Becoming Alfie is the first of a quartet of books about a character called Alfie Norrington. Alfie was born just minutes into the twentieth century to an impoverished east end family that was squashed into a 2 roomed tenement in Mile End. His father Bernie was a violent alcoholic, his mother worked fourteen hours each day to cobble together enough to feed her brood. His siblings are Jack who is eight, Fred six and twin girls Rosie and Lily two, when Alfie was born. From an early age Alfie fought to survive in London’s East End. He became a proficient thief and an excellent pick pocket with most of his earnings supplementing the family’s meagre finances. Alfie attended school and was considered a bright student and a formidable boxer. WW1 began with Alfie volunteering to fight for King and Country by faking his age at sixteen. He left for the trenches of Ypres directly after his training. Alfie was severely injured by a trench bomb soon after his arrival and shipped back to hospital in England where he fought for his life. Whilst in hospital Alfie met an Australian soldier called Trevor, and a pretty nurse, Louisa. A short time later Trevor lost his fight to stay alive and on his deathbed, Alfie promised his friend that he would sail to Australia. There he would deliver to Trevor’s mother, both a letter and a biscuit tin of mementos from her dead son. Alfie fell deeply in love with Nurse Louisa, a love that was cut short by the prejudices of the British class system, his heart was shattered. Alfie was discharged in April 1917 and leads a life full of exciting adventures, both legal and illegal, overcoming the odds and growing into a decent person, with a strong moral compass to drive him.
Finding Alfie is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
Becoming Alfie is a thoroughly absorbing, poignant story which I really enjoyed.
Firstly I absolutely fell in love with the main characters Alfie and enjoyed following him through the years. He definitely doesn’t have an easy life and I felt very sorry for him when things didn’t go his way. His ability to pick himself up again was lovely to read about and helped ensure he found a permanent place in my heart. He’s an incredibly charismatic person and I loved his humour as well as his determination.
The author has clearly done his research and his vivid descriptions helps to bring each period to life so I always felt like I was right there alongside Alfie. I loved all the small details the author included which made it easy to visualise what was happening. The book seemed quite realistic too with all the events happening in a natural way so it never felt like the author was just including them for the sake of it. I’ve always been fascinated by the East End so I especially enjoyed learning more about what life was like there and all the little dramas that happened.
Overall I thought this was a well written, gripping read as there was always something happening to ensure it was very hard to put down. I now can’t wait to read more from in this series.
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:
Born in South Essex close to the River Thames and directly East of London, my childhood was peppered with memories of the mighty river itself.
We would swim, fish and discover hidden treasure in the tidal mudflats with the fragments of clay pipes we found taking us back to another era. It was here that my inspiration for writing was born. I began to keep a diary of my observations from life and documented my feelings and thoughts.
My wife was twenty two and I was twenty four when we migrated to Australia with a glorious expectation. The sun was shining, the people were friendly and Sydney Harbour simply magnificent. Together we were committed to making the most of this opportunity beginning the next step in our lives. Everything was new which gave me endless writing opportunities that I recorded in my diary which had spilled over into a number of books. We travelled around this incredible country meeting people from all walks of life and from many nationalities. We lived and worked in a variety of capital cities enjoying each and every experience. All this was tremendous fodder for my writing.
I began to write short stories and poetry, none of which I sought to publish. By my fifty second birthday I was able to finish working and focus full time on my writing, the results so far are The Alfie Norrington Series with Becoming Alfie the first in the series of four. I hope that you enjoy reading Becoming Alfie as much as I did writing it.
Widely regarded as a modern classic, The Stone Diaries is the story of one woman’s life; that of Daisy Goodwill Flett, a seemingly ordinary woman born in Canada in 1905. Beautifully written and deeply compassionate, it follows Daisy’s life through marriage, widowhood, motherhood, and old age, as she charts her own path alongside that of an unsettled century. A subtle but affective portrait of an everywoman reflecting on an unconventional life, this multi-award winning story deals with everyday issues of existence with an extraordinary vibrancy and irresistible flair.
The Stone Diaries is available in all formats now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
The Stone Diaries is a book I’ve heard a lot about do I was excited to be given the opportunity to read it. I thought it was fascinating, entertaining read which gives the reader a personal glimpse into a person’s life.
