#ANewAdventure – Jacqueline Wilson (@FansofJWilson) @hachettekids #TheMagicFarawayTree #EnidBlyton #review #childrensbooks

Three kids, Milo, Mia and Birdy, are on a countryside holiday when they wander into an Enchanted Wood. Among the whispering leaves, there is a beautiful tree that stands high above the rest. The Magic Faraway Tree is home to remarkable creatures including a fairy called Silky, her best friend Moonface and more. Birdy is delighted to find that fairies are real. Even her older brother and sister are soon won over by the magic of the Faraway Tree and the extraordinary places they discover above it, including the Land of Unicorns. But not every land is so much fun. Danger looms in the Land of Dragons. Will Moonface’s magic work in time to save the children?

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton was Jacqueline Wilson’s own favourite book as a young child. Now Britain’s favourite contemporary children’s author, creator of Hetty Feather and Tracy Beaker, revisits this glorious magical world, weaving a brand-new story perfect for the next generation of young readers. Discover the magic!

TWG’s Thoughts.

‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ has always been my most favourite book ever – the original one that is, with the original gang of Jo, Bessie and Fanny (not forgetting cousin Dick of course). So when I saw that THE Jacqueline Wilson was bringing out a new children’s book based on that very faraway tree where trees go ‘wisha wisha’, and a character is covered head to toe in saucepans who ironically, is hard of hearing (I wonder why), I couldn’t help but feel both excited AND nervous.

‘Why the nerves?’ I hear you ask. Well, if your most favourite book in the whole world was being brought into the 21st century by your most favourite author in the whole world, keeping the tree and the trees residents at the heart of the storyline whilst creating a new story at the same time – wouldn’t you be a little nervous? I was very unsure as to how it would play out. ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ is an iconic book in my opinion, and I was worried that the new version would dilute the magic of Silky and Moonface and end up making me dislike the entire thing.

I could not have been more wrong if I tried. ‘A New Adventure’ is exactly that, a brand new adventure. Jacqueline Wilson kept the magical characters at the heart of her story, bringing them back to life after what has felt like ages. That said, it felt as though they had never been away, as though I was catching up with friends I hadn’t seen for a long time. Yes, there were a lot of similarities between the books, such as three children going off on their own into the woods with personalities that would be relatable to a lot of children in this day and age, just like Jo, Bessie, and Fanny did back in the day. Not only that, visiting different lands at the top of the tree, and even getting covered in Dame Wash-a-lots water were also iconic similarities. However, there were subtle differences which gave the book its own identity. For example, the concept of time was different, and the children’s lives weren’t as important outside of the faraway tree as they were in the original.

Even though ‘A New Adventure’ is a novel in its own right (despite the obvious inspiration), it felt like a continuation of the magical story we have all grown to love and adore. I was in my element reading this story, and I was so excited to be back with the gang – all my Christmases had come at once! I was swept up in the magic of the faraway and lost in Jacqueline Wilson’s brilliant storytelling – what more could I have wanted?

So yeah, its understandable if you’ve seen this book and felt a bit apprehensive, as though you’re cheating on Enid Blyton’s original, but please don’t despair. It is worth the read and then some. I loved it! Once again I didn’t want to leave Silky and Moonface, so I was gutted when it had to end.

Until next time The Magic Faraway Tree!

Buy now from Amazon.

#TheBlackMountain – Kate Mosse (@KateMosse) @MantleBooks @readingagency #QuickReads #review #shortstory

It is May, 1706. Ana, a young Spanish woman, lives in a small town on the north-west coast of Tenerife with her mother and twin younger brothers. The town is in the shadow of a mighty volcano, which legend says has the devil living inside it. However, there has been no eruption for thousands of years and no one believes it is a threat.

One day, Ana notices that the air feels strange and heavy, that the birds have stopped singing. Tending the family vineyard, a sudden strange tremor in the earth frightens her. Very soon it will be a race against time for Ana to help persuade the town that they are in danger and should flee before the volcano erupts and destroys their world. Will they listen? And Ana herself faces another danger . . .

