Blog Tour ~ Tangled Roots by Denise D Young

📖 Delighted to be part of this Blog Tour 📖

Tangled Magic series #1

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

A beautiful witch lost in time. A brooding farm boy with magic in his blood and a chip on his shoulder. Dark secrets and shadowy magic. Paranormal romance with a time slip awaits in the first book of this new series.

Cassie Gearhart casts a spell in the forest in the summer of 1974. The next thing she knows, she wakes up to find the world irrevocably changed.

It’s 2019, for one thing. For another, all of her coven members have vanished, leaving behind only one man who holds the key to their secrets.

Nick Felson has sworn off magic, until a confused Cassie knocks on his door in the middle of the night, somehow missing forty-five years’ worth of time. But Nick knows falling for the captivating witch means letting magic back into his life—and that’s one line he swore he’d never cross.

Can Cassie unravel the mystery that transported her decades into the future? And can Nick resist the powerful magic and heart-pounding passion that swirl in the air whenever he and Cassie are together?

The Tangled Magic Series is intended for readers 18-plus who enjoy fast-paced reads, wild and witchy. 

What did I think about it..

A dash of magic, and a love which transcends time, is the focus for this story which is the first in The Tangled Magic series. In 1974, Cassie Gearhart is running away from something when she gets caught up in powerful magic and for her protection she gets caught in time. When circumstances allow, Cassie returns only to find that it’s no longer 1974, but 2019. Her inadvertent meeting with Nick Felton, a man with more than enough troubles of his own, opens up not just a hint of magic but also a powerful physical attraction which gives the story an altogether different direction.

Paranormal fantasy isn’t my usual genre so it’s been a completely new experience to read of magical spells, deep seated feuds, and long buried secrets, however, the author maintained my interest throughout, and I raced through the novella in just a couple of hours.

I have enjoyed getting to know the characters, and especially liked the way that the author weaved them into the story with enough detail to make them come alive in my imagination. And whilst the relationship between Cassie and Nick initially felt a little rushed, overall throughout the course of the novella,  it works well, and there’s a nice amount of passion sizzling between them.

The author has an obvious passion for story telling and weaves the story together with her own brand of spellbinding magic.

About the Author

Equal parts bookworm, flower child, and eclectic witch, Denise D. Young writes fantasy and paranormal romance featuring witches, magic, faeries, and the occasional shifter.

Whatever the flavor of the magic, it’s always served with a brisk cup of tea–and the promise of

romance varying from sweet to sensual.

She lives with her husband and their animals in the mountains of Virginia, where small towns and tall

trees inspire her stories. She reads tarot cards, collects crystals, gazes at stars, and believes magic is

the answer (no matter what the question was).

If you’ve ever hoped to find a book of spells in a dusty attic, if you suspect every misty forest contains a hidden portal to another realm, or if you don’t mind a little darkness before your happily-ever-after, her books might be just the thing you’ve been waiting for.

Website

Facebook

Amazon

Twitter @ddyoungbooks #TangledRoots

@rararesources

Book review ~ Seven Days by Alex Lake

The twisty new psychological thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author 

Harper Collins
ebook 10th October 2019
Paperback 14 November 2019

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

A race against time to save her child… In seven days, Maggie’s son, Max, turns three. But she’s not planning a party or buying presents or updating his baby book. She’s dreading it. Because in her world, third birthdays are the days on which the unthinkable happens… she loses her child. For the last twelve years Maggie has been imprisoned in a basement. Abducted aged fifteen, she gave birth to two sons before Max, and on their third birthdays her captor came and took them from her. She cannot let it happen again. But she has no idea how to stop it. And the clock is ticking…

What did I think about it..

The story opens with a calendar and with the dire news that there are just seven days to go before something really dreadful happens to Maggie's son, Max who is soon to be three years old. And even as it takes a moment for this awful fact to sink into your mind, so the story plunges into the nightmare which is Maggie's world.

To say Maggie's world is truly horrendous is, I think, quite an understatement and as the true story of her capture and imprisonment comes to life so a twisted story of perversity starts to be revealed. Moving forwards and backward in time snippets of the story are uncovered and its hard not to be moved emotionally by the sheer awfulness of Maggie's predicament. There's immense sympathy for Maggie and Max and right from the start the author builds a strong emotional connection so that you are rooting for them all the way through the story. The clever layers of past and present are gradually revealed which help to, not only build up the tension but also give a glimpse into the life of both the perpetrator and Maggie's lost and bewildered family.