There is something very interesting in follow a person through their life, especially if you are given access to every part of that life. I found it fascinating to follow Daisy through every moment, the highs, the lows and all the normal bits in between. There’s something quite comforting from reading about normal events as you realise that bad stuff can happen to everyone. This intimate look into Daisy’s life helped me understand what made her tick so I felt close to her and felt everything that happened to her quite deeply, as if it was happening to a friend.
The Twentieth Century was quite an unsettled period full of some very interesting events. I liked the way the author subtly weaves these events into the story not as a main storyline but instead as a backdrop to it. I enjoyed seeing how Daisy reacted to these events and how the effected her personally. It really made me think about how ordinary people would have been effected by them which isn’t normally covered in history books.
Overall I really enjoyed this absorbing and insightful read. There are some wonderful characters in this book who I really enjoyed getting to know. The writing has a great flow to it which makes it easy to read and there is lots of hidden messages among the story. Some of these went over my head and I only became aware of them through talking to people after reading but that did detract from me enjoying this wonderful book.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to World Wide Editions for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Carol Shields’s novels include ‘Larry’s Party’ (1997), winner of the 1998 Orange Prize; ‘The Republic of Love’ (1992); ‘Happenstance’ (1991) and ‘Mary Swann’ (1990). ‘Dressing Up for the Carnival’, a bestselling collection of short stories, was published in 2000, and a previous collection, ‘Various Miracles’, was published in 1994. Born and brought up in Chicago, Carol Shields lived in Canada until her death in 2003. She was the Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg.
‘I want you to remember something, Nat. You’re small on the outside. But inside you’re as big as everyone else. You show people that and you won’t go far wrong in life.’
A compelling story perfect for fans of The Doll Factory, The Illumination of Ursula Flight and The Familiars.
My name is Nat Davy. Perhaps you’ve heard of me? There was a time when people up and down the land knew my name, though they only ever knew half the story.
The year of 1625, it was, when a single shilling changed my life. That shilling got me taken off to London, where they hid me in a pie, of all things, so I could be given as a gift to the new queen of England.
They called me the queen’s dwarf, but I was more than that. I was her friend, when she had no one else, and later on, when the people of England turned against their king, it was me who saved her life. When they turned the world upside down, I was there, right at the heart of it, and this is my story.
Inspired by a true story, and spanning two decades that changed England for ever, The Smallest Man is a heartwarming tale about being different, but not letting it hold you back. About being brave enough to take a chance, even if the odds aren’t good. And about how, when everything else is falling apart, true friendship holds people together.
The Smallest Man is published in hardback and ebook on the 7th January 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
The Smallest Man is a very absorbing, gripping piece of historical fiction set in a fascinating period of English history.
Firstly Nat Davy, the books narrator, is a wonderful character that I grew very fond of during the story. It was heart warming to see his brave attempts to try and be like the other boys his age, though heartbreaking to see the constant set back he suffers. I often wished I could reach into the book and give him a hug or stand up for him in some way. His bravery and the way he stood up for the queen was wonderful to read about and ensured that I continued thinking about him long after I’d finished reading.
This book is set in a turbulent time in English history which I didn’t know much about before reading this. It was fascinating to learn more about the build up to the Civil war and to see events from an insider point of view. I liked getting a tour of some of the famous buildings whilst the story unfolded and learning more about what it was like living in them.
Overall I really enjoyed this gripping read which I flew through in a few days. The author’s vivid descriptions make it easy to imagine things as they unfold so that I often felt like I was there actually watching everything unfold. This made me feel closer to the characters and helped ensure that I kept reading as I cared about what happened to them. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone and can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Jess Barrett from Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Frances Quinn read English at Cambridge, and is a journalist and copy-editor. She completed the Curtis Brown Creative Course in 2015. The Smallest Man is her debut novel.
I’m incredibly excited to be able to show you some of the fantastic books Simon & Schuster have coming out in 2021. I was lucky enough to get invited to the zoom meeting for this showcase although I was unfortunately unable to attend due to my kids being unsettled.
So without further ado here are the books to look out for next year!
