📖 Book Review ~ Wanton Troopers by Lindsey Erith

Olympia Publishers
28 November 2024

My thanks to the publishers
and publicist Martha Halford-Fumigalli for my copy of this book

The action unfolds in the cloud-wracked autumn of 1645 as the defeated Royalist Hugh Malahide returns to his Uncle’s impoverished estate in need of sanctuary; “He had half expected warmth at last and blessings, had them stored up as miser’s gain. But he had already been upstaged. The tableau that greeted him was not of upflung arms and welcome, but of a medical emergency in front of him, centred on a writhing, groaning heap of bloodied old clothes there on the floor of his uncle’s hallway.”

The ‘groaning heap’ is Tom Fentiman, a figure who will drag the hero, Hugh, into a whirlwind adventure of danger and betrayal, and into the path of the beautiful Isabella, daughter of his Parliamentarian rival, with whom romance and a happy life seems an impossibility, but one he does not resist.

Can this defeated Royalist reject the siren song of King Charles’s lost cause, and survive? Only armed by force of character and a charm-the-birds smile, Hugh sets about seduction, burglary and defying Fate.

📖 My Review..

Looking for sanctuary from his Royalist duties during the latter years of the English Civil War, Hugh Malahide returns to his impoverished uncle’s house somewhat less of a hero, and more of a survivor, only to find that there is a seriously injured man whose very presence in the house is something of a problem. These are difficult times with Royalist neighbours at odds with their Puritan counterparts and with animosity festering in the air there is little chance of charity. However, this chance encounter with the injured stranger brings Hugh into contact with Isabella Fentiman, and the start of a relationship which will test his loyalty in more ways than one.

This is so beautifully written that I felt like I had stepped right back in time and saw the English countryside through the eyes of one who had lived and walked there in 1645. There’s a strong sense of history, neither glorying nor denying the eventual outcome of the Civil War, each side had their successes and failures but what is brought to life is the rural ambience of a country at odds with itself. It was a time when neighbours were pitted against each other and law abiding folk could be held hostage by marauding scavengers. Situations were difficult, money was scarce and with few choices available some turned to thievery whilst others sought a different approach. Malahide is faced with difficult choices.

With a tender love story at its heart The Wanton Troopers allows a tantalising glimpse into a long ago world and with this talented author’s wonderful way with words, I was quite enchanted and rather sorry to say goodbye to the Malahide and Fentimens and wished them well in their future.

About the Author

Lindsey Erith was born in Reigate, the daughter of the photographer John Erith. She survived a girls’ public school and coming to terms with severe health problems before achieving a graphics Diploma. This gave her an entry to portraiture and strengthened her keen interest in character and likeness.

Woven throughout her life has been an abiding passion for music, reflected in the poetic rhythm of her original writing style. Her love of music led to the love of her life and a Valentine’s Day happy marriage to the distinguished classical music producer John Boyden, whose unwavering belief in her encouraged her to submit her first book for publication.

Wanton Troopers, her new book, is written in the same style and period as Mary Florida. Each ‘Royalist Romance’ explores the heights of love and longing in the tumultuous aftermath of the English Civil War.

Website

#WantonTroopers

Twitter / X @ olympiapub

Twitter / X @MarthaHalfordPR

📖 Publication Day Book Review ~ Gemini Pockets : The Brontës : Charles Dickens

Gemini
28 November 2024
Thanks to the publisher for my copies of theses book 

From techniques on how to achieve Deep Sleep to an all-access pass to the record- breaking life of Ariana Grande; and from quizzes and puzzles for classic lit lovers to the original best-selling glossary of Cockney Rhyming Slang; these are enticing little gifts to pick up, prize and pocket.

With over 100 titles scheduled across Music, Fashion, Travel, Humour and more, Gemini’s Pocket series will become a mainstay across the trade, and will be supported with major marketing activity at launch and throughout 2025.

Drawing on the vivid detail in the seven completed novels of the three Brontë sisters -- Charlotte, Emily and Anne -- the ingenious quizzes and puzzles in this fun collection will test your memory. Even the illustrations, by Edmund Dulac, require you to recognise the characters they depict.

📖 My Review..

