Book Synopsis:

A country torn apart by war.
Two love stories divided by decades.
One chance to discover the truth… 

Feisty journalist Isabella has never known the truth about her family. Escaping from a dangerous assignment in the turbulent Basque country, she finds her world turned upside down, firstly by her irresistible attraction to the mysterious Rafael, and then by a new clue to her own past. 

As she begins to unravel the tangled story of her identity, Isabella uncovers a story of passion, betrayal and loss that reaches back to the dark days of Spain’s civil war – when a passionate Spanish girl risked everything for her country, and for the young British rebel who captured her heart. 

But can Isabella trust the man she’s fallen in love with? Or are some wartime secrets better left undisturbed…? 

Heartbreaking, gripping historical fiction about the tragedy of war, and the redemption of love. Perfect for fans of Angela Petch’s The Tuscan Secret and Kathryn Hughes’ The Letter. 

The Spanish Girl is available in ebook now for the amazing price of £1.99. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

The Spanish girl is an absorbing, emotional and powerful dual time line story that I really enjoyed.

Firstly this is an author who is very good at making history come to life so that the reader feels like they have witnessed it all first hand alongside the characters. I had read about the Spanish Civil War before but hadn’t read about the history surrounding Franco’s death and the Basque separatist movement so I found it very interesting to learn more about this. The impact that the Civil War and its politics continues to have on everyday life wasn’t something I had considered before so I found that very fascinating to read about too.

The main characters were lovely creations that I enjoyed following them throughout the book. It took me a little while to warm to Isabelle as I found her a little bit standoffish at first and could’t work her out at all. As I learned more bout her and her families history I started to like her a little more. There are lots of supporting characters in this book which where great fun to read about and further helped bring the era to life. I found I cared about them and what happens to them which made some of the scenes very emotional to read about.

Overall I really enjoyed this beautifully written absorbing book which I will be recommending to all fans of historical fiction. The story unfolds at a great pace and there was always something happening to ensure I kept reading. The many twists kept me on my toes and I liked the way the author gradually reveals the secrets so that the reader learns about them alongside Isabelle which I thought was very clever.

Huge thanks to Rachel for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you like duel time line, historical fiction then you’ll like this book.

About The Author:

I have a degree in modern history and I’m fascinated with events from the first half of the 20th century, which is the time period my historical fiction is set. 
My work has been longlisted in the Mslexia Novel Competition, and shortlisted in the prestigious Bridport Short Story Competition. 

I live in Berkshire, UK with my partner, daughter and dog. Before writing stories, I was a physiotherapist.

Jules Hayes is a pseudonym for JA Corrigan who writes contemporary thrillers. Falling Suns by JA Corrigan (Headline Accent) was published in 2016.

You can find me on my website jules-hayes.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulesHayes6 
And my Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JulesHayesAuthor
I’m also on Instagram – juleshayes6

Book Synopsis:

Two Books in 1! The Monstrous Me Collection are split perspective books looking at situations from other points of view, helping children develop a sense of balance, roundedness and wellbeing. Readers can literally and figuratively, turn the story on its head, and look at the very same situations from different angles. In this book, a brother and sister are convinced the other is a monster. But, are they really? When we look at the story from the other side, we see a very different story.

My Brother’s A Monster/ My Sister’s A Monster is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.

Lydia’s Review:

As part of World Book Day my daughter was tasked with writing a review on a book of her choice. She decided to write a review on My Brother’s A Monster as it is her favourite book at the moment. Below is her first book review!

My Review:

The Monstrous Me books are quickly becoming one of my daughter’s favourite series. She’s five and there is always great excitement when a new book arrives through the post for her. This book was no exception and I think I knew this book off by heart before the first day of us having it was out as I read it to her so many times.

The story is a simple one explaining how a brother and sister can view the same situation differently. The two stories start the same and follow the same pattern as each other so they are easily comparable which Lydia always enjoys. We spend hours turning over the pages at the same part in the story to see the differences. The story is told in a simple rhyming format which is easy for the children to follow and often includes funny, relatable moment which had Lydia laughing out loud. I did have to change Stinky sister into something else however as she didn’t like sister’s being called that!

I think the best thing about these book are the bright, colourful pictures that accompany the story. There are lots of hidden things in these pictures that we only really discovered after reading through the book a few times. Little things like a reflection in a mirror showing the character’s monster self and hidden spiders under the bed helped add to Lydia’s enjoyment of the story. As a parent I loved the pictures of the tired mum doing chores in the background as it was so realistic. You can really tell that the author is a parent herself with these pictures and the little bits of kid humour scattered throughout the book.

