Book Synopsis:

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake is the runaway TikTok sensation – the must-read fantasy novel of the year. If you loved Ninth House and A Deadly Education, you’ll love this. The book includes gorgeous new illustrations.

Secrets. Betrayal. Seduction.
Welcome to the Alexandrian Society.

When the world’s best magicians are offered an extraordinary opportunity, saying yes is easy. Each could join the secretive Alexandrian Society, whose custodians guard lost knowledge from ancient civilizations. Their members enjoy a lifetime of power and prestige. Yet each decade, only six practitioners are invited – to fill five places.

Contenders Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona are inseparable enemies, cosmologists who can control matter with their minds. Parisa Kamali is a telepath, who sees the mind’s deepest secrets. Reina Mori is a naturalist who can perceive and understand the flow of life itself. And Callum Nova is an empath, who can manipulate the desires of others. Finally there’s Tristan Caine, whose powers mystify even himself.

Following recruitment by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they travel to the Society’s London headquarters. Here, each must study and innovate within esoteric subject areas. And if they can prove themselves, over the course of a year, they’ll survive. Most of them.

The story continues in The Atlas Paradox, the heart-stopping sequel.

My Review:

I’d heard lots of great things about this book so was very intrigued about it and knew I had to read it soon. As a huge Harry Potter fan I love anything to do with magic so this book instantly appealed.

The book does start off a little slowly as the author sets the scene but I soon found myself drawn into the fascinating world of the society and the intriguing situation the character’s find themselves in. The different magic or abilities of the characters was very different and I enjoyed learning more about them.

I loved all the characters and it was good getting to know more about them as the book continued. They all have very different reasons for wanting to be involved in the society, which were interesting to find out more about and made me keep changing my opinion of them. My favourite character was Libby or Rhodes as she’s often called by the others. I felt sorry for her as she seemed to be underestimated or talked down to by the others and it seemed that she was always having to prove herself.

Overall I loved this book and enjoyed spending time in the fantastic world the author has created. I thought the plot was well paced and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me glued to the page. There are lots of twists and surprise reveals throughout the book which, along with the unusual magic, made it impossible to guess which way the story was going.

I’ve already bought the sequel and look forward to reading it very soon! Highly recommended by me.

About The Author:

Olivie Blake is the pseudonym of Alexene Farol Follmuth, a lover and writer of stories, many of which involve the fantastic, the paranormal, or the supernatural, but not always. More often, her works revolve around what it means to be human (or not), and the endlessly interesting complexities of life and love.​Olivie has penned several indie SFF projects, including the webtoon Clara and the Devil with illustrator Little Chmura and the viral Atlas series. As Follmuth, her young adult rom-com My Mechanical Romance releases May 2022.Olivie lives in Los Angeles with her husband and baby, where she is generally tolerated by her rescue pit bull. More on Olivie can be found at http://www.olivieblake.com.

Book Synopsis:

Before Baker Street, there was Montague.

Before partnership with a former army doctor recently returned from Afghanistan, Sherlock Holmes had but the quiet company of his own great intellect. Solitary he might be but, living as he did for the thrill of the chase, it was enough.

For a little while, at the least, it was enough. 

That is, until a client arrives at his door with a desperate plea and an invitation into a world of societal scandal and stage door dandies. Thrust deep in an all-consuming role and charged with the safe-keeping of another, Holmes must own to his limits or risk danger to others besides himself in this the case of the aluminium crutch. 

My Review:

Sherlock Holmes is an intriguing, clever read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Firstly I’m a huge fan of anything Sherlock Holmes related so I jumped at the chance to read this book. The author is clearly a Sherlock fan and I loved how vividly she describes the time period and his little personality quirks that we all know and love. The usual cleverness and showing off is there as you’d expect but I did miss Watson who I feel always manages to take the edge off Sherlock’s awkwardness.

The plot starts off a little slow as the author sets the scene but soon becomes very intriguing indeed. I loved following Sherlock as he tried to solve the case, trying to work out the clues alongside him. There were many twists and red herrings that kept me guessing y I enjoyed watching everything unravel as the story went on. My only small complaint is I wish it could have been longer as I loved being part of Sherlock’s world.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’d definitely be interested in reading more in future.

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:

M. K. Wiseman has degrees in animation/video and library science – both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Today, her office is a clutter of storyboards and half-catalogued collections of too, too many books. (But, really, is there such a thing as too many books?) When she’s not mucking about with stories, she’s off playing brač or lying in a hammock in the backyard of her Wisconsin home that she shares with her endlessly patient husband.

Good morning everyone! Today I’ve got a book Spotlight for The Book Of Eve by Meg Clothier. I’m hugely excited for this book and must admit to squealing when I received it. It sounds fantastic and that cover is simply gorgeous. I can’t wait to read this soon!

