An emotionally charged and captivating novel about the complexities of female friendship and motherhood
Lizzie Thomson has landed her first job as a music teacher, and after a whirlwind romance with Markus, the newlywed couple move into a beautiful new home in the outskirts of Edinburgh. Lizzie quickly befriends their neighbour Morag, an elderly, resourceful yet lonely widow, whose own children rarely visit her. Everything seems perfect in Lizzie’s life until she finds out she is pregnant and her relationship with both Morag and Markus change beyond her control.
Can Lizzie really trust Morag and why is Markus keeping secrets from her?
In The Memories We Bury the author explores the dangerous bonds we can create with strangers and how past memories can cast long shadows over the present.
The Memories We Bury is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only £2.99. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
The memories we bury is a fascinating, gripping psychological thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. One of the themes of this book is the impact that our childhood can have on us and how it can continue to affect us into adulthood. This wasn’t something I’d thought much about before so I found these parts of the book especially interesting.
I really liked Lizzie and felt a lot of sympathy towards her as I know how lonely it can get being a mum and how overwhelmed you can feel as your life changes irrevocably. I found I warmed to her instantly and enjoyed following her throughout the book.
The story was a bit of a slow starter but if soon picked up and absorbed into the interesting story. My opinion kept changing about how the book would end which I thought was very clever and ensured I kept reading as I was very intrigued.
Huge thanks to Emma from Damp Pebbles Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Helene Andrea Leuschel gained a Master in Journalism & Communication, which led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh. She later acquired a Master in Philosophy, specializing in the study of the mind. Helene has a particular interest in emotional, psychological and social well-being and this led her to write her first novel, Manipulated Lives, a fictional collection of five novellas, each highlighting the dangers of interacting with narcissists. She lives with her husband and two children in Portugal. Please find out more about Helene at heleneleuschel.com or on Facebook and Twitter.
It’s love . . . what’s the worst thing that could happen?
When Josh proposes in a pod on the London Eye at New Years’ Eve, he thinks it’s perfect.
Until she says no.
And they have to spend the next 29 excruciating minutes alone together.
His life is falling apart.
Realising he can’t trust his own judgment, Josh decides from now on he will make every decision through the flip of a coin.
Maybe the coin will change his life forever.
Maybe it will help him find the girl of his dreams . . .
The Flip Side is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
The Flip Side is a wonderfully romantic, funny book which I found really uplifting. It definitely gave me a much needed mood boost after a difficult few weeks.
Firstly i loved that this book was told from a male narrator as it helped provide a different angle then most other similar stories. There were different problems and ideas then those you normally find which I found really interesting. I thought Josh was a fantastic main character who I quickly warmed to and I soon found I wanted to keep going to find out how things end for him.
The story unfolds at a great pace with lots of little twists which kept me guessing as to how the story would go until the end. The author also has a clever way of ending his chapters in a surprising way which further ensured I’d keep reading. I often found myself promising I’d only read one more chapter bit then end up reading until the early hours as I couldn’t put it down.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to everyone. There was lots of humour throughout the story which often had me laughing out loud much to the amusement of my kids.
Huge thanks to Sriya from Michael St Joseph for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
About The Author:
James Bailey was born in Bristol, and currently lives and works in his home city. A graduate of King’s College London, James has previously carried the Olympic Torch, made a speech at the House of Commons, and worked as a red carpet reporter. The Flip Side is his debut novel.
Iot is just the beginning of a convulsed week, where danger lurks behind army headquarters, down sordid streets, and in the frightening Presidium of the Criminal Police. Bora is unexpectedly ordered by SS General Arthur Nebe, head of Kripo, to investigate the murder of a dazzling showman and clairvoyant, a major star since the days of the Weimar Republic. Bora’s inquiry, supported by police inspector and former S.A member Florian Grimm, resurrects memories of the excessive and brilliant world of Jazz Age cabarets and locales. Around them, in the oppressive summer heat, constant allied bombing, war-weary Berlin teems with refugees and nearly a million foreign labourers.
Soon enough the perceptive Bora realizes to his dismay that there is much more at stake than murder in a paranoid city where everyone suspects everyone, and where insistent rumours whisper about a conspiracy aimed at the very heart of the Nazi hierarchy. And then there is charming Emmy Pletsch, who works for Stauffenberg: could she be a key to understanding? Trying to solve the murder of the Weimar Prophet takes Martin Bora into the deadly whirlwind of an anguishing moral dilemma, as a German soldier and as a man. The 20 July plot and its dramatic implications as never told before.
