tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54178482289884629542024-03-16T17:34:48.333+00:00Little Write SpaceA little place to write, some space to reflect, think and shareAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751787113939241674noreply@blogger.comBlogger182125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-3896950005105239322024-03-16T17:34:00.000+00:002024-03-16T17:34:05.240+00:00Jericho's Dead by William Hussey<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjpPJsLSb73JA78-8wVzrW4Nt2QGDTUfbvPUWzB98j3gAtmqZsgb1V6FkiepCDnDxGiPiclYZGsB7Hu3v8eVAc6e_RhGFlcxRtzxhS53fUsHRULW1JegmATX2aZDLG19wwJ750D-1cvnaiwgmQ12KaTx2gp7F6biq3_d4xK77XV6IAphmX6vixoxKuu82/s391/IMG_1860.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjpPJsLSb73JA78-8wVzrW4Nt2QGDTUfbvPUWzB98j3gAtmqZsgb1V6FkiepCDnDxGiPiclYZGsB7Hu3v8eVAc6e_RhGFlcxRtzxhS53fUsHRULW1JegmATX2aZDLG19wwJ750D-1cvnaiwgmQ12KaTx2gp7F6biq3_d4xK77XV6IAphmX6vixoxKuu82/s320/IMG_1860.png" width="209" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">There's a thrill in discovering a book that's part of a series, promising a reunion with characters you want to spend more time with. This was my experience when I started reading Killing Jericho and, soon after, the sequel, Jericho's Dead. In these books, we delve into the life of Scott Jericho, a troubled and flawed character who is also a traveller and ex-police detective - an unusual combination. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">As someone who grew up by the seaside, the allure of the fair is strong. Within the grit and glitz of the fairground, we meet Scott for the first time. He has to get his life back on track when he is pulled into unravelling a series of gruesome murders and confronting a past nemesis. After the thrill ride of the chase, the ending was totally unexpected, as was the rationale for the murders, and I was hooked and keen for more.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The second book, Jericho's Dead, finds Scott investigating murders within the psychic world after a fortune teller he is close to is found dead. William Hussey had me at Halloween and fortune tellers and I was once again following in Scott's footsteps as he unravelled the mystery of these deaths and who was behind them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I can't wait for book 3. I love a character I can get behind, and Scott Jericho is definitely that man. I'm excited to find out where William Hussey will take us next.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-44827722642462874072023-10-13T15:36:00.002+01:002023-10-13T15:40:34.687+01:00The Black Feathers by Rebecca Netley<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLA0IlvYU5wfgT3NUKMKw8cZsZwPHwnYAPtnmSqeStagzHSoNLmmBzTz9_CefkpsYM632msY_lE-wX822ZfAIj1Sl6y-F9AJRENl7Mn7qEXMvJ5EnPkA9Z42fFSSY-STTb3T5VNELPNLdUmvq73Y5McFBM_fnZU9fw-ExkNjM1xmZdx_jIbXoF7nuFryJA/s410/IMG_0915.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLA0IlvYU5wfgT3NUKMKw8cZsZwPHwnYAPtnmSqeStagzHSoNLmmBzTz9_CefkpsYM632msY_lE-wX822ZfAIj1Sl6y-F9AJRENl7Mn7qEXMvJ5EnPkA9Z42fFSSY-STTb3T5VNELPNLdUmvq73Y5McFBM_fnZU9fw-ExkNjM1xmZdx_jIbXoF7nuFryJA/s320/IMG_0915.png" width="199" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">October is one of my favourite reading months. Autumn and Winter shout Gothic, and the bookshop shelves are filled with books with darker-coloured covers and even darker themes. You can imagine my excitement when I discovered that Rebecca Netley was publishing a new book to be released on the 12th of October entitled The Black Feathers. I loved The Whistling and so couldn't wait to drop deep into the pages of this new book. And in no way was I disappointed. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I'll never lose interest in reading books featuring big gothic mansions filled with secrets and aspects of the past that often don't want to remain there. The Black Feathers absolutely feeds my addiction.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Here's the blurb about the book:</span></p><p><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; font-weight: 800;">Where ghosts tread, black feathers fall . . .</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px;">When Annie marries widower Edward Stonehouse and arrives at Guardbridge, his estate on the Yorkshire moors, she thinks she has finally put darkness behind her.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;">She is mistaken . . .</i><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px;">Edward's sister, Iris, still lives in the family home. A taxidermist and medium, she urges Annie to watch out for black feathers - claiming that they mark the spot where a spirit has visited.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px;">At first, Annie dismisses her warnings. But, before long, an eerie almost </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;">haunting</i><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px;"> feeling takes over her.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px;">What exactly happened to Edward's first wife? Why is Iris so disturbed?</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px;">And should Annie be watching for signs from the dead - or rather is </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;">she</i><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px;"> the one being watched?</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;" /><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; font-weight: 800;">SET ON THE YORKSHIRE MOORS IN THE 1800S, <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">THE BLACK FEATHERS </i>IS A GHOSTLY TALE OF MAGIC AND WICKEDNESS.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I mean, come on - what's not to love about that. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This book is proper creepy, and some shades of 'Rebecca' by Du Maurier are here with Annie living in the house and estate where Edward's now dead first wife and son lived. Edward is often away, leaving her in the company of Iris (Edward's sister) and her companion. There are also secrets and seances and strange goings on a plenty. It's a perfect read for this time of year. Light a fire, make a nice hot cup of tea and settle in. Because once you start this, you'll want to keep going to find out what the heck is happening.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I loved The Whistling, but Rebecca Netley has delivered an even more eerie, atmospheric tale in her latest book with a compelling and vulnerable main character, Annie, who has her own secrets to guard.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Highly recommended to all who love a gothic ghostly tale.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-60770176010241231702023-09-27T09:20:00.004+01:002023-09-27T09:23:29.668+01:00The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqyCzj_9KCACmW1OmTW8ZHZ-SD1BjVELljlwk8z64b8UNxxvj2-8rgu1oqFLaG67L8pb35mPfwU6wpPnuUm5PPQvnPUoGu5wnjSs_vqRI9Vgd4ENV7qnl5-C57evS0mRQwpn1TjafvyQK8t9qUXoYfT11oRCnorL7heC2Et5UAMdGghgwhKmKWuWhmkiJ/s394/IMG_0828.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqyCzj_9KCACmW1OmTW8ZHZ-SD1BjVELljlwk8z64b8UNxxvj2-8rgu1oqFLaG67L8pb35mPfwU6wpPnuUm5PPQvnPUoGu5wnjSs_vqRI9Vgd4ENV7qnl5-C57evS0mRQwpn1TjafvyQK8t9qUXoYfT11oRCnorL7heC2Et5UAMdGghgwhKmKWuWhmkiJ/s320/IMG_0828.png" width="207" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I'd been feeling unwell, and this book was the perfect antidote. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I totally fell in love with Jo, Reverend Ruth and Malcolm and couldn't wait to read more each day to explore their friendship and backstories. The stationery shop setting pushed all my buttons being a stationery addict, and I loved how the author included details on fountain pens, inks and notebooks and how these items introduced the cast of characters. The pinboard in the shop also made me smile.