Good afternoon everyone, hope you are all having a good band holiday if you are in the UK. Welcome to hopefully a new feature every Monday where I’ll be updating you all on what I’ve been reading and what I’m hoping to read next.

Just Finished:

Underneath The Christmas Tree by Heidi Swain

I finished this wonderful festive read over Christmas and absolutely loved it! It was just what I needed to relax with after a hectic day dealing with three very excited kids. Nothing says Christmas to me like a Heidi Swain book so I looked forward to reading a bit more every night, with a glass of mulled wine of course. Review coming this week!

Currently Reading:

Wahala by Nicki May

Wahala is a book I’ve been hearing lots about and I’ve been very intrigued to read. I was immediately drawn into the story and have been finding the book hard to put down as I’m enjoying it so much. I was lucky enough to get a copy of this from Netgalley but at half way through the book I realised I had to have a physical copy so treated myself to the special editions from Waterstones which will be arriving later this week so I’ll be able to show it to you in all its glory next week!

Reading Next:

The Ends Of The Earth by Abbie Greaves

I’m on the blog tour for this book later this week so looking forward to starting it in the next few days. I was a huge fan of her last book so very excited to read this one. Review coming Friday!

Hostage by Claire Mackintosh

I’m thrilled to be taking part in a buddy read with the lovely Kelly and Gemma starting Thursday. Once again I’m a huge fan of this author and have heard nothing but good things about this book so I can’t wait to start! Our buddy read is ending on the 8th of January so I will be posting my review after that.

Have you read any of the books above? What are you reading now? Let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading!

Good morning everyone and Happy New Year! Here’s hoping 2022 brings you everything you wish and hope for.

I think it’s fair to say 2021 was a hard year for a lot of us. One of the biggest challenges for me this year was home schooling. I’m definitely not a teacher and I found trying to home school two kids while keeping a preschooler entertained hard work. Thank goodness for my lovely mum who bubbled with us early on and helped me though it. Through all the chaos there were some wonderful moments that stood out however. The many art projects which we never would have completed otherwise, exploring new areas around our house which we didn’t know about and the introduction of the reading garden which the kids still request today.

Other highlights was finally meeting up with friends and family, including a long awaited trip to see Stuart’s family in Scotland which the kids absolutely loved. We also managed to get away to the beach which is always good for the soul. The kids loved playing in the sand and even ventured into the sea!

Blog Plans for 2022:

Tunes For Tuesday:

After the success of this feature last year, I look forward to featuring even more fantastic artists next year. This month I have the lovely Dyre and the new single from the amazing Joshua Woo, plus a few new names for you to listen to. I’m looking to change the interview questions to something a bit shorter and snappier so if anyone has any suggestions about what they’d like to know about the artists do let me know!

Book features:

As well as more reviews, I’m hoping to start doing more interviews and wrap up posts keeping you all up to date with what I’m reading and enjoying. I made the difficult decision to return to work in October which I’m really enjoying but obviously impacted on my blog as I tried to negotiate everything. I’m trying to be super organised and get things planned ahead of times, making full use of the scheduling feature on WordPress. I hope to be able to bring you more regular, fresh content soon though life might get in the way sometimes.

Instagram:

My little book blog is also on Instagram and I’m looking forward to trying to grow it this year. Im going to be trying more stacks, taking creative photos and (if I’m feeling brave enough) maybe attempt my first reel!

If you don’t already follow me on Instagram or Twitter the links are below.

That’s all for now, thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing the book love with you all in 2022! What are you reading/blog plans for this year? Let me know in the comments below!

Book Synopsis:

Seven friends. One killer. You can run, but you can’t hide…It’s Boxing Day and your friendship group has planned a hike.You know tensions are running high. You’ve heard the rumours flying around.But this trip is a chance for you to reconnect.As you head into the reserve, everyone is quiet. It almost feels like you’ve imagined the rift.But as the sun sets, you hear a gun shot.One of your group is dead.And someone you know killed them…A fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller with a killer twist you just won’t see coming. Fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley and T.M. Logan will be totally gripped from the very first page.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this author’s books so when I found myself in a recent reading slump I started Hide to help get me out of it as I alway find them to be gripping and easy to read. The story follows seven ‘friends’ who all belong to a nature group that meets once a month at the local nature reserve. However things quickly turn interesting (and a bit scary) when one of their group is murdered on a boxing Day hike.