In order get the best out of this mini literary quiz book you really need to know your Brontës and whilst I thought I knew quite a lot about this trio of sisters I was challenged to get some of the answers but I have definitely had great fun trying and thankfully, there are answers at the end of the book.

Full of lovely Brontë information these pocket sized books are the perfect size to have tucked away in your bag ready to bring out when you need to pass the time. I’ve loved everything about this little book, from the gentle tones of its coloured pages, to the beautiful illustrations, and snippets of Brontë information which are scattered like little jewels throughout the whole of the book.  I have to admit to feeling rather guilty actually writing in the book, as that is something I really find difficult to do however, I got over my terror of marking pristine pages by using a soft pencil which was easily erased.

Gemini
28 November 2024

A variety of ingenious puzzles to test your knowledge of the works of Charles Dickens, creator of many of the best-known characters in fiction and widely regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. Illustrated throughout by the British caricaturist George Cruikshank, who was praised as the Hogarth of his day.

📖 My Review..

Similarly with the Brontë book this pocket quiz book contains so much about Dickens that it’s a real joy to read, even if, like me, you don’t like writing in the pages of a book there is more than enough to peruse and ponder. The illustrations make such a difference and truly make this pocket Dickens into something rather special. I’ve been reading Dickens for pleasure ever since I first picked up Oliver Twist in my teens but this feisty little book tested my knowledge and made me want to read, or listen, to these fabulous stories all over again.

In the run up to Christmas when we search for little literary gifts to tempt the readers in our lives look no further than this group of Gemini Pockets. They’re fun, fabulous and kept me entertained from start to finish.

Gemini Pockets

From little guides to soothe your soul to all-access passes to the lives of pop icons, and from quizzes and puzzles for literature lovers to books on food, nature, fashion and more, Gemini Pockets are the perfect fit for your life and interests.

Twitter / X @ geminibooksgp

📖 Book Review ~ Ten Poems about Daughters and Sons from Candlestick Press

Candlestick Press
2024

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of these pamphlets

A daughter will always be a daughter, and this beautiful and tender selection celebrates that joyful fact.

We begin with a birth and progress through the years via familiar landmarks; the beloved toys of early childhood and tricky teenage arguments lead to the inevitable moment when a daughter must leave home.

A poem about teaching a daughter to swim becomes a moving expression of a rite of passage into independence:

“You will watch her

leaving the shore behind

and the current will flow

the right way. That day,

the water will hold her…”

from ‘Teaching Your Daughter to Swim’ by Clare Shaw

Running through every poem there is an abiding sense of the power of the bond between a parent and daughter – and of course there is always love.

Poems by Michael Brown, SL Grange, Harry Guest, Joanna Ingham, James P Lenfestey, Kim Moore, Marilyn Nelson, Clare Shaw, Anne Stevenson and Claire Walker.

Cover illustration by Caroline Barker.

📖 My Review...

I'm blessed to have been a daughter and now have a daughter and a son of my own, both infinitely precious. These lovely poetry pamphlets celebrate the wonder and blessing of having a daughter and a son in our lives.

Having a daughter is one of life's blessings, I've loved having a daughter, from watching her grow from quiet babyhood, into to a confident adult,  and now a mother herself , just continues the joy.

Beginning with birth, the poems help to celebrate a life shared, special moments which bring us all together. That precious moment when a woman become a mother is celebrated with this lovely poem:

From Poem for a Daughter by Anne Stevenson 

" A woman's life is her own

 until it is taken away

by a first particular cry.

then she is not alone

but part of the premises

of everything there is

a time, a tribe, a war

When we belong to the world

we become what we are..."

From A Daughter's First Term at University by Harry Guest

This one forcibly reminds me of leaving my daughter at her shared house in Leeds, having bundled everything she needed for her first term at university into the car. We crossed the Pennines from Lancashire into Yorkshire and back to the city of her birth. There was excitement but also sadness with an indescribable sense of loss.

"...The fact remains- the one whom you loved as an everyday presence has been

 elected  a citizen of a world you'll never inhabit

She's left, rightly so, to gain where others have given,

she's cut the cord, packed her bags, embarked on adulthood..."

