tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84980965188927981962024-03-18T08:46:05.944+00:00Jaffareadstoo....There's a little bit of book love going on as the cat crept in and curled at my side, read with me, read with me softly he sighed ....Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.comBlogger3970125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-78734489498110022322024-03-15T09:00:00.002+00:002024-03-15T09:49:38.472+00:00📖 Book Review ~ The Island of Mists and Miracles by Victoria Mas<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1T40LOrhMYeOZ8z29wtkIyY9SBmvNimMDQRtPHd3pnoSnqj_GZ7BCQxZWdZgXcnET0OwCxZwX5-JFeJF0ny5g2gkuaGdKSjPL1HIAS6uRR5LPFcXJqGfisyzFfiBeX6jMLKN7ZRc-r6lvHR3K1tv3rR2kZYb-mJt4VaoPYeVbUXJNtcAoydRBHzD3wLBI/s410/island%20of%20mists%20and%20miracles.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1T40LOrhMYeOZ8z29wtkIyY9SBmvNimMDQRtPHd3pnoSnqj_GZ7BCQxZWdZgXcnET0OwCxZwX5-JFeJF0ny5g2gkuaGdKSjPL1HIAS6uRR5LPFcXJqGfisyzFfiBeX6jMLKN7ZRc-r6lvHR3K1tv3rR2kZYb-mJt4VaoPYeVbUXJNtcAoydRBHzD3wLBI/w249-h400/island%20of%20mists%20and%20miracles.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doubleday <br />14 March 2024<br /><br />Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <div style="text-align: justify;">In 1830 a young novice called Catherine Labouré was granted a vision of the Virgin Mary. Nearly 200 years later, Sister Anne is also waiting for a sign.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Which is why she accepts a mission to go to a tiny community on an island just off the coast of Brittany. Her only companion there is a sceptical, chain-smoking older nun who just wants to be left in peace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the island she meets Hugo, the son of a devout family who prefers to look for the meaning of life amid the stars; Madenn, a grandmother whose daughter was killed in a crash and who finds meaning in routine; Isaac, Madenn's grandson, an otherworldly teenager who doesn't fit in but who befriends Hugo, and Julia, a sickly child. If anyone needs a miracle, it is her.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But it is not Sister Anne who receives a vision. Instead it is Isaac who is found on a promontory, transfixed, unable to utter more than the words 'I see'. The event soon becomes headline news and the world descends on the small island, opening old wounds and unleashing a chain of events none of them could have foreseen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review..</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Leaving behind her French convent Sister Ann arrives on a tiny island just off the coast of Brittany. On the island she prays for a miracle to happen, a sign that the Virgin Mary has a special message for her, however, it is not Sister Anne who receives the heavenly vision but a troubled young islander called Isaac. With intense scrutiny focused on the Île de Batz, and religious fervour reaching fever pitch, emotions run high with disastrous consequences.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The cast of characters who flit into and out of the story bring their own particular angst. They are not always very likeable as people however, as their individual stories start to emerge so an understanding comes of why they act in such a troubled way. Some of it due unrelenting grief which, over time, has altered their perspective. I enjoyed the way in which the author allowed the story to evolve at its own unhurried pace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beautifully written, with a lyrical quality to the narrative, <i>The Island of Mists and Miracles</i> is a short but powerful story about the starkness of belief and of heightened emotions which result in unreasonable jealousy, thwarted frustration and unleashed anger.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaQ5qXPcMpzTq2V-Te5gPTHrDUbmFlZcZcT_TatqPY05ebZ4CLLKhpquD8ps2YpEFLhKsi1wUIIRcEJ9vwVrGwXTs-Vbh5hIpagPvWasOXzuY9NnCTt4kA7Pp7JCF5iie9dG1hkTLWcgDiVqEZXknSyzOSXP6shPOUme1p6Uf35iTatx5yeJob7f57rnO/s657/victoria%20mas.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="657" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaQ5qXPcMpzTq2V-Te5gPTHrDUbmFlZcZcT_TatqPY05ebZ4CLLKhpquD8ps2YpEFLhKsi1wUIIRcEJ9vwVrGwXTs-Vbh5hIpagPvWasOXzuY9NnCTt4kA7Pp7JCF5iie9dG1hkTLWcgDiVqEZXknSyzOSXP6shPOUme1p6Uf35iTatx5yeJob7f57rnO/s320/victoria%20mas.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>VICTORIA MAS The Mad Women's Ball, Victoria Mas's debut novel, has won several prizes in France (including the Prix Stanislas and Prix Renaudot des Lycéens) and was the bestselling debut of the year. Victoria has worked in film in the United States, where she lived for eight years. She graduated from the Sorbonne in Contemporary Literature. The Mad Women's Ball is now an Amazon Prime Video Original Film starring Mélanie Laurent and Lou de Louâge.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">X / Twitter @DoubledayUK</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">#TheIslandofMistsandMiracles</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KeM824stPtDHQAWPq_YSXwiofU3sSq_cG3IBU6QPZquOF3ekK90XuOSEp48Mon-MALDBRETGnZM7DiJueSoCaBu4YbPbz8ueyonj4CqncZz_HCLST97YvDS8NLVDGVRZpJw1fFcqNlh_ovXWeHiHfzhzG5k0h1zSG70qq3tFvEDoe9RRUMGr7vFm7ibj/s6912/Book%20Review%20Graphic%20for%202023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KeM824stPtDHQAWPq_YSXwiofU3sSq_cG3IBU6QPZquOF3ekK90XuOSEp48Mon-MALDBRETGnZM7DiJueSoCaBu4YbPbz8ueyonj4CqncZz_HCLST97YvDS8NLVDGVRZpJw1fFcqNlh_ovXWeHiHfzhzG5k0h1zSG70qq3tFvEDoe9RRUMGr7vFm7ibj/w400-h200/Book%20Review%20Graphic%20for%202023.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-67340004735067264492024-03-14T07:00:00.001+00:002024-03-14T07:00:00.136+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~ Dylan Thomas Prize 2024 Longlist<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD6Ywpb6hbAGnFlhxUkgRk3NqEYqWmnRVoVoH-9m_1zL26CJgUyeOYGm1j0WJXmtQGF9llwEwI1MGEtyeJK5e3q4m05UdaYP0NCwiSBxVKr1f0wczmOzrDiCMIJpjtzIrHFf2L4tmIBzYKuZE6p85QoGcZAIX_JhgIxypY4T0N1mDP0qVwBMRVvgq4Xmh/s580/dylan%20thomas%20longlist%20celebration%2011-20%20march%2024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="580" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD6Ywpb6hbAGnFlhxUkgRk3NqEYqWmnRVoVoH-9m_1zL26CJgUyeOYGm1j0WJXmtQGF9llwEwI1MGEtyeJK5e3q4m05UdaYP0NCwiSBxVKr1f0wczmOzrDiCMIJpjtzIrHFf2L4tmIBzYKuZE6p85QoGcZAIX_JhgIxypY4T0N1mDP0qVwBMRVvgq4Xmh/w400-h400/dylan%20thomas%20longlist%20celebration%2011-20%20march%2024.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The shortlist will be revealed on 21 March.</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>I am delighted to join the blog tour to share my review</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8BiLWlgtYqJG76DaL9bKkftLdnlIPrRHxlxAXOZTIIuEWRI-vDFYT2Mr9H20P4L-ttlKCAJwA4tz7Bc5e48OfSCQ53BzNR-hfEaLtyQzgGjQ5JiFGKloQ9c4xS8aB5d0jhobbdFhsWbcSK8z7EcRljdbkY56S7r8owWQl2qYibQ9bjtg04aLqbK_wF0a/s800/the%20glutton.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="517" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8BiLWlgtYqJG76DaL9bKkftLdnlIPrRHxlxAXOZTIIuEWRI-vDFYT2Mr9H20P4L-ttlKCAJwA4tz7Bc5e48OfSCQ53BzNR-hfEaLtyQzgGjQ5JiFGKloQ9c4xS8aB5d0jhobbdFhsWbcSK8z7EcRljdbkY56S7r8owWQl2qYibQ9bjtg04aLqbK_wF0a/w259-h400/the%20glutton.jpeg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Granta<br />2023</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;">A subversive historical novel set during the French Revolution, inspired by a young peasant boy turned showman, said to have been tormented and driven to murder by an all-consuming appetite.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1798, France. Nuns move along the dark corridors of a Versailles hospital where the young Sister Perpetué has been tasked with sitting with the patient who must always be watched. The man, gaunt, with his sallow skin and distended belly, is dying: they say he ate a golden fork, and that it’s killing him from the inside. But that’s not all—he is rumored to have done monstrous things in his attempts to sate an insatiable appetite… an appetite they say tortures him still.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Born in an impoverished village to a widowed young mother, Tarare was once overflowing with quiet affection: for the Baby Jesus and the many Saints, for his mother, for the plants and little creatures in the woods and fields around their house. He spends his days alone, observing the delicate charms of the countryside. But his world is not a gentle one—and soon, life as he knew it is violently upended. Tarare is pitched down a chaotic path through revolutionary France, left to the mercy of strangers, and increasingly, bottomlessly, ravenous.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This exhilarating, disquieting novel paints a richly imagined life for The Great Tarare, The Glutton of Lyon in 18th-century France: a world of desire, hunger and poverty; hope, chaos and survival. As in her cult hit The Manningtree Witches, Blakemore showcases her stunning lyricism and deep compassion for characters pushed to the edge of society in The Glutton, her most unputdownable work yet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review..</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a Versailles hospital Tarare lies unloved, and largely forgotten, with only the young Sister Perpetué for company. That Tarare is dying is not disputed and as we travel along the journey of his past so we begin to see just what has made this man into<i> The Great Tarare, The Glutton of Lyon,</i> and into a monster whose gargantuan appetite would be his downfall. We meet Tarare in the aftermath of Revolutionary France as he recounts his life in dreadful detail to Sister Perpetué, which at times shocks her into silence. From rural France to his life as a soldier, and showman, Tarare is unsparing in sharing the horrors of his life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Based on the true story of Tarare, the French showman and soldier, who was renown for his unusual eating habits, this is serious historical fiction at its absolute best. At times quite shocking whilst at others gravely serious I followed Tarare as he moved from the small rural village he was named after and into the nightmare which became the French Revolution. His huge and unusual appetite made him the subject of public scrutiny and in doing so he seemed to lose his humanity altogether. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Elegantly written, with beautifully written prose, which is, at times, so scarily realistic that I had to catch my breath, <i>The Glutton</i> definitely fired my imagination. I started the story feeling only revulsion for this man who was purported to have eaten all manner of unusual things only to find, by the conclusion to Tarare's story, that he was merely a misunderstood man and not a depraved monster.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwS6aQz4CAgsLdPmQ-_JyIaoJt-YiIaOw2V6CYG8LIWsoQrHQw0bqxMzagIxA7aAjzIC0LyXC0zBItBmImMixvDtwlcaK44P7Id_UWG3v0EWL-SiVeSuW8mCGhFsZzk2EOvRO6nto82VhwdD9R-1Fm5I2tC-Ribye4b-enmdVrag7kt8DgyH-qEQ0dzL9/s2000/A%20K%20Blakemore.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwS6aQz4CAgsLdPmQ-_JyIaoJt-YiIaOw2V6CYG8LIWsoQrHQw0bqxMzagIxA7aAjzIC0LyXC0zBItBmImMixvDtwlcaK44P7Id_UWG3v0EWL-SiVeSuW8mCGhFsZzk2EOvRO6nto82VhwdD9R-1Fm5I2tC-Ribye4b-enmdVrag7kt8DgyH-qEQ0dzL9/s320/A%20K%20Blakemore.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A. K. Blakemore's debut novel,The Manningtree Witches, won the Desmond Elliott Prize 2021, was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award, and was a Waterstones Book of the Month. She is the author of two full length collections of poetry, Humbert Summer and Fondue, which was awarded the 2019 Ledbury Forte Prize for Best Second Collection, and has also translated the work of Sichuanese poet Yu Yoyo. Her poetry and prose has appeared in the London Review of Books, Poetry, the Poetry Review and the White Review, among other publications.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Follow on social media</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>X / Twitter @dylanthomasprize #SUDTP24</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Instagram @dylanthomasprize</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>X/Twitter @midascampaigns</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eMSXw-4hmwNyRUbOUMdlK4kVcN89RKaaNu3AULfkMLebGrNAhs7akBi8jVRixh-WZ-H1563ZPo63Cmr2HxMqvxl4iT180fiX_0WfybWc5LwnpSBn6TxjpOgWqi_lEhoH7m9hBHeEpSIN1IVBVLzrBPumUiE_J1ZvacsHXCMAPKtdhlIXumz9darPdBmC/s800/Dylan%20Thomas%20graphic.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="800" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eMSXw-4hmwNyRUbOUMdlK4kVcN89RKaaNu3AULfkMLebGrNAhs7akBi8jVRixh-WZ-H1563ZPo63Cmr2HxMqvxl4iT180fiX_0WfybWc5LwnpSBn6TxjpOgWqi_lEhoH7m9hBHeEpSIN1IVBVLzrBPumUiE_J1ZvacsHXCMAPKtdhlIXumz9darPdBmC/w400-h283/Dylan%20Thomas%20graphic.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-36679154796668361502024-03-11T07:00:00.002+00:002024-03-11T07:00:00.129+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~ The Other Gwyn Girl by Nicola Cornick<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7C5mfdiEkGIcIG7jKA1hZePZX08OvcxA7-FJsuyise9VZt_o5FFY7U55ZmvqGW0iaymSiNK773ehEYaASnyUS6TcSTrAkwmHM7Y82C_l1xg9WGJQERDQ4nwaekMThRVSKLTe5G23iB0FlrgCd-5n9kG7wpjr0ngCyPbUzhObwgktX70D1Vhpj7pdHY87D/s500/gwyn%20girl%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7C5mfdiEkGIcIG7jKA1hZePZX08OvcxA7-FJsuyise9VZt_o5FFY7U55ZmvqGW0iaymSiNK773ehEYaASnyUS6TcSTrAkwmHM7Y82C_l1xg9WGJQERDQ4nwaekMThRVSKLTe5G23iB0FlrgCd-5n9kG7wpjr0ngCyPbUzhObwgktX70D1Vhpj7pdHY87D/w261-h400/gwyn%20girl%20cover.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boldwood Books<br /><br />7 March 2024<br /><br />Mt thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book<br />and the invitation to the blog tour<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1671 – London</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Civil War is over and Charles II, the ‘Merry Monarch’, is revelling in the throne of his murdered father and all the privileges and power that comes with it. Sharing the spoils is his favourite companion, the celebrated beauty, actress Nell Gwyn. Beloved of the English people, Nell has come a long way from selling oranges and a childhood in a brothel, but as her fortunes have turned, her sister Rose has taken a different path. Marriage to a feckless highwayman has left Rose in the grim Marshalsea prison and now she needs her sister’s mercy to help get her out. But Nell needs Rose too. A plot to steal the Crown Jewels has gone tragically wrong, and Nell’s future with her protector King is at risk. If Rose can’t solve the riddle of the jewels both Gwyn sisters will head straight to the Tower.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Present Day</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Librarian and history enthusiast Jess Yates has hit rock bottom. With her ex behind bars for fraud, Jess needs to lay low – easier said than done with a celebrity sister. But Tavy has her uses. Her latest TV project involves renovating Fortune Hall, and she needs a house sitter while she’s jetting around the world. The opportunity is too good to miss, especially when Jess discovers that Fortune Hall has links to the infamous Nell Gwyn.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Slowly the house begins to reveal its mysteries, and secrets that have laid buried for centuries can no longer be ignored. Jess hears echoes from a tragic past and as she struggles to understand her sister, Jess feels ever closer to Rose Gwyn, the sister forgotten by history but who had the fate of her family in her hands.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bestselling author Nicola Cornick is back with a captivating, gripping, unforgettable tale of treachery and treason, love and loyalty, perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Elena Collins and Christina Courtenay.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXIJsvZt5-crXjjRUdsQ6CBqB3mnjR0JeqraNbDsDGW0sna11iMcnrUMcghioEQHjD-_I44WYYT4xlkvJ_rpfBRDM7MSAjgNTazlsdCMf6y06ShUkmrMhRJRft9KIYVXMIyAtqbXzeFrc0VJZu2du8-3R2xungQX6hOneRZ0ZoEY32Q2rEkDQwAUTgCwn/s600/other%20gwyn%20girl%20graphic.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXIJsvZt5-crXjjRUdsQ6CBqB3mnjR0JeqraNbDsDGW0sna11iMcnrUMcghioEQHjD-_I44WYYT4xlkvJ_rpfBRDM7MSAjgNTazlsdCMf6y06ShUkmrMhRJRft9KIYVXMIyAtqbXzeFrc0VJZu2du8-3R2xungQX6hOneRZ0ZoEY32Q2rEkDQwAUTgCwn/s320/other%20gwyn%20girl%20graphic.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review...</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I like nothing better than to time slip into one of my favourite periods in history. In <i>The Other Gwyn Girl</i> we are taken back to the time of Charles II and whilst his relationship with Nell Gwyn is well documented little is known about her older sister, Rose. This story sets the record straight and in a beautifully imagined story we follow the tumultuous events of Rose Gwyn's life and of her alleged involvement in the daring attempt to steal the Crown Jewels in 1671. The differences between Nell's life as the darling mistress of a King and Rose's life as the wife of a feckless thief couldn't be more different and so it is these stark differences which make the story all the more interesting.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the modern day Jess Yates has been offered sanctuary in Fortune Hall where her celebrity sister Tavy renovates the medieval hall for her social media channels. Mirroring the discrepancy in the fortunes of two very different sisters <i>The Other Gwyn Gir</i>l is an interesting story of siblings especially when one is more successful than the other and of their influence on each other's lives. I particularly enjoyed the similarities about events in Stuart England, whilst, at the same time, being comfortable about what was happening in the modern day story with Jess and Tavy. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Written with an authenticity which brings everything vividly to life, the author weaves past and present really well, blending them so seamlessly that I could well imagine spending time at Nell's house in Pall Mall or supping ale with Rose in The White Hart Inn in Covent Garden. I was equally fascinated by Jess as she begins to unfold the ancient history of Fortune Hall and reveals the long buried secrets of the past.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uQaxbXeigQkRB17azKDMlf1Zw_3kWfHW_OJKMLT918sfjadjM-a-PYeQkjt00BI1ubtCNbY8RH9rLVN-hNY2k31Uavru68sEi1GVb2Pw1HIcPNch-SpAp56SYOwmJmnsyceL2HmEU5p8bpKH9ASWSndn8VwNTMkT-7rFIxMKEgkeF_w5xoxRhZlpHXEF/s1600/nicola%20cornick.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1108" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uQaxbXeigQkRB17azKDMlf1Zw_3kWfHW_OJKMLT918sfjadjM-a-PYeQkjt00BI1ubtCNbY8RH9rLVN-hNY2k31Uavru68sEi1GVb2Pw1HIcPNch-SpAp56SYOwmJmnsyceL2HmEU5p8bpKH9ASWSndn8VwNTMkT-7rFIxMKEgkeF_w5xoxRhZlpHXEF/s320/nicola%20cornick.jpeg" width="222" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nicola Cornick is a historian and author who works as a researcher and guide for the National Trust in one of the most beautiful 17th century houses in England. She writes dual time novels that illustrate her love of history, mystery and the supernatural, and focus on women from the footnotes of history. Her books have appeared in over twenty five languages, sold over half a million copies worldwide and been described as "perfect for Outlander fans." Nicola also gives writing and history talks, works as a consultant for TV and radio, and is a trustee of the Wantage Literary Festival and the Friends of Lydiard Park.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/NicolaCornick" target="_blank">Twitter / X</a> @NicolaCornick #TheOtherGwynGirl</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/nicola.cornick" target="_blank"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/nicola.cornick" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nicolacornick/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://mailchi.mp/f12f7419b68f/nicolacornicknews" target="_blank">Newsletter</a> <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nicola-cornick" target="_blank">BookBub</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@BoldwoodBooks # BoldwoodBloggers</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@rararesources</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOnGstPsYU6ilcfgPniXfQjyIQ7Z159iwTiW5Xk8d90fj1cwwoD2exm050tonhlzlCx81MaQYgmY9zeTx-37ie8h4uS8FWcceXL_XvcH2gYFy3SniDzTgyyaqzdJ-ffIsoCftcxYzagZ0blwlpiuTykY7tnHG6KhjhaknoM1WH3VSo8WunT9XINE1FhNW/s1825/gwyn%20girl%20banner.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1825" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOnGstPsYU6ilcfgPniXfQjyIQ7Z159iwTiW5Xk8d90fj1cwwoD2exm050tonhlzlCx81MaQYgmY9zeTx-37ie8h4uS8FWcceXL_XvcH2gYFy3SniDzTgyyaqzdJ-ffIsoCftcxYzagZ0blwlpiuTykY7tnHG6KhjhaknoM1WH3VSo8WunT9XINE1FhNW/w640-h376/gwyn%20girl%20banner.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-39719549369708146252024-03-07T07:00:00.011+00:002024-03-07T08:18:27.797+00:00📖 Featured Book of the Month ~ The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden<p> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5r33Z2NrTYbS9Fxn45C_aFIdRmH4_ZoZt_9QuQXVpLYWP_6h5XXJxsGEKavBxwYVLlFH1isFOiqGZnZkDZU9Ih0mWFespT-e5ITKDN5QWci0gHF_ePQ27PaTeMr9kXK6bblaOI-YoORWM8JLf11v3u22rrmF2A2ZcnjNWsB4kgWO1ncnkOd2gK4ce4r5S/s397/warm%20hands%20of%20ghosts%20cover.