Good afternoon everyone I’m pleased to be re-sharing my review of the fabulous The Conviction Of Cora Burns by Carolyn Kirby today. I absolutely loved this book when I read it and it’s a book that has remained with me. If you are a historical fiction fan then I highly recommend this book.

Book Synopsis:

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2019 HWA DEBUT CROWN

To believe in her future, she must uncover her past…

Birmingham, 1885.

Born in a gaol and raised in a workhouse, Cora Burns has always struggled to control the violence inside her.

Haunted by memories of a terrible crime, she seeks a new life working as a servant in the house of scientist Thomas Jerwood. Here, Cora befriends a young girl, Violet, who seems to be the subject of a living experiment. But is Jerwood also secretly studying Cora…?

With the power and intrigue of Laura Purcell’s The Silent Companions and Sarah Schmidt’s See What I Have Done, Carolyn Kirby’s stunning debut takes the reader on a heart-breaking journey through Victorian Birmingham and questions where we first learn violence: from our scars or from our hearts.

The Conviction Of Cora Burns is available in all formats now, with the ebook currently only 99p. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Wow this was an amazing historical novel which manages to be incredibly heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting. This is definitely a book which will stay with me for a long time, particularly due to the human stories told in its pages.

The historical detail in this book is brilliant and helps to transport the reader into Victorian England. It was a very harsh, brutal time to live in particularly if you were poor and the reality of this is obvious throughout this book. The author certainly doesn’t hold back on describing some of the miserable situations people found themselves in which was truly heartbreaking and deeply affecting to read about. As a mother I found the stories involving the children some of the hardest and most uncomfortable to read about, especially as one of the children was a similar age to my children. I made sure they all got extra hugs after reading this.

The mystery surrounding Cora’s past and the house she finds employment in is slowly unraveled in a very tantalisingly way. I enjoyed going on the journey with Cora and experiencing everything through her eyes. There were lots of twists that I didn’t see coming and helped keep me very intrigued as the various threads of the story are slowly pulled together. I felt very absorbed in the story and thoroughly gripped by everything going on. This was definitely one of the best historical books I have read recently!

The ending was brilliant and I found I had tears in my eyes whilst reading it. I was so glad it ended this way and felt it was a great way to end the book.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to No Exit Press for my copy of this book which I received in exchange for an honest review. If you like emotional, dark and gripping historical fiction then you’ll love this book!

About The Author:

Originally from Sunderland, Carolyn Kirby studied history at St Hilda’s College, Oxford before working for social housing and then as a teacher of English as a foreign language. Her novel The Conviction of Cora Burns was begun in 2013 on a writing course at Faber Academy in London. The novel has achieved success in several competitions including as finalist in the 2017 Mslexia Novel Competition and as winner of the inaugural Bluepencilagency Award. Carolyn has two grown-up daughters and lives with her husband in rural Oxfordshire.

Book Synopsis:

Escape to Villa Limoncello… where dreams come true in the most unexpected ways.

With Christmas around the corner, Izzie Jenkins is ready to kickstart the new ‘Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes’ course at Villa Limoncello with chef and business partner, Luca Castelotti.

However, secrets are stirring with their latest guests and when nasty accidents keep befalling the group it looks like Izzie will have to turn detective once more to protect the Villa’s fledgling reputation. On top of all this, Izzie’s been offered the job of a lifetime – back home in Cornwall. Will she be coming home for Christmas, or will Tuscany work its magic to keep her at Villa Limoncello with Luca?A gorgeous festive read perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Jenny Oliver.

Christmas Secrets At Villa Limoncello is available in ebook now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I though this was a festive, magical read which is perfect for this time of year. I loved that the same characters were back again and that I got to spend a bit more time in their world.

As usual the author does a fantastic job of setting the scene and I felt like I had been whisked away to Tuscany myself with her wonderfully vivid descriptions. The villa and it’s surroundings seemed like a beautiful places to stay and I felt quite jealous of the characters for getting to stay there.

Whilst staying at the villa Izzie occupies herself by cooking some truly scrumptious sounding food, which I spent far too long looking up recipes for on line, and making some lovely Christmas crafts which helped get me enthusiastic about making my own with the kids.

There is a little bit if an intriguing mystery running through the book which I enjoyed following as we learn more about the secrets Izzie and Lucas have been keeping from each other. I was perhaps a tiny bit disappointed that the two didn’t have a mystery of their own to solve like previous books but still loved watching it all unravel as the story goes on.

Overall I thought this was a wonderful, easy read which is guaranteed to get the reader into the festive spirit. It was a great ending to what has been a hugely enjoyable series and I felt very sad to be leaving the villa and characters behind.

