Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior (Shieldmaiden Sisters 3) by Lucy Morris @rararesources @LMorris_Author #BlogTour #BookReview

Title: Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior (Shieldmaiden Sisters 3) by Lucy Morris

Date Published: 24th January 2023

Publisher: Mills & Boon Historical

Genre: Historical Romance

Description:

Kidnapped by the warrior

Tempted by the man…

Captured by the infamous Lord Rhys, a Welsh prince intent on revenge against her family, Viking healer, Helga, must keep her wits about her if she’s to be freed. Easier said than done when she desires him rather than fears him! Helga senses there’s good inside Rhys and feels compelled to reach his heart. First she must make him see there’s more to her than just his enemy…

You can buy your copy here:

https://mybook.to/0oTstjl

https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/beguiling-her-enemy-warrior-shieldmaiden-sisters-book-3-lucy-morris?variant=39987670089806

Review:

I received an ARC copy of Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior for taking part in the blog tour. All opinions are my own.

Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior is the final instalment of the Shieldmaiden sisters series and while it can be read as a standalone, you probably get more out of the story to read the others too.

What a lovely end to the series this was! I got all the fuzzy feelings after reading the final chapter.

Like the previous book I read, Tempted by her outcast Viking, this novel was full of romance, action and a couple of steamy scenes in there for good measure. 

Helga was a wonderful character. She has always been seen as the weaker one of her sisters. Not only is she the youngest, her talents lie with healing and was always the one to stay behind and look after the injured while her family goes into battle. As the story went along, it was so nice to see her realise that she was much stronger than she thought. 

It took me longer to warm up to Rhys, what with the fact that he kidnapped Helga and refused point blank to listen to reason on most occasions through the book. It’s not until I found out his full story did I soften to him. 

What I love about these books is the fact that yes, it is first and foremost about romance, but there’s also some action and adventure to add extra excitement to the story.

If you’re looking for action, adventure and all the awws, then I’d highly recommend Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior!

About The Author:

Lucy Morris has always been obsessed with myths and legends. Her books blend sweeping romance with vivid worldbuilding to whisk you away to another time and place filled with adventure. Expect passion, drama, and vibrant characters.

Lucy lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two children, and two cats. She has a massively sweet tooth and loves Terry’s chocolate oranges and Irn-Bru. In her spare time, she likes to explore castles with her family, or drink bubbly with her friends.

Social Media Links – 

https://www.facebook.com/LucyMorrisAuthor/

Tweets by LMorris_Author

https://www.instagram.com/lucymorris.author/

Murder At The Charity Ball (Kitty Underhay mystery 11) by Helena Dixon @bookouture @NellDixon #BooksOnTour #BookReview

Title: Murder At The Charity Ball by Helena Dixon

Date Published: 20th January 2023

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery

Description:

Kitty Underhay is dancing… with death.

Winter 1934. Kitty Underhay is enjoying a night off from wedding planning as she attends a charity ball at the home of Lady Eliza Foxley. She’s excited to see her father, roguish Edgar Underhay, who is also a guest in the house. But the evening of cocktails and waltzing turns into a dance macabre when Edgar finds their lively, fun-loving hostess dead, strangled by her own silk stocking.

Who has made this uncharitable donation to the evening’s entertainments? When suspicion falls on Edgar and he is arrested for murder, Kitty has to act fast if she doesn’t want her father walking her down the aisle in shackles. Together with her fiancé Matthew, they vow to clear Edgar’s name and discover who used hosiery to commit homicide.

Lady Eliza’s widowed sister is the main beneficiary of her will, but before Kitty and Matt can question her, she is struck down by a severe case of poisoning. Time is running out for Kitty to solve this case and make it to the church on time. But with a devious killer on the loose, will she end up leaving as a newlywed, or newly dead…?

An absolutely addictive and unputdownable Golden Age cosy murder mystery full of twists! Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T E Kinsey and Lee Strauss.

You can buy your copy here: https://geni.us/B0BJ2HQ7MSsocial

Review:

I received an ARC copy of Murder At The Charity Ball from Bookouture via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. 

I have been waiting for this moment for what feels like so long! Kitty and Matt are about to get married, but of course it wouldn’t be a Kitty Underhay mystery if they didn’t get themselves wrapped up in a case before the nuptials. This time they end up investigating the death of Lady Foxley at her annual charity ball, and Kitty’s father Edgar ends up being the prime suspect.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of this series and I’m glad to say that Murder at the Charity Ball was just as good as the other books before it.