The Night Of Shooting Stars is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below:
My Review:
The Night Of Shooting Stars is a gripping, atmospheric read about what could have been an important turning point in the war if it had succeeded!
The author does a great job of setting the scene in this book and I liked learning more about Berlin at this stage in the war. The little details like the descriptions of bombed out buildings, the war weary citizens and how glow in the dark paint was put on the pavements, helped me imagine the scenes vividly, like I was there watching everything unfold in front of me.
Martin was an interesting main character, who I took a little while to warm to. He’s a bit of an anti hero because of what he’s done in the war so far, however as we get to know him I started to feel a lot of sympathy with him and found myself hoping he would be successful; even though I knew he couldn’t be. The reader is given access to his innermost thoughts and feelings through diary extracts which make for intriguing reading. They definitely helped me to understand more about him and the type of person he is.
Project Valkerie is an event that I have heard mentioned but didn’t really know a lot about. I therefore found it very interesting to learn more about it, particularly the origins of the idea. The tension is slowly increased throughout the book and the suspicious atmosphere between the characters often meant I was never sure who was definitely on which side or if they were there to report on what Martin was up to.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of the series soon. I think this book can easily be read as a standalone, like I have as everything that you need to know is explained. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to anyone who likes historical fiction.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Bitterlemon Press for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
BEN PASTOR, born in Italy, worked as a university professor in Vermont. She is one of the most talented writers in the field of historical fiction. In 2008 she won the prestigious Premio Zaragoza for best historical fiction. She writes in English.
‘At once funny and moving: the brisk kindness of the wardens will bring a lump to your throat. I could not have loved it more’ Susie Steiner
It’s late 1944. Hitler’s rockets are slamming down on London with vicious regularity and it’s the coldest winter in living memory. Allied victory is on its way, but it’s bloody well dragging its feet.
In a large house next to Hampstead Heath, Vee Sedge is just about scraping by, with a herd of lodgers to feed, and her young charge Noel ( almost fifteen ) to clothe and educate. When she witnesses a road accident and finds herself in court, the repercussions are both unexpectedly marvellous and potentially disastrous – disastrous because Vee is not actually the person she’s pretending to be, and neither is Noel.
The end of the war won’t just mean peace, but discovery…
With caustic wit and artful storytelling, Lissa Evans elegantly summons a time when the world could finally hope to emerge from the chaos of war. As sharply comic as Old Baggage and emotionally poignant as Crooked Heart, V For Victory once again shows Lissa Evans to be one of our most brilliant and subtle writers.
V For Victory is published in ebook and hardback on the 27th August 2020. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.
My Review:
This was another fabulous read from one of my favourite historical fiction author’s. I’ve been a huge fan of this series so I was very excited to read this book and find out what was going to happen next.
The thing that most made this book for me was the absolutely fabulous characters that the author has created. I quickly warmed to them and they started to feel like old friends by the end of the book. Vee and Noel were a fantastic duo and I really enjoyed getting to know them. Vee is such a strong, kind women and Noel such a strong, intelligent young man that they were easy to like and support.
The book focuses on what life was like towards the end of the war when there was still a lot of danger but maybe a glimpse of hope that everything would end soon. It was incredibly interesting to see what day to day life was like and to learn, through Winnie, what the role of a warden entailed. I thought this was really vividly described and helped me picture the scene and the characters in my mind. I often felt like I was inside the book, living everything alongside the characters.
Overall I thought this was a beautifully written, absorbing book which held my attention the whole way through. It isn’t a fast paced book but this gives the reader plenty of opportunities to savour the interesting plot and to get to know the characters. It’s a lovely story which accurately portrays what life was like during the war, with some quite dark humour at times as people try to deal with an impossible situation. I can’t wait to read more from this series.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Transworld for my copy of this book via Netgalley. This is surely a must read if you are a fan of historical fiction!
About The Author:
Lissa Evans has written books for both adults and children, including Their Finest Hour and a Half, longlisted for the Orange Prize, Small Change for Stuart, shortlisted for many awards including the Carnegie Medal and the Costa Book Awards and Crooked Heart, longlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction.