Thanks so much to the lovely Rosie from Headline for my copy of this book!

Have you got this book on your radar?

Out 2nd March 2023!

Book Synopsis:

In the name of the Father, not a word of this. Her letters are forbidden.

Beatrice is the convent’s librarian. For years, she has shunned the company of her sisters, finding solace only with her manuscripts.

Then, one carnival night, two women, bleeding and stricken, are abandoned outside the convent’s walls. Moments from death, one of them presses something into Beatrice’s hands: a bewitching book whose pages have a dangerous life of their own.

But men of the faith want the book destroyed, and a zealous preacher has tracked it to her door. Her sisters’ lives – or her obsession. Beatrice must decide.

The book’s voice is growing stronger.
An ancient power uncoils.
Will she dare to listen?

About The Author:

Meg Clothier studied Classics at Cambridge, sailed from England to Alaska and worked as a journalist in London and Moscow. She has published two historical novels, The Girl King (about Tamar, the Elizabeth I of the Caucasus) and The Empress (about a French princess caught up in the Fourth Crusade), and is currently writing a miscellany about the Great British seaside for Profile Books with her brother, Chris. She lives on the sunny side of the Quantock Hills with her husband, two children and an improbable amount of vegetables.

Book Synopsis:

St Petersburg, 1825. Imperial Russia still basks in the glory of victory over Napoleon, but in the army and elsewhere resentment is growing against serfdom and autocracy. Vasily, a pleasure loving, privileged young man, returns home from abroad expecting to embark on a glittering career. Having become entangled in an impossible love affair, he joins a conspiracy to overthrow the government. Threatened by exile to Siberia or death, he is forced to flee the Tsar’s vengeance. Vasily hopes to rebuild his life in a distant provincial town. But he cannot forget his lost love, and now finds himself pursued by a rival who aims to destroy him. Can he escape the past, mend his broken relationships and find a better way to change the world?

My Review:

Small Acts Of Kindness is a fascinating journey into a period of Russian history I didn’t know much about.

Firstly I always love learning new things so I found it very interesting to learn more about the Russian Revolution, particularly the earlier one in 1825 which I didn’t know had happened before reading this book. It was very emotional learning more about the treatment of the Serfs and how they were reduced to being slaves, denied an education or any hope of independent living.

Vasily was a very interesting character and I enjoyed following his journey through the book from a naive young man to a more mature individual. I thought he was incredibly courageous trying to fight for what he believed in despite all the dangers involved in going against the government. His relationship with Irena was lovely to read about and brought some softer moments to the book. I wish there had been a bit more about their romance in the book though maybe that would have made it into a completely different story.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to historical fiction fans. The author is clearly very knowledgeable about Russian history and I loved all the details about the Russian culture at that time. The pace of the book is a bit slow at times but I feel this was made up for by all the wonderful descriptions of Russia.

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:

Jennifer Antill studied Russian Language, Literature and Politics, at UCL SSEES, and has travelled widely in the country, often living with Russian families. She gives talks on Russian cultural topics to a wide variety of organisations. In a former life she worked in the City of London as an Investment Analyst and for eleven years served as a local councillor. Jennifer is married to Nick, has two sons and lives in Suffolk.

Book Synopsis:

It’s nearly Christmas, a time for peace and goodwill. Or maybe not.
First the house of a Spanish family of flamenco dancers is burned down, then a Dutch man is nearly battered to death with his own clogs. On the night of the carol service, at which the Worldwide Friendship Club’s choir is singing, a Scottish bagpiper is found dead. By Martha, who has come across enough dead bodies already this year to last her a lifetime.
Convinced there’s a link to the choir, Martha and best friend Lottie set out on the trail of the murderer. Their unconventional sleuthing methods land one of them in rather a lot of trouble…
‘Dead In Tune’, the sequel to ‘Hate Bale’, is an entertaining, festive cosy mystery set in rural France.

My Review:

Dead In Tune is a fun, quirky read that is perfect for reading during the festive period.

Firstly I loved the setting of this book, especially Martha’s lovely sounding farm. I’ve always day dreamed of staying on a farm (perhaps forgetting how much hard work it can be) so this setting really appealed to me. It was interesting as well to discover what it’s like being British and living in France.

I loved Martha and enjoyed following her throughout the book. Her friendship with Lottie was brilliant to read about and I loved all the banter they have together. They are very different woman but seem to compliment each other well and I loved the support they gave to each other.

The murder mystery starts off slow but soon becomes very intriguing indeed. There are lots of twists that kept me guessing and I liked that I was unable to work out who the murderer was until the end.

