A Secret for the Lifeboat Sisters by Tilly Tennant (@Tillytenwriter @Bookouture) #ASecretfortheLifeboatSisters #Booksontour #review

Today I am closing the tour with my review of ‘A Secret for the Lifeboat Sisters’, the third book in the series by Tilly Tennant. Many thanks to Bookouture for inviting me to take part in the tour, and for supplying me with an ARC. All thoughts written are done so in an unbiased manner.

As the sun warms the sand of Port Promise bay and the sea is stained turquoise, Gaby Morrow is about to discover that her life is going to change forever…

As she looks through the window of Thistledown Cottage, her perfect home with its flower-filled garden and views of the sparkling, white-tipped waves, Gaby Morrow should feel like she has it all. She watches her two gorgeous children race down to the golden beach and waves goodbye to her husband Kilian, his chestnut hair tousled as he heads off for another day working on the lifeboats. To her friends and family Gaby’s life looks wonderful, but deep down Gaby knows that this is a lie.

Recently Kilian has grown distant, a terrible tragedy at sea causing him to withdraw. Try as she might, Gaby can’t get her beloved husband to open up, and she knows Kilian has been lying about where he has been going. Gaby wants to believe she can trust him. But when she discovers that he has been keeping a secret that will change all their lives, will she ever be able to feel the same again?

Gaby’s sisters rally round in her hour of need and remind her of everything she has that is worth fighting for. But just as she makes her decision, she sees helicopters circling the sea and the call she has dreaded her whole life comes in. Kilian’s rescue mission has gone wrong. Will Gaby’s life be turned upside down all over again? And has she only realised what is truly important when it’s too late?

TWG’s Thoughts.

I have really enjoyed all three books in the series I must say! Book three is written from the eldest sisters POV, Gaby. In the previous two books, Gaby seemed to have it all together. Every single strand of hair was in place, the type of person who ironed her sheets and underwear, the family organiser hanging on the fridge with all members of the family having a column. You know, THAT together. So, in this instalment, Gaby’s feathers were a bit ruffled and, in all honesty, I could see why. There’s only so long one person can keep it together for without reaching their limit.

I do think that Gaby was playing with fire in the story by trying to make her husband jealous, especially with the way that she went about it. However, I also think that Kilian was in the wrong big time for keeping such a big secret from his wife. It doesn’t matter whether the family couldn’t do anything about it by changing it, because what mattered was the trust between them and he broke that. He should have told her, and the fact that he admitted he wasn’t going to tell her at all was shocking. I know I’m speaking a little in riddles, but because of spoilers I don’t want to say too much!

It took something rather serious for Gaby to realise that she didn’t want to be apart from her husband, which is a shame although it often happens with reality checks and what not.

I think I say this in every review I write for a Tilly Tennant novel, yet I’m going to say it again – I ADORE her books. They are the perfect escape! This book was no different, I literally read it in one sitting (a mere 2.5 hours) and I was gutted when it came to an end. There was something so wholesome about the Morrow family and everything they stood for, plus I loved getting to know each of the sisters and watching them pave their own life. I would love to see a book written from Mother Morrow’s point of view, I reckon it would be such an insightful read given what she’s been through with her husband – I think it would be lovely to learn more about what makes her tick as a person instead of just knowing her as the mother if you catch my drift.

If you haven’t read any of the Lifeboat Sisters books, I urge you to rethink that pronto. Even though the books are centred around some rather hard hitting situations, I think that it was done in a way that was super poignant and thought provoking, without tarring any emotion or event.

‘A Secret for the Lifeboat Sisters’ is a story that proves that, regardless of how polished you look, how together you think you might be, unless you’re happy and confident within yourself, you’ll never be your true, authentic self. Who cares what people think? As long as you are happy with your life then that’s all that matters, and Gaby really drove that home. Yes, she faced bumps along the way, however she needed to come across those to see whether things were worth fighting for.

A huggable, thought provoking, addictive novel that left me feeling at peace with my flaws, and gave my soul a much needed hug.

‘A Secret for the Lifeboat Sisters’ is available to buy now from Amazon.

#TheCactus by Sarah Haywood (@Sarahxhaywood @tworoadsbooks @reesew) #review #booktwt #netgalley #reesewitherspoonbookclub

*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for supplying me with a review copy of ‘The Cactus’. All thoughts written here are done so in an unbiased manner.*

People aren’t sure what to make of Susan Green. Family and colleagues find her prickly and hard to understand – but Susan makes perfect sense to herself. Age 45, she thinks her life is perfect. She has a London flat which is ideal for one; a steady job that suits her passion for logic; and a personal arrangement providing cultural and other, more intimate, benefits.

