Book Synopsis:

Once upon a time Ella had wished for more than her life as a lowly maid.

Now forced to work hard under the unforgiving, lecherous gaze of the man she once called stepfather, Ella’s only refuge is in the books she reads by candlelight, secreted away in the library she isn’t permitted to enter.

One night, among her beloved books of far-off lands, Ella’s wishes are answered. At the stroke of midnight, a fairy godmother makes her an offer that will change her life: seven wishes, hers to make as she pleases. But each wish comes at a price and Ella must decide whether it’s one she’s willing to pay…

A smouldering, terrifying new spin on Cinderella – perfect for fans of Laura Purcell and Erin Morgenstern.

My Review:

The Shadow In The Glass is a fascinating retelling of a classic fairytale. I love these type of books as it’s always interesting to see what the author comes up with.

Firstly the historical detail in this book was very vivid and I soon found myself in Victoria London, experiencing all the sights and sounds alongside the characters. It was interesting to see how the author wove historical details into the story and very poignant to see the vast differences between the rich and poor. My heart broke for Ella and her fellow housemaids who were subjected to their master’s unwanted attention and had to suffer the consequences of unwanted pregnancies, which usually resulted in being thrown out of the house without reference. It’s incredible to think that this happened and people were allowed to behave like that.

I thought the story was well written and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. Fair warning it was a bit darker then I expected but I didn’t feel it was overdone and helped add to the story and it’s morale. There were lots of twists in this clever tale that kept me guessing and I liked the overall message in the book. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’ll definitely be reading more in the future.

Huge thanks to Suzanne from Harper Collins for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

JJA Harwood is an author, editor and blogger. She grew up in Norfolk, read History at the University of Warwick and eventually found her way to London, which is still something of a shock for somebody used to so many fields.When not writing, she can be found learning languages, cooking with more enthusiasm than skill, wandering off into clearly haunted houses and making friends with stray cats. THE SHADOW IN THE GLASS is her debut novel.

Good morning everyone! Today on JoJo Recommends I’m featuring the amazing Joshua Woo and his new single Beyond The Glass.

Josh is a British singer songwriter from Essex in the UK. He’s one of my favourite streamers who I discovered, not on a raid for once,but through another twitch streamer called The Complements who used to do a feature where they jammed with other twitch streamers either when they’re live or from a twitch clip. He jammed with Josh one day so I followed him, caught his next stream and was immediately blow away by his fantastic guitar playing and amazing vocal range – I don’t think I’ve ever subbed to someone so fast!

He recently went viral on Tik Tok with a disco version of Wonderwall which sounds like it shouldn’t work but it really does!

If you would like to follow Josh on Twitch or social media then you can do by clicking on the links below.

Beyond The Glass: How To Listen

The lyrics for Beyond The Glass tell the story of a character who realises that his reflection lives in an alternative universe where he has completed belief in himself and it’s about the character realising that he has the ability to believe in himself all along he just has to harness it. It’s one of the things I most like about Josh’s music that they all have hidden meaningful lyrics. You can listen to Beyond The Glass on Spotify or buy it on Bandcamp. I’m urging everyone to listen to it on Spotify as Josh has promised if be makes 1000 streams on Spotify he will release a special acoustic version of this song which I think will be brilliant!

The YouTube video of Beyond The Glass is below, along with a live version of Josh’s last single 10-2-1 and his latest cover by clicking on the links below.

JoJo Recommends on Island Vibing Presents:

Jojo Recommends is now featured on the wonderful Island Vibing Presents (IVP) twitch channel. I’m hugely excited about this and love being part of their super supportive community. If you would like to watch the latest episode you can do by clicking the link below.

JoJo Recommends Playlist:

You can now listen to Josh and all previously featured artists on a special playlist I’ve created on Spotify.

Thanks for reading and happy listening!

Book Synopsis:

France, 1942. At the end of the day, the schoolteacher releases her pupils. She checks they have their identity passes, and warns them not to stop until the German guards have let them through the barrier that separates occupied France from Free France. As the little fly across the border and into their mothers’ arms, she breathes a sigh of relief. No one is safe now. Not even the children.

Berkshire, present day. A letter left to her by her beloved late grandmother Gigi takes Hannah Stone on a journey deep into the heart of the Dordogne landscape. As she begins to unravel a forgotten history of wartime bravery and sacrifice, she discovers the heartrending secret that binds her grandmother to a village schoolteacher, the remarkable Lucie Laval . . .

My Review:

I loved this author’s first book so I was very excited to be invited onto the blog tour for this book. I absolutely loved it and thought it was a beautifully written, absorbing, thrilling read which manages to be both heartwarming and heart breaking at times.