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:

I’m Stephanie Dagg, married to Chris for nearly 25 years and mum to Benj (19), Caiti (17) and Ruadhri (9). We live on a 75 acre farm in rural Creuse with llamas, alpacas and three lakes full of carp. We run a fishery and gite, and also a llama trekking business. We moved here in 2006 from Ireland, where we’d lived for 15 years.

Before that we lived in England. You can follow our French adventures at http://www.bloginfrance.com.I’m an English graduate (Somerville College, Oxford) and Publishing Studies postgraduate (Stirling). I began a career in publishing in 1985 as a desk editor with Hodder and Stoughton, then I deviated from the path to become a sales rep for a couple of years for some academic presses and then an accountant. This is what meeting and marrying a guy who has a job in Newcastle does for you!

Anyway, in 1992 I got back on track by becoming a freelance editor and indexer, working from home part-time around the kids. The same year we moved to Ireland.I began to write stories for Benj, and then Caiti, and I won second prize in a contest in a magazine with one of my tales. That prompted me to begin contacting publishers. I got plenty of rejections but finally hit the right place at the right time with Mentor Press and O’Brien Press in Ireland 1n 1998. For the next eight years I wrote prolifically and spent many happy hours visiting schools and libraries to do workshops with kids.Then we moved to France and I stopped writing due to sheer exhaustion. Renovating a 200 year old farm that is falling apart takes a lot of effort. But I kept a blog and diaries and I’m using those experiences now in my book about moving to and living in France. I decided late last year (2010) to relaunch my writing career, this time in the adult market. I am writing a blog is about my journey to getting published again, with a look at other books about France, the Kindle and electronic publishing and where to find good advice on the Web.

I might have been a tad ambitious with my December TBR as with three kids to prepare for Christmas, two birthdays this month (husband & youngest child) plus lots of Christmas social events I’m not sure how much time I’ll have for reading. I’m really hoping I get to read these 8 books though as I’ve heard great things about all of them.

I’m a huge fan of the Lizzie Hardwicke books so I’m excited to read Georgina Clarke’s new book Dazzle Of The Light, especially as I’ve heard great things from fellow blogger’s. I’ve been trying to keep up with the Reece’s book club reads so I’m hoping to finally read Tiny Beautiful Things this month as I’m very intrigued by the synopsis.

As a huge Agatha Christie fan Marple instantly appealed to me and I think, as it’s short stories, it might be a good book to fit in with all the rush before Christmas. Colleen Hoover has quickly become a firm favourite of mine, her books are always fantastic and another one I think will encourage me to read more this month!

I’ve heard that The Winter Garden is really magical so it seems fitting to read it this month and Sarah Morgan is always a must read at Christmas time. I’ve heard great things about Ninth House and The House In The Cerulean Sea so I really want to finish them before the end of the year. I’ve actually pre-ordered the sequel to Ninth House in the Black Friday sale so fingers crossed I like it 🤣

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read any of these?

Book Synopsis:

Welcome to The Starlings… sun, sea and neighbours to die for.

Security, a sparkling sea view and the best kind of neighbours – The Starlings gated community has it all. Here, doors are left open, children run free, and at the heart of it all is the entrepreneurial Gold Family, who first dreamed up this aspirational vision of ‘Dorset’s Safest Community’. To the outside world the popular family appears glitteringly blessed… until an idyllic party takes a dark turn and one of their number is found slumped at the foot of the clocktower. Who knows what really happened? And what answers are harboured within the old building, the former Highcap Mother and Baby Home?’

A mesmerising, character-rich thriller with a long-buried secret vibrating at its core: this is Isabel Ashdown at her heart-stopping best, for readers who enjoyed Big Little Lies, Dr Foster or Little Fires Everywhere.

My Review:

Homecoming is another intriguing, addictive thriller from a talented author. It’s going to be a difficult book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.

Firstly I loved the setting of this book in a gated apartment block which has a dark past as it used to be a Mother and Baby home. As the story progresses and we learn more about what happens there this helps contribute to the atmosphere in the book. I found it very emotional to listen to some of the stories revealed and to learn more about what happened there.

The characters were all interesting creations that I enjoyed following throughout the book. I don’t think I warmed to any of them particularly as none of them were very likeable but I soon found myself thoroughly intrigued by them. They all seemed to be hiding something and I found I wanted to keep reading to find out what their secrets were.

Overall I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future. This isn’t a very fast paced book but it is highly addictive and I often found myself trying to read just one more chapter as I was so intrigued by what was going on. The author does a great job of slowly revealing all the secrets and keeping me guessing until the end.

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

About The Author:

Isabel Ashdown is the author of nine novels, including her Amazon Bestseller LITTLE SISTER and award winning debut GLASSHOPPER. Two of her novels have been shortlisted in the prestigious Dead Good Reader Awards, and in several translations her dark family dramas continue to hook readers across the globe. Her recent ‘ingenious thriller’ (Sunday Times) 33 WOMEN was an Amazon Bestseller within its first month of sale, and her latest HOMECOMING is out now in eBook and audio (paperback June 2023).