The sharing of love and the deepening of the parental bond is celebrated in each of these ten lovely poems. I think Ten Poems about Daughters is rather special and is definitely one to treasure and pass on to my daughter so that she, in turn, can pass it on to her daughter.

Candlestick Press
2024

In this delightful mini anthology we find touching and uplifting poems exploring sons as babies and sons as young men, as well as everything in between.

We meet a boy daydreaming in bed on a summer’s evening, his mother delighting in his wakefulness as his imagination roams in the dark. There’s a son begging his dad for a bedtime story, which must be different from the last one.

And then there are unforgettable rites of passage such as a gap year, which turns out to be as much of an adventure for the parent as for the child:

“My heart soars like the birds in your bright blue skies.
My love glows like the sunrise over the lost city.
I sing along to Ella Fitzgerald, A tisket A tasket.
I have a son out in the big wide world.”

from ‘Gap Year’ by Jackie Kay


The poems are a reminder of the delights, joys and endless surprises of watching a son grow through childhood into whatever happens next.

Poems by Emily Blewitt, Josephine Corcoran, Glyn Edwards, Langston Hughes, Jackie Kay, Galway Kinnell, Li-Young Lee, David Morley, Sinéad Morrissey and Naomi Shihab Nye.

Cover illustration by Caroline Barker.

 📖 My Review..

I'm blessed to have been a daughter and now have a daughter and a son of my own, both infinitely precious. These lovely poetry pamphlets celebrate the wonder and blessing of having a daughter and a son in our lives.

I've loved being the mother of a son, watching him grow from sturdy babyhood, to being a strong and protective father himself to a daughter. This anthology of ten intuitive poems about sons shares that unbreakable bond between parent and child.

"A man crosses the street in the rain

stepping gently, looking two times north and south:

because his son is asleep on his shoulder

no car must splash him,

No car drive too near his shadow.."

From Shoulders by Naomi Shihab Nye

Beautifully written, as always, and with much to consider I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this anthology of Ten Poems about Sons. From baby hood, to adulthood and stages in between this anthology celebrates the bond that parents have with their sons.  The cheery cover with its young boy at a desk, with his atlas, reminds me of my son who would squirrel away every postcard that arrived from overseas until the atlas became a wishlist of foreign places to travel. Another pamphlet to treasure ..

  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

Website

📖Book Review ~ Life’s Short, Talk Fast : Edited by Ann Hood

Dialogue Books
14 November 2024

Thanks to Midas for my copy of this book

Gilmore Girls hit our screens in 2000 and has been our autumn obsession ever since. Featuring iconic fall fashion, seasonal festivities, and countless cosy coffeehouse meetups, there's a reason that Vogue calls Gilmore Girls 'the quintessential autumn girl show'.

Fast-talking, warm-hearted, and endlessly rewatchable, Gilmore Girls has bonded real-life mothers and daughters since 2000, when its iconic pilot introduced us to Lorelai, Rory, and their idyllic town of Stars Hollow. To many, it is not only a classic comfort show, but a lifestyle, having even been called ‘a religion’. It is no surprise therefore that, years later, we're still head over heels with Stars Hollow.

More than twenty years after its release, Gilmore Girls has become one of the most-streamed TV shows, ever. Now, fans have the chance to rediscover the world of Lorelai and Rory in new form. Life’s Short, Talk Fast is an anthology as intimate and quick-witted as Gilmore Girls itself, in which bestselling author Ann Hood invites fifteen writers to investigate their personal relationships to the show, reintroducing readers to the twinkle lights and movie nights that so captivate audiences. 

UK-based authors Freya North and Yassmin Abdel-Magied explore how the show illuminated and explored their relationships with their own family members. Freya discusses how it led her to form a deeper connection with her 21-year-old son, who discovered the show in his final year of university. Yasmin reflects on the difficult and often unclear boundaries between mothers and daughters illuminated in the mother-daughter dynamics between Emily, Lorelai, and Rory. Nina de Gramont offers a comic ode to the unreality of the Stars Hollow world, hinged on the impossible vastness of Lorelai Gilmore’s coat collection (which she compares to Carrie Bradshaw’s shoe collection). 