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I also enjoyed the exploration of friendship, beginning over and finding your place in the world, and the repeat of a place for everything and everything in its place worked for me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I'm heading off to read Sally Page's first novel now and will certainly look out for more from her.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This is a warm hug of a book. Comforting, reassuring, and I don't mind sharing that I cried a little at the end.</span></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-32375139290119448172023-06-21T07:45:00.000+01:002023-06-21T07:45:09.966+01:00The Witching Tide By Margaret Meyer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXoCFZHU07v49vfUjKGN5ppgtkazINl2pTLjL16ArMqH251qk6SSPTQQcsD2-Yipdy4SgilaqMibStjfCSj4YmVErYSQGuDjsBp15gFoGomYsv879IXojNXKs1V48wbnmvbORmIKCUiDIEQzO1tW3u3wBskDJzjQCXHMiK-ygBa7GmR0d5XXKI0C2Jc3z/s4032/IMG_0217.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXoCFZHU07v49vfUjKGN5ppgtkazINl2pTLjL16ArMqH251qk6SSPTQQcsD2-Yipdy4SgilaqMibStjfCSj4YmVErYSQGuDjsBp15gFoGomYsv879IXojNXKs1V48wbnmvbORmIKCUiDIEQzO1tW3u3wBskDJzjQCXHMiK-ygBa7GmR0d5XXKI0C2Jc3z/s320/IMG_0217.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">You may have noticed that there are a lot of books about witches available right now, some based on historical witch hunts that took place. The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer is one of these books. It is inspired by the events of the East Anglian witch hunt in 1645-7, in which more than 100 innocent women lost their lives.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">If I may draw on a rather unusual analogy, this book is like a Victoria Sponge cake. It has different layers, each adding a component that makes it whole. The main story is the sponge, although it's certainly not light and fluffy. But it is the bulk of the recipe and needs to work. Once you add jam and cream, the whole thing becomes complete.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">When I started reading, I believed this book would be like others in the same genre. A witch hunt, a focus on one main character (Martha) and her involvement in the events of the time. And it is that. But it is also so much more. In terms of the witch hunt, it is a harrowing yet compelling story. The author does not gloss over or avert your eyes from the horror of what takes place, and many women were condemned based on neighbours turning against one another, often to settle their own petty grievances or jealousies or to turn the attention away from themselves. </span><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Elements of the story made me cry, but mostly they made me angry over the unfairness of it all. Angry over the fact that these women died over such minor insignificant issues and were killed under the authority of one man. Martha is put in an impossible position during the witch hunt, trying her best to help the other women but also putting them and herself in danger over using a Poppet, a wax witching doll she got from her mother. This element adds a component of dark magic to the story.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">When you lift that story layer underneath, you find the jam - the red fruit that bleeds into the sponge, without which the cake would be incomplete. This layer is the rich themes that arise from the story and writing. In my opinion, these were associated with loss but were also about friendships and hardships shared by women. There is the </span><span style="font-family: Avenir;">physical loss depicted by Martha losing her mother, which is frequently referred to, giving us the sense that Martha has never recovered from the grief of this. On top of that, we realise the sacrifices Martha has made. She is an older woman - a midwife, servant and healer helping other women to have their babies yet has none of her own. She is a loyal servant but at the cost of not getting married and giving over her life to Kit and his wife. She is a healer yet unable to heal herself and her inability to speak. She is never heard. She has many opinions but is not able to speak them out loud. How many women feel this way? How many women stay quiet rather than voice their views, concerned about the consequences of speaking up? </span><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> Elements of this book spoke to the deep core of what it's like to be a woman and how we turn to other women in times of need.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">And finally, there's the cream, the part that cements everything together. The writing is beautiful. </span><span style="font-family: Avenir;">There were sentences I read repeatedly, and the way the setting and, in particular, the sea is captured as a backdrop to the horrors in the village is wonderfully done. I grew up in East Anglia, and small details took me there. In addition to the setting, the authenticity of the historical elements is delivered just right. I believe it had the right balance of not being too much or too little.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">If I had to summarise my views on this book, it wouldn't necessarily be my favourite book of the year. It's not an easy read and has some harrowing content. That said, it will likely be the one I think about most. It has many layers and will appeal to different readers based on their age and life experiences. I've already recommended it to others, and I'm sure will continue to do so.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">5 stars - Margaret Meyer is one to watch. I can't wait to read her next book.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-34675302585993454102023-05-26T13:42:00.010+01:002023-05-26T13:48:17.098+01:00Fyneshade by Kate Griffin<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04aohswK7fiAp8kPHqvYe0mcwdCoVTjlm3r_sNYv4KHic3LmbvGsychW-8Dc5pteHFQJIYKm35OABtewD7TRWplccfccHxU1paTNa9URwLGNwKkWm4b4zBIv9GC0KYaivkCsDjdwotI61y98kV4KVlfAyh2wHH-Kh7lcuRdRrkdDmTvHCkLYm2BO-Iw/s391/IMG_0125.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04aohswK7fiAp8kPHqvYe0mcwdCoVTjlm3r_sNYv4KHic3LmbvGsychW-8Dc5pteHFQJIYKm35OABtewD7TRWplccfccHxU1paTNa9URwLGNwKkWm4b4zBIv9GC0KYaivkCsDjdwotI61y98kV4KVlfAyh2wHH-Kh7lcuRdRrkdDmTvHCkLYm2BO-Iw/s320/IMG_0125.png" width="209" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">In my opinion, there simply can't be enough books about governesses being placed with their young charges in gothic manor houses. If you add that the said governess, in this case, Marta, is someone who has been discarded by their family due to behaviour that may bring shame to their door and who has a machiavellian nature and a penchant for casting spells, then the story gets even more interesting.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Here's the blurb:</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Many would find much to fear in Fyneshade's dark and crumbling corridors, its unseen master and silent servants. But not I. For they have far more to fear from me... On the day of her beloved grandmother's funeral, Marta discovers that she is to become governess to the young daughter of Sir William Pritchard. Separated from her lover and discarded by her family, Marta has no choice but to journey to Pritchard's ancient and crumbling house, Fyneshade, in the wilds of Derbyshire. All is not well at Fyneshade. Marta's pupil, little Grace, can be taught nothing, and Marta takes no comfort from the silent servants who will not meet her eye. More intriguing is that Sir William is mysteriously absent, and his son and heir Vaughan is forbidden to enter the house. Marta finds herself drawn to Vaughan, despite the warnings of the housekeeper that he is a danger to all around him. But Marta is no innocent to be preyed upon. Guided by the dark gift taught to her by her grandmother, she has made her own plans. And it will take more than a family riven by murderous secrets to stop her...</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I raced through this book. It's full of things I love, including atmospheric writing, a fabulous gothic setting, some ghostly goings-on, casting spells and many, many secrets, which I'll leave you to discover. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">At the end, I wanted to rush ahead and find out if I thought what was coming was coming! The author certainly did a great job of building tension here and keeping me on tenterhooks about Marta's future. I'd love to be able to hold my readers in that same way, building and building but keeping the reveal just out of reach. Great job.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I'll definitely be recommending this one to my gothic-loving friends and would happily read more by Kate Griffin.</span></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-47485082956453478002023-05-19T14:13:00.002+01:002023-05-19T14:27:35.233+01:00Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang<p><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjmmOS-a65htdSYKjqXYLiqFazKhuAmcC62uJtGpnoU7EW_39KDxKtBodjGMB4ZMCsgiuwobT94zTjG5Gbb-DKdOvSuAU4DxIlwCubVF6oK-ebqTC1kAHLGu-zphygsIJL0wkp-jv7PgpbX7XVAV03id476eM5_HjgYhcrAva7lOuXQYuKWTqKGey2g/s393/IMG_0095.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjmmOS-a65htdSYKjqXYLiqFazKhuAmcC62uJtGpnoU7EW_39KDxKtBodjGMB4ZMCsgiuwobT94zTjG5Gbb-DKdOvSuAU4DxIlwCubVF6oK-ebqTC1kAHLGu-zphygsIJL0wkp-jv7PgpbX7XVAV03id476eM5_HjgYhcrAva7lOuXQYuKWTqKGey2g/s320/IMG_0095.png" width="208" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">What might happen if someone who seems to have it all in the publishing world suddenly dies, giving you access to their latest unseen, unpublished manuscript? </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">In Yellowface, we find out.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">June Hayward has mediocre success with her book, while her friend (although I write this in the loosest of terms) is riding high on the waves of popularity and success in the publishing world. When Athena Liu dies in a freak accident, and June is present, June decides to take the manuscript, polish it and then submit it. The book becomes a massive success, and June begins to enjoy the spoils of being in the publishing spotlight.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">However, things start to unravel step by step, and June has to continue to cover her tracks and assume an identity that is not hers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This is a harrowing, uncomfortable read. But totally compelling. It shows the lengths someone might go when envy shows its ugly face. At times I was shouting at June to do the right thing and come clean. Instead, she continues to fall deeper and deeper into deceit and lies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I'd definitely read other books by this author.</span></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-65235974579388784202023-04-18T13:56:00.003+01:002023-04-18T13:58:19.566+01:00The Other Lives of Miss Emily White, A J Elwood<p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKT2aZW5OpCui5ainrdQYTW5Vkd8_LPhzD9Pzs7ufwBCzc8R4w_oz3akuP7tKN1pccsE1l4J22-jC3GJz5j343fD8Q8uhrBJsqHfuIPNCicZaa8UpEhZ_irBw6-IXL2QVvneSHUnXnkUpSz9vUHtK_6m2wnjwS-M4pR6W3aCz3HwdDwidIkVc7asZXw/s388/B71ECA36-39BF-45B5-91E4-B7DDD848B768.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKT2aZW5OpCui5ainrdQYTW5Vkd8_LPhzD9Pzs7ufwBCzc8R4w_oz3akuP7tKN1pccsE1l4J22-jC3GJz5j343fD8Q8uhrBJsqHfuIPNCicZaa8UpEhZ_irBw6-IXL2QVvneSHUnXnkUpSz9vUHtK_6m2wnjwS-M4pR6W3aCz3HwdDwidIkVc7asZXw/s320/B71ECA36-39BF-45B5-91E4-B7DDD848B768.png" width="210" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir; font-size: 14.4px;">This may well be my book of the year. I know it's only April, but I was captivated by Ivy's tale set in an all girl's school. Maybe like the other girls at the school, I fell under Miss White's spell. </span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Here's the blurb:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px;"><i><span style="font-family: Avenir;">1864. Banished from her parents’ farm to a boarding school for young ladies, Ivy feels utterly alone. In a crumbling and isolated seminary that has seen better days, she is shunned by the other pupils for her working-class origins, and mourns for her sister, who died not long after she was sent away.</span></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><i>Hope comes in the form of a new teacher, Miss Emily White, but almost immediately, suspicions are raised that she is not all she should be. Ivy is captivated, yet as her devotion grows, odd reports begin to circulate that Miss White has been glimpsed in the garden picking flowers whilst also teaching a class, leaving the school but stalking the halls at the same time.</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><i>As increasingly strange rumours abound, Ivy’s obsession spins out of control, and with Emily White’s future at stake, she will do anything to keep her only friend.</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I read this book in a matter of days. Had life not been in the way, I'm sure it would have been a one-sitting read. Ivy finds a new friend with shared passions when Miss White joins the school, but soon unusual things start to happen, with students saying they have seen the teacher in multiple places at the same time. It seems Miss White has a doppelganger. Ivy remains close and tries to defend her teacher and friend when the other girls close in and decide she is a harbinger of death and evil. There were moments in this book that reminded me of reading The Crucible back in my school years. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I admire the author for not only the storytelling but also the underlying elements of obsession and loneliness and the impact of not meeting societal expectations that unravel as the book draws to a close. These had me in tears. I would be proud to have written this book and would love to hear some discussion about how it was written and the history behind it. It also takes talent to write a book that has an uncanny feel to it. This is hard to capture in a short story, but to maintain this throughout an entire novel is to be applauded.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I'll be recommending this everywhere. 5 stars.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-37926715439540710322023-04-17T14:21:00.003+01:002023-04-17T14:39:52.552+01:00Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWRpZjJ5NJxXXXlZcDOasLzDeSV1-eNIFkD9IshrjK_UJSufAPzKdH1amozZbteYzJ3vYsjPdw5Xx0olmM4AwGuOwfYB8VOu5_ogjEL_nSmYLdV8_rzteHSGvB_ZT35_uDkQZSr1I1I4wBpSUCeLNCFZqoL31nuSdMQLsPtDZrhq9dzkyT6OP8RptBQ/s393/044DF573-027A-480B-AAE5-15712F8400E6.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWRpZjJ5NJxXXXlZcDOasLzDeSV1-eNIFkD9IshrjK_UJSufAPzKdH1amozZbteYzJ3vYsjPdw5Xx0olmM4AwGuOwfYB8VOu5_ogjEL_nSmYLdV8_rzteHSGvB_ZT35_uDkQZSr1I1I4wBpSUCeLNCFZqoL31nuSdMQLsPtDZrhq9dzkyT6OP8RptBQ/s320/044DF573-027A-480B-AAE5-15712F8400E6.png" width="208" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Oh, I did enjoy this. What a weird, wild ride.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Several reality game show contestants are taken to a remote island to film the end of The Catch, a reality TV show where one male contestant gets to pick the girl of his dreams. In addition, to these unlikeable characters are the producer, Casey, who is manipulating the contestants into falling out with one another to make good TV, the filming staff and a regularly drunk game show host. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The one redeeming character is Renee, who seems an unlikely choice to be there among the other girls, all of whom are keen to boost their social media followers and ratings.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">However, what they find on the island isn't the dream ending they hoped for. Or maybe it is for one character!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">If Black Mirror and King Kong had a baby, maybe the satirical horror Patricia Wants to Cuddle would be the outcome. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">As well as the tension as things ramp up on the island and among the contestants and the gore, there are some tender moments which offset some of the more horrific elements.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I imagine Samantha Allen had a lot of fun writing this book.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-79813901481465942442023-04-10T18:18:00.005+01:002023-04-10T19:11:31.256+01:00The Sharp Edge of Silence by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4j0wWtLoLY-CQsvEMgSufONGBhXFg4qevbRGlENSe5KiFEI_MhqWkjBmQvDpkS-UfF6xY7pxVdeNQf08UjrX1zvdq1Ukc3Lsj6gtp1pAuIXwEVlVoPGUkNB4iLjgYBlMIH6XVlYEUXnm_fHq4A6UtSvZDYzryGxaJ9IETtI6LUk7Bt9tSMaVaNkpXeg/s392/6C212182-6C2B-4D98-A696-D2BFE4397EDA.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4j0wWtLoLY-CQsvEMgSufONGBhXFg4qevbRGlENSe5KiFEI_MhqWkjBmQvDpkS-UfF6xY7pxVdeNQf08UjrX1zvdq1Ukc3Lsj6gtp1pAuIXwEVlVoPGUkNB4iLjgYBlMIH6XVlYEUXnm_fHq4A6UtSvZDYzryGxaJ9IETtI6LUk7Bt9tSMaVaNkpXeg/s320/6C212182-6C2B-4D98-A696-D2BFE4397EDA.png" width="208" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">A girl seeking revenge after being raped by a male student in an elite college in America is not an easy topic to write or read about. Sadly, it is a topic we are all too familiar with. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This challenging read showed the impact of the attack on the female character. The author covered this element of the story well, and I had a lot of empathy and sympathy for Quinn. Her life and identity are entirely shattered while the boy continues as if nothing has happened and treats it as another conquest. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The story unravels through different points of view, showing how other students also want to fit in with the in-crowd. Charlotte is besotted with Seb, a rowing team member, and Max can't believe his luck when he gets a chance to become a cox for the team, leaving behind his other friends. Both these characters have to decide whether to do what's right or stay loyal and close ranks like other characters in the story do to protect the boy in question.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The secret club, revealed later in the book, is horrific but also something we could easily believe to be true. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Will Colin get the comeuppance he deserves? Will Quinn get justice? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I'll let you read on to find out.</span></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-7539035172013021592023-04-10T17:15:00.010+01:002023-04-10T17:25:31.050+01:00The Wilderness Retreat by Jennifer Moore<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg39lcVrDMLQWpRSgAg2CNVwllBqqT4Zv-rZnKOuoVqSzmJ_PVZaB5sx5-7ajMjbE7A-YRTp4d588ghLTTqRkzmTeXq9Q2ENvzRFVhqdmmDYSedSzIVB6P4mvojhLdYni6vXreT8CbuqsPf5g-sbIIZ5aBDKnnfauODtqJTfKH7BKuh0g9h1-Ypmcu8w/s391/1E37E5D8-C6CA-4FD4-9F54-A42C7F4FB806.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg39lcVrDMLQWpRSgAg2CNVwllBqqT4Zv-rZnKOuoVqSzmJ_PVZaB5sx5-7ajMjbE7A-YRTp4d588ghLTTqRkzmTeXq9Q2ENvzRFVhqdmmDYSedSzIVB6P4mvojhLdYni6vXreT8CbuqsPf5g-sbIIZ5aBDKnnfauODtqJTfKH7BKuh0g9h1-Ypmcu8w/s320/1E37E5D8-C6CA-4FD4-9F54-A42C7F4FB806.png" width="209" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">When Bella drops her son at University, she heads to a retreat centre in Scandinavia, a treat paid for by her sister and the perfect opportunity to reset and think about her new life and future. The centre is beautiful, although remote. She is introduced to the other people she'll spend the week with when she arrives. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">However, strange things start to happen, including notes under her door and weird scratching in the walls. Bella grows suspicious about whether someone is deliberately targeting her. She shrugs it off, but as the week progresses, things get worse when a guest speaker invited to the centre turns out to be someone from Bella's past whom she never wanted to meet again. Add to this stormy weather and fallen trees, and we have an Agatha Christie style mystery where no one can leave the centre, and everyone falls under suspicion. Bella grows ever fearful of the other guests and which of them may wish to harm her and why. Bella's credibility is tested, and she becomes isolated and ostracised. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I won't say any more for fear of spoiling the story. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">It played out well, and I enjoyed the final reveal.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This moves along at a good pace, and I found it very entertaining.</span></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-20356016964492249232023-04-10T16:27:00.001+01:002023-04-10T16:30:42.477+01:00A Bitter Remedy by Alis Hawkins<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWvIkPN7QYccGBIIIHMaMM4ERV86hTgW4Q6jXJ8uWh-KavKKl3po2J3HO38v0dqbxlz9shfjcomsmHnbM6Xzxj5uG4MrsblX13nvyMkqdbcHqJ7xvsghkvZuXbSXuP8r5L8E-Gtxpgy1kDi__P4fhKZ-pREZqmAEq8iKo5yimIpaMtTX2uCzvz-3PYA/s392/B0E11A12-96AF-4EE7-9484-135A8F9AD0C3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWvIkPN7QYccGBIIIHMaMM4ERV86hTgW4Q6jXJ8uWh-KavKKl3po2J3HO38v0dqbxlz9shfjcomsmHnbM6Xzxj5uG4MrsblX13nvyMkqdbcHqJ7xvsghkvZuXbSXuP8r5L8E-Gtxpgy1kDi__P4fhKZ-pREZqmAEq8iKo5yimIpaMtTX2uCzvz-3PYA/s320/B0E11A12-96AF-4EE7-9484-135A8F9AD0C3.png" width="208" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This first book in the Oxford Mysteries Series introduces us to a fabulously feisty female lead, Rhiannon Vaughan (Non). Non is newly attending lectures, one of the first women to do so at the college. While at a lecture by Basil Rice, she overhears details of the death of an undergraduate Sidney Parker, when the session is interrupted. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Non and Basil form an unusual alliance to unravel the mystery of Parker's death after his guardian threatens to slur the college's reputation. Together they romp through the bigotry, misogyny and expectations of Victorian Oxford to find out what happened to Parker.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The first third of the book is a slow burn, but this is likely to ensure the set up of the characters, time and place for later books in the series. Still, once it got going, it was very entertaining. I rushed to the end, where a final twist caught me unaware and added to the story's intrigue.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">There's a lot to like about the first book in this Historical Crime Fiction series by Alis Hawkins. I'd love to read another adventure, including Non and Basil. </span></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-52033865954598442542023-03-18T16:09:00.005+00:002023-03-18T16:23:11.337+00:00Becky by Sarah May<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6bk8v3Io0bbcnpEP3yuF-OzJCq3EFZCYPV6-d8zs9zvaRy6tEgV_KcHnJqRtjhFrrYxwlFaZqfd9X1zu34-6EwOStPGZIv9hdH4yEPyVSwiRYF4zO-QIJYWP8XvaagCdBj0VWmH5SxFBT3TMz672PUpqSIJ9Hc8biG1er-Hlu1vRYEVFuCfASKIFIQ/s410/173E1871-33E9-4AA1-AE46-9F2A56D0E0C7.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6bk8v3Io0bbcnpEP3yuF-OzJCq3EFZCYPV6-d8zs9zvaRy6tEgV_KcHnJqRtjhFrrYxwlFaZqfd9X1zu34-6EwOStPGZIv9hdH4yEPyVSwiRYF4zO-QIJYWP8XvaagCdBj0VWmH5SxFBT3TMz672PUpqSIJ9Hc8biG1er-Hlu1vRYEVFuCfASKIFIQ/s320/173E1871-33E9-4AA1-AE46-9F2A56D0E0C7.png" width="199" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Becky by Sarah May is a supposed retelling of Vanity Fair by William Thackeray. I couldn't tell you if it is or if it isn't, having never read it. So I didn't go into reading this book with any expectations.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I enjoyed the story of Becky, a ruthlessly ambitious woman trying to escape her past and make her way to the top in the newspaper business. This won't be for everyone, as Becky is not a likeable character, but I found the story compelling, wondering just how long Becky could carry on this way before her actions lead to her downfall. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I also enjoyed the historical perspectives shown as we jump through time by showing different newspaper stories. Some reviewers found it challenging to know where they were time-wise as it's not always terribly clear. However, being an older reader, I remembered some of these historic moments and newspaper stories and was able to orientate myself that way most of the time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This is an interesting read, written against the backdrop of the 1990s and shows how far someone will go to make what they perceive to be a better life for themselves. It also made me want to read Vanity Fair to make comparisons.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Becky was out at the end of January 2023.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-86407621227126523652023-03-18T15:19:00.002+00:002023-03-18T15:23:43.885+00:00Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBM0J5uT2VnrouQHc9UqAojyCA1xyCx9b9-5pbA_kEUMi4L1d19XQZC3frvu-rDgQoMpogw-sVKSKzRIA8IWCgLri_OkhJe-wZnIPzf-mOBywHITfWq0JRtidJF0gVoiNe12RX_ImZ3VujrJs821bS_-HluR5Hxm7hhww0Dhaaw1ZkFqO1vcWQXq1nw/s392/1E767AC8-DD8A-42ED-B3AF-DE08ED0AFA0C.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBM0J5uT2VnrouQHc9UqAojyCA1xyCx9b9-5pbA_kEUMi4L1d19XQZC3frvu-rDgQoMpogw-sVKSKzRIA8IWCgLri_OkhJe-wZnIPzf-mOBywHITfWq0JRtidJF0gVoiNe12RX_ImZ3VujrJs821bS_-HluR5Hxm7hhww0Dhaaw1ZkFqO1vcWQXq1nw/s320/1E767AC8-DD8A-42ED-B3AF-DE08ED0AFA0C.png" width="208" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Goodness, this is a hard review to write. I'm not new to Catriona Ward's writing, having read The Last House on Needless Street and Sundial, so I was excited to receive an advance copy of her latest book Looking Glass Sound which will be published in April.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I think Looking Glass is a very apt description of this book. Once you drop into this world, you keep falling deeper and deeper. This is a book within a book within a book, and each version feels familiar and yet skewed in some way. You sort of know where you are and yet not and at times it can be challenging to keep up as it's easy to lose your footing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">How can I tell you more? It's complicated. It starts like a coming-of-age story, with what I thought were the most beautifully written characters. I totally fell in love with Wilder, Nat and Harper. They find themselves in a gorgeous, yet somewhat eerie setting. After an event occurs which I won't spoil for you, forget everything you know because the author is going to mess you up big time. This is a book about dark obsession, about not being able to let go of the past, and what it means to write a book about something you can't forget, even if the story is not yours to tell. There's horror, death, betrayal, hauntings, magic and friendship and love. Add plenty of twists and turns and also moments that make you go oh!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The writing is wonderfully dark. Catriona Ward is an inspiration to me as a writer. I'll read whatever she writes.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-77089860500440706712023-02-23T12:59:00.005+00:002023-02-23T12:59:00.168+00:00Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent<p><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8GN9h0QltZnOU-yTQmOofIyvcIj6E8jzXZs6hY3QYNmO54uGEY4CRqI2wh_EWsPAXc6s21IEzLGNSmgjPv-u8ezh3Csjv9aPl2hZa52gAkJxV3lV84Zs5a34B3xKTA_yEEyLKTk9wnNPcZUOYmfJzzBVElhrORWWiExvyPNS7ACPpOqyGv1aVcpS4A/s206/7AB5DF1E-27A3-4F4A-A2C4-4F3B21A8EC0F.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="134" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8GN9h0QltZnOU-yTQmOofIyvcIj6E8jzXZs6hY3QYNmO54uGEY4CRqI2wh_EWsPAXc6s21IEzLGNSmgjPv-u8ezh3Csjv9aPl2hZa52gAkJxV3lV84Zs5a34B3xKTA_yEEyLKTk9wnNPcZUOYmfJzzBVElhrORWWiExvyPNS7ACPpOqyGv1aVcpS4A/s1600/7AB5DF1E-27A3-4F4A-A2C4-4F3B21A8EC0F.png" width="134" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I knew immediately that I wanted to read this book from its title and cover. These things do have an impact. This book is a compelling page-turner, and I read it over a couple of days, intrigued by how things would turn out for Sally, given the nature of her past and early childhood. I was totally rooting for her, especially as she was someone who found it challenging to make change and navigate the everyday world.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The story is a dual narrative; we also learn about Steve and how he links to Sally, as well as being introduced to a whole other cast of characters that surround Sally and who are well-formed and enjoyable to read.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I found this a moving and well-constructed book and one that explores whether it's possible to overcome the psychological shackles of your past. </span></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-91585035701020399532023-02-20T16:13:00.003+00:002023-02-20T16:16:47.566+00:00Weyward by Emilia Hart<p><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZJKIx8jJRTGzrpXW7MHN-VSImc0ZMVkGtt1ae_oT3nh0g3SjGzDKb46LyRXvKwwMOBGJ2VGQczM_lpWxy3QHYvijjak4nP9CN5mZPOFX094cNK-GZqULsXKr_BY5q4Bimpb4FxUpMgq0dNNbvUjgUNptCJqQURVM6Qaccn_u8C7IMDp8vrhIaqbOnQ/s388/327035FE-ABEA-4A60-947B-4FD05EEB7960.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZJKIx8jJRTGzrpXW7MHN-VSImc0ZMVkGtt1ae_oT3nh0g3SjGzDKb46LyRXvKwwMOBGJ2VGQczM_lpWxy3QHYvijjak4nP9CN5mZPOFX094cNK-GZqULsXKr_BY5q4Bimpb4FxUpMgq0dNNbvUjgUNptCJqQURVM6Qaccn_u8C7IMDp8vrhIaqbOnQ/s320/327035FE-ABEA-4A60-947B-4FD05EEB7960.png" width="210" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This is an enchanting book that I'll definitely recommend to others.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Altha, Violet and Kate are all part of the same family, and their tales unravel via three different timelines over five centuries. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Kate is the contemporary character who has run away to escape her abusive partner. Violet is a misunderstood, naive young woman in touch with nature who finds out not everyone has her best interests at heart, and Altha is facing trial for witchcraft. It seems difficult to imagine all these timelines intersecting, yet they do in an accomplished way. I felt onside with all the characters, wanting only the best outcomes for them. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Although some tough topics are covered in this book, I loved how nature runs like a thread through all three stories binding the women together.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">5 stars</span></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-50251524725941564892023-02-20T12:21:00.002+00:002023-02-20T13:23:38.102+00:00The Gin Palace by Tracy Whitwell<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_a6WWhsiiGnUKkE8PPI214p3vfGduwlMplDhmYeh4ONwXIILyxaZ8Z3XnQ_sHDvSeJP_ufdVotJdFv3Wf-CCQH9wZB-_sQBQQWAzuYfuNhhouyQofE17Ga7xBYWK3lH0uVpfyZwYNyRRit6Z0rRtieSgdZWvKA6Im-a8X7FkTO3zagZKAa4ufHyxrMQ/s382/F2372D72-1010-4B73-9BAC-9B34C2962680.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_a6WWhsiiGnUKkE8PPI214p3vfGduwlMplDhmYeh4ONwXIILyxaZ8Z3XnQ_sHDvSeJP_ufdVotJdFv3Wf-CCQH9wZB-_sQBQQWAzuYfuNhhouyQofE17Ga7xBYWK3lH0uVpfyZwYNyRRit6Z0rRtieSgdZWvKA6Im-a8X7FkTO3zagZKAa4ufHyxrMQ/s320/F2372D72-1010-4B73-9BAC-9B34C2962680.png" width="214" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This is the second book I've read in this series featuring Tanz, a bit-part actor who is disenchanted with the acting world and who has recently discovered she can communicate with the dead. After her exploits in The Accidental Medium, Tanz is keeping a low profile in the spirit world, but the ghosts of the past won't leave her alone.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">She encounters a young dead boy after taking on an acting role in her old stomping ground of Newcastle Under Tyne and a malevolent spirit that wants to do her and her friends harm. But Tanz isn't having any of it and, as a result, becomes entangled in the world of those who have lingered and have a message to share.