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5r33Z2NrTYbS9Fxn45C_aFIdRmH4_ZoZt_9QuQXVpLYWP_6h5XXJxsGEKavBxwYVLlFH1isFOiqGZnZkDZU9Ih0mWFespT-e5ITKDN5QWci0gHF_ePQ27PaTeMr9kXK6bblaOI-YoORWM8JLf11v3u22rrmF2A2ZcnjNWsB4kgWO1ncnkOd2gK4ce4r5S/w258-h400/warm%20hands%20of%20ghosts%20cover.png" width="258" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random House UK /Cornerstone<br />7 March 2024<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">World War One, and as shells fall in Flanders, a Canadian nurse searches for her brother believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise in this gripping and powerful historical novel from the bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">January 1918. Laura Iven has been discharged from her duties as a nurse and sent back to Halifax, Canada, leaving behind a brother still fighting in the trenches of the First World War. Now home, she receives word of Freddie's death in action along with his uniform -but something doesn't quite make sense. Determined to find out more, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about ghosts moving among those still living and a strange inn-keeper whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could this have happened to Freddie - but if so, where is he?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped under an overturned pillbox with an enemy soldier, a German, each of them badly wounded. Against all odds, the two men form a bond and succeed in clawing their way out. But once in No Man's Land, where can either of them turn where they won't be shot as enemy soldiers or deserters? As the killing continues, they meet a man - a fiddler - who seems to have the power to make the hellscape that surrounds them disappear. But at what price?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A novel of breath-taking scope and drama, of compulsive readability, of stunning historical research lightly worn, and of brilliantly drawn characters who will make you laugh and break your heart in a single line, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a book that will speak to readers directly about the trauma of war and the power of those involved to love, endure and transcend it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review..</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have enjoyed previous books by this author so I knew that I was in for a treat as her writing style is quite different and it is this quirkiness which appeals to me. <i>The Warm Hands of Ghosts</i> is set during the First World War when Canadian nurse Laura Iven receives news of her younger brother Freddie's death. Laura has already been discharged from her duties as a WW1 nurse and is back home in Halifax, however, determined to go back to Flanders she volunteers to work in a private hospital in order to find her brother. Freddie fighting in the trenches in Flanders has a very special story and it is Laura's quest to discover what happened to Freddie which forms the basis of the story.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What then follows is a powerful story about love and loss which cleverly combines the historical accuracy of trench warfare especially capturing the horror of the mud and blood of Passchendaele. The story is bleak in places and there were times, particularly with Freddie's story, when I had to stop and take a minute to assimilate what I had read and the direction in which the story was heading. I liked Laura from the start, she's doggedly determined to discover the truth, which I'm not about to spoil, and yet Laura is also chasing her own demons which are cleverly interpreted by this author's ability to capture even the smallest nuances of character.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Haunting, melancholy but beautifully imagined, with spectral elements, hence the title, <i>The Warm Hands of Ghosts </i>is a thought provoking read about the power of love and the overwhelming sadness of devastating loss which leaves you chilled to the bone. On its publication day, I have no hesitation in making <i>The Warm Hands of Ghosts </i>my <i>Book of the Month for March.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOkaq0CxNHgR-zEsJ4IE_cxF-yluBibpiDN6bPwl_lHaotbU-EsEhUCoGibEO8dezmqC9cUZXiPE3HuM_Ym1ijrKLFzbdIHtgzwwXDt8GMisru5YOVC4PZeWVmOEowDPlI2PV7AovxAPsy26r3wEUimVvi4y5I7Md1taEMGAGn97-gvcYZG2Il2BucKaE/s1200/WHG%20graphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOkaq0CxNHgR-zEsJ4IE_cxF-yluBibpiDN6bPwl_lHaotbU-EsEhUCoGibEO8dezmqC9cUZXiPE3HuM_Ym1ijrKLFzbdIHtgzwwXDt8GMisru5YOVC4PZeWVmOEowDPlI2PV7AovxAPsy26r3wEUimVvi4y5I7Md1taEMGAGn97-gvcYZG2Il2BucKaE/s320/WHG%20graphic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Warm Hands of Ghosts is published by Century on the 7th March</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Born in Austin, Texas, Katherine Arden has always had a taste for wandering. She spent her junior year of high school in Rennes, France. Following her acceptance to Middlebury College in Vermont, she deferred enrolment for a year in order to live and study in Russia. At Middlebury, she specialized in French and Russian literature, and her studies included sojourns at the Sorbonne in Paris and the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After receiving her BA, she moved to Maui, Hawaii and worked every kind of odd job imaginable, from grant writing and guiding horse tours to serving as a personal tour guide. During this time she wrote what became her debut novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. After a year on the island, she moved to Briançon, France, and spent nine months teaching. She then returned to Maui, where she began writing The Girl in the Tower, the sequel to her debut, and officially launched her career as an author. Currently she lives in Vermont.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She is the author of the Winternight Trilogy for adults and the Small Spaces Quartet for children. The Warm Hands of Ghosts is her eighth novel</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Twitter / X @arden_katherine #TheWarmHandsOfGhosts</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://katherineardenbooks.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">@centurybooksuk</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO66r1_t6b_j4PcVQvT4W9xnmbz4_i0xidqSGK9FRfUwFGoernrTeauIYZ_ZAa21aXpZzQHDjSy-9LXz9gMJ7nKCvHFeXCkwqjqryR5DeqJX7JJbEa_bW_8uvTmA9mkJjnebk7AV2JIa1ebw5Z7-ZAxLsXqrVQf0Onhim6xhUyUAlXBjLXfjMAFyPBgeQt/s6912/Featured%20Book%20of%20the%20Month%20graphic%202022.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO66r1_t6b_j4PcVQvT4W9xnmbz4_i0xidqSGK9FRfUwFGoernrTeauIYZ_ZAa21aXpZzQHDjSy-9LXz9gMJ7nKCvHFeXCkwqjqryR5DeqJX7JJbEa_bW_8uvTmA9mkJjnebk7AV2JIa1ebw5Z7-ZAxLsXqrVQf0Onhim6xhUyUAlXBjLXfjMAFyPBgeQt/w400-h200/Featured%20Book%20of%20the%20Month%20graphic%202022.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-63938100590655461412024-03-06T08:30:00.001+00:002024-03-06T08:30:00.124+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~ EXSILIUM by Alison Morton<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIDofXG29Z-y5ufjyEiKPRApHgQKxMyymfVFcaTcTydziR9A-ljROkloraoMNS-gcoN61z2uv6XqCq2FRurEqFvOqUbFu0bSfo6PFZ-YXWmqzFbjbu9i2K1cPttj9W-lbeFbrGPd_6ypYOExh8K3ct6KB-fOnYujQ0CeaqR00Yxphe1etWO2rIukKxLzdl/s500/EXSILIUM%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIDofXG29Z-y5ufjyEiKPRApHgQKxMyymfVFcaTcTydziR9A-ljROkloraoMNS-gcoN61z2uv6XqCq2FRurEqFvOqUbFu0bSfo6PFZ-YXWmqzFbjbu9i2K1cPttj9W-lbeFbrGPd_6ypYOExh8K3ct6KB-fOnYujQ0CeaqR00Yxphe1etWO2rIukKxLzdl/w259-h400/EXSILIUM%20cover.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">27 February 2024<br /><br />My thanks to the author for my copy of this book<br />and for inviting me to take part in this blog tour</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">AD 395. In a Christian Roman Empire, the penalty for holding true to the traditional gods is execution.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Maelia Mitela,</b> her dead husband condemned as a pagan traitor, leaving her on the brink of ruin, grieves for her son lost to the Christians and is fearful of committing to another man.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Lucius Apulius,</b> ex-tribune, faithful to the old gods and fixed on his memories of his wife Julia’s homeland of Noricum, will risk everything to protect his children’s future.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Galla Apulia,</b> loyal to her father and only too aware of not being the desired son, is desperate to escape Rome after the humiliation of betrayal by her feckless husband.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For all of them, the only way to survive is exile.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><i><br />EXSILIUM is the sequel to JULIA PRIMA and the two books make up the Foundation strand in the Roma Nova series. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></i><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Delighted to be able to share an extract from EXSILIUM today</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Rome AD 389 at the marriage of Lucius Apulius’s daughter Galla to Proculus</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Maelia Mitela narrates.</i></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘You were lucky to find a traditional priest in this day and age,’ a voice murmured nearby. ‘Risking somebody sneaking to the Christians about him…'</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I spun round. Marcellus Varus. But his smile was sympathetic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘We had a contact via the Senate, so hopefully, nobody will,’ I said. ‘But it’s only animal sacrifice that’s forbidden, and telling the future.’ I smiled up at his friendly open face. He was a good fifteen years older than me with white wings to the hair above his ears. ‘I don’t think the cook’s honey cakes would offend anybody,’ I continued. He laughed a warm, throaty chuckle. I leant in closer so he could hear my whisper. ‘And the great relief is that we don’t have to stand around looking pious when the haruspex opens the animal up and wriggles his hand around its smelly insides.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Gods, yes.’ He scratched the side of his head and gave a rueful look. ‘I’ll give the Christians that. I don’t like the way things are going, but they have at least stopped those barbaric things from the ancient days.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘You’re not… You’re not one of them, are you?’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Jupiter, no. Of course not. Where are your wits, my girl? We might deal with them and stop using the gods’ names in their presence, but all that serious praying and submission? And that nonsensical idea of the afterlife. No, I thank you.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘I’ve had a few cold looks and one of my friends actually turned her back on me in the baths since Silvanius’s death. She’s now a Christian, I gather, but is no longer a friend,’ I added drily.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Ah, Silvanius supported Magnus Maximus?’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Yes, he died at Marcellinus’s side at Poetovio.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Ah, I remember now. I’m so sorry.’ He took a sip from his cup. ‘Still a good crowd to celebrate Quintus Apulius’s granddaughter’s marriage. Surprised not to see Symmachus, though.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Lucius invited him for his father’s sake – Quintus and Symmachus are good friends despite the age difference. But giving that eulogy last year to Magnus Maximus in a full Senate session has damned Symmachus. Gaius heard he’d even taken refuge in one of the Christians’ churches, then ridden as if the Furies were after him to his estate in Campania.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Hm. He’s going to have to grovel mightily to keep his head on his shoulders after that. Theodosius won’t forgive that kind of public commitment. He’s probably finished in political life in any case.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I shivered. If Emperor Theodosius condemned such a respected and powerfully connected man as Quintus Aurelius Symmachus – a former prefect of Rome – then what hope was there that we would survive?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> © Alison Morton, 2024</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_iDT6I2AHagPNrqZXuGQAZeaWlIAUtA6bk1gutdCr6s2ypyLAEmDYq6_UwBAD3gyH7TtQ8P0t8vN_sANujDXZCz2bzc33ALVnlfh_CrfORqpGzurm3XvrF4Jjr4dbiaqWKqZFFdazhk2wiowiqIei8k4C6qHeJcxRlOsFbwZr22Sf9gKgmI-qjBCDKsz/s1200/EXSILIUM%20Out%20now%20replacement.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1200" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_iDT6I2AHagPNrqZXuGQAZeaWlIAUtA6bk1gutdCr6s2ypyLAEmDYq6_UwBAD3gyH7TtQ8P0t8vN_sANujDXZCz2bzc33ALVnlfh_CrfORqpGzurm3XvrF4Jjr4dbiaqWKqZFFdazhk2wiowiqIei8k4C6qHeJcxRlOsFbwZr22Sf9gKgmI-qjBCDKsz/w400-h229/EXSILIUM%20Out%20now%20replacement.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div>📖 My Review..</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those readers who follow these historical thrillers will be delighted with EXSILIUM which is the sequel to JULIA PRIMA. It's a thrilling story which takes us back to the very foundations of Roma Nova and into an ancient world which this author recreates so vividly. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We meet up with Maelia Mitela and Lucius Apulius both characters we have met before but this time their destiny lies in a very different direction. With pagan Gods being replaced by Christian Gods, and with families facing ruin, the old way of life is changing, and with this change comes intrigue, and danger, especially for those who find that their futures are becoming more and more uncertain. Moving from an old way of life and into exile is never easy and yet the author describes everything so vividly I felt like I travelled with them on their epic journey as they face the perils and pitfalls of moving into the unknown. Strong female characters find their rightful place in this Roma Nova world and it has been a real delight to see them flourish and progress in this new world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With a thrilling historical adventure at its core EXSILIUM has a strong story-line with equally strong characters. Beautifully written, and authentically researched, the author recreates this ancient world with imaginative flair bringing time, place and people to life in glorious detail. It's been a real pleasure to follow the Roma Nova series from the beginning and now with JULIA PRIMA and EXSILIUM added to the catalogue of stories we have a unique perspective on the foundations of the Roma Nova world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9uHkY7cdpioi3U0a-lEw6tzSbCZulr4t9Hnj8m_Tvz7s0wIJIVShyrPo0_gaaXGUInN87jTVBsiKNL8D6ufU3dpZxVF9ABaF7x9GkUhHjIeHtWnyYDhQ6VtfeSxeN9XQtyjiFVzL1enL2lgcrhGzic3yuYctnwIzYAyOh5DR44IuyWTJoTMZC5FUIyDSl/s1280/IMG_1892.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9uHkY7cdpioi3U0a-lEw6tzSbCZulr4t9Hnj8m_Tvz7s0wIJIVShyrPo0_gaaXGUInN87jTVBsiKNL8D6ufU3dpZxVF9ABaF7x9GkUhHjIeHtWnyYDhQ6VtfeSxeN9XQtyjiFVzL1enL2lgcrhGzic3yuYctnwIzYAyOh5DR44IuyWTJoTMZC5FUIyDSl/w400-h300/IMG_1892.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alison at Virunum<br />Photo courtesy of the author</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her ten-book Roma Nova series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but use a sharp line in dialogue. The latest, EXSILIUM, plunges us back to the late 4th century, to the very foundation of Roma Nova.</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She blends her fascination for Ancient Rome with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Alison now lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her two contemporary thrillers, Double Identity and Double Pursuit.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Social media
links</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Connect with Alison on her thriller site: <a href="https://www.alison-morton.com/" target="_blank">here</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook author page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AlisonMortonAuthor" target="_blank">here</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">X/Twitter:</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/alison_morton"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">@alison_morton</span></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Alison’s writing blog: <a href="https://alisonmortonauthor.com/" target="_blank">here</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alisonmortonauthor/" target="_blank">here</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Goodreads: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5783095.Alison_Morton" target="_blank">here</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">
Threads:<a href="https://www.threads.net/@alisonmortonauthor" target="_blank"> here</a></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Alison’s Amazon
page: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Alison-Morton/author/B007JZ1XRS?asc_campaign=f2cc450392929b2ccfcb1c8a612e2057&asc_source=01HDKBJX9XED8Q8C8D3V1JSRGV&tag=snxgb147-21&ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">here</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Newsletter
sign-up: <a href="https://www.alison-morton.com/newsletter/" target="_blank">here</a></span></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Buying links</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> for EXSILIUM:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Amazon: </span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="https://mybook.to/EXSILIUM" target="_blank">here</a> </span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(universal link)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Other retailers: <a href="https://books2read.com/EXSILIUM" target="_blank">here </a></span></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBYvsvLoc63bgeXKfDcFFGVtijxy3ZMZHa5QG8uFSQQC_rj0lkUy5uFl5bn5pdNzXCr3nYhotph4LCttQpqA9qY2jzM6rul3VSqdYINM4N3lZ6lzjQblrg0ElhvWMm83pDlYXpHLU5_Vg3Ir_DwLYnV8I1UplEG6xwjz2PmJ27P1dMZN8CNFqqQuRhlC2/s1500/Roma%20Nova%20books%20Feb2024.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1500" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBYvsvLoc63bgeXKfDcFFGVtijxy3ZMZHa5QG8uFSQQC_rj0lkUy5uFl5bn5pdNzXCr3nYhotph4LCttQpqA9qY2jzM6rul3VSqdYINM4N3lZ6lzjQblrg0ElhvWMm83pDlYXpHLU5_Vg3Ir_DwLYnV8I1UplEG6xwjz2PmJ27P1dMZN8CNFqqQuRhlC2/w400-h224/Roma%20Nova%20books%20Feb2024.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /> </div></div></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-46141554566532956352024-02-29T07:00:00.001+00:002024-02-29T07:00:00.133+00:00📖 Publication Day Book Review ~ The Long and Winding Road by Lesley Pearse<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlYW4lteRNJxqlni5WzIR8XJtwK7E9naaZePR9J4MY106CszKbgS6_oNZewPzEgYsxAw7C92bGy-7K2xFVNl6vidZUS0gNqzQGD1yzkN0VkW7hdiq4jqy8tJ32sRAAIkvRzymFyYomr_cQ-jk6VN_xsD8dTqOneCbXn6vJfUCes_isZVjCpAuYjAtJKJO/s393/long%20and%20winding%20road.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlYW4lteRNJxqlni5WzIR8XJtwK7E9naaZePR9J4MY106CszKbgS6_oNZewPzEgYsxAw7C92bGy-7K2xFVNl6vidZUS0gNqzQGD1yzkN0VkW7hdiq4jqy8tJ32sRAAIkvRzymFyYomr_cQ-jk6VN_xsD8dTqOneCbXn6vJfUCes_isZVjCpAuYjAtJKJO/w260-h400/long%20and%20winding%20road.png" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penguin Michael Joseph<br />29 February 2024<br /><br />My thanks to the publisher and ed public relations for my copy of this book</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Born during the Second World War, Lesley’s innocence came to an abrupt end when a neighbour found her, aged 3, coatless in the snow. The mother she’d been unable to wake had been dead for days. Sent to an orphanage, Lesley soon learned adults couldn’t always be trusted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a teenager in the swinging sixties, she took herself to London. Here, the second great tragedy of her life occurred. Falling pregnant, she was sent to a mother and baby home, and watched helplessly as her newborn was taken from her.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But like so many of her generation, Lesley had to carry on. She was, after all, a true survivor. Marriage and children followed – and all the while she nurtured a dream: to be a writer. Yet it wasn’t until at the age of 48 that her stories – of women struggling in a difficult world – found a publisher, and the bestseller lists beckoned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, Lesley’s story really is A Long and Winding Road with surprises and uplifting hope around every corner .</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>📖 </b></span><b>My Review..</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've probably been reading this author's books for the last twenty or so years and Lesley Pearse never fails to entertain with stories which tug away at my heart strings and as one story ends, I always want to read more. For the first time we are given the unique opportunity to know more about this successful author in her autobiography which takes us from Lesley's difficult early childhood through to her later life. It’s an emotional read, Lesley has certainly had an eventful life and the autobiography is filled with anecdotal stories and described with all the warmth and wit which is so reminiscent of this author's ability to hold the reader in the palm of her hand.