For anyone who identifies as Team Logan, Team Jess, or even Team Dean, Life's Short, Talk Fast reveals what Gilmore Girls tells us about ourselves - and why it matters.

📖 My Review..

A few years ago I watched, over the space of a few weeks, the entire Gilmore Girls series on Netflix and absolutely fell in love with mother-daughter combo, Lorelai and Rory Gilmore and even developed a soft spot for Lorelai’s mother, Emily. At the time of watching the series I didn’t look into it any deeper than it being an entertaining watch on a steaming channel. I could comfortably watch two or three episodes, at a time, nicely ensconced in the cosiness of Stars Hollow and living life vicariously with this gentle show with its witty dialogue and complex relationships.

Fifteen writers have contributed to this anthology and as they share their personal relationships with the show so you begin to understand the lure of its appeal. With chapters covering diverse subjects, it’s an easy book to dip into and out of, discovering fascinating snippets along the way, and if you are familiar with the series will have you nodding in agreement. I particularly enjoyed Many Coats of Many Colours by Nina de Gramont which discusses cash strapped Lorelai’s penchant for exquisite coats of many colours. It made me smile ‘We live once, it’s cold outside’.  Freya North’s chapter Gilmore Girls-and Boys. It’s a Mother-Son Thing was particularly enlightening as by watching some of Gilmore Girls together with her son gave them both a deeper understanding of their mother-son relationship.

Life’s Short, Talk Fast looks really closely at the phenomenon of Gilmore Girls and the effects it had not just on a TV streaming public but also on parent-child relationships going forward into another generation. I think we underestimate the power of popular culture at our peril and this book goes some way into explaining its relevance twenty four years since its inception.  From its pretty cover to the enlightenment of its contents I found much to enjoy in Life’s Short, Talk Fast. It’s given me an appetite to revisit Stars Hollow again and discover the charm and hidden meanings to be found in Gilmore Girls. 

About Ann Hood

Ann Hood is the author of over a dozen novels, including the bestsellers The Knitting Circle, The Obituary Writer, The Book That Matters Most, Fly Girl and Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine; and several memoirs, including the bestsellers Kitchen Yarns: Notes on Life, Love and Food and Comfort: A Journey Through Grief, which was named one of the top ten books of 2008 by Entertainment Weekly. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island and New York.

Twitter / X @dialoguepub #LifesShortTalkFast

Twitter/ X @midascampaigns

📖 Book Review ~ Collision by J M Monaco

Luminosa Books
14 August 2024

My thanks to the author for the copy of this book

Four People. Their Secrets. One Tragic Day.

Tragedy strikes when a teenage boy is killed in a hit and run. Why didn’t the driver stop? Why did the boy run into the street?

2018, Bristol. On his way to a boxing session, fifteen-year-old Kieran runs into the street and is knocked down by a speeding Mercedes. High on cocaine, rich-girl driver Rachel flees the scene. Days later she’s found in a deserted barn and charged with the teen’s death. Over the four months she is held in remand prison awaiting sentencing, Rachel battles with the demons that pushed her over the edge that lethal afternoon.

Rachel’s story and the voices of three others slowly unravel the events and secrets that lay behind what happened that day. Kieran’s mother, Noreen, a cleaner at the university, Kieran’s close friend - girl-boxer, Jess, and Rachel’s cardiologist father, Leo, all wish they could turn back the clock. In their grief and driven by guilt, their worlds collide as they face the truth of the roles they played in the tragedy.

📖 My Review..

All too often we hear of fatal road traffic accidents and whilst we stop to consider the sadness and tragedy of it there are also wider implications which are not always considered. It’s not just about the victims or their family and friends but also about the perpetrators of the crime and the effect that the tragedy could have on so many other people who are both directly and indirectly involved. Told in four distinct voices Collision looks at the events following the hit and run accident of a fifteen year old boy. We get the thoughts and emotions of Kieran’s mother, Noreen, his friend Jess, alongside the devastation of Leo, who is the father of Rachel, the twenty-one year old driver of the vehicle involved in the hit and run.