The latest instalment in Sheila Riley’s brilliant Reckoner’s Row series Liverpool 1950
When Evie Kilgaren takes over the running of the back office at Skinner and Son’s haulage yard, she has no idea she is walking into a hive of blackmail, secrets and lies. Her fellow co-worker and childhood nemesis, Susie Blackthorn, is outraged at being demoted and is hell-bent on securing the affections of local heartthrob Danny Harris. Grace Harris, a singer on the prestigious D’Angelo transatlantic ocean liners, is returning home engaged to be married. But Grace is harbouring her own shocking secrets and something valuable her fiancé very desperately wants back.
As we return to the lives and loves of those who live and work in the Mersey Docklands, not everything is as it seems and love and luck are rarely on the same side.
The Mersey Girls is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
The Mersey Girls was a gripping, absorbing read from a new author for me. I found myself quickly absorbed into the story and into the lives of the characters.
Firstly I loved the characters in this book and the close knit friendship group they enjoyed. They soon started to feel like they were old friends and I enjoyed following their stories throughout the book. I found myself wishing that I knew them all personally as I would have loved to have been a part of their group too.
I loved the setting in this book of Liverpool in the 1950’s which is an era that I hadn’t read much about. It was definitely a happier period then the war and it was nice to see the changes from the wartime sagas I have read. The author has a lovely writing style that manages to draw you into the book and makes the book easy to read so you can just relax into the story.
Overall I really enjoyed this absorbing read which kept me turning the pages as I desperately had to know how everything was going to end. There was lots of action, shock and surprises, which made me fly through the pages quickly. This is the second book in the series, but I felt it could easily be read as a standalone as everything you need to know is explained.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Boldwood for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
About The Author:
Sheila Riley was born in Southport, Merseyside when the local dockside maternity hospital was closed to new arrivals by the onset of scarlet fever. As a child she liked nothing more than sitting quietly, so as not to be noticed and sent out, listening to adults converse. Much was learned while earwigging! She also had a vivid imagination, and what she didn’t understand of the outside world she invented for her own amusement. And so began a lifetime’s love of storytelling… The Mersey Orphan is set in the frozen docklands of 1947 Liverpool and became a bestseller in the UK and Canada. The Mersey Girls is set in 1950s Liverpool and is up for pre-order here on Amazon!
Eighteen-year-old Winnie Lennicker yearns for a peaceful life as a respectable married woman. However, when she becomes involved in her family’s free-trading operations and caught by the Revenue, she is sent before the magistrates. Forced to confess that she is with child, now more than ever, Winnie is determined to give up smuggling. But the only way she can support herself and her unborn child is to carry on.
An opportunity presents itself to carry despatches on behalf of British agents and spies, and gold for Wellington’s army. Needing the money, Winnie can’t afford to refuse, but the journey across the Channel is treacherous. When Winnie discovers the despatches she’s carrying aren’t what they seem, she’s determined to right her wrongs in the hope of achieving her dream and leaving the free trade behind for good.
The Golden Maid us available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
The Golden Maid is an absorbing, gripping read which I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s the second book in The Smugglers series.
I’m a huge fan of historical fiction and especially enjoy learning more about time periods outside of my favourite ones. In this book the author managed to fully transport me back to the 1800 with her vivid descriptions of everyday life back then. I really enjoyed learning a little more about what it was like to be a smuggler back then and the language they used to use.
I loved the main character Winnie who was a very strong, determined lady despite all the challenges she faced. I felt a lot of sympathy with her for some of the hard challenges she faced but admired her resolve to try and make the most of the situation she finds herself. I found I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to her.
I thought the book was well written with the author’s easy writing style making the book easy to follow. I soon found myself lost in Winnie’s world and would often pick up the book thinking I’d just read a few pages, only to finally drag myself out of the book to realise several hours had passed. I can’t wait to go back and read the first book in this series now and look forward to reading the final book soon.
