Book Synopsis:

Everyone has a place they call home. But who gets to decide where you belong?

For years Bilal Hasham and his wife Mariam have lived contented, quiet lives in the sleepy rural village of Babbel’s End. Now all that is about to change. On her deathbed, Bilal’s mother reaches for his hand. Instead of whispering her final prayers, she gives him a task: build a mosque in his country village. Mariam is horrified by Bilal’s plan. As outrage sweeps Babbel’s End, battle lines are drawn. Soon Bilal is forced to choose between community and identity, between faith and friendship, between honouring his beloved mother’s last wish and preserving what is held dear in the place that he calls home.

This Green and Pleasant Land is available in ebook and hardback now. The ebook is currently only 99p. You can purchase your copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

This was an easy engaging read that I’m sure will help open the discussion about cultural differences, discrimination and the impact both of these can have on our lives.

Firstly i found it very interesting to follow the discussions/ arguements surrounding the building of a mosque and people views in general about religion. I felt the arguements were well rounded and covered the different opinions held by people. It seemed very realistic as I have sadly heard similar arguements in real life. It was interesting to see how the village was so affected by the discussions, though ultimately lovely to see how all the differences actually brought them closer in the end.

The book isn’t just about the mosque however and there were lots of other subplots to the story involving the other people in the village. I thought these were very interesting as it helped give the reader more of an understanding of the dynamics in the village and let’s the reader learn more about the individual villagers too.

Overall I really liked this absorbing read which kept my interest throughout. There were definitely some memorable moments in the book which I will remember, especially Bilal digging a grave to lie in when thinking. I think it’s an important book for everyone to read as a lot of the issues and opinions discussed are ones that people hold today. For this reason I think it would make a great book club read as there would be lots to discuss.

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

About The Author:

Ayisha Malik is a writer and editor, living in South London. She holds a BA in English Literature and a First Class MA in Creative Writing. Her novels Sofia Khan is Not Obliged and The Other Half of Happiness, starring ‘the Muslim Bridget Jones’, were met with great critical acclaim, and Sofia Khan is Not Obliged was chosen as 2019’s Cityread book. Ayisha was a WHSmith Fresh Talent Pick, shortlisted for the Asian Women of Achievement Award and Marie Claire’s Future Shapers Awards. Ayisha is also the ghost writer for The Great British Bake Off winner, Nadiya Hussain.

Book Synopsis:

England, 1943: Home is no longer safe for eight-year-old twins Molly and Jacob. Night after night wailing bombs and screeching planes skim the rooftops overhead. They cradle each other, shivering in terror, not knowing if they will live to see dawn. Their mother, Martha, has no choice but to evacuate them to the safety of the countryside.

At the train station, Martha bites back tears as she says goodbye to her precious children. Knowing she might never see them again, she gives Jacob a letter, pressing the envelope into his hands and telling him to only read it if they are in danger.

In the country, Molly and Jacob must adjust to life with strangers. Every night they dream of returning home to the arms of their beloved mother. But then the unimaginable happens. Martha is killed in an explosion, leaving the twins all alone in the world.

The war has robbed Molly and Jacob of everything – all they have left is one another. Motherless and destitute, they face the grim reality of life in an orphanage. The time has finally come for Jacob to open the letter. What secret does it hold, and could it change the course of their tragic fate? Because if they are together, they can survive anything – but what if they are torn apart?

From the bestselling author of The Orphan Sisters comes an utterly heartbreaking and unforgettable tale of two children who must lean on each other in a time of tragedy and learn the shocking truth of their past. Fans of Wives of War, Lisa Wingate and Diney Costeloe will be swept away by this sublime World War Two novel.

The Lost Children is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

The Lost Children is a wonderful, though very emotional, piece of historical fiction that will stay with me for a long time.

Firstly it was great to have a book from a children’s point of view for a change and I so enjoyed following the twins on their journey. I loved the vivid descriptions of the northern village the twins find themselves in which made me feel like I was actually there, experiencing everything alongside them. The sense of community was beautiful to read about and I liked that everyone helped each other, often making sacrifices for other people. It was heartwarming to see the villagers include the twins into their lives and how they settled in so quickly.

This is a very emotional books which made me sob at times. The twins go through a lot of heartache throughout the story and I often found myself wishing I could put my arm round them. Having said that the book isn’t bogged down in sadness and the over all feeling I got from this book is actually an uplifting one.

