligated to understand and become one with an identity that is drifting into the realms forgotten historical heritage and feeling as if the one you are living in and with daily is someone sub-par. The truth and peace lies somewhere in between the two. Know who you are, where you came from, and forge your own path.

It's both a pivotal and heart-breaking piece of literature. Two people intersecting on each others trajectories, but perhaps never really knowing or understanding the other completely. I really enjoyed it and hope this is the first of many by this author.

Buy When We Fell Apart at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon and Schuster Uk, pub date 12th May 2022 | Hardback | £14.99. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Simon and Schuster.