Monday, December 30, 2019

Here We Go !




Well here we are at the tail end of 2019 ... A funny old year mixed with good books , meeting new people , some eye opening realizations, honest conversations and health stuff that I would have preferred not deal with , but life does not work that way so on we must plod .... 


I tend to be a perfectionist.... that’s no bad thing in most cases but it sure can be tiring , physically and mentally . No matter what I do , I try my best , even if sometimes looking back I really should not have bothered , and the situation might not have been the healthiest for me .... of course everything is easier to understand in retrospect but towards the end of this year my grip on that perfectionist side eased , with it came a great release and better understanding of myself and what I wanted and more importantly what I did not want, guys that list was long ! I think sometimes you keep being taught the same lessons again and again in life until you get the message .... 

I could see small changes begin  , first in the way I looked in the mirror and then how I felt inside .. I got a clear idea of the type of connections I wanted in my life moving forward and I am not willing to budge on those now . 

This year was also a year of a special birthday , the day itself was truly horrible that I would sooner forget but it was a moment to take stock of things and use the experience for good for myself .


So now we are closing in on the last moments of 2019.... looking over my shoulder for one last glance at the year just past , letting go of things I can’t change  , before planting feet firmly and jumping into the unknown .... lets see what awaits us ...... 

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Death At Eden’s End by Jo Allen . Review / Blog Tour .




This is book 2 in the DCI Satterthwaite detective series set in the gorgeous Lake District . I love a good mystery and this one set in a nursing home  ticked all the right boxes for me . 

A very elderly woman is found dead in her room ... but this is no ordinary lady , she was healthy , smart , and had plenty of opinions that she did not mind sharing , no matter if they were wanted or not ...

I loved this story , we learn early that there is more to the victim then initially it seems but the story does not give away too much too soon so it keeps us guessing giving us little clues along the way about her life . I really enjoyed trying to guess who the killer was , there was a few to choose from and it was extremely fun trying to shorten the list to who it could be . I also enjoyed the detectives banter between themselves and seeing the case from their perspective as the net closed in on the killer . If you enjoy a really good mystery than this is definitely one to pick up immediately. Great plot , great characters , great fun ! 








Death at Eden’s End – Jo Allen

 

About the author

 

Jo Allen was born in Wolverhampton and is a graduate of Edinburgh, Strathclyde and the Open University. After a career in economic consultancy she took up writing and was first published under the name Jennifer Young in genres of short stories, romance and romantic suspense. In 2017 she took the plunge and began writing the genre she most likes to read – crime. Now living in Edinburgh, she spends as much time as possible in the English Lakes. In common with all her favourite characters, she loves football (she’s a season ticket holder with her beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers) and cats.

 

Follow Jo:

 

Twitter: @JoAllenAuthor

Facebook: @JoAllenAuthor

 

About the book

 

A brand new DCI Jude Satterthwaite crime mystery from the bestselling Jo Allen.

 

When one-hundred-year-old Violet Ross is found dead at Eden's End, a luxury care home hidden in a secluded nook of the Lake District's Eden Valley it's tragic, of course, but not unexpected. Except for the instantly recognisable look in her lifeless eyes... that of pure terror.

DCI Jude Satterthwaite heads up the investigation, but as the deaths start to mount up it's clear that he, and DS Ashleigh O'Halloran need to uncover a long-buried secret before the killer strikes again...

The second in the unmissable, Lake District-set, DCI Jude Satterthwaite series.

 

Buy links:

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Q67Knr

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2LrQJ2P

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Loiucm

iBooks: https://apple.co/35LzYqq

 

 

Follow Aria

 

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

 

If you would like to follow along with the blog tour , below are the other participants joining in.






Saturday, December 7, 2019

The Girl Who Came Home To Cornwall by Emma by Emma Burstall . Review / Blog Tour .




This is book 5 in the delightful Tremarnock series set in a picturesque fishing village in Cornwall . In this book there is a new visitor to the village , all the way from Mexico . Chabela has arrived here with a broken heart and ambitions of finding family connections in the area while also stirring up some of the locals with her exotic style . 

In another part of the village love is crashing and burning as neighbors try and find their way when their relationships hit the rocks .

