Review of The Switch by Beth O'Leary

 

Eileen is sick of being 79

Leena's tired of life in her twenties

Maybe it is time for them to swap places ....

When Leena is an overachiever is order to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she runs and escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for this overdue and necessary rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen for her to choose from.

However, once Leena learns of Eileens romantic predicament, she proposes a solution - a two month life swap. Eileen will be able to live in London and look for love, while Leena will be able to look after everything in the rural Yorkshire village. She will be able to gossip with the neighbours and difficult family dynamics to navigate north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating in the city. This will allow them to step into each others shoes which proves more difficult than either of them expected.

Leena then learns that a long-distance relationship which inst romantic as she was hoping it would be, then she meets the annoyingly perfect and distracting handsome school teacher. He keeps turning up to outdo the efforts which she is going to to impress local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, but is her perfect partner nearer to home than she first thought.

I love how this has 2 distinct and different character story lines and how they entwine with each other to bring a family together. I love the character choice in this story as it usually is ether close friends or siblings which authors uses to tell this type of story. This is why i love this telling of the story and have already recommended this to some of my circle of friends and is at the top of my standalone book list. To get your copy following the link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Switch

Review of City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Well.... Jace is now a servant of evil, bound for all of eternity yo Sebastian - no sorry, Jonathan Christopher Clary's brother. Only a small band of Shadowhunters believe that they can save Jace and split him from Sebastian. However for them to succeed they must defy the Clave and break the laws which have been in place for centuries. This means that they must act without Clary as she is to close to both of them Jace and Sebastian. 

However it turns out that Clary is playing a very dangerous game herself and the price of losing is not just her life at risk, it is also Jace's soul. Clary is willing to do anything for Jace and she has to find out if she still trusts him with her secrets. Or is he truly lost? 

This instalment from the Mortal Instruments is a fast pace and intense story line which starts right of the bat on page one. Even from the cover art which is of Alec on this book. It starts with Simon losing his family and being kick out with no where to go. Then we find that Jace and Sebastian have gone missing and they appear to some individuals which adds to the suspense of the story line during the book. The writing style which Clare using in this book helps with the very fast pace that this story line has. I love that she reinforces that every light magic act and dark magic act balance themselves out and that this is the main undercurrent for the demonic elements of this book.

Every instalment of this series gets better and better and will always be the series i will recommend to fantasy fans. For your copy click the following link:https://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Lost-Souls

Review of When The World Feels Like A Scary Place by Abigail Gewirtz

This is a lifesaving guide for parents, Dr Gerwirtz show how you can use the most basic tools at a parents disposal - Conversation - to give children real and interactive help in dealing with worries, stress and any other negative emotions. Emotions which are caused by problems in the world, from all types of problems which can arise in modern society. 

But it is not just about how you talk to your children, it is also what you say to them. The heart of this book is a series of conversational scripts - it has actual dialogue, talking points and prompts which give you insights which can be adapted to be age appropriate and different situations. Throughout the book there are tips about how to stay calm in an anxious world - it helps to give parents an insight into how children react to stress and how parents can read the signs and makes sure that their own anxiety doesn't filter into the conversation. The act of talking and listening is essential for nurturing confident and compassionate children. Conversations will help you manage your own anxieties too offering a path of wholeness and security for everyone in the family.

This book has actually helped me in the last 18 months when i have been dealing with my oldest has came out as trans. It has allowed me to have effective conversations with her about her feelings and struggles which she is going through. I have also recommended this to a friend who's only child has started school and she has let me know that this has helped her understand the emotions which her child is going through with all of the adjustments. This is something that i will be recommending to parents and grandparents alike to help them with their children.

For your copy follow this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-World-Feels-Scary-Place

Review of City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

 e's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace finally. An 

The Mortal war is over, and 16 year old Clary Fray is back home in the New York, and she is excited about all of the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace finally. And, most of importantly of all, she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price or a sacrifice.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, and this is provoking all of the tensions between the Downworlders and Shadowhunters which can lead to the second, bloody and dangerous war. Clary's best friend, Simon, can't help her, her mother just found out that he is a vampire and now he is also homeless after he has told her about being a Vampire. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is then forced to delve into the heart of the mystery whose solution which reveals her worst nightmatr. She is set on a path which leads to a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything. 

