#Blogtour The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin.

About the Author

Madeline Martin is a New York Times, USA TODAY, and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty different languages. Follow @MadelineMMartin on X

About the book

A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of books that bring them together, by the NYT bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.  

In the tranquil rural town of Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job. She and her beloved daughter Olivia have always managed just fine on their own, but with shadows of war on the horizon and the legal restrictions prohibiting widows from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her with a job.

Then the unthinkable happens: as England prepares to enter the war, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In the wake of being separated from her daughter, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbours and coworkers, and a renewed sense of purpose through the recommendations she provides to the library’s quirky regulars – including the (very handsome!) Mr. Fisk. But the job doesn’t come without its difficulties: books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing, she desperately misses her daughter, and the library forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident.

As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times.

Review

I have to admit I'd never heard of Boots’ Booklover’s Library before - I always enjoy when historical fiction adds factual information that may not be well known. I actually told someone about this straight after reading the book. Absolutely fascinating, so it ends up being both an interesting fact and the epi-centre of the story.

Also leaning into the Booklover's Library the very patriarchal attitudes and rules towards women. The assumption or linear thinking that only single women without children would be a stable employee, because of course doing your 'duties' as wife and mother take precedent over everything else, especially work and being financially independent. Note the same people making up said rules were quite happy to use women as a workforce at home when the men were at war, then equally quite happy to return to previous arrangements when or if the men came home. 

This story was a story of loss, empowerment, sisterhood and also how the love of books can connect memories, people and relationships. It's also a story that shows a determination to survive, despite doors being closed and opportunities being taken away. In a way it also has an important message about the small moments of support, kindness and positivity towards someone who might need it more than you will ever know - how influential these moments can be. Lovely read.

Buy The Booklovers' Library at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hanover Square Press, pub date 10 Oct. 2024. Buy at Amazon com.

#WartimeClassics #BlogTour Warriors For the Working Day by Peter Elstob

Today it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Warriors for the Working Day by Peter Elstob- another book in the Wartime Classic Series by the Imperial War Museum.

In April 2020 IWM published two more novels in their Wartime Classics Series which was launched in September 2019 to great acclaim. The novels were all written either during or just after the Second World War and are currently out of print. Following the IWM’s commitment to tell the stories of  those who experienced conflict first hand, each novel is written directly from the author’s own experience and takes the reader right into the heart of the battle.

Warriors for the Working Day is generally recognised as Peter Elstob’s greatest work. Originally published in 1960, it sold nearly a quarter of a million copies and remains one of the finest fictional depictions of life in a tank during the Second World War.

Alan Jeffreys, (Senior Curator, Second World War, Imperial War Museums) has written an introduction to each book that sets them in context and gives the wider historical background. He says, ‘researching the Wartime Classics has been one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve worked on in my years at IWM. It’s been very exciting rediscovering these fantastic novels and helping to bring them to the wider readership they so deserve’.

Follow @I_W_M on Twitter, Elstob on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy Warriors for the Working Day

About the Author
Peter Elstob (1915 – 2002) was born in London but educated in New York and New Jersey when his family moved to the USA as a result of his father’s work. He spent a brief period at the University of Michigan and a short stint in the RAF. In 1936 he volunteered as a pilot in the Spanish Civil War on the Republican side and published his first novel in 1939, The Spanish Prisoner, based on his experiences in Spain. On the outbreak of the Second World War, he attempted to re-join the RAF but when he was turned down, volunteered for the 3rd Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment, where he served across Europe and in the Middle East.

After the war, Elstob pursued a variety of ventures – he co-ran the Arts Theatre Club in London, founded an artistic and writer’s community in Mexico and attempted a trans-Atlantic balloon flight in 1958. However, his main success was the beauty mask, Yeast Pac, which he and his partner developed and marketed successfully for many years. He wrote several novels and a number of well received military histories, including Hitler’s Last Offensive (1971) about the Battle of the Bulge.