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Along the way, Tanz becomes friends with Gladys, a healer - a wonderful character I'd love to meet, and she also seems to be the only one able to get through to Caroline, one of Tanz's acting colleagues and a real prima-donna that nobody else knows how to deal with. As well as lots of Tanz-style laughs, there are some tender moments in this book, including taking Caroline for chips and the part where Tanz shares a message with Gladys which had me in tears.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This is another fun romp with some unexpectedly touching moments.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I'd happily read more of Tanz's adventures in the spiritual world. </span></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-78647408223661697522023-02-08T16:43:00.004+00:002023-02-08T16:51:12.589+00:00Eighteen Seconds by Louise Beech<p><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtCh_D95wax57jUuvbm6aVdlPosyMIBYAnj-wm55U15fYlTAaqxoYCqJkYet60JtA4t8N6YrDTHAr9ABsNKIv0FN7OzAebUWcyM70VuJWy7JFmbplXMHwzVktlqLkSKIIt2U7IxIhgBbTLZPsYXycXQZiuENCrx97PO-Vede1erPESFRNKDLiwAMYjA/s391/0B19CB7D-3004-4239-B5E0-B85EB2F3FB84.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtCh_D95wax57jUuvbm6aVdlPosyMIBYAnj-wm55U15fYlTAaqxoYCqJkYet60JtA4t8N6YrDTHAr9ABsNKIv0FN7OzAebUWcyM70VuJWy7JFmbplXMHwzVktlqLkSKIIt2U7IxIhgBbTLZPsYXycXQZiuENCrx97PO-Vede1erPESFRNKDLiwAMYjA/s320/0B19CB7D-3004-4239-B5E0-B85EB2F3FB84.png" width="209" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Sometimes the only way to understand and come to terms with something is to write your way into it and through it. I feel this is what Louise Beech has done in relation to her memoir Eighteen Seconds, which focuses on the author's relationship with her mother. The book begins after we find out her mother has tried to commit suicide by jumping off the Humber Bridge and has miraculously survived the fall. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The book moves between present-day accounts of hospital visits and updates and flashbacks to Louise's childhood with her twin sisters and brother living with their mother and in care when things break down at home as a result of their mother's mental instability, alcoholism, depression and suicidal tendencies. Some tender moments are shared between the siblings and, in particular, Louise's reflection on her grandmother, which I found particularly moving and reminded me of my grandmother's love and care for me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This is raw, honest writing that must have been challenging to put down on paper. It is punctuated by a savvy and dark sense of humour witnessed in all the family members, something that was undoubtedly used as a coping mechanism.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">It's not an easy read, but it is compelling, highlighting the complexities of family dynamics and how those we often have the greatest expectations of can continually disappoint us. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">A courageous write by a brave writer.</span></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-66501413421230129222023-02-07T13:40:00.003+00:002023-02-07T13:44:23.509+00:00Enchantment by Katherine May<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHHUjzJIlWHVixKKrjUglrgHzNyEfevg19LdVOdJYGylo9Y2lPW2TlPhdCRxXrsTB72bnCl3_UuzyelsCkjgIzXPqb1YzeGgq9YRStYvmhF2sr-dQV5sBqLAIWu2JXWVkXKgmvVSHVwXDLn2HTJnnCd4bNVq0B2f71fFEEeZejmgW05PjzSI5zk0gxg/s410/02C889AA-2669-4E19-82DD-D8DFE179ACC5.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHHUjzJIlWHVixKKrjUglrgHzNyEfevg19LdVOdJYGylo9Y2lPW2TlPhdCRxXrsTB72bnCl3_UuzyelsCkjgIzXPqb1YzeGgq9YRStYvmhF2sr-dQV5sBqLAIWu2JXWVkXKgmvVSHVwXDLn2HTJnnCd4bNVq0B2f71fFEEeZejmgW05PjzSI5zk0gxg/s320/02C889AA-2669-4E19-82DD-D8DFE179ACC5.png" width="199" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Let me start by saying I love Katherine May's book Wintering and it's one I've bought many times as a gift and recommend over and over to others. So I was delighted to see that she'd written another entitled Enchantment. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Katherine explores how she has tried to rediscover a sense of wonder and awe, that feeling of being enchanted once again by life and the things in it. She opens by talking about the impact of the pandemic. I found myself crying. I hadn't been able to express my feelings about how I felt until I read her words:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> '<i>And so when the old, familiar world came back again–slowly, haltingly, unsteady on its feet–I <span> </span>barely knew what to do with it. I unlearned it too well.'</i><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">She goes on to talk about the ways in which she became reacquainted with enchantment, sometimes searching for it among familiar things and at other times exploring new avenues. I won't spoil it by telling you what these subjects are. Instead, I encourage you to read the book and go on the journey with the writer.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I give this 4.5 stars instead of 5 as I don't think it quite lived up to the joy that Wintering brought me, but it is nonetheless highly recommended, and I'd buy it purely to read the way the author describes her grandmother eating an orange. This jerked me back nostalgically to my grandmother eating a pomegranate - a memory I'd not thought of in years and one which warmed me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This book is a tonic, something to hold close and dip into during times of need and when you feel disconnected from the world. </span></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-2464919542300326032023-01-23T16:05:00.003+00:002023-01-23T16:05:38.171+00:00End of Story by Louise Swanson<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMG7DAfm59TZsP5YJi-arHHhQWw5H3-YrQrTC2V6rWSS1qnbEX1112-s8wzvB6rhAPkWTCDsAeNFzptQN41kSSh54vgBZHoGGYD1nuL65I5XzP_BpdFFd9axJzCsJue83nOwL7WXUUwIUaMrMwUuBHAmbCMUvjBl4hJaVPT1nqVZoE3g6vUIdhp3OxQA/s384/BA1AB1EA-CBEC-48EF-A698-32FED1219D1D.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMG7DAfm59TZsP5YJi-arHHhQWw5H3-YrQrTC2V6rWSS1qnbEX1112-s8wzvB6rhAPkWTCDsAeNFzptQN41kSSh54vgBZHoGGYD1nuL65I5XzP_BpdFFd9axJzCsJue83nOwL7WXUUwIUaMrMwUuBHAmbCMUvjBl4hJaVPT1nqVZoE3g6vUIdhp3OxQA/s320/BA1AB1EA-CBEC-48EF-A698-32FED1219D1D.png" width="213" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I'm not sure how to write this review. This book brought out so many emotions. It made me sad and angry, broke my heart and inspired hope.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">It begins in a near future dystopian world where the Government has banned all fiction and storytelling. Fern, an award-winning author (in the past), finds herself working as a cleaner in a hospital and having her income subsidised by the government; now she can no longer write for a living. Contact with other authors is forbidden, only non-fiction reading is permitted, and parents can no longer read bedtime stories to their children. It is a bleak world I would not wish to inhabit.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Fern lives a lonely and sad existence. Her husband is dead, and pursuing any writing has become illegal, with dire consequences for those who break the rules. As we progress through the novel, this becomes evident as we discover what is happening to other authors. Fern joins an underground movement to read stories to children, where she meets Hunter a boy she seems to connect with.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The novel builds more pace, and I found myself rushing back to the page to find out what happens next. What is finally revealed is a heartbreaking conclusion.