Yet suddenly faced with the loss of her mother and, implausibly, with the possibility of becoming a mother herself, Susan’s greatest fear is being realised: she is losing control. And things can only get worse … at least in Susan’s eyes.

TWG’s Thoughts.

I really wasn’t sure what to make of ‘The Cactus’ at first. I had seen various other reviews where readers wrote that it was a marmite book etc, so I was rather curious to see for myself.

Susan is for sure, a marmite character, I’ll agree with that one, however she’s rather misunderstood in my eyes. Here is a woman who likes things done a certain way, is very particular about her likes and dislikes, is passionate about what she believes in and what she believes to be the truth (and won’t stop until she’s proven right). Yes, her delivery when spoken to can be a bit, how shall I put this nicely…..abrupt, and her brain doesn’t seem to connect with her mouth (I see myself in her!), but her intentions are good. Susan isn’t a social butterfly by any means, in fact, she would rather by 10 feet away from any sort of touching, human breathing space. Most people, like her brother Edward, would take that as her being a snotty so and so, difficult. Whereas I saw it as she didn’t know how to act around people who seemed to care about her. She had spent a lot of time over the years doing things by herself, so when someone offers help or a shoulder for her to cry on, her instinct was to get defensive and push them away.

When Susan’s life began to change in a way she thought she would never want, something must have clicked in her and it was as though she was finally coming to the realisation that not everyone was against her. Don’t get me wrong, her family members didn’t leave a lot to be desired, but people like Rob and her neighbour, Kate, weren’t enemies, they were actually WANTING to help.

I couldn’t help but think of a certain Elizabeth Zott from ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ by Bonnie Garmus, when it came to forming my opinion of Susan. Both main characters came across as ‘awkward’ in life, with both having good intentions and a heart in the right place. There were so many similarities between the two, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I was told that they were actually long lost sisters! I mean, it’s possible!

‘The Cactus’ is certainly a unique read with a unique main character, yet I really enjoyed that about the book. I liked how different it was, and how different Susan was to many other main characters I have read about recently. I didn’t realise until after reading the book, that it was actually Sarah Haywood’s debut novel – I honestly wouldn’t have guessed otherwise! The storyline seemed as though it had been crafted by an author with multiple books under their belt!

I was pleasantly surprised by ‘The Cactus’, so much so that I, er, read it in one day. There was just something so endearing about Susan and everything she stood for. I found it be such a comfort read which, given how much Susan was against that, struck me as ironic. I really enjoyed reading Sarah Haywood’s debut novel – it was such a thought provoking, humbling novel which was written beautifully.

If you’re wanting to read a novel that is a little bit quirky, a chip off the old block, a comforting escape, then I urge you to pick up this one.

‘The Cactus’ by Sarah Haywood is available to purchase now on Amazon.

The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop by Caroline Roberts (@_caroroberts @0neMoreChapter) #Review #Christmas

*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for supplying me with a copy of the book. All thoughts written here are done so in an unbiased manner*

The snow is falling, the hot chocolate’s warming, and hearts are melting . . .

Emma is the proud owner of The Chocolate Shop by the Sea, nestled in the heart of the cosy seaside village that’s become her home. With Christmas right around the corner, she and her assistant Holly are busy cooking up the locals’ festive favourites.

From cinnamon hot chocolates to reindeer lollipops, Christmas wouldn’t taste the same without a little cocoa magic. And for Emma it’s the perfect distraction from her romantic pains of the past. So when the shop’s miserly landlord threatens to hike up the rent, Emma’s Christmas and New Year suddenly look a lot less cheerful.

With the whole village rallying behind her – and loyal spaniel Alfie by her side – Emma’s determined to hold onto her chocolate-box dream.

The chocolate calendar countdown is on. Can Emma rescue her business and her broken heart?


TWG’s Thoughts.

Emma was afraid of loving again after her heart was irreparably broken….or so she thought. With a business to run, a pooch to look after and friends to remind that she’s still alive, Emma didn’t think her heart was capable of love again.. …Until Max that is.