About the book
Warriors for the Working Day follows one tank crew as they proceed from training in Aldershot to the beaches of Normandy, and on into the heart of a newly liberated Europe. Closely based on Peter Elstob’s own wartime experiences as a tank commander and radio operator, the novel brilliantly evokes the particular horror of tank warfare – the intense heat and the claustrophobia endured by so many, yet often overlooked.

Life within a British tank was very precarious as they were noticeably inferior to German armour, and were nicknamed Ronsons (cigarette lighters) by their crews as they lit ‘first time, every time.’ The novel also examines battle exhaustion in a way that a 21st century reader will recognise, with men and officers able to experience a certain amount, before fear becomes an overriding obsession.

Review
I think it takes a special kind of courage to sit in a metal machine that is clearly going to be a target for the enemy, but perhaps more so when you are sitting in a tin cup that is known to catch fire when hit by enemy fire. Just think of the feelings of claustrophobia and constant fear of imminent death, perhaps more so than the foot soldier who could possibly leave the area under fire.

The pressure, stress and trauma magnified by the fact the crew knew they were in inferior equipment compared to the German tanks. The British tanks were nicknamed 'Ronsons (cigarette lighters)' - they lit up and caught fire every time they were hit. It automatically puts the men in a position of weakness, one they were very much aware of, which in itself had an impact on morale and their mental health.

Elstob also examines the battle fatigue the troops suffered from. In the 21st century the world is more attuned to the mental health issues that arise from being in combat, although one could argue that veterans in particular are still not given the aftercare they so desperately need.

The author accurately depicts the tipping point between exhaustion and becoming so fatigued that the men in question become reckless - it almost becomes death via warfare and tank. It's an introspective and reflective piece of writing based on Elstob's own experiences, and one we can all learn from going forward.

Buy Warriors For the Working Day at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Published in Paperback April 2020 - £8.99. Buy at Amazon com.

Ashes by Christopher de Vinck

About the book
Belgium, July 1939: Simone Lyon is the daughter of a Belgium national hero, the famous General Joseph Lyon. Her best friend Hava Daniels, is the eldest daughter of a devout Jewish family. Despite growing up in different worlds, they are inseparable.

But when, in the spring of 1940, Nazi planes and tanks begin bombing Brussels, their resilience and strength are tested. Hava and Simone find themselves caught in the advancing onslaught and are forced to flee.

In an emotionally-charged race for survival, even the most harrowing horrors cannot break their bonds of love and friendship. The two teenage girls, will see their innocence fall, against the ugly backdrop of a war dictating that theirs was a friendship that should never have been.

Review
Belgium 1939, Simone is the daughter of a war hero. Her father is General Joseph Lyon, his reputation proceeds him and his daughter is treated with respect because she is his offspring. Her friend Hava comes from a devout Jewish family. That isn't something that bothers either of them until rumours start trickling through about the way the Germans are treating the Jews. Suddenly the girls are getting different reactions, depending on who they speak to. Slowly but surely the hatred and importance of not associating with the Nazi's enemy number one is seeping into their daily life.

When the Germans invade Belgium Hava is separated from her family, Simone's father is off to do his duty, which leaves both young girls alone and running away from the invading force. They nearly make it to some semblance of freedom, although that is debatable when the invaders are coming from all directions, when something terrible happens.

Simone forgets the promise she made to Hava and in a way she forgets her too. The war rages and life rages on. Survival of self becomes the most important factor in occupied Belgium.

One of the elements of the story I found really interesting was the way Simone reacted or rather her lack of reaction when it come to Hava being Jewish. Almost a denial that there is a difference between them for some people, even if it is one that is forced upon everyone during the Nazi regime. To Simone they are friends, sisters - they are the same. Unfortunately the truth is they are, but it becomes irrelevant during the war.

