Good morning everyone and happy Thursday. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this fantastic sounding book this week. I absolutely adore historical fiction and as a huge fan of this author’s previous books I’m very excited to read this soon.
Huge thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy.
What’s your favourite genre (s) to read?
Out May 2024.
Book Synopsis:
London, 1833
Doctress Hester Reeves has been offered a life-changing commission.
But it comes at a price. She must leave behind her husband and their canal-side home in Kings Cross and move to Tall Trees – a dark and foreboding house in Fitzrovia.
If Hester can cure the ailing health of its owner, Gervaise Cherville, she will receive payment that will bring her everything she could dream of.
But on arriving at Tall Trees, Hester quickly discovers that an even bigger task awaits her. Now she must unearth secrets that have lain hidden for decades – including one that will leave Hester’s own life forever changed…
About The Author:
Lianne Dillsworth lives and works in London. She has always loved anything and everything to do with books and her earliest memories involve reading and being read to. At school Lianne’s favourite subjects were English and History, so when she started writing, historical fiction was a natural choice. In Theatre of Marvels, her debut novel, Lianne indulges her love for the Victorian period evoking London in all its mid-nineteenth century glory. She is currently working on her second book under the watchful eye of her tiny terrier.
YOU WANT TO BE JUST LIKE HER. BUT DO YOU REALLY KNOW HER?
Rani has always felt like an outsider. First growing up among her white, wealthy peers. And now next to her successful, child-free friends. From the tiny rented flat she lives in with her family, she imagines being the kind of woman who owns the beautiful house across the street.
Then Natalie moves in. With her expensive clothes, adoring husband and high-powered job, she has everything Rani wants, and Rani can’t help but be drawn to her new neighbour.
But as the two women strike up a friendship and begin open up, Rani wonders – is Natalie’s perfect-seeming life too good to be true?
My Review:
Her is a gripping , intriguing read from a new author for me. It’s going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.
The story is told from the point of view of two women Rani and Natalie. Rani is married with two children, stuck in a cramped flat she doesn’t like and trying to get a job but facing constant rejection. Natalie is the seemingly perfect woman who moves into Rani’s dream house opposite her flat. It was very interesting getting to know the two women and discovering more about their backgrounds. It quickly becomes apparent that everything is not quite how it seems and that the two women are hiding a few secrets.
I thought this book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me interested. It is a bit of a slow burn but do keep going as it soon becomes very interesting indeed. I enjoyed the slow drip of information as we discover more about Natalie and her past which I found very intriguing. I had quite a few guesses about what was going on but was ultimately wrong about all of them.
The ending was brilliant especially as I didn’t see the twist coming which is unusual for me.
Huge thanks to Alainna for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Mira V Shah is a writer, former City lawyer turned legal editor and the proud owner of three good dogs. She is the daughter of Indian African parents and lives in North London with her husband and the pack – merely a few miles from where she grew up, although she often dreams about retiring in Italy should her intermittent lottery entries prove successful.
She wrote her first ever novel in 2020 during the first UK lockdown after studying on the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course. HER is forthcoming from Hodder & Stoughton in March ‘23 (e-book and audio) and November ‘23 (paperback).
Joe loves predictability. But his life is about to become a surprising adventure.
Joe-Nathan likes the two parts of his name separate, just like his dinner and dessert. Mean Charlie at work sometimes calls him Joe-Nuthin. But Joe is far from nothing. Joe is a good friend, he’s good at his job, good at making things and good at following the rules, and he’s learning how to do lots of things by himself.
Joe’s mother knows there are a million things in life he isn’t prepared for. While she helps guide him every day, she’s also writing notebooks full of advice about the things she hasn’t told Joe yet, things he might forget and answers to questions he hasn’t yet asked.
Following her wisdom – applying it in his own unique way – this next part of Joe’s life is more of a surprise than he expects. Because he’s about to learn that remarkable things can happen when you leave your comfort zone, and that you can do even the hardest things with a little help from your friends.
My Review:
This was a beautiful written, uplifting and emotional read which will definitely be staying with me. It’s definitely up there as one of the best books I’ve ever read.
Firstly Joe was such a beautiful, innocent, lovable character that I loved following throughout the book. I warmed to him instantly and often wished I could reach into the book to give him a hug or just protect him from the world. He calls a spade a spade and I absolutely loved him for it. His relationship with his mum was beautiful to read about. I loved how she helps him and the steps she’s put in place for him to live independently.