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Aptly titled <i>The Long and Winding Road </i>this autobiography certainly takes us on a convoluted journey through the momentous moments of Lesley’s life, a life which, it must be said, has been far from easy. There has been heartbreak aplenty but also surprising amounts of good humour and the stoical sense that Lesley is one of life’s great survivors and that despite the setbacks she encountered it has only served to make her into the fine writer she is today. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've thoroughly enjoyed this window into the life of this prolific writer and on finishing the book, with tissues in hand, I can now understand just how Lesley can write such emotional stories. Everything she does is straight from the heart and everything she has learned from her eventful life is reflected in the wonderful stories she writes so very well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGzOhYAJ5k5HiPpo735MT0ynyek2QlKWgW4Lji17Zoqzxv3oGIVjzFZ07tuoF1jjTDgsGqBNPvy45egL9O6e2DE5zzE5LebzIWbABcDdHFGg6A3xtr9pmTAt4V6ot-ECu8UTTLrX4NdVpsiMhvoDfwi82m3WqYMsQPHk8n9YRLCUtMjzhl3Bm3Ikr0E-u/s1080/LAWR%20graphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGzOhYAJ5k5HiPpo735MT0ynyek2QlKWgW4Lji17Zoqzxv3oGIVjzFZ07tuoF1jjTDgsGqBNPvy45egL9O6e2DE5zzE5LebzIWbABcDdHFGg6A3xtr9pmTAt4V6ot-ECu8UTTLrX4NdVpsiMhvoDfwi82m3WqYMsQPHk8n9YRLCUtMjzhl3Bm3Ikr0E-u/w200-h200/LAWR%20graphic.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdZ4dyx6w1tUyltRcjZsGRS32XtL3bPiJN1dswgF4iSGnrvvQXj0kRogsZfwy_C__gw6Fm8rQFASyEWeGNKqKYAivbFh5ZqUSHtUKxAkomDynvjL-WGYCWBNANa-qF-j6u46GdzPVWJmFMYzgdT1CoZmTiRvT1g25vJ9HPILo354X7AgpFlkCix2tlQ/s1000/Lesley%20Pearse%20Copyright%20Charlotte%20Murphy%202014.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdZ4dyx6w1tUyltRcjZsGRS32XtL3bPiJN1dswgF4iSGnrvvQXj0kRogsZfwy_C__gw6Fm8rQFASyEWeGNKqKYAivbFh5ZqUSHtUKxAkomDynvjL-WGYCWBNANa-qF-j6u46GdzPVWJmFMYzgdT1CoZmTiRvT1g25vJ9HPILo354X7AgpFlkCix2tlQ/s320/Lesley%20Pearse%20Copyright%20Charlotte%20Murphy%202014.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">© Charlotte Murphy 2014</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Lesley Pearse is a global No.1 bestseller with fans across the world and sales of over 10 million copies of her books to date. One of the nation’s best-loved storytellers – a Lesley Pearse book is sold every 4 minutes in the UK – Lesley is a master of the gripping story line, always introducing her readers to characters that are impossible to forget. Although there is no set formula or easily defined genre for a Lesley Pearse novel, strong heroines and jeopardy are pervasive, and she always engages the reader completely. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Told with Lesley's trademark warmth, wit and poignancy The Long and Winding Road is the extraordinary story of a remarkable woman fighting against the odds to achieve her dreams and finally winning.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lesley lives in Torquay where she enjoys walking on the beach with her grandchildren. A fantastic speaker and committed and passionate fundraiser for the NSPCC, Lesley is a much sought after guest at literary lunches, library events and festivals up and down the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter @LesleyPearse #LoveLesley #TheLongAndWindingRoad</div></div><div><br /></div><div>@michaeljbooks @ed_pr</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho63DZa8XXdBbQ7WStCWLjNxhHz6nRuwicRAFuGTBsURDbXSvQdXBvbOmjh4gxEchvQb5Ku3sM_xMTheZqJkuYzmGb2KA4ljlR_MPdy5vawxdS3n8LIDQhGiBs2xXE_kn1zzkNGlo1FZE8Njx222Z-XoBD4FxwSEhZ_sBSXCCT7j_Gw4zpHX8N9W31BtzG/s6912/Publication%20Day%20Graphic%202022.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho63DZa8XXdBbQ7WStCWLjNxhHz6nRuwicRAFuGTBsURDbXSvQdXBvbOmjh4gxEchvQb5Ku3sM_xMTheZqJkuYzmGb2KA4ljlR_MPdy5vawxdS3n8LIDQhGiBs2xXE_kn1zzkNGlo1FZE8Njx222Z-XoBD4FxwSEhZ_sBSXCCT7j_Gw4zpHX8N9W31BtzG/w400-h200/Publication%20Day%20Graphic%202022.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <p></p>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-41894335335807051282024-02-29T06:30:00.001+00:002024-02-29T08:28:43.868+00:00📖 Paperback Launch Day ~ Betrayal by Lesley Pearse<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxixgoQt8e4YAheOgjovkh0f4gnvHp06ZgOcyN0zYcTJsMVc-TPPLfzLMiprZZvWwEMyvahj5HOP0uvkfsAT_KffJE5orPP1UXQGvFT38R1AQcW9A8x6natapwIbkw9Wq7l8BkkM0EAY_L0ukD3CcsW-dGdxJImKAthYsMJ5EeC-1cF3pMYuyRH9StWqrN/s2250/jaffareadstoo%20quote%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="2250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxixgoQt8e4YAheOgjovkh0f4gnvHp06ZgOcyN0zYcTJsMVc-TPPLfzLMiprZZvWwEMyvahj5HOP0uvkfsAT_KffJE5orPP1UXQGvFT38R1AQcW9A8x6natapwIbkw9Wq7l8BkkM0EAY_L0ukD3CcsW-dGdxJImKAthYsMJ5EeC-1cF3pMYuyRH9StWqrN/s320/jaffareadstoo%20quote%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Eve should never have married Don Hathaway. Young and lovestruck, he’d given her two precious children - Olly and Tabitha – but he’s a bully. Worse than that, he is abusive. But, after one drunken rage too many, she realises if she doesn’t leave, she will die. With no money, or family to run to, she bravely summons the courage to escape and is helped by a network of women who give her sanctuary.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The path is not easy but driven by the need to give her children a future, she starts to rebuild her life. Don, however, is bitter. And getting away entirely proves impossible. Until the day Eve tries to teach him a lesson - and it all goes horribly wrong. Now, shouldering a terrible burden that she dares not share, Eve sets up a business in her newly adopted town of Sidmouth, and her fortunes go from strength to strength. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">New business, new home, new love. But how long before the past catches up with her? And how will she reconcile the fact that in relentlessly pursuing a better life, she may have betrayed not only her own, but her children's future happiness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review..</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Eve Hathaway has no option but to leave her violent husband but as with all bullies Don Hathaway refuses to admit that he has a problem and can't let Eve and his children have the peaceful life they crave. Setting up a new life for herself and her children isn't easy for Eve but with sheer grit and determination she takes them out of poverty and into a more settled existence except that Eve is burdened by a dreadful secret which overshadows her future happiness. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Betrayal </i>looks at the worst kind of domestic violence and does so with a sharp eye for detail and a sympathetic way of recounting a story which is all too familiar namely that of women who are scared of the consequences of leaving a violent partner. In Eve Hathaway the author has created a feisty and determined woman, who once away from her violent husband, has the ability to make a new life for herself and her children and yet with the shadow of uncertainty hanging above her the author shows just how fragile this new life can be and learning to trust isn't easy as Eve discovers to her cost and that of her family's safety.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beautifully written from start to finish and never one to shy away from uneasy topics, <i>Betrayal </i>covers some difficult subjects with this author's trademark skill of empathy, sensitivity and cracking good story telling.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdZ4dyx6w1tUyltRcjZsGRS32XtL3bPiJN1dswgF4iSGnrvvQXj0kRogsZfwy_C__gw6Fm8rQFASyEWeGNKqKYAivbFh5ZqUSHtUKxAkomDynvjL-WGYCWBNANa-qF-j6u46GdzPVWJmFMYzgdT1CoZmTiRvT1g25vJ9HPILo354X7AgpFlkCix2tlQ/s1000/Lesley%20Pearse%20Copyright%20Charlotte%20Murphy%202014.jpg" style="color: #515151; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdZ4dyx6w1tUyltRcjZsGRS32XtL3bPiJN1dswgF4iSGnrvvQXj0kRogsZfwy_C__gw6Fm8rQFASyEWeGNKqKYAivbFh5ZqUSHtUKxAkomDynvjL-WGYCWBNANa-qF-j6u46GdzPVWJmFMYzgdT1CoZmTiRvT1g25vJ9HPILo354X7AgpFlkCix2tlQ/s320/Lesley%20Pearse%20Copyright%20Charlotte%20Murphy%202014.jpg" style="background: rgb(81, 81, 81); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(81, 81, 81); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">© Charlotte Murphy 2014</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Lesley Pearse is a global No.1 bestseller with fans across the world and sales of over 10 million copies of her books to date; this year she celebrates the publication of her highly anticipated 30th novel. One of the nation’s best-loved storytellers – a Lesley Pearse book is sold every 4 minutes in the UK – Lesley is a master of the gripping storyline, always introducing her readers to characters that are impossible to forget. Although there is no set formula or easily defined genre for a Lesley Pearse novel, strong heroines and jeopardy are pervasive, and she always engages the reader completely. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter @LesleyPearse #LoveLesley30 #Betrayal</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@michaeljbooks @ed_pr</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QirTn_TaaNnrcX2FU3JmCgCXpqJuyYTwn-U7P9ajZ8aUrR_Nt-xAlfPMtPqVQOfAAgKICgoJiKbMe4j8a6pyEum1zps-NOOmo5jCpprq0uEgsRK3r7FEM-IzEIrmH7a_H6eiNQj44jeEwEYjp3OLflWttInszOrAsujUGsiXOYm9D1SNxEesE0x1T0sn/s6912/Publication%20Day%20Graphic%202022.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QirTn_TaaNnrcX2FU3JmCgCXpqJuyYTwn-U7P9ajZ8aUrR_Nt-xAlfPMtPqVQOfAAgKICgoJiKbMe4j8a6pyEum1zps-NOOmo5jCpprq0uEgsRK3r7FEM-IzEIrmH7a_H6eiNQj44jeEwEYjp3OLflWttInszOrAsujUGsiXOYm9D1SNxEesE0x1T0sn/w400-h200/Publication%20Day%20Graphic%202022.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 16px;" /></div></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-32020078037215240222024-02-28T07:00:00.004+00:002024-02-28T07:00:00.132+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~ The Sleeping Beauties by Lucy Ashe<p> </p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZdyJ0akEuqKp6s62IkENG_co0x3gvJEAxe3iFI7yxa5MAM7Vz8PLxZKCbSbS4EMpKk8oGWYya-ZPbwKcWLgSFSn7qoL-BcU4OwgsIqInsw9B18MvmOjvlvYt_UqMXJjR87dwlAzAmVnOWPyCZK3tiMeJra8vMs1HyFd475sDyM2pXDUG7qdZ7us3ClrJ/s2619/sleeping%20beauties%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZdyJ0akEuqKp6s62IkENG_co0x3gvJEAxe3iFI7yxa5MAM7Vz8PLxZKCbSbS4EMpKk8oGWYya-ZPbwKcWLgSFSn7qoL-BcU4OwgsIqInsw9B18MvmOjvlvYt_UqMXJjR87dwlAzAmVnOWPyCZK3tiMeJra8vMs1HyFd475sDyM2pXDUG7qdZ7us3ClrJ/w249-h400/sleeping%20beauties%20cover.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-style: italic; text-align: start;">Magpie Books/One World</b><br style="text-align: start;" /><b style="font-style: italic; text-align: start;">15 February 2024</b><br style="text-align: start;" /><br style="text-align: start;" /><b style="font-style: italic; text-align: start;">My thanks to the publisher and to Random Things Tours for my copy of the book</b><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: start;">and the invitation to the blog tour</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>An unputdownable tale of obsession, jealousy and heartache against the backdrop of WW2</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">May 1945 and at long last, Rosamund Caradon is feeling optimistic. As she returns the last few evacuees to London from her Devonshire manor, she vows to protect dance-obsessed daughter Jasmine from further peril.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But a chance meeting with a Sadler’s Wells ballet dancer changes everything.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the beautiful, elusive Briar Woods bursts into Rosamund’s train carriage, it’s clear her sights are set on the immediately captivated Jasmine. And Rosamund cannot shake the eerie feeling this accidental encounter is not what it seems.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For Briar may be far away from the pointe shoes and greasepaint of the Sleeping Beauty ballet that is so much a part of her, but her performance for Rosamund might just be her most successful yet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This, Briar feels, is a show for a mother and daughter. A dance that could turn deadly...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review...</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the end of the Second World War Rosamund Caradon returns the last of her evacuees to their homes in London. On the train to London she meets the enigmatic, and rather lovely, Briar Woods who soon makes a deep impression on Rosamund's nine year old daughter, Jasmine. Jasmine's interest in ballet is further enhanced when she discovers that Briar is a Sadler's Wells ballerina. What then follows is a complex story which looks at the bonds of motherhood and the deep abiding fear of having this mother/daughter bond severed irretrievably.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story moves quite seamlessly between two distinct time frames, that of Rosamund and Jasmine in 1945, and Briar's life in 1936. Briar's connection to the ballet is done with beautiful precision so that it is perfectly possible to sense the atmosphere of dancing with such a prestigious company. I especially enjoyed the references to costume and all the planning that went into each production. Rosamund and Jasmine's story in 1945 is equally compelling and as the story gets deeper so the twists and turns start to evolve and we discover the secrets which have been kept hidden for so long.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beautifully written, with a real sense of time and place, <i>The Sleeping Beauties </i>is a compelling story about jealousy, dangerous obsession and the complicated bonds of motherhood.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9Agat-Fghoz_jNKVmaZ7DzSNapWM5T1qPrbooms_yG192-l31lo1DxNx5E3RIDw7mQkyJzNFsDt4p_wYTzsiTGi8cJjEaEr5JM6A-A-vtn2qd37-tEC1wC7opRV2kW3JsZEnh84EPuz_BPnLtVuoKB4Y8_CyqaI29_vwXYRcn5CIe0UhLV1i5U9v-z6k/s600/Lucy%20Ashe%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9Agat-Fghoz_jNKVmaZ7DzSNapWM5T1qPrbooms_yG192-l31lo1DxNx5E3RIDw7mQkyJzNFsDt4p_wYTzsiTGi8cJjEaEr5JM6A-A-vtn2qd37-tEC1wC7opRV2kW3JsZEnh84EPuz_BPnLtVuoKB4Y8_CyqaI29_vwXYRcn5CIe0UhLV1i5U9v-z6k/w200-h200/Lucy%20Ashe%20.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After training at the Royal Ballet School for eight years, Lucy Ashe decided to change career plans and go to university, where she read English Literature before becoming a teacher.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her poetry and short stories have been published in a number of literary journals and she was shortlisted for the 2020 Impress Prize for New Writers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter / X @LSAshe1 #TheSleepingBeauties</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@oneworldnews </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@RandomtTTours</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfwnmwmnFXwxewbjU_T8SSvxLHHB3S1ufnFGrp0l35g8l3-xNwFYk1aRmyFNZm03Qqoz4rzNbCMqauUnr_MJ8Yge7xfz2lzlbVzRxfmSdxUozoV0wbF_TpIjYwCFcjS0QL5QZi4dncXG4pQUdAazU-wV_dwprIcnYcvO635n4J7RnYrnyzoBYwNqEpVtM/s1080/Sleeping%20Beauties%202%20BT%20Poster%20.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1080" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfwnmwmnFXwxewbjU_T8SSvxLHHB3S1ufnFGrp0l35g8l3-xNwFYk1aRmyFNZm03Qqoz4rzNbCMqauUnr_MJ8Yge7xfz2lzlbVzRxfmSdxUozoV0wbF_TpIjYwCFcjS0QL5QZi4dncXG4pQUdAazU-wV_dwprIcnYcvO635n4J7RnYrnyzoBYwNqEpVtM/w640-h456/Sleeping%20Beauties%202%20BT%20Poster%20.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-57848035753952512002024-02-26T09:00:00.006+00:002024-02-26T09:28:19.243+00:00📖 Launch Day Book Review ~ Ten Poems about Libraries from Candlestick Press<p> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFrqTTL124d5MTF0h0wxf5Sgta71NtFxoGu5SaAIQkmdn3k3BVWZApc6KGQ9Ul-8zA8xeM4TvGfz7OOMfZ6lj7Yl_eNu4sybs9ICHLYS8dB9D1mKI_3FHEjHBj_3KIP_FYBWdejJGnDdBMTtLMg7HO7JHrwwbundGIHqzNI807MqF8Dl40vbj-7DbXteh/s577/10%20libraries.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="379" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFrqTTL124d5MTF0h0wxf5Sgta71NtFxoGu5SaAIQkmdn3k3BVWZApc6KGQ9Ul-8zA8xeM4TvGfz7OOMfZ6lj7Yl_eNu4sybs9ICHLYS8dB9D1mKI_3FHEjHBj_3KIP_FYBWdejJGnDdBMTtLMg7HO7JHrwwbundGIHqzNI807MqF8Dl40vbj-7DbXteh/w263-h400/10%20libraries.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Candlestick Press<br />26 February 2024<br /><br />My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this pamphlet<br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Libraries are treasured places. We may remember visiting a local library in childhood to explore an early delight in reading. Or perhaps we have come to value them in later life, as a calm sanctuary where we can daydream among beloved books.</div><br />A library is also a portal into countless worlds of knowledge, experience and adventure:<br /><i><br />“Oh, I could walk any aisle<br />and smell wisdom, put a hand out to touch<br />the rough curve of bound leather,<br />the harsh parchment of dreams.”</i><br /><br />from <i>‘Maple Valley Branch Library, 1967’ </i>by <i>Rita Dove</i><br /><br />With irresistible affection, these poems celebrate the many things that libraries mean to us as we move through the phases of our lives.<br /><br />The poems are selected and introduced by poet Lorraine Mariner who has worked at the National Poetry Library in London for many years.<br /><br />Poems by Adrian Buckner, Louise Chandler Moulton, Claire Crowther, Rita Dove, Martina Evans, Edward Hirsch, Lorraine Mariner, Ian McMillan, Charles Simic and Indigo Williams.<br /><br />Cover illustration by Laura Brett.<br /><br />Visit the <a href="https://www.nationalpoetrylibrary.org.uk/">National Poetry Library</a>.<br /><br /><b><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review...</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I remember my first ever visit to the library. I thought it was a magical place, filled with a cornucopia of delights which have entertained, educated and beguiled me ever since. Strict silence was the rule, no food or drink allowed near the pages and children had to be seen rather than heard however, when my mother left me to explore the children's section I knew I had found my home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was delighted to find the opening poem <i>The Mobile Library</i> by <i>Martina Evans. </i>For years, when my children were small, I relied heavily on the mobile library service which visited my local area every Tuesday:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>'And that was the best thing,</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>when I was sure it was still there,</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>my feet pressing into the deep steps...'</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Capturing the thrill and excitement of libraries there is much to enjoy in this anthology of ten poems which reminds us of the beauty and wisdom of books, the thrill of chasing down a special book title and the sheer enjoyment of a place dedicated to the wonder of books.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>From The Librarian at Her Post </i>by<i> Lorraine Mariner</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>'...My armour </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>melts away and I say 'Yes, this place really exists'</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>I've been keeping it safe for you...'</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And finding lost treasures, dusty tomes which haven't been opened in forever but which reveal magic on the inside:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From<i> In the Library </i><i>for Octavio</i> by <i>Charles Simic</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>'There's a book called</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i> 'A Dictionary of Angels'</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>No-one has opened it in fifty years,</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>I know, because when I did, the covers creaked, the pages </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Crumbled...'</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beautifully produced, and with its colourful cover and end papers<i> Ten poems about Libraries</i> is every bit as magical as the libraries it champions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Publisher</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div>Candlestick Press is a small, independent press publishing sumptuously produced poetry pamphlets that serve as a wonderful alternative to a greetings card, with matching envelopes and bookmarks left blank for your message. Their subjects include Mountains, Clouds, Walking, Birds, Wine and Happiness. Candlestick Press pamphlets are stocked by chain and independent bookshops, galleries and garden centres nationwide and available to order online.