I am loving this series more and more and i am so excited to see what the next 2 books hold for all of the favourite characters. I loved the way that Clare developes the relationship between Jace and Clary - it is amazing to see no matter what the world throws at them they get stronger and stronger. I am so glad that Clare was able to continually build on this story and the twist and turns which happen in the book. Bring on City of Lost Souls.ll 

To get you copy, click the link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Fallen-Angels

Review of Winter of the Wolf by Martha Hunt Handler

 

This is a book of tragic mystery blending sleuthing and spirituality.

This is an exploration of emotions, grief, suicide, spiritualism and the Inuit Culture. This story starts by following Bean, the empathetic and spiritually evolved fifteen-year-old who is determined to unravel the mystery of her brother Sam's death. Though all evidence points to a suicide, her heart and intuition compel her to dig deeper. Bean has the help from her best friend Julie, they start to retrace Sam's steps and delve into his Inuit beliefs. This allows them to reconnect with the spiritual beliefs to help and uncover clues beyond material understanding. 

Both the tragic and heart-warming, twisting novel which draws you in to Bean's world as she struggles with the grief and navigating dramas at high school. She also learns to open her heart in order to learn how to see the true nature of the people who are around her. Winter of the Wolf is about seeking the truth, no matter how painful this gets for her, in order to see the full picture in front of her.

I found that this story went from 0 to 100 in a matter of pages, i found that this was a very differcult story for me to get into. I struggled with the story and at times i got lost in the story line and didnt know what was happening. Then you would get a couple of paragraphs which actually made sense and this is the stories saving grace. I dont know how i feel about it but i would recommend this to lovers of a good murder mystery. This is not one which will have a home on my bookshelf but will be loved by many others.

For you copy go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winter-Wolf

Review of P.S I love You by Cecelia Ahern

This is a novel about holding on, letting go and learning to love again after you have been heartbroken.

Holly couldn't live without her husband Gerry, until the day that she had to thorough no choice of her own. They were the kind of young couple who couldnt finish each other sentences and when Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, Holly is set adrift and is struggling to pick up the pieces and rebuild her life. With the help of a series of letters that her husband has written to her before he died and a little nudging from her wide circle of friends and family. She slowly learns how to laugh again, overcome her fears and discovers a new and exciting world that she didn't know existed. 

I have read this book so many times i could play the part of Holly. She is just the normal kind of girl who has been with one serious relationship and when this breaks down doesn't have her own identity. I found that i was cheering her on as she goes through all of the stages of grief and how she starts to realise her own identity as a single person. This was my go to book when i split from my ex-husband and must have read it about 10 times in the first 18 months of our breakup. And like Holly i found myself and a new life through letting go.

I would recommend this to anyone who has loved and lost someone, click her to get your copy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/PS-Love-You  

Review of The Unikely Adventure of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswell

 

The British-born Punjabi sisters were never really that close and this was evident from their younger years, and now as adults they are even further apart. Ranji, a school principal and is a stickler for order and reasons. Jezmeen a 30 year old actress who is struggling in her field and fears that her big break may never happen. And finally Shirina, the youngest, is the peacemaking sister who has married into wealth and enjoys a picture perfect life with her husband in Australia.

On the girls mothers deathbed, their mother voices one last wish and this is that her daughter will make a pilgrimage together to the Golden Temple in Amrister to carry out her last wishes and rites. After a trip to India with her mother 20 years ago, Rajni has vowed never to return to India. However she has always been the dutiful daughter and cannot, even now, refuse her dying mother's wishes. Jazmeem has been very publicly fired from her television job and see the trip to India as a welcome break to help her pick up the pieces of her broken career. Shirina's in-laws are pushing her to make some very pivotal decisions about her married life and is hoping that some time away from them will help her to decide if she is going to obey or bravely stand up for herself for the first time. 

Arriving in India, the three sisters will make some unexpected discoveries about themselves, their siblings and their choices in life. Jazmeen and Shirina will learn the real story behind the trip which Rajni took with their mother all those years ago and the momentous journey which they are on which has all resulted from the pilgrimage that their mother didn't return to India to make.

I didn't know how i felt about this book when i read the synopsis and this is what surprised me about the way i was pulled into the story. I found that at times that some of the interactions between the sisters were forced then i remember their background about them not being close. One of the things i absolutely loved about the writing style was that you had the relevant except of the mother letter at the beginning of each chapter and this helped to build the scene for what was handled in that scene.

