My Bookish Weekly Wrap Up!

Happy December to you all!!!  How have we got here so fast??!!  Feeling very old that another year has flown by but looking forward to 2018 already and all the wonderful bookish adventures that await us all!!  My TBR pile for 2018 is already looking very healthy – so the outlook for getting caught up with the reading pile next year isn’t looking promising!! 2030 might be a better bet for that!!

Been a much slower reading week for me! I think my reading pace for the year has finally caught up with me as I seem to have reading fatigue and have been spending more time doing cross-stitch and card making! Other hobbies that I’d been neglecting this year!  But it’s still been a fun week of reading with 3 finished, including an audio book that I listened to whilst doing my hobbies! Will definitely plan on doing that more next year – multi-tasking is the way forward I’m thinking!!

Ooh and there may have been some bookpost arriving….. I know you’re shocked!!

So here’s a little look at what I’ve finished this week – please click on the title if you’d like to read my GoodReads review! And feel free to add me as a GoodReads friend too if you haven’t already! Love seeing what everyone else is reading!!

BOOKS FINISHED

Uprooted by Naomi Novik  –  3 stars

I had really high hopes for this and was a little disappointed that it didn’t live up to them! It was still an enjoyable read though!

Wildwood; A Journey Through Trees by Roger Deakin  –  4 stars

 

A delight, especially for a tree fan like myself!

The Bird Tribunal by Agnes Ravatn  –  3 stars

If you are looking for an unnerving read, then look no further! The characters may not be the most endearing people, but their relationship was compelling – and creepy!!

BOOK POST

Tilly Hunter has fabulous friends, her dream job as a make-up artist with a prestigious opera company and Felix, her kind and caring husband to be. It looks set to be the most perfect Christmas yet!

But when a monumental blunder forces her to work closely with new IT director Marcus Walker, it’s not only the roast chestnut stalls on the cobbles of her beloved Covent Garden that cause sparks to fly…

Super serious and brooding, Marcus hasn’t got a creative bone in his sharp-suited body. For technophobe Tilly, it’s a match made in hell.

And yet, when Tilly discovers her fiancé isn’t at all what he seems, it’s Marcus who’s there for her with a hot chocolate and a surprisingly strong shoulder to cry on … He might just be the best Christmas present she’s ever had.

Very thankful to the lovely people at Harper Impulse for sending me a copy of this – and it arrived on the day of snow flurries in London too!  Can’t wait to curl up on the sofa with this one very soon!!

3 by Maria Savva

A trio of short stories.

Memories from the past can haunt the present.

1. Never To Be Told – Tom and Amber are on a romantic date… but the past is always present.

2. The Bride – In this paranormal short, Olivia makes a chilling discovery.

3. What The Girl Heard – Victoria revisits a place that holds a dark reminder of an incident from her childhood. She had vowed she would never return.

The Curious Miss Fortune by Tina-Marie Miller

There’s great excitement as the Hampton Players gather to begin rehearsals on their annual am dram. However, it’s not long before the cast begin to make a connection between the fictional storylines and coincidental occurrences in their villages leaving them fearful that a murder is about to take place.

Tiggy Lawrence is devastated to learn her father is terminally ill. As she returns to the family home after a nine year absence she’s fearful of a run in not just with step monster Bobbie but also ex fiancé Patrick.

Aster Maxwell is a successful maxillofacial surgeon who is hungry for success. Desperate to maximise his specialisation by opening his own private clinic, will he stop at nothing to get what he wants?

Diana Fortune’s forgotten past could be her strength when she auditions for the Hampton Players. Only it’s a dark and stormy night as she makes her entrance. Has Miss Fortune finally arrived?

Drama finds itself back in the Hamptons as Poppy and Richard Hambly-Jones make an appearance as they prepare to host the Autumn Ball. Expect the unexpected!

Ivy and the Inky Butterfly by Johanna Basford

From colouring book queen Johanna Basford, a lavishly illustrated fable about a girl named Ivy who stumbles upon a secret door leading to the magical world of Enchantia. Ivy embarks on a quest through its many realms in pursuit of her inky butterfly, meeting whimsical characters and discovering many wondrous things along the way. A charming story that interacts playfully with beautiful, colourable artwork in Johanna’s signature style, Ivy and the Inky Butterfly is a one-of-a-kind adventure for readers of all ages to customise, colour and cherish.

These three SIGNED books were the result of my bidding in the Children In Read auction, hosted by Paddy Heron on Twitter to raise funds for the Children In Need fundraising campaign.  In the end his auction of signed books raised around £3,600 which was an amazing amount and I look forward to helping raise more funds for them next year!!

CURRENTLY READING

The Watcher in the Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

A mysterious toymaker who lives as a recluse in an old mansion, surrounded by the mechanical beings he has created… an enigma surrounding strange lights that shine through the mists that envelop the small island on which the old lighthouse stands… a shadowy creature that hides deep in the woods… these are the elements of a mystery that bind 14-year-old Irene to Ismael during one magical summer spent in the Blue Bay. Irene’s mother has taken a job as a housekeeper for the toymaker, Lazarus, but his house contains more secrets than Irene and Ishmael have bargained for.

Reading this to help me finish my A-Z bookbuster challenge – reading authors A through to Z throughout the year – and as I love other work by this author I’m hoping this is just as magical!

The Dandelion Years by Erica James

Ashcombe was the most beautiful house Saskia had ever seen as a little girl. A rambling pink cottage on the edge of the Suffolk village of Melbury Green, its enchanting garden provided a fairy-tale playground of seclusion, a perfect sanctuary to hide from the tragedy which shattered her childhood.

Now an adult, Saskia is still living at Ashcombe and as a book restorer devotes her days tending to the broken, battered books that find their way to her, daydreaming about the people who had once turned their pages. When she discovers a notebook carefully concealed in an old Bible – and realising someone has gone to a great deal of trouble to hide a story of their own – Saskia finds herself drawn into a heart-rending tale of wartime love…

This is my current bedtime read as I always like to read something I don’t really need to think about just before I nod off!

😴😴😴

And there we have it! My week all wrapped up!  How has your week been? Good, Bad, Ugly?!  Quiet weekend ahead here planned after my nieces’ birthday last weekend, so am hoping that the books read count can increase again this week! And if we get snowed in then that always helps on the reading front!

HAPPY READING!!

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Down the TBR Hole #11

I am back for  more organising fun!!  Still not quite there in being as streamlined as I want to be, so the process continues and I’m sure I’ll be uncovering more books that I had completely forgotten about! Beginning to wonder if I should be a little concerned about how many books I add that I have no recollection of when I look back!!

