📖 Blog Tour ~ Liberty Terrace by Madeleine D'Arcy

 

Thrilled to host a stop on this blog tour today

Doire Press
October 2021

My thanks to the publishers and Francesca at Midas PR for my copy of this book
and the invitation to the blog tour. 

Liberty Terrace by Irish fiction author Madeleine D’Arcy is a collection of short stories set in a fictional area of Cork City between 2016-2020, capturing the highs and lows of everyday life in the lead-up to and during the pandemic. 

Featuring a wide cast of characters from a Garda Superintendent and a young homeless squatter to a philandering husband and the mother of young autistic child – the residents of Liberty Terrace’s lives ebb and flow around each other, prompting readers to consider what it means to be human and be part of a community. Madeleine has poured herself into this book. As the mother of an autistic child herself – and a former Census Enumerator to boot – she brings her remarkable empathy and unique life experiences to life through the characters of Liberty Terrace.

📖 My Thoughts..

Liberty Terrace is an interconnected set of short stories which takes us, between the years 2016-2020, into the fictional heart of this small corner of Cork City and into the lives of those inhabitants who call this place home. Each story is perfectly self contained and yet as you read through the collection there is a distinct sense of continuity even though the stories are many, and varied, just like the characters.

Wryly observant, with a fine sense of time and place, I read through each of the stories in sequential order. Interested to see just what would follow next, I found that I liked all of the stories equally and the author's clever writing ensures than none of them outshine each other in terms of content and impact. The author has picked up on the nuances of everyday behaviour, with a few quirks thrown in for good measure, especially in light of the characters completing the obligatory census return form. I enjoyed how each story had its own definite identity so although there is a common theme of community, there is also individuality of people and place. Touching on the months of the global pandemic we come right up to date with how some characters deal with the oppressive nature of lockdown and about how the pandemic was turning everyone into nervous wrecks.

Liberty Terrace is an interesting, observational anthology, with some great stories which, collectively, highlight the highs and lows of everyday life.

About the Author

MADELEINE D’ARCY is an Irish fiction writer. A former solicitor, she lived in the UK for 13 years before returning to live in Cork City with her husband and her son in 1999. Madeleine’s first Doire Press short story collection ‘Waiting for the Bullet’ was awarded the 2015 Edge Hill Readers’ Prize’ from Edge Hill University in Ormskirk. In 2010 she received a Hennessy X.O Literary Award for First Fiction as well as the overall Hennessy X.O Literary Award for New Irish Writer. Her stories have been short-listed and commended in many competitions, including the William Trevor/Elizabeth Bowen Short Story Competition, Fish Short Story Prize, the Bridport Prize and the Seán Ó Faoláin Short Story Competition. Madeleine has been awarded bursaries by the Arts Council of Ireland and by Cork City Council. Madeleine was a scholarship student on the inaugural MA in Creative Writing 2013-2014 in University College Cork. Waiting for the Bullet is Madeleine’s debut collection of short stories.

About the Publisher

Doire Press was founded in the autumn of 2007 in Connemara by Lisa Frank, with skills and experience in editing and publishing, and by John Walsh, who had just received a publication award from the Galway County Council Arts Office to publish his second poetry collection, Love’s Enterprise Zone.

Since then, Doire Press has continued to blossom, finding its niche in publishing new and emerging writers who give voice to what it means to be Irish in a changing Ireland. Authors include Madeleine D’Arcy, Edward Boyne, Gerry Galvin, Susan Millar Du Mars, Adam White, Breda Wall Ryan, Willian Wall, Eamon Carr, Stephanie Conn, Simon Lewis, Amanda Bell, Annemarie Ní Churreáin, and Rosemary Jenkinson.

Twitter @MadeleineDL #LibertyTerrace

@Doirepress @Midaspr

Blog Tour ~ The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually by Helen Cullen ☼

☼ Thrilled to host today's Blog Tour Stop ☼

Michael Joseph
20 August 2020

My thanks to the publishers for my e-copy of this book
and the invitation to the blog tour

On an island off the west coast of Ireland, the Moone family gather, only to be shattered by tragedy. Murtagh Moone met Maeve Morelli twenty-seven years ago outside Trinity College in Dublin, and the rest was history. Murtagh is a potter by trade and Maeve an actor from Williamsburg, whose days divide starkly into darkness and light. As they raise their four children in the tight-knit community on the island of Inis Og, her illness casts a long shadow over their happiness. Until Christmas Eve, 2005, when the darkest day comes. As the Moones piece themselves imperfectly back together, they begin to learn surprising truths about each other and about themselves – truths that only Maeve understood.

What did I think about it..

When ceramic artist, Murtgah Moone meets American actress, Maeve Morelli in 1978, outside Trinity College in Dublin, life for both of them is changed forever. Maeve, quirky and bold, and filled with a zest for life seems the perfect compliment to stoical and placid, Murtagh and yet, behind the facade, Maeve is battling her own dark demons. 