TWG’s Thoughts.

What I think is brilliant about Quick Reads, is that you get the chance to read little tasters of an authors work, getting a feel of their storytelling before you delve into a full length novel. That is also handy when it is an author you haven’t read before, just like me and Kate Mosse. Until ‘The Black Mountain’, I had heard of Mosse and seen her work on Amazon and what not, but I had never read one of her books. Don’t ask me why – I am asking myself the same thing!

I didn’t know what to expect at all. Would the storyline be completely historical? Or would it have more of a fantasy/gothic feel to it? Or would it be a mixture of all of that and then some?

Personally, I thought ‘The Black Mountain’ to be the latter. The storyline had such a unique, spellbinding vibe, and I loved the historical element especially. I found the concept of the mountain and the history behind it very enthralling – I was eager to find out more.

Despite being a smidge over 100 pages, ‘The Black Mountain’ certainly packed a punch! I loved how the hook was there from the get go, along with the element of surprise and intensity.

If I had to sum up this novella in one word, I would choose ‘hypnotic’ because ‘The Black Mountain had me under its spell until the last page. A well thought out, nifty little read that had me questioning why I hadn’t read this authors works until now!

Buy now from Amazon.

#Rattle – Fiona Cummins (@FionaAnnCummins) @Panmacmillan #debut #crime #suspense #review #booktwt

A serial killer to chill your bones
A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter.

He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he’s just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family’s macabre museum.

Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt.

Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs.

What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey’s father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions.

Set in London’s Blackheath, Rattle by Fiona Cummins explores the seam of darkness that runs through us all; the struggle between light and shadow, redemption and revenge. It is a glimpse into the mind of a sinister psychopath. And it’s also a story about not giving up hope when it seems that all hope is already lost.

TWG’S Thoughts.

I spotted ‘Rattle’ through chance one day in a charity shop. Fiona Cummins wasn’t a new author to me (I actually have another one of her books on my shelf waiting to be read), yet the premise of ‘Rattle’ was one I kept coming back to. There was something so….sinister about the cover that made me want to pick it up and read it. It felt so wrong, yet felt so right at the same time. It’s only just now that I have found out that this novel was the authors debut – wow. I literally had no idea! I certainly couldn’t tell that that was the case whilst I was reading it, it was as though the authors works had been there all along. Impressive.

When someone says that they couldn’t put a book down, I find it to be a bit ‘yeah right then’, however I actually could NOT put ‘Rattle’ down. With every page I turned, the more I wanted to find out what happened. I had to know the details. I had to stay until the very end (or what I thought was the very end). I just wanted more. From start to finish I was engrossed and, if I’m being perfectly honest, I was still engrossed once the book had ended and I was so thankful to find out that there was another book released after to continue the story.

The storyline was incredibly macabre, very cut throat (pardon the pun), and very intense – much to my delight. It had the sort of vibe where you didn’t want to look, yet you couldn’t keep your eyes away. It didn’t matter whether I was squirming in my seat due to the fact that my heart had begun to beat faster, or the fact that my mouth had gotten dry due to the suspense and amount of times the word ‘shiiiiii…….’ tried to escape out of it – I had to find out what was going to happen.

It isn’t often that you can pick up a book on the off chance, demolish it in a small amount of time, and then go on to purchase the next novel in the mini serial without missing a beat. Oh, and declare that it is one of the best books that you have ever read. See why I was so impressed with this debut?

Fiona Cummins has suspense down to an art. This author knows how to keep her readers wanting more. Cummins knows how to raise a readers heartbeat, make them feel a little bit edgy, and then completely blindside them with an event that appeared out of nowhere.