As usual, I was kept guessing as to who the murderer could be. I suspected almost everyone at one point. It wasn’t until almost the end that I figured it out.

There was a bit of finality to this story, with the secondary storyline that’s been weaved through the previous books being concluded. I hope there’s going to be more books in the future and I look forward to seeing what will happen now Kitty and Matt are married.

If you’re looking for a cozy mystery with great historical details, lovable sleuths and a puzzling mystery in each novel, I highly recommend this series to you.

About The Author:

Helena Dixon splits her time between the Black Country and Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and housework. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 and Love Story of the Year 2010 as Nell Dixon. She now writes historical 1930’s set cozy crime. 

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nelldixonauthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/NellDixon

Website: http://www.nelldixon.com

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/helenadixonuk

Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/helena-dixon

The Charity Shop Detective Agency by Peter Boland @PeterBoland19 @JoffeBooks #BookReview

Title: The Charity Shop Detective Agency by Peter Boland

Date Published: 13th December 2022

Publisher: Joffe Books

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Description:

PUT THE KETTLE ON AND DISCOVER AN UTTERLY CHARMING NEW COZY MURDER MYSTERY SET IN A SLEEPY SEASIDE TOWN.

A serial killer is stalking the elderly of Southbourne. The only clue left behind is a domino in the hand of each victim — with a name scratched on the back.

Eighty-six-year-old Sarah Brown is found dead in her hallway one morning by her delivery man. She was stabbed in the back.

Fiona, Sue and Daisy, volunteers at the local charity shop, Dogs Need Nice Homes, can’t believe their favourite customer is dead. The ladies vow to bring the killer to justice.

With plenty of tea and cake along the way, and despite squabbles with their rivals, the Cats Alliance across the street, the Charity Shop Detective Agency is born.

Fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Janice Hallett, Simon Brett, Ian Moore and Sarah Yarwood-Lovett will adore this exciting new voice in cozy crime.

THE DETECTIVE
Level-headed Fiona has found a quiet sanctuary volunteering at the local charity shop, Dogs Need Nice Homes. And she’s found firm friendship with the strong-willed Partial Sue (she’s ever so partial to a cup of tea) and the kindly — and surprisingly tech-savvy — Daisy. Together, these ladies, with Simon Le Bon, Fiona’s scruffy haired terrier cross, investigate murders as the utterly charming Charity Shop Detective Agency.

Review:

I want to thank Jill at Books ‘n’ all promotions for inviting me on this tour and Joffe Books for providing me with an ARC copy of The charity shop detective agency. All opinions are my own.

The charity shop detective agency promises tea, cake and a fun cozy mystery and boy, does it deliver! The story is packed full of red herrings, puzzles and some subtle British humour.

I really enjoyed our three older sleuths, Fiona, Partial Sue and Daisy. They were really likeable and funny to boot. Daisy ended up being a bit of a scene stealer for me and great fun to read. She was tech savvy, but also thinks outside the lines with a tendency to get her words muddled with great comic effect. I would say I had to keep reminding myself that the three sleuths were meant to be in their sixties and seventies, as at times, they seemed a lot younger.

A special mention has to go to Fiona’s cute dog, Simon Le Bon, and his ability to be both adorable and cause plenty of mayhem.

The murderer turned out to be a bit of a surprise. I didn’t have it figured out until near the end, although I wasn’t entirely convinced by their motive. 

I hope there will be more from the sleuth at the charity shop detective agency in the future!

About The Author:

After studying to be an architect, Pete realised he wasn’t very good at it. He liked designing buildings, he just couldn’t make them stand up — a big handicap in an industry that’s partial to keeping things upright. So he became an advertising copywriter, the highlight of which was creating an ad featuring Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman. He then tried his hand at writing his own stories and quickly realised there’s no magic formula. You just have to put one word in front of the other (and keep doing that for about six months). It also helps if you can resist the lure of surfing and drinking beer in a garden chair.

The first book in his Charity Shop Detective Agency series will publish in late 2022.

BOOKS BY PETER BOLAND:

THE CHARITY SHOP DETECTIVE AGENCY

FOLLOW PETER ON:

GOODREADS
FACEBOOK
TWITTER

BBNYA Semi Finalist Spotlight: #NeverSayNever by Justine Manzano @justine_manzano @BBNYA_Official #BBNYA2022 #BookBlogger

Hello lovelies! Today I’ll be shining a spotlight on Never Say Never by Justine Manzano as part of the blog blitz organised by The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award. 