The Long Way Home by Fanny Blake
A family secret, a mysterious legacy, and a journey that will change everything…
When Isla, a 65-year-old grandmother, is left nothing but an old painting in her mother’s will, while her sisters and aunt inherit the estate, she is devastated. Close to retirement, getting ready to live on her own terms, the last thing she expects at this time of her life is such turmoil. So, to find an explanation for her mother’s rejection, she embarks on a road-trip.
But, right at the last moment, she’s forced to take her sullen – and, in her view, impossible – 14-year-old granddaughter Charlie with her. Cramped together in Isla’s car with her smelly old dog, these ill-assorted travelling companions set off to uncover some shattering and life-changing family truths at the same time as learning to love each other…
The Long Way Home is set in the UK and 1950s Paris where the story really begins, spanning four generations of women and the secrets that get passed down through them.
The Long Way Home is published in ebook and hardback on the 7th of January 2021. You can pre-order it using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
A Family Reunion by Patricia Scanlan
THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER 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?
Spanning generations and covering seismic shifts in the lives of women, A Family Reunion is a compelling, thought-provoking, important and highly emotional novel from a trailblazing author in women’s fiction.
A Family Reunion is available in ebook and hardback on the 4th March 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
Home by Penny Parkes
A gripping and heartfelt story about overcoming the past and finding where you belong.
Anna Wilson travels the world as a professional housesitter – stepping into other people’s lives – caring for their homes, pets and sometimes even neighbours. Living vicariously.
But all Anna has ever really wanted is a home of her own – a proper one, filled with family and love and happy memories. If only she knew where to start.
Growing up in foster care, she always envied her friends their secure and carefree lives, their certainty and confidence. And, while those same friends may have become her family of choice, Anna is still stuck in that nomadic cycle, looking for answers, trying to find the courage to put down roots and find a place to call home.
Compelling, rich and evocative, Home is Anna’s journey to discovering that it isn’t where you settle down that matters, but the people you have around you when you do.
Home is published in ebook and hardback on the 8th July 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
The World At My Feet by Catherine Issac
The dazzling new novel from Richard & Judy book club author Catherine Isaac, The World at my Feet is a story about the transforming power of love, as one woman journeys to uncover the past and reshape her future.
The secrets that bind us can also tear us apart…
1990. Harriet is a journalist. Her job takes her to dangerous places, where she asks questions and tries to make a difference. But when she is sent to Romania, to the state orphanages the world is only just learning about, she is forced to rethink her most important rule.
2018. Ellie is a gardener. Her garden is her sanctuary, her pride and joy. But, though she spends long days outdoors, she hasn’t set foot beyond her gate for far too long. Now someone enters her life who could finally be the reason she needs to overcome her fears.
The World At My Feet is published in ebook and hardback on the 14th March 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
Space Hopper by Helen Fisher
This is a story about taking a leap of faith And believing the unbelievable
They say those we love never truly leave us, and I’ve found that to be true. But not in the way you might expect. In fact, none of this is what you’d expect.
I’ve been visiting my mother who died when I was eight. And I’m talking about flesh and blood, tea-and-biscuits-on-the-table visiting here.
Right now, you probably think I’m going mad. Let me explain…
Although Faye is happy with her life, the loss of her mother as a child weighs on her mind even more now that she is a mother herself. So she is amazed when, in an extraordinary turn of events, she finds herself back in her childhood home in the 1970s. Faced with the chance to finally seek answers to her questions – but away from her own family – how much is she willing to give up for another moment with her mother?
Space Hopper is an original and poignant story about mothers, memories and moments that shape life.
Space Hopper us published in ebook and hardback on the 4th February 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
A Beautiful Spy by Rachel Hore
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 published in ebook and hardback on the 18th February 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
The Other Daughter by Caroline Bishop
You only get one life – but what if it isn’t the one you were meant to live?
‘When it finally arrived I was shocked to see it; to read the words Mum wrote about these women fighting for rights I know I take for granted. Mum was here. And while she was, something happened that changed the entire course of my life. Perhaps, if I can summon the courage, the next eight weeks will help me finally figure out what that was . . .’