Overall we really enjoyed these funny books which has become a favourite bed time story for my daughter and can’t wait to read more in this series.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the author for sending us a copy of her book. I highly recommend this book (and series) to anyone with children under 8.

About The Author:

Natalie Reeves Billing is a Liverpool lass with a dark sense of humour, which often spills onto the page. She loves to write spooky, fantastical stories for young audiences, and dabbles in poetry, contemporary fiction. 
Natalie spent most of her early career in the music industry as a performer and professional songwriter. This lead, almost inevitably, to storytelling. 

Natalie is an Arvon Foundation friend and is a student of the Golden Egg Academy. She is mentored under the Lloyds Bank SSE program, with her Bubs Literacy project. She is published in several anthologies with her poetry and flash fiction, including the Writing on the Wall, Read Now, Write Now, and is involved in several collaborations with fellow writers across poetry, song, and scriptwriting.

Connect with Natalie on Twitter @BillingReeves.

Book Synopsis:

Number 1 bestselling author Patricia Scanlan is set to capture the hearts and enchant the minds of a whole new generation of readers who will fall in love with her sublime storytelling.
 
One explosive family reunion. A lifetime of secrets revealed.
 
When four feisty women from the same family, get together at a family reunion, anything can happen…
 
Marie-Claire, betrayed by her partner Marc plans her revenge to teach him a lesson he will never forget. She travels from Toronto, home to Ireland, to the house of the Four Winds, for her great aunt Reverend Mother Brigid’s eightieth birthday celebrations. It will be a long-awaited reunion for three generations of family, bringing together her mother, Keelin and grandmother, Imelda – who have never quite got along
 
And then all hell breaks loose.  
 
Bitter, jealous Imelda makes a shocking revelation that forces them all to confront their pasts, admit mistakes, and face the truths that have shaped their lives. With four fierce, opinionated women in one family, will they ever be able to forgive the past and share a future?
 
And what of Marc?
 
It’s never too late to make amends…or is it?  

A Family Reunion is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.

My Review:

A Family Reunion was a very intriguing, absorbing read which is actually the first I have read by this author.

I love books that follow generations of the same family as its always interesting to see the history the different women had experienced. This book looks at the life of one family throughout 70 years of Irish History. Some of the subjects covered are quite heavy, emotional ones which made for hard reading at times. I had never realised the struggles that women had with getting simple things like contraception in Ireland so it was interesting to read more about their fight to use it and to see the abortion laws changed which obviously helped change a lot of women’s lives for the best. There is a lot of Religious information included which I didn’t know about and I found myself googling a lot of the places and terms to find out more.

The three main characters are all really strong women who I really enjoyed reading about. I found that I really loved some of them but really didn’t like others though they did all grow on me as the book continued. It was interesting to learn more about them and to see how they dealt with the choices they’ve had to make. It made me wonder if I would have made the same decisions and what I might have done differently.

Overall I really enjoyed this book as I felt it was a great mix of historical fiction and family saga which I thought worked very well. It definitely kept me reading too late at night as I was very interested to see what would happen next. As mentioned above this was my first read by this author and I would definitely be interested in reading more soon.

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

About The Author:

Patricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. Her bestsellers are APARTMENT 3B; FINISHING TOUCHES; FOREIGN AFFAIRS; PROMISES, PROMISES; MIRROR, MIRROR; CITY GIRL; CITY WOMAN; CITY LIVES; FRANCESCA’S PARTY; TWO FOR JOY; DOUBLE WEDDING; DIVIDED LOYALTIES, FORGIVE AND FORGET and WINTER BLESSINGS, a collection of quotes, blessings, poems and reminiscences. 

Patricia is the series editor and a contributing author to the Open Door series. She also teaches creative writing to second-level students and is involved in Adult Literacy.

Book Synopsis:

On a platform in occupied Paris, a mother whispers goodbye.
It is the end. But also the beginning…

Beautiful. Powerful. Unforgettable. A stunning portrait of the brutality of war and the tenacity of love. In the tradition of Virginia Baily’s Early One Morning and M. L. Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans.

Paris 1944
A young woman’s future is torn away in a heartbeat. Herded on to a train bound for Auschwitz, in an act of desperation she entrusts her most precious possession to a stranger. All she has left now is hope.

Santa Cruz 1953
Jean-Luc thought he had left it all behind. The scar on his face a small price to pay for surviving the horrors of Nazi Occupation. Now, he has a new life in California, a family. He never expected the past to come knocking on his door.