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:

Daisy James is a Yorkshire girl transplanted to the north east of England. She loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. When not scribbling away in her peppermint-and-green summerhouse (garden shed), she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something pink and fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea – china plates and teacups are a must.

Daisy would love to hear from readers via her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter @daisyjamesbooks or on Instagram @booksdaisyjames.

I’ve got something a little different for you all today. I was very excited to be invited to be an Autumn Ambassador for My Chronical Book Box and I have my review for their October Box below.

About The Company:

To begin you might like to know a little more about me and the business. I’m an avid reader (no surprise there!) and your typical bookish introvert. I live in a tiny village about 10 miles outside Sheffield near the peak district with my husband and our 3 wonderful daughters, the oldest is 7 and the twins are 5, so life is pretty full on!

I created My Chronicle Book Box with the support of my husband in 2017 alongside my (totally unrelated) day job. I wanted a book box tailored to my interests and I couldn’t find one! Plus i dearly wanted to work more flexibly around our young family.

By 2019 our fledgling business was flourishing, we were featured in The Independent as one of their top book subscription boxes and I left my office job to focus on the business and the family.

I do pretty much everything with two key exceptions – my husband helps with the technical aspects of the website and does the bookkeeping and Laura Fox of Say Something Marketing takes care of the social media management day to day for me.

I do everything else from reading all the prospective books, working with the publishers and authors, choosing and commissioning the goodies and gifts to wrapping all the books, packing the boxes and all customer service.I feel very lucky to be able to share my passion for reading and do the school run every day. Now I really need to scale the business up a bit to cover the costs of new premises I’ve just taken on and make a living from it!

Subscription Boxes:

The Subscription boxes are available in two genres:

Crime & Mystery

Science Fiction and Fantasy

The boxes are delivered straight to your door either monthly or three monthly and are a perfect gift for any bookworm as they contain a beautifully wrapped book signed by the author, an exclusive author interview and some amazing bookish goodies.

My Thoughts:

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I was incredibly excited to receive my October Box and see what book it would contain. I thought the attention to detail was brilliant and I loved how beautifully wrapped it was, keeping everything hidden until the last moment. The box had some themed goodies of some sea view postcards and a beautiful smelling candle which I have been lighting daily as I love the smell of it. I thought this was a great touch as they all related to the book in some way.

The book was at the bottom and was wrapped up like a present which I thought was quite a luxurious touch. The book was a new release that had come out this month which was very excited as I had heard lots of good stuff about it. I wasn’t really sure what to expect in this regard and actually expected an older book so was pleasantly surprised.

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Prices:

The monthly boxes cost £25 plus postage (£3.90 in the UK) on a simple subscription. There is no minimum period or commitment to the subscription and it auto renews each month.

Gift subscriptions are paid for in advance and include a gift card explaining what is being gifted and when sent out in the post. 1 month is £27.78, 3 months is £80.85 (save 3%), 6 months is £158.34 (save 5%) and 12 months is £300 (£25pm, save 10%), plus postage costs.

This all includes VAT.

The lovely Louise is offering a 10% discount to readers of my blog. Simply enter RAINBOW10 at the checkout!

For any more you please do contact My Chronical Book Box using the links below:

Twitter: @MyChronicleBB

Website: https://mychroniclebookbox.com/

Happy Reading!

Book Synopsis:

Making a killing in the City can be murder at home

After sharp-witted trader Ray is told by his sexy corporate lawyer wife Penny to stop insider trading, he knows that something must change. When he discovers she’s been having an affair on her business trips, the tables are turned and he has to choose between keeping the millions he’s fraudulently made or keeping the woman he loves. How will he decide?

The Death and Life of Penny Pitstop is a stand-alone steamy modern thriller set in London’s world of high finance. This hot crime drama is based on the scintillating experience of Leopold Borstinski’s life working in the City.

The Death And Life Of Penny Pitstop is available in ebook now for the fantastic price of 99p. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

Extract:

Ray didn’t say a word, went upstairs and came down again wearing jeans and a shirt. He too grabbed a microwave meal and heated it up. Then he sat down opposite Penny.
“Hi.”
“Hi. How was your day?”
“Same old, same old. You?”
“I’m going to be made an equity partner at the end of the year.”
“Nice. Well done.”
“Is that all you have to say to me; nice?”
“Huh?”
“Equity fucking partner. I’ll be earning at least the same amount as you, if not more.”
“Look. I’ve had a long day. I’m tired. I don’t have the energy for a long conversation. I didn’t know you had such good news. I’m pleased for you, of course I am, but don’t give me shit for saying the wrong word.”
“You’re tired. I’m tired. That’s not the point. Are you happy with how things are between us?”
Ray looked at her, gazing blankly back at her question as if it was rhetorical, even though they both knew it was not.
“Don’t stare at me like a smacked fish. Say something!”
“Look I care.”
“But you don’t show it. You don’t act like you think anything is wrong. You go to work, you come home and you go to sleep. Occasionally we fuck, but only if I instigate it.”
“I do instigate…”
“When? When was the last time you took me upstairs and we fucked? I can’t remember when. Last week? Week before then? Last month? When do you think this happened because I damn well know I wasn’t in the fucking room.”
Silence. Mouth agape, Ray slowly shook his head but had nothing to say.
“Even now when I’m asking you straight questions. You’re not talking to me. Fucking say something, Ray!”
Penny’s voice was at full shout and she could feel she was getting hoarse.
“Fuck this.”
She stormed upstairs and got into bed. A few minutes later, she heard Ray walk up the stairs and enter the bedroom. Penny rolled over to turn her back on him. She felt him get into bed but he did not touch her. She shut her eyes and tried to control her breathing. She was so mad with him. Eventually, he switched off his light and the bedroom was plunged into darkness.

About The Author:

Leopold Borstinski is an independent author whose past careers have included financial journalism, business management of financial software companies, consulting and product sales and marketing, as well as teaching.

There is nothing he likes better so he does as much nothing as he possibly can. He has travelled extensively in Europe and the US and has visited Asia on several occasions. Leopold holds a Philosophy degree and tries not to drop it too often.

He lives near London and is married with one wife, one child and no pets.

Book Synopsis:

ara Das is Bollywood’s hottest property, her every move watched by the eyes of the press. Riding high from the success of a string of blockbusters, she has the world at her feet, but the scandal from her latest film threatens to dethrone her as Bollywood’s reigning queen.

So when superstar director Raj Dillon stages a lavish retelling of Pride and Prejudice, moving the shoot from Mumbai’s soundstages to London, Zara knows this is the role that could put her back on top. Coming with them are the Bollywood Wives – Jackie, Sasha, and Rani – bringing their own off-screen drama.

But behind the diamonds, designer clothes and seven-star hotels lies the truth of how Zara reached the top. And when a dead body is found in her hotel room, it seems that someone is determined to take Zara down – and will stop at nothing to expose her darkest secrets.

Zara has spent years running from her past. But now it’s caught up with her…

A sexy, gripping, scandalous novel set in the world of Bollywood – fans of Jackie Collins, Crazy Rich Asians and Lauren Weisberger won’t be able to put this one down.

BollyWood Wives is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Hollywood Wives is a sexy, tense read which was actually much more thrilling then I thought it would be.

The author weaves a fabulous, complex story that includes many different characters and storylines which together makes a fantastic read. I loved how he slowly drops clues into the story, subtly leading the reader one direction and then another which was great fun to follow. I couldn’t figure out what was going on but wanted to keep reading so that I could find out what happens next.

There were some wonderful, colourful characters in this book which I really enjoyed reading about. I love books which have strong female lead characters in them and this one has plenty. It was fun to get to know more about their lives and find out their secrets.

The author brings the world of Bollywood vividly to life and I enjoyed living precariously through the characters. The glitz and glam of the film set was amazing as were the details about the lifestyles the actors enjoy. It’s obviously not something I’ll ever get to experience but at least now I have a good idea of what’s it’s like.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am excited to read more from this author now. I’m always a bit dubious when a book is described as similar to Jackie Collins but am happy to compare the two in this case as this book was just as good!

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:

Alex Khan has spent his life dreaming of writing and starring in Bollywood movies while traveling the world visiting some of the most glamorous and exciting locations. Moonlighting as a crime writer he finally got the courage to pen the novel he wanted to write all his life-Bollywood Wives. Taking you into the glamorous sexy thrilling environment of the world’s biggest movie stars and the secrets they hide.

Alex also writes crime under the name ALEX CAAN.

Book Synopsis:

This Christmas, the villagers of Middledip are off on a very Swiss adventure…

Family means everything to Lily Cortez and her sister Zinnia, and growing up in their non-conventional family unit, they and their two mums couldn’t have been closer.

So it’s a bolt out of the blue when Lily finds her father wasn’t the anonymous one-night stand she’d always believed – and is in fact the result of her mum’s reckless affair with a married man.

Confused, but determined to discover her true roots, Lily sets out to find the family she’s never known; an adventure that takes her from the frosted, thatched cottages of Middledip to the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland, via a memorable romantic encounter along the way…

The Sunday Times bestseller returns with a gloriously cosy read, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Trisha Ashley and Carole Matthews.