Very grateful to Lia @ Lost In A Story for thinking this little exercise up to help us all keep our growing TBR lists in some kind of order and under control!!  Let’s see what goodies/awful titles I’d wiped from my memory this time round……

Here is how it all works….

• Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
• Order on ascending date added.
• Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
• Read the synopses of the books
• Decide: keep it or should it go?

 THE DAY I LOST YOU by FIONNUALA KEARNEY

 

When Jess’s daughter, Anna, is reported lost in an avalanche, everything changes.

Left to explain her mother’s absence to Anna’s five-year-old daughter, Rose, Jess isn’t yet ready to admit to herself that her daughter might not be coming back. But Anna’s disappearance dredges up some life changing questions: Jess must uncover her daughter’s secret life – and unearth a secret that changes her world irrevocably.

The day I lost you was the day I discovered your secret life.

The day I lost you was the day you tore our family apart.

 

Really love the cover of this one, and the story does sound like a bit of an emotional rollercoaster! Might be a good read for a dark winter night!

 

Verdict – KEEP!!

 

THE TRIALS OF THE KING OF HAMPSHIRE by ELIZABETH FOYSTER

 

Every family has its skeletons, but in 1823 the grand Wallop family was about to share theirs with the world. The 3rd earl of Portsmouth was a peculiar man but, by most accounts, a harmless one. An aristocrat of enormous wealth, he kept company with England’s most famous names, inviting Jane Austen to balls and having Lord Byron as chief witness to his second marriage. For the first fifty years of his life he had moved with ease in high society, but at the age of fifty-five his own family set out to have him declared insane.
Elizabeth Foyster invites us into Freemasons’ Hall for the most extraordinary, expensive and controversial British insanity trial ever heard. Amid accusations of abductions, sodomy, blackmail and violence, jurors have to decide if Portsmouth is just a shy, stammering eccentric with foolish habits or a sinister madman attempting to mask his dangerous and immoral nature. Both provocative and heart-rending, The Trials of the King of Hampshire goes beyond the fate of a single man to question Georgian society and examine the treatment of the mentally ill and disabled both then and now

During Non-fiction November, I have rediscovered my love for non-fiction so spotting this one on my shelves has sparked my interest again!

Verdict – KEEP!!

 

THE GIRL FROM THE SAVOY by HAZEL GAYNOR

 

Dolly Lane is a dreamer; a downtrodden maid who longs to dance on the London stage, but her life has been fractured by the Great War. Memories of the soldier she loved, of secret shame and profound loss, by turns pull her back and spur her on to make a better life.

When she finds employment as a chambermaid at London’s grandest hotel, The Savoy, Dolly takes a step closer to the glittering lives of the Bright Young Things who thrive on champagne, jazz and rebellion. Right now, she must exist on the fringes of power, wealth and glamor—she must remain invisible and unimportant.

But her fortunes take an unexpected turn when she responds to a struggling songwriter’s advertisement for a ‘muse’ and finds herself thrust into London’s exhilarating theatre scene and into the lives of celebrated actress, Loretta May, and her brother, Perry. Loretta and Perry may have the life Dolly aspires to, but they too are searching for something.

Now, at the precipice of the life she has and the one she longs for, the girl from The Savoy must make difficult choices: between two men; between two classes, between everything she knows and everything she dreams of. A brighter future is tantalizingly close—but can a girl like Dolly ever truly leave her past behind

I do like the sound of this but there doesn’t seem to be enough to get me to read it anytime soon.

VERDICT – GO!!

THE LITTLE PIECES OF YOU AND ME by VANESSA GREENE

When life as you know it changes, will it define you, destroy you or make you stronger?

Best friends Isla and Sophie made each other a promise a long time ago: to never let life pass them by. Years later, Isla is in love, living abroad and fulfilling her dreams. But for Sophie, things haven’t turned out the way she was expecting and she hasn’t achieved any of the things she and Isla talked about. And then, in one sudden moment, life irrevocably changes for both women.

Isla and Sophie have hard decisions to make but above all else they must face up to the uncertainty that lies ahead. It’s only when they realise that this is easier together, two friends standing side by side, that each woman can embrace whatever the future holds for them.

This has a few mixed reviews but I have read others from this author and enjoy her writing style.

VERDICT – KEEP!!

INVASION by LUKE RHINEHART

Super-intelligent furry aliens suddenly appear from another universe. And they’ve come to earth to have fun. “Louie” follows fisherman Billy Morton home one day and he and his family come quickly to love the playful alien. But when Louie starts using their computer to hack into government and corporate networks, and steal millions from banks to give to others, they realize that Louie and his friends mean trouble. Billy, his wife and two sons begin a roller-coaster ride of fame, fortune, jail, death, resurrection, and a distinguished ranking high on the FBI’s “Most Wanted” List. The Government soon decides that all these aliens are terrorists. They must be eliminated. The aliens are playing games they hope will help humans to see the insanity of the American political, economic and military systems. But the Powers that Be don’t play games: they make war.

I enjoyed The DiceMan by this author, and this sounds just as mad so might be good for a change despite more mixed reviews!

VERDICT – KEEP!!

THE HOUSE ON SUNSET LAKE by TASMINA PERRY

1995. Savannah, Georgia, where the sunsets are long and golden and the air is hot and heavy with promise. Student Jim Johnson isn’t happy when he has to abandon his plans of a carefree month of inter-railing to spend the summer in the Deep South with his mother and his father, a down-on-his luck author who has been sent to Savannah to rediscover his muse. But when Jim meets the beguiling Jennifer Wyatt, the daughter of the owners of Casa Seta, the mysterious plantation house on the shores of a lake, Jim knows he has made the right decision in coming along. Until an event happens that shatters Jim and Jennifer’s lives for ever and sets both their lives on a different course.

2015. Twenty Years later Casa Seta stands abandoned and neglected, a victim of tragic events that everyone wants to keep buried. But when Jim Johnson’s boss buys it as the latest acquisition to his hotel chain, Jim is forced to return to the house and restore it to its former glory. Fate throws him back into the orbit of Jennifer Wyatt, the woman his heart has never truly got over, but as he tries to put the ghosts of the past behind him, he unearths a chilling secret that makes him wonder what he has ever really known about the people he loves

The cover is very pretty but the blurb has left me feeling a little flat…

VERDICT – GO!!

WAKE IN WINTER by NADEZHDA BELENKAYA

Nina’s graduate program at Moscow University isn’t exactly cheap. So when she is offered work translating for Spanish families looking to adopt orphans from the provincial town of Rogozhin, she quickly agrees. Besides the much-needed money it brings, the job is a great opportunity for Nina to use her education to help people in hardship.