The story has a great pace to it and I really enjoyed being absorbed into Joe’s life. He has a few hurdles to negotiate which was very emotional to read about at times. It was interesting to see how the people around him helped mould him, even the bad ones. The journey he goes on was very exciting but it was hard to see how other people judged him without knowing him. I think I went through ever emotional while reading and I felt very sad to finish the book and leave Joe behind.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Helen Fisher spent her early life in America but grew up mainly in Suffolk, England, where she now lives with her two children. She studied psychology at Westminster University and ergonomics at University College London and worked as a senior evaluator in research at the Royal National Institute of Blind People. She is the author of Faye, Faraway.
Good morning everyone today on Two For Tuesday I’m featuring two historical fiction books that I’ve received recently and am looking forward to reading.
💙 Clairmont by Lesley McDowell
🩵 Saltblood by Francesca De Tores
I love books that feature strong female characters, especially ones that I haven’t heard of so these books instantly appealed. I’m looking forward to learning more about them and more about the period the two books are set in.
If you could go back in time, what period would you want to go back to?
Clairmont by Lesley McDowell
1816. A massive volcanic eruption has caused the worst storms that Europe has seen in decades, yet Percy and Mary Shelley have chosen to visit the infamous Lord Byron at his villa on Lake Geneva. It wasn’t their idea: Mary’s eighteen year old step-sister, Claire Clairmont, insisted.
But the reason for Claire’s visit is more pressing than a summer escape with the most famous writers in the world. She’s pregnant with Byron’s child – a child Byron doesn’t want, and scarcely believes is his own.
Claire has the world in her grasp. This trip should have given her everything she ever dreamed of. But within days, her life will be in ruins.
History has all but forgotten her story – but she will not be silenced.
Salt Blood by Francesca De Tores
In a rented room outside Plymouth in 1685, a daughter is born as her half-brother is dying. Her mother makes a decision: Mary will become Mark, and Ma will continue to collect his inheritance money.
Mary’s dual existence as Mark will lead to a role as a footman in a grand house, serving a French mistress; to the navy, learning who to trust and how to navigate by the stars; and to the army and the battlegrounds of Flanders, finding love among the bloodshed and the mud. But none of this will stop Mary yearning for the sea.
Drawn back to the water, Mary must reinvent herself yet again, for a woman aboard a ship is a dangerous thing. This time Mary will become something more dangerous than a woman.
She will become a pirate.
Breathing life into the Golden Age of Piracy, Saltblood is a wild adventure, a treasure trove, weaving an intoxicating tale of gender and survival, passion and loss, journeys and transformation, through the story of Mary Read, one of history’s most remarkable figures.
Good morning everyone today’s Match Your Mug Monday comes courtesy of my kids who pointed out that this new series I bought matched my rainbow mug! It does, though we are missing a yellow book ..
This series keeps getting recommended on here and when I found it at the works on their 3 for £6 offer I thought I’d take the chance and buy it. As mentioned in a previous post romance books are my go to when I’m in a slump or finding it hard to find time to read so I’m sure I’ll get to these soon.
I’ve got the day off today and I’m hoping to do a little bit of housework and then finish my book for a blog tour tomorrow. I’m currently reading Joe Nuthin’s Guide To Life which I’m really enjoying.
Do you read romance books? If so what’s your favourite series?
Good morning everyone and happy Sunday. Here are some of the fantastic looking books I’ve added to my tbr pile this week:
❤️ Butter by Asako Yuzuki 🧡The Guernsey Girls by Mary Wood 💛 Murder On The Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict * 💚The Woman On The Ledge by Ruth Mancini 💙Sunny by Colin O’Sullivan 🩵Clairmont by Lesley McDowell 💜The Christmas Wish by Lesley Kelly* 🩷The Final Hours Of Muriel Hinchcliffe by Claire Parkin ❤️ Annie Bot by Sierra Greer 🧡Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne 💛One Of The Good Guys by Araminta Hall 💚The 12 Days Of Murder by Andreina Cordani* 💙The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict* 🩵 Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross *
The books marked with a star are ones I bought the rest were kindly sent to me by the tagged publishers. I’ve already started reading Divine Rivals and I’m really enjoying it so far.