There are real emotions at play here and as we get drawn further into the story so the tragic events start to unfold. Identifying with each of the characters is where the strength of the novel lies and all credit to the author for giving each viewpoint so successfully. I felt emotionally connected with each of them, particularly the parents whose shock and sadness is tangible and their heartfelt bewilderment at the loss of a young life. Emotional and heart wrenching in places, this a powerful story about loss and grief, about the repercussions of what happens when things spiral of control, of how lives can change in a heartbeat and finally, whether in the face of great hurt there can ever be the chance of forgiveness.

Collision is one of those quietly, strong stories, beautifully written and acutely observed, I really enjoyed reading it and look forward to more from this talented writer.

About the Author

JM Monaco grew up in the Boston area, USA. She studied English and Creative Writing as an undergraduate at Tufts University. After working in a variety of areas, including desk-top publishing and as a secondary school teacher, she took up graduate studies. Her PhD from the University of Bristol examined quality television drama and its internet fandom. She has lived in Bristol since 1996.

Collision is her second novel. Her first novel is How We Remember (2018).

Twitter / X @jm_monaco2

#Collison

📖 Book Review ~ Celebrating All Creatures Great and Small : For the Love of the Yorkshire Dales written by James Steen

 

Michael O’Mara Books
17 December  2024

Thanks to the publisher and Alison Menzies for my copy of this book

Featuring hundreds of spectacular shots from all four series, plus an in-depth look at the characters and real-life inspiration for the show, this book tells the fascinating story of the programme’s main character : the Yorkshire Dales.

Packed full of heartwarming photographs of the landscape, the set and the characters, as well as soundbites from the cast, this is everything you need to know about James and Helen Herriot, the beloved setting of Skeldale House and, of course, the animals.

Lavish, celebratory and richly detailed, this is an unmissable and sumptuous guide to All Creatures Great & Small, which showcases how Darrowby and its inhabitants have paid homage to such an incredible heritage. The perfect book for anyone with an interest in the Yorkshire Dales and James Herriot.

Foreword written by Rosie Page, James Herriot’s daughter.

📖 My Review..

I’m old enough to remember the original series of All Great and Small and living in Yorkshire at the time I had various spin off touristy type books which I used to explore the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. It was such a treat therefore when Channel 5 decided, in 2020, to launch a new adaptation of the books which were originally published by James Herriot, pen name of vet Alf Wight, in the 1970s. Whilst this new version is different from the original stories it still has all the charm of the original TV series, which ran from 1978 to 1990. With a new cast and sumptuous production, the charming tales of life in a country veterinary practice were once again brought to life and set to charm a new generation of fans by showcasing the beautiful Yorkshire Dales countryside.

Having watched all five of the Channel 5 series I consider myself to be something of a fan as not only have I thoroughly enjoyed this latest production but to have this official companion has been a real treat to read. With its beautiful glossy pages and stunning photographs it is definitely a book to treasure and re-read. Nicely divided into five distinct sections we are whisked away to the fictional village of Darrowby and meet those well loved characters who call this lovely place ‘home’. With lots of background information about the making of the series and vignettes of the cast there is a sense that this is a close knit community of talented people who really care about what they are producing and it shows in the popularity of the series which continues to grow and grow.

Just as James Herriot’s original novels were a love story to the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales and its people so this companion book is a love story to the TV series and to all the talented cast, including the animals, and amazing crew who bring All Creatures Great and Small to life in such glorious detail. 

If you’re  a fan of the series as I am or if you love the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, then treat yourself  by pre-ordering this lovely book in time for Christmas, and then just sit back, read and enjoy.

X @OMARABOOKS #AllCreaturesGreatAndSmall

📖 Blog Tour~ The Last Princess by Ellen Alpsten

Sunbird Stories
7 November 2024

My thanks to the publisher , author and Random Things Tours for the invitation to be part of this tour

Young and beautiful Gytha Godwinson is the envy of England when her father Harold seizes the country’s crown in early 1066.

But soon, treachery tears her house apart, and triumph turns to terror.

An evil star appears, heralding the end of an era and a new beginning for Britain.

Her family and the country seem cursed.

Yet even as she suffers loss, betrayal and humiliation, Gytha is determined to regain what is rightfully hers.