The book took me just a few hours to read, which is testament to the strength of the story as it's quite a detailed one coming at over 400 pages. I found as the tension increased, so I started to turn the pages faster until faster, as I really, really wanted everything to work out well for Maggie, and couldn't put the story down until I discovered her, and Max's fate.

Seven Days is an absolutely fascinating psychological thriller with more than enough details to keep you glued to the page.

 About the Author

Alex Lake is a British novelist who was born in the North West of England. After Anna, the author’s first novel written under this pseudonym, was a No.1 bestselling ebook sensation and a top-ten Sunday Times bestseller. The author now lives in the North East of the US.

Twitter @Alexlakeauthor #SevenDays

@KillerReads @fictionpubteam

@HarperCollinsUK

Book Review ~ The Land of Trees by L A Naylor

A gritty and evocative coming-of-age thriller set in the exotic rainforests and cities of Guatemala

RootsBooks
28 September

My thanks to Cameron PR for my copy of this book

Adoptee Lia has followed her Spanish teacher, Rafael, to Guatemala, for romance and adventure. She doesn’t know much about the country but she’s happy because she’s finally living life on her own terms. On their first night together Lia decides to declare her feelings, but before she gets the chance, the unimaginable happens and Rafael is brutally killed.

Devastated, Lia travels to Rafael’s family home in the countryside, determined to find out why. But not everyone is keen on her investigation and Lia has to decide what is more important: living without answers or taking the deadly consequences that come with the truth.

Set against a backdrop of civil unrest and huge political change, Naylor shows the powerful impact the past can have, even decades later.

What did I think about it..

Lia travels to Guatemala to meet up with Rafael , who was once her Spanish teacher, and with whom she has a romantic attachment. Lia barely has time to say hello to Rafael before something really dreadful happens and she is left quite devastated and feeling very alone in an unfamiliar country. Fortunately Lia has other travelling companions to support her however, it is Lia's journey in which she tries to discover what really happened to Rafael which gives the book it's impetus.

Initially off to something of a slow start, the story seems to take a while to get moving but I think the second half of the book which is perhaps the stronger part of the story is what worked best for me. The background to the story that of Guatemala's political and social unrest is well explained and there is an authentic feel to the novel which brings both the country and its people to life in a realistic sort of way. The mystery at the heart of the novel has enough suspense to maintain interest and I enjoyed trying to work out how the story would eventually play out.

The Land of Trees is an interesting coming of age novel  which begins with tragedy but ends with a distinct feeling of hope.

About the Author

LA NAYLOR has been a fisherwoman, the CEO of a charity, a wreck diver and an English teacher. She was awarded a grant from the Campaign for Learning to write a non-fiction book on miscarriages of justice in the UK. That book, Judge for Yourself, was a bestseller and was praised by The Guardian, Michael Mansfield QC and many more.

Naylor received a lifetime membership to the Millennium Awards Fellowship which recognises, celebrates and records the achievements of individuals working to strengthen and enrich their communities. The Land of Trees is her first novel. She lives in London.

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Twitter @Lanaylor11 #ThelandOfTrees

@CameronPMtweets

Hist Fic Saturday ~ Daughters of Liverpool by Kate Eastham

On Hist Fic Saturday

Let's go back to... Liverpool 1871

Penguin Books
August 2019
Nursing #3

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

Shrouded in secrecy Alice Sampson gives birth to a beautiful baby girl.

But the former nurse's happiness is blighted by the knowledge that as a penniless, unwed mother, her future, and that of her child, can only be one of shame and disgrace.

Then a knock at the door brings a miracle: she is invited to return to the Liverpool Royal Infirmary and her beloved ward.

With the help of her friends and the welcome attentions of Reverend Seed, the hospital Chaplain, Alice slowly starts to rebuild her life.

But her hopes are shattered when her baby's father unexpectedly shows up to claim the child he knew nothing about.

Suddenly Alice is in danger of losing her baby, her position and her whole future . . .

What did I think about it..

Victorian Liverpool was a dangerous place to be for working girls and no woman was entirely safe from being picked up in the purge which raged through the city in the hopes of cleaning up the more salubrious areas.  Alice Sampson works as a housemaid in one of the brothels, quietly bringing up her baby girl, but when she gets caught up in the city's purge on prostitution, Alice realises that she must look to her own safety and that of her baby girl. Returning to her work as a trainee nurse at Liverpool Royal Infirmary opens up a whole new life for Alice, but her happiness it seems comes at a price.