This is one of those stories that makes your heart weep a little, despite the inspirational message woven into the fabric of the tale. De Vinck gives both sides of the story, which includes the trauma and the truth, albeit it sometimes an uncomfortable one.

Buy/Pre-order Ashes at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Harper Inspire; pub date 18 Aug. 2020 - Kindle - pub date Paperback - 20.Aug 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

Follow Christopher de Vinck on Goodreads,

#BlogTour Wartime for the Shop Girls by Joanna Toye

Today it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Wartime for the Shop Girls by Joanna Toye.

About the Author
Joanna Toye joined the production team of The Archers after reading English at Cambridge University, and became a scriptwriter for the programme for over twenty years. She has written a number of spin-off books about the long-running radio drama. On television, she has written for Crossroads, Doctors and Eastenders.

Follow @JoannaToye on Twitter, on Instagram, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Buy Wartime for the Shop Girls

About the book
It's 1942 and as shortages of staff - and goods - begin to bite, young Lily Collins is thrilled to step up to sales junior in her job at Marlow's department store.

But bombs are still falling and Lily and fellow shop girls Gladys and Beryl need a stiff upper lip to wave boyfriends, husbands and brothers goodbye, especially with a baby on the way and grim news on the wireless. When Jim, who works with Lily at the store, seems restless, things are bad enough, but nothing can prepare Lily for the secrets that come tumbling out when her favourite brother comes home on leave...

Somehow, she must keep smiling trough. Community, family and friends rally round as her home town - and the whole country - is tested once again.

Review
This is the second book in a new series set in the fictional department store Marlow's. Both books can absolutely also be read as standalone novels.

The charm of this series is the normality of it all, well as normal as it can be when you're writing about World War II. Instead of delving into the horrors of that period in history Toye gives the readers the war at home. The changes, the coping and the new structures needed to sustain everyone on the homefront.

How everyone comes together to support Beryl while she is feeling vulnerable and Gladys becomes brave enough to speak her mind. The way Lily deals with a secret that brings grave consequences with it. All of them know that they are stronger together, as opposed to letting themselves be ripped apart by the tragic losses and fear they experience.

The focus is on a few characters, family and friends and the way they deal with the heartache and the fear. It gives it a warmer feel - emotions and situations the reader can relate to. It could be your family, which is exactly what the strength of the series is.

It's historical fiction set in Britain during World War II. Toye uses the department store to show the changes and difficulties during that time on a small scale, which makes it easier to imagine and comprehend all of it on a national scale. Women stepping into the roles of men to ensure that the country, and the war machine kept running. Families having to deal with the uncertainty of their loved one being in the midst of dangerous conflicts. Hoping every day that a death or MIA message wouldn't be delivered to their door.

The author captures all of that in this heartfelt story, which is ultimately about family and friendships holding each person together in the most difficult time of their lives. It will be interesting to follow Lily, Beryl and Gladys as their stories continue in the third book of this series.

Buy Wartime for the Shop Girls at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HarperCollins pub date 23 Jan. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#WartimeClassics #BlogTour From the City, From the Plough by Alexander Baron

It's nothing short of honour to take part in the BlogTour for From the City, From the Plough by Alexander Baron.

In September 2019, to mark the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, IWM will launch a wonderful new series with four novels from their archives all set during the Second World War – Imperial War Museums Wartime Classics.

Originally published to considerable acclaim, these titles were written either during or just after the Second World War and are currently out of print. Each novel is written directly from the author’s own experience and takes the reader right into the heart of the conflict. They all capture the awful absurdity of war and the trauma and chaos of battle as well as some of the fierce loyalties and black humour that can emerge in extraordinary circumstances.

Living through a time of great upheaval, as we are today, each wartime story brings the reality of war alive in a vivid and profoundly moving way and is a timely reminder of what the previous generations experienced.