</div><div><br /></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><br style="text-align: left;" /><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter/X @poetrycandle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.candlestickpress.co.uk/pamphlet/twenty-one-poems-about-wonky-animals/" style="text-align: start;">Website</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzIy8ZznIEBOXy4q1M8A74_7nMnZ8UrlYaNm_6FMafn94udb-_ItbnkcL0giBQrTnSNnTWfNp_WQcDy0hhpWNP7tVGr5ELfSd9AeVADmIcU_lVVkUVd02CSnbXbyakTVdJUsy5bxYXcnK2PA8L9oYBUgEyp3dlG1daxvgZmgLBsalH7ja9nZFF9KIa9RW/s6912/Book%20Review%20Graphic%20for%202023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzIy8ZznIEBOXy4q1M8A74_7nMnZ8UrlYaNm_6FMafn94udb-_ItbnkcL0giBQrTnSNnTWfNp_WQcDy0hhpWNP7tVGr5ELfSd9AeVADmIcU_lVVkUVd02CSnbXbyakTVdJUsy5bxYXcnK2PA8L9oYBUgEyp3dlG1daxvgZmgLBsalH7ja9nZFF9KIa9RW/w400-h200/Book%20Review%20Graphic%20for%202023.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-17342881181619860652024-02-22T07:00:00.001+00:002024-02-22T07:00:00.143+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~ Freeborn Girls by Sally Keeble<p> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuivpobrX5kNQHrnWI9Dqdkliwj8INEnE_h0vc5CK0Iw7Vh736vkiiPgJ4bYa97CcH5LXArAwl037hLutXi2QcpKYYXSL3ky1Zz0kLv4iSaiI3wVRwStgnO-xJ-GufE3e_emMHuhRV0gnvvGm70FOO_B4P6EDET3eGHToYgfVwpjpXC_Tajiek5rrQxRH6/s2400/Freeborn%20Girls%20Final%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuivpobrX5kNQHrnWI9Dqdkliwj8INEnE_h0vc5CK0Iw7Vh736vkiiPgJ4bYa97CcH5LXArAwl037hLutXi2QcpKYYXSL3ky1Zz0kLv4iSaiI3wVRwStgnO-xJ-GufE3e_emMHuhRV0gnvvGm70FOO_B4P6EDET3eGHToYgfVwpjpXC_Tajiek5rrQxRH6/w250-h400/Freeborn%20Girls%20Final%20Cover.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eleanor Press<br />15 February 2024<br /><br />My thanks to Random Things Tours for my copy of the book<br />and the invitation to the blog tour.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>“Did life ever deal you a real wild card?”</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It’s June 2019 and London’s in turmoil. But steely MP Frances Quilter is distracted from affairs of state by affairs of the heart: a new love affair and the demands of her ailing mother.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, when trouble erupts on the Cooper, a sink estate in her south London constituency, Frances misjudges the public mood—with fatal consequences. Disaster looms.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once the Cooper estate was idyllic farmland, beloved home of the Gardiner family. But when the English Civil War erupts, the farm is attacked and the family members scattered. One, a feisty girl called Elizabeth, is sold as an indentured labourer and in 1643 boards a sailing ship for the perilous voyage to America.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In “Freeborn Girls,” former MP Sally Keeble weaves a captivating story of intrigue, love and adventure following the fortunes of Frances and Elizabeth: two women separated by almost 400 years of history—but linked by a twist of fate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Can Frances salvage her career, or her love affair? Does Elizabeth survive? And who’s the enigmatic American who arrives in London to intern for Frances that eventful summer?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A page-turner of a time-slip novel for readers of historical fiction books about women finding freedom in tough times.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>📖 My Review..</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Local MP Frances Quilter represents an area of London which is ripe for redevelopment although the residents of the Cooper estate are determined to fight for their survival. Frances has a history with this area and is doing what she can, amidst the jumble of 2019 politics, to fight for the resident's rights. Four hundred years ago at the start of the English Civil War this area of London was home to Elizabeth Gardiner, a <i>'freeborn girl'</i> who finds that she too is about to become a displaced person when her life, and livelihood, take a very different direction.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a very much a story of two distinct sections and I enjoyed slipping forwards and backwards in time and followed both time frames with interest. The author captures the post-Brexit political world well and shows the insider dealings and the general shenanigans that go on behind the scenes but never forgets that at the heart of story are people who have been dealt a rough hand in life. The historical aspect of the story is atmospheric and shows in stark reality the lack of choice that women had and how they maintained the strength of will to deal with the hardships of their lives and search for their own form of freedom.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Freeborn Girls</i> is a well written story about how women struggle to get by and, despite the four hundred year gap, the freeborn girls, in Frances Quilter's part of London, are just about surviving despite the challenges which come their way.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatZi7xGPyN8tZReJRaAKspZSCrb0QnPTD1mp7DfY9oiP_EDAaxwhH_nZnYJfiuRgwW4Lb1ygjBh_CIhqzCAUZUDMu3tUhMWkyQmqr0EeKgBFUcBiU1On7-HcKuRugLG42C_2fsADfp6i36FS00dplXnfB2mWjRxS8qCXi7uduGIZK_5f3iJgJjNV9MVMz/s1280/SKeeblepic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatZi7xGPyN8tZReJRaAKspZSCrb0QnPTD1mp7DfY9oiP_EDAaxwhH_nZnYJfiuRgwW4Lb1ygjBh_CIhqzCAUZUDMu3tUhMWkyQmqr0EeKgBFUcBiU1On7-HcKuRugLG42C_2fsADfp6i36FS00dplXnfB2mWjRxS8qCXi7uduGIZK_5f3iJgJjNV9MVMz/s320/SKeeblepic.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sally's debut novel, She, You, I, has been hailed as <i>"a book of our time," </i>and <i>"a gem of a novel."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's an emotional roller-coaster of a story of lost love, buried hurt and strong women over three generations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sally writes about the things she’s passionate about—the triumphs and tragedies of people’s lives. It’s what originally took her into journalism and then politics, in the UK and beyond. She spent her early years in the USA, Switzerland and Australia, returning to the UK after working as a journalist in South Africa. After serving as an MP in the UK, she worked in international development and travelled widely, especially in Asia and Africa.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now she splits her time between Northampton and Bawdsey, a village in coastal Suffolk.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can find out more about Sally on her website at <a href="http://www.sallykeeblebooks.com">www.sallykeeblebooks.com</a> or follow her on Facebook: at Sally Keeble Author or on Instagram @sallykeeblebooks or Tik Tok @sallykbooks</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter / X @Sally_Keeble #FreebornGirls</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Instagram @sallykeeblebooks</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@RandomTTours</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEcoyUtzc-u9XxU2xO1mmBv-XQjQxbPNCrlR2lhEBumRt05cJrCGt3ukakxzk2Z32PYHspKzT1KgNWFFtxPHyHnLydGG4VoivWfbFqKkhbU3yvOvsJBuGJbIHYwJex6_nvj46ziesxOBppg3GvPleFMz0_FdAu0T-ccaqvqHM6pY66QAipSL17L0Yr7Gt/s1080/Freeborn%20Girls%20BT%20Poster%20.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1080" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEcoyUtzc-u9XxU2xO1mmBv-XQjQxbPNCrlR2lhEBumRt05cJrCGt3ukakxzk2Z32PYHspKzT1KgNWFFtxPHyHnLydGG4VoivWfbFqKkhbU3yvOvsJBuGJbIHYwJex6_nvj46ziesxOBppg3GvPleFMz0_FdAu0T-ccaqvqHM6pY66QAipSL17L0Yr7Gt/w640-h462/Freeborn%20Girls%20BT%20Poster%20.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div> <br /><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p>
<br /><br /><br /></p></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-83088427998916450772024-02-20T07:00:00.001+00:002024-02-20T07:00:00.132+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~ The Memory of Us by Dani Atkins<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLudoNtYcoD0N6odVo0BTgZDNWLoTOKCgouJFojq_db5mSUj6aamvdkGwhjD9DGfax3Js94TRYvZCPYL8Bq7YJoiO1SlgzFej61PL78dEUkqns0QfRFci7V5ktRvU4rSl1YfLfV6pdCkvQqmpvEn1gIDRO4MQEC5mcrW8znd5FS_UW3womoWPBmSaPv5m/s3701/The%20Memory%20of%20Us%20final%20jacket%20medium.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3701" data-original-width="2374" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLudoNtYcoD0N6odVo0BTgZDNWLoTOKCgouJFojq_db5mSUj6aamvdkGwhjD9DGfax3Js94TRYvZCPYL8Bq7YJoiO1SlgzFej61PL78dEUkqns0QfRFci7V5ktRvU4rSl1YfLfV6pdCkvQqmpvEn1gIDRO4MQEC5mcrW8znd5FS_UW3womoWPBmSaPv5m/w256-h400/The%20Memory%20of%20Us%20final%20jacket%20medium.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Head of Zeus<br />15 February 2024<br /><br />My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A twist of fate. An unexpected love story...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If she had been found moments later, Amelia's heart would have stopped and never recovered. Instead she was taken from the desolate beach to the nearest hospital just in time to save her life. When her sister Lexi arrives from New York, Amelia's heart is beating, but the accident has implanted a series of false memories. These memories revolve around a man named Sam, and a perfect love story that never existed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Determined to help her sister, Lexi enlists the help of Nick, a local vet who bears a striking resemblance to Sam. Together, Lexi and Nick recreate and photograph Amelia's dream dates in the hopes of triggering her true memories.</div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">But as love starts to stir between Lexi and Nick, they must navigate a complex web of emotions. How can Lexi fall for Amelia's dream man without hurting her sister?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><b>📖 My Review..</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amelia is found unconscious on a deserted beach, only moments from death. She is taken to the nearest hospital deeply unaware of the seriousness of her condition. however, when her younger sister Lexi arrives from New York, Amelia confuses her family with her apparent connection to a man called Sam who her family have never heard of before.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What then follows is a beautiful family drama about the connection between these special siblings and the abiding love between Amelia and Lexi gives the book its heart and soul. It is both heart warming and heart wrenching in equal measure and there were times when the author took every ounce of emotion and wrapped the story around my heart so that it will stay there long after other stories are finished and forgotten. Beautifully written, and sensitively explored, there is a steadfast family connection, some laugh out loud funny moments and a beautifully written love story which had me wiping away tears on more than one occasion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some books are so special that its difficult to describe them without giving far too much away and <span style="text-align: justify;"><i>The Memory of Us </i></span><i> </i>is one those stories which needs no spoilers from me, just read it.</div><div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dani Atkins has won the RNA Award three times and her books are sold in twenty countries. Born in London, she now lives in Hertfordshire with her family. Her emotionally charged novels explore the intricacies of human relationships and the power of love. Her writing journey comes from a lifelong passion for storytelling where she blends drama and romance. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her debut novel ‘Fractured’ led her to literary acclaim and followed with a bestselling repertoire of novels such as ‘The Story of Us’, ‘Our Song’ and ‘This Love’. Her latest novel ‘The Memory of Us’ reveals profound truths of the human experience and encourages readers to look at the key themes of family, love and sacrifice. The compelling narrative draws from her own personal experiences where a heart attack during lockdown led her to consider her own mortality and the pain and anguish that comes with that. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In The Memory of Us the protagonists Amelia and Lexi hail from Dani’s own relationship with her best friend and the inseparable bonds of sisterhood, especially at times of trauma.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter / X @AtkinsDani #TheMemoryofUs</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Instagram @daniatkinsauthor</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@AriaFiction</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjgO778qRahrrCXmRbegNHHjMrOqGN7h-DPQyDTaIuB-5wzUTCypEHfaTWmzg0Bev6JJTeEKYhP28AG0REpq3MN0xe9dJ03w9sd3eh-sS08n_Ak-LU9dnUUHLrBerdR-Dk5ViEDNK-lz9oPXmPaTH3ZMneU8GZceP1gS4pOOQ61yc4xtvOsdorbjgW1dD/s2000/Dani%20Atkins%20blog%20tour%20banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="2000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjgO778qRahrrCXmRbegNHHjMrOqGN7h-DPQyDTaIuB-5wzUTCypEHfaTWmzg0Bev6JJTeEKYhP28AG0REpq3MN0xe9dJ03w9sd3eh-sS08n_Ak-LU9dnUUHLrBerdR-Dk5ViEDNK-lz9oPXmPaTH3ZMneU8GZceP1gS4pOOQ61yc4xtvOsdorbjgW1dD/w640-h360/Dani%20Atkins%20blog%20tour%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><p></p> <p></p></div></div></div></div></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-48231055285715047282024-02-15T07:00:00.001+00:002024-02-15T07:00:00.241+00:00📖 Publication Day ~ The Happiest Ever After by Milly Johnson <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9UvM-dylu4DXVgo7SNfIPqACB3cfRF7SeYClJ9eMLe7Tn1JlOYIGZc119zJv0dea_mQa_zrJ8B9Qqz-0b5islJm4MfLnGUDuK2vajqdtgXp7qoedXb5Nvi6OXfoivaKM5SQqIGgD491f4s1aA9fUSptqdsQIztzLJpjJrAOYjDemkaydNacQXhunsYpk/s2144/happiest%20ever%20after.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2144" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9UvM-dylu4DXVgo7SNfIPqACB3cfRF7SeYClJ9eMLe7Tn1JlOYIGZc119zJv0dea_mQa_zrJ8B9Qqz-0b5islJm4MfLnGUDuK2vajqdtgXp7qoedXb5Nvi6OXfoivaKM5SQqIGgD491f4s1aA9fUSptqdsQIztzLJpjJrAOYjDemkaydNacQXhunsYpk/w261-h400/happiest%20ever%20after.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simon & Schuster<br />15 February 2024<br /><br />My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Polly Potter is surviving, not thriving. She used to love her job – until her mentor died and her new boss decided to make her life hell. She used to love her partner Chris – until he cheated on her, and now she can’t forget. The only place where her life is working is on the pages of the novel she is writing – there she can create a feistier, bolder, more successful version of herself – as the fictional Sabrina Anderson.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But what if it was possible to start over again? To leave everything behind, forget all that went before, and live the life you’d always dreamed of?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After a set of unforeseen circumstances, Polly ends up believing she really IS Sabrina, living at the heart of a noisy Italian family restaurant by the sea. Run by Teddy, the son of her new landlady Marielle, it’s a much-loved place, facing threat of closure as a rival restaurant moves in next door. Sabrina can’t remember her life as Polly, but she knows she is living a different life from the one she used to have.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But what if this new life could belong to her after all?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><b> </b><div><b>📖 </b><b>My Review..</b></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Polly Potter should be living her best life but is pulled down by a mediocre relationship with her partner Chris and working for a boss who neither appreciates nor values her contribution to the business. Her escape from the mundanity of her life comes in writing about a fictional character called Sabrina who is everything that Polly is not. However, when an unexpected event occurs Polly wakes up believing that she really is Sabrina and her life takes off in a whole new direction ,</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The Happiest Ever After</i> is quite simply joy wrapped up in 400 pages of delightful writing in a story which which has you laughing out loud one minute and then reaching for the tissue box as your heart strings get well and truly pulled. I loved reading about Polly/ Sabrina, I cheered at her small triumphs and desperately wanted her to find the happiness she so richly deserved and hoped against hope that certain people in the story would get their comeuppance. I especially loved the snippets from the Daily Trumpet which had me chortling into my cuppa at their apparent daftness. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I really believe that special books come along just when you need them and as I gleefully escaped into the story the grey skies and rain clouds around me disappeared. Brilliantly observed, and as expertly written as all Milly Johnson's books are <i>The Happiest Ever After</i> is an absolute joy to read from start to finish.</div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://millyjohnson.co.uk/" target="_blank">About the Author</a></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Milly Johnson was born, raised and still lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. A Sunday Times bestseller, she is one of the Top 10 Female Fiction authors in the UK, and has sold millions of copies of her books sold across the world. The Happiest Ever After is her twenty-first novel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Follow on Social media</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Twitter/X @millyjohnson</p><p style="text-align: center;">@simonschusterUK</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwG3k4h1P731wKipYQWhJS23croa-SjfuQJhhACdMgqEHAeLG4Ewm77akcJVz71_Me48WyvDfQN2WGP0OWJwdnezvrFWtzvZy2StMeXC1IM4PkWwyO-c-VriXRlYeb1aQ66eULLJY5MAvmbvsQH72JfMu66qoKtQZj2x2f6LAuq8_ffqElxi39b_nIV-hX/s6912/Publication%20Day%20Graphic%202022.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwG3k4h1P731wKipYQWhJS23croa-SjfuQJhhACdMgqEHAeLG4Ewm77akcJVz71_Me48WyvDfQN2WGP0OWJwdnezvrFWtzvZy2StMeXC1IM4PkWwyO-c-VriXRlYeb1aQ66eULLJY5MAvmbvsQH72JfMu66qoKtQZj2x2f6LAuq8_ffqElxi39b_nIV-hX/w400-h200/Publication%20Day%20Graphic%202022.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p></div></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-68027700414655776052024-02-14T07:00:00.001+00:002024-02-14T08:24:44.499+00:00💘 Valentine's Day ~ Fourteen Poems about Kissing from Candlestick Press<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pb8SoaI3yCJxZR59qEHYOaWIP8DbVNDJj0vbHsFIZERIqeQ3Z0q90OpjhyphenhyphenyevNr2A1UYFr7R5v3XCFVR_B2UVQVi9tPLTRetqVfGFY73D0KyOwt8KYZZy4UYqRJWBsL48a97CLjp9WjSUOgZeKkFgGEvhYz-UHJtSabKt5QE7PX1kLoDxmJsf730PVh3/s1168/fourteen-poems-about-kissing-poetry-pamphlet-front-cover-768x1168.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pb8SoaI3yCJxZR59qEHYOaWIP8DbVNDJj0vbHsFIZERIqeQ3Z0q90OpjhyphenhyphenyevNr2A1UYFr7R5v3XCFVR_B2UVQVi9tPLTRetqVfGFY73D0KyOwt8KYZZy4UYqRJWBsL48a97CLjp9WjSUOgZeKkFgGEvhYz-UHJtSabKt5QE7PX1kLoDxmJsf730PVh3/w263-h400/fourteen-poems-about-kissing-poetry-pamphlet-front-cover-768x1168.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Candlestick Press<br />2024<br /><br />My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this pamphlet<br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Most of us can remember our first kiss, whether it was glorious and transporting or merely awkward. Kissing, it transpires, can happen anywhere – on a train, in a city park or against a kitchen fridge.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The poems dramatise the fact that a kiss can make time stand still or send us into a dizzy spin:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>“And the world all whirling</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Round in joy</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Like the dance of a dervish…”</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">from <i>‘Kisses in the Train’ </i>by <i>DH Lawrence</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The selection wouldn’t be complete without a sly antidote to all this romance, which is why we’ve included Mary Ruefle’s ‘Why I Am Not A Good Kisser’ with its inventory of things not to do or think about when a kiss is in the offing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Poems by Kim Addonizio, Marjorie Allen Seiffert, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Robert Burns, William Drummond of Hawthornden, Hattie Grünewald, DH Lawrence, Roddy Lumsden, David Mills, Shazea Quraishi, Mary Ruefle, Roberta Spear, Sara Teasdale and Jean Toomer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cover illustration by Sara Boccaccini Meadows</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">💘<b>My Review..</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Fourteen Poems about Kissing</i> is the perfect poetry pamphlet for Valentine's Day as each of the poems share thoughts and feelings which are quite special. I've enjoyed reading the verses from poets who are well known and yet nestled like little gems are those lesser known poets who express, so eloquently, the emotion of kissing in its purest form.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>' Your lips two pillows where my dreams rest.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>where do conversations end and kisses begin</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>when syllables and lipstick wear the same breath?..