Fated to be together, Murtagh and Maeve settle into family life on the beautiful, but remote, Irish island of Inis Óg where Maeve raises their four children and Murtagh makes his living as a talented potter. Life seems perfect until one Christmas Eve in 2005, when life for the Moone family is changed forever.

The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually is one of those slow moving but beautifully succinct novels which takes you into the very fabric of family life, revealing cracks which even the Moone's didn't realise were appearing in Maeve's life. Such huge divisions will tear the family apart and make them question everything they thought they knew about Maeve, both as a lover and life companion to Murtagh, and devoted mother to Nollaig, Dillon,Tomás and Sive.

The author picks up the slow pace of island life quite perfectly, nothing much seems to happen and yet, the story is all the more mesmerising because of its slowness. It's beautifully introspective concentrating on thoughts and feelings whilst at the same time bringing snippets of everyday life into sharp focus and touching on mental health issues with compassion and sensitivity.

The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually is a thoughtful family drama which captures your heart and lingers in your mind long after the last page is turned.

About the Author

Helen Cullen is an Irish writer living in London. Helen’s debut novel The Lost Letters of William Woolf (2018) was shortlisted for Newcomer of the Year at the Irish Book Awards, and has been optioned for television. Helen freelances for the Sunday Times Magazine and is a regular features writer and book reviewer for the Irish Times.

Twitter @wordsofhelen

Website

Amazon UK

Book Review ~ Imposter by L J Ross

Dark Skies Publishing
31 October 2019

My thanks to the author and The Book Trail for my copy of this book

There’s a killer inside all of us…

After an elite criminal profiling unit is shut down amidst a storm of scandal and mismanagement, only one person emerges unscathed. Forensic psychologist Doctor Alexander Gregory has a reputation for being able to step inside the darkest minds to uncover whatever secrets lie hidden there and, soon enough, he finds himself drawn into the murky world of murder investigation.

In the beautiful hills of County Mayo, Ireland, a killer is on the loose. Panic has a stranglehold on its rural community and the Garda are running out of time. Gregory has sworn to follow a quiet life but, when the call comes, can he refuse to help their desperate search for justice?

Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller set amidst the spectacular Irish landscape.

What did I think about it..

When a violent murder devastates Ballyfinny, a small Irish community, Dr Alexander Gregory is drafted in to prepare a psychological profile of the murderer in the hope of bringing the investigation to a swift conclusion. Doctor Gregory is initially viewed with suspicion by the locals as they are distrustful of a doctor who has come all the way from London to delve into their deepest, darkest secrets.

The suspicion of a small community as they look inwards to see who amongst them could be the perpetrator is done with a fine eye for detail, and as individual personality traits come alive so there are a few characters who stand out from the crowd, both in terms of where they stand with the investigation, and also in the strength of their connection to the crime.

The story gets off to a really strong start and there is much to take in, both in terms of plot and malice, and I think that the author does a great job in bringing together all the complicated clues which together form this fast moving crime thriller. The writing flows easily and there are more than enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. So many times I thought that I had the perpetrator sussed only for the story to veer off in another exciting direction, and I was completely wrong in the end!

Imposter is the first book in a proposed new series which feature Alexander Gregory's skill as a psychologist and it has been fascinating, in this first novel, to learn a little bit about the man himself. He's quite an enigmatic character, supremely flawed like all good crime sleuths, and yet Gregory also has the ability to draw people out of themselves and can glean information from even the smallest of clues. He also has a deep understanding of what makes people act in the way they do, and the reason for his astute observation of the vagaries of human nature become apparent as the story progresses.

I've really enjoyed spending time in County Mayo with this clever criminal psychological, and can only see this new series going from strength to strength in future crime thrillers.

✨ Imposter is published in ebook and paperback on the 31 October 2019 ✨ 

About the Author

L.J. Ross is the author of the international bestselling series of DCI Ryan mystery novels. Her debut, Holy Island, was released in January 2015 and reached number one in the Amazon Kindle UK bestsellers chart.

LJ Ross was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King's College, University of London and studied abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a regulatory lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Bath. 

Imposter is the first book in the Alexander Gregory series of crime thrillers. 

Website

Twitter @LJRoss_author

Facebook

Amazon UK

Book Review ~ Darkest Truth by Catherine Kirwan

Arrow Books
2019

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

When lawyer Finn Fitzpatrick is approached by a man to investigate the death of his daughter, her first instinct is to refuse. And yet something about his story draws her in.

Why did a bright, confident, beautiful young girl suddenly drop out of school, isolating herself from everyone who cared about her?

The deeper Finn goes into the case, the darker and more twisted the picture becomes.

Because these are powerful people she is trying to expose. And they will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.

What did I think about it..

Finn Fitzpatrick is a solicitor in the city of Cork, one stormy evening, just as she is leaving her office, she is approached by an elderly man who asks for Finn's helping in searching out the truth about what happened to his daughter, Deirdre. At first Finn is reluctant to take on the investigation but something about Sean Carney's story appeals to her sense of justice.