On a darkened platform, two destinies become entangled. Their choice will change the future in ways neither could have imagined…

While Paris Slept is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy via the link below of through your local indie bookstore.

My Review:

While Paris Slept is a beautiful, heartbreaking book which manages to be uplifting at the same time. If you are a fan of historical fiction set in world war two then you will love this book.

The thing that most stand out about this book is the wonderful descriptions that just draws the reader into the story and makes you feel like you are actually there experiencing everything first hand. I felt like I could feel the desperation and fear of the people on the station which made me want to jump into the book to help them. It must have been horrendous to experience that and I felt very emotional reading about everything that occurred.

The two timelines were both very interesting and unusually for me I didn’t prefer one to the other which meant I found the book hard to put down as there was always something happening. I liked the way both stories unfolded and the way that they came together in a realistic way. The characters were all very relatable ones who I felt a lot of sympathy for and I liked following their stories throughout the book. I felt very involved in the story and their fates so had to keep reading to find out what happens to them.

Overall I really enjoyed this book which gripped me from the start and kept me reading, though I must admit to having to take a few breaks in some of the more emotional moments. This is a book that takes you through every emotion possible and I have continued to think about it since reading. I think it would make a good book club read as there would be lots to discuss.

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

About The Author:

Ruth Druart grew up on the Isle of Wight, moving away at the age of eighteen to study psychology at Leicester University. She has lived in Paris since 1993, where she has followed a career in teaching. She has recently taken a sabbatical, so that she can follow her dream of writing full-time.

Good Morning everyone and welcome to another Music Monday. Today I’m featuring Future Tripping by Joshua Woo which is his debut single as a solo artist. I absolutely love this song and have been listening to it non stop since its release, I often request it on Josh’s stream as it is one of my favourite songs at the moment. Josh says he got the idea for this song after doing his Beatles themed stream a few months ago and I do feel that this song has a definite Beatles feel to it.

If you would like to watch Josh on Twitch is streams Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 7pm and on Sundays 3-7pm.

https://www.twitch.tv/joshuawoomusic

The beautiful artwork for this single was done by the lovely Emilia who won a competition Josh ran for the single. If you would like to see any more artwork by Emilia please visit her instagram page via the link below.

https://www.instagram.com/emscreativecorner/

Future Tripping:

Future Tripping is a current favourite for everyone on Josh’s twitch stream and he is often requested to play it. Below is a recent youtube video of Josh playing Future tripping on one of his streams.

How To Listen:

Future Tripping is currently only available to listen to on band camp where you can buy three lovely versions of the song for just £1! It will be available on spotify on the 26th March but you can presave it now using the link below.

Bandcamp:

https://joshuawoo.bandcamp.com/album/future-tripping-single

Spotify:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/joshuawoo/future-tripping

Music Monday Playlist:

You can now listen to all previously featured Music Monday artists on a special Spotify playlist I have created. I will add Future Tripping when it becomes available so follow the playlist for updates and give it a follow if you like what you hear!

Book Synopsis:

From Trisha Sakhlecha,Can You See Me Now? is a gripping psychological suspense thriller about a young Indian woman, now a government minister, whose past secrets are about to reverberate into the present and shatter her life. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Erin Kelly.

Fifteen years ago, three sixteen-year-old girls meet at Wescott, an exclusive private school in India.
Two, Sabah and Noor, are the most popular girls in their year. One, Alia, is a new arrival from England, who feels her happiness depends on their acceptance.

Before she knows it, Sabah and Noor’s intoxicating world of privilege and intimacy opens up to Alia and, for the first time, after years of neglect from her parents, she feels she is exactly where, and with whom, she belongs.

But with intimacy comes jealousy, and with privilege, resentment, and Alia finds that it only takes one night for her bright new world to shatter around her.

Now Alia, a cabinet minister in the Indian government, is about to find her secrets have no intention of staying buried . . .

Can You See Me Now is available in hardback and ebook now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or via your local indie bookstore.

My Review:

Can You See Me Know was a gripping read full of all of lots of secrets and mysteries! It’s going to be a hard book to review as I really don’t want to give everything away.

Firstly I felt the author did a great job of setting the scene for this book and I felt perfectly described what school life is like for a teenager. Alia’s experiences at her school with her desperate need to fit in and be liked by the popular crowd seemed very true to life. I soon found myself drawn into the story remembering my own school days and how I felt in such a situation. As such I felt a lot of sympathy towards Alia and the environment she finds herself in

This story is told in two narratives, one follows Alia as she tries to navigate a complicated school life the other follows Alia as a grown up lawyer. Unusually for me I found both narratives equally interesting and liked the subtle way the author managed to more the story on. It was interesting to see how Alia’s decision in her school days affected her in her future. Through the two timelines we find out more about the dynamics which exist between the three girls and how they affect the girls futures.