This year, the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the 50 books that made it into Round Two with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 10 finalists and one overall winner. 

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

Title: Never Say Never by Justine Manzano

Publisher: Sword and Silk, LLC

Length: 320 Pages 

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Age Category: Young Adult

Date Published: 15 June 2021 

After she walks in on her mom doing the horizontal mambo with a man that’s decidedly not her dad, Brynn Stark swears off love. One of her friends–Val–is determined to change her mind, no matter the consequences. Prickly and cynical, Brynn tries to avoid Val’s attempts at setting her up, until Val reveals her true identity–Aphrodite, goddess of love, who promises to show Brynn why she shouldn’t lose faith.

Brynn’s job, school, and the various love connections Val tries to make keep her busy enough, but in her spare time, she struggles to navigate her own role in her parents’ divorce. With her other best friend recovering from a breakup of her own, and Val dead set on playing matchmaker, Brynn’s forced to rely on the fourth member of their friend group, Adam, for moral support. Adam, Val’s boyfriend.

Realizing she’s beginning to fall for Adam, Brynn throws herself full-force into dating Val’s picks, hoping one can lure her away from the bad situation she’s hurtling towards, but even when she finds one with a spark, she can’t stop thinking about Adam. Brynn’s forced to decide if she’ll choose her goddess-given fate, or risk it all for the wrong-but-right guy. One thing’s for sure. Love sucks. And it’s all about to blow up in their faces.

You can buy your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Never-Say-Justine-Manzano-ebook/dp/B08RTWW4XJ (Canada)

https://www.amazon.com/Never-Say-Justine-Manzano-ebook/dp/B08RTWW4XJ (USA)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Never-Say-Justine-Manzano-ebook/dp/B08RTWW4XJ (UK)

Or add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53920239-never-say-never 

About The Author:

Justine Manzano is the geeky author of the geeky YA series Keys & Guardians, and geeky YA novel Never Say Never. Her fiction is tough on the outside and sweet on the inside, like an M&M or a hard candy with a gooey center, delivered with sass and snark. A freelance editor, she also serves as an Editor-in-Residence at WriteHive. She lives in Bronx, NY with her husband, son, and a cacophony of cats and can usually be found at her website, http://www.justinemanzano.com or all the usual social media haunts. If you’ve looked in all these places and can’t find her, she’s probably off reading fanfiction. She’ll be back soon.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justine_manzano/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/justine_manzano

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justinemanzanoauthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@justine_manzano1229

#CaseFiles: Collected Short Crime Stories Vol. 1 by Rachel Amphlett @RandomTTours #BookReview #ShortStoryCollection

Title: Case Files: Collected Short Crime Stories Vol. 1 (A murder mystery collection of twisted short stories) by Rachel Amphlett

Publisher: Saxon Publishing

Date Published: 5th December 2022

Genre: Short Story collection

Description:

Discover twelve dark and twisted mysteries from USA Today bestselling author Rachel Amphlett.

This page-turning collection features The Man Cave in which Darren regains consciousness in a dank basement where escape turns out to be the least of his worries; in All Night Long Zoe soon wishes she wasn’t working the late shift; and in Nowhere to Run a rookie detective encounters her first serial killer… but will she survive?

Case Files Short Crime Stories Volume 1:

The Reckoning

A Grave Mistake

The Beachcomber

The Man Cave

A Dirty Business

The Last Super

Something in the Air

Special Delivery

A Pain in the Neck

The Last Days of Tony MacBride

The Moment Before

Nowhere to Run

Case Files: short crime fiction stories that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Review:

I want to thank Anne at Random Things Tours and the author for providing me with an ARC of Case Files. All opinions are my own.

I always love a collection of short stories, especially ones that involve crime, so I jumped at the chance to read Case Files.

What a brilliant collection this is! Although they are all crime themed, there’s still a variety of stories from short sharp shockers like A Dirty Business or Special Delivery to longer and more twisty tales like Nowhere to Run or The Reckoning.

Each story is wonderfully written, with realistic characters, evocative descriptions and bags of atmosphere that really pulled me into each story.

I had a few favourites:

The Beachcomber, which is one of the longer stories about Julie, who goes to the beach every day searching, but there’s also a secret she’s hiding that made for an explosive ending. 

A Grave Mistake which kept me guessing and had a little dark humour too. 

The Last Days of Tony MacBride was another story that I thought I knew how it was going to pan out but ended up being surprised by.