So yes, ‘Rattle’ is one of the best books I have ever read because of the brilliant, brilliant plot, the cleverly crafted storyline, well thought out characters, levels of suspense that were through the roof, and just sheer excellence overall. I have high hopes for the continuation of this storyline, ‘The Collector’, which is currently shouting at me to read it (as much as a hardback book can shout at you, but you catch my drift). If you haven’t read ‘Rattle’ already, you are seriously missing out on a fantastic read.

Buy now from Amazon.

#BlindSpot – Paula Hawkins (#PaulaHawkins) @TransworldBooks @Readingagency #QuickReads2022 #review

‘How can you say things like this? How can you be so blind?’

Since they were kids, Edie, Jake and Ryan have been the closest of friends. It’s been the three of them against the world. Edie thought the bonds between them were unbreakable. So when Jake is brutally murdered and Ryan accused of the crime, her world is shattered.

Edie is alone for the first time in years, living in the remote house that she and Jake shared. She is grief-stricken and afraid – with good reason. Because someone is watching. Someone has been waiting for this moment. Now that Edie is alone, the past she tried so hard to leave behind is about to catch up with her…

TWG’s Thoughts.

I do love picking up a Quick Reads book, they are an ideal bitesize read when you can’t quite choose what to read next, or for when you want to read a book but your brain isn’t quite cut out for a full length novel in that exact moment. The title of Paula Hawkins’ quick read, ‘Blind Spot’, piqued my interest. How was the title going to be brought into the storyline? Was the term ‘blind spot’ used for something that’s unable to be seen in a rearview mirror, or did it have a completely different meaning for this book? I was curious.

It turned out that ‘blind spot’ only came up less than a handful of times and, if I were to be totally honest, I couldn’t quite work out what on Earth it had to do with the overall plot. I do know that background characters, one in particular, had their time in the spotlight after being ignored, which could explain the blind spot a teeny bit. That said, I just was a bit ‘meh….okay’, where that was concerned.

When I first started reading, I was hooked instantly because the opening screamed ‘whodunnit’, and I had so many questions forming in my mind that I just couldn’t wait to be answered. I was excited by the prospect and had high hopes. As it progressed, my excitement waned a bit because I felt as though the rest of the storyline didn’t quite match up to the strength of the beginning. It was as though the concept was being diluted further with each page.

I could definitely appreciate where the author was heading, especially with the uncertain character dynamics and what was portrayed as a possible jealous husband with a wife who had a very close male best friend. I also appreciated, and enjoyed the secretive nature of all of the characters as it gave me something to hold onto. Personally, I felt as though their personality traits and the authors descriptions of her characters was the highlight of the read.

Overall – ‘Blind Spot’ was an okay, three star read which did what it set out to do, just not in a way, for me personally, that created fireworks in the pit of my belly.

Buy now from Amazon

#TheIsland – Adrian McKinty (@AdrianMcKinty) @OrionBooks @Orion_Crime #review #suspense #TheChain

The brand new unmissable thriller from the award-winning author of the instant New York Times bestseller The Chain.

IT WAS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY VACATION.

A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT CHANGED EVERYTHING.

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE CAPABLE OF UNTIL THEY COME FOR YOUR FAMILY.

After moving from a small country town to Seattle, Heather Baxter marries Tom, a widowed doctor with a young son and teenage daughter. A working vacation overseas seems like the perfect way to bring the new family together, but once they’re deep in the Australian outback, the jet-lagged and exhausted kids are so over their new mom.

When they discover a remote Dutch Island, off-limits to outside visitors, the family talks their way onto the ferry, taking a chance on an adventure far from the reach of iPhones and Instagram.

But as soon as they set foot on the island, which is run by a tightly knit clan of locals, everything feels wrong. Then a shocking accident propels the Baxters from an unsettling situation into an absolute nightmare. 

When Heather and the kids are separated from Tom, they are forced to escape alone, seconds ahead of their pursuers.

Now it’s up to Heather to save herself and the kids, even though they don’t trust her, the harsh bushland is filled with danger, and the locals want her dead.