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">However, alongside the topics that made me sad and angry were also elements of hope and kindness that were evident in the weekly meetings Fern has with the Fine Fayre man who delivers tea and biscuits. These parts of the story may seem mundane and ordinary, yet in my opinion, were among the most beautiful - showing Fern's character and what she's going through. They also reminded me that sometimes when we're at rock bottom, a stranger's kindness or wisdom can pick us up and help us through and that often it's in the most ordinary and everyday interactions that this occurs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This book is an incredible piece of writing that shows what the mind can do to try and protect us, and like Fern states, if you tell a story well enough it's true.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">It's a tough read at times, filled with raw emotional writing about love, loss and grief. It's a book I'd be proud to have written. Louise Swanson (aka Louise Beech) has accomplished something profound and beautiful.</span></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-16403908046538552302023-01-16T16:39:00.003+00:002023-01-16T16:42:12.875+00:00The Witches of Vardo by Anya Bergman<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPq93L-318GPnNmYUJKYABIDILCvxsWum5qq-6CJSUecupT1vi46GrT045kHlPpftkgEMNTe8xJb-IlBuPGIye5J5DEUSuFOWprnlbaO9pAQOuX_bEeGNEGPdGVESj0SJkIZiqnRph5_q0NvqcHE_ElcsDe3CkUq7_naqp2Xj1CSiGGY0KEsFi03gzQ/s390/9F01E008-AB2B-4112-BF2F-BBCF14AC741C.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPq93L-318GPnNmYUJKYABIDILCvxsWum5qq-6CJSUecupT1vi46GrT045kHlPpftkgEMNTe8xJb-IlBuPGIye5J5DEUSuFOWprnlbaO9pAQOuX_bEeGNEGPdGVESj0SJkIZiqnRph5_q0NvqcHE_ElcsDe3CkUq7_naqp2Xj1CSiGGY0KEsFi03gzQ/s320/9F01E008-AB2B-4112-BF2F-BBCF14AC741C.png" width="209" /></a></div>This is a compelling and, at times, harrowing read made even more distressing when you realise it is based on true events. That said, it is beautifully written, and I couldn't wait to pick it up each day and find out what would happen next. The tale covers the story of Ingeborg, her mother Zigri, her sister Kirsten and her cousin Maren all who find themselves trapped on the island of Vardo awaiting trial for witchcraft along with Maren's aunt, Solve and a local woman from their village. You are transported to the icy bitterness of Norwegian weather and terrain. I couldn't imagine how these women survived long enough to reach trial, given the conditions they were forced to live in and the torture they experienced at the hands of their captors. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br />In addition to the characters awaiting trial, another narrative runs through the book, which belongs to Anna and her story of being imprisoned on Vardo. She caused much internal conflict for me as a reader. In one way, I hated what she was doing, yet in another, she was put in an impossible situation. When her backstory is revealed, it is heartbreaking in many ways, and we get to understand her motivations a little more.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br />If you know anything about the witch trials, you'll be aware of how unjust and terrible they were, and this book had me raging at a society that enabled women to be treated this way. It seems impossible to think these things took place and were accepted, but in a climate of fear, no one was prepared to stand up against the system, for they, too, would be accused of being a witch. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br />In addition to the main story, some elements of magical realism provided depth and meaning and were beautifully created.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br />This, like The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, is a book that will stay with me and one I'll recommend to others. I connected with the main characters and wanted the best outcomes for all of them and comeuppance for those who imprisoned them. It is a challenging and emotional read, not for the fainthearted. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br />Five stars and even more impressive when you realise it's a debut novel for the author.</span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-38267101296514989832022-11-15T13:44:00.002+00:002022-11-15T13:44:34.800+00:00The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, Janice Hallett<p><b><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This Review contains Spoilers!</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2Uu7f7VYGixWmlWsc7bToL6yiSRke_qLRtCW7QTN-DhJDtTM6ZrXchYKq9-cgWHQm-D9M0N3k7rnpqTm5BCsnvBQ29csbeUrpUpbtgs1WWd7fVucDdcBKqnHCwYFQlBhb9b016Ak-Kwz-pSySDP1lVRx4I5d5NZzgZBK-uwv_nWWFBgsjbo0rl1dMA/s392/DFE0691D-501A-4033-A412-88141A95DC35.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2Uu7f7VYGixWmlWsc7bToL6yiSRke_qLRtCW7QTN-DhJDtTM6ZrXchYKq9-cgWHQm-D9M0N3k7rnpqTm5BCsnvBQ29csbeUrpUpbtgs1WWd7fVucDdcBKqnHCwYFQlBhb9b016Ak-Kwz-pSySDP1lVRx4I5d5NZzgZBK-uwv_nWWFBgsjbo0rl1dMA/s320/DFE0691D-501A-4033-A412-88141A95DC35.png" width="208" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This is my first dip into a Janice Hallett book, and it certainly won't be my last. The story is told via a series of WhatsApp messages, emails and transcribes and has a contemporary feel due to the use of media and the way the story and plot are revealed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The book starts with Amanda Bailey intending to write a book about the Alperton Angels, a cult-like group that planned to sacrifice a baby due to their beliefs. When this fails, mass murder of the members occurs, and the leader is found guilty and imprisoned. But now the baby is 18, and Amanda would love to find the child and interview them for her novel. But so too would an old journalist colleague from her past. Should the two of them collaborate to find the Alperton baby despite having a history?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">As the story starts to unravel, Oliver (the old colleague) seems to be falling under the cult leader's influence and experiencing some other unusual aspects as a result of investigating the case. I found myself fascinated by the psychology of what was happening and why. When it was revealed what was going on, I felt a little gullible but in a good way. It made me go, oh wow - I almost fell for that myself!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The book is fast-paced, and you find yourself saying, I'll just read the next WhatsApp message or one of Ellie's transcribes, and so it continues. It's cleverly written, and one of the reveals was a fascinating insight into revenge and the lengths people will go to seek it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This is Janice Hallett's third book, so I'm happy to know there are two others I can get my hands on, as I enjoyed the clever storytelling and her refreshing style of writing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The book is due out on the 19th January 2023.</span></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-55348128858049159032022-10-21T16:49:00.005+01:002022-10-21T16:50:12.924+01:00The Accidental Medium by Tracy Whitwell<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV48hlifgnVDpsG-IZC04aIapoPmT1QF4i3IkE8HXKfr_fOqYi7g-DOMXarOZqaru79-MNeJ1PxmJ0ZLL-zl8kYOJP2GnER8VsmpXaiiN_c8X345YuR5BF7HrxeZjV6mF19Q-KwacurZyV1BbCV1zaDJkokVH--eaAuBIPG94Jh6hUx6v3NrZuSlOKVQ/s392/08AAC97C-6E2A-462C-BF12-7E42E201A31C.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV48hlifgnVDpsG-IZC04aIapoPmT1QF4i3IkE8HXKfr_fOqYi7g-DOMXarOZqaru79-MNeJ1PxmJ0ZLL-zl8kYOJP2GnER8VsmpXaiiN_c8X345YuR5BF7HrxeZjV6mF19Q-KwacurZyV1BbCV1zaDJkokVH--eaAuBIPG94Jh6hUx6v3NrZuSlOKVQ/s320/08AAC97C-6E2A-462C-BF12-7E42E201A31C.png" width="208" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;">It's always refreshing to read a book that makes you laugh and one in which you wish you could grab a glass of wine with the main character and hear all about their exploits. The Accidental Medium is exactly that book.