Overall I really enjoyed this fast paced, easy read which was the first book I’ve read from this author. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to others and look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Huge thanks to Sarah Hardy for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Shirley says she is a prime example of ‘never give up on your dream.’ Shirley is an international bestseller. She signed with Bookouture in 2018 and has written to date three stirring World War Two historical novels. She lives under the big skies of Northumberland with her husband, family and lucky black cat. She wrote her first short story at the age of ten for a magazine competition. She didn’t win but was hooked on writing for a lifetime. For many years she wrote poetry and short stories and got many rejection slips. Success followed when Shirley decided to get serious about writing novels after she retired. Shirley would like to say a huge thank you to her readers, reviewers and book bloggers for their support. Follow Shirley on her Facebook ‘Shirley Dickson Author’ page.

The blog tour is finished now but do go back and check out these fantastic bloggers reviews!

Book Synopsis:

An incredible new psychological crime thriller from the Top Ten Sunday Times bestselling author

‘Relentlessly fast paced, a compelling plot and anxiety inducing finale. A cracking read’ John Marrs, bestselling author of The One

‘Opens with a nightmare scenario and races to a gripping, horribly tense ending – I think I actually stopped breathing several times. Loved it! Jackie Kabler, author of The Perfect Couple 

A kidnap…
Matt Westbrook only turned his back for a moment. But when he looks around, his car – with his three young children inside – has vanished.

A ransom…
Panicked, Matt assumes a car thief has got more than he bargained for, but then he starts to receive text messages: This is a kidnap. If you want to see your children again, you will exchange them for your wife.

A choice…
Matt and his wife Annabelle are horrified. They can’t involve the police, or their children will be killed. Which means they have to choose: Annabelle, or their children. Either option is unthinkable. But one is inevitable. And they have only hours to make their decision…

The gripping new thriller you won’t be able to put down!

The Choice is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only 99p. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

The Choice is a completely thrilling, fast paced read which is unforgettable. It grabbed me from the first nightmare pages and kept me gripped until the nail bitting finale. I managed to read this book in a couple of days which is no mean feat when you have three kids.

Firstly as a mum to three kids myself, the opening scenario that Matt finds himself in is quite literally my worst nightmare. I felt my blood running cold and my heart beating a little faster as I experienced the situation through him. I could well imagine how Matt was feeling in that situation and what would have been running through his head so I felt very connected him. If Sarah Hilary hadn’t already scared me into not leaving the kids in an unlocked car I would have definitely developed a phobia about it.

The story moves very quickly and there was lots of twists to keep me on my toes. The multiple points of view helps the reader get inside the characters head so we start to understand them more, especially how they think. It was very interesting to go back through their past and to learn more about them too. I kept wondering what had happened to cause the situation, was it something one of the characters had done, a secret one of them was hiding? I also kept changing my mind about who was behind the kidnapping and the reason why they had done it.

The ending was absolutely amazing and so tense that I found myself sitting upright at the edge of my seat as I watched it all unfold. It was definitely a great way to end the book.

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:

Alex Lake is a British novelist who was born in the North West of England. After Anna, the author’s first novel written under this pseudonym, was a No.1 bestselling ebook sensation and a top-ten Sunday Times bestseller. The author now lives in the North East of the US.

Book Synopsis:

My brother’s getting married in a few weeks and asked for help picking a song for his first dance. I suggested Kiss’s ‘Love’s a Slap in the Face’.

It didn’t go down well.

When she was a teenager, Zoë Frixos fell in love with Simon Baxter, her best friend and the boy next door. But his family moved to America before she could tell him how she felt and, like a scratched record, she’s never quite moved on. Now, almost twenty years later, Simon is heading back to London, newly single and as charming as ever . . .

But as obstacles continue to get in her way – Simon’s perfect ex-girlfriend, her brother’s big(ish) fat(ish) Greek wedding, and an obnoxious publicist determined to ruin her career – Zoë begins to wonder whether, after all these years, she and Simon just aren’t meant to be.

What if, despite what all the songs and movies say, your first love isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be? What if, instead Zoë and Simon are forever destined to shuffle around their feelings for each other, never quite getting the steps right . . .

With a smart, relatable central character and razor-sharp wit, Love Songs for Sceptics is perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Lucy Vine and Lindsey Kelk. 

Love Songs For Sceptics is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Love Songs For Sceptics is an utterly charming, romantic and funny read which I absolutely loved.