This novel also gave me an insight into the life of women in India which i had no idea of how restricted their lives are and the restriction that they have to adhere to. It gave me an insight into some of the traditions and segregation that is still going on. However this has also made me want to visit the country and explore the places which have been describe in the book. I would recommend this true to life story to people who like to learn about different cultures . 

For your copy, please follow the link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unlikely-Adventures-Shergill-Sisters

Review of The Girl Made of Air by Nadia Heterington

 

This is a lyrical and atmospheric homage to the strange and extraordinary.

This is the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived....

Born in the post-war environment, the nameless star of the noval was unwanted and forgotten, abandoned in the shadows of the big top. Until the bright light of Serendipitary Wilson threw her into focus and takes her under her wing. 

Now an adult,she is haunted by an incident in which a child was lost from the circus, the narrator, a tightrope artiste, weaves together her spellbinding story. This includes tales of the circus legends, earthy magic and folklore, and this is all in the hope of finding the child. However will her story be enough tp bring the pair together. 

This beautifully and gripping noval brings together the circus and the life of its family in all of its grime and glory. All of the characters will live long in the hearts of the readers and this story of loss and reconciliation grabs you from the very first sentence.

I loved this story and i think it is the magical and mythical side of the story. The writing style of this novel helps to build the suspense and had me willing the nameless character to succeed and bond with her mother. This of course does happen but under the most saddest of situations, causing your heart to break as the only reason they are not together is because of the past. I have always been a fan of this type of writing and i have already added this to the list that i want to have in the physical form. It also has been wanting more about the girl and how and what she does in her life. Please I need more of this story ...... 

If you want to read this fantastic title, please follow this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Made-Air

Review of War of Cards (Queen of Hearts Saga #3) by Colleen Oakes

 

This is the final book in the twisted Young Adult trilogy which re-imagines the origin story of the Queen of Hearts.

Dinah has now lost everyone she has ever loved. Her brother who was brutishly murdered, the wicked man whom she believed was her father having betrayed her. All off her loyal subjects have been devastated by the war which has torn through the kingdom. And finally the boy whom she had given her heart until it broke completely.

Now the darkness has entered the Queen and she has risen out of the Ashes of her former life. Fury has become her companion and it is blooming inside of her and slowly poisoning her soul and twisting to her mind against her. All that she has left in Wonderland is her crown, and her obsession to fight for both of them. However the war rages on, and Dinah could inherit the bloodstained throne. Can a leader filled with love and rage ever be the true leader that the kingdom of Wonderland needs? Or will her all consuming wrath bring wonderland to it knee.

This is not a story of a happy ever after, this is the true story of the Queen of Hearts.

This is not my favourite one of the trilogy and it took me a while to get into this and this is shown in the fact that it took nearly a week for me to listen to the audio book when a book this length would have been devoured in a mere day. Saying that i enjoyed that the characters were continually developed and can see the turning point for Dinah. Even with the development of the characters did mean that you don't need to read the previous 2 books. I would not steer away from reading this type of book however it would not be the type of book i would gravitate to when looking for a new book to read. I would go as far to say that i am glad that i have read this but would not re-read this and not store in my book library - i have other books that i would recommend before this one.

To get your copy, click this following link:https://www.amazon.co.uk/War-Cards

Review of The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Cgristy Lefteri

In the midst of war, he found love

In the midst of darkness, he found courage

In the midst of tradegy, he found hope

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Everyone find something different from his story!!

Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife Afra an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful and wonderful Syrian city of Aleppo - until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is completely destroyed by the warm they a forced to flee and escape the war torn country. However this is a frightful journey that they are beginning with Afra has witness something so traumatic that she has gone blind and they have to overcome this while travelling through Turkey and Greece to get to the UK. On the way Nuris us sustained by the knowledge tat his cousin Mustafa is waiting for him and has started a apiary and is teaching the refugees in Yorkshire to keep bees and make honey.

As Nuri and Afra travel through the broken world, they must confront not only the pain that the death of their sun Sami has left them with unspeakable loss but also some of the most dangers which would break and overwhelm the bravest of people.Above all and perhaps the hardest thing that the must face is the journey to find each other and their relationship again.

