📖 Book Review ~ Ten Poems about Snowdrops from Candlestick Press

 

Candlestick Press
2025

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this pamphlet

Appearing at what can be the bleakest time of year, snowdrops hold a special place in our hearts. There is something valiant in the way they emerge from the cold earth to stand in shivering clusters when we are busy keeping warm indoors.

Perhaps it’s this quality of apparent resilience that appeals to us – and makes snowdrops so popular with poets. This delightfully varied selection captures their many meanings – from Tennyson’s “February fair-maid” to Jim Stewart’s image of snowdrops as “the last lights out”.

For Wordsworth it is humility that characterises them most of all:

“Lone Flower, hemmed in with snows and white as they

But hardier far, once more I see thee bend

Thy forehead, as if fearful to offend…”

from ‘To a Snowdrop’ by William Wordsworth

These are poems to be enjoyed at any time of year, offering a welcome reminder that even in the depths of winter, spring is quietly at work preparing its many joys.

Poems by Diana Hendry, Rosie Storey Hilton, Zaffar Kunial, Paula Meehan, Sarah Salway, AE Stallings, Jim Stewart, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Mary Webb and William Wordsworth.

Cover illustration by Alexandra Buckle.

Donation to Snowdrop Project.

📖 My Thoughts..

I love snowdrops. There is something so incredibly stalwart about this little beauty which rises to the challenge of an icy cold winter to reward us with its fairy like blooms and a whisper of magic. Coming across a hidden clump of snowdrops on a winter walk is quite special and I always stop to take their photograph as reward for their stoicism.

© Jaffareadstoo

This collection of ten lovely poems celebrates this little beauty with poems which make your heart sing and capture the snowdrop’s ethereal splendour. The collection gets underway with a classic poem:

Many, many welcomes,

February fair-maid

Ever as of old time,

Solitary firstling,

Coming in the cold time,

From The Snowdrop by Alfred Lord Tennyson

The other nine poems are equally as beautiful, each capturing the resilience of snowdrops, reminding us that spring is starting to show its face and with the arrival of these tiny white flowers we witness a subtle change in the season:

My white petals

Semaphore that spring is on its way,

Spell out the garden’s true light.

From In the cool light of the winter sun by Sarah Salway

There is so much to enjoy in this collection which will definitely appeal to anyone who loves flowers in general or instead of a card to celebrate the beauty of this special little flower.

About the Publisher

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.

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Storyteller's Daughter by Victoria Scott

 

Boldwood Books
15 January 2025

My thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources

A secret buried for decades… A story that will change everything.

1940: When twenty-one-year-old Nita Bineham is offered the chance of independence, away from the high walls of her family’s Surrey estate, she grasps it with both hands. But her new role at a local newspaper coincides with the emergence of a sinister rumour in their quiet village: that there is a traitor in their midst. Nita is determined to prove herself by uncovering the truth, but is she prepared for revelations that could change her life forever?

2008: Following the death of her great aunt, Beth flees London for the privacy of rural Surrey. Within the confines of her family’s dilapidated manor house, she hides from the dual wreckage of her career and her marriage. But when her aunt’s dying words lead her to a stack of old newspaper articles, Beth finds herself drawn into a decades old mystery: about a long-buried secret, and an enemy dangerously close to home.

📖 My Review..

This haunting dual time story gives us a wonderful insight into the lives of two strong female characters and although separated by time, their shared story will resonate as family secrets are gradually revealed. Both Nita Bineham in the 1940s, and Beth Bineham, in 2008, have more in common than they realise and as the family bonds get pulled ever tighter, so a secret is revealed which began with Nita during the war years. 

Beth has always had a strong bond with Melham Manor, the place her great-aunt called home, and after Nita’s death, Beth becomes thoroughly invested in discovering more about this enigmatic older woman and in doing so realises the significance of Melham Manor and Beth’s modern day emotional connection to it. Told in alternate timelines we follow Nita’s story as she begins to discover her independence during the war years when she worked as a journalist for the local newspaper and also Beth’s story as she too must learn to rationalise some significant changes in her personal life. 