In a stunning re-telling of 1066, international bestselling author Ellen Alpsten has created a captivating new heroine in Gytha Godwinson.

Witness the end of England's ancient house, the demise of a cursed kingdom and the emergence of a new empire: 'The Last Princess' bridges between myth and modernity.

📖My Review..

It’s difficult for us to image life in Anglo-Saxon Britain as these dark ages are now over a millennium ago and yet we continue to be fascinated by this ancient way of life and of the blood feuds which existed between members of the same family and the ever present threat of treachery from usurpers from across the sea. This re-imagining of the events leading up to the Norman conquest in 1066, and beyond, takes us into the heart of the Godwin family and we meet our feisty heroine, Gytha Godwinson, daughter of Harold, who will become King of England. However, the fickle finger of fate has a nasty way of interfering in history and even though there are changes ahead for the house of Godwinson, it is unfortunately the start of their downfall rather than a glorious beginning.

Nicely written, and imaginatively described, The Last Princess is the first book in a proposed series, which tells the story of Gytha Godwinson as she experiences the dramatic changes to herself and her family in 1066 and of the tumultuous events which followed the conquest of England by William of Normandy. I enjoyed experiencing the history as described by this talented author who relates everything with a fine eye for historical detail, bringing place and people to life in a believable way. Superstition, fear and dread all play their part and Gytha’s life is not without its challenges as she finds herself a stranger in a strange land. Darkness and cruelty serves to remind us that these were the dark ages of our time and many lives were lost and bartered with little thought or regard. 

The author does a great job of bringing history alive and I look forward to continuing the story in the next book, The Sunrise Queen, which is due for publication in Autumn 2025.

About the author

Ellen Alpsten was born and raised in the Kenyan highlands, where she dressed up her many pets and forced them to listen to her stories.

Upon graduating from the 'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris', she worked as a news-anchor for Bloomberg TV London. While working gruesome night shifts on breakfast TV, she started to write in earnest, every day, after work, a nap and a run. So much for burning midnight oil!

Today, Ellen works as an author and as a journalist for international publications such as Vogue, Standpoint, and CN Traveller. She lives in London with her husband, three sons, and a moody fox red Labrador.

X @EALPSTEN_AUTHOR #THELASTPRINCESS

X @RANDOMTTOURS

INSTAGRAM &ELLENALPSTENAUTHOR

📖 Blog Tour ~ The Viscount and the Thief by Emma Orchard

Boldwood Books
11 November 2024

Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the book
and the invitation to the blog tour

Spring, 1811... A stranger arrives at Wyverne Hall

Sophie Delavallois is the new companion to the ageing Dowager Marchioness, but she also has another reason for coming to the infamous Wyverne mansion, one that will shake the family to their core.

Lord Drake left his childhood home many years ago, and only returns now to see his beloved grandmother. He takes little interest in the goings on of the house, until the arrival of Mademoiselle Delavallois. There’s something about her that he can’t put his finger on; it's as if he’s seen her before, but surely, that is not possible…

Sophie is also drawn to Drake, but he is a Wyverne, and she cannot allow herself to fall for him, because her intentions towards the family are resolute – revenge. But inside the walls of Wyverne Hall, she discovers the rumours about the family barely scratch the surface, and she can’t escape the dangerous allure of the Viscount.

Once her plans are set in motion, will he be her saviour or her ruin?

📖 Book Review

Sophie Delavallois has accepted the post of companion to the aging Dowager Marchioness but enters the Wyvern mansion with some trepidation as the family’s reputation is somewhat disreputable. However, Sophie has her own special reason for entering into this den of iniquity and nothing, and no-one, is going to get in her way. 

When Sophie meets Lord Drake, heir to Wyvern estate, she is determined to carry out her mission but with an instant attraction flaring between them, this is going to make her quest to seek revenge on Drake’s family all the more difficult. Sophie is a determined heroine with a real sense of bravado but it is in her relationship with the handsome Lord Drake where the story really starts to come together.

As always, this talented author has captured the essence of Regency England and with a style all of her own she delivers a lively romp, which is rich filled with an abundance of fascinating characters, not all of whom are very likeable, with the exception of the Marchioness, who is definitely someone I would have liked to have encountered in real life. 