This is an uplifting read and I don’t think it’s necessary to have read the previous books in the series to appreciate the story . I really enjoyed that the story took us from Cornwall to further afield, it was a very enjoyable part of the story and it really added to my enjoyment reading about other cultures . Liz and Chabela are the main female characters , both their storylines are engrossing and I was never quite sure how the author was going to finish the book . I am relieved to say it was very satisfying. I will definitely read more by the author and I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys a seaside setting or a cosy , feel-good read .


I received this book in exchange for a review.

This book has now been published .






The Girl Who Came Home to Cornwallby Emma Burstall

 

 

About the author

 

Emma Burstall was a newspaper journalist in Devon and Cornwall before becoming a full time author. Tremarnock, the first novel in her series set in a delightful Cornish village, was published in 2015 and became a top-10 bestseller.

 

 

Follow Emma:

Twitter: @EmmaBurstall

Facebook: @EmmaBurstallAuthor

Website: emmaburstall.com

 

 

About the book

 

Escape to the Cornish coast with a new heartwarming Tremarnock novel, perfect for fans of Jill Mansell and Philippa Ashley.

 

In the quaint Cornish village of Tremarnock, Chabela Penhallow arrives for a holiday and to discover more about her Cornish ancestors. But, as always with newcomers to the small seaside town, rumours start to fly about this beautiful stranger. Is there more to her than meets the eye?

Meanwhile, Rob and Liz Hart's marriage is on the rocks, but only one of them knows the real reason. Once the secret is out, will they be able to handle the repercussions or will it destroy their life together?

For the residents of Tremarnock, the revelations will either bond or break them – forever.

'A charming, warm-hearted read ... Pure escapism' ALICE PETERSON.

'The literary equivalent of a gin and tonic on a hot summer's day ... A delicious, delightful and decadent tale' BOOKISH JOTTINGS.

 

 

Buy links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/32DVfAK

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2NVeqCg
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2ZSUWV4

iBooks: https://apple.co/32KO7D5

 

Follow Head of Zeus:

Website: www.headofzeus.com

Twitter: @HoZ_Books

Facebook: @headofzeus

Instagram: @headofzeus

  

If you would like to follow along with the other participants joining in this blog tour then below is the blog tour poster .






Monday, December 2, 2019

The Boy With Blue Trousers By Carol Jones . Review / Blog Tour


 


Set in 1856 and 1857 in Australia and China this is the story about two young females , coming from two extremely different backgrounds and countries   , both hoping that Australia will give them opportunities for a new start , each trying to begin independent lives .

This was a story that really pulls at the heartstrings , my heart especially went out to Cat who lived in China , Cat was fierce and strong when those around her would have preferred her to be more meek and obliging , she had an enviable amount of courage while facing great danger and she made a terrific character , I was rooting for her all the way ! 

Violet was another strong character more world smart then Cat perhaps  , equally as brave , coming from England to start over , these two young women meeting each other forming a support and bond  that would be the making of them both  !

This was an engrossing historical fictional story , it was very interesting reading about the cultural differences of these characters , the relationships between the two women and those around them  and the sexism that was present at that time . This is a book to add to your TBR shelf . 




I received this book in exchange for a review . 

This book has now been published by Head Of Zeus .




Carol Jones

https://caroljonesauthor.com/

Goodreads 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41448437-the-boy-with-blue-trousers

Head Of Zeus 

https://headofzeus.com/books/9781786699848


If you would like to follow along with the blog tour below are the other participants joining in.




Sunday, November 24, 2019

My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout . Review



The story begins with Lucy in hospital in New York after having surgery . Lucy is a daughter , mother , and wife , and during the duration of reading the story we get to see glimpses of her life from being a young girl up to present day . 

This story is told in such a way it has an almost dream like quality to it where information is given to the reader very subtlety that I found myself reading over a few parts twice . The story covers subjects like the mother and daughter relationship, mental health , family secrets , growing up in small towns , marriage , love , lust and longing and for under 200 pages it does this beautifully. This was the first time I have read anything by the author and I was very impressed and I am already working my way through another book of hers with another waiting for me on the shelf . 

Do I recommend this ...... absolutely, without any doubt . 