The story flows seamlessly with neither timeframe seeking to outshine the other, I was equally as comfortable walking alongside Beth as, using the clues Nita left behind, she tries to makes sense of some long buried family secrets. I thought Nita’s story was particularly well done and I enjoyed being immersed in her life and the restrictions that her wealthy family placed upon her. Beautifully told, with a sharp eye for historical detail, and with a strong emphasis on the problems that families create The Storyteller’s Daughter is an emotional story which kept my attention from start to finish.

About the Author

Victoria Scott has been a journalist for many media outlets including the BBC and The Telegraph. She is the author of three novels published by Head of Zeus. Her first book for Boldwood is a Gothic timeslip novel

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📖 Book Review ~ The Earl’s Marriage Dilemma by Sarah Mallory

 

Harlequin Historical
December 2024

My thanks to the author for my copy of this book

Conham, the new Earl of Dallamire, is resolute: he must wed a wealthy bride. It’s the only way to bring the estate that his late father squandered back into prosperity. But a late-night encounter with beautiful stranger Rosina Brackwood leads Conham to question his carefully laid plans…

Running away from her abominable brother, Rosina is in desperate need of refuge. So when Conham offers her a position as his land steward, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. Yet as they live and work together in close confines the crackle of chemistry is impossible to ignore…

📖 My Review..

As always with the Regency romances from this talented writer we are transported back in time to a world of restrictions where women were very much at the mercy of men, be it their fathers, brothers or husbands. Rosina Brackwood very much falls into this category as in escaping her tyrannical and profligate brother she must find employment however with her life in danger she takes a chance on becoming the land steward to Conham, the new Earl of Dallamire. This in itself is an unusual situation as women do not become employed as managers of large estates but Rosina is no shrinking violet and pretty soon Conham realises that there is far more to this feisty young woman than he could ever have imagined.

There’s the fine attention to historical accuracy that we have come to expect from this author’s books but there is also a wonderful array of characters who flit into and out of the story each bringing their own brand of magic to this sparking story. I have been quite engrossed in this wonderful world and have loved spending time and getting to know Rosina and Conham. At its heart, of course, is a tender and romantic love story but there is also so much more to take in especially with those nefarious characters who, hopefully, get what they deserve.

The Earl’s Marriage Dilemma is great escapism which brightens even the darkest of days. It’s an adventurous story, beautifully described, with wonderful characters and a tender love story, what’s not to like 😉

About the Author

Sarah Mallory was born in the West Country and grew up with a love of books and history. She has had over 40 historical novels published and won the Rona Rose Award from the Romantic Novelists Association in 2012 and 2013.

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📖 Blog Tour ~ A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop by Joanna Toye

Penguin
26 January 2025

thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book
and the invitation to the blog tour

 

Carrie Anderson’s business selling books at her local train station is thriving and, with her beloved Mike returned from war, everything feels as though it is falling into place. That is, until Mike is sent to Washington as a liaison between Britain and America.

When her twin brother, Johnnie, a fighter pilot, is injured, and her bookstall falls on hard times, Carrie misses the sage advice and comfort of Mike more than ever.

Bolstered by her supportive station community, can Carrie battle through this challenging new chapter and reach the happy ending she deserves?

📖 My Review..

Those who have read The Little Penguin Bookshop will be entirely familiar with Carrie Anderson and her little railway book shop and those who are new to the story will soon pick up the thread as it’s possible to read this as a standalone story. In this continuation we meet again with Carrie, and the rest of the characters, pretty much where the first book ended, with Carrie and her boyfriend Mike picking up their relationship, only for Mike to be posted to America.

It’s 1941 and Britain is finding that the pinch of war is biting hard. Food rationing is causing genuine hardship and with the devastation of the blitz in London, Carrie and her family and friends are finding it difficult but as ever their stoical nature shines through and Carrie finds, more than ever, that her bookshop with its colourful array of Penguin sixpenny titles is her refuge when the book shop experiences difficult times. As always the author brings time and place to life so perfectly that it is no hardship to spend time in the company of this lovely bunch of characters. 

The story flows beautifully, historically accurate, packed with emotion and at times, sadness, but there is always a sense of duty and flashes of humour. I have thoroughly enjoyed spending time at the little bookshop and relished reading about this new chapter in its existence. I hope it won’t be too long before we meet again with Carrie, Mike and the rest of the characters who make these lovely WW2 sagas so special.