Heather has been underestimated her entire life, but she knows that only she can bring her family home again and become the mother the children desperately need, even if it means doing the unthinkable to keep them all alive.

*Many thanks to Orion for providing me with an advanced copy of the book. All of my thoughts are written unbiasedly.

TWG’s Thoughts.

Having read and devoured ‘The Chain’ in what felt like seconds, I had extremely high hopes for ‘The Island’ (not that I was putting pressure on the book, or the author, to deliver….much). In my head I was wishing and praying to the book fairies that this book would be just as good, if not better, than its predecessor. Thankfully the fairies must have thought I was a good little bookworm, (either that or Adrian McKinty wasn’t just a one hit wonder), because ‘The Island’ DID deliver in all its glory – I bloomin’ loved it! I feel so bad saying that I enjoyed reading a book that has death at the forefront of its storyline, as though I was revelling in the fact that these characters were no longer breathing; please say that I am not the only one?

Anyway, my morals aside, Adrian McKinty certainly is NOT a one hit wonder! He most definitely knows how to hook his readers, leave them gasping for air, and putting such fear up them that, when they’re so invested in a nitty gritty part of the storyline and their dog suddenly decides to bark, that they ever so nearly (but not quite) defecate ones underwear and jump as though they’re on a trampoline. Speaking from experience with this one! I was HOOKED on what was happening with Heather and the children, hoping their truths would set them free, that I was ignoring the fact that a leaf blew across the other side of the carpark and my dog spotted it from their slumber on the sofa, so much so that they barked and nearly made me cack myself. Hell, I would go as far as saying that that is a compliment to the author. (Just for clarification, I mean their ability to hook their readers, not the fact that I was a wimp and jumped at a ‘little’ noise).

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Heather at first. She seemed quite up herself in all honesty, and it came across as though she was afraid to be true to herself in case it didn’t match up to what Tom and his children wanted. I suppose walking into a ‘ready made’ family, so to speak, must be hard, especially dealing with three different levels of grief. Perhaps that may have been why Heather could have come across a bit guarded.

I took an instant dislike to Tom, I’m not going to lie. He was such a jumped up, arrogant, -insert bad word here-. It was as though he thought that he was better than everyone else, that his word was law. Erm, no, how about looking further than your nose and seeing that, oh I don’t know, other peoples opinions matter too? What a novel idea…..no pun intended.

What started off as such an uncertain tale, ended up becoming such an eye-opening, well rounded, cleverly written novel. It’s not often that I read a book where I feel as though all the loose ends were tidied up, but in this instance that was exactly the case. I would be lying if I said that the storyline wasn’t dark, because it really is, but I thought it added even more character to an already shady novel. I cannot wait to see what Adrian McKinty has up his sleeve for his next novel – one to watch indeed!!

Buy now from Amazon.

#LessonsInChemistry – Bonnie Garmus (@BonnieGarmus) @AlisonBarrow @TransworldBooks #review #booktwt

Your ability to change everything – including yourself – starts here

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing.

But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans, the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with – of all things – her mind. True chemistry results.

Like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later, Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show, Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (‘combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride’) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

TWG’s Thoughts.

‘Lessons In Chemistry’ ironically, was my treat to myself after donating blood one Sunday afternoon. I had seen the periodical beauty in the hands of multiple bloggers, authors, and other readers on social media, and, to be perfectly honest, I felt a bit left out. That’s a good enough reason to buy yourself a copy of a recent release, in hardback, alongside your weekly purchase of red grapes and gala apples, right?

Well, that’s my reasoning and I am sticking to it! Can I just say how BEAUTIFUL the cover of the book is? If you have the hardback, do yourself a favour and carefully look beneath the dust cover if you haven’t already. Isn’t it a thing of beauty? I’m no A+ student when it comes to science by any means (I mean, I’m 32 years old, a bit beyond that but STILL), but I can still appreciate a bit of O2 and h2o!