What then follows is an investigation which takes Finn into some dark and dangerous places and the more she uncovers about one person in particular the more she become embroiled in uncovering dark secrets which have been covered up by someone who was in a position of great trust.

Initially I found the story a little slow and it took me a while to feel comfortable with the characters, particularly Finn, who took some getting used to, but then about half way through the story starts to really take off and it becomes a much more interesting read.

As with all first stories in a proposed new series there is a certain amount of scene setting and getting to know the people and places. I think that setting the story in Cork is a great idea as the author seems to know the area well, and even though I am not familiar with the city, thanks to the author's detailed descriptions I was able to picture the streets and the other places which draw Finn into this complicated investigation. The story itself tackles a difficulty subject and in light of the #MeToo movement is particularly relevant.

Darkest Truth gets the series off to a good start.

About the Author

Catherine Kirwan grew up on a farm in the parish of Fews in County Waterford. She studied law at UCC and lives in Cork where she works as a solicitor. Darkest Truth is her first novel.

Twitter @catherinekirwan #DarkestTruth

@DeadGoodBooks

Review ~ Bodacious : The Shepherd Cat by Suzanna Crampton

Harper Element
Harper Collins
14 June 2018

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

Bodacious: The Shepherd Cat is the heart-warming and charming tale of Bodacious – the most famous farmyard animal since Babe – who tells us about life as the Shepherd Cat of Black Sheep Farm. It’s a beautifully written memoir which captures perfectly the highs and lows of idyllic country living, and all that it entails – early mornings, frosty starts, beautiful sunrises, adventurous rare-breed Zwartbles sheep, hard work, entertaining animals, mouth-watering food and the kind people you meet along the way.

Photograph by kind permission of the publishers

Written from the perspective of this extraordinary cat, his charming memoir takes us through a year of life on the farm; from Bodacious’ daily farm duties and shepherding adventures, to his unbreakable bond with the shepherd, Suzanna.

Photograph by kind permission of the publishers

My thoughts..

On Black Sheep Farm in County Kilkenny, with gentle fields that slope towards the River Nore, Bodacious the Shepherd Cat can be seen amongst the rare-breed black Zwartbles sheep which give the farm, not just its name but which also produce the rather special yarn from which the shepherd produces beautifully soft blankets.

Bodacious first came to Black Sheep Farm as an abandoned cat and quickly became accustomed to farm life, tending sheep, caring for the lady egg givers and generally making his presence felt amongst the other animals who call the farm home, and as the farm closed itself around Bodacious, so Bodacious lovingly wrapped himself around Black Sheep Farm becoming as one with its rhythms and routines.

This lovely look at a year in the adventurous life of Bodacious takes us through the seasons. From spring through to winter there is never a dull moment in the life of this intrepid farm cat, be it tending his flock, supervising lambing or patrolling against the ever present threat of foxes, what is always guaranteed is that he does so with lively wit and considerable charm.

The very essence of Bodacious is captured so beautifully that it becomes a real pleasure to turn the pages of this lovely book to see just what's going to happen next as he goes about his important farm business. His voice is strong and purposeful as he chivies and scolds and generally makes sure that everything is as good as it can possibly be. However, the book isn't just about Bodacious, although his magnificence shines through on every well written page, it's also a love story to Black Sheep Farm and to the shepherd, Suzanna, who cares so deeply for the land, its soil and its ancient footprint on the landscape.

About the Author

Suzanna and Bodacious
Credit: Clement Gelly

Suzanna Crampton grew up in the USA but spent her summers at her grandparents’ small farm in Kilkenny, Ireland. She studied agricultural and environmental sciences at Sterling Institute in Vermont and returned to Kilkenny in 1997. She now lives on her family farm with her flock of Zwartbles sheep, alpacas, horses, chickens, dogs, and Bodacious, who strolled into her life 11 years ago.

Follow Bodacious on Twitter @1CatShepherd #ShepherdCat

Follow the author on Twitter @zwartblesIE


@HarperCollinsUK


@HCinIreland

Blog Tour ~ Too Close to Breathe by Olivia Kiernan

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be hosting one of the Blog Tour stops for Too Close to Breathe

Riverrun
5 April 2018

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book
 and to Anne at Random Things Tours for her invitation to be part of this blog tour

What's it all about..

Detective Frankie Sheehan is recovering from a violent knife attack and dealing with the first awakenings of post-traumatic stress disorder when she’s called back to work. At first, Eleanor Costello’s death looks like suicide but soon the perfect pieces of Eleanor’s life begin to fracture, sending Sheehan and her team into a complex murder investigation for Dublin’s deadliest killer. The case deepens as does the body count and Frankie is forced to confront her own demons as the lines between victim and killer become increasingly blurred.

My thoughts about it...