Firstly as a child of the 90’s, and a subscriber of a few music mags at the time, this book has a slightly nostalgic quality to it. I loved learning more about the magazine Zoe worked in and hearing about the articles they publish as I could clearly picture them from articles I’d seen in my magazines. It was a bit of an eye opener realising how the industry works though and I really hope that reviews can’t be bought in real life.

I loved the main character Zoe who was such a strong, determined lady who didn’t take any nonsense. I warmed to her instantly and loved how real she seemed as she wasn’t perfect. It was fun and entertaining to follow her on her journey to save her career while trying to get the interview of her life. She changes throughout the book too and seems to get less prickly as the book went on which made me like her even more.

Overall I thought this was an fantastic read which drew me in from the start and kept me reading until the end. There were lots of twists which took me by surprise and took the story in a completely different direction then I had expected. This was a book that made me cry and laugh out loud at times with the author’s often subtle humour taking me by surprise. I’d love to see this book made into a film, particularly as I’d love to hear the accompanying soundtrack as I think it would be brilliant. If someone could at least create a Spotify playlist to go with this is be so happy!

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:

Christina Pishiris was born in London to Greek Cypriot parents, who used to bribe her to go to family weddings by promising that George Michael might be there. To deal with the inevitable disappointment, she began scribbling stories on napkins and has been writing ever since. She started her career as a journalist, specialising in the TV industry, before going freelance. Since meeting her film-maker husband she’s also moved into production, working on music documentaries. Her hobbies include compiling cheesy 80s playlists, coveting the neighbour’s cat and writing protest letters to Guerlain after they discontinued her favourite perfume.

Book Synopsis:

Sunderland, 1943: As Christmas approaches in the shipyards, everyone is hoping for a little magic…

Helen would love to find the courage to tell the dashing Dr Parker of her true feelings for him. But how can she when he clearly has eyes for someone else?

More than a year has passed since Bel’s wedding to sweetheart Joe. She knows she has much to feel thankful for and yet there is still one burning desire which she cannot ignore.

And as Polly grows with child, she hopes against hope for a safe delivery – and that her husband Tommy can soon return from the front line to meet their new arrival.

There will be storms to weather, but guided by their strength and friendship there is still hope for each of the shipyard girls that their Christmas wishes will come true.

A Wish For The Shipyard Girls is available in ebook now paperback on the 3rd October.. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this series which in my opinion keeps getting better and better. It was so nice to be back with the Shipyard Girls and to catch up with everything.

This book starts with an interesting scenario where the Shipyard has been bombed in the blitz which I don’t think had happened before. It was very interesting to see all the girls and their colleagues having to work together to try and save stuff in the yard. I must admit I’ve become very fond of the yard so I was a little upset and angry that it had been hit. I always thinks it’s a sign of great writing when an author makes you feel so connected to a place or a character.

As always there is a fair bit of action in the book which kept me absorbed in the story and unable to put the book down. It was interesting to see that all of the girls were affected by something in this book which is unusual for this series I think. I might be looking to far into it but I think it bonded them all together more. I felt this was the most emotional book of the series so tissues definitely recommended.

Overall I loved this book and being back with the girls. I always keep these books until I know I can read a big chunk of them at once as I find it easy to get lost in. One of the things I most like about this author is how she always manages to make the drama new and fresh, without it ever seeming forced which is impressive when there’s loads of books in the series.

Huge thanks to Rachel Kennedy for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Nancy Revell is the Sunday Times bestseller author of The Shipyard Girls series, which is set in the north-east of England during World War Two. Nancy is the pen name of Amanda Revell Walton, a former journalist who worked for all the national newspapers, providing them with hard-hitting news stories and in-depth features. She also wrote amazing and inspirational true life stories for just about every woman’s magazine in the country. When she first started writing The Shipyard Girls series, Nancy relocated back to her hometown of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, along with her husband, Paul, and their English Bull Mastiff, Rosie. They now live just a short walk away from the beautiful award-winning beaches of Roker and Seaburn, within a mile of where the books are set. The Shipyard Girls is particularly close to Nancy’s heart as she comes from a long line of shipbuilders, who were well known in the area.

Book Synopsis:

Residential-home caterer Connie has had one online-dating disaster too many. Hurt in the past and with her son to consider, now she’s feeling hesitant. Then one of Connie’s residents sets her up on a date at a beautiful German Christmas market – with the promise she’ll take a mini-bus full of pensioners with her…

Amongst the twinkling lights and smell of warm gingerbread in the old market square, Connie heads off on her date with a check-list of potential partner must-haves. Baker Henrich ticks all the boxes, but when Connie meets Henrich’s rival William, she starts to wonder if ticking boxes is the answer.