This is now the third book in this Nursing series of books which follows the fortunes of a group of young women who came to the city in order to train as Nightingale nurses. This third book continues the nursing theme with a compassionate look at the struggles of being an unmarried mother and of the difficulty of finding a place in a society which is far from generous to working women. Even though I haven't read the first two books in the series I picked up the story very easily and those characters who, I think, have been consistent throughout all of the books begin to feel familiar. I was quickly interested in the way the story evolved. 

The author brings Victorian Liverpool alive in the imagination especially the difficulties of being a single woman. The story highlights the wider social issues, particularly about the rights for women and mentions the pioneer, Josephine Butler, who did so much to fight against the violation of women in a society which viewed all working women as being just one short step away from prostitution.

Alice's emotional journey as young unmarried mother, her endeavour to become a good nurse, and the difficulties she faces in her personal life make this a warm and compassionate story.

About the Author

Kate Eastham trained as a nurse and midwife on the Nightingale wards of Preston Royal Infirmary. She has well over thirty years of experience working in hospital, residential and hospice care. Born and bred in Lancashire, she is married with three grown-up children and one grandchild. Always reading, she went on to gain a degree in English Literature and was inspired to write after researching the history of nursing and her own family history, with its roots in Liverpool, northern mill towns and rural Lancashire.

Blog Tour ~ Foxfire, Wolfskin and other stories of Shapeshifting women by Sharon Blackie

Delighted to be taking part in this Blog Tour

September Publishing
2 October 2019

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

Charged with drama and beauty, this memorable collection by a master storyteller weaves a magical world of possibility and power from female myths of physical renewal, creation and change. It is an extraordinary immersion into the bodies and voices, mindscapes and landscapes, of the shape-shifting women of our native folklore. We meet the Water Horse of the Isle of Lewis, the huldra, the Scandinavian supernatural forest-dweller, and Baba Yaga of Slavic folklore (but will she help you or kill you?) Here too is the Snow Queen; the wild bird-woman of the Sliabh Mis Mountains; Blodeuedd, the Welsh ‘flower-faced’ woman.

Illustrations by Helen Nicholson

Drawing on myth and fairy tales found across Europe – from Croatia to Sweden, Ireland to Russia – Sharon Blackie brings to life women’s remarkable ability to transform themselves in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances. These stories are about coming to terms with our animal natures, exploring the ways in which we might renegotiate our fractured relationship with the natural world, and uncovering the wildness – and wilderness – within.

What did I think about it..

There’s something quite special about the myths and legends which give a country its identity. Stories which reach through the mists of time, soaking into our subconscious, so that whilst we don’t always know where they originated, we remain emotionally connected to the haunting quality of their particular brand of magic.

In this extraordinary collection we allow our imagination full reign in stories which set fire the soul, which are in turn both mournful and uplifting, hauntingly beautiful and inherently dangerous. Beautifully written and highly original in their delivery, the author’s natural story-telling ability shines through with every well written word, capturing the very essence of our long forgotten myths and folklore.

Every reimagined story has its own unique strength and yet there is something distinctly fascinating to be found in all of them. The thirteen stories vary in length, some are quite short, just a couple of pages, whilst others are a little longer, however, collectively, they form a wonderfully diverse mixture which are supported by stunning black and white illustrations. I have several favourites amongst the thirteen and in particular I would like to mention Wolfskin, Foxfire and Snow Queen as being stand out stories for me. At the back of the book is a fascinating notes section where the author explains the origins, placing the stories in their historical and geographical context.

This is a really special collection of haunting stories which I’m sure will appeal to anyone who has an interest in the old tales of myth and folklore.

About the Author

Dr Sharon Blackie is a writer, mythologist and psychologist, and an internationally recognised teacher of the mythic imagination. Her bestselling book, If Women Rose Rooted, won a 2016 Nautilus award, and laid out a haunting heroine’s journey for every woman who finds power, inspiration and solace in the natural world. She has an international following through her online communities, and the courses and workshops she offers through ‘The Hedge School’. Her first novel, The Long Delirious Blue, was described by the Independent on Sunday as ‘hugely potent’. She lives in Connemara, Ireland. 

Twitter  #FoxfireWolfskin

@septemberbooks

@RKbookpublicist

#RandomThingsTours

Blog Tour ~ A Ration Book Childhood by Jean Fullerton

Delighted to host today's Blog Tour stop

Corvus
3 October 2019
East End Ration#3

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

In the darkest days of the Blitz, family is more important than ever.

With her family struggling amidst the nightly bombing raids in London's East End, Ida Brogan is doing her very best to keep their spirits up. The Blitz has hit the Brogans hard, and rationing is more challenging than ever, but they are doing all they can to help the war effort. 