Also, there’s a podcast of these stories so you can read along as you listen, which is something I did myself with a couple of the stories.

I’m very much looking forward to more short stories from Rachel Amphlett and I’m crossing my fingers for volume two of Case Files soon!  

About The Author:

Before turning to writing, USA Today bestselling crime author Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio, and worked in publishing as an editorial assistant.

She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction with over 30 novels and short stories featuring spies, detectives, vigilantes, and assassins.

Rachel’s stories are available in eBook, print and audiobook formats from libraries and retailers as well as her own shop.

A keen traveller, Rachel has both Australian and British citizenship.

She loves hearing from readers and personally replies to every email.

Discover more about Rachel and download two free short stories here: https://www.rachelamphlett.com/

The Watson Letters Volume 6: The Haunting of Roderick Usher by Colin Garrow @colingarrow @rararesources #BlogTour #BookReview

Title: The Watson Letters Volume 6: The Haunting of Roderick Usher by Colin Garrow

Date Published: 2nd March 2022

Genre: Mystery/Humour

Description:

An invitation. A ghostly spectre. A criminal mastermind.

When Sherlock Holmes is invited to visit an old school friend, he and Doctor Watson are plunged into the first of three adventures involving the Dark Arts and the supernatural. From the ghostly spectre of a dead sister to the search for an ancient book of spells, the detecting duo learn that each case is connected, leading them into a final showdown with their deadliest adversary yet.

Adult humour throughout.

You can buy your copy here – https://geni.us/dymvutk

Review:

I want to thank Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and the author for my copy of The Watson Letters. All opinions are my own.

I’m a big fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the Sherlock Holmes stories and I’ve read many different takes on the character over the years, so I was interested to see what the Watson Letters had to offer.

This is definitely one of the most unique takes on Sherlock Holmes I think I’ve ever read! There’s some very adult humour, a little foul language and some fun pop culture references throughout. 

There are three short stories that intertwine in the book, The Haunting of Roderick Usher, The Ghost Witch and The Very Last Death of Lord Blackwood. Each story is told mostly through diary excerpts from Watson, his wife Mary, and Inspector Lestrade. I like the fact that each character had their own distinctive voice and that the author turned familiar characters into something brand new. 

Having not read any of the other books in the series, I can say that it can be read as a standalone but I probably would have benefited from reading a few of the previous books as there are some recurring characters but it didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment.

I really enjoyed the first two stories. There was mystery and humour aplenty, with some supernatural goings on to add a bit of intrigue to the mix. The last story wasn’t my favourite. As it neared the end, I got a bit muddled with what was meant to be going on, but of course, that’s just my opinion.

 If you’re looking for a quirky and a little off the wall take on Sherlock Holmes, then I can definitely recommend this book to you!

About The Author:

True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor. He has also occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin’s published books include the Watson Letters series, the Terry Bell Mysteries and the Rosie Robson Murder Mysteries. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Grind, A3 Review, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. These days he lives in a humble cottage in Northeast Scotland.

Social Media Links – 

Website (Adults) https://colingarrow.org/ 

Website (Children) https://colingarrowbooks.com/ 

The Watson Letters https://thewatsonletters.com/ 

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B014Z5DZD4 

Twitter https://twitter.com/colingarrow 

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/colingarrow 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/colingarrowthewriter 

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/colin-garrow 

BBNYA Semi Finalist Spotlight: #Revenge by Henry Scott @henryscottauthr @BBNYA_Official #BBNYA2022 #BookBlogger

Hello lovelies! Today I’ll be shining a spotlight on Revenge by Henry Scott as part of the blog blitz organised by The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award. 

This year, the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the 50 books that made it into Round Two with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 10 finalists and one overall winner. 

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

Title: Revenge (Redemption series book 1) by Henry Scott

Publisher: Pretty Lake Publishing

Length: 222 Pages

Genre: Thriller

Age Category: Adult

Date Published: 1 November 2021

Jake Bryant, a former Chicago PD detective, rushes home after his best friend is killed. Determined to find the murderer, he starts his own investigation into Tom’s death. However, the case is complicated by a motorcycle gang, drugs, and Jake’s feelings for Tom’s widow.

But Jake has bigger problems when the police set the killer free- who then decides to silence Tom’s family as well. Now Jake is faced with the ultimate dilemma. Does he trust a broken system to protect Tom’s family? Or does he seek his own brand of justice?