When Jessica discovers a shocking secret about her birth, she leaves her London home and travels to Switzerland in search of answers. She knows her journalist mother spent time in the country forty years earlier, reporting on the Swiss women’s liberation movement, but what she doesn’t know is what happened to her while she was there. Can Jess summon the courage to face the truth about her family, or will her search only hurt herself and those around her even more?
Set across a stunning Swiss backdrop, The Other Daughter follows one woman in her search for the truth about her birth, and another desperately trying to succeed in a man’s world. Perfect for fans of Tracy Rees, Elizabeth Noble and Kathryn Hughes.
The Other Daughter is published in ebook and hardback on the 18th February 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.
Married At First Sight by Claire Frost
The new novel from the author of acclaimed debut LIVING MY BEST LIFE. Perfect for fans of Helly Acton, Mhairi McFarlane and Laura Jane Williams.
Hannah lives life on the edge. Never one to pass up on a new adventure, she has truly been living her best life. But once the adrenaline wears off, she wishes she had someone to spend the quieter moments with too. Learning that her best friend’s online dating business has taken a hit, she comes up with an idea that just might solve both of their problems…
Jess has been with her husband for twenty years. They have a stable marriage, great kids and run their own businesses. But what looks like a perfect life from the outside has its own problems within, and with her business on the brink Jess can’t help but wonder where the spark has gone in her life, and whether settling down is all it’s cracked up to be.
When Hannah embarks upon her latest scheme: finding a man using Jess’s dating app and meeting him for the first time at the altar, both women start to realise the grass isn’t always greener. Can Hannah help her friend save her failing business or will Jess stop her from making what could be the biggest mistake of her life?
In the modern tech-fuelled world of dating, is it possible to find true love?
Love At First Swipe is published in ebook and paperback on the 4th February 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
The Beginners Guide To Loneliness by Laura Bambrey
The perfect feel-good read from an exciting new voice in women’s fiction, for fans of Heidi Swain, Cathy Bramley and Jenny Colgan.
Tori Williamson is alone. After a tragic event left her isolated from her loved ones, she’s been struggling to find her way back to, well – herself. That’s why she set up her blog, The Beginner’s Guide to Loneliness, as a way of – anonymously – connecting with the outside world and reaching others who just need a little help sometimes.
When she’s offered a free spot on a wellbeing retreat in exchange for a review on her blog, Tori is anxious about opening herself up to new surroundings. But after her three closest friends – who she talks to online but has never actually met – convince her it’ll do her some good, she reluctantly agrees and heads off for three weeks in the wild (well, a farm in Wales).
From the moment she arrives, Tori is sceptical and quickly finds herself drawn to fellow sceptic Than, the retreat’s dark and mysterious latecomer. But as the beauty of The Farm slowly comes to light she realizes that opening herself up might not be the worst thing. And sharing a yurt with fellow retreater Bay definitely isn’t. Will the retreat be able to fix Tori? Or will she finally learn that being lonely doesn’t mean she’s broken . . .
Welcome to The Beginner’s Guide to Loneliness! Where you can learn to move mountains by picking up the smallest of stones…
The Beginners Guide To Loneliness is available in ebook now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
A Taste From Home by Heidi Swain
The delicious new novel from Sunday Times bestseller Heidi Swain:
Fliss Brown has grown up living with her mother on the Rossi family’s Italian fruit farm. But when her mother dies, Fliss finds out she has a family of her own, and heads back to England with Nonna Rossi’s recipe for cherry and almond tart and a piece of advice: connect with your family before it is too late…
Fliss discovers that her estranged grandfather owns a fruit farm himself, on the outskirts of Wynbridge, and she arrives to find a farm that has fallen into disrepair. Using her knowledge gleaned from working on the Rossi farm and her desire to find out more about her past, Fliss rolls her sleeves up and gets stuck in. But what will she discover, and can she resurrect the farm’s glory days and find a taste of home…?
A Taste Of Home is published in ebook and paperback on the 29th April 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
The House Beneath The Cliffs by Sharon Cosling
A remote yet beautiful village. A tiny kitchen lunch club. The perfect place to start again.
Anna moves to Crovie, a tiny fishing village on the Moray Firth, for a fresh start. But when she arrives, she realises her new home is really no more than a shed, and the village itself sits beneath a cliff right on the edge of the sea, in constant danger of storms and landslides. Has she made a terrible mistake?