I must admit when I first starting reading I thought I had guessed who the murder was but I was wrong (and very wrong). As the book progresses the author slowly peels back the layers on the characters so the reader finds out more about their history and, crucially, the secrets they’ve been hiding. I absolutely loved this as just when I thought I had everything figured out, something else would be revealed that sent the story in a completely different direction. My favourite characters were definitely the twins and I found it fascinating learning more about the dynamics of their relationship. Emily was definitely my favourite as I was very impressed with the strength and courage she showed throughout the book. She’s definitely had a hard life and I found it very poignant reading about her struggles when she was younger but I loved the fact she never lets her deafness hold her back!

The books starts off slowly as we get to know the characters and find out a little bit about the group. The reader gets to follow the story from each of the character’s points of view which alternates each chapter and I was very glad of the characters list at the front of the book so I could keep track of who was who. It quickly gathers pace though and I soon found the book very hard to put down. The snowy, dark nature reserve helped create a claustrophobic, unpredictable setting which seemed to be full of danger at every turn. My heart was in my mouth as I followed them as they tried to get out and I think I physically jumped a couple of times when things happened as I was so engrossed in the story.

The ending was brilliant, very dramatic and I loved how realistically it ended without any huge jumps in the story. It hints at there possibly being a sequel which I would love as I think there’s definitely more to explore with these characters and I don’t think I’m quite ready to say goodbye to them yet.

Huge thanks to Avon for my copy of this book. If you’re looking for a gripping read this Christmas I definitely recommend this one!

About The Author:

After studying English at university, Nell Pattison became a teacher and specialised in Deaf education. She has been teaching in the Deaf community for 14 years in both England and Scotland, working with students who use BSL, and began losing her hearing in her twenties. She lives in North Lincolnshire with her husband and son. Nell is the author of novels The Silent House, which was a USA Today bestseller, and Silent Night, featuring British Sign Language interpreter Paige Northwood.

Good evening everyone today on Tunes For Tuesday I’m taking you back through some of the fantastic artists I’ve been lucky enough to feature this year. If you’re interested in finding new artists and discovering some fantastic new music then I definitely recommend checking out the artists below.

I’d like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all the artists who have taken part this year and my fellow bloggers and twitch friends for all their support for this feature.

I have some fantastic artists already line up for next year so do stay tuned!

Samuel Alexander:

Sam is 27 from Melbourne in Australia. I discovered him through twitch where he streams live music four times week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. He plays a mixture of guitar covers and some of his fabulous piano originals which are great for relaxing to. He is one of my favourite streamers on there especially as his community are so lovely and welcoming. I feel like I’ve meet some lovely people on there. My daughter loves Sam’s streams and calls him ‘the nice man in the hat’ due to the fact he always wears a beanie on stream. Sam was also nice enough to sing Happy Birthday to her which made her day!

Sam has released some truly beautiful music this year and I look forward to hearing more next year! I have out two of my favourite songs from Sam below for you to enjoy!

Plastic Sun:

Plastic Sun are a London based trio that consists of Joshua Woo, Alessandro Melchior and Keir Adamson. Their songs are all very catch and easy to listen to with a indie rock feel to them which has always been my favourite genre of music. The lyrics are very clever and often have hidden messages in them which leave you thinking about the meaning behind them for days. The front man, Joshua Woo, has an incredibly powerful voice with an amazing range that allows him to go from base to falsetto in the same song. He is also able to hold a note for a very long time which makes his performances amazing to watch. I can’t wait until we are allowed to go to live gigs as I will definitely be going to a Plastic Sun gig as soon as possible.

The Complements:

The Complement’s are made up of Greg, an L.A native, and Aleesha who grew up in Europe and Asia. Greg is a classically trained pianist and self taught guitarist while Aleesha is trained in everything Greg isn’t! They are known for their soulful vocal harmonies and charming performances. They describe themselves as ‘an award winning singer-songwriter duo who sound like they have walked off a Glee/ Disney crossover show’.

I heard about them through twitch where they stream Monday – Friday from 14h00 BST. Due to lockdown in California it has been mainly Greg streaming on his own, though Aleesha has been making surprise appearances. Their streams are always good fun to watch and I look forward to them. Greg is always very welcoming and his energy is infectious as he plays their songlist which has lots of variety in it. If you’d like to watch The Complements on twitch, the link to their channel is below.