Frankie Sheehan has just returned to her role as Detective Chief Superintendent with the Dublin Gardaí. That she is recovering from something traumatic is only hinted at, but it is obvious from the start, of what turns out to be a complex police investigation, that Frankie is still damaged by her past experience.

When the body of Dr Eleanor Costello, a well-respected scientist, is discovered at her home, the initial conclusion is that it is suicide however, DCS Sheehan and her police team, begin to think otherwise when clues suggest that there is more to understand about Dr Costello’s death than at first appears.

What then follows is a complex and convoluted police procedural investigation which explores the dark side of Eleanor Costello’s life. We are given a glimpse into the sinister chat rooms that flourish in the shadow of the dark web and which hint at violence and shady dealings. And throughout it all Frankie strives to keep a level head, and whilst she mostly appears well grounded, there are times when her past trauma seems to make her question her natural ability to get results.

This first visit into the complicated world of DCS Sheehan is an interesting one.The police procedural background is sharply authentic especially the super charged atmosphere of the incident room. I especially enjoyed reading of the banter between police colleagues, and the fraught and frantic race against time to solve a complex crime is done with an insightful eye for detail. Overall, the police investigation is well developed and the characters that flit into and out of the story have enough faults, quirks and bad habits to keep you guessing who did what, to whom, and why. 

However, it is DCS Frankie Sheehan who is the real star of the show. She's tough, non-compromising and a real force to be reckoned with, and with so much more to understand about her complex personality, I can only see her character going from strength to strength.

Too Close To Breathe is a startlingly good debut novel and I’m already looking forward to seeing where this talented author will take us to in book two of the series.

About the Author

Olivia Kiernan is an Irish writer living in the UK and author of crime thriller, Too Close to Breathe. She was born and raised in County Meath, near the famed heritage town of Kells and holds an MA in Creative Writing awarded by the University of Sussex. Olivia’s second book, The Killer In Me, will publish in April 2019.

Website

Twitter @LivKiernan #TooCloseToBreathe

**Too Close to Breathe is Published today**


Amazon UK

Blog Tour ~ From a Low and Quiet Sea by Donal Ryan

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to host today's stop on From a Low and Quiet Sea Blog Tour  

Doubleday
22 March 2018

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book and to Random Things Tours
for the invitation to be part of this blog tour

From a Low and Quiet Sea is Donal Ryan’s most expansive book to date, partially set in Syria and partially in the familiar territory of rural Ireland.

Farouk’s country has been torn apart by war.

Lampy’s heart has been laid waste by Chloe.

John’s past torments him as he nears his end.

The refugee. The dreamer. The penitent. From war-torn Syria to small-town Ireland, three men, scarred by all they have loved and lost, are searching for some version of home.

Each is drawn towards a powerful reckoning, one that will bring them together in the most unexpected of ways.

My thoughts about it...

Beautifully written, with not an ounce of triviality, From A Low and Quiet Sea, is deceptively astute and lays bare the frailty of humanity in its most distinct form. Told in 4 parts, there seems little to connect the story of Farouk, the Syrian refugee, with that of Lampy living in rural Ireland who drives old folk around in his bus, and even less in common with the business man, John, who at the end of his life repents his past sins.

Three men with very different stories to tell, share the remnants of their lives in stark and contrasting stories which highlight their search for meaning and resolution.That their lives are all so very different, adds a subtle poignancy to the eventual coming together of all the loose ends which tether them, irrevocably together.

The author has a wonderful ability to spin a good tale. He is a magical weaver of words, bringing the narrative to life in such a beautifully controlled way, that there is never a word wasted or an emotion unexpressed. Deftly stitching together the whole process of storytelling and instantly connecting with your imagination, the characters come alive and are so sharply drawn they could be etched in glass and linger long after the story is finished.

From a Low and Quiet Sea says all that needs to be said in just 181 pages and even now, after finishing the story, it still gives me goosebumps.

About the Author

Donal Ryan is from Nenagh in County Tipperary. His first three novels, The Spinning Heart, The Thing About December and All We Shall Know, and his short story collection A Slanting of the Sun, have all been published to major acclaim. The Spinning Heart won the Guardian First Book Award, the EU Prize for Literature (Ireland), and Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards; it was shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the Desmond Elliott Prize, and was recently voted ‘Irish Book of the Decade’. His fourth novel, From a Low and Quiet Sea, will be published in March 2018. A former civil servant, Donal lectures in Creative Writing at the University of Limerick. He lives with his wife Anne Marie and their two children just outside Limerick City.

Do follow the other stops on the blog tour

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Blog Tour ~ The Ludlow Ladies' Society by Ann O'Louglin

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to host today's stop on


The Ludlow Ladies' Society Blog Tour

The Ludlow Ladies’ Society by Ann O’Loughlin is published 20th July by Black & White Publishing, price £12.99 

Connie Carter has lost everyone and everything dear to her. Leaving her home in Manhattan, she moves to Wicklow, Ireland hoping to heal her broken heart, and in search of answers: why did her husband plough all their money into the dilapidated Ludlow Hall before he died?