The remarkable IWM Library has an outstanding literary collection and was an integral part of Imperial War Museums from its very beginnings. Alan Jeffreys, (Senior Curator, Second World War, Imperial War Museums) searched the library collection to come up with these four launch titles, all of which deserve a new and wider audience. He has written an introduction to each novel that sets them in context and gives the wider historical background and says, ‘Researching the Wartime Classics has been one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve worked on in my years at IWM. It’s been very exciting rediscovering these fantastic novels and helping to bring them to the wider readership they so deserve’.

Each story speaks strongly to IWM’s remit to tell the stories of those who experienced conflict first hand. They cover diverse fronts and topics – preparations for D-Day and the advance into Normandy; the war in Malaya; London during the Blitz and SOE operations in occupied Europe and each author – three men and a woman – all have fascinating back stories. These are Second World War novels about the truth of war written by those who were actually there.

About the Author
Alexander Baron was a widely acclaimed author and screenwriter and his London novels have a wide following. This was his first novel.

During the Second World War he served with the Pioneer Corps in Sicily, Italy and northern France, basing From the City, From the Plough on his experiences of the D-Day Landings and the allied advance into Normandy
Buy From the City, From the Plough at Amazon Uk

About the book
From the City, From the Plough by Alexander Baron – A vivid and moving account of preparations for - and the advance into Normandy. Published in the 75th anniversary year of the D-Day landings, this is based on the author’s first-hand experience of D-Day and has been described by Antony Beevor as‘undoubtedly one of the very greatest British novels of the Second World War.’

Review
Let me just start off by saying that although these Wartime Classics are being issued to mark the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World, they should be read at any time, not just special anniversaries, in fact they should be part of the school curriculum. Part of a learning experience to teach the younger generations what so many brave men and women fought so hard for and how many gave their lives.

Another reason why this literature is so important is the authenticity, especially when it comes to this book. Baron spoke and wrote from experience and not just second-hand emotions, hear-say and experiences. He was there, he lived and breathed the camaraderie, the pain and the death.

It's both bizarre and a great shame that first-hand accounts are read less than those written with no first-hand experience.

We follow the Fifth Battalion, Wessex Regiment as they train and wait for D-Day. Then follow them through the horror of the beach landing and their descent into mayhem, death and battle. Men from every walk of life, who learn that they share one important thing in common. They are indeed a band of brothers. Brothers who support and protect each other, live together and die together.

I held it together until chapter twenty-two and twenty-three just made me cry. I can't even fathom what it must be like to know you are nothing more than bullet fodder and a distraction ploy to ensure another battalion achieves a victory. These men still adhered to the orders, despite knowing what the outcome would be.

It's an incredibly moving, authentic and well-written piece of historical war fiction based on factual experiences. It's powerful and unforgettable. I will be buying all four of these books and also gifting them to others.

Buy From the City, From the Plough at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.Imperial War Museum Wartime Classics will all be on sale Thursday 26 September 2019; cost £8.99
paperback. Buy at Amazon com.

About the Imperial War Museums - IWM
IWM (Imperial War Museums) tells the story of people who have lived, fought and died in conflicts
involving Britain and the Commonwealth since the First World War.
Our unique collections, made up of the everyday and the exceptional, reveal stories of people, places, ideas and events. Using these, we tell vivid personal stories and create powerful physical experiences across our five museums that reflect the realities of war as both a destructive and creative force. We challenge people to look at conflict from different perspectives, enriching their understanding of the causes, course and consequences of war and its impact on people’s lives.

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

#BlogTour Leo's War by Patricia Murphy

Today it's my pleasure to take part in the BlogTour for Leo's War by Patricia Murphy. It's historical fiction written for both younger and older readers, combining historical facts with a fictional family and scenario to inspire reading and to educate.
Don't miss the Giveaway at the bottom of the post! (Open to UK only)

About the Author
Patricia Murphy is the bestselling author of The Easter Rising 1916 – Molly’s Diary and Dan’s Diary – the War of Independence 1920-22 published by Poolbeg.