About the Author

Jo wrote for many years as a writer and producer on saops ranging from Radio 4'ds The archers to TV's Doctors and EastEnders. She wrote several spin-off books and novelisations before inventing her own fictional world in six previous sagas: her World War Two 'Shop Girls' and 'Victory Girls' titles. She lives in the countryside near Bath - perfect for walking and plotting!

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📖 Book Review ~ Mumageddon! And The Food Magician by Sonya Anise

 

Books Beautiful
12 December 2024

My thanks to Cameron Publicity for my copy of this book

MUMAGEDDON! And the Food Magician is a deliciously laugh-out-loud story of a budding chocolatier who loves baking. Though he's a food magician, his loathsome stepmother bans him from the kitchen, and sends him to beastly boarding school where terror reigns and prefects rule. Seeking sweet revenge (using his culinary smarts) he mixes a potion, fingers crossed, to cause commotion...

A rambunctious rollercoaster must-read for all ages, will make kids squeal with delight, fright and disgust!

Bursting with vibrant full colour illustrations on every page, and told in verse reminiscent of Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes, it's perfect for fans of best loved children's classics George's Marvellous Medicine and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Cinderella.

Though fantastically silly, this David Vs Goliath saga is ultimately a heart-warming tale about compromise, acceptance, forgiveness and unconditional love, with a great message about following your passion and using your voice.

Enjoyed by the whole family, Sonya’s raucous rhyme rolls off the tongue and is really fun to read aloud – you'll want to read and re-read it again and again.

A comic triumph of outstanding originality, MUMAGEDDON! And the Food Magician is destined to become a classic beloved by children, parents (and hopefully stepmothers) everywhere.

📖 My Thoughts..

You're never too old for a children's book and I have enjoyed reading this fun rhyming story although it would also appeal to young readers who enjoy colourful illustrations and an intrepid chocolatier who gets sent away to boarding school by his beastly step-mother. Whilst at boarding school he uses his culinary skills to his advantage with unexpected results. The story has snippets of useful information, a note on home safety and a reminder not to try some of the experiments at home which acts a useful reminder to both children and adults alike.

Coming in at around 100 pages, its a generous sized book, which is a perfect size for confident readers aged about 8 and upwards, although I am sure its also one of those interesting books which can be read together as a bedtime story, The rhyming is good and sets its own pace, the illustrations are fun and colourful and the Food Magician is a delightful character. There is a message in the story about following what you believe in and also about learning to understand and compromise.

About the Author

Sonya Anise is a fine artist, photographer and interior product designer who studied art and design at Central Saint Martins. Born in Dublin to British parents, Sonya has lived in England, Ireland, Spain, Australia, Costa Rica and Mexico.

Sonya enjoys a nomadic life traveling of the beaten track in search of colour. and all things weird and wonderful. She is also passionate about cooking ( and especially chocolate)

Being an ocean lover, Sonya's currently on a small Balearic Island working on her next book...

📖 Book Review ~ Ten Poems about Museums from Candlestick Press

Candlestick Press
2024

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this pamphlet

In these vivid poems selected by David Clarke we enter museums both real and imaginary to discover a host of beguiling artefacts.

Museums manage to contain whole worlds. They can show us life as it was lived in past centuries or prompt us to imagine how the future might unfold. Some of the objects in a museum may be workaday, but they have a remarkable power to express deep truths about our human lives. In the ‘room of clocks’ at the British Museum:

“Time thickens here, revolves,

regards itself in mirrors;

almost, each minute holds its place.”

from ‘Visit to the British Museum’ by Frances Horovitz

What characterises every museum is the ability to inspire a sense of wonder and possibility. Museums are places we should cherish and these poems demonstrate and celebrate that compelling fact.

Poems by Alison Brackenbury, David Clarke, Glyn Edwards, Suzannah Evans, Helen Farish, Thomas Hardy, Frances Horovitz, Robert Minhinnick, Tom Sastry and Lesley Saunders.

Cover illustration by Jane Burn.

📖 My Thoughts...

