Book Synopsis:

Elizabeth of York, her life already tainted by dishonour and tragedy, now queen to the first Tudor king, Henry the VII.

Joan Vaux, servant of the court, straining against marriage and motherhood and privy to the deepest and darkest secrets of her queen. Like the ravens, Joan must use her eyes and her senses, as conspiracy whispers through the dark corridors of the Tower.

Through Joan’s eyes, The Lady of the Ravens inhabits the squalid streets of Tudor London, the imposing walls of its most fearsome fortress and the glamorous court of a kingdom in crisis.

The Lady Of The Ravens is published on the 9th of January 2020 in ebook and hardback. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, particularly books set in the Tudor era, so this book really appealed to me.

I hadn’t read much about Joan Vaux before so I found it very interesting to learn more about her story. I really liked Joan who came across as a very clever, honest lady who doesn’t take herself too seriously which made me warm to her. I also liked her husband Richard who underneath everything was a lovely, kind man whose love and loyalty to his family shined through. I enjoyed reading about the two of them throughout the book.

There is some amazing historical details in this book which helps make the era come to life. I especially enjoyed all the vivid descriptions of the big events like the coronation and Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth which made me feel like I was actually there watching everything unfold. The author has clearly done her research and I liked the way she managed to blend the historical facts into the story making it really come to life.

The novel is set in and around the tower of London which I found fascinating as I don’t remember reading many books set there. The presence of the ravens made the book stand out to me and I liked learning more about the myths surrounding them. They also added a bit of a dark, almost gothic feel to the book as it felt like they were always watching and waiting!

Overall I really enjoyed this book and found it to be very absorbing and intriguing. The author paints a bleak picture of life at that time and all the dangers that were around then. I found myself feeling very glad that I didn’t live then especially, as a woman I think I’d have had a hard time.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book. If you’re a fan of author’s like Philippa Gregory then you’ll enjoy this book as the styles are similar.

About The Author:

Joanna Hickson spent twenty five years presenting and producing News and Arts programmes for the BBC. Her first published book was a children’s historical novel Rebellion at Orford Castle but more recently she has turned to adult fiction, concentrating on bringing fifteenth century English history and some of its fascinating principal characters to life.

She is married with a large family and gets inspiration from her Wiltshire farmhouse home, which dates back to her chosen period.

Book Synopsis:

Six-foot-two Irish man who answers to the name Samuel McLaughlin.
Has weak shins and enjoys show tunes.
If found, please return to Sophie Williams.

Before Sophie met Samuel she saw the world in grey.
Before Samuel met Sophie, he never believed in love at first sight.

When they first meet, something tells them they are meant to be.
But fate has other ideas.

Now they have lost each other and can’t see a way back.
But they’ve already changed each other’s lives in more ways
than they ever expected…

The First Time I Saw You is available in ebook now and in paperback on the 9th February 2020. You can purchase or pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this author so was incredibly excited to read this book. I thought it was a beautifully written, funny book that manages to be both heartwarming and heart breaking at the same time

This is a love story, but not necessarily the one you’d expect as it’s not just about the love between a couple but rather about all the different love that is in our lives. The main characters Sophie and Samuel have some amazing people around them and I loved the truly heartwarming, lovely scenes involving their interactions with their siblings and their parents.

As you can probably imagine the course of love doesn’t run smoothly and there is lots of mishaps or misunderstandings on the way which made up some of the funny scenes in the book. It also lead to some lovely supportive moments between the characters which was very enjoyable to read about.

There is a lovely message in this book which added to the beauty of the story and left me feeling sad that the book had ended. The idea that being kind and helping each other out would make life easier for everyone, is an important one which I wish everyone would follow. This is definitely one that will stay with me for a long time and I will be recommending to everyone.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Headline for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Emma Cooper is a former teaching assistant, who lives in Shropshire with her partner and four children. She spends her spare time writing novels, drinking wine and watching box-sets with her partner of twenty-four years, who still makes her smile every day.

Emma has always wanted to be a writer – ever since childhood, she’s been inventing characters (her favourite being her imaginary friend ‘Boot’) and is thrilled that she now gets to use this imagination to bring to life all of her creations.

Book Synopsis:

THREE HOURS TO SAVE THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Sister comes an electrifying, pulse-racing new novel that takes us deep into the heart of what it means to be human

‘Superb’ Kate Mosse
‘ASTONISHING. Powerful, terrifying, heartbreaking’ Emma Flint
‘One of the most exhilarating reading experiences I’ve ever had’ Emma Healey
‘A stunner of a book. Staggeringly good’ Jane Fallon
‘SO gripping, intelligent, timely, affecting and moving’ Marian Keyes

Three hours is 180 minutes or 10,800 seconds.

It is a morning’s lessons, a dress rehearsal of Macbeth, a snowy trek through the woods.

It is an eternity waiting for news. Or a countdown to something terrible.

It is 180 minutes to discover who you will die for and what men will kill for.

In rural Somerset in the middle of a blizzard, the unthinkable happens: a school is under siege. From the wounded headmaster in the library, unable to help his trapped pupils and staff, to teenage Hannah in love for the first time, to the parents gathering desperate for news, to the 16 year old Syrian refugee trying to rescue his little brother, to the police psychologist who must identify the gunmen, to the students taking refuge in the school theatre, all experience the most intense hours of their lives, where evil and terror are met by courage, love and redemption.

Three Hours is published on the 9th January 2020 in hardback and ebook. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Three Hours is a tense, unique read which I will stay with me for a long time.

I was immediately drawn into the story and the situation the children find themselves in. The author’s writing made me feel like I was actually there watching everything unfold and hearing the chilling footsteps of the gunman pacing the floor. I found myself wondering how I would react and what I would have done differently. It is obvious very early on that the gunman are completely in control of the situation and have timed certain things to happen at certain times which made the characters seem like pawns in their game and adds to the chilling aspect of the story.

The story is told from multiple points of view which makes for very interesting reading as we discover how the different groups are dealing with the situation. This also gives us a chance to get to know the characters more and find out what is happening in their lives. There are some amazing characters in this book whose bravery and selflessness brought a year to my eye. It was very emotional watching everyone trying to put each others first.

Events in this book do unfold slowly but I found this actually added to the tension in the story as I felt on high alert waiting for something to happen and wondering what it might be. The reader is able to see the whole picture of what is happening in each part of the school, sometimes finding things out before the others which made the book hard to out down as I wanted to know what would happen. I often found myself shouting at the characters in my head when I felt they should have done something differently which shows just how involved I was in the story.

I’ve read every book this author has written and in my opinion she keeps getting better and better. I think this book would make a great book club read as there is lots to discuss.

Huge thanks to Ellie from Penguin Random House for inviting me into the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

ROSAMUND LUPTON’s new novel “Three Hours’ is published 9th January 2020.

Her debut novel ‘Sister’, was a BBC Radio 4 “Book at Bedtime”, a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller, winner of the Strand Magazine critics award and the Richard and Judy Bookclub Readers’ Choice Award. Her next two books ‘Afterwards’ and ‘The Quality of Silence’ were Sunday Times bestsellers. Her books have been published in over thirty languages.