You can buy your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Revenge-Book-Redemption-Henry-Scott-ebook/dp/B09JB5SVMP (Canada)

https://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Book-Redemption-Henry-Scott-ebook/dp/B09JB5SVMP (USA)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Revenge-Book-Redemption-Henry-Scott-ebook/dp/B09JB5SVMP (UK)

Or add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59616724-revenge 

About The Author:

After an engineering career with over 400 patents, Henry Scott changed gears to invent thrilling plotlines in his novels. He lives in metro-Detroit with his family, two lovable golden retrievers, a cat, and a turtle whose pictures are on his Instagram and TikTok feeds. He loves coffee, Detroit-style pizza, true-crime TV shows, and his Triumph motorcycle. You can find him on all the socials.

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@henryscottwriter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henry_scott_/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/henryscottauthr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HenryScottAuthor/

web: http://henryscottauthor.com

Murder In An Irish Castle (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery 12) by Verity Bright @bookouture @BrightVerity #BooksOnTour #BookReview

Title: Murder In An Irish Castle (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery 12) by Verity Bright

Publisher: Bookouture

Date Published: 28th November 2022 

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Description:

Irish whiskey, rolling green hills, a traditional Christmas feast and… a murder? Lady Swift will need the luck of the Irish to survive this holiday season!

Christmas, 1923. Lady Eleanor Swift has received a rather unexpected invitation to the village Christmas party in the tiny, rural hamlet of Derrydee in the west of Ireland. Eleanor is thrilled about exploring her ancestral roots at her late uncle’s estate and spending the festive season in a castle. Packing Gladstone the bulldog’s coziest Christmas jumper, they set off to the Emerald Isle with her butler Clifford in tow.

Arriving late at night, Eleanor and Clifford are shocked when they find a body sprawled in the snow on the winding country lane outside the estate. The local constable is immediately suspicious and all but accuses the pair of murder. This isn’t the warm Irish welcome Eleanor imagined!

Clifford is certain he recognises the poor fellow from the funeral of Eleanor’s uncle – but what was their connection? Undeterred by the villagers’ lack of gossip on the matter, Eleanor is determined to get justice for the victim. The man’s pockets are suspiciously empty of personal effects, but closer inspection reveals an old key hidden in the heel of his boot. Could this unlock more than one mystery for Eleanor?

But when a fire breaks out at the castle on Christmas Eve, an even bigger question looms: is someone out to ensure the family line dies with Lady Swift? And will Eleanor’s first Irish Christmas be her last?

An utterly addictive festive whodunnit set in Ireland, brimming with mystery, intrigue and wit. Sure to delight fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Rhys Bowen.

You can buy your copy here:

Amazon:  https://geni.us/B0BB76VJDHsocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Review:

I want to thank Bookouture for my ARC copy of Murder in an Irish Castle. All opinions are my own.

Lady Swift and her constant companions, Clifford, her butler and Gladstone the bulldog, are invited to the small village of Derrydee in Ireland for the Christmas holidays to stay at the other estate she inherited from her uncle, Hennelly Towers.

However, when they get there, they find a man half dead in the middle of the road. Not long after, they find the people of the town did not invite them to spend the holidays there. Why would someone lure her there and who is the mystery man?

What a fabulous festive treat Murder in an Irish castle was! 

As always, I enjoy reading the back and forth between Eleanor and her butler Clifford, which always adds an element of fun to the story, but this time there’s the addition of a very stubborn mule to add a bit more humour to this book.

I love the attention to detail and how Verity Bright infuses the story with Irish traditions and charm. There are also mentions of a lot of mouthwatering food, most of which I hadn’t heard of but I would now like to try.

I’ll be honest, I’ve dipped in and out of this series so there were aspects of the storyline I didn’t get straight away so I would highly recommend you read some of the earlier novels before this one, just to get a better understanding.

If you’re looking for an entertaining historical cozy with some feel good festive cheer, you can’t go wrong with this book.

About The Author:

Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

Tweets by BrightVerity

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Verity Bright here: https://www.bookouture.com/verity-bright/

The Vanishing of Margaret Small by Neil Alexander @neilalexander_ @emblabooks #DebutNovel

Title: The Vanishing of Margaret Small by Neil Alexander

Publisher: Embla Books

Date Published: 16th November 2022

Genre: Literary fiction

Description:

Meet Margaret Small: 75, plain spoken and a Cilla Black super fan. Shortly after the death of her idol, Margaret begins receiving sums of money in the post, signed simply ‘C’. 