Because I don’t want to give anything away that’s all I will say on the matter! Who would have thought that a cosy chocolate shop set in Northumberland, would be the ideal setting for a feel good story, but it was! I suppose you could say that I am ‘unlucky in love’, yet Emma and the gang made me see that, with the right person, all the puzzle pieces fit without question.

Who knows, someday I may get my own Max. Such a cosy, heart warming novel that put a smile on my face. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop by Caroline Roberts is available to purchase now from Amazon.

The Exploit by Daniel Scanlan #TheExploit (@DanielMScanlan @AriesFiction)

*Many thanks to the author for supplying me with a copy of the book – all thoughts written here are done so in an unbiased manner*

When a deadly enemy reappears with a lethal new plan, it’s up to FBI Special Agent Ericka Blackwood to stop him – but not before she overcomes the failures of her past.

Following her harrowing encounter with predatory cybercriminal Dantalion, and her decision to pursue vengeance over duty, Ericka Blackwood hit rock bottom. Her only path to redemption is through the relentless pursuit of her elusive old enemy.

But Ericka is not the only one seeking Dantalion, whose tastes for chaos and carnage have drawn him into the world of international terrorism. When an attempt to destroy a Pakistani jail alerts intelligence services that Dantalion has emerged from hiding, Ericka and her old FBI team are hot on the criminal mastermind’s trail.

Which is exactly what he wants…

TWG’s Thoughts.

Oh my goodness me, what is it with this author and endings!!!!! It was evidently clear that Ericka’s story was far from finished, but given the fact that ‘The Exploit’ has recently been published, any sequel will take a little while to materialise and I’m just too impatient to find out what happens next!

If you read my review on the first book, ‘The Hacker’, you will remember that I went through a whole range of emotions whilst reading the book, especially at the end. You can read my review here.

Anyway, back to book number two and once again, I found myself on a similar rollercoaster ride to last time – liking the book one moment, getting annoyed with it the next, finding myself absolutely gripped by the turn of events, back to thoroughly enjoying it…..until it ended. Ericka seriously doesn’t do herself any favours. She honestly is like a ticking time bomb that even she cannot diffuse. With Dantalion still on the loose, Ericka is more determined than ever to put him in his place, but at what cost exactly? The cost of her colleagues lives? The cost of her life? Her own mental well-being? Red flags are everywhere and Ericka knows that, she just doesn’t want to admit that they’re there. Because of her past and the unfinished business there, Ericka is full to the brim with guilt, and that, in my opinion, is totally blinkering any sort of logic which is going to land her in boiling water.

For me, Ericka had an addictive personality. At times I wanted to hate her because of innocence being caught in the cross fire, yet at times I felt pangs of empathy towards her due to her being a bit broken. I’m quite broken myself (12 chronic illnesses including mental health), not to the extent of hers can I just clarify, and broken people can spot other broken people a mile off.

There was a lot of jargon that flew over my head, but I didn’t let that hinder my enjoyment of the novel at all. I cannot believe that hacking to this extent was even possible, it’s crazy just how dangerous technology can be if it’s in the wrong hands. Doesn’t bear thinking about.

Daniel Scanlan is an incredibly gifted writer, one who clearly knows what he’s talking about! He knows how to create characters with more layers than a matryoshka doll, as well as creating a feeling of tension, suspense and the all important thrill. His books seriously need to come with a blood pressure monitor, that’s for sure!

Yet another exciting yet frustrating, gritty, multi dimensional novel which has left me wanting more…like….now!

‘The Exploit’ is available to purchase now from Amazon.

The Locket by Natalie Meg Evans (@natmegevans @bookouture) #Booksontour #review #booktwt

Many thanks to Bookouture for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for ‘The Locket’ by Natalie Meg Evans, and for supplying me with an ARC via Netgalley. All thoughts written are done so in an unbiased manner. Before we get to my review, here is a little bit more about the book:

England, 1942. ‘It has to stay secret,’ he whispers, placing the locket around her neck. ‘If they find it, they’ll send me away.’ As she holds the locket, glinting in the moonlight, she can’t hold back the tears. ‘I just wish we didn’t have to hide…’
When farmer’s daughter Irene meets Theodore at a village dance, sparks fly instantly. The war has brought him all the way from Louisiana to build a US airbase just across her father’s fields, but as they sway together, there is nothing else in the world. Only his gentle touch and his deep brown eyes. But being together comes at a price. As Theodore is Black, the might of the US Air Force is against them, and all the members of the little village community disapprove of their relationship. And they will all go to terrible lengths to tear the two young lovers apart…
Decades later, heartbroken Ruby is back at her family’s crumbling farmhouse for the first time in years, after the loss of her beloved grandmother Irene. The roof has fallen in, family photographs are damaged – and her grandmother’s jewellery is nowhere to be found.
When Ruby uncovers her grandmother’s waterlogged diaries, she discovers that Irene treasured one piece of lost jewellery above all. A locket from a man called Theodore. And the missing locket holds the key to unravelling a heartbreaking secret that changed her grandmother’s life…Is someone in the village hiding the locket to keep the truth about Irene and Theodore buried?
And can Ruby find a way to honour her grandmother’s memory – or in digging up the pain of the war, will she tear her family apart?

TWG’s Thoughts

I wasn’t sure what to make of this at first, whether it was a case of ‘boy meets girl at the wrong time, all is lost’, or whether it was something else entirely. Ruby had had her heart broken so she took herself to her late grandma’s house to distract herself. What she didn’t expect to find however, was written snippets from grandma Irene’s past, and an aunt who refused to give her a straight answer so that she could try and find out the truth.

Even though a locket was a huge part of the storyline, hence the title, there was a lot more to the book such as racism in the 1940’s, lies, abuse, true love, tangled family history, and so much more. It was hard to read about the fate of Irene and Theo, and I couldn’t help but find myself getting angry because of Aunt Philippa and her brother, Norman’s actions. I know that’s easy for me to say given times were a lot different back then, but those lies the family told cost Irene dearly and had a domino effect on other members of the family. How could they live with themselves knowing what they did?

I demolished ‘The Locket’ in one day, I was hooked on Irene’s story and the way Ruby was trying to fix the puzzle pieces. I was so invested in the storyline, that I felt emotional when the truth came out and and was as though I had personally endured a loss. Daft eh.

This book is a triumph. A beautifully written, tangled web of both heartache and love, mixed with a dash of forgiveness and laced with such raw emotion that weaves its way into the readers heart and soul. Natalie Meg Evans has done her characters proud, and has certainly left a mark on me. I honestly cannot recommend this enough – beautiful, stunning, poignant, just everything I could ever want from a book.

‘The Locket’ by Natalie Meg Evans is available to buy now from Amazon.

#TeamDaniels – Book 2 in the #DCIKateDaniels series, #SettledBlood by Mari Hannah (@mariwriter @panmacmillan @tr4cyf3nt0n)

As promised, I’m back with book two in the DCI Kate Daniels series, Settled Blood by Mari Hannah. Once again, thanks to Tracy Fenton for asking me to be involved in this, and to the published for supplying review copies via Netgalley. All thoughts written are done so in an unbiased manner.

When a young girl is found dead at the base of Hadrian’s Wall, it’s not long before Detective Chief Inspector Kate Daniels realizes that her death was no ordinary homicide. She was thrown from a great height – and was probably alive before she hit the ground.

When a local businessman reports his daughter missing, has Daniels found the identity of the victim, or is a killer playing a sickening game?

As the murder investigation team delves deeper into the case, half-truths are told and secrets exposed. And while Daniels makes her way through a mountain of obstacles, time is running out for one terrified girl . . .

TWG’s Thoughts.

Ohhhhh I really enjoyed this one!

I felt like ‘Settled Blood’ was a bit more established than its predecessor and the characters seemed to have found their feet a lot quicker. In this instalment, DCI Kate Daniels and her team were racing against time to find a girl who was feared dead, yet the team had absolutely no idea where she was. Kudo’s to the culprit for playing a ruddy good game of hide and seek, but surely it would have been better if, oh I don’t know, the ‘thing’ he was hiding wasn’t an actual living person? That would have been far too easy though wouldn’t it.

There was a lot of grit in the storyline to sink my teeth in as, from the get go there is a death, an inspector who gets on Kate Daniels’ bad side, and evidence that points everywhere but. I thought that the psychological element to the storyline was brilliantly done, so much so it made me question my own sanity at times, let alone Kate’s!

It didn’t take me long at all to finish reading ‘Settled Blood’ as I just had to find out whether the unintentional game of hide and seek came up trumps and whether the culprit got what was coming to them, whoever they may have been! I had my suspicions, just like many of you will/had, and I was wrong! I honestly thought I had it all figured out, but I clearly didn’t which I was so pleased about as, when the truth came out, I was faced with genuine shock.