Bethan Le Mas:

Bethan is a UK Singer Songwriter from the South of England. She is classically trained in piano and cello and taught herself how to play the guitar and Celtic harp. She’s been very busy this year and has managed to put out two albums Field Fare and One Man’s Crust which are both full of beautiful folk music.

Her streams are always great fun to hang out on as she’s also a huge bookworm and Harry Potter fan so we normally end up talking about one of those. Her music has taken a bit if a back seat at the moment as she’s gone back to university to complete a master’s degree!

How To Listen:

You can listen to all these fabulous artists either by clicking on the links below their name or via a special playlist I’ve created on Spotify.

Thanks for reading and Happy Listening!

Good evening everyone today on Tunes For Tuesday (on a Wednesday as life is a tad hectic atm) I’m featuring Moonlit Memory by Samuel Alexander.

Sam is 28 and lives in Melbourne Australia. He streams regularly on twitch were he plays lots of fabulous guitar covers and his beautiful piano originals. It’s been very interesting to follow the progress of Moonlit Memory as Sam has slowly developed it on twitch when streaming. His community were also involved in naming the piece and although he didn’t use my suggestion (sniff) I think Moonlit Memory suits it perfectly.

The lovely artwork was created by Alissa a member of Sam’s community and it inspired Sam to use the music box sound you hear on the piece as he felt it added a dreamlike quality to his music.

You can follow Sam on social media or watch him on twitch (highly recommended) using the links below.

How To Listen:

Sam’s music is available on all the major streaming platforms which I’ve included below. He loves hearing people’s reactions to his music so if you do enjoy it please let him know.

I have included the YouTube video for Moonlit Memory below.

Interview:

Sam was kind enough to answer some questions for me earlier this year where we talked about his music and what influenced him to make it. If you haven’t read his interview yet and would like to learn more about Sam I have included the link below!

Playlists:

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

Thanks for reading and happy listening!

Book Synopsis:

He’s been watching and waiting. And now he’s found her.

Rosie is homeless and winter is closing in. So she can’t believe her luck when a total stranger, Mr. Adams, invites her to stay.

What she doesn’t realise is that Mr. Adams has a secret agenda. He has chosen Rosie for a very special purpose.

But Rosie isn’t as innocent as she seems. She has a secret too, a secret that will have horrifying consequences for them both.

As they each fight to get what they want, they find themselves locked in a struggle which will lead them ever downwards – into a terrifying spiral of horror and violence.

The Girl Downstairs – the stunning psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Mark Edwards, K. L. Slater, Miranda Rijks.

The Girl Downstairs is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.

My Review:

The Girl Downstairs is an atmospheric, creepy and unsettling read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Firstly the thing that most stood out for me in this book was the characters. The author has a fantastic way of writing them so I felt I could easily picture them in my mind. I felt like I actually knew them and could guess what they were thinking or would do next. They were both pretty unreliable characters which made for very interesting reading and I found myself liking them one moment and hating them the next. I kept changing my mind about who I believed and who I wanted to support as I read which I thought was cleverly done.

The situation the characters find themselves in was a very intriguing one which I liked exploring as the story continued. It’s definitely a weird situation and one that I’d have hoped would have alarm bells going off for most people. The small cottage with two strangers is creepy enough but add in the snow and the atmosphere soon felt very claustrophobic. The author has a clever way of lulling the reader into a false sense of security by describing mundane, everyday activities like making lunch and then suddenly throwing a twist into the plot which makes it seem much more dramatic then it might otherwise. This definitely kept me on my toes and I enjoyed trying to decipher the subtle clues the author drops into the story to try and figure out what would happen next.

Overall I thought this was a fantastic read which I’ll definitely be recommending to others. The atmosphere slowly increases as the story goes on until it becomes almost unbearable and I soon found myself torn between wanting to find out what would happen next and stopping as I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’d definitely be interested in reading more in the future.

Huge thanks to Zoë at Zooloo blog tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Iain Maitland is the author of three previous psych thrillers, The Scribbler (2020), Mr Todd’s Reckoning (2019) and Sweet William (2017), all published by Contraband, an imprint of Saraband. Mr Todd’s Reckoning is coming to the big screen in 2023.Iain is also the author of two memoirs, Dear Michael, Love Dad (Hodder, 2016), a book of letters written to his eldest son who experienced depression and anorexia, and (co-authored with Michael) Out Of The Madhouse (Jessica Kingsley, 2018).He is also an Ambassador for Stem4, the teenage mental health charity. He talks regularly about mental health issues in schools and colleges and workplaces.