Overall I thought this was a very addictive read that I really enjoyed. The two stories come together really well with the mystery gradually being teased out which I always enjoy. There were a few sub plots to the book which helped keep my interest and made sure that I kept turning the pages as I tried to work out what was happening. The ending was brilliant and I really look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

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:

Trisha Sakhlecha grew up in New Delhi and now lives in London. She works in fashion and is a graduate of the acclaimed Faber Academy writing course. In the past, Trisha has worked as a designer, trend forecaster, and lecturer. Your Truth or Mine? is her first novel.

Learn more about Trisha on trishasakhlecha.com or on Instagram @trishasakhlecha

Book Synopsis:

‘A touching, deftly written debut that celebrates
community and kindness’ Sunday Times

Missy Carmichael’s life has become small.

Grieving for a family she has lost or lost touch with, she’s haunted by the echoes of her footsteps in her empty home; the sound of the radio in the dark; the tick-tick-tick of the watching clock.

Spiky and defensive, Missy knows that her loneliness is all her own fault. She deserves no more than this; not after what she’s done. But a chance encounter in the park with two very different women opens the door to something new.

Another life beckons for Missy, if only she can be brave enough to grasp the opportunity. But seventy-nine is too late for a second chance. Isn’t it?

Saving Missy is out in all formats now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.

My Review:

I absolutely adored this heartwarming, thought provoking book which I know will stay with me for a long time. I think I will be recommending this book to everyone as I think its a book everyone should read.

As I might have mentioned one or twice I love books that allow the reader to follow one character throughout their lives, living every moment of their lives alongside them. This book was no exception and I really enjoyed learning more about Missy who I challenge everyone not to fall in love with. Her story is one fun of high’s and lows which the reader gets to experience alongside her as if they are actually there experiencing everything with her. I found myself laughing and crying as I read about her fascinating life.

Missy’s relationship with 4 year old Sylvie was just beautiful to read about and I so enjoyed seeing how it changed Missy for the better. She really seems to discover herself and what she wants from her remaining years through her interactions with Sylvie which was so lovely! After a life of doing what everyone else wanted her to do it was amazing to see her start to do things for herself for once.

This story just drew me in from the first page and I soon found myself absorbed into the story. When I wasn’t reading I was constantly thinking about the character and wondering how the story would develop. The author takes us on a real rollercoaster of emotions throughout the book and I loved going on the journey. The ending was beautiful and just so well written I felt myself completely relaxing into the story as I read. I felt very sad to end the book and leave all the characters behind.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book via netgalley.

About The Author:

Beth Morrey was inspired to write her debut novel while pushing a pram round her local park during maternity leave. Getting to know dog owners, joggers and families, she began to sow the seeds of a novel about a woman saved by her community, strangers who became friends.
Previously Creative Director at RDF Television, Beth now writes full time. She was previously shortlisted for the Grazia-Orange First Chapter award.
Beth lives in London with her husband, two sons and a dog named Polly.

Book Synopsis:

Liverpool 1939: Olivia Campbell appears to have the perfect life. However, behind closed doors she lives in constant fear of her abusive father, and has no support from her mother.

Longing for love and affection she begins a relationship with Ted, a young lad who works in her father’s factory. But her family disapprove of the relationship and forbid them from seeing each other.

When war comes to Liverpool, Olivia seizes the opportunity to leave behind her unhappy life and join the WAAF. There she meets a fellow trainee, Maude and the two embrace their newly found independence. Soon Olivia meets the handsome Ralph, and all thoughts of Ted are brushed aside. Until he returns to her life with some shocking news that turns her world upside down . . .

Over The Rainbow is available in all formats now. You can purchase it using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.

My Review:

Regular readers of my blog will know that I’m a fan of historical saga’s, especially if they are set in the second world war and have the same name as my blog! Firstly I must confess this is somehow the first book I’ve read by this author and I absolutely loved the emotional, rollercoaster of a journey I got taken on. From the very first page I knew I would like this book which allowed me to relax into the story and just enjoy where it took me.

The main characters Olivia and Ted were fantastic creations who I warmed to instantly and I found I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen to them. Although from very different backgrounds I felt they were perfect for each other and I found myself hoping that they would somehow find their way back to each other. Olivia’s father on the other hand was a completely evil man who I wish I could have gone into the book and had a stern talking to. The way he handles the whole situation made my blood boil and I so wanted to see him get the ending I felt he thoroughly deserved.