Although Connie initially avoids the villagers, she meets local women Eve and Hetty, who introduce her to the Ludlow Ladies’ Society, a crafts group in need of a permanent home.

Eve Brannigan is also struggling with pain from her past. After her husband’s suicide, it became clear that he had bankrupted them, and her beloved home Ludlow Hall was repossessed. Now, seeing the American Connie living there, the hurt of losing her house is renewed. But as she and Hetty begin stitching memory quilts in order to remember those they’ve lost, can she let go of her past and allow herself some happiness? And can Connie ever recover from the death of her much-loved daughter Molly?

I am delighted to be able to welcome the author, Ann O'Loughlin to the blog today.

Hi Ann, welcome to Jaffareadstoo and thank you for spending time with us today

Without revealing too much, what can you tell us about The Ludlow Ladies’ Society?

This is the story of the enduring friendship among women. It celebrates the resilience of women and how they support and hold each other up through the worst of times. 

Connie Carter has lost everyone and everything dear to her. She comes from America to Ludlow Hall in Wicklow, Ireland desperate to find answers as to why this old mansion existed and yet she knew nothing about it until her husband’s death. Ludlow Hall features large in the life of Rathsorney. Eve lived there until it was repossessed by the bank and later sold on to Connie’s husband. 

When Connie meets up with Eve and Hetty from the village and the members of The Ludlow Ladies’ Society, she finds friendship, understanding and compassion. As they make memory quilts together to remember their loved ones, the secrets of the past tumble out and the women begin to confront a painful past.

Connie Carter finds she did not just inherit a house but a whole group of friends who support and hold each other even through the worst of times. This is a story about the power of female friendship and the strength of the bonds that develop over time. As they stitch the patchwork memory quilts, Connie takes the first tentative steps to stitch her life back together.

I was very taken with the description of Ludlow Hall, did you base the story on a particular place or did you draw purely from your imagination?

When I was young in the west of Ireland we used to play in the fields around our home and often in the ruins of big old house there. I think it was from that time, I have loved big old houses. Ludlow Hall is the house in my imagination, but for me it is very real. I have a picture in my head of the house, every nook and cranny. Someday I hope to come across the house in reality. I like to think if I did, I could knock on the front door, confident the occupants will welcome me and I will be invited in to walk through to the kitchen for a cuppa.

The Ludlow Ladies’ Society is set in Co.Wicklow. How important is location to your writing, and did you visit any the places you describe so vividly in your novel?

I think location is very important and I never like to write about a place if I don’t know it well. I think when you know a place well, you know instinctively which way the bus is coming, which way the car should turn when it goes out the gate and little things like that which are so important. While Ludlow Hall is in a fictional village, it is in Co Wicklow in Ireland. I live in Co Wicklow, I know the way the roads are, the type of shops and cafés there and the type of houses. I think that is so important. A proper sense of place for me is very important.

Your writing is very atmospheric – how do you ‘set the scene’ in your novels and how much research did you need to do in order to bring the story to life?

Thank you! In my mind I am there by her side when Connie is first walking through the village of Rathsorney, I am walking every step with her. The voice pounding in her head is pounding in mine. When she stands to take in Ludlow Hall for the first time, I am there doing the same thing. I think that is how you bring any story to life. When the ladies of The Ludlow Ladies’ Society sit to have a chat and a gossip, I am the ghost in the room if you like, I am writing what I hear and what I see, it is a great privilege.

Whilst you are writing you must live with your characters. Do they ever dictate how the story progresses or do you stick with a writing plan from the beginning and never deviate?

What writing plan? I wish I was one of those writers who had a story board or lots of notes and walls or even the fridge covered with notes, but it is all in my head. The characters shout at me they want the story told in a certain way and I have to oblige.

On a good day, they will keep shouting, getting word count up by nearly 2000 words. On other days, they give up after 1000 words. The characters in my head dictate the pace. One of the saddest things about writing The End is that the voices fade and disappear.

What do you hope readers will take away from your stories?

I hope when readers close any of my books they feel uplifted, also maybe wanting to hear more of the characters, that they enjoyed the time with the characters; and I want them to sigh thinking back on the story and realise while it made them cry in places, there were also a lot of laughs along the way. I trust my readers to know while there is a serious issue running through The Ludlow Ladies' Society like in my other two novels, there is also fun, humour, gossip and a host of characters who I hope the readers love. I want readers to feel they have been touched by the story.

About the Author

A leading journalist in Ireland for nearly thirty years, Ann O’Loughlin has covered all major news events of the last three decades. Ann spent most of her career with independent newspapers where she was Security Correspondent at the height of the Troubles, and was a senior journalist on the Irish Independent and the Evening Herald. She is currently a senior journalist with the Irish Examiner newspaper covering legal issues. Ann has also lived and worked in India. Originally from the west of Ireland she now lives on the east coast in Co. Wicklow with her husband and two children. Her debut novel The Ballroom Café was a bestseller, with over 250,000 copies sold in eBook alone. Her second novel The Judge’s Wife was an Irish bestseller for 5 weeks, and was shortlisted for a Romantic Novel Award in February 2017.