Book Synopsis:

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay
Can echoes of the past threaten the present? They are 1500 years apart, but can they reach out to each other across the centuries? One woman faces a traumatic truth in the present day. The other is forced to marry the man she hates as the ‘dark ages’ unfold.

How can Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, unlock the secrets of the past? Traumatised by betrayal, she slips into 499 AD and into the body of Lady Vivianne, who is also battling treachery. Viv must uncover the mystery of the key that she unwittingly brings back with her to the present day, as echoes of the past resonate through time. But little does Viv realise just how much both their lives across the centuries will become so intertwined. And in the end, how can they help each other across the ages without changing the course of history?

A Shape On The Air is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.

Advance Praise:

Praise for Julia Ibbotson and A Shape on the Air:

Praise for Julia Ibbotson and A Shape on the Air:

“In the best Barbara Erskine tradition … I would highly recommend this novel” Historical Novel Society

“Amazing …a really great book …I just couldn’t put it down” Hazel Morgan

“a beautiful tale … a must-read for fans of time-slip and time-travel” Cathie Dunn

“gripping, with a very real sense of sense of threat and danger, an enthralling mystery focused on hidden treasure, a wholly convincing romance, all across both timelines! Anne Williams

“Lovely identifiable heroines in both time periods … I love the strength and vulnerability” Melissa Morgan

“Meticulously researched and wonderfully evocative. Loved it!” Anne Harvey

“Well-rounded characters and a wealth of historical research make this a real page-turner” Amazon review

“Enthralling!” Amazon review

About The Author:

Acclaimed, award-winning author Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and concepts of time travel. She read English at Keele University, England (after a turbulent but exciting gap year in Ghana, West Africa) specialising in medieval language, literature and history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. She wrote her first novel at 10 years of age, but became a school teacher, then an academic as a senior university lecturer and researcher. She has published a number of books, including memoir, children’s medieval fantasy, a trilogy set in Ghana, and medieval time-slip, as well as academic works. Apart from insatiable reading, she loves travelling the world, singing in choirs, swimming, yoga and walking in the countryside in England and Madeira where she and her husband divide their time.

Book Synopsis:

1940, Nazi-occupied Paris. A powerful story of love, tragedy and incredible courage, about one woman whose life is ripped apart by war and risks everything to seek justice. Brand new from the bestselling author of The Resistance Girl.

As Nazis patrol the streets of the French capital, Tiena is alone, desperate and on the run. After defending herself against the force of an officer, she must find a new identity in order to survive.

An accidental meeting with members of the Resistance gives her a lifeline, as she is offered the chance to reinvent herself as perfumer Angéline De Cadieux.

However Angéline will never forget what happened to her, and will do everything she can to seek revenge. But vengeance can be a dangerous game, and Angeline can only hide her true identity for so long before her past catches up with her, with some devastating consequences…

Paris, 2003. When the opportunity arises for aspiring journalist Emma Keane to interview world renowned perfumer Madame De Cadieux about her life during World War Two, she is determined to take it. There are secrets from her own family history that she hopes Angéline may be able to help unlock.

But nothing can prepare Emma for Aboongéline’s story, and one thing is for certain – it will change her own life forever…

An absolutely heartbreaking, unforgettable historical novel of war, sacrifice and survival. Perfect for fans of Suzanne Goldring, Ella Carey and Catherine Hokin.

My Review:

Wow this is a beautifully written, emotional story that will definitely be staying with me for a long time.

The story is told from two time line one following Angeline as she tries to evade the Nazis and the other following Emma as she interviews world famous perfumer Angelina. I must admit I did prefer Angeline’s story over Sarah’s but it was still fun to watch the two stories come together. I loved Angelina as a character, especially as she had to show a lot of bravery in extremely difficult situations.

As I’ve mentioned before I’m a huge fan of historical fiction set in the second world war- particular if it teaches me something new. In this book the author focuses on the treatment of Roma gypsies and how they were persecuted by the Nazis. I hadn’t read much about this and was shocked that they received a similar treatment to the Jews especially as their fate isn’t so well known. The Nazis had a special section of the concentration camps just for them and it was truly heartbreaking to read about what happened there.