I love a good museum, be it some grand establishment, or a tiny local treasure tucked away on a back street somewhere, there is something quite magical about searching glass cabinets for that glimpse of our long ago past. I remember my very first museum, it was a school trip to the British Museum in London. The whole excursion captured my imagination, from the exciting journey by train from the North West ,and my first ever visit to our capital, the magic still remains.

This fine collection of ten poems captured my imagination in the same way, from its stunning cover and the Wedgewood blue of its end papers, to the fascinating content and the reminder that in visiting museums we are looking for a glimpse into the lives of those who have gone before and who have laid the foundations of the lives we live today. I remember being with a group of primary schoolchildren as they explored domestic items in a local museum, items which would have been in common use in the early part of the twentieth century, and enjoying their questioning minds I reminded them that one day items they take for granted will become artifacts in a  museum. Time passes, but things remain.

"Bobbin, Hook and tools my father's 

farming uncle might have had a use for.

Crazed china, stamped with coronation heads

Green bottles dulled by patent medication.

Mangles. Smocks and dominos. A copper

jelly mould shaped like a sleeping hare"

From The Museum of Lincolnshire Life by David Clarke

I find that the lull after Christmas is a perfect time to visit a museum and we are so lucky to have so many to choose. This lovely collection of poetry has certainly whetted my appetite for a visit to a museum but if that's not possible then Ten Poems about Museums is the next best thing, or perhaps give 'instead of a card' to someone who loves a good museum.

About the Publisher

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.

Twitter/X @poetrycandle

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📖 Book of my Month ~ The Players by Minette Walters

 

Allen & Unwin
2 January 2025

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

A gripping tale of compassion, imposture, trickery and surprising alliances set against the backdrop of The Bloody Assizes, from the bestselling author of The Last Hours and The Swift and the Harrier.

The much-anticipated sequel to The Swift and The Harrier

England, 1685. Decades after the end of the civil war, the country is once again divided when Charles II's illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth, arrives in Dorset to incite rebellion against his Catholic uncle.

Armed only with pitchforks, Monmouth's army is quickly defeated by King James II's superior forces and charged with high treason. Those found guilty will be hanged, drawn and quartered.

As Dorset braces for carnage, the redoubtable Lady Jayne Harrier and a small group of trusted allies - including her courageous son and the independent-minded daughter of a local lawyer - contrive ways to save men from the gallows.

Compelling and powerful, The Players is a story of guile, deceit and compassion during the dark days of The Bloody Assizes. Secrets are kept and surprising friendships formed in a dangerous gamble to thwart a brutal king's thirst for vengeance...

📖 My thoughts..

Having been impressed with The Swift and the Harrier when it was published in 2021, I was excited to discover that the much anticipated sequel was to be published in 2025. 

As the novel begins in 1685 we have now moved considerably on from the English Civil War and whilst King Charles II's reign brought a period of stability to the country, his brother, and successor, King James II is a very different monarch. When the Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate eldest son of Charles II incites insurrection examples must be made of those supporters who took part in the ill-fated rebellion and it is there where we meet again with Lady Jayne Harrier who lives in Dorset with her son Elias, Duke of Glanville. We learn something of what has gone on in the previous years with Jane but largely the book focuses on the events following the Monmouth rebellion and the Bloody Assizes which took place in the aftermath when James II was hellbent on revenge.

The story brings a true sense of the injustice which was meted out to Monmouth supporters whether they be guilty, or innocent, and whilst Lady Jayne and her son do what they can to ameliorate the damage, history still carries the scars laid down by Judge Jeffreys and his harsh punishments. The characterisation is, as always, excellent with a whole host of fully rounded fictional figures who sit very comfortably alongside those from history. The timeline is recreated with a fine eye for even the smallest detail and the way in which time comes to life is testament to the author's skill at bringing history alive. 

I've have enjoyed reading The Players so much that I am delighted to make it the Book of My Month for January.

About the Author

Minette Walters is one of the world's best-selling crime writers. She is the author of twelve novels, winning the CWA John Creasey Award for The Ice House, the Edgar Allan Poe Award in America for The Sculptress and two CWA Gold Daggers for The Scold's Bridle and Fox Evil. The Last Hours and The Turn of Midnight mark an exciting new direction for Minette. She lives in Dorset with her husband.

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