Isabel was born in London, grew up on the Sussex coast, and now spends much of her time in a writing cabin in Dorset. She is a full-time novelist, a Royal Literary Fund associate and an occasional creative writer tutor and festival speaker.

You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or via her newsletter at http://www.isabelashdown.com

Book Synopsis:

The Orphanage Girls reunite in the second installment of a moving saga series about an orphanage in London’s East End, from the bestselling author of The Jam Factory Girls, Mary Wood.

Ellen
Abandoned by her father for the second time, left scarred from the orphanage, Ellen finally finds happiness and hope – reunited with her long-lost gran. But it cannot compensate for being torn apart from her beloved friends Ruth and Amy. When a devastating encounter leaves Ellen broken and desperate, she is forced to fight her past demons.

Ruth
Ruth has found peace, building a new life as an actress surrounded by new friends. But still, she longs to be with Ellen and Amy after everything they endured together in the orphanage. Amy was shipped to Canada with hundreds of other orphans, what hope have they of finding her?
One wish comes true when Ruth’s acting career leads her to Ellen. No sooner has the dust settled, war is on the horizon. Friendship locked them into each other’s her hearts forever.

Will they find Amy? Can The Orphanage Girls ever unite?

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this author and always look forward to another book from her. This was another gritty, emotional and heartwarming read that I really enjoyed.

Firstly I really liked The Orphanage Girls and had been hoping for a sequel as I wanted to find out what happened to them. It was great to see where life has taken them and to see that their wonderful relationship had managed to endure their separation. The two girls are incredibly close and I loved reading about how they support each other in difficult times.

The story is told from the point of view of Ellen and Ruth which I liked as it was good to get to know more about the girls. Although I did enjoy Ruth’s story it was Ellen’s story that I found most intriguing. Not much was known about mental health problems in the early 1900’s and I found it heartbreaking to see Ellen struggle. Some of societies attitudes towards Ellen was hard to read about and I found myself feeling very grateful that things have improved.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and hope there is more to come in this fantastic series. The author has clearly done her research and I felt completely transported to prewar London, experiencing everything alongside the girls. This is quite a gritty read as the author doesn’t sugar coat what it would have been like for the girls and there were moments I cried and moments that I celebrated with them. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

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

About The Author:

Born in Maidstone, Kent, in 1945, the thirteenth child of fifteen children, Mary’s family settled in Leicestershire after the war ended.

Mary married young and now, after 54 years of happy marriage, four children, 12 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, Mary and her husband live in Blackpool, United Kingdom during the summer and Spain during the winter – a place that Mary calls, ‘her writing retreat’.

After many jobs from cleaning to catering, all chosen to fit in with bringing up her family, and boost the family money-pot, Mary ended her 9 – 5 working days as a Probation Service Officer, a job that showed her another side to life, and which influences her writing, bringing a realism and grittiness to her novels

Mary first put pen to paper, in 1989, but it wasn’t until 2010 that she finally found some success by self-publishing on kindle.

Being spotted by an editor at Pan Macmillan in 2013, finally saw Mary reach her publishing dream.

When not writing, Mary enjoys family time, reading, eating out, and gardening. One of her favourite pastimes is interacting with her readers on her Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/HistoricalNovels

And on her web page: http://www.authormarywood.com

She is also on Twitter: @Authormary

Mary welcomes all contact with her readers and feedback on her work.

Good morning everyone and happy Sunday!

My youngest has a birthday party this morning and then I’m hoping to read some more of the fabulous My Husband’s Killer by Laura Marshall before we put up our Christmas tree! Arguments about whose turn it is to put the star on the tree has already began….

What are you plans today?

Book Synopsis:

Three couples. One murder. A holiday to die for . . .

We arrived at a villa on the Amalfi Coast, ready to enjoy a sun-soaked weekend with our oldest friends – and one new face.

By the end of the weekend, my husband is found dead.

But how can I mourn him, when on the day of his funeral I discover he was having an affair?

The only suspects are the women we went on holiday with. My oldest, closest friends.

I really want to dig into my husband’s secret? Do I really want to know who betrayed me?

📚 Favourite November Reads!

I’ve read some amazing books this month. It’s become my routine to put the kids to bed and snuggle up to read with a cup of tea or a glass of wine. These were some of my favourite reads from November:

⭐Cat Lady by Dawn O’Porter
⭐ Dawnlands by Philippa Gregory
⭐ The Sanctuary by Emma Haughton
⭐ Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

⭐My Life In France by Julia Child

⭐ The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan

⭐ Jacqueline In Paris by Ann Mah

⭐ One Woman’s War by Christine Wells

What was your favourite November Read?