..Here are my thoughts about the story..

I'm always in awe of those beautiful patchwork memory quilts which stitch together so many hopes and dreams, and as the Ludlow ladies come together to stitch memory quilts of their own, so their individual hopes, dreams and frailties are laid bare.

For Connie Carter leaving her home in America and coming to live in rural Ireland is never going to be easy, especially as she is grieving a loss so great she is doubtful she will ever feel whole again. A town resident and former owner of Ludlow Hall, Eve Brannigan is also coping with loss in her own inimitable style and when a tentative friendship develops between these two very different women, the result is a story which is beautifully tender and yet so unbelievably sad in places that it made me want to reach inside the pages and hug both these women close.

At first the ladies of Ludlow are sceptical of Connie's presence in their small town and it's only when Connie opens up the doors of Ludlow Hall as a place where the ladies' group can come together to stitch memory quilts that she begins, very slowly, to be accepted.

This is one of those gentle stories that really gets into the very heart of female friendship. Friendship which is bonded together by shared experiences, not just of happy moments, but also of those jagged pieces of lives which have, sometimes, been fractured beyond repair.

The glorious setting of Ludlow Hall is the place that holds all of the memories together and for Eve and the Ludlow ladies the memories of their shared past threatens to outshine their future, whilst for Connie, her overwhelming sadness, at last, finds a place of refuge and renewal.

Ludlow Hall is that glorious piece of fabric which forms the centrepiece of an amazing story quilt stitched together lovingly by a very talented writer.

My thanks to the author for answering my questions so thoughtfully and also to Sophie at FMcM.co.uk for my review copy of the Ludlow Ladies' Society.

Follow the blog tour on Twitter @annolwriter #LudlowLadiesSociety

Review ~ Siren by Annemarie Neary

Hutchinson
2016

 A bit of blurb..

Róisín Burns has spent the past twenty years becoming someone else; her life in New York is built on lies. 

A figure from her Belfast childhood flashes up on the news: Brian Lonergan has also reinvented himself. He is now a rising politician in a sharp suit. But scandal is brewing in Ireland and Róisín knows the truth. 

Armed with the evidence that could ruin Lonergan, she travels back across the Atlantic to the remote Lamb Island to hunt him down. 

But Lonergan is one step ahead; when Róisín arrives on the island, someone else is waiting for her.

My Thoughts...

The beginning of the novel is both disturbing and intriguing and undeniably sets the scene for a tense and often violent look into the shadowy world of Ireland's past.

Róisín Burns seems to have left the past behind her, but as with all things in her life there is only so far and so fast that she can run to outwit her demons. When she discovers that someone from her past has resurfaced she realises that the only way to exorcise her demons is to confront them. Returning home to Ireland is never going to be easy but in this one thing Róisín doesn't really have any option.

I thought that the book was really quite gripping, with a fast and furious narrative which doesn't pull any punches. The author writes with fascinating conviction and opens up to scrutiny the whole idea of conflict and of the effect that the Irish troubles had on those growing up during the worst of the violence.

Siren is one of those books that, once you start, you can't put down. Its high octane realism keeps you on the edge of your seat and doesn't let up until the story is concluded.

Best read with ...two fingers of Irish whiskey and a guest house breakfast..

About the Author

Annemarie is an Irish-born, London-based novelist and short story writer.

Visit her website by clicking here 

Follow on Twitter @AnnemarieNeary1

My thanks to the author for sharing her book with me 

~***~

Review ~ Holding by Graham Norton (Audio)

Hodder&Stoughton
2016

A bit about the book..

The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama; and yet its inhabitants are troubled. Sergeant PJ Collins hasn't always been this overweight; mother of­ two Brid Riordan hasn't always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn't always felt that her life was a total waste.

So when human remains are discovered on an old farm, suspected to be that of Tommy Burke - a former­ love of both Brid and Evelyn - the village's dark past begins to unravel. As the frustrated PJ struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life, he unearths a community's worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regret.

My thoughts..

When offered the opportunity to listen to Graham Norton's debut novel, Holding which is narrated by the man himself, well, as a huge fan, I couldn't resist spending 7 or so hours in his congenial company.

The small Irish town of town of Duneen is, on the surface, rather a gentle place, and for the local police officer , PJ Collins,  the only excitement is perhaps where his next bite of breakfast is going to be coming from. However, as with all small towns what you see on the surface is not necessarily what you get, and when human bones are discovered on the edge of an old farm, well, the anticipation generated is beyond anything that PJ has ever experienced.