This is a moving, powerful, and fantastically written noval which shows the triumphs which the characters must overcome and how the human spirit is affected. This story has been told in the most simplest manner but that makes it even more powerful and at times i had tears in my eyes during some of the harder to read paragraphs. The language and writing style enforces the feel and strength of community in a honest and awe-inspiring way. I had my heart in my throat for most of this book and when i found out that Mohammed was a manifestation which Nuri had created to be able to handle the grief of losing his son. It has moved me in ways that i haven't felt with many books before.

This is a five star read which every reader need to read at least once, this has made it in my top ten standalone books and will always remain on my bookshelf. Click the following to get your copy of this wonderful Novel: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beekeeper-Aleppo

Review of Cursed Objects: Strange But True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items by J. W Ocker

 This is one of the illustrated compendium which tries to educate and reveals the true stories behind some of the infamous, creepy and bizarre real-life cursed objects though-out history. This book spans decades and continents, and the subjects of the author from the Opulent Hope Diamond to the humble Busy Stool/ 

The author begins by stating that all of these objects are lurking in museums, graveyards and even some private homes all around the world. The stories of these objects have inspired countless movies, tv shows, campfire stories, books and even the good old chain letter/emails. They're cursed objects and in order to unleash the wave of terror that accompanies their misfortune and all they need is people who believe in their stories to spread like an infection around the world. It is part of human culture and history that as a race we can not get enough of these infamous real-life items have been compiled into the following volume. The stories include: Annabelle the Doll, The Tomb of Tutankhamen and The Ring of Silvianus.

Well what can i say, this book scared the life out of me. I was scared from the first word which was said and i could see all of the objects in my minds eye as they were described in detail. I am not a strong believer of curses and things like that but this scared me. It is one i would not want to read again however was a book which i had to read once. This was written with the believers of conspiracy stories in mind and can see how sometimes the stories have evolved over time. 

This is something that everyone should read at least once. Click this link to get your copy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cursed-Objects

Review of Normal People by Sally Rooney

 At school Connell and Marianne pretended not to know each other. He is the popular and well-adjusted star of the soccer team. While she is the lonely, proud and intensely private person. However when Connell comes to pick up his mother from her housekeeping job at Marianne's parents house, they develop a strange and everlasting connection between themselves and it is one which they are determined to conceal from the world.

A year later, they are both studying at Trinity College in Dublin and Marianne has found a new social circle which has transformed her into a social butterfly, while Connell is hanging out on the sidelines and is shy and uncertain about himself. Throughout their years during college, Marianna and Connell circle each other, straying towards other people and then their magnetic connection draws them back together. Marianne then veers herself into a self-destructive being and he begins to finally search for the meaningless elsewhere. Each of them must comfort how far they are willing to tread and fight for each other to save them.

I found that this was a brilliant psychological story which everyone can relate to as everyone has been where Marianne and Connell have been at some time in their lives. The writing style of the novel is interesting and can sometimes feel as if all of the sentences are melding together as there is very limited punctuation but it is very brilliantly done. Their relationship is the classic Romeo and Juliet story which they conceal as there is always someone who does not approve of it. I myself have had a relationship which was more secret than public and it was during a very troubling time in my life and i was much like Marianne at school and then in college. I would recommend this novel to students of psychology and people who think that they are the only person in the world who feels like this.

To read this for yourself, following this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Normal-People

Review of The Vow by Debbie Howells

 The Wedding day may never happen however a Funeral might.

Two weeks before her wedding, a stranger stops Amy in the street and warns her that she is in the path of danger. Then that night Matt, her loyal fiance, doesn't come home from entertaining a client. Desperately, Amy calls everyone she know before giving in and calls the Police and when Matt fails to reappear then she is forced to call off her wedding day. 

Then another man is reported missing by a woman called Fiona and surprising enough the man matches Matts description, who was about to leave his fiancee for her. He was supposed to be moving in with her however instead he vanishes without a trace.

Amy refuses to believe the notion that Fiona's lover may actually be her Matt, however photos emerge which helps to prove otherwise. It then some becomes clear that Matt has been leading a dangerous double life. This becomes evident when the police start to dig deeper and two conflicting but equally plausible stories emerge from two woman who have never met in their life.