The story is told in two timelines one following Hannah as she tries to follow her grandmother’s last wishes and find someone she used to know in France, while the other is set in occupied France and follows the brave residents as they fight against the Nazis. I have to admit to preferring the timeline set in the war more as it was very interesting to learn more about the school teacher and the brave work of the resistance. It was great to follow the two stories together and try to piece together what had happened.

The author has obviously done her research and I enjoyed learning more about life in occupied France during the war. Despite reading lots of historical fiction set in this period I hadn’t heard that there was a free area of France so I found that particularly interesting. It’s always amazing to read about the resistance and their exploits definitely had me on the edge of my seat at times. From the author’s note I believe they are all based on actual events which made it even more amazing.

I thought this book was very gripping and soon found myself absorbed into the story. The wonderfully vivid descriptions of France has made me want to visit there as soon as possible while the exciting events in the story ensured I kept reading. I liked how the story manages to be both poignant but hopeful at the same time and I closed the book a very satisfied reader. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

Huge thanks to Rosie from Headline for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you like dual timeline historical fiction I highly recommend this book!

About The Author:

Sarah Steele trained as a classical pianist and violinist before joining the world of publishing as an editorial assistant at Hodder and Stoughton. She was for many years a freelance editor, and now lives in the vibrant Gloucestershire town of Stroud. Her debut novel The Missing Pieces of Nancy Moon was published by Headline.

Book Synopsis:

I should have known something was wrong. I should have sensed it. Felt it in the air, like the build-up of pressure before a thunderstorm, that heavy, loaded calm.

The curfew
Andy and Laura are good parents. They tell their son Connor that he can go out with friends to celebrate completing his exams, but he must be home by midnight.

The lie
When Connor misses his curfew, it sets off a series of events that will change the lives of five families forever.

The truth?
Because five teenagers went into the woods that night, but only four came out. And telling the truth might mean losing everything…

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this author and his books never disappoint so I was very excited to be invited onto the blog tour for this his latest book.

Firstly I recommend starting this book when you’ve got lots of spare time as I found this book very gripping and impossible to put down. I was quickly drawn into the story and the nightmare situation the family finds themselves in. As a mum of three I must admit to dreading the teenage years and am sure I’ll be waiting up for them to come home. I found myself getting nervous on the families behalf and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens.

One of the things that most stood out for me was how realistic the situation felt and how real the emotions of the characters as they try to deal with what happened. The fear of the characters was almost palpable at times and I found myself feeling nervous on their behalf. There are lots of twists that kept me guessing, with the tension slowly building until it became almost unbearable. The reveal was amazing and I closed the book satisfied but also sad that the story had come to end.

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Zaffre for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

T.M. Logan is a Sunday Times bestseller whose thrillers have sold more than 1 million copies in the UK and are published in 18 countries around the world. The Holiday was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick and will soon be a major TV drama. Formerly a national newspaper journalist, he now writes full time and lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife and two children. Follow him on Twitter @TMLoganAuthor

Good morning everyone. This week on Jojo Recommends I’m featuring Struck which is the new EP from Tyler Lver.

Tyler is a singer songwriter originally from Maine he currently lives in New Hampshire. Tyler is a twitch streamer who does a great variety of originals and covers which always make his streams really fun! When I was last on his stream he was doing a fantastic rendition of Pretty Fly For A White Guy which he wasn’t too impressed with but I thought was amazing. He’s always been really approachable and really enthusiastic when I’ve asked to feature him despite me not always being able to make it to his streams which I thought was really nice.

If you would like to follow Tyler on twitch or social media I’ve included the links below.

How To Listen:

Struck has three songs on it all of which are really easy to listen to and fun to dance to around your living room (not that I’ve done that hee hee). I have included the video for struck plus one of his most recent covers below for you to have a listen to.

JoJo Recommends Playlist:

You can now listen to Tyler Lver and all previously featured artists on a special playlist I’ve created on Spotify.

JoJo Recommends on Twitch:

I’m very excited that JoJo Recommends is now featured on the lovely Island Vibing Presents channel on twitch. It’s still a work in progress but I’m getting more confident filming myself which is good. If you’d like to watch the latest episode I’ve included a link below.

Thanks for reading and happy listening!

Book Synopsis:

The Golden Couple is an addictive page-turning psychological thriller from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, the authors of the bestselling The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl, that will keep you guessing to the very end.Marissa and Mathew Bishop seem like the golden couple . . . until Marissa cheats. In a desperate attempt to repair her family, Marissa takes a chance on maverick therapist Avery Chambers, who lost her licence due to controversial methods.If Avery Chambers can’t fix you in ten sessions, she won’t take you on as a client. She helps people overcome everything, from domineering parents to assault. Her successes almost help her absorb the emptiness she feels since her husband’s death.When the Bishops glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course they never expected. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger. Not all of them are who they seem, and matters are about to turn deadly…

My Review:

The Golden Couple is a gripping, intriguing read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I am glad I started reading this at a time where I knew I had lots of free time as I couldn’t stop reading it.