When Ida's oldest friend Ellen returns to town, sick and in dire need of help, it is to Ida that she turns. But Ellen carries a secret, one that threatens not only Ida's marriage, but the entire foundation of the Brogan family. Can Ida let go of the past and see a way to forgive her friend? And can she overcome her sadness to find a place in her heart for a little boy, one who will need a mother more than ever in these dark times?

What did I think about it..

Set during the troubled years of WW2 the Brogan family live and work in the East End of London. They're a tight knit group, always looking out for each other and helping the community by doing their bit for the war effort. Jerimiah and Ida Brogan have a long and happy marriage and have brought up their family with good old fashioned East End values, they both work their hardest to ensure the family stays together and when times are tough they all pull together. However, when Ida's oldest friend, Ellen, returns to live in the area, her arrival opens up a devastating secret which threatens, not just Ida and Jerimiah's marriage, but also the stability of the entire Brogan family.

Returning to this family, and this is now the third book in the East End Ration series, is always a real delight because not only are the characters as familiar as friends but also the author writes about their lives with such a realistic edge that they quite literally leap off the page.

So many years after WW2 it's now rather difficult to fully understand what it was like to survive in the East End during the worst of the Blitz years. However, reading of the way the Brogans dealt with having to leave home every night to camp out in underground bomb shelters, their struggle to put food on the table and of the stoicism which allowed them to deal with some horrendous conditions, with bombs dropping on them with alarming regularity, brings the true horror of the darkest days of the Blitz alive in the imagination.

Beautifully written with humour and compassion, and meticulously researched, A Ration Book Childhood, continues the series with the author's usual fine eye for detail, and whilst it is perfectly possible to read this as a standalone story, it is better to read the series from the beginning as that way you get to know the different members of the Brogan family and enjoy the way each character progresses. I hope we get to meet up with the Brogans again soon in another WW2 family saga.

About the Author

Jean Fullerton is the author of twelve novels all set in East London where she was born. She also a retired district nurse and university lecturer. She won the Harry Bowling prize in 2006 and after initially signing for two East London historical series with Orion she moved to Corvus, part of Atlantic Publishing and is half way through her WW2 East London series featuring the Brogan family.

Twitter @JeanFullerton_ #ARationBookChildhood

@CorvusBooks

@rararesources

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Amazon UK

Review ~ A Killing Sin by K H Irvine

Urbane Publications
4 July 2019

Would you surrender your secrets to save a life? 

London. It could be tomorrow. Amala Hackeem, lapsed Muslim tech entrepreneur and controversial comedian, dons a burqa and heads to the women's group at the Tower Hamlets sharia community. What is she doing there? 

Ella Russell, a struggling journalist leaves home in pursuit of the story of her life. Desperate for the truth, she is about to learn the true cost of the war on terror. 

Millie Stephenson, a university professor and expert in radicalisation arrives at Downing Street to brief the Prime Minister and home secretary. Nervous and excited she finds herself at the centre of a nation taken hostage. And then it gets personal. 

Friends since university, by the end of the day the lives of all three women are changed forever. They will discover if friendship truly can survive secrets and fear.

What did I think about it..

A Killing Sin is a very timely novel as it reveals a world which could so easily be our own especially in the uncertainty of our current political climate. There is much to take in and the abundance of characters and their different roles within the story take a little getting used to but once I had them placed in my imagination the story starting to move along quite quickly.

The author writes well and the plot has an modern day authenticity which helps to keep the pacing quite tight so that the twists and turns when they come feel perfectly placed to grab your attention. I liked the succinctness of the different chapters and the way we heard the different voices coming through very clearly. The three main female protagonists, whilst all friends since university now follow a very different trajectory, and it is the way that these differences coalesce which make up the crux of the novel. To say more about the plot or the outcome of the story would spoil things, but one thing I can say is that the story made me realise just how easily this complex world can spiral out of control.

It must be difficult to write a fictional story about radicalisation and the threat of terrorism without making the plot seems over-sensational and yet the author has succeeded in creating a very believable world whilst at the same time holding together a gripping and imaginative story line.

About the Author

KH Irvine grew up in Scotland and now lives near London. The book was her 50th birthday gift to herself, believing you are never too old to try something new. Her work has taken her to board rooms, universities and governments all over the world and has included up close and personal access to special forces. A Killing Sin is her first book. The second follows on a few years later as Britain moves to civil unrest with the rise of the far right as the personal and political become intertwined.

Twitter @KHIrvine #AKillingSin

@urbanebooks