Mari Hannah has delivered, once again, a novel that played with my mind, put me on a rollercoaster ride of……something, gripped me from the very start, and completely blindsided me with the truth. If this book is anything to go by, the rest of the series is going to be an absolute corker – I cannot wait!

‘Settled Blood’ is available to buy now from Amazon

Erm…that ending?! Here is my review of #TheHacker by Daniel Scanlan (@DanielMScanlan @AriesFiction)

He’s online. He’s anonymous. He’s deadly.

When a video surfaces on the Dark Web showing a murder no one else could have witnessed, FBI Special Agent Ericka Blackwood starts tracking down the killer. But the case is even darker than Ericka thought. Hidden behind an avatar named Dantalion, a criminal mastermind is feeding his sadistic appetites by directing the crimes of others – and he may have been orchestrating his twisted schemes for years.

As Ericka homes in on her target, the tables are suddenly turned. Dantalion has information that will help Ericka fulfil a deeply personal quest for revenge… but only if she risks her career, her life, and the fate of Dantalion’s future victims. Does vengeance come at too high a price?

(*Many thanks to Aries Fiction/Head of Zeus for supplying me with an eARC via Netgalley. All thoughts written are done so in an unbiased manner*)

TWG’s Thoughts.

Er………THAT ENDING!!!!! What the actual f……was that! I’m not as mad about the ending now that I know that there is a sequel to the book (The Exploit – out now), but at the time of reading it I had absolutely no idea and several expletives came tumbling out of my mouth (much to the shock of my daughter). If I wrote here that the loose ends were tied up prettily with a pink bow doused in copious amounts of glitter, I would be lying because what happened was the complete opposite. NO ENDS WERE TIED UP! For those who have already read ‘The Hacker, you’ll know what I am talking about. For those who wish to read it (and I suggest you do), I highly recommend getting the sequel ready and waiting. I didn’t do that, in fact, I’m still yet to purchase it but lets not split hairs.

Anyway, this book…..I have no idea how I am going to review it without giving away every single detail of what happens, but I am going to try my best! I don’t intend on spoiling the book for anyone else at all, so if you have to read between the lines and add in your own words, then yeah!

I think, going by the title, the storyline of ‘The Hacker’ is a bit self explanatory. Cyber crime. Dark web. It sounds so simple doesn’t it? It’s not…it’s really not. People say that fact is stranger than fiction, and that is certainly the case here. A lot of the situations mentioned with technology seemed unbelievably farfetched. I mean, how could someone connect to a VR headset and control everything from a distance away? How could someone take over a huge piece of machinery, control it and move it, all without being right there? It doesn’t sound possible does it?

There was a lot of hard hitting moments throughout this book, with crimes being committed that were just absolutely disgraceful and made me wonder how on earth could someone not have a conscience to do what they did as simply and nonchalantly as cleaning their teeth? Don’t get me wrong, I know these things happen in the world, and much worse – I’m not that naïve. But still.

Despite all of the gut wrenching moments, ‘The Hacker’ had me liking it one minute, despising it the next, to then becoming its prisoner and loving it. I was confused at times due to all of the technical jargon and what not, however I was absolutely hooked and gripped by each turn of events. Who was behind it all? What were they trying to achieve? Would Ericka and her team get to the bottom of it before more damage is done?

I spent most of my time reading the book with many unanswered questions floating around my brain and, in all honesty, I finished the book with just as many, if not more questions floating around my brain. That being said and, even though I made such a song and dance about the ending, I’ve got to give 10/10 to Daniel Scanlan for putting his readers right where he wants them; at the edges of their seats wanting more. When I finished reading I needed my next fix like a drug dealer needs theirs. I don’t know what spell I was put under, however the thrills of the storyline were just insanely good, so clever, intricate, chilling. Everything you would want from a thriller and then some.

I said above how I despised the book at one point, and I just want to clarify what I mean by that. At times I struggled to follow what was going on as Ericka and her team always had their sights set on someone but, just as quickly as they had focused on that person, they had yet another person in their eyeline, and another, and another. I was a bit overwhelmed which in turn made me a bit frustrated.

Like I said though, I ended up loving ‘The Hacker’ and the way in which the storyline chilled me to the bone and left me wanting more. That ending, thought whilst rather annoying if you didn’t know that there was a sequel, was actually spot on and had the desired effect. I haven’t stopped speaking about the book since I finished it last night, and I don’t intend on stopping anytime soon! I do, however, need to read the sequel pronto!