Firstly I love books about complex relationships and so I really enjoyed unpicking the Bishop’s relationship and discovering all their hidden secrets. I thought the secret revealed at the beginning was the big twist but I was wrong and very wrong.

The characters were all marvelous creations I enjoyed following throughout the book. I liked how real they were as it made them easy to relate to and warm to. My favourite character was definitely Avery. I loved her don’t care attitude and her strength as she tries to help her clients. She seems to go the extra mile for them, often helping them after her sessions have finished which was nice to see.

The story starts off slow but soon picks up and becomes very engrossing. There were lots of hidden secrets and twists that kept me guessing until the last page which I always love. I definitely didn’t guess that ending either which is always great fun.

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

About The Author:

Greer Hendricks spent two decades as an editor. Prior to her tenure in book publishing, she earned her Master’s in journalism from Columbia University. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Allure and Publishers Weekly. Greer lives in Manhattan with her husband and two children.

Sarah Pekkanen is the internationally and USA Today bestselling author of eight solo novels. A former investigative journalist and feature writer, she has published her work in The Washington Post, USA Today, and many other publications. She is the mother of three sons and lives just outside Washington, D.C.

Together, they have written the New York Times bestselling novels The Wife Between Us, An Anonymous Girl, and You Are Not Alone. The Golden Couple is their fourth novel.

Good afternoon everyone. To celebrate International Women’s Day I thought I’d show you some of my favourite female authors. As you can see their books are from a variety of genres but I highly recommend all of them!

So in no particular order…

Kristen Hannah:

Kristin Hannah is a New York Times bestselling author. She is a former lawyer turned writer and is the mother of one son. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle, and Hawaii. Her first novel published in the UK, Night Road, was one of eight books selected for the UK’s 2011 TV Book Club Summer Read. Her New York Times bestselling novel The Nightingale, has been published in over thirty-nine languages.

Lucy Atkins:

Lucy Atkins is an award-winning British author and journalist. Her latest novel, MAGPIE LANE, was picked as a ‘best book of 2020’ by BBC Radio 4’s Open Book, the GUARDIAN, the TELEGRAPH and GOOD HOUSEKEEPING MAGAZINE. Her other novels are: THE NIGHT VISITOR (which has been optioned for TV), THE MISSING ONE and THE OTHER CHILD. Lucy is book critic for The Sunday Times and has written for publications including the Guardian, the Telegraph, the Times, and many magazines. She teaches on the creative writing Masters degree at the University of Oxford.She has written several non-fiction books including the Amazon #1 parenting guide, FIRST TIME PARENT (Collins).For news, events and offers see http://www.lucyatkins.comFollow Lucy on Twitter @lucyatkins Instagram @lucyatkinswriter

Clare Harvey:

Clare Harvey is an ex-army wife. The Gunner Girl, her debut novel, was inspired by her mother-in-law’s experience during WWII and written while her husband was on active service in Afghanistan. She lives in Nottingham with her family. Find out more on facebook – facebook.com/clareharvey13 – her website http://www.clareharvey.net or on twitter @clareharveyauth.

Beth O’Leary:

Beth O’Leary is a Sunday Times bestselling author whose novels have been translated into more than thirty languages. Her debut, The Flatshare, sold over half a million copies and changed her life completely. Her second novel, The Switch, has been optioned for film by Amblin Partners, Steven Spielberg’s production company. Beth writes her books in the English countryside with a very badly behaved golden retriever for company. If she’s not at her desk, you’ll usually find her curled up somewhere with a book, a cup of tea, and several woolly jumpers (whatever the weather).

Beth Underdown:

Beth Underdown was born in Rochdale in 1987. She studied at the University of York and then the University of Manchester, where she is now a Lecturer in Creative Writing.The Witchfinder’s Sister is her debut novel, and is based on the life of the 1640s witch finder Matthew Hopkins.She first came across him while reading a book about seventeenth-century midwifery. As you do.

Mari Hannah:

Mari Hannah is a multi-award-winning author, whose authentic voice is no happy accident. A former probation officer, she lives in rural Northumberland with her partner, an ex-murder detective. Mari turned to script-writing when her career was cut short following an assault on duty. Her debut, The Murder Wall, (adapted from a script she developed with the BBC) won her the Polari First Book Prize. Its follow-up, Settled Blood, picked up a Northern Writers’ Award. Mari’s body of work won her the CWA Dagger in the Library 2017, an incredible honour to receive so early in her career. In 2019, she was voted DIVA Wordsmith of the Year. In 2020, she won Capital Crime International Crime Writing Festival’s Crime Book of the Year for Without a Trace. Her Kate Daniels series is in development with Stephen Fry’s production company, Sprout Pictures.