Yet as she begins to learn about the Scottish coast and its people, something she thought she’d lost reawakens in her. She rediscovers her love of cooking, and turns her kitchen into a pop-up lunch club. But not all the locals are delighted about her arrival, and some are keen to see her plans fail.
Will Anna really be able to put down roots in this remote and wild village? Or will her fragile new beginning start to crumble with the cliffs . . . ?
Beautiful, moving and utterly absorbing, The House Beneath the Cliffs is a novel of friendship and food, storms and secrets, and the beauty of second chances.
The House Beneath The Cliffs is available in paperback on the 29th April 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore
Lives Like Mine by
Mother. To three small children, their heritage dual like hers.
Daughter. To a mother who immigrated to make a better life but has been rejected by her chosen country.
Wife. To a man who loves her but who will not defend her to his intolerant family.
Woman… Whose roles now define her and trap her in a life she no longer recognises…
Meet Monica, the flawed heroine at the heart of LIVES LIKE MINE.
With her three children in school, Monica finds herself wondering if this is all there is. Despite all the effort and the smiles, in the mirror she sees a woman hollowed out from putting everyone else first, tolerating her in-laws’ intolerance, and wondering if she has a right to complain when she’s living the life that she has created for herself.
Then along comes Joe, a catalyst for change in the guise of a flirtatious parent on the school run. Though the sudden spark of their affair is hedonistic and oh so cathartic, Joe soon offers a friendship that shows Monica how to resurrect and honour the parts of her identity that she has long suppressed. He is able to do for Monica what Dan has never managed to, enabling her both to face up to a past of guilty secrets and family estrangements, and to redefine her future.
Lives Like Mine is published in ebook and hardback in the 10th June 2021. Pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
Three’s A Crowd by
A hilariously laugh out loud, romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Something to Live For (Richard Roper), Love, Unscripted (Owen Nicholls), The Love Square (Laura Jane Williams), and Us (David Nicholls).
Out-of-work actor Harriet is recuperating from a crash-and-burn affair with Damian – aka ‘Cockweasel’ – and making ends meet as a barista when she meets two rather lovely men. Tom is a regular at the café, and seems like such a nice guy. Smooth-talking DJ Richard is older, but in great shape – a real silver fox.
Deciding to take a chance on both of them, Harriet doesn’t realise at first that she is actually dating father and son. Tom and Richard aren’t on speaking terms, and don’t share a last name – so how was she to know? By the time everyone finds out, both Tom and Richard are truly madly deeply in love with Harriet, and she’s faced with an impossible choice.
But as the battle for her affections intensifies, ‘Cockweasel’ makes an unexpected reappearance and begs her to give him another chance…
There’s A Crowd is available in ebook on the 24th August 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.
The Bookshop Of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser
Set in a charming little Scottish town, The Bookshop of Second Chances is the most uplifting story you’ll read this Winter, by a hugely talented debut author.
Thea’s having a bad month. Not only has she been made redundant, she’s also discovered her husband of nearly twenty years is sleeping with one of her friends. And he’s not sorry – he’s leaving.
Bewildered and lost, Thea doesn’t know what to do. But, when she learns the great-uncle she barely knew has died and left her his huge collection of second-hand books and a house in the Scottish Lowlands, she seems to have been offered a second chance.
Running away to a little town where no one knows her seems like exactly what Thea needs. But when she meets the aristocratic Maltravers brothers – grumpy bookshop owner Edward and his estranged brother Charles, Lord Hollinshaw – her new life quickly becomes just as complicated as the life she was running from…
An enchanting story of Scottish lords, second-hand books, new beginnings and second chances perfect for fans of Cressida McLaughlin, Veronica Henry, Rachael Lucas and Jenny Colgan.
The Bookshop Of Second Chances is available in ebook now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
Wow done absolutely amazing books there, I’ve definitely pre-ordered a few. Which ones will you be reading? Do comment below with your thoughts and happy reading!
Good morning everyone and welcome to another Music Monday. Today I’m featuring Lewis Watson and his amazing new album, The Love That You Want. I discovered Lewis through Twitch when I followed a friend onto his stream. I was soon blown away by his beautiful songs and unique voice that combine to make a fantastic listening experience! His streams are always great fun as not only do you get to listen to some amazing music but Lewis himself is a delight to spend time with as his cheeky, happy personality just shines through.