Will Connie’s wish for love this Christmas come true, and if so – with who?

Finding Love At The Christmas Market is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I absolutely adored this absorbing read full of festive cheer. It was the perfect book to curl up with and get lost in on a wet afternoon.

One of the things I most love about this author is her ability to transport you to another time and place with her wonderfully vivid descriptions. I truly felt like I was visiting a snowy Christmas market, seeing all the wonderful things on display. I could almost smell the gingerbread and taste the mulled wine. It has definitely got me excited for the festive season and I have been looking at potential Christmas markets I might go to.

The characters are all wonderful creations that I warmed to instantly and I enjoyed following them on their journey. They were very funny, sometimes unintentionally I think, which made them very endearing. They started to feel like old friends and I felt quite sad to finish the book and leave them behind.

The love story part of the book was well developed and I liked how it wasn’t overly done so that the book became too sugary sweet. It was fun to watch it all develop and I was very intrigued to find out how it would end

There was a few quite poignant moments in the book regarding how elderly people can be treated, especially around Christmas time. It was sad to see them unwanted by loved ones, even more so as they were aware of it. I wished I could have reached into the book and give them all a hug at times.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Transworld for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you want an absorbing book full if Christmas cheer then you need to read this book!

About The Author:

Jo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, first for BBC Radio 5, before moving on to Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Radio 2’s The Steve Wright Show.

In 2013 Jo won the RNA Katie Fforde Bursary. Her debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller in ebook and was awarded the 2014 RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the 2014 Festival of Romance Best Ebook Award. Jo lives in the Vale of Glamorgan with her husband and three children.

Book Synopsis:

Sword In The Storm

Born in the storm that kills his father, Connavar grows up among the mountains of Caer Druagh, where the Rigante tribe dwell in harmony with the land and its gods.

But beyond the border, across the water, an evil force is gathering strength – an unstoppable force that will change the world beyond all recognition.

Haunted by malevolent spirits and hunted by evil men, Connavar sets out on a spectacular mission to defeat this new enemy… But he is a troubled soul, dogged by fate – will he be able to defend his tribe and save his people?

Midnight Falcon

They called him Bane the Bastard – though none said it to his face.

Born of treachery, his name a curse, he grew up among the warriors of the Rigante. They valued his skills in war, but they feared the violence in his heart.

And when, as a Wolfshead and Outlaw, he left Rigante lands, they breathed sighs of relief.

But Bane would return, the destiny of the Rigante in his hands, the fate of the world resting on his skills with a blade.

The story of the Rigante continues in Ravenheart.

Sword In The Stone & Midnight Falcon is available in ebook now paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I absolutely loved these addictive and compelling books, which are the first two books in an exciting new fantasy, adventure story.

Firstly I loved the world the author has created which I think is loosely based on the Roman period in Britain. It was fascinating to learn more about this world and what every day life was like for the characters. The author’s fantastic descriptions allowed me to perfectly imagine it vividly so that at times it felt like it when all happening right in front of me. I could almost hear the clink of the swords and smell the sweat of the battlefield.

The two main characters in the two books were very interesting creations who I enjoyed following on their difficult journeys. I liked that they weren’t perfect as it made it easier to get behind them and feel sympathetic towards them. Both are fierce warriors and very skilled on the battlefield which helped make the action scenes very thrilling to read. Connavar was an especially interesting character as we get to see him grow up and change through the years.

Overall I thought this was a gripping, adventure packed read which was hard to put down. I liked that none of the action seemed overdone and that the story seemed so realistic. Neither book went the way I expected them to which I always enjoy and helped make sure I kept turning the pages. I can’t wait to read more from this fantastic series!

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Transworld for my copy of these books via Netgalley.

About The Author:

David Gemmell was born in London, England, in the summer of 1948. Expelled from school at sixteen, he became a bouncer, working at nightclubs in Soho. Born with a silver tongue, Gemmell rarely needed to bounce customers, relying on his gift of gab to talk his way out of trouble. This talent eventually led to a job as freelancer for the London Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, and Daily Express. His first novel, Legend, was published in 1984 and has remained in print ever since. He became a full-time writer in 1986.

Book Synopsis:

Scarlett is far from perfect.

She changes herself to please others.
She makes mistakes – over and over again.
She repeatedly goes back to people that have hurt her.