I have found much to enjoy in this thrilling Regency romance, it’s filled with delicious intrigue, smouldering passion and a real hint of danger which kept me entertained from first page to last. I’m already looking forward to the next Regency mystery/romance from Emma Orchard😊

About the Author

Emma Orchard grew up in Salford and was given tickets to the grown-up library at the age of 11 because she’d read all the children’s books and the librarians were sick of the sight of her. She became obsessed with Georgette Heyer and hasn’t stopped reading her novels since. She studied English Literature at university and went on to work at Mills & Boon and behind the scenes in television and in publishing.

Facebook: @EmmaOrchardBooks

Twitter: @EmmaOrchardB

Instagram: @emmaorchardbooks

Newsletter Sign Up: bit.ly/EmmaOrchardNews

Bookbub profile: @EmmaOrchardBooks

📖 Blog Tour ~ The Wives by Valerie Keogh

Boldwood
6 November 2024

My thanks to the publishers and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book
and the invitation to the blog tour

When Natasha meets Daniel, she knows her life is made. Rich, handsome and charming, Daniel will make the perfect husband. Even if she won’t make the perfect wife…

She is thrilled when Daniel suggests an all-expenses paid cruise for Natasha, her friends, Barbara, Tracy Ann and Michelle, and their husbands. What better way to show everyone that Natasha has finally made it?

But as the ship sets sail, she learns that far from being the perfect husband, Daniel has terrible secrets that are about to be revealed. And each of the wives has their own reasons for wanting him dead.

This trip might cost more than any of them ever imagined…

📖 My Review..

Secrets and lies are the focus of this cleverly controlled thriller which looks at the minutiae of the lives of a group of four wives, and their husbands, who embark on a fabulous all-expenses paid cruise which has been organised by Natasha’s wealthy husband, Daniel. The four women have been friends for a long time however, Natasha and Daniel, newly married, have changed the dynamic of this group of friends and it must be said that these changes are not for the better. As the cruise gets underway, it soon becomes apparent that there are a whole heap of secrets between the group which, if discovered, could have devastating consequences for all of them. As always this talented writer draws you into her world, creating friendships, bringing to life characters, who in this story were all largely unlikeable, and yet even with people you really dislike you can’t help but be connected to them on an emotional level. There were plot twists and turns aplenty, a jaw dropping moment which I really didn’t see coming and a thoroughly satisfying ending which made me close the book with a wry smile. 

I read The Wives over the space of a couple of afternoons as I simply couldn’t put the book down, eagerly turning the pages faster and faster in my eagerness to get to the final denouement. The Wives is another masterclass in thriller writing from an author who really knows how to keep the reader glued to the page. I’m already looking forward to the next book 😄 

About the Author

Valerie Keogh is the internationally bestselling author of several psychological thrillers and crime series, most recently published by Bloodhound. She originally comes from Dublin but now lives in Wiltshire and worked as a nurse for many years. Her first thriller for Boldwood was published in August 2022.

​

Twitter @ValerieKeogh1 #TheWives

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@BoldwoodBooks #Boldwoodbloggers @bookandtonic

@rararesources

 

📖 Book Review ~ Ten Poems of Light from Candlestick Press

October 2024

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this pamphlet 

This celebration title offers light in many glorious guises, helping mark one million pamphlet sales for Candlestick Press. We encounter celestial light in the form of the sun, moon and stars as well as the miracle of the Northern Lights. There’s the dazzle of the sea and mysterious bioluminescence from the natural world.

The poems also explore what light can mean to us as humans, with its promise of hope and a happier future. And there’s lighting a candle in remembrance of a loved one:

“…a sign says, and say a prayer, so I do.
I light it for you, you who made the world
a brighter place, and leave it burning.’

from ‘Fire lit up the sky’ by Carole Bromley

We hope that this dazzling selection – which includes the winning poems in our recent competition – will offer moments of delight and lasting joy, a poem (like a candlestick) being a lovely bearer of illumination.

