#BlogTour The Hidden by Alison Knight

 It's my turn on the BlogTour The Hidden by Alison Knight.

About the Author

Alison Knight has been a legal executive, a registered childminder, a professional fund-raiser and a teacher. She has travelled the world – from spending a year as an exchange student in the US in the 1970s and trekking the Great Wall of China to celebrate her fortieth year and lots of other interesting places in between.

In her mid-forties Alison went to university part-time and gained a first-class degree in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University and an MA in the same subject from Oxford Brookes University, both while still working full-time. Her first book was published a year after she completed her master’s degree.

Alison currently has a trio of novels published by Darkstroke. The first, Mine, is a domestic drama set in 1960s London based on real events in her family. She is the only person who can tell this particular story. Exploring themes of class, ambition and sexual politics, Mine shows how ordinary people can make choices that lead them into extraordinary situations.

The Legacy, a drama set in London in 1969, was inspired by a scene in Mine, and explores how an unexpected legacy can be both a blessing and a curse. The Legacy looks at themes of greed and expectations, and the lengths people will go to when they are desperate.

The Hidden, available from September 2021, is a romantic suspense that picks up the story of one of the characters in The Legacy. Set in Montana in 1973, two wounded, damaged people are forced together, each guarding their secrets. Can they learn to trust each other? And will their nightmares ever end?

Alison teaches creative and life-writing, runs workshops and retreats with Imagine Creative Writing Workshops (www.imaginecreativewriting.co.uk) as well as working as a freelance editor. She is a member of the Society of Authors and the Romantic Novelists’ Association. She lives in Somerset, within sight of Glastonbury Tor. 

Follow @Alison_Knight59 on Twitter,  on Facebook, on Goodreads, Visit alisonroseknight.com, 

About the book

Secrets, nightmares, and a big black dog… Montana, 1973. Faye has found sanctuary in a simple cabin in the wilds of the Crazy Mountains in Montana with a dog called Bear. She’s a long way from her old life in England. But she knows that one day her peaceful life could be invaded by her enemies, and she keeps her guard up at all times.

Jeff returns home from Vietnam, a wounded, damaged hero, just weeks after his father’s sudden death. He finds hostile, secretive Faye living in his cabin and refusing to leave. The reading of his father’s will adds another layer of mystery to this woman’s presence.

The tension between them grows as Jeff tries to overcome his nightmares and expose Faye’s scars and secrets. The more he learns about her, the more enigmatic she seems. When her enemies come calling, she needs Jeff to protect her. Can they learn to trust each other? And will Faye ever be safe?

Review

Faye thinks she has finally found a place where no one will come looking for her. A safe haven and a man who is willing to keep her secrets. Until one day a stranger stumbles into her life. Her alarm bells go off and she is ready to protect herself - no matter what.

Jeff is confronted with a stranger who has made herself a little too comfortable in the middle of the life and family he left behind. He wants her gone - if only life were that easy, right?

I found Jeff a hard character to swallow at times. His sexist ways veered into misogyny at times and he was often dismissive and demeaning, which was romanticised, ergo the troubled rugged alpha male with a soft core waiting to be uncovered.

Aside from that it is a story of learning to trust, to love and to open yourself up to new beginnings. Both Faye and Jeff approach this in their individual ways, of course this also means the clash and butt heads along the way.

Much like the previous two books the author focuses on the complexity of family dynamics and relationships. Betrayal, lack of trust, and assembling some sense of safety within their inner and outer lives. It's a story about support, trust and love.

Buy The Hidden at Amazon Uk or Buy at Amazon com. Publisher ‏: ‎darkstroke books pub date 23 Sept. 2021.

#BlogTour A Village in the Country by Elaine Spires

 It's my turn in the BlogTour A Village in the Country by Elaine Spires.

About the Author

Elaine Spires is a novelist, playwright, actress and theatre director.  In spite of travelling intensively and living in several countries - Spain, Greece and Antigua - she remains a proud Dagenham Girl and in 2017 returned to her roots.  Elaine developed an eye for the quirky characteristics of people as she travelled, captivating the humorous observations she now affectionately shares with her readers in all her books.  