Lewis streams three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays on twitch. If you’d like to watch him please click on the link below.
The Love That You Want was originally released in May of this year but Lewis has also released an acoustic version for his fans to enjoy last month. I’m a big fan of all of these songs but below are some of my particular favourites.
Castles Of Time by Lewis Watson
Because Of You by Lewis Watson
Spark by Lewis Watson
How To Listen:
You can listen to The Love That You Want on all of the normal streaming platforms which are linked below.
You can now listen to Lewis Watson and all the previous artists featured on Music Monday on the special playlist I have created on Spotify. If you like what you hear why not give it a like and help the playlist grow!
blizzard is approaching Siglufjörður, and that can only mean one thing
When the body of a nineteen-year-old girl is found on the main street of Siglufjörður, Police Inspector Ari Thór battles a violent Icelandic storm in an increasingly dangerous hunt for her killer The chilling, claustrophobic finale to the international bestselling Dark Iceland series.
Easter weekend is approaching, and snow is gently falling in Siglufjörður, the northernmost town in Iceland, as crowds of tourists arrive to visit the majestic ski slopes.
Ari Thór Arason is now a police inspector, but he’s separated from his girlfriend, who lives in Sweden with their three-year-old son. A family reunion is planned for the holiday, but a violent blizzard is threatening and there is an unsettling chill in the air.
Three days before Easter, a nineteen-year-old local girl falls to her death from the balcony of a house on the main street. A perplexing entry in her diary suggests that this may not be an accident, and when an old man in a local nursing home writes ‘She was murdered’ again and again on the wall of his room, there is every suggestion that something more sinister lies at the heart of her death
As the extreme weather closes in, cutting the power and access to Siglufjörður, Ari Thór must piece together the puzzle to reveal a horrible truth one that will leave no one unscathed.
Chilling, claustrophobic and disturbing, Winterkill is a startling addition to the multi-million-copy bestselling Dark Iceland series and cements Ragnar Jónasson as one of the most exciting and acclaimed authors in crime fiction.
Winterkill will be published in hardback and ebook in the 10th December 2020. The paperback version will be available on the 21st January 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
Frequent readers of my blog will know that I’m a huge fan of this author and I am always very excited to read new books from him. Winterkill is another fantastic, well plotted book which is a great way to finish the Dark Iceland series.
As always the author uses the frozen, remote setting to stunning effect with the weather seeming to be a malicious character on its own sometimes. The feeling of isolation that the snow causes helps create a lot of the atmosphere in the book and definitely gives a claustrophobic feel to the story.
The author has created some brilliant characters who I enjoyed following throughout the book. I liked that the reader gets to see a little of their personal life, outside of the investigation as I felt it helped me get to know the characters better. The problems that they face in their personal lives are quite relatable which made it easier for me to warm to them as I felt I understood what they were going through.
Overall I thought this was a well plotted gripping read which was hard to put down. The investigation was actually really complicated which I always enjoy as it’s impossible to tell which way it is going. I found myself constantly changing my mind about what was going to happen right until the end.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orenda for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Icelandic crime writer Ragnar Jónasson was born in Reykjavík, and currently works as a lawyer, while teaching copyright law at the Reykjavík University Law School. In the past, he’s worked in TV and radio, including as a news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Before embarking on a writing career, Ragnar translated fourteen Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic, and has had several short stories published in German, English and Icelandic literary magazines. Ragnar set up the first overseas chapter of the CWA (Crime Writers’ Association) in Reykjavík, and is co-founder of the International crime-writing festival Iceland Noir. Ragnar’s debut thriller, Snowblind became an almost instant bestseller when it was published in June 2015 with Nightblind (winner of the Dead Good Reads Most Captivating Crime in Translation Award) and then Blackout and Rupture following soon after. To date, Ragnar Jónasson has written five novels in the Dark Iceland series, which has been optioned for TV by On the Corner. He lives in Reykjavík with his wife and two daughters. Visit him on Twitter @ragnarjo or at ragnarjonasson.com
David Warner translates from French and nurtures a healthy passion for Franco, Nordic and British crime fiction. Growing up in deepest Yorkshire, he developed incurable Francophilia at an early age. Emerging from Oxford with a Modern Languages degree he narrowly escaped the graduate rat race by hopping on a plane to Canada – and never looked back. More than a decade into a high-powered commercial translation career, he listened to his heart and turned his hand to the delicate art of literary translation. David has lived in France and Quebec, and now calls beautiful British Columbia home. Follow David on Twitter @givemeawave and on his website wtranslation.ca
Uplifting and heartwarming: drama, courage and romance at Marlow’s department store this Christmas
For Lily Collins and her fellow shop girls at Marlow’s Department store, another Christmas with ration books, shortages of goods and staff – not to mention a store coping with war damage – will be a real challenge.