Overall I thought this was a great read that I will be recommending to everyone. The author managed to take a difficult subject and writes about it sensitively. The book manages to be both an adventure story and a romance story which, given the subject I didn’t think would work but it is very effective. I did guess what was going to happen but I had to keep reading to see if I was right. I think this is would make a great book club read as I feel there would be lots to discuss.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for my copy of this book and to Boldwood for my copy of this book via netgalley.

About The Author:

Jina Bacarr is a US-based historical romance author of over 10 previous books. She has been a screenwriter, journalist and news reporter, but now writes full-time and lives in LA. Jina’s novels have been sold in 9 territories.

Good evening everyone today on Tunes For Tuesday I’m featuring Nostalgia the new singer from UK artist Leon Bratt.

Leon was born and raised in Bedfordshire, UK and always wanted to join the music industry. He grew up listening to Bob Marley & The Wailers, Guns N’ Roses and Stevie wonder which definitely influenced his music and the vibe he has on twitch. After leaving school he worked as a body piercer for 8 years before deciding to take the plunge to be a full time musician.

I first heard about Leon from twitch when several friends told me how good his streams were so I had to find out for myself! He’s always super friendly with a smile and a cheerful hello to everyone coming in stream. His music has a great vibe to it and never fails to make me feel happier emote relaxed. He currently plays live in twitch on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

You can follow Leon on twitch or on social media by clicking on the links below.

How To Listen:

Leon has lots of lovely music available on all major streaming platforms which you can find by using the links below. I have added the YouTube videos for his new single Nostalgia and one of my personal favourites Dance with me. The video for this is super fun and features members of his twitch stream Aja the Bratt pack!

Playlists:

You can now listen to Leon and all previously featured artists on a special playlists I have created on Spotify.

Thanks for reading & happy listening!

Book Synopsis:

The Emperor is Dead. Long live the Emperor.

Lin Sukai finally sits on the throne she won at so much cost, but her struggles are only just beginning. Her people don’t trust her. Her political alliances are weak. And in a far corner of the Empire a rebel army of constructs is gathering, its leader determined to take the throne by force.

Yet an even greater threat is on the horizon, for the Alanga – the powerful magicians of legend – have returned to the Empire. Lin may need their help to defeat the rebels and restore order.

But can she trust them?

The Bone Shard Emperor is the unmissable sequel to The Bone Shard Daughter, one of the biggest fantasy debuts of recent years – a captivating tale of magic, revolution and mystery, where a young woman’s sense of identity will make or break an empire.

The Bone Shard Emperor is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.

My Review:

I was a huge fan of the first book in this series so couldn’t wait to read this book, choosing a time to read when I knew I wouldn’t be interrupted. I was immediately drawn back into Lin’s world so it was like I’d never left.

Lin is a fantastic main character that I’ve really enjoyed getting to know throughout the series. I think it’s great that the author shows her flaws in the story so she seems realistic and therefore much easier to get behind or relate to. Her desire to be a different, kinder ruler than her father was very admirable, particularly as it seemed the support she had was a little shaky. The other main characters were great creations who all seemed to bring something different to the story which I thought was very clever.

I thought this book was extreme well plotted and there always seemed to be something happening to ensure I kept reading. The story is told from the point of view of the four main characters which was very effective in making the story very gripping as I was never sure what would happen next. This was especially true of the amazing battle scenes the author includes in the book which were fantastically well done! There are lots of surprises that kept me guessing, including a huge one at the end which I didn’t see coming which I always love. The ending was fantastic and I felt perfectly paved the way for the next book in the series – especially with the introduction of a new character which I have a bad feeling about.

This is the second book in the series and I definitely recommend reading the books in order as I feel you’ll get to know the world and the characters better.

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

About The Author:

Andrea Stewart is the daughter of immigrants, and was raised in a number of places across the United States. Her parents always emphasized science and education, so she spent her childhood immersed in Star Trek and odd-smelling library books.
When her (admittedly ambitious) dreams of becoming a dragon slayer didn’t pan out, she instead turned to writing books. She now lives in sunny California, and in addition to writing, can be found herding cats, looking at birds, and falling down research rabbit holes.