But soon she finds that nothing is as it seems. By the time Nina realizes that all too often the business of international adoption is not a humanitarian enterprise, she’s in too deep. Will she be able to navigate a world of exploitation and political corruption in order to help the children? Or should she return to the much simpler world of academia and leave the orphans behind?

Wake in Winter is a captivating story of one woman’s choice in the face of a shattering discovery

Not sure why this was on my list! I think there must be gremlins adding books to my TBR list!!

VERDICT – GO!!

THE WHITE CAMELLIA by JULIET GREENWOOD

Cornwall. 1909

The great Tressillion family is ruined. As Bea is forced to leave Tressillion House, self-made businesswoman Sybil moves in. In a world where the old rules are starting to break down, this one choice will change both their lives forever…
Sybil buys the abandoned great house even though she is tempted to tear it down. The village sees only a rich American hotel-owner. Nobody recognises the young girl who left years ago with nothing but a desperate need for revenge. Buying the house is her triumph — but now what? As the house casts its spell over her, as she starts to make friends in the village despite herself, will she be able to build a new life here, or will her old ghosts and hatred always rule her heart?

Bea finds herself in London, responsible for her mother and sister’s security. Her only hope is to marry Jonathon, the new heir. He seems kind, but is he hiding something? Desperate for options, she stumbles into the White Camellia tearoom, a gathering place for the growing suffrage movement. For Bea it’s life-changing, introducing her to new friends, new ideas, maybe love, maybe even a chance to work and support herself. But it’s dangerous, risking arrest or worse. Can she follow her dreams without bringing yet more scandal on her family?

When those very dangers send the White Camellia friends back to Cornwall, Bea and Sybil must finally confront each other. Will long buried family secrets on both sides now destroy them both?

This sounds a fabulous historical fiction book and one that I need to get reading very soon!!

VERDICT – KEEP!!

 

THE LONELY LIFE OF BIDDY WEIR  by LESLEY ALLEN

 

A stark but uplifting story of bullying and redemption, for anyone who’s ever been a weirdo.

Almost too terrified to grip the phone, Biddy Weir calls a daytime television show.

The subject is bullying, and Biddy has a story to tell.

Abandoned by her mother as a baby, Biddy lives in her own little world, happy to pass her time watching the birds – until Alison Fleming joins her school.

Popular and beautiful, but with a dangerous, malevolent streak, Alison quickly secures the admiration of her fellow students. All except one. And Alison doesn’t take kindly to people who don’t fit her mould . . .

A story of abuse and survival, of falling down and of starting again, and of one woman’s battle to learn to love herself for who she is, The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is Lesley Allen’s startlingly honest debut novel, perfect for fans of Rowan Coleman and Julie Cohen

I really love the sound of this story and the cover is rather beautiful too!

VERDICT – KEEP!!

SILENCE IS GOLDFISH by ANNABEL PITCHER

‘I have a voice but it isn’t mine. It used to say things so I’d fit in – to please my parents, to please my teachers. It used to tell the universe I was something I wasn’t. It lied.’ Fifteen-year-old Tess doesn’t mean to become mute. At first, she’s just too shocked to speak. And who wouldn’t be? Discovering your whole life has been a lie because your dad isn’t your real father is a pretty big deal. Tess sets out to find the truth of her identity, and uncovers a secret that could ruin multiple lives. But can she ask for help when she’s forgotten how to use her voice?

Intrigued by the cover, but not enough to read more!

VERDICT – GO!!

Fairly productive then today with 4 off the list! Only a billion more to wipe off the list and all will be well in the world of my TBR mountain organising!  Or should I have kept more?! Or should more go?! Would love your feedback if you have read any of the above titles!

HAPPY READING!!

My bookish weekly wrap up!!

Hello all! Apologies for the radio silence on the Blog front this week – what do you mean you hadn’t noticed?!!!  I just found myself spending more and more time online, and less time reading and doing other stuff, so just took a little break to try and find that balance (don’t we all!) so hopefully I can get back to sharing more reviews and boring you all with my ramblings again! Aren’t you lucky!!?!  2018 definitely needs to see me get more organised on the blogging/reading/reviewing front…… wonder when I’ll be breaking that resolution then?!  My bet is by the 3rd January!!

So on to the books of the past 7 days!  And there have been a few!! Made a start on some festive reads on my Kindle which have been a delight to read, and got back to some chick lit in paperback form as my brain needed a rest from over complicated plots!!  And I’ve been restrained on the book buying front once more – I need to give Santa my list of books wanted soon so want to give him plenty to choose from!! – so only had a couple of book subscription books arrive!  The posties are relieved!

Click on the titles for links to my full GoodReads review if you so wish to read more!!

BOOKS FINISHED

House of Christmas Secrets by Lynda Stacey – 5 stars

This year we’re just going to have a nice, normal Christmas…
Last year’s Christmas at Wrea Head Hall didn’t quite go to plan which is why Jess Croft is determined this festive season will be the one to remember, for the right reasons. And she has plenty of reasons to be hopeful, she’s going to marry the man of her dreams, Jack Stone, seven days after New Year’s Eve.

However, as family secrets are revealed in hidden letters and two unexpected guests turn up on the doorstep, Jess is left wondering whether her life will ever be the same again.

Can Jess and Jack still experience a peaceful festive season that they had imagined or are there some problems that even Christmas can’t fix? 

This was a fabulous darker read from start to finish and a great follow on from House of Secrets.  This isn’t a fluffy festive book so be warned, but it had me gripped and enthralled!

What Happens at Christmas by Evonne Wareham  –  5 stars

Best-selling author Andrew Vitruvius knows that any publicity is good publicity. His agent tells him that often, so it must be true. In the run-up to Christmas, she excels herself – talking him into the craziest scheme yet: getting himself kidnapped, live on TV.
But when the plan goes ahead and Drew is unceremoniously thrown in the back of a van before being dragged to a hut in middle of the Brecon Beacons, it all starts to feel a little bit too real.
Meanwhile, not far away, Lori France and her four-year-old niece Misty are settling in to spend the holidays away after unexpected events leave them without a place to stay. Little do they know they’re about to make a shocking discovery and experience a Christmas they’re not likely to forget …

Another fabulous read set in an idyllic setting and warmed my heart with the romance!!

A Little Christmas Faith by Kathryn Freeman  –  5 stars

Is it time to love Christmas again?
Faith Watkins loves Christmas, which is why she’s thrilled that her new hotel in the Lake District will be open in time for the festive season. And Faith has gone all out; huge Christmas tree, fairy lights, an entire family of decorative reindeer. Now all she needs are the guests …
But what she didn’t bank on was her first paying customer being someone like Adam Hunter. Rugged, powerfully built and with a deep sadness in his eyes, Adam is a man that Faith is immediately drawn to – but unfortunately he also has an intense hatred of all things Christmassy.
As the countdown to the big day begins, Faith can’t seem to keep away from her mysterious guest, but still finds herself with more questions than answers: just what happened to Adam Hunter? And why does he hate Christmas?