<b>'</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From <i>Syllables and Lipstick</i> by <i>David Mills</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>'Before you kissed me only the winds of Heaven</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>had kissed me and the tenderness of rain-</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Now you have come, how can I care for kisses</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Like theirs again?</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From<i> The Kiss </i>by<i> Sara Teasdale</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The anthology is intimate, perfectly expressed and is a real treasure which captures the romance of Valentine's Day, a special anniversary or even a wedding day, and wraps everything so beautifully in the words of fourteen wonderful poems which stay in the mind, and heart, long after the pamphlet is closed 💘</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b>About the Publisher</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Candlestick Press is a small, independent press publishing sumptuously produced poetry pamphlets that serve as a wonderful alternative to a greetings card, with matching envelopes and bookmarks left blank for your message. Their subjects include Mountains, Clouds, Walking, Birds, Wine and Happiness. Candlestick Press pamphlets are stocked by chain and independent bookshops, galleries and garden centres nationwide and available to order online.</div><div><br /></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><br style="text-align: left;" /><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter/X @poetrycandle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.candlestickpress.co.uk/pamphlet/twenty-one-poems-about-wonky-animals/" style="text-align: start;">Website</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxX8pbyFZNipWwyBRfVBAdGP9tO1rTnpzLKMCWn9Eg9f8j4Zprv_AnsNiWiNO6qjo3dIRSMZ0tZUXajZku5559ZDTdKlYk0XpiSpw9HFPJE0Z6HnVTIkffz3pfUcsPmT59OYzItbvTSlDGw-jGQ925VBTSiajyXPpJIyqnHH_fhhVt41vgE7P65UOcu5P/s6912/Book%20Review%20Graphic%20for%202023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxX8pbyFZNipWwyBRfVBAdGP9tO1rTnpzLKMCWn9Eg9f8j4Zprv_AnsNiWiNO6qjo3dIRSMZ0tZUXajZku5559ZDTdKlYk0XpiSpw9HFPJE0Z6HnVTIkffz3pfUcsPmT59OYzItbvTSlDGw-jGQ925VBTSiajyXPpJIyqnHH_fhhVt41vgE7P65UOcu5P/w400-h200/Book%20Review%20Graphic%20for%202023.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <p></p>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-23774846427872685962024-02-13T07:00:00.008+00:002024-02-13T08:25:28.783+00:00📖 Publication Day ~ The Jerusalem Files by Corjan Mol and Christopher Morford<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDOnlB36GAggdZ8nmOXk0-OiRDcbHSdWEYdtVFa1ujFNCKadlsBQKzjSOzXy9IpbbYRqgLXttMJhRUMFNnd_mpTVMJyeuqDMNFXBwWMfq895UjSaZ7JWJjIbGP0LujUBfy4nBqbyT-yRJdl6mwwLWILLUZYeKSubm5ZUMQZFJ2kB58uFRHRMg6c84LI28/s394/IMG_1830.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDOnlB36GAggdZ8nmOXk0-OiRDcbHSdWEYdtVFa1ujFNCKadlsBQKzjSOzXy9IpbbYRqgLXttMJhRUMFNnd_mpTVMJyeuqDMNFXBwWMfq895UjSaZ7JWJjIbGP0LujUBfy4nBqbyT-yRJdl6mwwLWILLUZYeKSubm5ZUMQZFJ2kB58uFRHRMg6c84LI28/w259-h400/IMG_1830.png" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watkins Publishing<br />13 February 2024<br /><br />Thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book<br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">A non-fiction Da Vinci Code for the 21st century, this thrilling treasure hunt traces the voyage of the legendary Jewish Menorah from the Jerusalem of the Knights Templar through France, Portugal and North America, providing mind-blowing history and mystery for fans of The Curse of Oak Island.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Jewish Menorah is one of the world’s most sacred artefacts, a man-size lampstand with seven arms, made from a single block of gold, that is an iconic symbol for the Jewish people. King Solomon placed it in the inner sanctum of the Temple of Jerusalem, but by the 5th century AD, all trace of it had disappeared from the official record, and it was assumed lost.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two historical researchers, Corjan Mol and Christopher Morford, now reveal the astounding secret of what happened to the Menorah. Through their meticulous research as well as a jaw-dropping stroke of luck, Mol and Morford discovered that the Menorah was dug up from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in the time of the Crusades by the Knights Templar and smuggled to France with the help of the French King Louis IX. From there it was taken to Portugal, to end up in North America after interventions by Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. The secret was hidden in plain sight in both France and North America, on a scale so big that it took 800 years for it to be discovered.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4zlwN8sTwLhjAf0nfhkU0Ofu0jKZt25-lNfZipEecdGewxAdcPwULCRK__PNefjHysU_k0tbUJgSizL77ndUpemCKuwvOfJqUVT1wHm8x8nqV3hJo-Oj7s6pieDE34KhYDN0G-GiC2MGAW5f1JJQK-j7tQ55J6esV0gf07O72svzrvE9QjrNqC-oD3K9/s800/IMG_1873.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4zlwN8sTwLhjAf0nfhkU0Ofu0jKZt25-lNfZipEecdGewxAdcPwULCRK__PNefjHysU_k0tbUJgSizL77ndUpemCKuwvOfJqUVT1wHm8x8nqV3hJo-Oj7s6pieDE34KhYDN0G-GiC2MGAW5f1JJQK-j7tQ55J6esV0gf07O72svzrvE9QjrNqC-oD3K9/s320/IMG_1873.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I am delighted to share an extract from The Jerusalem Files </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>on its publication day </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>CHAPTER ONE</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>An end and a beginning</b></div><br /><br /><div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a dimly lit chapel at the western edge of Paris, the answer to a great mystery unraveled.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We stood on French soil in a sacred space, in a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Our feet straddled an invisible line—an imaginary arch stretching out before and behind us, connecting distant points, both east and west, spanning half the globe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We were at the end of a long road, yet had arrived at a new beginning. In this holy place we found ourselves surrounded by architecture adorned with fragments of now all too familiar symbolism, the significance of which we now fully understood.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After many months of searching, the meaning of these symbols fell into place, and we were finally able to decipher and reveal the story they told.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The building we were standing in was almost Romanesque in style and possessed an austere atmosphere. A spire ascended over our heads, unique and unusual in form. From the top of it rose a curious miniature tower that appeared to have been secretly whisked away from a medieval castle and erected right here. In turn, this tiny tower was topped by a five-pointed star: a pentagram, which is the ancient symbol of Jerusalem and of Mary, as she is the Star of the Sea. These two—the tower and the pentagram—were clues that we had been following for some time. They were tell- tale signs laid out before us that crossed a span of centuries, cropping up time and time again during the course of our investigation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whenever we caught sight of one of these clues, it would spur us on, indicating to us that the footprints we were following were not imaginary. We knew of no such spire that existed anywhere else in the world, and had not come across anything even remotely similar on any other church or chapel.</div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We strode purposefully to the center of the chapel, crossing a flat, oval paving stone that we knew was the capstone of a solitary pillar in the crypt below, standing guard in the middle of a circular chamber, sealed long ago. As above, so below. It seemed as though every statue whispered that phrase.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On our way, we passed a large rectangular slab that sealed the entrance to the subterranean vault. It was situated directly in front of the altar, and we had smiled at the inscription on it: “<i>Mementote</i> <i>Praepositorum Vestorum</i>.” This was a quote from the Bible, Hebrews 13.7 (niv): “Remember your leaders.” It was a curious phrase, yet here, in this sanctified space, one of those very leaders was present.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last rays of light from the setting sun illuminated the altar, shimmering down through the translucent body of a silent figure in the exquisite stained glass overhead. This was someone instantly recognizable to us: St Louis, King Louis IX of France, the legendary medieval sovereign who had impelled us to begin a journey that had us criss-crossing half the world, following the breadcrumbs which led, ultimately, to this precise location.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>My thanks to Laura at Watkins Publishing for her kind permission to share this book extract</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Authors</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Corjan Mol</b> is a Dutch entrepreneur and historical researcher, who has featured in several TV documentaries, including BBCs Forbidden series. He is a researcher, theorist and recurring cast member of the #1 American rated cable reality TV show The Curse of Oak Island.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Christopher Morford</b> is a 32nd degree Freemason, Gnostic bishop and occult historian and restaurateur from South Carolina who is a featured theorist and consulting researcher on The Curse of Oak Island TV reality show.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter / X @watkinswisdom </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">#TheJerusalemFiles</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Discover more about <a href="https://www.thejerusalemfiles.com/" target="_blank">The Jerusalem Files</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6953pPN_kQ69igz6I-29seBTBtGFhlwoz7CixfXoyLq9yuEdPKPYLwHg0GmT7RqigWj14WiH8jow2T9ZYBxm3tJA0B3lbkM1djmLGrekmQ1EtvrsIjNpV12AAvfDRUPqUCiz0qaaeQj7WpDu-FYnvRiGKi2173EYGVoLHRpck7o3O4UXhH6X7onzjVMPy/s400/IMG_1874.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6953pPN_kQ69igz6I-29seBTBtGFhlwoz7CixfXoyLq9yuEdPKPYLwHg0GmT7RqigWj14WiH8jow2T9ZYBxm3tJA0B3lbkM1djmLGrekmQ1EtvrsIjNpV12AAvfDRUPqUCiz0qaaeQj7WpDu-FYnvRiGKi2173EYGVoLHRpck7o3O4UXhH6X7onzjVMPy/w400-h200/IMG_1874.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-87538986343117722182024-02-12T07:00:00.001+00:002024-02-12T07:00:00.134+00:00📖 Book Review ~ What We Thought We Knew by Claire Dyer<p> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVukqoYYyVZq7NAqbe2t3LTYsBEdIh9VG2ZqMoHfhcDBSPKKyRUDlJr5ujXYUCQDxlP5jrc5UTA6LIHzinl0qr-_bCJs6_D4BLoCybgcMmtePwj9Z6jzlZldte0ozqvBBY4XUGCkXm5L9Pj2BGY4KBC8Q_XgMAjidrVXdgzi1337rb2hD3-UmctTHoXvKh/s500/what-we-thought-we-knew-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="350" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVukqoYYyVZq7NAqbe2t3LTYsBEdIh9VG2ZqMoHfhcDBSPKKyRUDlJr5ujXYUCQDxlP5jrc5UTA6LIHzinl0qr-_bCJs6_D4BLoCybgcMmtePwj9Z6jzlZldte0ozqvBBY4XUGCkXm5L9Pj2BGY4KBC8Q_XgMAjidrVXdgzi1337rb2hD3-UmctTHoXvKh/w280-h400/what-we-thought-we-knew-cover.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pegasus<br />25 January 2024<br /><br />My thanks to the author for my copy of this book<br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The families at numbers two, four and six Penwood Heights are connected by work, friendship, the loss of a child and a secret truth which has sat in the bedrock of their lives for years. In the centre of this tight-knit group is Faith, who believes her job is to act as a paperweight, keeping them all safe. And she does this until someone from her past reappears and threatens to sabotage everything. And, as the pieces fall, these families, these friends, realise that what they thought they knew about one another was nothing more than make-believe. They also discover that trust is illusory and for Faith, at least, that keeping other people’s secrets can be more dangerous than keeping her own.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>📖 </b></span><b>My Review...</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Penwood Heights is home to three families whose lives intertwine, their children play together, and the husbands drink in the local pub whilst their wives host movie nights and dinner parties. They pick blackberries in the woods and picnic in summer meadows. They laugh together, celebrate successes together and then ultimately they grieve together when tragedy rocks the foundations of their close knit group. Moving forward and backwards in time we get a sharp view of these three families, we witness the after effects of the tragedy and we move with them as they pick up the pieces, some coping better than others but always seeming to remain a cohesive whole. Faith is the one person who seems to holds them all together but when something happens to disturb the equilibrium, it is Faith who bears the brunt of the fallout.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beautifully written and sensitively explored this story unpicks the myriad threads of interconnected friendship and family life, revealing tangled secrets which would be better if they had been left hidden. However, the inevitability of secrets being exposed and dissolved reveals much and these revelations are what gives the book its absolute strength and makes the story compelling reading. I raced through the story in a couple of sittings as I really couldn’t put the book down and wanted to know how this tangled web of secrets would evolve and eventually play out in the wider scheme of events.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I’ve now read several books by this talented author and each one leaves me wanting more. <i>What We Thought We Knew </i>will remain with me for quite some time and has already secured its place on my Book of the Year list. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKF1Uhx8dBnqvv_uHNwkcUkywuh1-IiRezfBof3fbrgB-t0vSWZhTiPP0i0zZnlA23WbUVifIToYsKy3JGB-aybwo0TOBHf7O4tht_eCVderpG9TnPGoQa635h_qvfRrm_ngvXwjzmCUNAhU5PCaDy2G_RrLBiPq1P9EzeFUK4ijeO6fSzvyVuIgbC70b/s2668/claire%20(final).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2668" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKF1Uhx8dBnqvv_uHNwkcUkywuh1-IiRezfBof3fbrgB-t0vSWZhTiPP0i0zZnlA23WbUVifIToYsKy3JGB-aybwo0TOBHf7O4tht_eCVderpG9TnPGoQa635h_qvfRrm_ngvXwjzmCUNAhU5PCaDy2G_RrLBiPq1P9EzeFUK4ijeO6fSzvyVuIgbC70b/s320/claire%20(final).jpg" width="230" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Claire Dyer’s poetry collections are published by Two Rivers Press, her novels by Quercus, The Dome Press, Matador and Pegasus. Her latest novel is ‘What We Thought We Knew’, and a further collection, ‘The Adjustments’, is forthcoming with Two Rivers Press in April 2024. She teaches creative writing and runs Fresh Eyes, an editorial and critiquing service. She is Poetry Consultant to the Council of the SWWJ, has an MA in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway, University of London and is represented by Broo Doherty at DHH Literary Agency.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/ClaireDyer1" target="_blank">X/Twitter</a> @clairedyer1</div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://clairedyer.com/what-we-thought-we-knew/" target="_blank">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063705451924" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/clairedyerwriter/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Claire-Dyer/author/B00GO4672Q?qid=1483530365&sr=1-3&ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></p><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgav_7_k9ze_9NsEJbY8oAAvJTuAjyNU-mXZ4X9sFH8Kn5Y_TIR9eUTcltMy-ADGUAGDkuCfhhw2vG_p9OvZlu61VZhYGDViWNoT7IWu-nJn5UBWpLh4OVQ2Tp3R61LV6KduoeC74Ts7krfIksajrXzAPEJtYZwITFHp8Uk_0BtmeswoF4Kcb4BeEzMtzWR/s6912/Book%20Review%20Graphic%20for%202023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgav_7_k9ze_9NsEJbY8oAAvJTuAjyNU-mXZ4X9sFH8Kn5Y_TIR9eUTcltMy-ADGUAGDkuCfhhw2vG_p9OvZlu61VZhYGDViWNoT7IWu-nJn5UBWpLh4OVQ2Tp3R61LV6KduoeC74Ts7krfIksajrXzAPEJtYZwITFHp8Uk_0BtmeswoF4Kcb4BeEzMtzWR/w400-h200/Book%20Review%20Graphic%20for%202023.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-80971947752418607732024-02-08T07:00:00.017+00:002024-02-08T07:00:00.136+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~ The Summer of Lies by Louise Douglas<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8BrNiJH2jK-Jz2cotIRXsMSgjwyS2pHtBQSJLtpg18VG9A6GTo9eYoXU4IZCDE8SQTAfh3gH1H_phVDgcdXw_kWowDFdQmFiLKSU2LTFqfMT_8OhSKFE4sDDwjUIqcUJWke2W9xGRb58lEMQEt2HOa9y22y4-ti92YtxBBrqXpZL19oWDAJWyZsMikIm/s1500/summer%20of%20lies.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="985" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8BrNiJH2jK-Jz2cotIRXsMSgjwyS2pHtBQSJLtpg18VG9A6GTo9eYoXU4IZCDE8SQTAfh3gH1H_phVDgcdXw_kWowDFdQmFiLKSU2LTFqfMT_8OhSKFE4sDDwjUIqcUJWke2W9xGRb58lEMQEt2HOa9y22y4-ti92YtxBBrqXpZL19oWDAJWyZsMikIm/w263-h400/summer%20of%20lies.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Boldwood Books<br />7 February 2024<br /><br />My thanks to the publisher and to Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to the tour</span></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The summer is the hottest yet in the Brittany coastal town of Morranez, but when a new case lands on the desk of the Toussaints detective agency, there can be no time to relax. As wild fires bear down on the town, the alert goes out for a missing girl.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nineteen-year-old Briony Moorcroft has seemingly been taken from her sleepy Welsh village and brought to France. Her parents are baffled and scared – Briony needs her life-saving medicine or this case will become even more sinister, and with the police dragging their heels, the Moorcrofts are relying on Mila Shephard and Carter Jackson’s sleuthing skills.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile there are mysteries troubling Mila’s life too. Two years after the accident that swept her sister Sophie and brother-in-law Charlie away and left their daughter Ani in Mila’s care, new evidence resurfaces that makes Mila doubt everything.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Can Carter and Mila find Briony before it’s too late? And is the truth about Sophie and Charlie finally about to be revealed…</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review..</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Working for the Touissaints Detective Agency in Brittany, Mila Shepard and Carter Jackson are charged with searching for Briony Moorcroft who is missing from her home in England and is presumed to be in France with a woman who may do her harm. With nothing much to go on, and with time ticking away, Mila and Carter must do all they can to find the missing girl as soon as possible.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story moves along at a cracking pace and I enjoyed following not just Mila and Carter’s quest to find Briony but also the snippets of information about a recent tragedy in Mila’s life which has resulted in her being based in France and caring for her niece Ani. I liked very much the emotional aspect of the story especially the details of Mila’s life and her struggle to come to terms with the sadness which surrounds her. I also followed the missing person investigation with trepidation, enjoying how the author controlled the tension whilst allowing all the complicated strands of the story to come together.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What I love about this author’s skilful writing is her ability to capture the reader’s imagination right from the start and her strength in bringing a multilayered and complex story to life is done with huge insight into what makes people tick. I was really sorry when the story came to end but was delighted to discover that the ending lends itself to a further continuation, which will definitely be something to look forward to in the future. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The Summer of Lies </i>is a follow up to<i> <a href="https://jaffareadstoo.blogspot.com/2022/09/blog-tour-lost-notebook-by-louise.html" target="_blank">The Lost Notebook</a></i> which I read and enjoyed in 2022.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJCOCScQwqlHH01-7YSOy4xlWywZIftd3M2A2Uf5I_kiICsEnxyH0K3uVVbOFskI9nww772Podoilrxct8LtiRPfRkNprucB10kYkQkBP1HF5p2KSVJ76BUgupR6t5nI5bbQf-sJxG2mkwOZlBh0vDRmzJNuWMZ-0GSPj4gsvhgQU0NmPfkO7Hm3bBnTS/s2362/IMG_1827.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2362" data-original-width="1569" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJCOCScQwqlHH01-7YSOy4xlWywZIftd3M2A2Uf5I_kiICsEnxyH0K3uVVbOFskI9nww772Podoilrxct8LtiRPfRkNprucB10kYkQkBP1HF5p2KSVJ76BUgupR6t5nI5bbQf-sJxG2mkwOZlBh0vDRmzJNuWMZ-0GSPj4gsvhgQU0NmPfkO7Hm3bBnTS/w133-h200/IMG_1827.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Louise Douglas is the bestselling and brilliantly reviewed author and an RNA award winner. The Secrets Between Us was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick. She lives in the West Country.