Poems by Shasta Hanif Ali, Carole Bromley, Jane Burn, Rosie Jackson, Rachel Jeffcoat, Stephen Keeler,Nairn Kennedy, DA Prince, Penny Sherman and Laura Theis.

Cover illustration by Rebecca Vincent.

Donation to Starlight Children Foundation

📖 My review..

Helping to commemorate the millionth poetry pamphlet sold by Candlestick Press Ten Poems of Light is the perfect way to celebrate this amazing achievement. We all need light during some of our darkest times and I found so much to enjoy in these ten brand new poems, nine of whom are from winners in a Candlestick competition and what a talented bunch of poets they all are 😄 

I enjoyed Telling My Child About Light by Jane Burn especially this line :

-‘wherever you are in the world, somewhere there is light’

Whenever I visit a holy place I light a candle to remember those in my family who are no longer with me:

‘Light A Candle,

a sign says, and say a prayer, so I do.

I light it for you, you who made the world 

A brighter place, and leave it burning.’

Fire lit up the sky by Carole Bromley 

The final poem in the anthology, Things that hold light by Shasta Hanif Ali processes grief through tiny glimpses of joy in a hospice ‘When we fall, we are gathered’  - what a beautiful thought.

I’ve loved reading Ten Poems of Light, it’s beautifully presented, with a stunning cover and colourful inside papers which fit the theme of light perfectly. Each of the poems compliment each other, making this a truly special anthology and a wonderful celebration of a million pamphlets sold by this small publisher whose passion for each pamphlet, they so lovingly produce, shines like a beacon of light.

 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

Website

Remembrance Sunday 2024🌹

Lest We Forget




We lay a wreath of poppies
To remember those who died
A Garland of red ribbon
To show the tears we cried
For lost ones and for loved ones
For those who gave their all
In battles and in trenches
In graveyards large and small.


We lay a wreath of poppies
To remember those who died
A cluster of red petals
For those we left behind
A laurel of remembrance
A sorry vale of tears
For generations lost and gone
We remember through the years.

🌹


In Our Family - We Remember

Private John Hopkins

The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Died 24 January 1919

Driver Frederick Arkwright

Royal Army Service Corps

Died 1 February 1945

Buried Schoonselhof Cemetery 
Antwerp, Belgium

📖 Book Review ~ Detox Your Culture by Colin D. Ellis

Bloomsbury Business
August 2024

Thanks to Midas for my copy of this book

 

In an era where stories of toxic workplaces dominate headlines—from public institutions like police forces and healthcare trusts to high-profile companies such as Twitter and ITV’s This Morning — Ellis’ Detox Your Culture arrives as a timely and critical resource.

Ellis draws on a wealth of experience and a global range of case studies throughout the personable and engaging guide, including insights from the CBI, London Fire Brigade, Uber, Sony Music, and Amnesty International. He provides leaders with practical actions to create positive cultural conditions, emphasising the importance of a work environment characterised by belonging, inclusivity, flexibility, and value creation.

Detox Your Culture is an indispensable read for any leader or manager committed to safeguarding their organisation's reputation and performance, and for any employee looking to avoid the detrimental effects of a toxic culture. Even the most comfortable in their role will be able to learn how to avoid falling down the slippery slope into a hostile work environment.

📖My Review..

This is an interesting look at work place culture and the toxicity which exists and what can be done to avoid the pitfalls when managing a team of people. It’s a well organised resource which looks at eleven specific areas, from explaining in Chapter One What is toxic culture? through to the final section which explains What to do if you work in a toxic culture now? I found the book to be well written and informative and it gave me much to consider about attitudes and behaviour and how we all play a part in workplace culture be that in positive or negative role. 

Detox your Culture gets the message across in a succinct manner which makes it an easy book to dip into and out of and the case studies help to put certain key issues into perspective. In today’s work based environments this is an informative book for anyone, be they managing a company, a team or indeed being part of a team, as it reiterates the importance of having safe working environments for everyone and provides an understanding of how to avoid the toxicity of a work place culture which benefits no-one.

About the Author

Colin D Ellis is an award winning international speaker and highly sought after culture consultant, who works with a global client base across a wide range of sectors to help them build and maintain vibrant working cultures that deliver results.

X @MidasCampaigns