And another 5 star read from Choc Lit!!  This had all the festive feels and I raced through it and swooned over Adam!! I need to find my own Adam!!

Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses by Carole Matthews  –  4 stars

A heart-warming and poignant novel of romance, family and second chances, Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses is Sunday Times bestselling Carole Matthews at her outstanding best. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell and Milly Johnson.

Christie Chapman is a single working mother who spends her days commuting to her secretarial job in London and looking after her teenage son, Finn. It can be tough just getting through the day but Christie has always found comfort in her love of crafting and any spare time she has is spent in her parents’ summerhouse working on her beautiful creations. From intricately designed birthday cards to personalised gifts, Christie’s flair for the handmade knows no bounds and it’s not long before opportunity comes knocking. All of a sudden Christie sees a different future for her and Finn – one full of hope and possibility, and if the handsome Max Alexander is to be believed, one full of love too. It’s all there for the taking.

And then, all of sudden, Christie’s world is turned upside down.

Christie knows that something has to give, but what will she choose? Will she give up her dreams and the chance of real love? What price will she pay for doing the right thing? Can Christie find her happy ending in . . . Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses

I love chick lit when it’s written as well as this was! Pure escapism and inspired me to get back to my crafting as well! Loved it!

BookPost

The Happy Tree by Rosalind Murray

‘A 1926 novel which begins with the death of a young man during the war, flashes back to his happy childhood shared with the young woman who is the narrator, and then describes how the war – inevitably – took them unawares, destroyed their happiness and has left her, the young woman, emotionally maimed. ‘

Another book for my Persephone collection!  I love the grey covers and love how they bring forgotten authors back to life!

Crippen by John Boyne

July 1910: a gruesome discovery has been made at 39 Hilldrop Crescent, Camden.

Buried in the cellar are the remains of Cora Crippen, formeer music-hall singer and wife of Dr Hawley Crippen.

But Dr Crippen and his mistress Ethel Le Neve have disappeared, and a full-scale hunt for them has begun.

Across the Channel in Antwerp, Captain Kendall gives the order for the SS Montrose to begin its two-week voyage to Canada. On board are 1300 passengers, including the overbearing Antonia Drake, the unassuming Martha Hayes and the enigmatic Matthieu Zela. And, slipping in almost unnoticed, a Mr John Robinson with his seventeen-year-old son Edmund…

CRIPPEN is a beatifully drawn novel recreating the true story of the amazing escape attempt of one of history’s most notorious killers.

This is the latest book I have received from The Random Book Club – the monthly book club subscription I signed up for after reading The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell and I just love this way of discovering different books!!

CURRENTLY READING

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, ambitious wizard, known only as the Dragon, to keep the wood’s powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman must be handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as being lost to the wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows – everyone knows – that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia – all the things Agnieszka isn’t – and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But no one can predict how or why the Dragon chooses a girl. And when he comes, it is not Kasia he will take with him.

From the author of the Temeraire series comes this hugely imaginative, engrossing and vivid fantasy novel, inspired by folk and fairy tales. It is perfect reading for fans of Robin Hobb and Trudi Canavan

Have had this on my shelves for quite some time and have high hopes that I’ll love this!!

WILDWOOD by ROGER DEAKIN

From the walnut tree at his Suffolk home, Roger Deakin embarks upon a quest that takes him through Britain, across Europe, to Central Asia and Australia, in search of what lies behind man’s profound and enduring connection with wood and with trees. Meeting woodlanders of all kinds, he lives in shacks and cabins, builds hazel benders, and hunts bush-plums with aboriginal women.At once autobiography, history, a traveller’s tale and a work of natural history, Wildwood is a lyrical and fiercely intimate evocation of the spirit of trees: in nature, in our souls, in our culture, and in our lives

My non-fiction November reading is going very well and this is the latest book I’ve decided to read this month which I won from the wonderful Paul at HalfMan, HalfBook! 

So that is my bookish week all wrapped up! I’ve made it up to 193 books now read this year  – yay!! – so am hoping to make it past the 200 mark by the end of the year, knowing that I’ll probably never achieve that amount again!!  It’s just going to make picking my favourite reads of the year an awful lot tougher this year! Can i have a top 50?!!

HAPPY READING!!

The Book of Forgotten Authors by Christopher Fowler #BookReview

THE  BLURB

Absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder. It makes people think you’re dead.
So begins Christopher Fowler’s foray into the back catalogues and backstories of 99 authors who, once hugely popular, have all but disappeared from shelves.
We are fondly introduced to each potential rediscovery: from lost Victorian voices to the twentieth century writers who could well become the next John Williams, Hans Fallada or Lionel Davidson. Whether male or female, flash-in-the-pan or prolific, mega-seller or prize-winner – no author, it seems, can ever be fully immune from the fate of being forgotten.
These 99 journeys are punctuated by 12 short essays about faded once-favourites: including the now-vanished novels Walt Disney brought to the screen, the contemporary rivals of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie who did not stand the test of time, and the women who introduced psychological suspense many decades before it conquered the world.
This is a book about books and their authors. It is for book lovers, and is written by one who could not be a more enthusiastic, enlightening and entertaining guide

Quick Shopping Links

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Hive.co.uk – buy online and support your local high street

Book Depository

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christopher Fowler is an English novelist living in London, his books contain elements of black comedy, anxiety and social satire. As well as novels, he writes short stories, scripts, press articles and reviews.

He lives in King’s Cross, on the Battlebridge Basin, and chooses London as the backdrop of many of his stories because any one of the events in its two thousand year history can provide inspiration

In 1998 he was the recipient of the BFS Best Short Story Of The Year, for ‘Wageslaves’. Then, in 2004, ‘The Water Room’ was nominated for the CWA People’s Choice Award, ‘Full Dark House’ won the BFS August Derleth Novel of The Year Award 2004 and ‘American Waitress’ won the BFS Best Short Story Of The Year 2004. The novella ‘Breathe’ won BFS Best Novella 2005.

Author Website

MY REVIEW

The simple but striking cover gives you a taste of what you are about to get as you delve into the past courtesy of Christopher Fowler and his meticulous research of a variety of authors past and present that have almost vanished from the bookshelves across the world, despite being so popular at the time!