Links below :


Elizabeth Strout:

https://www.elizabethstrout.com/

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/97313.Elizabeth_Strout



Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Country Lovers by Fiona Walker Review and Blog Tour.



This is the second book in the Compton Magna series and it features Ronnie Percy and my favorite character , the lovable Irish horseman called Luca . Luca is extremely talented with horses , very smart and has a way with most people and animals he comes across . 

The story combines small village life with horses , scandal , love and loss in a way that Fiona Walker does very well in getting you completely invested in these characters and their lives and relationships . The book is huge , truly a book to get your teeth into and set aside for a weekend where you won’t be disturbed and can immerse completely in the Compton Magna community and what’s going on behind all those closed doors .

What I loved about this book is how much detail we get about the characters , the good the bad and the ugly ,we get great insight into them and their past , so much so that you feel empathy for them and what they are going through and I loved that . 

I sincerely hope there will be more books in this series as it’s terrific !



I received this book in exchange for a review . 


Country Lovers – Fiona Walker

 About the book




 

They say you should never go back, but glamorous Ronnie Percy did just that, to the home she ran away from with her lover.

But not everyone is finding it easy to forgive and forget.

Daughter Pax, fighting for custody of her small son as her own marriage disintegrates, is furious to have to spend New Year's Eve waiting for some stranger her mother has invited to help run the family stud farm.

Even more annoyed is the staunchly loyal stud head groom, Lester. Does Ronnie think he's lost his touch with the horses? And anyway, who is this so-called Horsemaker, Luca O'Brien? Why does he seem to be running away from something? And what is the true story of his relationship with grey stallion Beck, once destined for the Olympics, now broken and unrideable, screaming his anger from the Compton Magna stables.

Passionate, sexy, gripping, laced with her trademark wisdom and humour, this is bestselling Fiona Walker at her dazzling best.

 

About the author

 

Fiona Walker is the author of eighteen novels, from tales of flat-shares and clubbing in nineties London to today’s romping, rural romances set amid shires, spires and stiles. In a career spanning over two decades, she’s grown up alongside her readers, never losing her wickedly well-observed take on life, lust and the British in love. She lives in Warwickshire, sharing a slice of Shakespeare Country with her partner, their two daughters and a menagerie of animals. fionawalker.com @fionawalkeruk facebook.com/fiona.walker.16568

 

 

Follow Fiona:

 

Twitter: @fionawalkeruk

Facebook: @fionawalkeruk

 

Pre-order links:

 


Google Play: https://bit.ly/2N8sMik

Kobo: " Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZcQhcs

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2N8sMik

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2H7IIgY

iBooks: https://apple.co/2KPKcgQ

 

 

Follow Head of Zeus:

 

Website: www.headofzeus.com

Twitter: @HoZ_Books

Facebook: @headofzeus

Instagram: @headofzeus


If you would like to follow along with the blog tour below are the other participants joining in.






Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Girl I Left Behind by Andie Newton Book Review and Blog Tour .



The story is set in Germany and is based mostly around one character , a young woman called Ella , Ella lives with her aunt who is a firm Nazi follower but Ella does not feel the same as her aunt and this makes her life more difficult and a lot more dangerous at a time when neighbor could turn against neighbor and it was hard to know who to trust . When Ella’s friend finds herself in a terrifically dangerous position Ella plots to help her but to what cost ...


The story is an emotional rollercoaster in all the right ways , Ella has a sensible head on her shoulders but the risks she took were nail biting , I had to admire her bravery and those like her trying to help others at a harrowing time in history  . The book did have me reaching for the tissues as some of the details of the crimes were gut wrenching but this was a book to savor and take my time with as the characters made a lasting impression on me and the historical details felt accurate and well researched . This was an awesome book and I can’t wait to see what this author writes next . Loved it ! 


I received this book in exchange for an honest review . 





The Girl I Left Behind– Andie Newton

 

About the book

 

What would you risk to save your best-friend?

 

As a young girl, Ella never considered that those around her weren’t as they appeared. But when her childhood best-friend shows Ella that you can’t always believe what you see, Ella finds herself thrown into the world of the German Resistance.

 

On a dark night in 1941, Claudia is taken by the Gestapo, likely never to be seen again, unless Ella can save her. With the help of the man she loves, Ella must undertake her most dangerous mission yet and infiltrate the Nazi Party.