I’m working today which I always love. I have a new display idea on my mind so I might see how practical it is in a quiet moment. I’m then hoping to come home to read for a little bit after I’ve helped the kids with their spellings and homework.
Good morning everyone and happy weekend! I was tagged to do the Barista Challenge by the lovely @mrs_hs_favourite_books. Frustratingly I couldn’t find some of the books so not all of my answers are in the picture sadly.
☕Expresso: Favourite Dark Book
I don’t tend to read too dark a book as I have a vivid imagination and tend to get nightmares. I once had nightmares for a week from watching just the advert for the film IT. I tend to prefer gothic thrillers or Dark Window. My favourite books are The Ghost Wood by C.J Cooke, The Last Girl To Die by Helen Field and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo.
☕Flat White: A Book With Good Spice
The Icebreaker series in some of the spiciest books I’ve read and I highly recommend them as they have a great storyline and characters in them too. The Lovelight Farm series is also good and I also loved Wanderlust by Elle Everhart too.
☕ Cappuccino: A Palette Cleanser
I love to reread My (Extra) Ordinary Life as I absolutely love Alice and the story is just brilliant. I also like to reread I May Be Wrong when I’m feeling down or anxious as it helps calm me down and gives me some more perspective on things.
☕ Pumpkin Spice Latte: A Comfort Hug
Hee hee I had to choose The Pumpkin Spice Cafe for this one. I so wish I could live or at least visit Dream Harbour as it sounds like such a great place to live. I’d love to go to the cafe, join the bookclub and attend all their wonderful sounding festivals!
☕ Frappe: Comfort Genre
Romance books or dual timeline historical fiction
☕Cafe Au Lait: A New To You Author
I’ve been hearing lots of great things about Rebecca Ross’s books and I finally took the plunge and ordered myself a copy. I’m only a few chapters into Divine Rivals but I already know I’m going to love her and I’m resisting the urge to buy everything she’s ever written!
I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to take part but, as always, no pressure.
Good evening everyone I was very excited to receive a copy of this intriguing looking book sent to my work. It sounds brilliant and I look forward to reading it soon.
Huge thanks to the publisher and Indie Thinking for sending me this book.
Out 29th February 2024.
Is this one on your radar?
Book Synopsis:
The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story.
There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine
Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press, entertaining no visitors. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back.
Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?
Inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, “The Konkatsu Killer”, Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.
About The Author:
Asako Yuzuki was born in Tokyo in 1981. She won the All Yomimono Award for New Writers for her story, ‘Forget Me, Not Blue’, which appeared in her debut, Shuuten No Anoko, published in 2010. She won the Yamamoto Shūgorō Award in 2015 for Nile Perch No Joshikai. She has been nominated multiple times for the Naoko Prize, and her novels have been adapted for television, radio and film.
A story of love tested to its limits by moral dilemmas, and the beauty and fragility of childhood friendships.
1964 ― Karachi, Pakistan. Rozeena will lose her home ― her parents’ safe haven since fleeing India and the terrors of Partition ― if her medical career doesn’t take off soon. But success may come with at a price. Meanwhile the interwoven lives of her childhood best friends ― Haaris, Aalya, and Zohair ― seem to be unraveling with each passing day. The once small and inconsequential differences between their families’ social standing now threaten to divide them. Then one fateful night someone ends up dead and the life they once took for granted shatters.
2019 ― Rozeena receives a call from a voice she never thought she’d hear again. What begins as an request to look after a friend’s teenaged granddaughter grows into an unconventional friendship ― one that unearths buried secrets and just might ruin everything Rozeena has worked so hard to protect.
Captivating and atmospheric, Under the Tamarind Tree shows us the high-stakes ripple effects of generational trauma, and the lengths people will go to safeguard the ones they love.
My Review:
Under The Tamarind Tree is a beautifully written, gripping read about a fascinating period of history.
Firstly I loved the setting of this book which the author helps bring to live with her really vivid descriptions. I felt like I was actually there in Pakistan following the four friends, seeing everything they did. I hadn’t read much about about Partition so found it fascinating to learn more about that period. It was very emotional though to read about the riots and see the daily struggles they caused people.