But the girls rally round and put their worries aside to make this, the hardest wartime Christmas yet, one that their families, and their town, will never forget.
Christmas For The Shop Girls is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
Christmas With The Shop Girls is another fantastic addition to the series and I so enjoyed being back with the wonderful shop girls and bring involved in all their dramas again. Throughout the series they have started to feel like old friends so I’ve felt like I’ve lived everything they’ve been through alongside them. They are a lovely group of friends and the descriptions of their close friendship have been really heartwarming to read about. I often found myself wishing I was a part of their group too.
As i might have mentioned once or twice I’m a huge fan of books set in department stores, especially around Christmas. There’s something lovely about the descriptions of all the displays and Christmas spirit which brings a lovely feel to the book. Department stores aren’t really around anymore so I drank in all the fabulous descriptions of the things they used to sell and the service they used to offer.
I’ve loved this series from the start and I soon found myself absorbed back into the shop girls world. I thought this was quite a fast paced read and there was always something happening to keep me glued to the page. This story had a bit of everything in it from historical details about rationing, that I found fascinating to learn more about, to romance and of course heartbreak too. I now can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out next year.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Joanna Toye joined the production team of The Archers after reading English at Cambridge University, and became a scriptwriter for the programme for over twenty years. She has also written a number of spin-off books about the long-running radio drama. On television she has written for Crossroads, Family Affairs, Doctors and EastEnders.
If, out of the blue, you were given just two weeks to live, how would you feel? What would you do? How would you prepare for the end? Who would you tell – and how?
This was the terrible position Roland Chesters found himself in in the late summer of 2006. He knew he was seriously ill – but had no idea he had both HIV and AIDS.
Luckily, Roland did not die. Expert medical help and his own determination not to give in saw him through. His life, though, had changed forever…
Ripples From the Edge of Life is Roland’s account of a life-changing diagnosis and its impact on him and those closest to him. More than a memoir, Roland’s story is not unique; ripples spread outwards, and this empowering collection gives voice to fourteen others who have survived similar traumatic diagnoses.
This book contains wisdom, hope, humour and inspiration in equal measure. It is an essential read for anyone living with a life-changing condition, and for those who support them.
Ripples From The Edge Of Life is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
Ripples From The Edge Of Life is a well written, interesting book which is written with great honesty and bravery.
This book follows Roland on his journey from diagnosis to treatment through to the present day. Through the book he gives the reader an interesting insight into not only the medical side of things but also information on the emotional side of the condition too. I didn’t know a lot of the information contained in this book before reading so I found it fascinating to find out more I found it especially interesting that someone could lead such an normal life whilst having treatment. I was quite pleased to learn how much more can be done for patients now then there used to be.
The thing that stands out the most about this book is the lovely style it is written it. The author has a very engaging, personal style which felt at times like I was actually in the room with him having a conversation rather than reading a book. The book also describes other people’s experiences as well as the thoughts and feelings of those around Ronald which I found very interesting.
Overall I found this a very informative, engaging read which would be great for everyone wanting to know more about Aids or looking for information on how to support a loved one going through treatment.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Roland Chesters was born in the north of England to an English father and French mother and has lived most of his life in London. He graduated from the Royal Holloway College with a degree in Modern Languages and after a variety of jobs joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a language-testing specialist. Following a diagnosis of HIV and AIDS in 2006, he became a campaigner for disability rights. He is now a self-employed Disability Development Consultant and has his own company, Luminate. Roland lives with his partner, Richard, in London and enjoys opera, classical music, theatre and fashion (his favourite item of clothing being a bright red corduroy suit). He fights boredom and normality with gusto, and says he is at his best when he’s made a positive impact on someone else’s life.