Do I recommend ‘The Hacker’? Yes, yes, and again, yes.

A frustratingly brilliant, cleverly written, stomach churning, blood pressure raising, thrilling novel that, if you’re anything like me, will leave you on the edge of your seat with your head in your hands thinking ‘what the fu….’.

‘The Hacker’ is available to purchase now from Amazon.
Also, the sequel ‘The Exploit’ is also available to purchase now from Amazon as well.

#TeamDaniels – The Murder Wall by Mari Hannah (Book 1 in the DCI Kate Daniels series) @Mariwriter @panmacmillan @Tr4cyF3nt0n #TheMurderWall #DCIKateDaniels

I am so excited to be part of #TeamDaniels, where we will be sharing reviews of ALL of the books in the DCI Kate Daniels series by Mari Hannah up until the new release in January 2024 – a whole 8 books to sink your teeth into. If you’re a fan of Mari Hannah’s work, then you will love this. Lets get started shall we? The first book in the series is called The Murder Wall. Here is a little bit more about the book:

Eleven months after discovering a brutal double murder in a sleepy Northumbrian town, Detective Chief Inspector Kate Daniels is still haunted by her failure to solve the case. Then the brutal killing of a man on Newcastle’s quayside gives Daniels another chance to get it right – in her first case as Senior Investigating Officer.

When Daniels recognizes the corpse but fails to disclose the fact, her personal life swerves dangerously into her professional life. But much worse, she is now being watched.

As Daniels steps closer to finding a killer, a killer is only a breath away from claiming his next victim . . .

TWG’s Thoughts

It shouldn’t come of much of a shock to people when I say that this book does not beat around the bush in terms of content. Literally straight away the author describes a certain act of violence and abuse which, whilst it does set the scene for the storyline, it was enough to blindside me because I wasn’t expecting that straight away. And, as weird as this sounds, not that I get a kick out of peoples misfortune, but it had the desired effect and had me hooked. I wanted to know who the person was, why they did what they did, had they done something like that before. You know, all of the usual questions.

For a first book in a series, ‘The Murder Wall’ definitely was a good opening to DCI Kate Daniels and her team. As readers we learn about the main characters, trying to work out what makes them tick and, most importantly, how far they are willing to go for justice. Well, if Kate Daniels would stop rubbing people up the wrong way that is!

In all fairness, it seemed that all she needed to do was breathe and she annoyed her co-workers, solicitors, random people on the street. You name it. That aside, I thought that she was very clued up on her job, clearly had the oomph to go far, but just like anyone else, she made mistakes which cost her and the team.

I did enjoy the rollercoaster of the novel, what with the murders, suspense, and entwined personal life – it kept me guessing multiple times, whilst also angering me in others (I mean, since when were your colleagues snitches!?). I did feel for the team where that was concerned as they were trying so hard to work out the culprit, yet one of their own was doing everything in their power to sabotage the case. Who does that?

Like I said before, ‘The Murder Wall’ was a good start to a new series and a suspenseful stepping stone to what could be a very, very interesting series.

Stayed tune for book two!

‘The Murder Wall’ is available to purchase now on Amazon.

#Review #Booksontour – The Storyteller of Auschwitz by Siobhan Curham (@siobhancurham @Bookouture)

Happy publication day to The Storyteller of Auschwitz! It gives me great pleasure to kick off the tour today with a review of the book that left me heartbroken and utterly transfixed. Thank you, as always, to Bookouture for the tour invite and Netgalley ARC. All thoughts written here are done so in an unbiased manner.

Auschwitz, 1942: The Nazis have already cut so many lives short, but can a person truly die if their story survives? I have to make it out. The world needs to know what’s happening here…

Stumbling through the terrifying wrought iron gates of Auschwitz, Jewish author Etty Weil longs for her apartment overlooking the Seine, where she used to laugh with friends, her shelves full of records and her beloved typewriter by the wide window.

Now she looks on in horror as a young girl, Danielle, is ruthlessly torn from her sobbing mother. Etty does the only thing she can to help: trapped inside the maze of barbed wire, she befriends fourteen-year-old Danielle and promises to cherish her like a sister.