The story is told in two timelines one set in 1964 follows Rozee and her friends as the live through the difficult period of Partition. The other is set in 2019 and follows Rozee, now living in America, who gets a call from Haaris to ask if she’ll look after his teenage granddaughter for him. Unusually for me I actually enjoyed both storylines equally and enjoyed watching the two unfold. It was especially beautiful to see the friendship between Rozee and Zara, the granddaughter, develope as the two grow closer.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from her in the future. I was soon absorbed into the story and into the characters lives. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and it was very intriguing watching the two timelines grow closer untill all the secrets are revealed.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Born in Karachi, Pakistan, Nigar Alam spent her childhood in Turkey, Nigeria, Italy, Kenya, Indonesia and the United States before returning to Karachi. With an MBA and CPA, she has worked in both brand management and auditing. Currently, Alam teaches at Anoka-Ramsey Community College and lives with her family in Minnesota.
London, 1954. Zina Pavlou, a Cypriot grandmother, waits quietly in the custody of the Metropolitan police. She can’t speak their language, but she understands what their wary looks mean: she has been accused of the brutal murder of her daughter-in-law.
Eva Georgiou, Greek interpreter for the Met, knows how it feels to be voiceless as an immigrant woman. While she works as Zina’s translator, her obsession with the case deepens, and so too does her bond with the accused murderer.
Zina can’t speak for herself. She can’t clear her own name. All she can do is wait for the world to decide…
IS SHE A VICTIM? OR IS SHE A KILLER?
A compelling historical crime novel set in the Greek diaspora of 1950s London – that’s inspired by a true story – The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou is perfect for fans of Erin Kelly, Sara Collins, and Jessie Burton.
My Review:
The Unspeakable Acts Of Zina Pavlou is a gripping, powerful and thought provoking read that will stay with me. I finished this book a few weeks ago and I’m still thinking about it.
The book is told in two main timelines. One set in the present day follows Zina and her interpreter Eva after the murder and through the trial, the other flashes back to events before the murder. I thought the main character Zina was a very sympathetic character, despite all the derogatory language and public opinion used against her in the book. I felt very sorry for her as I thought she had had a hard life and that not all aspects of the case were considered before the trial. Eva was another great character who I enjoyed following throughout the book. I liked that she cared about Zina as I felt she needed someone on her side. It’s very poignant to see how helpless she is though and how much the case effect her.
This book lays bear a lot of prejudice that was around at the time of this trial. As one of the police men themselves noted maybe she’d have been given a different type of trial had she been prettier or from a better social class. It often made my blood boil to see how unfairly she was treated because of her background and made me wonder how differently her trial might have been if it took place today.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to everyone. I thought the book had great pace to it and there is an underlying feeling of unease throughout the story that ensured I kept reading. This story is based on a real case and I highly recommend not googling it until after you’ve read this book as the outcome is the same as the real life case. Despite this I kept hoping the ending of this book would be different and Zina would get the happy ending I think she deserved.
Huge thanks to Head Of Zeus for my copy of this book via my job at Rossiter books. If you’re looking for a slightly different but gripping true crime book then I highly recommend this book.
About The Author:
My parents travelled from Cyprus to England separately in the 1950s, met and – after knowing each other a few weeks – got married. It always struck me as a brave move to come here, especially for my mother who was a 26-year-old seamstress from a rural background, with no English. My parents’ story was a happy one; they married, had a much better life than they could have dreamt of in Cyprus, had my sister, then me and, though times were often hard, they never questioned that coming here had been the right thing to do.
But I’ve often wondered what would have happened if they’d fallen in with the wrong people, or taken a wrong turn? This is that story.
Myself, I’ve never quite felt completely British or Cypriot, but I’ve always felt a Londoner. I grew up in Camden, then Elephant & Castle, Finsbury Park, Tottenham and I now live in Ealing. So I’ve lived north, south and west. East London is like another country to me.
I grew up always knowing I was different. This was confirmed by everyone I met, from classmates to strangers and teachers. I had a funny name for a start, and I read too much. I had parents who hardly spoke any English and shoved koftes and halloumi into my packed lunches (1970s Elephant & Castle was still reeling from the wonders of instant hot chocolate). And then there was the red hair – an aberration that confounded everyone.
Today, I’m an award-winning editor and journalist and my writing has appeared in many publications, including the Guardian, the Observer, Marie Claire, Red and Stella. I’ve written on a wide range of topics including adoption, relationships, travel, self-development, the arts and women’s health. I’ve also edited national magazines and am now a freelance writer/editor.
Over The Rainbow Blog 