This is one of those books which grabbed me from the beginning and thrust me into the story where i had to meet the ground running .... as the saying goes. This story plunges you into a twisted story of two woman who have both been pulled into this life by the same man ... each been given a different story and the kicker is that the man is already dead. You can feel the pain which Amy is going through and you can imagine yourself in her place - i totally empathised with her having been through a relationship which broke down because of a mans affair. 

Amy's story is built upon with insight into both her teenage life and the situation that she is currently in. And it is during this time that we meet Jess, Amy's daughter and how they both come through this sordid affair and continue to live. I started the book thinking that i was not going to like it but this change by chapter 3, i was in love with the book and it has become a favourite which i have already recommended to all of my friends.

I can not wait until i can read more from this author, I have to thank Netgalley and Avon Books for giving me to read this ARC.

For your copy of this noval, please following the attached link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vow

Review of Life as a Unicorn: A Journey from Shame to Pride and Everything in Between by Amrou Al-Kadhi

From  a god-fearing Muslim boy who is enruptured with his mother, to a vocal, queer drag queen who is estranged from him family. This is a heart breaking and also hilarious memoir about the author and how they became true to themselves.

Amrou knew that they was gay when, aged 10, they fikrst laid eyes pn Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone and it is love at first sight for them. Amrou’s parents as you can imagine weren’t so happy with this outcome ….

Life as a Unicorn is a funny yet totally devastating story of a search for belonging, following the painful and yet surprising process of transferring from a god-fearing Muslin boy. It follows his transformation and the hurdles which he had to overcome to be the loving and fun filled individual that he is.

I love this book as it was full of anecdotal scenarios which had me crying and laughing all at the same time. Tears running down my face while I had some gut wrenching laughing fits when going through their path. This story begins in edinburgh where they have a performance which is pivotal in their life, when there is a family of Muslim women sitting in the front row. This allows them to start reliving their past from being their mother's golden child to someone that the family wants to disown them and let them make their own mistakes. I found it hard to get the pronouns right when reading this as in my head it wanted to jump to him and her however by the end of the novel i had finally got it down. I was also so shocked about some of the things which they had to go through and racial stereotypes were constant;y linked to. I would recommend this to everyone as it gives a rare and real account of coming out to the world as the person you are.

To get your copy of the book - click the following link:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Unicorn-Journey

Review of Blood of Wonderland (Queen of Hearts #2) by Colleen Oakes

 The Queen Will Rise Again.

Dinah has been exiled from Wonderland. Her vicious father - who she always feared has framed her for the brutal murder of her brother and this has then turned the whole kingdom against her.

Now hiding in the lush and mysterious Twisted wood with only her war steed by her side, Dinah is faced with a big choice. She could leave wonderland for good or she could return to the palace and fight her father for the throne which is rightfully hers. This is a fight which she knows will only result in bloodshed in the kingdom.

On a chance encounter with her father’s long-lost enemies brings Dinah more allies than she ever could have imagined - the start of war is inevitable. However for Dinah can lead her new found tribe of people, she must first confront certain truths about her heart and her destiny. This must be done no matter how dark those truths may be. Dinah’s battle has begun and the Revolution is rising in wonderland.

I am going to admit that i didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first one and i can not put my finger on what it was which i didn’t like. I did enjoy the way that the character development carried on from the previous book and this was good as it meant that the things which i have now learned about the characters was additional information and not s repeat of the first book. I found that even through the smouldering friendship between Dinah and Gorran grows and becomes a trusting relationship which is more of a mentee/mentor relationship than anything else. This friendship was one of the redeeming things for this book as I found that the rest of the story could have been removed and i would have had the same liking of the book. I can not wait to read the final chapter of the story and see where it will take Dinah and her people.

To get your copy of the story, click the following link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Wonderland

Review of Intensity by Dean Koontz

Past midnight, Chyna Shepard, 26 years old, she gazes out of a moonlit window when she is unable to sleep on her first night in the Napa Valley - the home of her best friend’s family. Instinct proves to be valuable for her survival. The murderous sociopath Egler Foreman Vess, has forcefully entered the house, intent on killing all of the occupants inside. Being a self-proclaimed “homicidal adventurer” Vess lives only to satisfy all of his appetites as they arise, to immerse himself into the sensation, to live without fear, remorse or limits, to live with “Intensity”. Chyna is trapped in his deadly orbit with no way to escape.