Every evening, Etty tells Danielle stories, building a beautiful world of imagination and hope to escape into. Soon, Etty realises that the other women in their cramped hut are listening too. She encourages them to share their lives, to talk about their darling children, their love affairs and the beloved family they’ve already lost. Etty knows she must survive this terrible place: if only to keep her promise to these brave women that their stories will not be forgotten.

But the more hope Etty gives Danielle, the more chances the young girl begins to take, rebelling against the brutal SS guards. Etty tries to protect her, risking her own life and the stories she promised to save. But one day, Danielle goes too far… Will Etty stop her in time to save her? Or will Etty pay the ultimate price for the only thing truly worth dying for: love?

My Thoughts.

Without sounding macabre, I really enjoy reading books about Auschwitz and the learning about the devastating times. It’s a moment in history that seems so farfetched and unreal, that regardless of how many books I read about the tragedy, I still end up being shocked by everything that I read. ‘The Storyteller of Auschwitz was no different, and Siobhan Curham delivered with every single word, every emotion, every little detail. It’s not often I’m speechless.

I cried my eyes out at the end of this book, to the point where I struggled to breathe. The poignancy behind the story was brutal, obviously, given the topic, yet it was so touching how the ladies formed their friendships during a time where nothing was certain. I could feel the pain that Etty felt many times over, yet I could also feel the strength that she tried her hardest to never lose. Its amazing what the power of words can do to someone, just like what this story did to me. My heart may be shattered but my hope meter is full. I urge you to read this book and pay homage to the people who lived and perished through an horrendous time. Without authors like Siobhan Curham, their memories wouldn’t be kept alive, fiction or not.

https://geni.us/B0C6MF3Z9Rsocial

Read more: #Review #Booksontour – The Storyteller of Auschwitz by Siobhan Curham (@siobhancurham @Bookouture)

#BlogTour #Maybe Tomorrow by Penny Parkes (@cotswoldpenny @teambatc) #review

Many thanks to SJ and the Books and the City team for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for Penny Parkes’ latest novel, Maybe Tomorrow, and for supplying me with an advanced copy. All thoughts written here are done so in an unbiased manner.

Before I get into my review, here is a little bit about the book:

What a difference a year could make…
 
Jamie Matson had once enjoyed a wonderful life working alongside her best friend, organising adventures for single-parent families, and her son Bo’s artistic flair a source of pride rather than concern.
 
She hadn’t been prepared to lose her business, her home, and her friend. Not all in one dreadful year. And now she finds herself reeling – rebuilding her world, with Bo at its heart – swallowing her pride and asking for help.
 
Jamie certainly hadn’t expected to find such hope and camaraderie in the queue at her local Food Bank – thrown together with an unlikely and colourful group of people – all of them struggling to get by, yet still determined to reclaim their lost careers and agency over their lives. Even if just choosing their own groceries again is a goal they can all share.
 
As their friendships flourish, they quickly find it’s easier to be objective about each other than about themselves, and decide that – when you’re all out of options – it’s okay to bend the rules a little and create your own.

My Thoughts.

This may be a chunky book to read, however it is one I urge you to buy and read….like right now.

Jamie is a single mum with a young boy, a flat that isn’t fit for purpose, a job which just about pays her bills, and enough debt to keep creditors in business. Basically, she’s just about keeping her head above water and naturally she’s concerned, especially as her lad has asthma and allergies and finds himself in A and E more often than not, thus causing her to miss work, not get paid….you see where I’m going with this.

Like many people, Jamie has had to rely on the food bank to keep her and her boy fed and, whilst there’s no shame in that, people do obviously feel embarrassed. Luckily, Jamie needn’t have worried as, without queuing up for her weekly bag, she wouldn’t have met a group of people who would end up becoming the lifeline she didn’t realise she needed.

I loved this book. It was so relatable, and I found myself agreeing with something nearly every page. The comradary of Kath, Bonnie, and even the duo she ends up meeting later on, was heartwarming and so tender to read. I was so pleased that her luck was turning. It is true what they say, you don’t know what goes on in someone else’s life just by face value, and Jamie’s story proved that and then some.

Maybe Tomorrow is a story that cemented the fact that tomorrow is never promised, and that you are the only person who can steer your life based on what happens. It was such a joy to read, emotional at time and, without a doubt, one of the best books I have ever read. There is no ‘maybe’ about it, Maybe Tomorrow will stay with me for a long time to come.

‘Maybe Tomorrow’ is available to purchase now from Amazon