And it isn’t just a list of authors regurgitated in a list format.  It has cleverly been set out as a couple of pages or so dedicated to each author, or topic,  which is enough to give you so much information about the author, their history, the books they wrote, and the fates that befell them.  But beware if you a book lover… you will find as you read through this that you just keep adding authors and books to your ‘must look out’ for list!!   

There is also a great amount of humour throughout as Christopher Fowler offers up his own opinions on certain authors and books, and that really works well.  Many of the authors included have extremely colourful personal lives which is extremely interesting to read about!

I read this as part of non-fiction November and it has been so much fun to take a look back at some extraordinary books and the people behind them.  Can highly recommend this to anyone who loves books!!  

HAPPY READING!!

My Bookish Weekly Wrap Up!

Greetings from a very grey and drizzly corner of Essex!  The perfect kind of day for hibernating and ‘trying’ to get organised on the bookish front!! Which probably means that I’ll end up playing Fishdom and searching for new books to buy online!!  Just think of all the spare time we must have had before the internet was invented!!!  How did we pass the time??!!

Hope you’ve all had good weeks!  Been a pretty quiet one here but I have picked up the pace on the Christmas shopping front! Am determined to have it all done before the shops get crazy mad – if only certain members of my family knew what they wanted! Bookshop vouchers for all I’m thinking!!! 😉

Been another productive bookish week for me – 3 books finished and a few more added to the shelves!!  I started watching some book decluttering videos on YouTube the other day, and it has got me thinking about why I keep so many books!  And I know I want to read ALL THE BOOKS, but that is impossible so I really need to rethink the way I buy books and then what to do with read books – do you keep all yours?!  Interested to know how you manage your ‘book collections’ as I constantly find myself wandering around the house trying to fit in another bookcase or two, and that isn’t proving to be the best solution!

So, on with what I’ve read this week, books I’ve been sent, books I’ve bought and what I’m currently reading!

BOOKS FINISHED

Sex Object by Jessica Valenti  –  2 stars

Read this for Non-Fiction November and didn’t really get on very well with it!  Found the most powerful part of the book was the endnotes which got her point across far better than the rest of the book!

Made in Japan by S.J. Parks   

Read this for part of an upcoming Blog Tour of which I’m taking part in, and I found this to be a really interesting read – review to follow on the blog tour!!

Tall Oaks by Chris Whitaker  –  5 stars

One of those books that I’d had in my possession for an absolute age, but it was only when I started to listen to the Audio Version that I became enthralled with the story!  Highly recommended!!  But not if you don’t like sweary books!!

BOOK POST

Poor Posties have been suffering this week so I think I might need to treat them to extra sweeties at Christmas!  

A MAP OF THE DARK by KAREN ELLIS   –  out January 2018

A girl, missing
A woman, searching
A killer, planning…

A thrilling new FBI series for fans of Tess Gerritsen and Karin Slaughter.

FBI Agent Elsa Myers finds missing people.
She knows how it feels to be lost…

Though her father lies dying in a hospital north of New York City, Elsa cannot refuse a call for help. A teenage girl has gone missing from Forest Hills, Queens, and during the critical first hours of the case, a series of false leads hides the fact that she did not go willingly.

With each passing hour, as the hunt for Ruby deepens into a search for a man who may have been killing for years, the case starts to get underneath Elsa’s skin. Everything she has buried – her fraught relationship with her sister and niece, her self-destructive past, her mother’s death – threatens to resurface, with devastating consequences.

In order to save the missing girl, she may have to lose herself…and return to the darkness she’s been hiding from for years.

 

 THE HOMECOMING by ROSIE HOWARD  –  out February 2018

Maddy fled the idyllic market town of Havenbury Magna three years ago, the scene of a traumatic incident she revisits most clearly in her dreams. Even so, when she is called back to help at the Havenbury Arms when her godfather Patrick suffers a heart attack, she is unprepared for the welter of emotions her return provokes. Psychologist and ex-army officer Ben is sure he can help Maddy to resolve her fears, until he finds himself falling for her, and struggling with a recently uncovered family secret of which Maddy is blissfully unaware. Then Maddy’s mother, Helen, arrives and Patrick himself must confront a few uncomfortable truths about his history and the pub’s future.

And then there has been some lovely post from Bookishly  – I subscribe to their fabulous monthly Tea and Book Club and this is the rather fantastic parcel of goodies that arrived today!

And then they also sell classics with covers that they design themselves.  My plan is to read more classics in 2018 so how could I resist these gorgeous covers..

THE BOY MADE OF SNOW by CHLOE MAYER

In 1944, in a sleepy English village, Daniel and his emotionally-distant mother, Annabel, remain at home while his father is off fighting a war that seems both omnipresent and very, very far away.

When mother and son befriend Hans, a German PoW working on a nearby farm, their lives are suddenly filled with excitement – though the prisoner comes to mean very different things to each of them. To Annabel, he is an awakening from the darkness that has engulfed her since Daniel’s birth. To her son, a solitary boy caught up in the mythical world of fairy-tales, he is perhaps a prince in disguise or a magical woodchopper. But Daniel often struggles to tell the difference between fantasy and reality, and Hans has plans to spin a special sort of web to entrap mother and son for his own needs.

This was a Kindle purchase – how could I not at 99p! Have heard so many good things via Twitter and Blogs about this that I’m itching to start it soon!

CURRENTLY READING

The Book of Forgotten Authors by Christopher Fowler

Reading this one for Non-fiction November, and am loving it! So many authors I’d never heard of and so many fascinating stories behind their success – and subsequent fall from grace.

House of Christmas Secrets by Lynda Stacey

The festive reading has begun!!  Think I need to start this genre early so I can get through all the ones I want to read before 25th December! I loved The House of Secrets so can’t wait to revisit the characters!

So, there we have it!  Hope your weeks have been as productive!  My plan now is to spend the rest of the weekend reading so hoping to make another big dent on the TBR pile before I’m faced with the decision of having to chuck a load out!!

HAPPY READING!!

Tall Oaks by Chris Whitaker #BookReview

THE BLURB

For fans of Twin Peaks and The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair, this brilliant debut is dark yet hilarious, suspenseful and sad.

Everyone has a secret in Tall Oaks . . .

When three-year-old Harry goes missing, the whole of America turns its attention to one small town. Everyone is eager to help. Everyone is a suspect.

Desperate mother Jess, whose grief is driving her to extreme measures.

Newcomer Jared, with an easy charm and a string of broken hearts in his wake.

Photographer Jerry, who’s determined to break away from his controlling mother once and for all.

And, investigating them all, a police chief with a hidden obsession of his own . . .