Let It Snow is available in ebook now and paperback on the 14th November. You can purchase or pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Let It Snow is a fabulous festive read which is perfect for getting you into the festive spirit and curling up with as the evenings get colder. It’s guaranteed to have you singing Let It Snow in your head not just because of the title but because of the amount of snow featured throughout the book!

The author does a great job of setting the scene with the vivid descriptions of snowy Switzerland which made me feel like I was actually there watching everything unfold. I found myself quite envious of the characters for being in such a magical setting and would love to go there myself soon.

Lily was a fantastic main character who I absolutely adored. She’s a very warm and loving person who I hoped would find the happiness she deserved either with her half brothers or with the rather lovely sounding Issac. Doggo was another wonderful character who seemed almost Human at times. His antics frequently made me smile especially the scenes of him having fun in the snow.

Overall I thought this was a great novel to lose yourself in for an evening. There was lots going on and different storylines to keep the reader thoroughly intrigued. It was a really fun read with romance, heartbreak and lots of tension as I waited to discover if, and when, Lily would reveal her identity.

Huge thanks to Sabah from Avon for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you are looking for a festive read I thoroughly recommend this one!

About The Author:

Award-winning author Sue Moorcroft writes contemporary women’s fiction with occasionally unexpected themes. She’s won a Readers’ Best Romantic Read Award and been nominated for others, including a ‘RoNA’ (Romantic Novel Award). Sue’s a Katie Fforde Bursary Award winner, a past vice chair of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and editor of its two anthologies.

She also writes short stories, serials, articles, writing ‘how to’ and is a creative writing tutor.

The daughter of two soldiers, Sue was born in Germany and went on to spend much of her childhood in Malta and Cyprus. She likes reading, Zumba, FitStep, yoga, and watching Formula 1.

Book Synopsis:

A man with dark thoughts on his mind is racing along the remote snowy roads of Hurmevaara in Finland, when there is flash in the sky and something crashes into the car. That something turns about to be a highly valuable meteorite. With euro signs lighting up the eyes of the locals, the unexpected treasure is temporarily placed in a neighbourhood museum, under the watchful eye of a priest named Joel.
But Joel has a lot more on his mind than simply protecting the riches that have apparently rained down from heaven. His wife has just revealed that she is pregnant. Unfortunately Joel has strong reason to think the baby isn’t his. As Joel tries to fend off repeated and bungled attempts to steal the meteorite, he must also come to terms with his own situation, and discover who the father of the baby really is.

Transporting the reader to the culture, landscape and mores of northern Finland Little Siberia is both a crime novel and a hilarious, blacker-than-black comedy about faith and disbelief, love and death, and what to do when bolts from the blue – both literal and figurative – turn your life upside down.

Little Siberia is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Little Siberia is another fantastic read from one of my favourite authors. It’s going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away and ruin it for anyone.

One of the things I love about this author is his ability to write funny, original books which are highly entertaining. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about a meteorite landing through a car roof and an ex army priest trying to discover who his wife has cheated with but that’s exactly what happens in this book!

Joel was an interesting main character who I felt a lot of sympathy for. He’s definitely got a lot on his plate as he struggles with his faith, tries to discover who his wife was unfaithful with and fend off multiple attempts to steal the meteorite! There aren’t many people to choose from in his small village which makes Joel more and more obsessed with discovering who it is. The snow and size of the village help to provide a claustrophobic atmosphere which had me suspecting everyone.

This is quite a dark story at times with some violent scenes which might not be to everyone’s taste. However the unlikeness of the story and the sarcastic humour the author includes dilutes this, making it a fantastic read. The ending was brilliantly done and I was actually quite sad when the book ended as I had so enjoyed it.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orenda Books for my copy of this book. If you haven’t read anything by this author I highly recommend you do as soon as possible.

About The Author:

Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. In 2011, Tuomainen’s third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for ‘Best Finnish Crime Novel of 2011’ and was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. Two years later, in 2013, the Finnish press crowned Tuomainen the ‘King of Helsinki Noir’ when Dark as My Heart was published. With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime genre formula, and his poignant, dark and hilarious The Man Who Died (2017) became an international bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh Awards. Palm Beach Finland (2018) was an immense success, with The Times calling Tuomainen ‘the funniest writer in Europe’.

Book Synopsis:

A town gripped by fear. A woman accused of murder. Who can save Pale Harbour from itself?

1846. Desperate to escape the ghosts of his past, Gabriel Stone takes a position as a minister in the remote Pale Harbour, but not all is as it seems in the sleepy town.