She is convinced it must be Cilla, but how can it be? To solve the mystery of her benefactor Margaret must go back in her memories almost 70 years, to the time when she was ‘vanished’ to a long-stay institution for children with learning disabilities. 

An absorbing and page-turning mystery with a dual timeline, The Vanishing of Margaret Small takes readers into a fascinating past, and introduces an unforgettable literary heroine. 

Perfect for fans of Libby Page and Gail Honeyman.

Review:

I want to thank Tracy Fenton and Embla books for my ARC copy of the vanishing of Margaret Small. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump, so I decided to read out of my usual genre and, having heard such good things about the vanishing of Margaret Small, I thought I’d give it a go.

The vanishing of Margaret Small is a wonderful written story told in dual timelines. The modern day part of the story focuses on Margaret’s life in 2015 just after the death of her idol Cilla Black and she receives letters from a mysterious C. This brings up a lot of memories from her past, which she had tried to block out, from when she was ‘vanished’ as a child and taken to live in St Mary’s, an institution for people with disabilities.

Margaret was a marvellous character who I honestly just wanted to give a big hug to. She was so well written and realistic. Every time I was reading, I felt like I could hear her voice, a bit like she was talking to me through the pages.

She has a tough old time through the story, just because she was born a bit different from the rest of us. I rooted for her to get her happy ending and I’m glad to say that she did, but not in the way I had imagined.

There are some tough subjects covered in the book, particularly around the way people with any form of disability were treated, but the author handles it with compassion and care.  

The Vanishing of Margaret Small is an absolute gem of a novel which I’d highly recommend if you enjoy a story with a lovable main character who drives the story. 

About The Author:

Much of the inspiration for Neil Alexander’s debut novel, ‘The Vanishing of Margaret Small’, came directly from the voices of people with a learning disability, and the incredibly moving first person accounts of living in long stay institutions, which he heard while working for the UK charity Mencap. Neil, who has a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Kent at Canterbury, began his career working in health journalism. Originally from Northern Ireland, he now lives in the seaside town of Whitstable in Kent. He currently teaches English part-time and is working on his second novel. You can follow Neil on Twitter @neilalexander_ and Instagram @neilalexanderwriter

BBNYA Semi Finalist Spotlight: #TheHurtleOfHell by Simon Edge @simonjedge @BBNYA_Official #BBNYA2022 #BookBlogger

Hello lovelies! Today I’ll be shining a spotlight on The Hurtle of Hell by Simon Edge as part of the blog blitz organised by The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award. 

This year, the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the 50 books that made it into Round Two with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 10 finalists and one overall winner. 

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

Title: The Hurtle of Hell by Simon Edge

Publisher: Lightning Books

Length: 272 Pages

Genre: Commercial Fiction, LGBTQ+

Age Category: (New) Adult

Date Published: 1 November 2018

Description:

Gay, pleasure-seeking Stefano Cartwright is almost killed by a wave on a holiday beach. His journey up a tunnel of light convinces him that God exists after all, and he may need to change his ways if he is not to end up in hell.

When God happens to look down his celestial telescope and see Stefano, he is obliged to pay unprecedented attention to an obscure planet in a distant galaxy, and ends up on the greatest adventure of his multi-aeon existence.

The Hurtle of Hell combines a tender, human story of rejection and reconnection with an utterly original and often very funny theological thought-experiment. It is an entrancing fable that is both mischievous and big-hearted.

You can buy your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Hurtle-Hell-Atheist-Featuring-Confused-ebook/dp/B07G32YX5L (Canada)

https://www.amazon.com/Hurtle-Hell-Atheist-Featuring-Confused-ebook/dp/B07G32YX5L (USA)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hurtle-Hell-Atheist-Featuring-Confused-ebook/dp/B07G32YX5L (UK)

Or add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39305396-the-hurtle-of-hell 

About The Author:

Simon Edge was born in Chester and read philosophy at Cambridge University.

He was editor of the pioneering London paper Capital Gay before becoming a gossip columnist on the Evening Standard and then a feature writer and critic on the Daily Express. He has an MA in Creative Writing from City University, London, where he also taught literary criticism.

He is the author of five novels, all published by Lightning Books: The Hopkins Conundrum, longlisted for the Waverton Good Read Award, The Hurtle of Hell, A Right Royal Face-Off, Anyone for Edmund? and The End of the World is Flat.

He lives in Suffolk.

Twitter/Insta: @simonjedge