In Chris Whitaker’s brilliant and original debut novel, missing persons, secret identities and dangerous lies abound in a town as idiosyncratic as its inhabitants

Amazon UK

Hive.co.uk – buy online and support your local high street

Book Depository

 

MY REVIEW

I’ve had the paperback of this for some time, but always seemed to pick it up and never read more than a chapter at a time as for some reason it just didn’t grab my full attention. BUT then I started to listen to the audio version and the whole world just came alive and it transfixed me from start to finish!

It tells the story of a community who are dealing with a missing child. This is no ordinary community – full of quirky, and often foul mouthed, characters who we then get to see glimpses of their stories as the months go by. It is one of those books that is very different from anything else I’ve read in the way it captures the behaviour of humans – it made me laugh out loud on many occasions and it made me cry!

It is also extremely cleverly crafted with each chapter and an astonishing twist that left me gasping with shock as I didn’t see it coming! Excellent stuff!!

So if you are looking for an audiobook to try then I can highly recommend the reading of this!  Read by Jeff Harding, he really brought the characters to life with his interpretations – just don’t listen to this if there are little ears or those easily offended around! It is very sweary!!  But I think that’s what made it even funnier!!

HAPPY READING  …..or listening!! 😉

A Second Christmas Wish by Kathryn Freeman #GuestPost #Extract #bookreview

Extremely delighted to be hosting this Guest Post from Kathryn Freeman featuring an extract today as part of this fabulous Blog Tour for a fabulously festive book that you ALL need to read!!

Now, over to you Kathryn…..

It’s such a pleasure to be invited onto your blog, Kaz – thank you so much for hosting me. I hope you enjoy the following extract from A Second Christmas Wish.  

 

Daniel McCormick – ex tennis player and now owner of a tennis academy – has been warned by his sister not to flirt with her friend, Melissa Raven as she’s not long escaped from a miserable marriage. But how can he not, when she’s everything he finds attractive in a woman? Here he’s just finished giving his first tennis lesson to her terribly shy young son, William.  

 

‘Mum, Daniel says I’m going to be as good as him when I’m older.’ William rushed over to his mother, his voice bubbling with excitement. 

‘Hey, wait up. I think I only said maybe.’ He caught Melissa’s eye over her son’s shoulder and watched as a small smile crossed her face. If he had to guess, he’d say it wasn’t founded in humour though, but in relief. It begged the question, was it him she was so mistrustful of, or the male species in general? 

‘I’m thirsty.’ William tugged on her arm, breaking their eye contact. 

She reached into her slim black purse and handed him some coins. ‘Here you go. See what you can find in the drinks machine.’ After watching him trot off, she turned back to Daniel. ‘He seems to have enjoyed himself. Thank you.’ 

‘No problem.’ He was going to leave it at that, but something William had said while they’d been talking niggled at him. ‘I think he’s worried about having to see his father again.’ 

The blood drained from her face. ‘I think I already told you that William’s father was none of your business.’ 

Anger fizzed up his spine. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’  

‘It means that going behind my back and grilling my son for details because you can’t get them from me, is, well …’ She tailed off, visibly shaking. ‘Bloody rude,’ she finished off. ‘And pretty low.’ 

‘I asked William if he had any plans for Christmas yet,’ he returned evenly, fighting for calm. ‘He chose to tell me he thought he might be seeing his dad, and that he didn’t want to. I hadn’t realised small talk with your son was banned. My mistake.’ 

More angry than he could remember feeling in a very long time, Daniel stalked off towards his office, making sure he gave William a quick wave before he disappeared. It wasn’t the boy’s fault his mother was so touchy. What the hell did Melissa think he was? Some sort of child molester who took pleasure from tormenting small boys? Well she could damn well find someone else to coach her son. He’d had it with her. Fuming, he plonked himself down on his office chair and began to systematically rip open his post with unrestrained force. His wild movements caused his hand to bang into the pile of paperwork on his in-tray, toppling it onto the floor. 

‘Shit.’ 

‘I’m sorry.’ 

His eyes flickered between the carnage on the floor and the woman standing awkwardly in his doorway. As they settled on her troubled face, the anger slowly defused. ‘Okay.’ 

‘Can I come in?’ she asked hesitantly. ‘William is having his drink outside and …’ She wrung her hands together. ‘I’d like the chance to explain.’ 

‘Be my guest.’ Part of him wanted to stay cross with her. At least then he wouldn’t feel this need to hold her and make everything right. 

 

About the book: 

 

A Second Christmas Wish is now available to purchase in both paperback and eBook format from all good book retailers and platforms. Click HERE for buying options.  

Do you believe in Father Christmas? 

For Melissa, Christmas has always been overrated. From her cold, distant parents to her manipulative ex-husband, Lawrence, she’s never experienced the warmth and contentment of the festive season with a big, happy family sitting around the table. 

And Melissa has learned to live with it, but it breaks her heart that her seven-year-old son, William, has had to live with it too. Whilst most little boys wait with excitement for the big day, William finds it difficult to believe that Father Christmas even exists. 

But then Daniel McCormick comes into their lives. And with his help, Melissa and William might just be able to find their festive spirit, and finally have a Christmas where all of their wishes come true … 

Amazon UK

Hive.co.uk – buy online and support your local bookstore

Book Depository 

 Author Contact details 

 Website:  http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kathrynfreeman 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1 

 

MY REVIEW

This has been an absolutely heartwarming and thoroughly absorbing Christmas read and just proves that Christmas wishes do come true!

We first meet Melissa, an ex model, and her 5 year old son as they suffer through the hands of Lawrence, her controlling and ghastly husband. He is from a family where you have to follow the rules and he shows no heart or compassion towards his family, especially towards his very shy sweet son. Melissa eventually plucks up the courage to leave him and we then get to see her as she tries to move on with her life.

The story moves on a couple of years and Lawrence has shown very little interest in his son, but is now back on the scene with his glamorous new girlfriend, and Melissa has to deal again with his arrogance and bullying. Her son is still quite affected by the past so she signs him up to tennis lessons at the local sports centre, run by the ex tennis pro Daniel. He is used to having women falling at his feet and was the best player in the world until injury cut his career short.

The sparks between the two are immediate but Melissa is, understandably, reluctant to commit to anyone considering her past, and this is where we see the best of Daniel as he is the perfect gentleman and never pushes or rushes her for a decision. William becomes besotted though with Daniel and it is so touching to see the bond they begin to form just through Daniel treating him in the right way.

With Christmas approaching, Melissa has to make decisions concerning her past and her future and the reader gets to share her joys and doubts along the way.

A fun and easy to read Christmas cracker of a book!