She has also written the prize-winning “The Chingles” trilogy of children’s Celtic fantasy novels.   Patricia is also an award winning Producer/Director of documentaries including Children of Helen House, the BBC series on a children’s hospice and Born to Be Different Channel 4’s flagship series following children born with disabilities. Many of her groundbreaking programmes are about children’s rights and topics such as growing up in care, crime and the criminal justice system. She has also made a number of history programmes including Worst Jobs in History with Tony Robinson for Channel 4 and has produced and directed films for the Open University.

Patricia grew up in Dublin and is a graduate in English and History from Trinity College Dublin and of Journalism at Dublin City University. She now lives in Oxford with her husband and young daughter.

Follow @_PatriciaMurphy @PoolbegBooks on Twitter

Leo's War on Facebook

Molly's Rising on Facebook
Visit patriciamurphyonline.com

Buy Leo's War

About the book

It’s 1943 and young Leo tries to protect his disabled sister Ruby as the Nazis invade Italy.  After his mother is arrested, he turns to Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty to save them.  But he is no ordinary priest.  Known as ‘The Pimpernel of the Vatican’, the Monsignor is the legendary organizer of the Rome Escape Line.  Soon Leo is helping out with this secret network dedicated to saving the lives of escaped prisoners of war, partisans and Jews.  But as the sinister Nazi leader Kappler closes in on the network, can Leo and his sister stay out of his evil clutches?

Review
Murphy takes moments in history and creates a reading experience that simultaneously teaches and entertains. She combines real historical facts and people with a fictional storyline, but her fiction is kept as close to the real events as possible.

Leo is stuck in a precarious position in Italy, during a dangerous time for the child of someone in the Allied Forces. A boy of Jewish heritage, the brother of a disabled sister, and the son of a woman dealing in secrets. There were probably many Leo's or young boys with vulnerable sisters and missing parents, during World War 2. In that sense Leo plays a pivotal role and yet at the same time his story is synonymous with many others.

There are sets of scholastic books with a similar setting, however they tend to be short, factual and less of an engrossing read. I think the author wants readers, especially younger readers, to experience the emotional repercussions and the traumatic events on a more personal level. Instead of just being bombarded with facts, and being overwhelmed by the atrocities, the reader engages with Leo and is interested in his survival. In that sense the author achieves her goal, because it is hands on history.

One of the other elements of Leo's War is using bonafide historical figures and events, victims and heroes to solidify the story, and also to make people aware of the forgotten heroes in history. The people brave enough to resist oppression, to save the innocent and willing to die to free their country from fascist regimes. The forgotten voices and names in history.

One of those names and people is Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, a man known for his Catholic resistance to Nazism, and for saving over 6500 Jews and Allied soldiers. He used his connections, his fellow priests and the walls of the inner sanctum of the Vatican to save as many people as he could. He was known as 'The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican' and his cat and mouse games with the SS have become the subject of movies and books.

If, as an author, you can entice not only willing but also reluctant readers to read and to learn about history at the same time, then you have most definitely done your job. Would I buy this book to introduce a younger reader to the atrocities of the Nazi regime in Italy, the answer is yes. Murphy shows the turmoil, violence and danger without graphic details, and mass murder in a way that the reader acknowledges the horror, but isn't afraid to keep reading.

Leo's War is our history and the history of your descendants. Knowledge is power. It prepares future generations and makes them aware of the mistakes we shouldn't repeat. It's also a birdsong of resistance and rebellion.

Buy Leo's War at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Buy at Bookdepository Poolbeg Easons.com
Publisher: Poolbeg Books

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The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

Books about the Second World War tend to focus on the monstrosities perpetrated by the Nazi's and their collaborators during the reign of Hitler.

The war was not just fought by sadists and people willing to cross into the deepest depths of inhumanity.