1987. An isolated farm house in the east of Iceland.
The snowstorm should have shut everybody out. But it didn’t.
The couple should never have let him in. But they did. An unexpected guest, a liar, a killer. Not all will survive the night. And Detective Hulda will be haunted forever . . .
The Mist is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
I’m a huge fan of this author so was very excited to read another book from him. The Mist was a gripping, atmospheric and tense read that I found hard to put down. This is going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.
The thing that most stands out about this book is the author’s use of the weather as a malevolent character that is very unpredictable and focused on keeping the characters pinned where they are. The weather is a source of great stress to Erla while also helping add to the tension in the book as the reader becomes more aware of how isolated the pair are and how hopeless their situation.
The story starts with detective Hulda in 1988 but soon flashes back to ten years earlier where we follow Hulda who is going through a tough time with her daughter as well as Einar and Erla who have taken a stranger into their house. I enjoyed following both timelines equally, though I did find Hilda’s story line a little frustrating as I worked out quite quickly what was happening there though it was interesting to learn more about Hulda and her past. Einar & Erla’s story was incredibly intriguing with lots of tension that ensured I kept reading. Erla’s feeling of being trapped by the weather and her life in general was quite relatable I felt. I warmed to her quickly, especially as she was a huge bookworm, and found myself wishing her husband would listen to her fears and she’d get out of the dangerous situation she finds herself in.
Overall I really enjoyed this fantastically gripping book which I raced through in a few days. The tension in the book slowly increases as the story goes on with the many twists ensuring that I was completely absorbed into the story. This series is told backwards so if you’ve read the first books in the series you might already be aware of some of the things that happen but I think you could still read it as a standalone as it would just mean more surprises in the story. I’m so excited to read more from this author and am hoping to go back and re-read the other books in the series soon.
One final point I would like to mention is how impressed I was, as always, with the translation of this book which makes it easy to forget that it wasn’t written in English originally. It has a great flow to it, which isn’t always the case in translated books, which makes it an easy book to read too.
Huge thanks to Sriya for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Michael At Joseph for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you like well plotted, gripping crime novels with some great characters then you’ll love this book.
About The Author:
Ragnar Jónasson is an international number one bestselling author who has sold over two million books in thirty-two countries worldwide. He was born in Reykjavík, Iceland, where he also works as an investment banker and teaches copyright law at Reykjavík University.
He has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service, and, from the age of seventeen, has translated fourteen of Agatha Christie’s novels. His critically acclaimed international bestseller The Darkness is soon to be a major TV series.
Victoria Cribb studied and worked in Iceland for many years. She has translated more than 25 novels from the Icelandic and, in 2017, she received the Orðstír honourary translation award for services to Icelandic literature.
Good morning everyone and welcome to another Music Monday. Today I’m featuring the amazing Field Fare by the lovely Bethan Le Mas.
Bethan is a UK singer songwriter who lives somewhere in the beautiful English countryside, jokingly referred to as ‘The Bunker’ on stream. She is a multi talented lady who can play guitar, piano, cello and Celtic harp. Her streams are always great fun filled with a variety of originals and fun, quirky covers. She often live learns songs on stream which is always very impressive to watch, especially when they require her to sing in a different language. Bethan streams under the name Corny Ears on twitch three/ four times a week. If you’d like to watch please click on the link below.
Bethan writes folk inspired lyrics on acoustic tracks and her music is truly beautiful. I’m a huge fan of all the songs on the album but my particular favourite has to be Temperate Pretender, especially as it’s accompanied by a lovely video that Bethan shot herself.
I’ve also included a video of another song by Bethan called Lavender & Oranges which is taken from her EP Harp Songs of A Land Women.
How To Listen:
Bethan’s music is available to listen to on the following streaming platforms as linked below.
You can now listen to Bethan and all the artists previously featured on Music Monday in the special playlist I have created, linked below. If you like what you hear why not click follow or share it and help spread the word!
Over The Rainbow Blog 