HAPPY FESTIVE READING

Urbane Publications Book Club Book Haul

My favourite time of the month has arrived!! I knew it was going to be fun when I signed up to the Urbane Publications Book Club at the start of the year! For the princely sum of £99.99 you  receive a copy of EVERY book they publishe throughout the year!  My bookshelves are now creaking under the weight of all the fabulous releases that they’ve sent out this year, and this is the October and November releases which contain a little bit of everything! So I thought I’d share this as a separate book haul and let you read a little bit about each book – to see if any tempt you! I’m struggling to decide which one to start with, although I have already read Dead Lands and loved that so can highly recommend that one if you’re looking for a new read!!

DEAD LANDS by LLOYD OTIS

Dead Lands is a thrilling crime story set in the 1970s. When a woman’s body is found a special team is called in to investigate and prime suspect Alex Troy is arrested for the murder. Desperate to remain a free man, Troy protests his innocence, but refuses to use his alibi. Trying to protect the woman he loves becomes a dangerous game – questions are asked and suspicions deepen. When the prime suspect completes a daring escape from custody, DI Breck and DS Kearns begin the hunt. Breck wants out of the force while Kearns has her own agenda and seeks revenge. Breck has his suspicions and she wants to keep it from him, and a right-wing march provides an explosive backdrop to their hunt for Troy. Lloyd Otis brings a startling account of the past back to life over a burgeoning ’70s landscape, and delivers a thrilling piece of crime fiction that will excite any fan of the genre

ALL THE COLOURS IN BETWEEN by EVA JORDAN

Eva Jordan’s much-anticipated follow up to the bestselling 183 Times a Year It’s not a life, it’s an adventure!

Lizzie is fast approaching 50. Her once angst ridden teenage daughters, now grown and in their twenties, have flown the nest, Cassie to London and Maisy to Australia. And, although Connor, Lizzie’s sulky, surly teenage son,is now on his own tormented passage to adulthood, his quest to get there, for the most part, is a far quieter journey than that of his sisters. The hard years, Lizzie believes, are behind her.

Embracing her new career as a writer; divorce, money worries and the constant battle to weather the stormy complexities of the blended family, are all but a distant memory. It’s time for Lizzie to focus on herself for a change. Stepdaughter Maisy is embracing life down under and daughter Cassie is working for a famous record producer in London. Lizzie’s only concern, albeit a mild one, is for the arrested development of her Facebook-Tweeting, Snapchatting, music and mobile phone obsessed, teenage son. With communication skills, more akin to an intermittent series of unintelligible grunts, conversation is futile. However, Lizzie is not particularly perturbed. With deadlines to meet and book tours to attend, Lizzie has other distractions to concentrate on. But all in all, life is good. Life is very good.

Only, things are never quite as black and white as they seem…

A visit to her daughter in London leaves Lizzie troubled. Cassie is still the same incessant chattering Queen of malaprops and spoonerisms she ever was, however something is clouding her normally cheery disposition. Not to mention her extreme weight loss. And that is just the start. Add to that an unexpected visitor, a disturbing phone call, a son acting suspiciously, a run in with her ex husband and a new man in her life who quite simply takes her breath away; Lizzie quickly realises life is something that happens while plans are being made.

Harsh but tender, thought provoking but light-hearted, dark but brilliantly funny, this is a story of contemporary family life in all its 21st century glory. A story of mothers and sons, of fathers and daughters, of brothers and sisters, and friends. A tale of love and loss, of friendships and betrayals and a tale of coming of age and end of life. Nobody said it would be easy and as Lizzie knows only too well, life is never straightforward when you see all the colours in between.

A DEATH IN THE NIGHT by GUY FRASER-SAMPSON

Book 4 in the thrilling Hampstead Murders series!

When a woman identified as the wife of a prominent lawyer dies at an exclusive women’s club, the team from Hampstead police station find themselves thrown into a baffling investigation with very little evidence to offer any guidance.

By coincidence, Metcalfe, Collins and Willis were all attending a vintage dinner dance at the club at the estimated time of death. Can they remember anything between them which might indicate a solution?

Set against a background of professors, barristers, and serial adultery, the fourth in the Hampstead Murders series continues the pattern set by its predecessors: strong, character-driven contemporary narrative written in the spirit of the Golden Age of detective writing. Praised by leading crime-writers, and garnering rave reviews from book bloggers, the books have been described as elegant, intelligent, quirky and ‘a love letter to the detective novel’. All agree they are very ‘different’ from the standard fare of modern crime fiction.

JAVELIN by ROGER PEARCE

A gripping political thriller set over two weeks in the aftermath of Brexit, Javelin will not disappoint fans of Detective Chief Inspector John Kerr.

Two explosions in Victoria mark the beginning of a bombing campaign against banking institutions in London. The attacks bear the hallmarks of Irish republican dissidents but are disowned by IRA volunteers and politicians in Belfast.

Kerr believes the bombs are the work of the extremist group Anti-Capitalist Insurrection, with attacks in London the first stage of a devastatingly deadly campaign across Europe…can Kerr stop them in time?

THE FUTURE CAN’T WAIT by ANGELENA BODEN

Kendra Blackmore always believed she was a good mother, doing her best for her children. And she thought they were happy in life. But when her half-Iranian daughter Ariana (Rani) undergoes an identity crisis which results in her cutting of all contact with her family, Kendra begins to question everything. Has her daughter become radicalised by Islamic State? Her son Adam, a doctor, explains it’s a normal part of development and that it won’t last, but sick with worry Kendra is desperate to understand why her home loving daughter would do this. To the point that it pushes her to the edge of irrationality and denial. Where is Rani? Why would she forsake her family? Kendra is fighting not just to win back her daughter, but to save everything she holds dear.

OUR FOOD, OUR FUTURE by ALAN WATKINS & MATT SIMISTER

‘A brilliant book. It explores the complexities of the global food system and how we can fix the challenges. If you care about access to quality, affordable food then read this book’ – Heston Blumenthal

The third book in the critically acclaimed Wicked & Wise series offers a compelling analysis of the issue of food on an international scale. From nutrition to world hunger to GM farming, what are the impacts of food and food issues on regional, political, cultural, business and social priorities?

With 2 billion obese and 2 billion hungry, food is a key issue in the future development of the world’s population and its health. As with every wicked and wise issue, it throws up significant moral, political and economic concerns when tackling how we will keep the world’s population nourished in decades to come.

BLOOD RITES by DAVID STUART DAVIES

Blood Rites is the latest gripping DI Paul Snow thriller from renowned crime writer David Stiart Davies. 1980s Yorkshire. DI Paul Snow has a personal demon. He is a homosexual but is desperate to keep it secret, knowing it would finish his career in the intolerant police force. As this personal drama unfolds, he is involved in investigating a series of violent murders in the town. All the victims appear to be chosen at random and appear to have no connection with each other. After the fourth murder, he is removed from the case for not finding the killer but continues investigating the matter privately. Gradually, Paul manages to determine a link between the murder victims, but this places his own life in great danger. Can Paul unmask the killer as he wrestles with his own demons?