It was also fought by normal men, women, boys and girls. The architect, the baker and the candlestick maker.

Leroy gives us an interesting and thought-provoking look at the men behind the uniforms and the relationships made within the confines of wartime occupation.

Vivienne has to choose between safety for her children and herself, and the innocent souls being annihilated by the Germans. It also becomes clear that the majority of Germans are confronted with the same choice. Their families, and their own lives or that of nameless victims.

Gunther tells Vivienne about superior officers, who have dared to speak out against the mass murder and maltreatment of others, and are now bullet fodder at the Eastern front. The German war and propaganda machine does not take kindly to any kind of criticism.

So the elephant in the room is whether the threat of death, violence or deportation would be enough to make you, me or anyone else stay silent. Or indeed instead try in our own way to help, even if it is only small ways. Those who stood and protested out loud were soon disposed of. The brave men, women and children, who fought silently by opposing the regime and the occupiers are the unsung heroes. Hiding prisoners, feeding them, helping them to escape. All of these things are huge in the face of the reality of being discovered.

Vivienne is confused by her reaction to Gunther. In those stolen moments together he is no longer the enemy, nor the soldier, he is just a man who wants her as much as she wants him. She learns about his life before the war, his family and career. She also has a friendly relationship with another soldier, who has come to her aid on behalf of Gunther. She finds herself in between a rock and a hard place.

Is she betraying her fellow islanders? Are the girls enjoying some fun with the German men, are they traitors for wanting a little attention and romance? Very thin lines and sketchy boundary issues for both sides of the coin.

I think the real question for me was whether Vivienne's attempt to balance the scales of justice was done because she felt guilty or wanted to redeem herself in some way. I would rather believe that the instinct to do the morally right thing, which isn't always the safest option, was a choice she made instinctively.

The ending is bitter-sweet. The repercussions remain unspoken, only the positive is relevant and that is exactly how Leroy finishes the story. She wants the reader to take that smidgen of positive in the midst of all that hate, pain and negativity. To remember that we are capable of bright moments within the deepest dark.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and MIRA UK.

The Threshing Circle by Neil Grimmett

Some authors can transport you straight into the location, environment and setting their story takes place in. Grimmett does that exceptionally well. You can almost feel yourself wandering the dusty roads of Crete, smelling the salty sea air and soaking in the atmosphere.

This tale starts in the past and the events of one night trickle like a ripple of water through time all the way into the present. Secrets once thought buried forever are suddenly alive and well and strutting through town.

One of the issues in the book, which is often swept under the carpet by people in these particular settings, is the way foreigners are perceived by native inhabitants of a country. No matter how long you live in a village, if you are not from there you may be accepted but will always remain a type of outsider.

In a way the story starts with one outsider, is reawakened by another and a third tries to understand the secrets buried deep within the past.

At one point I found myself disliking Kirsty, her actions and reactions. I was rooting for Barba Yiorgos all the way, despite his grumpy personality and demanding nature.Perhaps because I not only identified with the path of vengeance leading all the way back from WW2, I also agreed with the need for closure.

There is a poignant moment a few chapters before the end where the violence peaks and I have to admit I had to put the book down for a while. Why? Because of a very specific scene which is make or break for most of the characters.It is graphic in a sense that the author has created an image you are not likely to forget in a hurry. I came back to the story ready to accept the characters inevitable fate and the destruction which would come in its wake.

Eleni carries the bitter taste of betrayal on the tip of her tongue and deep in her soul. Kirsty begins to doubt the innocent nature of the young woman and wonders whether the ball was set in motion on purpose. At the height of her suspicion the invisible link becomes obvious between two people in the middle of the story. Nature and not nurture, blood and not water. As if it was always meant to be and the end was laid out and drawn in the dusty road with a bloody finger of fate many years ago.

This is a beautiful tale of betrayal, hatred, vengeance and love, and a vendetta stretching the span of a lifetime.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of the author.