Chyna is a survivor, who is toughened by a long life of struggle for safety and self-respect. Now she will be tested as never before. To beggining with her sole aim is focused on getting out of the situation alive - until by chance, she learns the identity of Vess’s next intended victim, a faraway innocent who only she is able to find and save. Driven by the newly discovered thirst for meaning beyond mere self-preservation, Chyna musters every piece of inner strength and resource that she has to save the endangered girl. All the while, minute by minute, the terrifying threat of Egler Foreman Vess is building and the danger is intensifying.

Well, what can i say, this book had me terrified from page one. I felt like I was with Chyna every step of the way and taking every dangerous term that she takes. From hiding under the bed in the guest room, hiding in Vess’s Mobile home and then the tentative steps in his house. Vess has some many qualities of an evil from my past and actually had me relive my own experience and this made me enjoy it even more. Yes, I know this is not my normal choice of genre, however I did actually enjoy the thrill of the chase and watching how Chyna outsmarts her opponent during this battle. During the first couple of chapters I sat down and got myself into the story and then BANG the story hit me smack in the face. I have to say that this book is one of the best horror titles that i have read and I don’t think I will be dabbling into this genre very often.

For your copy please follow this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dean-Koontz-Intensity

Review of Tokyo Deon't Love Us Anymore by Ray Larigo

 

This is the disturbing and exhilarating novel in which the anonymous protagonist, a dealer offering a range of the latest chemicals designed to make the consumers forget everything.This finds his past and present, along with his own identity, disintegrate under the effects of these 'drugs of oblivion'. Set in the very near future, this novel is very much in the style of dystopia like Orwell's 1984, while also evoking the bewildering visual universe of Blade Runner.

The protagonist moves through a world of cynical consumerism, whether in Arizona, South East Asia or Europe. Under the constant scrutiny of the Company in whose products he deals in. The alienating urban environment that surrounds him intensifies the feelings that he does not belong to any one country or place. His own life is spent in a transient nature on the deserted motorways, in crowded airports or anonymous hotel rooms which are punctuated by business contacts with similar nameless customers and the random and meaningless sexual encounters. There is no place for guilt or any personal responsibility in the society in which one's acts are easily forgotten thanks to the drug which has been designed to erase the memories from the users mind.

The protagonist speaks with a very disarming humour which is born from his detachment from life, personal relationships and the very consequences for his actions. What makes the subject in this novel so alarming is the fact that bother the observations and the conclusions are completely believable.

I did not enjoy this book for the reason that there was no character information which would allow you to have an internal dialogue with them. I found that this was very disengaging and made me instantly not enjoy the what should have been an interesting story, This is something which is a subject which is at the forefront of everyone's world and it is clear to see how things can jump to this type of designer drug. I don't think that i would recommend this to anyone to read as it was not my type of novel.

Review of The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan

 

A MAGICAL TALE OF FAMILY, AMBITION AND LOVE SET IN A GILDED AGE NEW YORK AND LONDON

Harriet Bishop, descended from a long line of witches, uses her magic to help women in need. Not just the ordinary women but also those who have powers of their own. Harriet finds that she must intervene when one of her distant cousins starts to wield the darker and dangerous side of magic to change the lives of two unsuspecting young people ....one of whom might just be a witch herself.

Frances Allington has used her feminine wiles and witchcraft to claw her way out of her poverty stricken life and into the spectacular marriage with one of New York's most wealthiest business tycoons. Frances is determined to secure the Alligntons position amongst the city's elite Four Hundred Families by any means possible. Even if this means that she has to hatch a scheme to make a glorious match for her headstrong and very independent step-daughter Annis - to do this she will yield her power with the same methods that she snared Annis's father.  To be able to save Annis from the dangerous effects of the dark magic, Harriet must reveal to Annis the misuse of Francis's power. To do this though she will have to share with her cousin the birthright that she has and then help Annis kindle her new and untrained powers. Together, Harriet and Annis must both resist her stepmothers agenda and also the life of the dashing you lord that she thinks that she will be able to come to love. But doing this may mean that the all lose their freedom and a possibility of also losing their lives - thats how dangerous this is.