I thought that this book was fantastically written and there was alway lots happening to keep me gripped so that I couldn’t put it down. Just when I thought I had figured out where the story was going something would happen to take me by surprise and send the story in a completely different direction which I always enjoy. I absolutely loved the ending and closed the book feeling very happy, though sad to have left all the wonderful characters behind.

This is actually the third book in the series which I didn’t realise but can easily be read as a standalone like I have done. I will definitely be going back to read the first books in the series soon.

Huge thanks to Olivia from Arrow publishing for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Katie Flynn, Sunday Times bestselling author, lived for many years in the North West. A compulsive writer, she started with short stories and articles, with many of her early stories broadcast on Radio Merseyside. She decided to write her Liverpool series after hearing the reminiscences of family members about life in the city in the early years of the Twentieth Century. She also wrote as Judith Saxton. For the last few years of her life, Katie had to cope with ME but continued to write with the help of her daughter, Holly. Sadly, Katie passed away on 1st January 2019, but had already begun working with Holly on upcoming books. It was Katie’s wish that Holly continued the Katie Flynn name.

Find Katie Flynn on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/katieflynn458

Book Synopsis:

Minnie Gray is an ordinary young woman.
She is also a spy for the British government. 
 
It all began in the summer of 1928…
 
Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference.
 
Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement.
 
She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion.
 
What if they find out?
 
Full of suspense, courage and love, A Beautiful Spy is a stunningly written story about resisting the norm and following your dreams, even if they come with sacrifices. 

A Beautiful Spy is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below of through your local indie bookstore.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of Rachel’s so I was very excited to be invited onto the blog tour for this, her latest book. One again this author has written a gripping and intriguing book which was hard to put down.

Firstly I absolutely loved Minnie, who I liked from pretty much the first page. She knows what she wants and doesn’t want to just get married like everyone else. She shows lots of courage and determination throughout the book which was wonderful to read about. It definitely made me warm to her more and I found I wanted to continue reading to find out what happens to her.

The author does a great job in setting the scene in this book and I loved how she describes the time period by adding in lots of historical detail. It was definitely an interesting time with lots of political things happening in the run up to the second world war which I always enjoy learning more about. It was a completely different time for women too with society expecting them to get married and then give up their careers or job to become a housewife. This made Minnie’s story even more interesting as she was completely different from the norm.

I felt this book gives the reader a unusual insight into what it’s like to be a spy as it doesn’t just focus on their mission like normal books but also gives the reader a look into their lives so that we can see how difficult it is to be a spy at times. As we follow Minnie throughout the book we become aware of her emotional turmoil as she struggles balancing her two worlds of spying and normal life. I’ve never properly thought about this before so I found this very interesting.

Overall I really enjoyed this intriguing, gripping read which has a very thrilling plot line. This book is actually based on real life spy Olga Grey which I always love and I spent too long googling up things on the internet as I wanted to learn more about her. I raced through this book in a couple of days which is no mean feat when you are homeschooling three children. I felt very sad to finish the book and have to leave Minnie behind.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book. If you are a fan of gripping historical fiction based on real life historical figures then I thoroughly recommend this book.

About The Author:

Rachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, where she taught publishing and creative writing at the University of East Anglia before becoming a full-time writer. She is married to the writer D. J. Taylor and they have three sons.

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to another Music Monday. Today I’m featuring Travelling Waters by Dom La Ferlita a twitch streamer and musician from Melbourne Australia. Dom’s streams are always great fun and hugely entertaining to watch. He does a wide variety of covers my favourite of which is his wonderful rendition of Music Of The Night, which I have featured below.

His streams have some very cool effects to them where you can change the camera angel and some very cute alerts involving penguins (you’ll have to watch the stream to see what I mean. If you’d like to watch Dom on twitch via the link below.

https://www.twitch.tv/pianomandom?sr=a

Traveling Waters:

Traveling Waters in the new EP from Dom and features 4 absolutely beautiful piano originals that always help to relax me after a hard day. This EP features:

Dom’s youtube channel also includes a lot of stream highlights and personal vlogs which I feel are really worth watching as they show you his incredible talent!

How To Listen:

Dom’s music is available on all the major streaming platforms. Including but not limited to:

Spotify:

Amazon:

Apple Music:

https://music.apple.com/au/album/travelling-waters-ep/1551893144

Dom’s website:

https://www.domlaferlita.com.au/music

Music Monday Playlist:

You can now listen to Dom and all the previously featured Music Monday artists on a special playlist on Spotify.

Happy Listening!