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Follow on social media</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter @LouiseDouglas3 # TheSummerOfLies</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/louisedouglas3/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063789720294" target="_blank">Facebook </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@BoldwoodBooks #BoldwoodBloggers</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@rararesources</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnKczQLmNroRUJDobQ2KZ6sO2PL3H9tKVciAtDdijTwq64tm8dOUGZXJE9A2rvuGlXMiCW-z0DbErG-sVcnJnVkp4pqrZk9V63nslxdaYhcLFsW87L2DXIc7nep5npE-Kxn4PzkxBWMoN3tiykJWu_vsUpD4fRj5lms7CPevTsrdj8TFJs1mUo5ifKk4L/s2612/IMG_1826.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="2612" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnKczQLmNroRUJDobQ2KZ6sO2PL3H9tKVciAtDdijTwq64tm8dOUGZXJE9A2rvuGlXMiCW-z0DbErG-sVcnJnVkp4pqrZk9V63nslxdaYhcLFsW87L2DXIc7nep5npE-Kxn4PzkxBWMoN3tiykJWu_vsUpD4fRj5lms7CPevTsrdj8TFJs1mUo5ifKk4L/w640-h360/IMG_1826.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><p><br /> </p>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-78315026696718698892024-02-06T10:00:00.002+00:002024-02-06T10:10:42.132+00:00📖 Book Review ~ Sugar Less by Nicole M. Avena <p> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiS0jFS4saNHgzzYFWQrPSDolNKeeLdewKM_RY-8DukERN0_9iloB6I18d1tLZNjelSRdi4SrRArmyBFe-s6XjuPVK46mISVeCXxHLEyF6y4b7nYFWyfcMoe0S0hoF58w2eGsrBZMlo9gqW2ogmEBqOSB8ehAfNI2uDuAwBYEMz9sP0JKB4Y02lFGRqiSB/s3575/sugarless%20cover.jpg" style="color: #515151; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3575" data-original-width="2400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiS0jFS4saNHgzzYFWQrPSDolNKeeLdewKM_RY-8DukERN0_9iloB6I18d1tLZNjelSRdi4SrRArmyBFe-s6XjuPVK46mISVeCXxHLEyF6y4b7nYFWyfcMoe0S0hoF58w2eGsrBZMlo9gqW2ogmEBqOSB8ehAfNI2uDuAwBYEMz9sP0JKB4Y02lFGRqiSB/w269-h400/sugarless%20cover.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background: rgb(81, 81, 81); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(81, 81, 81); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Union Square & Co<br />8 February 2024<br /><br />My thanks to Midas PR for my copy of this book</td></tr></tbody></table><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 16px;" /><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 16px;"></p><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Too many of us blame our lack of willpower for our sugar cravings rather than acknowledge that sugar is everywhere around us—and is highly addictive. It’s unsurprising that even the best-intentioned people struggle with kicking the habit, since approximately 80% of products in a supermarket contain sugar, and much of it is hidden.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Sugarless, Dr. Avena—a leading expert on food addiction—spells out the substance's detrimental effects on the brain and body by providing cutting-edge research on its addictive qualities, which are comparable to that of cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol. Then she provides a simple-to-follow 7-step program (along with 30 sugar-free recipes) that will help readers gradually wean themselves off sugar and other sweeteners and break the vicious diet cycle. Ultimately, readers will be able to break free of the sugar shackles, without self-blame.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr. Avena was the first to study sugar addiction in the laboratory, and she has authored more than 100 scholarly journal articles on the topic. Today, she’s the world’s leading expert on sugar addiction, and her findings have informed our overall understanding of nutrition and health.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sugarless has a foreword by the 12th-time New York Times bestselling author and integrative psychiatrist Daniel Amen, MD who has a huge following in the health and wellness space.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 </b><b>My Review..</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Like everyone, I know that I have far too much refined sugar in my diet and even though I start off with good intentions of giving up I can never truly eradicate sugar from my diet completely but I really would like to cut down on my intake however that's easier said than done. That's why this book has been a timely reminder of just what damage sugar does to our metabolism and gives us an idea of how much better we would feel if we made the effort , not just to cut down, but to go completely sugar free.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Sugar Less </i>is an easy book to read, although I would have liked larger print, and it is nicely informative without being preachy. I enjoyed reading the different chapters and found much to think about in the seven steps of the plan which covers diverse topics such as how sugar is harming your health at step one, through to being sugar less for life in the book's conclusion.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not an easy task to break a dependence on food and this book doesn't aim to fix things overnight nor does it pretend to be the definitive guide but I found it a good stepping stone and fully intend to give becoming sugar less a try. The 30 sugar free recipes at the end of the book are a nice little bonus and an incentive to give them a try.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><br style="text-align: start;" /><div>Nicole Avena, PhD, is a pioneering research neuroscientist and expert in the fields of nutrition, diet, and addiction. She’s the author of several books on nutrition and early development, including What to Eat When You’re Pregnant (2015), which has sold over 40,000 copies. Dr. Avena is assistant professor of neuroscience at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and a visiting professor in health psychology at Princeton University. She received a PhD in psychology and neuroscience from Princeton University in 2006, and then completed her postdoctoral fellowship in 2010 at the prestigious Rockefeller University in New York City.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dr. Avena has published over 100 scholarly journal articles on topics related to diet, nutrition, and overeating, and she frequently presents her research findings at major scientific conferences and university symposia. She has also served as a consultant to Nestle, the parent company for Enfamil, and others. Dr. Avena is a go-to expert on diet and nutrition in national media and often appears on The Dr. Oz Show, The Doctors, and CNN. She writes regularly for PyschologyToday.com, MindBodyGreen, and ShareCare.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Instagram: drnicoleavena</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter: DrNicoleAvena</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Facebook: DrNicoleAvena</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br style="text-align: start;" /><br style="text-align: start;" /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>ABOUT UNION SQUARE & CO.</b></div><br style="text-align: start;" /><div>Union Square & Co. is a talent-driven publisher whose mission is to promote excellence in contemporary publishing and to honour the vision of our creators by providing best-in-class production, editorial and design choices. Headquartered in New York City, Union Square & Co., LLC, is a subsidiary of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., and includes the adult imprints Union Square & Co., Puzzlewright Press and Sterling Ethos; the children’s imprints Union Square Kids and Boxer Books; and the gift and stationery publisher Knock Knock. For more information, visit unionsquareandco.com.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRyrVCQK8PaEQpS7bJmF4EUz22Jr6Kt_1GAFOYMEO5N2zbIAS8WV9szOBlR9hmA0crZwTwqJm1mB4doo0CCj55-HvayRmLgdqO1BrFRErQF06q3pfBuS4rjtTenLGz5PuyAwqde2H-KIuzXo4V6wCYqCQfj9acGldj8zKKr9GGGxqRWJfK3KvDyHC1WZF/s400/IMG_1585.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRyrVCQK8PaEQpS7bJmF4EUz22Jr6Kt_1GAFOYMEO5N2zbIAS8WV9szOBlR9hmA0crZwTwqJm1mB4doo0CCj55-HvayRmLgdqO1BrFRErQF06q3pfBuS4rjtTenLGz5PuyAwqde2H-KIuzXo4V6wCYqCQfj9acGldj8zKKr9GGGxqRWJfK3KvDyHC1WZF/w400-h200/IMG_1585.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-75309276248534870712024-02-05T08:00:00.004+00:002024-02-05T08:41:06.600+00:00📖 Book Review ~ The King's Witch by Tracy Borman<p> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneNQyyKRArqGQV9Zl3ARkhbmTmu0fgx8v1Kfa_WFRbni8OnZTFUQBhPxhy02TMvsVWX_2F5CzF-peUXY-2ZxF5qRzVY1KUD20CidHPdGAxxWM_hsXMd2Hri_4lsHoeU8udr1BKyqhVf27HAfwO90huwoMqzEqQeB_-_cERxRIMILHhrBiBTzVhPc5wejp/s500/the%20king's%20witch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneNQyyKRArqGQV9Zl3ARkhbmTmu0fgx8v1Kfa_WFRbni8OnZTFUQBhPxhy02TMvsVWX_2F5CzF-peUXY-2ZxF5qRzVY1KUD20CidHPdGAxxWM_hsXMd2Hri_4lsHoeU8udr1BKyqhVf27HAfwO90huwoMqzEqQeB_-_cERxRIMILHhrBiBTzVhPc5wejp/w259-h400/the%20king's%20witch.jpg" width="259" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hodder & Stoughton<br />2018<br /><br />Frances Gorges Trilogy #1<br /><br />My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">As she helps to nurse the dying Queen Elizabeth, Frances Gorges longs for the fields and ancient woods of her parents' Hampshire estate, where she has learned to use the flowers and herbs to become a much-loved healer.Frances is happy to stay in her beloved countryside when the new King arrives from Scotland, bringing change, fear and suspicion. His court may be shockingly decadent, but James's religion is Puritan, intolerant of all the old ways; he has already put to death many men for treason and women for witchcraft.So when her ambitious uncle forcibly brings Frances to court, she is trapped in a claustrophobic world of intrigue and betrayal - and a ready target for the twisted scheming of Lord Cecil, the King's first minister.Surrounded by mortal dangers, Frances finds happiness only with the precocious young Princess Elizabeth, and Tom Wintour, the one courtier she can trust. Or can she?'</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>📖</b></span><b>My Review..</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An Elizabethan at heart, Frances Gorges is forced to spend time at the Jacobean court of King James I. Much preferring to spend time in her herb garden at her home in Hampshire, Frances feels claustrophobic at the court at Whitehall and her role as lady-in-waiting to the young Princess Elizabeth places her very firmly at the heart of intrigue. Her growing friendship with the enigmatic courtier Tom Wintour will place Frances in a very precarious position and her skill with healing brings her into dangerous contact with the King as he continues his quest to rid England of its multitude of witches.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I’m a bit late to the party with this one as, I’m sorry to say, it has languished on my Kindle since its publication but I’m really pleased to have discovered the story now. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, this is the first in a trilogy of novels which feature this bold and feisty heroine. I enjoyed getting to know Frances Gorges in this first book which sets the scene and brings to life the dangerous, and decadent, Jacobean court. Placing the book very firmly at the start of the reign of James I will allow the series to progress and I especially enjoyed learning more about the Gunpowder Plot which features very strongly in <i>The King's Witch.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Looking forward to completing the trilogy:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_n13MVmpFr8wYxKvDZhdK5obX3omIJVB4VNN_jQfw4YKi2nqCC1Zee3jRLnFom0R43b0L5nYED3xYRCYxzDrDJTJwdoIT_Xov8-dKWo1pL5lXGWezw0RAdJzPEdlIO1UTSGnka2FrPrKOn1UwFwIuxko83GOmSr2snNNAVXXt-XxxNKwOk8XdV8RSXYi/s500/devil's%20slave.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="327" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_n13MVmpFr8wYxKvDZhdK5obX3omIJVB4VNN_jQfw4YKi2nqCC1Zee3jRLnFom0R43b0L5nYED3xYRCYxzDrDJTJwdoIT_Xov8-dKWo1pL5lXGWezw0RAdJzPEdlIO1UTSGnka2FrPrKOn1UwFwIuxko83GOmSr2snNNAVXXt-XxxNKwOk8XdV8RSXYi/s320/devil's%20slave.jpg" width="209" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBXe9PhCHE3fRrBTp_smSkq9TKDCjZV_RoboKBd6aN_9OmEW9Wf3VUeGlVGiMWlXjKFrdVLMa1vLfLB4wA19-LIuhsqbZb7AVKWPG94PkJxOcm-WLj6FDnXXIE04MRjnF5ASK5mpDft5BjZLudqAoU4S5a4oMfrPf25U0BU83BzSCzSCkW23-rK_xypU_/s500/fallen%20angel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBXe9PhCHE3fRrBTp_smSkq9TKDCjZV_RoboKBd6aN_9OmEW9Wf3VUeGlVGiMWlXjKFrdVLMa1vLfLB4wA19-LIuhsqbZb7AVKWPG94PkJxOcm-WLj6FDnXXIE04MRjnF5ASK5mpDft5BjZLudqAoU4S5a4oMfrPf25U0BU83BzSCzSCkW23-rK_xypU_/s320/fallen%20angel.jpg" width="210" /></a></div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://www.tracyborman.co.uk/" target="_blank">About the Author</a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tracy Borman is a historian and author from Scothern, Lincolnshire, England. She is most widely known as the author of Elizabeth's Women, a portrait-gallery of the powerful women who influenced Queen Elizabeth I. In July 2022 Borman was made Chancellor of Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter / X @tracyborman</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@HodderFiction</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6d9WAzXUjQFQvKxWKGNtcguLJGAhT9KN_Ws0zRgixcAd5klmnUKEFQBoRspI-CduNwSvDnv8XhPI_DeT3X8G-DWO4LULFUDeETyJrPO_8S_uRD6Z6OEXJ_Q7fTW696aD7bO3tbbT9BiR5UIT8-E4fzCsQaPHGSA8yTStiIt9tDCoZTI-Yp5whpI0U9-wn/s6912/Book%20Review%20Graphic%20for%202023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6d9WAzXUjQFQvKxWKGNtcguLJGAhT9KN_Ws0zRgixcAd5klmnUKEFQBoRspI-CduNwSvDnv8XhPI_DeT3X8G-DWO4LULFUDeETyJrPO_8S_uRD6Z6OEXJ_Q7fTW696aD7bO3tbbT9BiR5UIT8-E4fzCsQaPHGSA8yTStiIt9tDCoZTI-Yp5whpI0U9-wn/w400-h200/Book%20Review%20Graphic%20for%202023.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-21917092434032743032024-02-02T08:00:00.001+00:002024-02-02T08:33:57.086+00:00 📖 Book Award ~ The Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize Longlist 2024 <p> </p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">THE SWANSEA UNIVERSITY DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE REVEALS INTERNATIONAL LONGLIST FOR 2024</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(36, 36, 36); color: #242424; font-size: 21.3333px; font-weight: 700; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RxxFDAS7qNWGVQFGSCfMFsxeaGEyFDJ8xNyoihru-ECVhLUbATgAHLqQziAsNxeJ5EVa03Cgy1PDa0IdtLYllwkZeVVi_icB5LZeVgxvEavvN-t5K8VquE_G8iOADWVqa60RD2kK3l_-_-PwuF7exRXhO7gd5OuPhGJDtjbvtNcRq0UKqmPSsmhhNakT/s872/IMG_1819.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="872" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RxxFDAS7qNWGVQFGSCfMFsxeaGEyFDJ8xNyoihru-ECVhLUbATgAHLqQziAsNxeJ5EVa03Cgy1PDa0IdtLYllwkZeVVi_icB5LZeVgxvEavvN-t5K8VquE_G8iOADWVqa60RD2kK3l_-_-PwuF7exRXhO7gd5OuPhGJDtjbvtNcRq0UKqmPSsmhhNakT/w640-h132/IMG_1819.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Worth £20,000, this global accolade recognises exceptional literary talent aged 39 or under, celebrates the international world of fiction in all its forms including poetry, novels, short stories and drama. The prize invokes the memory of Dylan Thomas to support the writers of today, nurture the talents of tomorrow, and celebrate international literary excellence.</div></div><div><br /></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />The full longlist for 2024 is :</span></b><br /><br /><br />- <b>A Spell of Good Things </b>by Ayòbámi Adébáyò (Canongate Books) – novel (Nigeria)<br /><br />- <b>Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson</b> (Viking, Penguin Random House UK) – novel (UK/Ghana)<br /><br />- <b>The Glutton by A. K. Blakemore </b>(Granta) – novel (England, UK)<br /><br />- <b>Bright Fear by Mary Jean Chan</b> (Faber & Faber) – poetry collection (Hong Kong)<br /><br />- <b>Penance by Eliza Clark</b> (Faber & Faber) – novel (England, UK)<br /><br />- <b>The Coiled Serpent</b> by Camilla Grudova (Atlantic Books) – short story collection (Canada)<br /><br />- <b>Hungry Ghosts by Kevin Jared Hosein</b> (Bloomsbury Publishing UK/Ecco, HarperCollins US) – novel (Trinidad and Tobago)<br /><br />-<b> Local Fires by Joshua Jones</b> (Parthian Books) – short story collection (Wales, UK)<br /><br />- <b>Biography of X</b> by Catherine Lacey (Granta) – novel (US)<br /><br />- <b>Close to Home by Michael Magee</b> (Hamish Hamilton, Penguin Random House UK) – novel (Northern Ireland, UK)<br /><br />- <b>Open Up by Thomas Morris</b> (Faber & Faber) – short story collection (Wales, UK)<br /><br />- <b>Divisible by Itself and One by Kae Tempest</b> (Picador, Pan Macmillan) – poetry collection (England, UK)<div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Follow on social media</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(36, 36, 36); color: #242424; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-size-adjust: auto;"> #SUDTP24 & @dylanthomprize</b></div><div><b style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(36, 36, 36); color: #242424; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Key Dates for the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize 2024</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Shortlist Announcement: 21 March 2024</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Winner Announcement and award ceremony, Swansea: 16 May 2024</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Launched in 2006, the annual Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize is one of the most prestigious awards for young writers, aimed at encouraging raw creative talent worldwide. It celebrates and nurtures international literary excellence. Worth £20,000, it is one of the UK’s most prestigious literary prizes as well as one of the world’s largest literary prizes for young writers. Awarded for the best published literary work in the English language, written by an author aged 39 or under, the Prize celebrates the international world of fiction in all its forms including poetry, novels, short stories and drama. The prize is named after the Swansea-born writer, Dylan Thomas, and celebrates his 39 years of creativity and productivity. One of the most influential, internationally renowned writers of the mid-twentieth century, the prize invokes his memory to support the writers of today and nurture the talents of tomorrow.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last year's prize was awarded to <b>Arinze Ifeakandu </b>for his debut short story collection <b>God's Children Are Little Broken Things </b>(Orion, Weidenfeld & Nicolson). Chair of the 2023 Judges, Di Speirs, said: ‘We were unanimous in our praise and admiration for this exhilarating collection of nine stories. Arinze Ifeakandu’s debut shines with maturity, the writing bold, refreshing and exacting but never afraid to linger and to allow characters and situations to develop and change, so that the longer stories are almost novels in themselves. A kaleidoscopic reflection of queer life and love in Nigeria, the constraints, the dangers and the humanity, this is a collection that we wanted to press into many readers’ hands around the world and which left us excited to know what Arinze Ifeakandu will write next.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Previous winners also include Patricia Lockwood, Max Porter, Raven Leilani, Bryan Washington, Guy Gunaratne, and Kayo Chingonyi.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize shortlist will be announced on Thursday 21 March followed by the Winner’s Ceremony held in Swansea on Thursday 16 May, following International Dylan Thomas Day on Tuesday 14 May.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip79s-RX0H0J8o6TlRfKMY0hjUQK1_Z_5ykWipQ0E4tnC3Y4L4cXQJKlZwqQx-j_sMvWi5Yc7KxGFYOLTpYy9a3JO_85AwVfGg5UK6iD_pIHSbJZLMNUU7gsnm3K6nqEN_Q1_AO5CpPPcU4I1EH4EgcD6yj6K3fUmspvtD07FtBkKHekmKYHNbhWGMtZvN/s640/dylan%20thomas%20longlist%2024.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="640" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip79s-RX0H0J8o6TlRfKMY0hjUQK1_Z_5ykWipQ0E4tnC3Y4L4cXQJKlZwqQx-j_sMvWi5Yc7KxGFYOLTpYy9a3JO_85AwVfGg5UK6iD_pIHSbJZLMNUU7gsnm3K6nqEN_Q1_AO5CpPPcU4I1EH4EgcD6yj6K3fUmspvtD07FtBkKHekmKYHNbhWGMtZvN/w640-h132/dylan%20thomas%20longlist%2024.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-57937305308477919962024-02-01T07:00:00.007+00:002024-02-29T08:36:04.936+00:00📖 Featured Book of the Month ~ What We Did in the Storm by Tina Baker<p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwrYwwOSVlJcu-VT67c5gbGi64WRN3iScCTCiUmOM4C6GpXgvIN7qR6PD_8waUJUADVMpIFJR1C4oTHB8alQS1JmeQIGmCLBiHG5VO8MdXhMb04qkGMWZkXZwDbrZX2T-c0BS5azKUekmQwBPAKBMWZQIF0zQWIXrw8S50yaKMnYlZ1-tzoNbArQ19vTm/s392/what%20we%20did%20in%20the%20storm%20cover.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwrYwwOSVlJcu-VT67c5gbGi64WRN3iScCTCiUmOM4C6GpXgvIN7qR6PD_8waUJUADVMpIFJR1C4oTHB8alQS1JmeQIGmCLBiHG5VO8MdXhMb04qkGMWZkXZwDbrZX2T-c0BS5azKUekmQwBPAKBMWZQIF0zQWIXrw8S50yaKMnYlZ1-tzoNbArQ19vTm/w260-h400/what%20we%20did%20in%20the%20storm%20cover.png" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Viper/ Serpents Tail<br />15 February 2024<br /><br />My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the beautiful and windswept island of Tresco, two worlds live side by side. The wealthy visitors come by helicopter to stay at their lavish time-share properties. The estate staff travel by boat, and work all hours to keep them happy, to keep the money flowing in. But while the blue skies and savage waves make the island seem a wild paradise, under the surface the inhabitants are concealing more than they dare reveal. The truths about their marriages, their love affairs, and what they do in the darkness while their neighbours are sleeping. As black clouds come rolling in and a storm hits the island, truths and rumours begin to tumble out, wreaking terrible damage. In the midst of the tempest, two women are attacked and one goes missing. The secrets of this fragile community can no longer be hidden if it hopes to survive. The islanders must finally reveal what they did in the storm, no matter the cost.