Jenny Ashcroft:

Jenny Ashcroft lives in Brighton with her husband and three children. Before that, she spent many years living and working in Australia and Asia – a time which gave her an enduring passion for stories set in exotic places. She has a degree in history, and has always been fascinated by the past – in particular the way that extraordinary events can transform the lives of normal people.Jenny’s first three books – Beneath A Burning Sky, Island in the East and Meet Me In Bombay – were all ebook bestsellers.

Have you read any of these authors? Do any of these books appeal to you? Let me know!

Book Synopsis:

London, 1905. A show. A stuttering romance. Two squabbling actresses.

Is it Shakespeare? Is it Vaudeville?

Not quite. It is Mrs Morphett’s Macaroons, a satirical play about suffragettes which its creators – friends, colleagues and would-be lovers Robbie Robinson and Violet Graham – are preparing to mount in London’s West End.

It is the play rival actresses Merry and Gaye would kill to be in, if only they hadn’t insulted the producer all those years ago.

For Robbie and Violet meanwhile there are backers to be appeased, actors to be tamed and a theatre to be found; and in the midst of it all a budding romance that risks being undermined by professional differences.

Never mix business with pleasure?

Well – maybe, maybe not.

Mrs Morphett’s Macaroons is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.

My Review:

Mrs Morphett’s Macaroons is a fun, entertainment and humourous read from a new author for me.

Firstly the author has clearly done her research and I loved all the fabulous details she includes in the story which really made it come to life. I have a bit of a fascination with the theatre too so I enjoyed learning more about what theatre life was like in the Edwardian period. It was especially interesting to discover what is involved in putting on a play as I hadn’t given it much thought before and there’s definitely more to it then I thought.

There are some amazing character’s in this book which I enjoyed following throughout the book. Each one is a bit different to the others and all help bring something different to the story which I really liked. The author manages to cleverly weave some of their personal lives into the story so the reader gets to know them better and gets to see what’s going on behind the scenes so to speak.

This was a very absorbing read and I enjoyed getting lost in its story. There always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest and lots of humour that had be laughing out loud. This is the fourth book in the series which I hadn’t realised before starting but it can easily be read as a standalone, as I have done.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Patsy Trench has worked in the theatre all her adult life, firstly as an actress in the UK and Australia, then a scriptwriter for stage and (TV) screen. She co-founded The Children’s Musical Theatre of London, creating original musical shows with primary school children and she has written lyrics for cabaret songs for grownups. She teaches and lectures in theatre part-time at Kingston University and organises theatre tours in London for overseas visitors (Clovid permitting). She has two adult children and one grandson and she lives in London.

Book Synopsis:

ALL NEW from the Tobacco Girls
BRISTOL 1943 and life for the Tobacco Girls isn’t getting any easier…

Bridget Milligan has donned a uniform and joined the nursing services where she becomes intrigued with the miracles of modern medicine. She’s also torn between family loyalty, her new career and Lyndon O’Neill, the love of her life. Is it too impossible to hope that everything will come out right in the end?

Phyllis Harvey is still serving in Malta where she sees the casualties of war first hand. Finally it seems like Phyllis is blessed with true in love, but fate can sometimes be a rocky road and nothing is that certain.

Maisie Miles is left holding the home front at the tobacco factory but with the sudden death of her grandmother finds herself once more alone in the world. However, thanks to a substantial inheritance, she is able to extend a helping hand to a friend in desperate need.

There are tears and laughter, goodbyes and new arrivals along with the hope that new beginnings are not far over the horizon.

Heaven & Hell for The Tobacco Girls is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.

My Review:

Heaven and Hell is another emotional, gripping and atmospheric book in the fabulous Tobacco Girls series.

Firstly it was great to be back with the tobacco girls and to find out what they were up to. Although now separated helping out in different areas of the war the three M’s (Maisie, Phyllis and Bridget) are still friends. The different areas the girls are involved with helped provide a more holistic view of the war which I thought was very clever. It was interesting to learn what life was like for the girls in these different areas, especially Phyllis in Malta as I hadn’t known much about events there before.

There are some fantastic characters in this story that I really enjoyed following . I’ve been a huge fan of this series from the start so I’ve grown quite fond of them almost as if I knew them personally. Maisie was definitely my favourite of the three. I love her feisty nature and the wonderful way she stood up for Caroline. Each of the girls have their own battles during the book and it was very exciting to watch everything unfold. I found the book to be quite hard to put down as I was so invested in the story and eager to see how everything pans out for the girls.

Overall i really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series soon. There are some surprisingly gritty and emotional bits which some might find hard but I felt theses were handled sensitively. This is the fourth book in the series and while it could be read as a standalone but it’s probably best to read the series in order.

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:

Lizzie Lane is the author of over 50 books, a number of which have been bestsellers. She was born and bred in Bristol where many of her family worked in the cigarette and cigar factories. This has inspired her saga series for Boldwood The Tobacco Girls.