Admittedly this is not my normal type of book however i got this in my mystery date with a book box that i received and have managed to read the whole book in one day. The story is set in the New York and London in 1692 and starts with one of the Bishop's witches quote of 'It was a cruel day to leave the world' and this quote kept cropping in some form throughout the book. Another of my favourite quotes is: 'Witch should be a beautiful word, signifying wisdom and knowledge and discipline, but it isn't used that way. It has been made an insult, implying evil causing fear'. As i have said before i am a sucker for the happy ending but this took until about chapter 30 to start to come into the story and that what grabbed me .... the will they wont they scenario. The majority of the story is built around Annis and James and the manipulation that they are put through and this is one of the reason i will add this to my list of all time favourite books.

To get you copy of the book, follow this link:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Age-Witches

Review of Queen of Hearts (Queen of Hearts Saga #1) by Colleen Oakes

EVIL IS RISING IN WONDERLAND

This is not the story of wonderland which we have been told about before. Alice has not had her fall down the rabbit hole yet and the kingdom is very different. There is no all-knowing Cheshire cat with a taunting smile, this is the wonderland where beneath each smile lies a secret, each jam tart comes with its own demand and the only prisoners are the only ones who tell the truth.

Dinah is the crown princess who will one day be ruler of the Kingdom of Wonderland. At her young age she has not yet seen the darkest depths of the kingdom - she always and only longs for her fathers approval and the future with the boy that has stolen her heart. However it is her father who betrays her and breaks her heart into a million pieces and threatens her right tot he throne. She is forced into Wonderlands dangerous political game which starts when she is introduced to the illegitimate child of her father. Dinah must try and stay one step ahead of her cunning enemies or she will lose not only her right to the crown but also her head.

Evil is brewing in wonderland and maybe - most frighteningly - in her own character. This is the story which does not have a happy ever after and is the story of how the Queen of Hearts become who she was when we were introduced to Alice.

I loved this story as we were finally able to get some of the history about the Queen and how she turned out the way she is - what was so horrible that she turned evil. Well it is all in this story. The first thing that you see if that Dinah is a lonely child and she has the most tyrannicidal father, who announces to the whole of his court that he has a illegitimate child - who you would think would become a friend for her - and she is being put before her in the path to the throne. There is elements of out favourite wonderland characters in some of the courtiers but you can help but see the differences from them.  I have found that this story is the one story that fills in the blanks and explains the cultures and history behind the foundations of the stories we know. This shows how the character development has been done and the thought which has been put into the story line. I would recommend this book to anyone who have and does love the tradition Alice in Wonderland story.

For you copy of this thrilling story, follow the attached link :https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queen-Hearts-Book
 

Review of The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

 

This Novel is from the author who brought you Me Before You, she has set this novel in the Depression-era of America. We are told a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and tells of their remarkable journeys though the mountains of Kentucky and beyond.

Alice wright is married to the handsome American Bennett Van Cleve and is hoping to escape her stifling life in England. However the small-town Kentucky quickly becomes equally claustrophobic, especially when she is living alongside her over-bearing father-in-law. So when she receives the call for a team of women to deliver books as per as Roosevelt's newest travelling library, Alice immediately joins the group as a way to expand her world.

The leader of this group, and soon Alice's greatest ally, is Margery - a very smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who's never asked a man's permission for anything. The dynamic duo will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Packhouse Librarians for the town Kentucky. 

This story is if what happens to them - and the significant others - becomes unforgettable drama of loyalty, justice, humanity and passion. This group of heroic women, will refuse to be cowed by men or by the conventions of the small town life. Even though they face all kind of danger in the landscape that it is at times breathtakingly beautiful - at others brutal - they are committed to doing their job; bringing books to the people who have never had the chance of having any, arming the people with the facts that will change their lives.

Based on the true story which is rooted in America's past, this is a unparalleled in it scope and epic storytelling. Moyes gives us a funny, heartbreaking, enthralling and has been destined to become a modern classic. This is a novel which shows us a rich and rewarding novel of women's friendship, of true love and what happens when we reach beyond our grasp for the great beyond.

I am a sucker for a historical story which show and empowers women, giving them the tools to succeed and enrich their lives. Moyes has a way of developing her characters and gives us a very description of them and there natures and hopes for the future. I did however struggle to get into this book however once i was in to the story i devoured it in a couple of days. I love the way that Moyes has used a quote from a classic at the beginning of each chapter which draws the reader in. I love how a love of books and community have been entwined with the stories of each of these women, Moyes also links in the ultimate classic of Little Women by Lousia May Alcott. Even though this is not my first choice of novel, I would recommend this to someone who loves historical fiction.