Scarlett has a tricky relationship with her mother and is desperate for people to like her.

She moves to London without a plan, but when she manages to land a job at a modelling agency she thinks that her life is finally on track.

Scarlett soon discovers that the fashion industry is far from what she had imagined and her life begins to spiral out of control. But at least people know who she is. She is starting to become someone.

And surely it’s better to be someone – even if it’s someone you hate?

With a vein of dark humour at its core, The High Moments offers an astute, often stark, look at the fashion industry and the challenges you can face as a woman in your twenties. Fans of Emma Jane Unsworth’s Animals and shows like Girls will love this.

The High Moments is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

The High Moments is a compelling, funny read which has some quite dark moments in it. It gives the reader a glimpse into the fashion world which I’m very pleased not to be a part of.

Having read the Devil Wears Prada I thought I had a bit of an idea of what this book would be like but I was wrong! This book definitely shows the seedy side of the fashion industry with lots of references to drug taking and sex which might not be to everyone’s taste. However I thought it was this which made the book so intriguing as it gives the reader a glimpse into a world that they weren’t aware of before.

Scarlet is a great main character who I think a lot of people in their twenty would relate to. It was really nice to follow her on her journey into the modelling world as she persues what she thought was her dream career. She’s quite a sympathetic character who I felt quite protective of. I really wanted her to find her path and discovered who she actually was.

Overall I thought this was a really compelling, addictive read which was very funny. I can’t believe this is the author’s debut novel and I look forward to reading more from her in the future. 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:

Sara-Ella Ozbek is a London-bred author of South African and Turkish
descent. After graduating from the University of Exeter with a BA in English
Literature, she interned at Vogue magazine and subsequently fell into a job at
a modelling agency.
After six exciting, if somewhat draining, years as an agent, she left to pursue a
career in writing. She attended the New York Film Academy screenwriting
programme then went to Los Angeles where she joined the hustle of the
screenwriters. Out of the frustration and misery came her first novel,
The High Moments.
Aside from the novel, she has written non-fiction for titles including
Because Magazine, Suitcase, Tatler, Drugstore Culture, Voyage D’Etudes and Soho House Notes.

Book Synopsis:

The stunning debut from the new name to watch in espionage thrillers. For fans of Charlotte Philby and The Bletchley Circle, this is perfect Sunday night drama.

LISBON, 1943: When her cover is blown, SOE agent Elisabeth de Mornay flees Paris. Pursued by the Gestapo, she makes her way to neutral Lisbon, where Europe’s elite rub shoulders with diplomats, businessmen, smugglers, and spies. There she receives new orders – and a new identity.

Posing as wealthy French widow Solange Verin, Elisabeth must infiltrate a German espionage ring targeting Allied ships, before more British servicemen are killed.

The closer Elisabeth comes to discovering the truth, the greater the risk grows. With a German officer watching her every step, it will take all of Elisabeth’s resourcefulness and determination to complete her mission.

But in a city where no one is who they claim to be, who can she trust?

City of Spies is available in ebook and paperbackback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

As I might have mentioned once or twice I’m a huge fan of books set in World War 2 so this book instantly appealed to me. Stories about women working for the resistance are always really interesting and I find it incredible to think of these ordinary people doing such brave work.

The author does a great job of setting the scene in her book and her vivid descriptions helped me imagine what Lisbon was like during the war. It must have been an atmospheric though dangerous place to live and I liked how the author manages to reflect this with the short or incomplete sentences in the first part of this book. I felt this helped build the atmosphere and gave the story an edge to it as you became aware that everyone had secrets and no one could be trusted.

Elizabeth (codename Cecile) is a wonderful main character who I really enjoyed following throughout the book. She was such a brave, together character and I found I wanted to keep reading to find out what she gets up to. Some of the situations she finds herself in were very tense and I found myself reading faster and faster until she was out of danger. I always think it shows great skill to make a reader care about a character like that.

Overall I really enjoyed this interesting read which had plenty of twists and turns to keep me glued to the page. It was fascinating to learn more about wartime Lisbon, especially as it’s a setting I don’t think I’ve read much about before. I’m now very excited to read more from this author in the future.

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

About The Author:

Raised in New York, Mara Timon moved to the UK almost 20 years ago; and fell in love with London and the way it melds the old and the new. Growing up with one parent fascinated with literature and the other with history, she started writing from an early age, although it wasn’t until a programme on the BBC caught her interest, and one ‘what if’ led to another, that her first book began to take shape.