Not a bad little haul eh!!  Some rather intriguing titles there for me to enjoy over the winter months!!  Now to find space on my bookshelves for them all!!

HAPPY READING!!

Whiteout by Ragnar Jonasson #blogtour #bookreview

THE BLURB

Two days before Christmas, a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted village of Kálfshamarvík. Did she jump, or did something more sinister take place beneath the lighthouse and the abandoned old house on the remote rocky outcrop? With winter closing in and the snow falling relentlessly, Ari Thór Arason discovers that the victim’s mother and young sister also lost their lives in this same spot, twenty-five years earlier. As the dark history and its secrets of the village are unveiled, and the death toll begins to rise, the Siglufjordur detectives must race against the clock to find the killer, before another tragedy takes place.

 Dark, chilling and complex, Whiteout is a haunting, atmospheric and stunningly plotted thriller from one of Iceland’s bestselling crime writers.

Publisher – Orenda Books

Amazon UK

Hive.co.uk – buy online and support your local bookstore

Kobo

Book DepositoryGoldsboro Books – Signed Limited Edition

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ragnar Jonasson is author of the award winning and international bestselling Dark Iceland series.

His debut Snowblind, first in the Dark Iceland series, went to number one in the Amazon Kindle charts shortly after publication. The book was also a no. 1 Amazon Kindle bestseller in Australia. Snowblind has been a paperback bestseller in France.

Nightblind won the Dead Good Reader Award 2016 for Most Captivating Crime in Translation.

Snowblind was called a “classically crafted whodunit” by THE NEW YORK TIMES, and it was selected by The Independent as one of the best crime novels of 2015 in the UK.

Rights to the Dark Iceland series have been sold to UK, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Poland, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, Morocco, Portugal, Croatia, Armenia and Iceland.

Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he works as a writer and a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.

He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir.

From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic.

Ragnar has also had short stories published internationally, including in the distinguished Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine in the US, the first stories by an Icelandic author in that magazine.

He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik.

Author on Twitter – @ragnarjo

MY REVIEW

This is the latest installment in the highly accomplished Dark Iceland series, and the quality of writing and storyline is just as high as it was back in the beginning. Once more we follow life through Ari Thor and the latest crime investigation he is involved in.  We also see his personal life brought to the fore again.

When a young woman is found at the bottom of the cliffs there are doubts as to whether it was an accident. But when her past is looked into and her mother and young sister also died at the same spot in 2 different incidents many years previous, then the sinister side of the story develops.  The story is then told in 3 parts and this really lets the plot play out in a really understated way that is extremely easy to read and never goes OTT which can be off-putting in the crime/noir genre.

The pace never lets up and there are secrets and lies galore which the police have to look into, all set amongst the seemingly idyllic setting of the icelandic coast.  There are many creepy characters featured which add to the chilling side of the story and you often get an unsettling feeling about the goings on at the house that overlooks the lighthouse.

I found this to be a thrilling read from start to finish and can highly recommend The Dark Iceland series to all those who’ve not yet discovered this riveting series.

 

My thanks to the author and publisher for the advanced copy which I received in return for a fair and honest review.

#BlogTour Wide Awake Asleep by Louise Wise #bookreview

 

Extremely delighted to be taking part in the Blog Tour for Wide Awake Asleep by Louise Wise – thank you all for stopping by and  joining me! Hope the info and my review will have you itching to get yourself a copy of this terrific time travelling tale!! If you could go back and  change things, would you??!

Wide Awake Asleep 

Can you really be on the WRONG path in life?

No one knew she was driving on that stretch of road. No one saw her car leave the highway and crash into a watery ditch. No one heard the car’s windscreen smash or saw the tree branch come through to impale her to her seat. No one heard her screams.

Julie Compton’s life should have come to an end that day, but instead, that moment was the beginning of her new life as she wakes, unharmed, back in 1972 and primed to relive her traumatic childhood all over again. One flaw. She’s in the body of a stranger.

Journey back to the 70s and 80s England where Julie is forced to jump through the eras, occupying and controlling other people’s bodies she knew as a child. She must work out which destiny path was the wrong one all while wondering if her body, back in 2016, was dying in her car.

With each momentous change, her memories transform and she realises she’s not only changing her future but of those around her. She’s finally ‘living’ but does that mean she must die?

Purchase Links:

Amazon.com – https://www.amazon.com/Wide-Awake-Asleep-Travel-Romance-ebook/dp/B01N2QW3VX/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wide-Awake-Asleep-Travel-Romance-ebook/dp/B01N2QW3VX/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

 

About the Author

Louise Wise is a British writer and has been weaving stories all her life—and for many years, she was a ‘closet writer’ with a cupboard is full of ageing manuscripts depicting fantastical romantic adventures!

Most of her books have an element of romance, but tend to cross over into other genres, giving them a unique edge.

Her debut novel is the best-selling sci-fi romance EDEN, which was followed by its sequel HUNTED in 2013.

A PROPER CHARLIE is a romantic comedy written purely for the chick lit market, but then she decided to unite her love of all things supernatural with romance and OH NO, I’VE FALLEN IN LOVE and WIDE AWAKE ASLEEP came along.

Her other works include SCRUFFY TRAINERS (a collection of short stories with a twist). She has written numerous short stories for women’s magazines including Women’s Own and Take a Break.

She loves hearing from her readers – the good, the bad and the ugly stuff they want to share!

Social Media Links –

Website: http://louisewise.website

Books: http://amzn.to/1Ne7KX0

Twitter: https://twitter.com/louise_wise

MY REVIEW

I was surprised by this book – in a good way! The thought of a time travel book is always a little unsettling as to how it will be approached, but the way this author dealt with it was clever and engaging and I found myself unable to wait to see where the character, Jules, would end up next in her past.

Julie Compton is in 2016 – life is going pretty well for her, aged 49 – and then disaster strikes as she’s in a car crash. This begins her journey back into her past and she gets transported back to the 1970’s and 1980’s in an effort to see things that happened to her from different perspectives in an effort to save herself and others from taking the wrong paths.

I loved the 80’s references and many bought a wry smile to my face, and it was just fascinating to see Julie going back as different people in her life so that she could see her life from their point of view which made for an interesting take on things she thought she remembered. It really makes you think about what things you’d like to change from your past if given the chance, and how your actions affect those around you too.

An easy to read, enjoyable book!

Please check out the other stops on this Blog Tour for more thoughts and information!!

HAPPY READING!!