As well as the books listed below, Elaine has written several one-act plays and also the stage adaptation of her novel Singles’ Holiday which was performed at the Brentwood Theatre by Melabeau Productions.  She wrote the Antiguan TV Series Paradise View for HAMA TV and Films and in 2019 her short film (co-written with Veronique Christie) Only the Lonely won the Gaucho Club Best Short Film Award and two silver awards at WOFFF (Women Over Fifty Film Festival) in the same year.

Elaine hopes you will enjoy looking further back in time with this book, to an era when Dagenham was simply A Village in the Country.  

Also by Elaine Spires and available in paperback and on Kindle from amazon.co.uk: What’s Eating Me, Sweet Lady, Singles’ Holiday, Singles and Spice, Single All The Way, Singles At Sea, Singles, Set and Match, The Single Best Thing, The Banjo Book One, The Banjo Book Two, You Never See Rainbows At Christmas, Weak At The Knees & The Christmas Queen (novellas), Holiday Reads & Holiday Reads 2 (short story collections). 

Follow @ElaineSWriter on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Amazon, Visit elainespires.co.uk

About the book

It’s November 1918 and the whole nation comes together to give thanks for the end of a bloody world war that has left few families unscathed.  More than seven hundred thousand men have perished; those fortunate enough to return are mere shadows of the men who left.  Women who have kept the country going by working in munitions factories and picking fruit and vegetables on farms and in market gardens are expected to give up their jobs to the men returning home.  In the peaceful Essex village of Dagenham Milly Brightwell is among the women who are not happy at having to take a step back in peacetime as she dreams and makes plans of becoming her own boss.

But just as life returns to post-war normal, the London County Council announces its plans to build more than twenty-five thousand Homes for Heroes on the farmland and countryside surrounding Dagenham. Within the space of ten years the population will rocket to a hundred thousand people and the quiet country village will morph into the largest housing estate in Europe.  For the families in Dagenham Village looking forward to better times in the 1920s, life will never be the same again.

Review

The war is finally over and the country is rejoicing. Milly is one of many women who find it difficult to take a step back into her pre-war existence. Now the men are slowly returning from war, albeit it only a few of them, they automatically assume the roles they vacated. Roles filled by women during the war.

I liked the way the author used the Dagenham story to create a multiple layered story. You have the war, post-war and rebuilding of society and communities. The families and communities enduring trauma, hardship, loss, pain and the need to adapt to the world after the catastrophic war. Then you also have the advancement in restructuring and modernisation, which changes the face of Dagenham forever. 

On a side-note I also enjoyed the fact the story serves as a reminder that many of today's council estates, which can appear forgotten, a hive of criminal activity, a bustling warren of people living in low socio-economic situations - used to be the modern evolution of homes and living in their day and age.

Spires connects her characters through depth of emotion, their common denominators and linking their experiences of trauma and pain, and also their courage to endure and move forward.

Buy A Village in the Country at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Broken by R. V. Biggs

It's my last turn on the BlogTour for the Sarah Macintyre series by R.V. Biggs, which started with The Song of the Robin followed by Reunion and now it's time for the third book in the series - Broken.

About the Author

R V Biggs lives in a small ex-mining village near Wolverhampton, England, with his wife Julie and Mags the black lab. He has four grown up children and eight grandchildren. Walking with the dog is a favourite pastime and much of the story line for his first novel was developed during these lengthy outings.

Robert worked for 35 years in telecommunications but changed career paths to a managerial supporting role within a local Mental Health National Health Service trust. It was during the period between these roles that the concept for his first novel was born.

Robert is a firm believer that destiny and co-incidence exist hand in hand and this conviction extends to his writing. He has a passion for holistic well-being and after first-hand experience of the potential healing powers of Reiki, a form of energy therapy, took a Reiki level 1 training course to heighten his spiritual awareness. 