Huge thanks to Georgina from Arrow publishing for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Arrow publishing for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
Above The Author:
One of my earliest memories is of eating cherries in an orchard with my grandfather and his faithful black Labrador. I was born in Kent and lived there until my family moved to Devon, but we visited regularly, and every Christmas grandparents sent us a box of Cox’s orange pippins, each apple wrapped in newspaper. I remember seeing the oasts and hop gardens, and walking round Canterbury, throwing pebbles into the river and being scared by the sight of the ducking stool on the wall of the Old Weavers House. After leaving school, I qualified as a vet and worked in small animal practice. I’d always loved reading, and decided to turn my hand to writing fiction. In 2002, I won the Harry Bowling Prize which was set up in memory of Harry Bowling, the ‘King of Cockney Sagas’. I met my wonderful agent, Laura, at the prize-giving and with her support, my writing career took off. Having had fourteen books published, I began writing about the Three Maids of Kent, a Victorian family saga, inspired by the stories passed down by my grandparents and great-grandparents who lived in and around Canterbury, Selling and Faversham. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed researching the Victorian era – it’s been a real voyage of discovery, finding about nineteenth century tattoos, how to use a tinderbox and the effects of industrialisation on the rural way of life. In between writing and working as a vet, I’ve brought up a family and looked after various pets. I’ve settled in Devon now that my children have grown up and gone off to university. Would I have liked to have been living in Victorian times? Only as a wealthy gentleman in good health, I think! ‘Half a Sixpence’ is the first novel in a brand new series, a Victorian family saga set in East Kent. The Three Maids of Kent series follows the fortunes of three generations of women from the hop gardens and orchards of rural Hernhill and Dunkirk, to the breweries of Faversham and streets of Canterbury.
A family’s past pursues them like a shadow in this riveting and emotional novel of psychological suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of All the Little Children.
American journalist Rose Kynaston has just relocated to the childhood home of her husband, Dylan, in the English village of his youth. There’s a lot for Rose to get used to in Hurtwood. Like the family’s crumbling mansion, inhabited by Dylan’s reclusive mother, and the treacherous hill it sits upon, a place of both sinister folklore and present dangers.
Then there are the unwelcoming villagers, who only whisper the name Kynaston—like some dreadful secret, a curse. Everyone knows what happened at Hurtwood House twenty years ago. Everyone except Rose. And now that Dylan is back, so are rumors about his past.
When an archaeological dig unearths human remains on the hill, local police sergeant Ellie Trevelyan vows to solve a cold case that has cast a chill over Hurtwood for decades.
As Ellie works to separate rumor from fact, Rose must fight to clear the name of the man she loves. But how can Rose keep her family safe if she is the last to know the truth?
The Last To Know is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
Last To Know is another superbly written, gripping mystery from this talented author.
Firstly I love books set in or around spooky old houses so this book really appealed to me. I loved that the house seemed to have a personality of its own and found the descriptions of it to be quite vivid so that I could picture if clearly in my mind. I often felt the hairs standing up at the back of my neck as I read because of this as the house was so creepy.
The story is told in alternate chapters by Rose and Evie a local police officer giving the reader an insight into the current investigation but also allowing them to glimpse the past and understand what happened there. The characters were all fantastic creations who I enjoyed reading about and understanding more about their lives. Each character is hiding secrets which were fascinating and surprising to unravel. Rose was my favourite character as I loved her determination and strength to continue her investigation and discover the truth which I thought was very admirable.
Overall I thought this was a well written, gripping read which was hard to put down. The sinister folklores surrounding the house and the eerie house with doors that somehow managed to open by themselves helped add atmosphere to the book. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the author for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Jo Furniss is the author of The Trailing Spouse and the Amazon Charts bestseller All the Little Children. After spending a decade as a broadcast journalist for the BBC, Jo gave up the glamour of night shifts to become a freelance writer and serial expatriate. Originally from the United Kingdom, she spent seven years in Singapore and also lived in Switzerland and Cameroon. As a journalist, Jo worked for numerous online outlets and magazines, including Monocle and the Economist. She has edited books for a Nobel laureate and the palace of the sultan of Brunei. She has a Distinction in MA Professional Writing from Falmouth University. To keep in touch with Jo, please sign up for her newsletter at http://www.jofurniss.com or drop her a line at http://www.facebook.com/JoFurnissAuthor/.
Nancy, Eleanor and Mary met at college and have been friends ever since, through marriages, children and love affairs.
Eleanor is calm and driven, with a deep sense of responsibility, a brilliant career and a love of being single and free – despite her soft spot for her best friend’s husband.
Mary is deeply intelligent with a love of learning, derailed by three children and a mean, demanding husband – she is now unrecognisable to herself and her friends.
Nancy is seemingly perfect: bright, beautiful and rich with an adoring husband and daughter – but beneath the surface her discontent is going to affect them all in terrible ways.
When Nancy is murdered, Eleanor and Mary must align themselves to uncover her killer. And as each of their stories unfold, they realise that there are many different truths to find, and many different ways to bring justice for those we love…
Everyone wants a perfect life. But there is no such thing…
Imperfect Woman is available in ebook and hardback now. The hardback is currently only £7.00. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
Imperfect Woman is a dark, intense and gripping read which I really enjoyed.