For you copy of this novel, please click the following link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Giver-Stars

Review of The Girl Who Lived Twice by David Lagercrantz

 

Neither Lisbeth nor Camille will give up until one of them is lying dead.

The girl with the dragon tattoo is finally ready to confront her arch-nemesis, the only woman who is evidently and in may ways her ultimate match. Salanda will not wait for herself to be hunted. When she launches her strike against her it will be a double blow, vengeance for the recent atrocities and the settling of lifelong scores which have been brewing for many years. 

For many months now Salander has been closing in on her target and she has moved from Stockholm, changed her newly styled her and removed all of her trademark piercings. She could pass for any one of the many businesswoman who make their way around the city however not all business woman have a Beretta Cheetah beneath their suit jacket. They also do not process the lethal power of being the infamous hacker who carries scars and tattoos to help remind her of the things which she has survived and things that would have broken many others.

In this new episode of the acclaimed internationally continuation of the Larsson's Dragon tattoo series which is a wholly thrilling ride that scales the heights of Everest and plunges to the depths of the Russian troll factories. At the start of the story it begins with the discovery of Blomkvists number at the Millennuim magazine in the pocket of an unidentified homeless man who has died with the name of a government minister on his lips. Blomkvist, at an extreme personal risk, tracks down his old friend and will protect her as far as he can and finds that he is powerless to crush her enemies on his own. For Lisbeth Salander, the personal is always seen as the political and even more deadly.

I have enjoyed this episode of the series, i have found that this could have been a standalone novel as this pulls on all of the major characters histories and gives us more insight into them. I have found that the novel has helped fortify my love of Lisbeth and forge it in my mind that she is my favourite character of the whole series closely followed by the loner Blomkvist. I have found that in this novel the family aspect of the two major characters built on, for example Blomkvist has a fatherly like link to her and this helps to me to see why they are ultimately link forever no matter what the story flings at them. I love the character development in this novel and it touches on the element of sexuality and how fleeting this can be and that it is important not to judge a book by its cover. When reading some of the paragraphs writing about Lisbeth, it make me feel like th author is assassinating her character and does not want her to succeed and this is just why she does. I have found the 400+ pages of the novel of fast paced and engaging writing which had me gripped from page on through to page 424. I would recommend this book to any one who loves the original trilogy.

To get your copy of this book, click the following link : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Who-Lived-Twice

Review of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

 

Cath is the ultimate Simon Snow Fan.

Okay, lets clarify this, the while world is a Simon Snow Fan.

But for Cath, being a fan is not enough, being Simon Snows Fan is her whole life ... and what makes sense is that she is really good at it. Cath and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the world of Simon Snow series when they were small and it was the single things which got them both through their mother leaving. Reading and rereading the series. They then began to hang out is the Simon Snow forum, writing Snow fan fiction and dressing up as the characters when there was a movie premiere.

Cath's sister however has mostly grown away from the fandom, for Cath though she is not able to let go and she doesn't want to.

Now that they are both going of to college, Wren has told Cather that she doesn't want to be roommates. For the first time Cather is completely on her own and thrust out of her comfort zone. When she arrives at college she finds that she has a surly roommate who has a charming and always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks that fan fiction is the end of the civilised world and a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words. During this unsettling time, she is not able to stop herself from worrying about her dad, who is a loving and fragile individual who has never really been alone.

For Cath, the biggest question is - Can She Do This? Can she make it without her sister holding her hand. Is she ready living her own life? Can she write her own stories? And if she does this is she able to leave Simon Snow behind is she is going to move on. 

Well what can i say ... I have read this book at least 4 times and I love the characters more and more every time that I read it. I love this book and the way that it shows how important it is to read and to voice your own stories especially when you are going through troubling times. It helps to show how to expect the unexpected when put out of your comfort zone, to do this Rowell uses descriptive scenes which show how the human brain working through these situations and growing up in a new world after the loss of a parent. This is one of those stories which show that Cath and Wren come from a broken family and they Simon Snow was the catalyst for them to start healing and gives them an outlet for pouring their feelings into and work through the thoughts which would have led them down a very different path. I love how this book is structured and by this i mean that you have a chapter which is around Cath and her life and then the next chapter is an exert from the Simon Snow books. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good love story which has been racked with pain in their history.

To get your copy of the book, please click the following link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fangirl