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review…</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The beautiful island of Tresco is the setting for this compelling mystery which looks at the dark underside of this idyllic island getaway. For those with money Tresco offers a sumptuous retreat from the humdrum of life and yet for those who eke out a living in the hospitality trade there is little rest from the demands of their jobs, pandering to the whims and fancies of those who have money to spend. However, all is not as it seems on the island and with simmering tensions bubbling it only takes one unusual event to alter the dynamic of the place and its people. When a vicious storm threatens the equilibrium of the island it would seem that unbearable tensions, already heightened, will soon start to spiral out of control.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Intricately plotted, with a strong set of characters, and oodles of tension this atmospheric thriller is a real page turner which keeps you guessing from start to finish. Filled with all the trademarks of this author’s fine story telling skills there is never a moment when the plot doesn’t draw you in and so many times I thought I had it all figured out only to find, in the end, that I was nowhere near. There are a few authors who get my pulse racing and Tina Baker is definitely up there with the best of them as each book she shares with us just gets better and better and <i>What We Did in the Storm </i>is no exception which is why I have no hesitation in making it my Featured Book of the Month for February.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What We Did in the Storm will be published on the 15th February 2024</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/tinabakerbooks" target="_blank">Twitter</a> @TinaBakerBooks #WhatWeDidInTheStorm</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.tinabaker.co.uk/" target="_blank">Website </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@ViperBooks</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JFURu-ht662xswFSHppxDGMYtEvyIaftq_YL3Yi6AcA5zH13jYRkMrEITFZzQR8dOaCBuvE5-e7QPgsiICzDRuYUP3o5nHR3XWZw2VbpJR0k8szzgvlf8LFqt1hUnm93bo1SuyN310Tyvl9fO7Wd0AriFI2vNPeSfnIrQ4f7C35-QNOx6oLsf3aZwg8B/s6912/Book%20of%20my%20month%20graphic%202022.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JFURu-ht662xswFSHppxDGMYtEvyIaftq_YL3Yi6AcA5zH13jYRkMrEITFZzQR8dOaCBuvE5-e7QPgsiICzDRuYUP3o5nHR3XWZw2VbpJR0k8szzgvlf8LFqt1hUnm93bo1SuyN310Tyvl9fO7Wd0AriFI2vNPeSfnIrQ4f7C35-QNOx6oLsf3aZwg8B/w400-h200/Book%20of%20my%20month%20graphic%202022.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-52290056923476230922024-01-30T07:00:00.001+00:002024-01-30T07:00:00.139+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~ Extracting Humanity and Other Stories by Stephen Oram<p> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CNp-kTPkEH1yMIHFfzbODrPvsaMmytaZoHe8S9Cgowh_aXLYVdxIQ0Zajs7KhyphenhyphenAviowhAf3_e7eJXkfhtjtJb8Br6elBxhaFrn9vXlpmL1hn2zuycKzc-Cvezfjxb0dzuf_8TfTQ-l25q1IcDoDJtXHjdldVwKnlXrLbQ348U0vAmFc0E3O_L5xUVti0/s500/ex%20hum%20use.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="310" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CNp-kTPkEH1yMIHFfzbODrPvsaMmytaZoHe8S9Cgowh_aXLYVdxIQ0Zajs7KhyphenhyphenAviowhAf3_e7eJXkfhtjtJb8Br6elBxhaFrn9vXlpmL1hn2zuycKzc-Cvezfjxb0dzuf_8TfTQ-l25q1IcDoDJtXHjdldVwKnlXrLbQ348U0vAmFc0E3O_L5xUVti0/w248-h400/ex%20hum%20use.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span>Orchid's Lantern Press<br />2023<br /></span></i></b><br /><b><i>My thanks to Isabelle Kenyon for the invitation to the blog tour<br /><br /><br /></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">In this remarkably perceptive collection, Stephen Oram blends cutting-edge science and tech with everyday emotions and values to create 20 thought experiments with heart.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Extracting Humanity is a skilful exploration of smart currencies, memorials, medical care, treatment of refugees, social networks, data monitoring, and justice systems. Always without prescription or reprimand, these stories are simply the beginning of the conversation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From an eerie haptic suit that Tommy must call Father, to a protective, nutritious bubble that allows Feng Mian to survive on a colonised Moon; from tattoos that will earn their wearers a mini-break in a sensory chamber, to Harrie anxiously awaiting AI feedback on her unborn child… These startling, diverse narratives map all-too-real possibilities for our future and the things that might ultimately divide or unite us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b>I'm delighted to be able to sh</b><b>are this short story today from Extracting Humanity </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMY2TOdfLd-ZREA6Ui59ip6q0qZo1YEWKWxUwU4eFc8h-beZtLmX7xUJB9oFcUIlRDjk1UlsjZZ2tt7pu4gTUDYX9W6nCKkGSE05SSMHb9M_bzyz_s5UBG6SJWlY5tvduDkHSJRkK91LHmv70_omFljfddOXSgPDC_SxdyoDkxOpvYvl6zT9By4jAjqXo/s1500/extracting%20humanity%20cover%202024.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1500" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMY2TOdfLd-ZREA6Ui59ip6q0qZo1YEWKWxUwU4eFc8h-beZtLmX7xUJB9oFcUIlRDjk1UlsjZZ2tt7pu4gTUDYX9W6nCKkGSE05SSMHb9M_bzyz_s5UBG6SJWlY5tvduDkHSJRkK91LHmv70_omFljfddOXSgPDC_SxdyoDkxOpvYvl6zT9By4jAjqXo/w200-h153/extracting%20humanity%20cover%202024.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>FAILING FATHERS</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I don’t want to beg, but we are best mates ‘n all that.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“You have to be kidding. They’ll trace it so easily, and then where will we be?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I shrugged and carried on tinkering with the code of the car that had been brought in to have its latest patches installed. I wasn’t paying proper attention to what I was doing, but then if they couldn’t pay me a decent wage, why should I?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I tried again, speaking loudly but not directly to him. “I have to buy food and heat the house and it’s the wife’s birthday. All I want is for you to do some shopping for me. I’ll pay you back straight away. I don’t see how they’ll know it’s for me and not you.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“You’ve heard the rumours. Anything that smacks of reparation avoidance is swiftly dealt with. Shame laundering, isn’t that what they call it?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I kept my eyes firmly fixed on the screen in front of me, trying not to make a big deal out of it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It’s only one weekly food shop.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Apart from the illegal bit, your lineage owes my lineage and until that’s done…”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He had a point, but he was wrong. It wasn’t my forefathers who stole stuff from other countries and locked it away in the British Museum.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I stared at him. “That genetic profiling is crap. Completely ignores the fact those elite fuckers were stealing from my sort at the same time as robbing the heritage of yours.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He mumbled something I couldn’t make out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It’s too generic. It should be a class thing, not a country thing. No way does it trace those who were really responsible.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another mumble.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I looked away. “Still, we are where we are as my mother used to say. For better or worse we have programmable money, and it has rules.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He came and stood next to me. “You’re my friend. I get that. And that’s why I know we’ll rise above this whole reparation thing. It only lasts until it’s all paid back.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I nodded, unable to reply. He just didn’t get it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Not the sins of my fathers,” I muttered under my breath. I was innocent. My whole family line was innocent, and yet my Heritage Pound was worth less than his because the cost of re-balancing the abuses of other people’s ancestors fell to me and mine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I continued talking while working. “I wasn’t asked about the British Museum being privatised. I wasn’t consulted about the contents becoming the asset behind the most widely used private currency. It wasn’t my decision to give it favourable interest rates and lower tax rates than the other currencies. It’s those bastards in charge of the Bank of England’s digital currency.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I rubbed my temples and sighed. “I agree with the government offsetting the reparation obligations of its colonial past, but there’s a world of difference between agreeing with the what and agreeing with the how.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He tutted and went back to his bench.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We ignored each other for the rest of the day, but as he left he called across. “I’ll see if the kids have any ideas.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My teenage daughter met me outside, determined that I should buy her mother a birthday present.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Just a small one,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I told her we couldn’t afford it and that her mother understood, but she insisted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Why don’t we use a different currency? One that works for us, not against us. Then we could afford it,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I explained as best I could how difficult it was to be accepted by any other currency. Their rules of interaction with the CBDC were predicated on how risky their customer base was, and we were in one of the highest risk brackets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She pushed hard. “Why not do what Sasha’s dad does? He owns shares in art that’s worth more every day. Non. Fungible. Tokens. Get it?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Fine for him”, I explained, “but we don’t have any capital to begin with.” She huffed and puffed, throwing one superficially thought-through solution after another at me. It was as if she considered me to be stupid. As if she thought I’d not explored all these options.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She made that disgusting sound with her tongue.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It’s crap.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I know,” I said. “You’re right. It’s the very people whose ancestors were responsible for the appalling past of our country who use the other currencies. They escape any consequences of the national reparation.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She was fuming, and with the familiar cry of every teenager, she pointed out that it wasn’t fair. All I could do was agree with her. Replying with the age-old parental response that life just isn’t fair.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I told my mate about it the next day, and despite the seriousness of the situation, I found myself laughing along with him about the idealism of youth. We reminisced about our own teenage years and how we’d been certain that we knew how the world worked and how it could be a lot better. It was good to be back on jovial terms, and he was trying to tell me something his daughter had said, but talking about our kids behind their backs made me feel uncomfortable.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I ignored him until he stood by me, looking pleased with himself. “Here, give me your phone,” he said, grabbing it from my bench.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I frowned, but with curiosity. He swiped the screen and then held his own close to it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“There,” he said. “You’ll never guess what. My daughter’s been using her Heritage Pound advantage to invest in that new youth currency. Know the one? She’s made a mint out of limited-edition skins in those games she’s fixated with. And… wait for it… she wants to gift your family some shares.” With a thumbs up he added, “It’s allowed.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was speechless. What a brilliant mate, and what a great father.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://stephenoram.net/" target="_blank">About the Author</a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">X/Twitter @OramStephen</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@kenyon_isabelle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAV30EkuFfTGfAq0XL38PXoeJ-QGuFMr7d-ZOUqgI3d5Oz8pJ6CYxJkwP59LU1xxocKiB3OsDnvH6q0Hg0I5YSSV8qpgiGBsQmGCmri32-jNBKQsHFj0M0gbQ2ra1rIuALxqBMySyq_k8GgvKFmoBrvwyECpB9SLQW7RldWO9932982-bluiuvqFERH08g/s1024/Extracting%20Humanity%20Blog%20Tour.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAV30EkuFfTGfAq0XL38PXoeJ-QGuFMr7d-ZOUqgI3d5Oz8pJ6CYxJkwP59LU1xxocKiB3OsDnvH6q0Hg0I5YSSV8qpgiGBsQmGCmri32-jNBKQsHFj0M0gbQ2ra1rIuALxqBMySyq_k8GgvKFmoBrvwyECpB9SLQW7RldWO9932982-bluiuvqFERH08g/w640-h320/Extracting%20Humanity%20Blog%20Tour.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-46602614618990275312024-01-25T07:00:00.001+00:002024-01-25T07:00:00.237+00:00📖 Author in the Spotlight ~ Claire Dyer<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGitvc1YR3o8vIh0vqmSoVJfGsh3AkO8RT-z9bOCe8l4iHCP7pNlhtVdr-yWv032jn6JPbtgjyIvtSuA0OTsEhkCtdQ9xVL7f1copzn2ZUhhwHHXfeRq3t6NfNSQ0t2ZIi1eTT2Tf1gpmkESfMOeLcqPTUWhuxhJmoCMnLB8S39sEvE2bpNwCjHiq94X9/s266/claire%20dyer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="191" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGitvc1YR3o8vIh0vqmSoVJfGsh3AkO8RT-z9bOCe8l4iHCP7pNlhtVdr-yWv032jn6JPbtgjyIvtSuA0OTsEhkCtdQ9xVL7f1copzn2ZUhhwHHXfeRq3t6NfNSQ0t2ZIi1eTT2Tf1gpmkESfMOeLcqPTUWhuxhJmoCMnLB8S39sEvE2bpNwCjHiq94X9/w230-h320/claire%20dyer.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Hi Claire and welcome back to Jaffareadstoo. Congratulations on your new novel and Happy Publication Day!</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Thank you! It’s great to be back!</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Without giving too much away what can you tell us about <i>What We Thought We Knew</i>?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The novel is about the three families at numbers two, four and six Penwood Heights. These families are connected by work, friendship and a terrible tragedy. Also, whilst each character thinks they know all there is to know about the others, they don’t. Whilst told via ten points of view, it is the central character, Faith, whose story is narrated in the first person and allows the reader to know that not only is she keeping her own secret, but unknown to everyone else, she’s also keeping another’s. It is when this other person’s secret is discovered that what the families thought they knew about one another is blown to pieces.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>When planning a novel what usually comes first the plot or the people?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It varies. Sometimes inspiration can strike via an object or place, and sometimes a central idea or a situation. With this novel, it was after I’d hosted a dinner party with friends that I got to wondering what secrets we might be keeping from one another, and the story grew from there. I visited the town where I wanted to set the novel and drove around Penwood Heights (which is a real place) so I could visualise for myself where the families might live. I must add that a lot of artistic licence was used in my portrayal of the road, houses and town! And, once I’d got the setting nailed, I set about peopling it. Telling the story from ten points of view was a mad decision but one I don’t regret now it's done! I felt it important that each person should have their own voice and story arc.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Whilst researching the novel did you discover anything which surprised you?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I actually first researched and wrote the novel about twelve years ago, rewriting it during lockdown and my parents’ last illnesses, so I guess the thing that surprised me most was how ‘real’ everything still seemed to me: both the people and the places of the novel came back in full technicolour. However, I think the thing I enjoyed researching most was Faith and Lizzie’s coffee shop. The very lovely people in my local Costa spent time talking to me about their process and especially how their Lisa 3 Coffee Machine worked! It was huge fun and really interesting!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Your style of writing is very much ‘from the heart’. Does this take its toll on you emotionally and if so how do you overcome it?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You’re right, I do feel very connected to my characters and the ups and downs of their lives can take their toll on me, but I guess the thing that helps is remembering that I’m working towards an ending where (hopefully) there will be a resolution of sorts for each of them – even if it’s not a fairytale ending, it’s an ending and that’s what keeps me going!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>When do you find the time to write, and do you have a favourite place to do your writing?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I’m writing I try to schedule specific times in my diary around my teaching and editing commitments, and have found that I write best in the morning at my desk at home, in silence, with a cat or two by my side. However, my absolute favourite place and time to write is when I’m on holiday in my beloved Kalkan in Turkey. Getting up early, making coffee and sitting looking out at the bay as the sun rises over the mountain behind the villa as I write, is a real treat!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>What do you hope readers will take away from reading <i>What We Thought We Knew</i>?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope they will take two things away from reading the novel. Firstly, I hope they will be able to forgive my characters for what they do wrong and, secondly, understand that sometimes we can all do the wrong things for the right reasons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Thank you, Claire for being our Author in the Spotlight today.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Thank you for having me!</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwd9_42oYcuO-szRIE9dwjsvNWYWN_KE1A6ARJFzddiy8oDlFH96YRUTs2yDpDUGndmD0TMspOrg0MEhDOfw7aZ4z1zd5QVCjuG9R3kHEekvpyDWE5jAdoUV3btwiFKeoBW6KpSmyzHQ-YxtximpbAYs7F9werp6liLdleSpAR8fu0NynuvU-2skxpKVvG/s500/what-we-thought-we-knew-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="350" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwd9_42oYcuO-szRIE9dwjsvNWYWN_KE1A6ARJFzddiy8oDlFH96YRUTs2yDpDUGndmD0TMspOrg0MEhDOfw7aZ4z1zd5QVCjuG9R3kHEekvpyDWE5jAdoUV3btwiFKeoBW6KpSmyzHQ-YxtximpbAYs7F9werp6liLdleSpAR8fu0NynuvU-2skxpKVvG/w280-h400/what-we-thought-we-knew-cover.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pegasus<br />25 January 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The families at numbers two, four and six Penwood Heights are connected by work, friendship, the loss of a child and a secret truth which has sat in the bedrock of their lives for years. In the centre of this tight-knit group is Faith, who believes her job is to act as a paperweight, keeping them all safe. And she does this until someone from her past reappears and threatens to sabotage everything. And, as the pieces fall, these families, these friends, realise that what they thought they knew about one another was nothing more than make-believe. They also discover that trust is illusory and for Faith, at least, that keeping other people’s secrets can be more dangerous than keeping her own.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>More about Claire</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Claire Dyer’s poetry collections are published by Two Rivers Press, her novels by Quercus, The Dome Press, Matador and Pegasus. Her latest novel is ‘What We Thought We Knew’, and a further collection, ‘The Adjustments’, is forthcoming with Two Rivers Press in April 2024. She teaches creative writing and runs Fresh Eyes, an editorial and critiquing service. She is Poetry Consultant to the Council of the SWWJ, has an MA in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway, University of London and is represented by Broo Doherty at DHH Literary Agency.