 

Selling secrets isn’t an easy job. In order to find Claudia, Ella must risk not only her life, but the lives of those she cares about.

 

Will Ella be able to leave behind the girl of her youth and step into the shoes of another?

 

Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of AuschwitzThe German Midwifeand Kate Furnivall.

 

 

About the author

 

Andie Newton is an American writer living in Washington State with her husband and two boys. She writes female-driven historical fiction set in WWII. The Girl I Left Behind is her first novel. She would love to say she spends her free time gardening and cooking, but she’s killed everything she’s ever planted and set off more fire alarms than she cares to admit. Andie does, however, love spending time with her family, ultra trail running, and drinking copious amounts of coffee.

Follow Andie:

Twitter: @AndieNewton

Facebook: @newtonauthor

 

 

Buy links:

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/32GJoTe

iBooks: https://apple.co/2WelLPw

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2BH78e1

Google Play: https://bit.ly/31K2pCR

 

 


Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm . Review




The story begins in space with the main character Beth and her family traveling to a new life on Eos Five . They are a long way from earth and their destination when a major problem arises . 

This was one of those books that when  I was reading it I kept saying “just one more page “  , and before I knew it I had finished it and was very eager for more . 

Their day to day lives while on board their spaceship was very interesting and the details about the other space stations and where other people live was fun to read about , especially the bad people . I particularly enjoyed how they could make great leaps in their journey to get where they needed to go while they slept . 

This is a YA book ,  but adults ,  be sure and read this too . This is one to add to your TBR.


This book is being published January 9th 2020 . I received this book in exchange for a review .

Below Are the links :


Goodreads :

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46150658-orion-lost

Lovereading4kids.co.uk:

https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/

Author twitter page :

https://twitter.com/alastair_ch

Nosy Crow Publishers :

https://nosycrow.com/product/orion-lost/

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Jackpot by Nic Stone . Review



Jackpot by Nic Stone . Review 


This was such an emotional rollercoaster of a story .... I found myself sitting with sentences and paragraphs , my heart breaking for these characters as they went through so much . What started as an off hand gift from a stranger would take Rico and her family on a rare journey of learning and life experiences . 

The female lead character is called Rico , she is a very responsible teenager who has too many hard times put upon her young life and she is struggling to keep her head above water and her mental health above sinking right to the bottom of this earth . Rico is a good daughter , but an absolutely tremendous sister to her brother , their relationship is something special and their moments in the story, of which there are many, are special and incredibly touching . This was a one sit read for me , I could not leave these characters for a moment and I am glad that I did this , these characters are going to stay with me for a long time. It’s also worth pointing out the story is often told from the point of view of inanimate objects . It gives an unusual and thought provoking element to the story that I had not experienced before but very much enjoyed . Go read this , it’s worth it ! 





I received this book for review from the lovely people over at lovereading4kids.co.uk


Lovereading4kids:

https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/16598/Jackpot-by-Nic-Stone.html


Goodreads :

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36077176-jackpot



Saturday, November 2, 2019

One Dark, Two Light – Ruth Mancini . Cover Reveal





One Dark, Two Light – Ruth Mancini

 

About the book:

 

New Year's Eve, London.

Outside the Hope & Glory pub, a man has been left to die. A victim of extraordinary violence, he will never walk or speak again. He remains in hospital for months, until criminal defence lawyer Sarah Kellerman walks onto his ward.

Sarah barely recognises the man she once worked with – he was honourable and kind – what was he involved in? Who wanted him dead? But in her race to uncover the truth, Sarah comes to realise there are two men in her life that she never really knew at all...

From one of crime fiction's most compelling voices, One Dark, Two Light is where the personal and criminal collide, as Sarah works to bring dark secrets into the light.

 

 

About the author:

 

Ruth Mancini is a criminal defence lawyer, author and freelance writer. She lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and two children.

Follow Ruth:  

Twitter: @RuthMancini1

Facebook: @ruth.mancini.author

 

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35EgK7a

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2MOgucO

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2IUQStQ

 

 

Follow Head of Zeus:

 

Website: www.headofzeus.com

Twitter: @HoZ_Books

Facebook: @headofzeus

Instagram: @headofzeus