There is a very good mystery at the heart of the novel which is explored in sympathetic detail. And as the story progresses, and despite gentle hints of humour, there is genuine pathos and more than a hint towards a darker time in the town's history. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, particularly Brid and Evelyn, but I also had a whole bucket load of sympathy for the enigmatic Mrs Meany and longed to be sitting in the Garda House with PJ tucking into one of her sturdy Irish breakfasts.

What I loved about this story, and yes, I did love every word, was the subtle way the author teased the reader with sly innuendo and tantalising little snippets of gossip so that it became like sitting down in a cosy chair, with a plate piled high with scones and biscuits, and having a good old natter with your best friend.

Graham Norton narrates Holding with his inimitable charm and flair. It’s beautifully written, splendidly narrated and a real joy to listen to from start to finish and every minute of the 7 hours and 20 minutes of the audio file was, for me, time well spent. 


Without doubt, this is a commendable debut novel which I hope is the start of many more by this talented author.

Best read with....a hearty breakfast and maybe a glass or two of strong Irish stout but not necessarily at the same time..

About the Author

Graham Norton is one of the UK's best loved broadcasters. He presents The Graham Norton Show on BBC1, has a weekly show on BBC Radio 2, and writes a column for the Telegraph. He is the winner of eight BAFTA awards. Born in Dublin and raised in West Cork, Norton now lives in London. Holding is his first novel.

Website

Twitter @grahnort

My thanks to  Audible.co.uk for the opportunity to listen to Holding and also to Francesca at Midas PR for the invitation to review the book.

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Review ~ The Wonder by Emma Donoghue (Audio)

Picador
2016

A little bit about the book..

An eleven-year-old girl stops eating, but remains miraculously alive and well. A nurse, sent to investigate whether she is a fraud, meets a journalist hungry for a story.

Set in the Irish Midlands in the 1850s, The Wonder—inspired by numerous European and North American cases of “fasting girls” between the sixteenth century and the twentieth—is a psychological thriller about a child’s murder threatening to happen in slow motion before our eyes. Pitting all the seductions of fundamentalism against sense and love, it is a searing examination of what nourishes us, body and soul.

My thoughts about the book..

I wasn't at all familiar with the phenomena of "fasting girls" and so, when I started to read Anna O'Donnell's story, I must admit that I was rather sceptical that such a condition could go unnoticed and unchecked.

On first encounter it would seem that eleven year old Anna is a sweet, religious fanatic who is caught up in her own piety, and yet, she also seems to be a reluctant bystander in her own life. I didn't warm to her character straight away, but then neither did I warm to the English Nightingale nurse, Lib Wright, who has been coerced, by necessity, into travelling from London, to rural Ireland in order to keep a close eye on Anna O’Donnell.  Recently back from nursing in the Crimean War, Lib is at odds with the nursing profession back in England, so her employment by the parish authority, comes as a welcome change of scene. Determining the truth behind the notion that a child can survive for four months on nothing more than three teaspoons of water a day is a challenge that Lib fervently embraces with all the zeal that her nursing training under the indomitable Florence Nightingale can muster.

The story moves at a measured pace so that the interaction between Anna and her nurse is built up really, really slowly. Nothing much seems to be going on, and yet, imperceptibly, an air of malice starts to pervade, and after about a third of the way into the novel I started to become engrossed in the way the story was developing, and, believe me, by the end I had completely altered my original opinion of both Anna and Lib’s character.

The author has performed a real wonder of her own in bringing this story to life; there is much to take in. It’s the story of a family caught up in the shackles of religious fervour, it’s about the naivety of a troubled child whose innocent life has been disturbed by wickedness and it’s about the danger of narrow-mindedness and bigotry. Throughout the story what really shone through, for me, was the lyricism of the language, the detailed introspection of small town parochialism, and the extraordinary assumption , by ordinary people, that miracles can prosper in the most unlikely of places.

Listening to The Wonder via Audible gave the story an added dimension which I felt was totally different to reading the story for myself. The narrator, Kate Lock, has a real skill in portraying accents and she very easily slipped between Anna’s gentle Irish brogue, and Lib’s more stark English vowels.

It’s a long story to listen to, coming in at over 12 hours, but the narrator does such an excellent portrayal of the characters that it becomes very enjoyable to listen to her quiet rendition of this excellent story.

Best read with ..Earthy potatoes and heavenly poteen..

Audible.co.uk

About the Author..

Emma Donoghue is the best selling author of several novels. You can find out more about her by visiting her website by clicking here or follow on Twitter @EDonoghueWriter

 

My thanks to the publishers and also to  Audible.co.uk for the opportunity to listen to this narrated edition of The Wonder and also to Francesca at Midas pr.

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Blog Hop ~ My Husband's Wives by Faith Hogan

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be part of 

My Husband's Wives Blog Hop

I am delighted to welcome the author Faith Hogan who is sharing her inspiration for Carlinville, Evie's home in My Husband's Wives...

Photo by kind permission of the author

Carlinville – The Silent Character!