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/ClaireDyer1" target="_blank">X/Twitter</a> @clairedyer1</div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://clairedyer.com/what-we-thought-we-knew/" target="_blank">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063705451924" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/clairedyerwriter/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Claire-Dyer/author/B00GO4672Q?qid=1483530365&sr=1-3&ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBfsZae97YVTN1OvMcHwnxYo6qUchyphenhyphen5eGY3Nd1HgPidWaPqkpU9Bp28TRAgO-e3g3Oupz9xsIa82Hjc9JW2NzRlK8VsKsLoR2cXKruSEKG7vM7YYJ1Pb0ZZ4Cgx4ZaesKKwm1yr1WXejkHVG2yeRUM9tCTWkNtPM3C4Bu5MENGh1zm9U_O3qUQbwPPwEe/s6912/Author%20in%20the%20Spotlight%202022.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBfsZae97YVTN1OvMcHwnxYo6qUchyphenhyphen5eGY3Nd1HgPidWaPqkpU9Bp28TRAgO-e3g3Oupz9xsIa82Hjc9JW2NzRlK8VsKsLoR2cXKruSEKG7vM7YYJ1Pb0ZZ4Cgx4ZaesKKwm1yr1WXejkHVG2yeRUM9tCTWkNtPM3C4Bu5MENGh1zm9U_O3qUQbwPPwEe/w640-h320/Author%20in%20the%20Spotlight%202022.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-12156472685350212252024-01-24T07:00:00.005+00:002024-01-24T07:00:00.240+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~ The Secrets of Crestwell Hall by Alexandra Walsh<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QEFOWMXg-OzxPn8gNnOjEgQN04fpq-XyBc4glw9av3RaNG8Vq_TpzZU6iruKlYc3XHydleuhcUD7EPSoHsPifGJOQm_u_1TpcBHI27Bpi3Nee_GN_T8fuB4DKd-XNvM2I897JkXH1mqyM2ItLXpziimNekOLjxprXX_Q9CStKM9uLFrDIPln0BdtJ-j5/s1500/secrets%20of%20cresswell%20hall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="973" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QEFOWMXg-OzxPn8gNnOjEgQN04fpq-XyBc4glw9av3RaNG8Vq_TpzZU6iruKlYc3XHydleuhcUD7EPSoHsPifGJOQm_u_1TpcBHI27Bpi3Nee_GN_T8fuB4DKd-XNvM2I897JkXH1mqyM2ItLXpziimNekOLjxprXX_Q9CStKM9uLFrDIPln0BdtJ-j5/w260-h400/secrets%20of%20cresswell%20hall.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Boldwood Books<br />24 January 2024<br /><br />My thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book<br />and the invitation to the blog tour</span></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>A king adorns the throne… He has no subtlety, no grace but he does not deserve to die in the way that has been planned and this is why we shall stop them, our men, our kin and save us all.’</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1605</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bess Throckmorton is well used to cunning plots and intrigues. With her husband Sir Walter Raleigh imprisoned in the Tower of London, and she and her family in a constant battle to outwit Robert Cecil, the most powerful man in the country who is determined to ruin her, Bess decides to retreat to her beloved home, Crestwell Hall. But there she is shocked to hear talk of a new plot to murder the king. So, unbeknownst to their menfolk, the wives of the plotters begin to work together to try to stop the impending disaster.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Present Day</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Isabella Lacey and her daughter, Emily, are excited to be starting a new life at her aunt’s home, Crestwell Hall in Wiltshire. During renovations, Isabella discovers an ancient bible that once belonged to Bess Throckmorton, and to her astonishment finds that it doubled as a diary. As Isabella reads Bess’s story, a new version of the Gunpowder Plot begins to emerge - told by the women.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When Emily’s life is suddenly in terrible danger, Isabella understands the relentless fear felt by Bess, hundreds of years ago. And as the fateful date of 5th November draws ever closer, Bess and the plotters’ wives beg their husbands to stop before a chain of events is set into action that can only end one way…</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILSlGXPumxOI9BCvlVbu7jcvVr0VFcvqCGeVjbkuSCcHklqgaGcMYUGi3ZLILhjll733RwkizWXDKfz1IRgQrw9lNMaTTOjlbcQCkGxl9UrSb92nspHEbYu6dE7hQFVFjZie7QVleCWPThOFPjRIv9QsAUXsu5lvJcd_dzwmZo8RrDV2CJgNK7-qB62JU/s1080/IMG_1808.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILSlGXPumxOI9BCvlVbu7jcvVr0VFcvqCGeVjbkuSCcHklqgaGcMYUGi3ZLILhjll733RwkizWXDKfz1IRgQrw9lNMaTTOjlbcQCkGxl9UrSb92nspHEbYu6dE7hQFVFjZie7QVleCWPThOFPjRIv9QsAUXsu5lvJcd_dzwmZo8RrDV2CJgNK7-qB62JU/w200-h200/IMG_1808.png" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review..</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The shadows of the past are inextricably linked with the future and by cleverly combining two dual timeframes we learn <i>The Secrets of Crestwell Hall</i> and the part it played in the 1605 Gunpowder Plot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Isabella Lacey and her daughter Emily arrive at Crestwell Hall in order to make a new start. A failed marriage has left Isabella wary and suspicious but she is determined that with Crestwell’s owner, her aunt Thalia, she will help to bring the house and its history alive once more. However, finding Crestwell’s secrets is no easy task and whilst the echoes of the past intrude so we start to build up a picture of the previous owner of Crestwell Hall. Elizabeth Throckmorton was the wife of Sir Walter Raleigh but with Raleigh languishing in the Tower of London and with plots and counter plots swirling around her Elizabeth must look to protect herself and those under her care from being implicated in the plot to rid England of its unpopular King.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The history of the time is well explored and this retelling of the Gunpowder Plots adds an altogether different dimension, it was particularly interesting to read of the family, and friendship, connections between those who were plotting and those who wished to see it fail. The dual time aspect is done really well and I found that as one time frame finished we were whisked away either into the past with Bess and her troubles or forward into the future as Isabella and her aunt set about bring Crestwell Hall back to life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An easy page turner, with much to enjoy, this dual time story has everything I wanted, well researched history, a lively plot and enough intrigue in both time frames to make for a satisfying read.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1XmQvrYuiN0qqfp38WxEBtdmkM39Jb_4ICUtHsmD1uMNfqU69_YGYtUpiyPmxSICbR9LbaR98vI5ZbLWWuycJe1qyo672K9HErHsIGj_P1Ph0P26VDKAaEPb3FuYQSlu5p5rIL2g8qAIXDU84h16FqtXBWaYxjq3_Bwk6PXARxcJ-Eq6Gmxp13_smmOy/s1024/IMG_1806.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="689" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1XmQvrYuiN0qqfp38WxEBtdmkM39Jb_4ICUtHsmD1uMNfqU69_YGYtUpiyPmxSICbR9LbaR98vI5ZbLWWuycJe1qyo672K9HErHsIGj_P1Ph0P26VDKAaEPb3FuYQSlu5p5rIL2g8qAIXDU84h16FqtXBWaYxjq3_Bwk6PXARxcJ-Eq6Gmxp13_smmOy/s320/IMG_1806.jpeg" width="215" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Alexandra Walsh is the bestselling author of dual timeline historical mysteries, previously published by Sapere. Her books range from the fifteenth century to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. Formerly a journalist, writing for national newspapers, magazines and TV.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twitter /X @purplemermaid25 #TheSecretsofCrestwellHall</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@BoldwoodBooks #BoldwoodBloggers</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@rararesources</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgNTr_gu_3apixcq_RsXIWpN1-5EeC-7EWm-ckA6Uaw6ehkdVpFzM7xpjzRARj_2Jblh6V8C4qEh98R8Qo59A1tzWkqlp99vnpGd57NMfNMNo6_R0AF0Lof0_-s4jDMA3bflr4b01WWdg21EX7vueyyg812QVFpucEP145IA0Yi-dWyb5AghDPwLIa9VX/s2274/IMG_1807.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="2274" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgNTr_gu_3apixcq_RsXIWpN1-5EeC-7EWm-ckA6Uaw6ehkdVpFzM7xpjzRARj_2Jblh6V8C4qEh98R8Qo59A1tzWkqlp99vnpGd57NMfNMNo6_R0AF0Lof0_-s4jDMA3bflr4b01WWdg21EX7vueyyg812QVFpucEP145IA0Yi-dWyb5AghDPwLIa9VX/w640-h352/IMG_1807.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-49501244300521604982024-01-22T08:30:00.003+00:002024-01-22T10:48:50.160+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~ Shadows in the Ashes by Christina Courtenay<p> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64R3qK6d6FNn8SbS-Ii3Z8fSvPAvUdM6bDNNnzHsOw3KDPo-5xTCsgEDjJ5YIvc9xdRqcf_B2gkJuhk2cmMVbd-WQLYreNLOZgIOVBQsoj44xi0dzoFUbfJNzCUKHKGjnSN9jna_JsqDaC9LbAa-c62J1SKaF52SR7gejZ7KS3G5PVktBC-jkwMdGbeMN/s500/shadows%20in%20the%20ashes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64R3qK6d6FNn8SbS-Ii3Z8fSvPAvUdM6bDNNnzHsOw3KDPo-5xTCsgEDjJ5YIvc9xdRqcf_B2gkJuhk2cmMVbd-WQLYreNLOZgIOVBQsoj44xi0dzoFUbfJNzCUKHKGjnSN9jna_JsqDaC9LbAa-c62J1SKaF52SR7gejZ7KS3G5PVktBC-jkwMdGbeMN/w261-h400/shadows%20in%20the%20ashes.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Headline Review<br />18 January 2024<br /><br />My thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the book<br />and the invitation to the blog tour</span></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Present Day</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally escaping an abusive marriage, Caterina Rossi takes her three-year-old daughter and flees to Italy. There she’s drawn to research scientist Connor, who needs her translation help for his work on volcanology. Together they visit the ruins of Pompeii and, standing where Mount Vesuvius unleashed its fire on the city centuries before, Cat begins to see startling visions. Visions that appear to come from the antique bracelet handed down through her family’s generations…</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>AD 79</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sold by his half-brother and enslaved as a gladiator in Roman Pompeii, Raedwald dreams only of surviving each fight, making the coin needed to return to his homeland and taking his revenge. That is, until he is hired to guard beautiful Aemilia. As their forbidden love grows, Raedwald’s dreams shift like the ever more violent tremors of the earth beneath his feet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The present starts eerily to mirror the past as Cat must fight to protect her safety, and to forge a new path from the ashes of her old life…</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>📖 My Review…</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Living in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, the residents of Pompeii are, in AD79, unaware of the disaster which is about to befall them. Raedwald is a gladiator who has been taken against his will to fight in the arenas. When he is assigned to look after the wife on a prominent Roman, Raedwald can't help but be attracted to the beautiful young woman however, a clandestine relationship between the wife of such a prominent Roman and a captive gladiator is strictly forbidden. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the present day, Caterina Rossi has escaped an abusive relationship and has settled in her native Italy where she meets Connor, a scientist, who is visiting the area to write a report about volcanoes and hires Caterina to do some translation for him. Hurt by the events of the past, Caterina is reluctant to trust a man again and yet she is strangely drawn towards Connor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the story starts to overlap and coalesce we soon get to know much more about what is happening with Raedwald and Aemilia in AD79 whilst at the same time appreciate the burgeoning relationship between Caterina and Conor in the bustling city of Sorrento.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are very few authors around who can really bring a dual time narrative to life but this author is up there with the best of them as she can, with a magic flick of words, take you from past to present and back again in an imaginative story which is as seamless as it is compelling. I found the setting of the story in Italy, and Pompeii in particular, to be really descriptive and could very easily imagine life in the ancient world as Raedwald and Aemilia cross paths in the city they call home and yet I also followed Caterina's drama filled life with equal anticipation of a peaceful conclusion,</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beautifully written, and authentically researched there is much to enjoy in escaping into the past whilst following a strong connections with the future and with a particular talisman to link the two time-frames the echoes of the past are allowed to sing strong and true. There is anguish in both time frames, harsh events which overshadow happiness but with romance, love and hope at its core S<i>hadows in the Ashes is </i>a definitely story which resonates long after the last page is turned. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ct3liKgMmeqcDm2vkNve13WTp9vFwG9jiKqSjNHgq_CnfEXIk2ipzbAxmct96RxnVStglilTN4MiJHoAuZOcgPaQjxqteavl0yK08zO3M5GTIHg0sCs_j5BDGTVYP3RP17_qXfBVcudEtJKgZm4vcwe8prRphnXi6MPP6ufxGYHRDHudhyphenhypheneiHvbclAvD/s800/christina%20courtenay.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ct3liKgMmeqcDm2vkNve13WTp9vFwG9jiKqSjNHgq_CnfEXIk2ipzbAxmct96RxnVStglilTN4MiJHoAuZOcgPaQjxqteavl0yK08zO3M5GTIHg0sCs_j5BDGTVYP3RP17_qXfBVcudEtJKgZm4vcwe8prRphnXi6MPP6ufxGYHRDHudhyphenhypheneiHvbclAvD/s320/christina%20courtenay.jpeg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christina is a former chairman of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association, now a Vice President, and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014) and the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes. SHADOWS IN THE ASHES (dual time/timeslip romance published by Headline Review 18th January 2024) is her latest novel. Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/PiaCCourtenay" target="_blank">Twitter</a> @PiaCCourtenay #ShadowsInTheAshes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.christinacourtenay.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/christinacourtenayauthor?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ChristinaCourtenayAuthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@headlinepg @rararesources</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Promises-Runes-enthralling-timeslip-beloved-ebook/dp/B0B63MPC24/" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOGJSVKbYbzVg8Eem8Hlzo9kSrBaKJHwIn1TjuxNCIJsUM7Of_T2l-tn7fg3xa2zuPZeuQwbz-OBP8hOPiskTxjBWokeVvXGPo5py26hIUj0MW1mU1J-HpNcDZ_b59tszTlBTVwoI_EeP1heM9nuXLlLUQyNP0dnXpDvpfAynGphVKXMkL5zSNH3iFd5k/s2643/shadows%20banner.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="2643" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOGJSVKbYbzVg8Eem8Hlzo9kSrBaKJHwIn1TjuxNCIJsUM7Of_T2l-tn7fg3xa2zuPZeuQwbz-OBP8hOPiskTxjBWokeVvXGPo5py26hIUj0MW1mU1J-HpNcDZ_b59tszTlBTVwoI_EeP1heM9nuXLlLUQyNP0dnXpDvpfAynGphVKXMkL5zSNH3iFd5k/w640-h302/shadows%20banner.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498096518892798196.post-13765242939817766912024-01-22T07:00:00.009+00:002024-01-22T07:00:00.267+00:00📖 Blog Tour ~A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUe3DET8Bdh3LSvAZMCNNgIRDqu4yEVXZ-YHUfKAT0l9YlBfZD206Kfgc6tBcn_YRlaABM32D85MM5Fg5u1DfpbUi9xtNR_wK4qLdIBt1WDU5KdC1pebrvdAtzSg9mepWZUsfC40s0ns00ILNxTrhRBMShMj28_23FckKIWnty3wEW-cLk6CAG0TSg816/s392/breath%20of%20fresha%20air.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUe3DET8Bdh3LSvAZMCNNgIRDqu4yEVXZ-YHUfKAT0l9YlBfZD206Kfgc6tBcn_YRlaABM32D85MM5Fg5u1DfpbUi9xtNR_wK4qLdIBt1WDU5KdC1pebrvdAtzSg9mepWZUsfC40s0ns00ILNxTrhRBMShMj28_23FckKIWnty3wEW-cLk6CAG0TSg816/w260-h400/breath%20of%20fresha%20air.png" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Boldwood Books<br />10 January 2024<br /><br />Escape to the Lakes series #2<br /><br />My thanks to the publishers for my copy of the book<br />and to Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour</span></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rosie feels like there's something missing in her life.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She loves her job as the manager of Willowdale Hall Riding Stables, caring for the horses and teaching children to ride, and she loves the home she shares with her mother in the beautiful Lake District. But she can't help wondering how her life might look if things had been different. What if her father had been around to help care for her mother? And what if she'd found someone special herself?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When Hubert Cranleigh - the owner of Willowdale Hall - is taken ill, his son Oliver steps into the breach. Brooding and distant, Rosie is furious when he claims not to know who she is. Especially when they have a history.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rosie's life is about to be turned upside down, but with the New Year comes new opportunities. What Rosie feels is missing from her life might be closer than she thinks, and with more significant consequences than she could ever have imagined...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuazquSY_r9WYFndHi_9WMWqtfl41nLto4yIf1XXS7MSr9wy5Gpe1WW7mybwDMqp4jOwh-z8fL0s39R58zQ6kXhI_1dpgg83NG8-lPxZO_O0TLzAuiQAssY8LKJdvt1cwRkwE9uo-vXwbbthEFZkb31sdzZeTPXjpZhMH3P8aCxk9YOeRVp5q2v7vK9c5r/s1080/IMG_1755.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuazquSY_r9WYFndHi_9WMWqtfl41nLto4yIf1XXS7MSr9wy5Gpe1WW7mybwDMqp4jOwh-z8fL0s39R58zQ6kXhI_1dpgg83NG8-lPxZO_O0TLzAuiQAssY8LKJdvt1cwRkwE9uo-vXwbbthEFZkb31sdzZeTPXjpZhMH3P8aCxk9YOeRVp5q2v7vK9c5r/w200-h200/IMG_1755.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="text-align: left;">📖 My Review..</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It’s been a real treat to return to this lovely series set in the English Lake District to catch up with what is happening in the pretty village of Willowdale which nestles on the banks of the picturesque Derwent Water. In this second book in the series we meet again with Rosie who runs the Willowdale Riding Stables and who regularly runs the wrath of the irascible riding stable owner, Hugh Cranleigh. Hugh is an awkward and bad tempered man, however, when he has an accident it gives Rosie the opportunity to become reacquainted with Hugh’s son, Oliver Cranleigh, who she grew up on the Willowdale estate. There is complicated history between Rosie and Oliver and this book explores, in detail, just what caused them to become estranged.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a lovely warm-hearted story but with a darker edge especially as we get to know more about Rosie’s ‘mam’, Alice, and the secrets in her past which have threatened her peace of mind for far too many years. The Lake District setting adds the perfect environment especially as we get to explore the area on walks with Rosie and her friend Autumn, a character we met in the first book in the series. There is much to enjoy in any of this author’s creative works and <i>A Breath of Fresh Air</i> certainly lived up to my expectations in a story which kept my attention from start to finish.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9XggetEI_o--_OQUj3EA6Xjt_86uOCnVMug50K79qkVmAsrTFWZXRD7za8WgABBiT0OO5wpeDHKP6Zgxqsfe7eihhoqPFmPhSmY-Th81rzusVWMTCYeUdWiyq6KAlEitKFwl5FZugtXiwoSkAf767ol_GThxnvJEff9NSM-rnB5PpdC6xSeQLuDmo_8V/s2500/jessica%20redland.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9XggetEI_o--_OQUj3EA6Xjt_86uOCnVMug50K79qkVmAsrTFWZXRD7za8WgABBiT0OO5wpeDHKP6Zgxqsfe7eihhoqPFmPhSmY-Th81rzusVWMTCYeUdWiyq6KAlEitKFwl5FZugtXiwoSkAf767ol_GThxnvJEff9NSM-rnB5PpdC6xSeQLuDmo_8V/s320/jessica%20redland.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>Jessica Redland writes emotional but uplifting stories of love, friendship, family and community. Her Whitsborough Bay books transport readers to the stunning North Yorkshire Coast where she lives with her husband, daughter and sprocker spaniel. Her Hedgehog Hollow series, set in a hedgehog rescue centre, takes readers into the beautiful rolling countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/JessicaRedland" target="_blank">Twitter</a> @JessicaRedland</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JessicaRedlandWriter/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/JessicaRedlandWriter/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Purchase Link</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.jessicaredland.com/" target="_blank">Website </a> <a href="https://jessicaredlandauthor.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a> <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jessica-redland" target="_blank">Bookbub</a> <a href="https://mailchi.mp/boldwoodbooks/jessicaredlandnewsletter" target="_blank">Mailing List sign up</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@BoldwoodBooks #BoldwoodBloggers</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">@rararesources</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTVdF1qFGcn7L3ZOTanvy5Re7VBHrytSbSYSoymfjhdeRJCl3JyEIUMGI85yCqtUvf9T0AEoIy0OgA1LKbf6AMn-0RBThDKmabO5AdeUbD4BixYv_q60MUia1EdR0D_bgVMQMg10bCA9AWJ5UFL6FNhAUZwfnjuiOkdv_gEU72eozRpTbUfvn7hODjJ-M/s3958/IMG_1754.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="3958" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTVdF1qFGcn7L3ZOTanvy5Re7VBHrytSbSYSoymfjhdeRJCl3JyEIUMGI85yCqtUvf9T0AEoIy0OgA1LKbf6AMn-0RBThDKmabO5AdeUbD4BixYv_q60MUia1EdR0D_bgVMQMg10bCA9AWJ5UFL6FNhAUZwfnjuiOkdv_gEU72eozRpTbUfvn7hODjJ-M/w640-h266/IMG_1754.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div>Jaffareadstoo.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/17448387659367489116noreply@blogger.com2