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The story revolves around Tanz, who's mostly failing to get work in the acting business, so she takes a job working the till at the Mystery Pot, a shop that sells crystals and similar ephemera and specialises in readings by two Mediums - Sheila and Martin. However, Tanz suddenly discovers that she, too, has some psychic abilities.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Tanz is a loveable character, unsure of what to do with her newfound talent for communicating with the dead. It leads her into all sorts of situations, including some great sex with a young barman called Pat, trying to protect an ageing lothario from being attacked by an obsessive previous lover and finding out what happened to a murdered woman. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I loved this book and was delighted to see that a sequel will be released next year. I can't wait to hear what's next for Tanz and the other characters this opening novel has set up so delightfully.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-25287896097743379062022-10-09T18:11:00.001+01:002022-10-09T18:13:22.188+01:00The Toll House by Carly Reagon<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRD_sbgk9FScvjaIu5bZA08LoV9I-LeVjPVhS6YT1kfIOrAyQ3rjMYHbHmfMfnM-_LyC3R8VQkkG9x91qVXmLskJ_PF5PQRrx3Wt6sYAEF4g2K1UL357kiq46sE9M4saDlk-KwJBDgG_qzcNXknh_AgxBqi2XYnrxOJa-xZ2mhdR15n08vtH3_9SKeg/s392/2E11A8CD-672D-4E48-B263-850B3702B0E5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRD_sbgk9FScvjaIu5bZA08LoV9I-LeVjPVhS6YT1kfIOrAyQ3rjMYHbHmfMfnM-_LyC3R8VQkkG9x91qVXmLskJ_PF5PQRrx3Wt6sYAEF4g2K1UL357kiq46sE9M4saDlk-KwJBDgG_qzcNXknh_AgxBqi2XYnrxOJa-xZ2mhdR15n08vtH3_9SKeg/s320/2E11A8CD-672D-4E48-B263-850B3702B0E5.png" width="208" /></a></div>Oh, I do love those books that are perfect for October. You know the ones. The ones that match the darker nights, the ones to curl up in front of a blazing fire with a hot cup of tea by your side. The ones that make you pull the curtains to keep the outside from coming in. But perhaps, in this instance, you should be more concerned about what already lurks within. Some houses like to keep hold of their secrets, to retain the past and replay the bad things that happened there. This occurs when Kelda moves into the old Toll House with her son. Signs are not good right from the very first chapter of this book, and it will have you looking over your shoulder, wondering what that creak on the stair really was. No doubt just the cat. But no, here she is, sitting by your side! Yikes. Should I go and investigate? <p></p><p>It's creepy and unsettling, and if you're currently thinking of moving into an old house, it will undoubtedly have you checking out the history of the property before you sign on the dotted line.</p><p>From a reader's perspective, this book has pace and provides all the chills. It follows a fairly well-trodden path, but it doesn't matter because it's well done and a debut to be proud of.</p><p>From a writing perspective, I liked that everything was wrapped up satisfactorily. There was no ambiguity and no loose threads that leave you wondering. The duel timeline worked well and slowly revealed the secrets and truth of The Toll House.</p><p>For me, this is 5 star October read. I enjoyed it very much.</p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-2315029796788174002022-09-26T12:55:00.001+01:002022-09-26T12:58:43.004+01:00Marple - a collection of short stories<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ql9ixueyR2Ptc9zEEII_v_myzUB2Aeq_CfB61pSWGF5me0X4iiOlcOmHBYwta4SGGelMyAbDh7Bb-mtJZp2goLYsv6Vh7Xrr67AFxDw374RwImbg4md8aXplmdUyLzdYP1kQmOkPsHYEczZOuHtgH-eV32QZNySy4howP1-Xrzpy7ZV-UksJ2wU_bQ/s392/1DF5E630-EA7F-4763-A8BE-4874681FFF6A.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ql9ixueyR2Ptc9zEEII_v_myzUB2Aeq_CfB61pSWGF5me0X4iiOlcOmHBYwta4SGGelMyAbDh7Bb-mtJZp2goLYsv6Vh7Xrr67AFxDw374RwImbg4md8aXplmdUyLzdYP1kQmOkPsHYEczZOuHtgH-eV32QZNySy4howP1-Xrzpy7ZV-UksJ2wU_bQ/s320/1DF5E630-EA7F-4763-A8BE-4874681FFF6A.png" width="208" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><div><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><div>Marple is a collection of new short stories written by contemporary authors featuring Agatha Christie's well-known and loved character Miss Marple. Like most short story collections, there are stories you favour more than others. Still, overall I enjoyed them all, and it has certainly made me consider reading some of the original novels to explore this character more.</div><div><br /></div><div>You'll find Miss Marple in all sorts of settings and dealing with all kinds of situations in her usual determined and calm style. In particular, I loved the stories by Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, Kate Mosse and Leigh Bardugo. But my absolute favourite was being transported to Villa Rosa by Elly Griffiths. Reading this on a rather dull, cold September day, I was transported to a beautiful Italian hotel surrounded by intriguing guests. I could almost taste the food, smell the lemons and feel the sun on my face. I was totally charmed by it.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're a fan of Agatha Christie and Miss Marple, I'm sure you'd enjoy this collection. And even if you're not, they still hold an appeal.</div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br /></span></div></span><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417848228988462954.post-90708356692196884992022-08-22T15:50:00.004+01:002022-08-22T15:54:42.863+01:00The Ghost Woods by C J Cooke<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Z6dufwNayiScehhPSgKJ30pkPuFXiqeHRR6mm6WU1de-2PI53X0o0dcAcNxkzUMDUHHvSJ4r1Z8N7mc2vcQoZ6lEctbGyqRtyNdRVl0vNKYXwRdUr3BsFcAdVAP9sE6gBhaNfLw1TZ4AiE2qWNAVb37ehWs0L1BU8DwRRC9jKooPU_1Uvm0tH6ICpA/s410/793CEC58-F119-4E84-81E5-5A374F915F60.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Z6dufwNayiScehhPSgKJ30pkPuFXiqeHRR6mm6WU1de-2PI53X0o0dcAcNxkzUMDUHHvSJ4r1Z8N7mc2vcQoZ6lEctbGyqRtyNdRVl0vNKYXwRdUr3BsFcAdVAP9sE6gBhaNfLw1TZ4AiE2qWNAVb37ehWs0L1BU8DwRRC9jKooPU_1Uvm0tH6ICpA/s320/793CEC58-F119-4E84-81E5-5A374F915F60.png" width="199" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I love a gothic novel and also enjoy horror. The Ghost Woods brings a mix of both as we explore Lichen Hall and the mysterious creature lurking in the woods.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This is a dark tale set in a crumbling house owned by the Whitlocks. It is a remote and lonely place. A place where some things are thriving, and others are decaying. A place where unmarried pregnant women are sent to have their babies away from the scrutiny and judgement of the local communities in which they live. And a place where strange events keep happening.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The story is a duel timeline, and we follow the paths of Mabel in the 1950s and Pearl in the mid-60s as they turn up at the house to not only give birth but also to hand their babies over to a new family for adoption. The timelines eventually merge as the two main characters are thrown together to solve the mystery of what's happening at Lichen Hall. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The folklore horror aspect of this book is well done, as is the gothic setting and atmosphere of the hall and its unusual occupants. However, the real horror lies in the tale of the women forced into such places and with no options other than to give up their babies for adoption. Some moments moved me to tears; such was the cruelty of these times.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">There are some twists and turns along the way, and the ending was entirely unexpected, playing up the folklore element in a way I enjoyed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I've read both The Nesting and The Lighthouse Witches by C J Cooke and enjoy her perspective and approach to the gothic. However, this one is my favourite of the three.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angela Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973141520667023373noreply@blogger.com0