Robert’s experiences in these areas helped conceive the ideas that led to Song of the Robin and its sequels Reunion and Broken, novels with central themes of fate, love, and the strength of family. His writing is not fantasy however but is set in modern times involving real people living real lives. Follow RVBiggs on Facebook, Visit rvbiggs.com

About the book

Scarred by a tragic past, eleven year old Jamie Walker chooses not to speak. Consumed with jealous rage, Jimmy Gillespie is driven to violence. And John Macintyre awakens from a vivid nightmare convinced he is going to kill.

Living high upon the Scottish hills, John and Sarah Macintyre enjoy a serene life until a televised news bulletin sends them on a desperate search for a missing child. After finding the child and returning him safely to his parents, the Macintyres are approached by the local press, attracting both unexpected and unwanted attention.

But the aftermath of the media coverage changes the course of their lives forever, and events are set in motion that are joyful, heart breaking – and terrifying.

Review

This third part of the Sarah Macintyre series brings the content of the previous two to a culmination. Everything has been driving towards this point and the story of Sarah and her family can finally really begin. 

Their journey together is one of connections, weaving unseen threads between each other. Each one of them experiencing energy and power in a different way, but ultimately always in a way that outsiders are unable to comprehend completely. Is it paranormal, another level of energy or shall we just simply leave at the inexplicable?

After certain events expose their special gifts to the world and also bring the family to the attention of someone with more nefarious intentions - the family faces more danger. Simultaneously they are asked to invite a broken soul into their home, in the hopes that they can help heal and keep him safe. The two events end in a violent collision.

This is shorter in length than the other two books and was much more concise in the approach in regards to the core premise. A much better read with clear vision, and of where the series could be taken if the author wants to.

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

#BlogTour The Prince of the Skies by Antonio Iturbe

 It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Prince of the Skies by Antonio Iturbe.

'The epic Second World War novel from Antonio Iturbe, the international bestselling author of The Librarian of Auschwitz. Translated by Lilit Žekulin Thwaites, this is a novel about love and friendship, war and heroism and the power of the written word.'

About the Author

Antonio Iturbe was born in 1967 and grew up in the dock-side neighbourhood of Barceloneta, in Barcelona. His first novel The Librarian of Auschwitz was the number one selling book in translation in the UK last year. It has been translated into 30 languages and has sold over 600K copies internationally.

Having grown up reading Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s books, Iturbe was inspired to write about the author’s extraordinary life. He conducted extensive research and, despite suffering from vertigo, even flew in a biplane so he would understand how it felt to fly. Iturbe hopes to translate not only the facts but also the poetry of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s writing in The Prince of the Skies.

About the book

Only the best pilots are given jobs at Latécoère - the company destined to become Aéropostale. The successful candidates include Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. A man whose desire to fly will put him at odds with his aristocratic family and the girl who loves him – but who wants to keep him grounded. 

Together with his friends Jean and Henri, they will change the history of aviation and pioneer new mail routes across the world. But Antoine is also destined to touch the lives of millions of readers with his story The Little Prince. But as war begins to threaten Europe, is Antoine’s greatest adventure yet to come . .?

Review

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was torn between family expectations, the rules imposed on him by the woman he loved and his pleasure while experiencing the ultimate freedom and the power of flying above his fellow humans.

Whilst fighting against the restrictions he helps form the future of aviation and the stepping stones to where we are now. It's fair to say he left his mark on the world and in the clouds.

This is historical fiction or faction, and after reading this I wonder what Antoine de Saint-Exupéry would have thought about the impact of The Little Prince and the legacy he left behind in general. A legacy that becomes more poignant when you connect his life and disappearance to the story he created.

It's worth noting that Iturbe has chosen to lay more weight on the beauty and freedom de Saint-Exupéry experienced, especially whilst flying. His bravery, which went hand in hand with a recklessness. Perhaps that can be said of any person who commands and controls tonnes of metal in the skies.

I think this is a beautiful homage to a man who left an imprint on the world in the few decades he was alive. It's beautifully written - a swan song, as the swan prepares for its last flight.

Buy The Prince of the Skies at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publishing in Hardback £16.99| Macmillan | 14th October 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Reunion by R.V. Biggs

It's my turn on the BlogTour Reunion by R.V. Biggs - the second book in the Sarah Macintyre series.