The book follows three women who met at University through their lives and the challenges that they face. All three seem very realistic characters which makes them really relatable and I quickly found myself warming to each of them. The reader gets a fly on the wall glimpse into their lives, marriage and the everyday problems they face.
The most interesting part of the book for me was seeing the interesting dynamics between the three women and how they change throughout the years. I liked how the different layers of the women were gradually peeked back so we could see them at their rawest, most intimate self. Even though the three woman have known each other for years, it was interesting to see how they still didn’t know completely what was going on in each others lives. A timely reminder that in this busy world we need to take more of an interest in what is happening in our friends lives.
The story is told from each woman’s perspective in turn which I found very interesting and meant that we got to know each of the woman really well. The murder mystery side of the story, although quite gripping, isn’t the main focus of the story and I was surprised that no police were mentioned in the story though I think adding them would have created a completely different story.
Overall I really enjoyed this intriguing story and felt sad to leave the woman behind. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Huge thanks to Francesca from Orion for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
About The Author:
My new novel IMPERFECT WOMEN is being published by Orion on 20/08/20. It’s the story of three old friends who are forced to confront the secrets, lies and compromises in their lives when one of them is killed. I’m a massive fan of writers like Patricia Highsmith, Daphne Du Maurier, Iris Murdoch, Shirley Jackson & Barbara Vine who were such masters at taking us deep in to delusional minds. I’m also the author of EVERYTHING & NOTHING (2011), DOT (2013) & OUR KIND OF CRUELTY (2018). I live in Brighton with my husband and three children. You can contact me on twitter at @aramintahall
When Elspeth arrives at her ex-husband’s LA mansion for his 50th birthday party, she’s expecting a crowd for the British film director. Instead, there are just seven other guests and Richard’s pet octopus, Persephone, watching over them from her tank.
Come morning, Richard is dead.
In the weeks that follow, each of the guests come under suspicion: the school friend, the studio producer, the actress, the actor, the new boyfriend, the manager, the cinematographer and the ex-wife, Elspeth herself. As stories of Richard’s past surface, colliding with Elspeth’s memories of their marriage, she begins to question not just who killed Richard, but why these eight guests were invited, and what sort of man would want to trap this mysterious, intelligent creature.
From the LA hills to the Norfolk marshes, The Octopus is a stylish exploration of power: the power of memory, the power of perception, the power of one person over another.
The Octopus is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
The Octopus is a clever and original read from a new author for me. I found it to be quite a powerful and thought provoking read which has kept me thinking about it long after I’ve finished reading.
The action all revolves around a party thrown for Richard’s 50th birthday which I think it’s fair to say is a bit of a weird affair. It was very interesting to slowly get to know the characters and their role in Richard’s life. Most of the characters there are quite unlikeable and all of them had a reason for wanting to hurt the horrible Richard. I found this quite interesting as I couldn’t warm to any of the characters and as such couldn’t pick sides, so was just able to enjoy the mystery side of things without putting my emotions or bias into it.
One of the key themes in the book is of power and control which all stem from the main character Richard. In particular the power Richard has over Persephone, the one thing in the book which I actually did have some sympathy for, and over his guest. The way he seemed to enjoy the power he held over his pet was quite chilling especially as the octopus had to ultimately rely on Richard to survive. I think this helped the reader understand what a cruel man Richard was.
Elspeth was an interesting narrator as she obviously had a lot of history with Richard. She often made me wonder how reliable she was and if her recollections of things that happened was correct. I enjoyed trying to follow her thoughts and to attempt to unpick what I thought was true or not.
Overall I thought this was a powerful, intriguing read which would make a great book club read as there would be lots to discuss. It is also quite a current read as it helps show how hard it can be to confront your abuser and the impact it can have if you don’t come forward.
Huge thanks to Steve from Hodder for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Tess Little is a writer, historian, and Fellow of All Souls College, University of Oxford. She was born in Norwich in 1992 and studied history at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. She is currently working towards her doctorate, on transnational connections in 1970s feminist activism, having spent the last few years interviewing activists and visiting archives across the UK, France, and the US. Her short stories and non-fiction have appeared in Words And Women: Two, The Mays Anthology, The Belleville Park Pages, The White Review and on posters outside a London tube station. Her first novel, The Octopus, will be published by Hodder & Stoughton in August 2020.