My debut novel – My Husband’s Wives is a book firmly set in Irish soil. The action of the novel takes place in Dublin, and while it’s not the Dublin of Roddy Doyle or Brendan Beehan, it is the Dublin of today. For the most part, it’s middle class suburbia, the home of average people going about ordinary lives.

Evie Considine lives in an old Victorian house, set high in the hills of Howth. Anyone who knows Dublin will know how strikingly beautiful Howth is. From its headland on a clear day, you can see across the Irish Sea into Wales. Along the Dublin coastline, you can pick out the Poolbeg towers, occasional sandy coves and at night, the winking lights of a city steeped in literary tradition. Carlinville, Evie’s home, has retained the beauty of its past, despite Evie’s indifference. It is a place that cries out to be filled with people, smell of beeswax and gleam in the full sun of care and love; it is a house that yearns to be a home. 

 This image of Frewin House  is used with the kind permission of its owners and like Carlinville  House, it too is a fine example of Irish Victorian architecture. 

With Queen Victoria, came a new kind of living. The elite sought to make a mark of their own and built houses like the one featured here. The architecture was softer and more feminine than its predecessors were. It is also less widespread in our capital city than the great red squares of the Georgians.  Dublin city is known mostly for its great Georgian squares. Today, tall, redbrick identical houses, built to a perfect precision in the 1700’s are being opened up around the city, fetching prices now that would have made their original owners blush. Very many have seen the highs and lows of Irish society, beginning as homes to the well to do, but eventually, when they became unfashionable being relegated to the poor. Tenement living in Dublin was at its height in the early twentieth century. By 1912, Dublin had the worst housing conditions in the UK, the wealthy had fled the city centre to set up home in the suburbs and the grand houses of the Georgians became little more than squats with high rents. Huge families living to a room or two, with little in the way of basic sanitary provisions led quickly to the disintegration of those once beautiful squares. The nineteen eighties saw a revival of the squares, but the restoration is slow and expensive, so still there are many Georgian houses in danger of disappearance. Thankfully, the Victorian houses were lucky to have been modish long enough and at the right time to avoid falling out of fashion to the same extent.

Like the women in My Husband’s Wives, Carlinville manages to come to life and its journey in the novel mirrors that of its mistress. It has, for too long been relegated to second place, while always providing what Paul Starr needed in life. In his death, like his wives, it too is gifted with so much more than it expected.

While Dublin features in the novel, it is contemporary Dublin. The liberties, although they are steeped amidst the history of the Vikings are home to a sea of constant traffic, bijoux antique shops and the ubiquitous coffee shops on every corner of every city of the world.

I love Dublin, I think anyone who visits the city, if they have a love of writers or books, will love it. There are landmarks here that mark it apart from any other place in the world. The city begins with the Book of Kells, a stone’s throw away, the house of The Dead, take the dart and you will arrive out at Joyce’s Martello Tower. Every other street has a pub, a doorway or a sculpture to mark the journey of some writer that has touched even the darkest soul. However, My Husband’s Wives is not a story about Dublin – it is a story about jealousy, forgiveness and ultimately love and the truth is, that’s a universal tale. It doesn’t matter if you live in Seattle or Surrey, Sidney or Stephenville – love is love and really it is all we have that is worth having at the end.

Faith  x

Aria Fiction
2016
(Head of Zeus)

A bit of Blurb about the book..

Better to have loved and lost, than never loved.

Paul Starr, Ireland's leading cardiologist dies in a car crash with a pregnant young women by his side.

United in their grief and the love of one man, four women are thrown together in an attempt to come to terms with life after Paul. They soon realise they never really knew him at all.

The love they shared for Paul in his life and which incensed a feeling of mistrust and dislike for each other, in his death turns into the very thing that bonds them and their children to each other forever.

As they begin to form unlikely friendships, Paul's deaths proves to be the catalyst that enables them to become the people they always wanted to be.

About the Author

Faith Hogan was born in Ireland.  She gained an Honours Degree in English Literature and Psychology from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate Degree from University College, Galway.  She has worked as a fashion model, an event’s organiser and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.

She was a winner in the 2014 Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair – an international competition for emerging writers.

Her debut novel, ‘My Husband’s Wives,’ is a contemporary women’s fiction novel set in Dublin. It will be published by Aria, (Head of Zeus) on 1^st of May 2016.   She is currently working on her next novel.  

My Husband’s Wives, was published on 1st of May 2016 by Aria (Head of Zeus). It is currently available on Amazon and all good E-reading sites. She lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, children, a very fat cat called Norris and a selection of (until recently!) idle writerly mugs and cups.

You can find out more about Faith on her website Click here

Find on Facebook Click here

Follow on Twitter @GerHogan

Amazon UK
Amazon.com

Huge thanks to Faith for inviting Jaffareadstoo to be part of this Blog Hop

 and for such a fascinating insight into the inspiration for Carlinsville.

Jaffa and I wish you continued success with your writing.

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