About the Author

R V Biggs lives in a small ex-mining village near Wolverhampton, England, with his wife Julie and Mags the black lab. He has four grown up children and eight grandchildren. Walking with the dog is a favourite pastime and much of the story line for his first novel was developed during these lengthy outings.

Robert worked for 35 years in telecommunications but changed career paths to a managerial supporting role within a local Mental Health National Health Service trust. It was during the period between these roles that the concept for his first novel was born.

Robert is a firm believer that destiny and co-incidence exist hand in hand and this conviction extends to his writing. He has a passion for holistic well-being and after first-hand experience of the potential healing powers of Reiki, a form of energy therapy, took a Reiki level 1 training course to heighten his spiritual awareness. 

Robert’s experiences in these areas helped conceive the ideas that led to Song of the Robin and its sequels Reunion and Broken, novels with central themes of fate, love, and the strength of family. His writing is not fantasy however but is set in modern times involving real people living real lives. Follow RVBiggs on Facebook, Visit rvbiggs.com

About the book

One random, violent act is enough to change Sarah Macintyre's life forever. Left unsettled, and yearning for a new beginning, Sarah is unsure of what to do with her life. But one day she discovers an anonymous letter hidden amidst a pile of unopened mail. The note, however, contains nothing more than a confusing riddle. Intrigued and excited, Sarah’s hunger for a new life compels her to search for the author to understand the puzzle and solve the mystery.

Embarking on a journey that will shape the rest of her life and that of her family, Sarah uncovers a past of which she had no knowledge, a present she must find a path through, and a future filled with intense grief and utmost joy.

Review

In this second book in the Sarah Macintyre series, Sarah is still coming to terms with the traumatic events that changed her life and the way she perceives life.

Since the event (sorry, I'm being purposely cagey for those haven't read the first book in the series), she often feels as if there is someone or something there. Feels touches, movements, pressure to parts of her body - a connection that wasn't there previously. A new world has opened up, but it has also brought unanswered questions and secrets with it.

I think the two stories, the past and present collide as opposed to sliding smoothly into the narrative. The spirituality, the essence of something inexplicable perhaps supernatural or the shadow of memories reverberating in the present. There is a lot going on - it could do with more direction.

At times it feels as if the need to weave the philosophy and beliefs of spirituality into the story with such a vehemence that it's to the detriment of the story itself. I think I was more invested in the short moments with Amber than the majority with Sarah.

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

#Blogtour Shadow Shinjuku by Ryu Takeshi

 It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Shadow Shinjuku by Ryu Takeshi.

About the Author

Ryu loves to write. It’s a way for him to find and explore new worlds, both inner ones and those way outside. And this process is spontaneous and instinctive, his stories born out of a single image, following a path Ryu himself never fully understands – not its origin, nor its end -, immersed in the magic of the moment, and the magic of everything that surrounds us, the visible and the invisible. 

Ryu is a daydreamer, a believer in the magic of humanity, a friend to all the mystical creatures of the night, and a sucker for the visual beauty of anime. But above all else, Ryu is just a human being, like yourself.

Ryu was born in 1983, has a beautiful wife, a funny little dog, and a lovely daughter. He adores sumo, practices traditional kenjutsu, sometimes plays basketball (Go Denver Nuggets!), relaxes playing video games, watching anime and reading books. Oh, and he loves to eat! But who doesn’t…

Follow @RyuTakWrites on Twitter, on Instagram, on Facebook, Visit ryutakeshi.com

About the book

The streets of Tokyo are different at night. - There is darkness behind the glitter and the neon lights, and people who prefer to stay in the shadows, to dwell in the underworld – whores, gangsters, the homeless, the lost. People like Sato. 

He’s part of this world, he always has been, but a feeling of change is lingering in the heavy air of the bustling city. A feeling brought to life by fateful encounters of solitary souls.

Shadow Shinjuku is a dark, yet magical journey into the depths of Tokyo’s nightlife and the depths of the human soul. 