Athens, 1941. Nazi forces occupy Greece … and a nation falls apart. Victoria Hislop’s NEW Sunday Times Number One bestseller takes you into the darker days of Greek history and, through the eyes of its extraordinary heroine, illuminates the courage it takes to live in peace.
After decades of political uncertainty, Greece is polarised between Right- and Left-wing views when the Germans invade.
Fifteen-year-old Themis comes from a family divided by these political differences. The Nazi occupation deepens the fault-lines between those she loves just as it reduces Greece to destitution. She watches friends die in the ensuing famine and is moved to commit acts of resistance.
In the civil war that follows the end of the occupation, Themis joins the Communist army, where she experiences the extremes of love and hatred and the paradoxes presented by a war in which Greek fights Greek.
Eventually imprisoned on the infamous islands of exile, Makronisos and then Trikeri, Themis encounters another prisoner whose life will entwine with her own in ways neither can foresee. And finds she must weigh her principles against her desire to escape and live.
As she looks back on her life, Themis realises how tightly the personal and political can become entangled. While some wounds heal, others deepen.
This gripping new novel from bestselling author Victoria Hislop sheds light on the complexity and trauma of Greece’s past and weaves it into the epic tale of an ordinary woman compelled to live an extraordinary life.
Those That Were Loved is available in ebook and hardback now. It is published in paperback on the 20th August 2020. Purchase or preorder your copy using the link below.
My Review:
This review was previously published on my blog as part of The Random Things Tour and is being reshared for the paperback publication.
Those Who Are Loved is the latest book from the wonderful Victoria Hislop who is one of my all time favourite authors as I credit her book The Island as the book that got me out of a huge reading slump. Once again the author has written a fantastically gripping but highly emotional historical novel which will stay with me for a long time.
The occupation of Greece during WW2 is not a subject I knew anything about before reading this book so I found all the details about this utterly fascinating. The author has clearly done her research and manages to bring this period to life with the vivid descriptions of what life was like under the occupation. The fear and oppression that became the norm is almost palpable and I found myself on edge through parts of the book. It was great to read about the bravery of ordinary citizens whose exploits to fight the regime where very admirable. I’m not sure I would have the courage they did in the same situation.
The story follows Themis in two time periods, one as a fifteen year old during the war and the other as an old lady in 2016. Themis is a character that I loved instantly and someone I think I’d love to have as a grannie. She’s obviously seen and done a lot during her time but is aware that not everyone will think favourably about her actions. We learn about Greece’s history through her which makes what happens seem more personal and more horrific as it feels like it is happening to someone you know.
The story goes along at a good pace and I was soon absorbed into the story with the vivid descriptions of Greek culture and the beautiful sounding scenery. I was so fascinated by the story that wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen even though I wasn’t sure I would like it. It being war time there are some very harrowing and emotional parts to this book which had me in tears at times. My heart broke for Themis and all she goes through but it was more upsetting to realise that the events could actually have happened.
Huge thanks to Emily for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Headline for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
Audio Extract:
As part of the audio tour I’m pleased to be able to share a sample of the audio book for Those Who Are Loved which is being released the same time as the paperback on the 20th August 2020
About The Author:
Inspired by a visit to Spinalonga, the abandoned Greek leprosy colony, Victoria Hislop wrote The Island in 2005. It became an international bestseller and a 26-part Greek TV series. She was named Newcomer of the Year at the British Book Awards and is now an ambassador for Lepra. Her affection for the Mediterranean then took her to Spain, and in the number one bestseller The Return she wrote about the painful secrets of its civil war. In The Thread, Victoria returned to Greece to tell the turbulent tale of Thessaloniki and its people across the twentieth century. Shortlisted for a British Book Award, it confirmed her reputation as an inspirational storyteller.
Her fourth novel, The Sunrise, about the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the enduring ghost town of Famagusta, was a Sunday Times number one bestseller. Cartes Postales from Greece, fiction illustrated with photographs, was a Sunday Times bestseller in hardback and one of the biggest selling books of 2016. Victoria’s most recent novel, the poignant and powerful Those Who Are Loved, was a Sunday Times number one hardback bestseller in 2019 and explores a tempestuous period of modern Greek history through the eyes of a complex and compelling heroine.
Her books have been translated into more than thirty-five languages.
Victoria divides her time between England and Greece.
In 2020, Victoria was granted Honorary Greek Citizenship by the President of Greece.
Over The Rainbow Blog 