As soon as Gabriel steps foot in town, he can’t escape the rumours about the mysterious Sophy Carver, a young widow who lives in the eerie Castle Carver: whispers that she killed her husband, mutterings that she might even be a witch.

But as strange, unsettling events escalate into murder, Gabriel finds himself falling under Sophy’s spell. As clues start to point to Sophy as the next victim, Gabriel realises he must find answers before anyone else turns up dead.

The Widow Of Pale Harbor is available in ebook now and is published in paperback on the 17th of October. You purchase or pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I absolutely loved this haunting, atmospheric novel which is a great mix of historical and romance.

Firstly I adored Sophronia who was such a gentle and sweet character despite all the hate she receives. I liked how calm she is whilst dealing with everything and how she never thinks of getting revenge. Her growing relationship with Gabriel was wonderful to watch. I loved seeing them grow closer, learning to trust and confide in each other. I felt that they were the friend they each needed and thought they made a fantastic duo!

The author has created some fabulous characters which really helped to add to the story. Gabriel’s friend, Tom helps to bring some humour to the story which contrasted nicely with the darker events in the book. We also have Helen who was a very intriguing character who has an unusual, dependent relationship with Sophronia which was interesting to explore.

This book started off slow but soon picks up pace and becomes absolutely brilliant! I so enjoyed watching everything unfold and trying to work out what was happening. All the clues are tied into the poems or stories of Edgar Allan Poe which I always love. I hadn’t read a lot of his work so found it interesting to learn more about it even though they were a lot darker then I expected.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I have already downloaded her first book to read soon. Huge thanks to Jessica Lee for inviting me onto the blog tour and Lily Capewell for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Hester Fox comes to writing from a background in the museum field as a collections maintenance technician.
This job has taken her from historic houses to fine art museums, where she has the privilege of cleaning and caring for collections that range from paintings by old masters, to ancient artefacts, to early American furniture.
She is a keen painter and has a master’s degree in historical archaeology, as well as a background in Medieval studies and art history. Hester lives outside of Boston with her husband and two cats.
The Witch of Willow Hall is her debut novel.

Book Synopsis:

Winter 1917. As the First World War enters its most brutal phase, back home in England, everyone is seeking answers to the darkness that has seeped into their lives.

At Blackwater Abbey, on an island off the Devon coast, Lord Highmount has arranged a spiritualist gathering to contact his two sons who were lost in the conflict. But as his guests begin to arrive, it gradually becomes clear that each has something they would rather keep hidden. Then, when a storm descends on the island, the guests will find themselves trapped. Soon one of their number will die.

For Blackwater Abbey is haunted in more ways than one . . .

A House Of Ghosts is available in all formats now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

A House Of Ghosts is a fantastically atmospheric, creepy story which is part ghost story and part mystery. It is the perfect story for those looking for a spooky Halloween read.

The story starts of slowly as we get to know the characters and their history better but soon gathers pace becoming a gripping read. Things start getting very intriguing as we discover the links between the guest and I found myself questioning all the supernatural events, wondering if there was more going on then I realised.

The growing storm battering the house throughout most of the story helps create a claustrophobic atmosphere which is made more creepy by the presence of some interesting ghosts which helped send a shiver down my spine and ensured I didn’t want to turn my light out at night!

The story is told mainly from the point of view of Kate and Donovan but is often added to with the story of one of the other guests which adds to the mystery element of the story as the reader soon realises things are very murky indeed. I found I enjoyed watching the story unfold and trying to work out what was actually happening. It was a story I struggled to put down at times as I wanted to find out what happens next and I’m excited to read more from this talented author. I hope that there will be another book with Kate and Donovan in as I thought they were great characters!

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:

William Ryan’s first novel in the Captain Korolev series, The Holy Thief, was shortlisted for a Crime Writer’s Association’s New Blood Dagger, a Barry Award, The Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award and The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. The second in the series, The Bloody Meadow, was shortlisted for the Ireland AM Crime Novel of the Year and the third, The Twelfth Department, was also shortlisted for the Ireland AM Crime Novel of the Year as well as the CWA’s Historical Fiction Dagger and was a Guardian Crime Novel of the Year..
The Constant Soldier, William’s fourth novel was described as “subtle, suspenseful and superb” by The Daily Mail and shortlisted for the HWA’s Gold Crown and the CWA’s Steel Dagger.
William’s latest novel (as W.C. Ryan), A House of Ghosts, was published in October 2018.
William lectures on creative writing at City University and helps run the First Monday crime evenings. Visit http://www.william-ryan.com for more information.