Ryu Takeshi’s first novel is both a crime thriller and urban fantasy. It's a unique and mesmerizing blend of the imagery of Japanese animation and film, the colors and details of street photography, and the mystical lyricism of soulful music. But above everything, it is a gripping story that doesn’t let go.

Review

Let's begin with the end - I had to read the epilogue, and the chapter before that, twice. Huh? Ahh - ohh! Nicely played. Excellent ending. Now where does the story go from here? Does it go somewhere from here?

The story takes the reader from the present and visible, to the dark underworld and the corners nobody dares venture into. Souls wander and sometimes connect. Sato's story is very much driven by this atmosphere of being lost and understanding the same in others. At times he points them in directions they would never have taken otherwise.

The story is infused with magical realism, elements of fantasy, which is combined with a strong urban crime vibe. Set in a vibrant pulsing city in Japan the author has managed to give it a Sam Spade dark underbelly feeling, and the juxtaposition is the magic the reader is unable to define or put a finger on. What kind of powers lurk there?

I enjoyed Takeshi's writing and I thought the premise was interesting. There is a certain quiet, calm subtlety to the story. What I would like to see is that creativity be unleashed a little - be bold in language and scenarios. Let those ideas that are simmering below the surface flow into the character and worldbuilding. Tip of the iceberg.

Buy Shadow Shinjuku at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Purple Crow Press; pub date 5 Aug. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Could You Survive Midsomer? by Simon Brew

 

It's my turn on the BlogTour Could You Survive Midsomer? An Official Midsomer Murders Interactive Novel by Simon Brew.

About Midsomer Murders

Midsomer Murders is a TV national treasure. For over 21 years, residents of this quintessentially English county have hosted a series of homicides, which have been at the centre of over 100 episodes. With a huge international fanbase, Midsomer Murders has sold in over 220 territories. A top export of the UK detective genre, the show is hugely popular in Germany, France and all over Scandinavia, as well as having major fanbases in North America and Canada, Australia – and Japan!

About the Author

Simon Brew is the former editor and founder of Den of Geek - the popular culture news and reviews website. He is the author of three books including Movie Geek, TV Geek and The Secret Life of the Movies. Simon is also the founder of the magazine and podcast Film Stories. Follow @simonbrew on Twitter

About the book

Can You Avoid a Bizarre Death in England's Most Dangerous County? - All is not well in the beautiful county of Midsomer. On the eve of its first Villages In Bloom competition, a man lies slain, smelling of damson jam. Who could have done it?

Well, that's where you come in. Step into the shoes of Midsomer CID's newest recruit, choose your own path and decide which way the story goes. Could You Survive Midsomer? sets off on an engaging pick-your-own adventure format to challenge the reader to solve a crime or succumb to the county's suspiciously high death rate. 

Set in television’s most celebrated and murderous county, the book allows readers to see if they can get to the bottom of the mystery and bring the perpetrator to justice, avoiding an untimely, and possibly bizarre death, along the way. Your task is to make the right choices, solve the case and – most tricky of all – stay alive!

Review

Welcome to the county that has a disproportionate amount of murders per geographical space. This time you get to try and solve the crime yourself or add to the growing statistics. A choose your own story and adventure type of read.

Although this is an interactive novel and obviously it works really well on a digital platform. I have the hardcover, but I also tested it via the Kindle version. The digital allows for an instant jump as you make your choices, the back and forth is less evident or how interspersed each chapter or paragraph is within the book. With a physical copy this is more evident, because you have to look for the relevant pages or numbers within the book.

Rather than seeing the path/s you don't choose as a missed opportunity I them as an opportunity for a variety of ways to enjoy this book. More than one story to enjoy. What's not to like?

I do enjoy a Midsomer Murder episode and I love myself a mystery, so this book appeals to my inner Sherlock. I think it's a fantastic idea, and the fact each read will be not only subjective, as they always are of course, but also individual to each reader as they make choices and take different paths along the way - it's genius. It's also a brilliant read. I can't wait to share this with the world - or just everyone I know who loves a good mystery.

Buy Could You Survive Midsomer Murder at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Casell; pub date 30 September 2021 | 12.99. Buy at Amazon com.