‘Lessons In Chemistry’ IS about science….without stating the obvious. If you’re thinking that you need to have a degree in chemistry to read the book, take a deep breath and calm yourself because that isn’t the case. In my opinion, all you really need to have is an open mind and the ability to see the good in those who are flawed. Elizabeth Zott is one of the most wholesome, well rounded characters I think I have ever come across in my history of reading. Yes, she is stubborn. Yes, she knows her own mind. Yes, she can seem a bit argumentative. Yes, she has the ability to overcomplicate matters instead of simplifying things. But since when has all of that been seen as a bad thing? If a male was like that, would he be treated the same as his female counterpart? No. And that is EXACTLY what Bonnie Garmus delves into within ‘Lessons In Chemistry’.

Set in a time where every.little.thing was governed by males, Bonnie Garmus has written a story in a bid to give women a voice. I’m sure most of you have heard of the Suffragettes – Elizabeth Zott would have been the ideal candidate to join in with them! People didn’t like Zott because she was different. She made cooking out to be a scientific experiment which, if you were to sit and think about it, baking a cake is scientific. However, people didn’t like that she didn’t fit the norm. She didn’t fit into the box that society was trying to tell her to sit in. Instead, she took that box and shoved it right up their backsides. By golly I hope that those people received a ton load of paper cuts at the same time!

I devoured ‘Lessons In Chemistry’ and I was absolutely gutted when it came to an end because it was just absolutely SPOT ON! I mean, who wouldn’t want to read a book that teaches you to be yourself, that shows you your flaws and opinions are part of you and people should accept you exactly who you are. People should be accepted for who they are, whether they are male or female. Gender doesn’t make you more important. Who you are, your morals, your experiences, to name but a few, is what makes you stand taller than the rest.

I would read ‘Lessons In Chemistry’ again in a heartbeat, and I urge you all to buy yourself a copy, put the phones on silent, bribe the children with everything they’re not supposed to have, and lose yourself in the charm that is Elizabeth Zott and ‘Lessons in Chemistry’. This is, without a doubt, one of my most favourite books I have ever read, and it taught me so much in what felt like a short space of time. Timeless, inspirational, touching, relatable, and absolutely perfect, this is, ‘Lessons In Chemistry’.

Buy now from Amazon.

#WithThisKiss – Carrie Hope Fletcher (@CarrieHFletcher) @HQStories #review #magic #booktwt

If you knew how your love story ends, would you dare to begin?

From the outside, Lorelai is an ordinary young woman with a normal life. She loves reading, she works at the local cinema and she adores living with her best friend. But she carries a painful burden, something she’s kept hidden for years; whenever she kisses someone on the lips, she sees how they are going to die.

Lorelai has never known if she’s seeing what was always meant to be, or if her kiss is the thing that decides their destiny. And so, she hasn’t kissed anyone since she was eighteen.

Then she meets Grayson. Sweet, clever, funny Grayson. And for the first time in years she yearns for a man’s kiss. But she can’t…or can she? And if she does, should she try to intervene and change what she sees?

Spellbinding, magical and utterly original, With This Kiss is one love story you will never forget.

Many thanks to HQ Stories for providing me with an ARC of the book. All thoughts are written unbiasedly.

TWG’s Thoughts

The blurb has a really good question right at the top; ‘If you knew how your love story ends, would you dare to begin?’

Would YOU? In all honesty, I hadn’t really thought about it before. I mean, I didn’t really have a reason to sit down and ponder whether my life choices would be different if I knew what the repercussions were for every decision made. I guess it’s like people asking whether you would read the ending of a book if it was written about your life. But what if you could change the course of those events?

That is the scary thing with life I suppose. You have to make decisions, sometimes really BIG decisions, completely oblivious to whether they will end positively or negatively, or whether they are indeed the right decision. It wasn’t until I read ‘With This Kiss’, that those thoughts started to swirl around my head. Lorelai was afraid of finding the one, afraid that once she locked lips with them their life would flash right before her eyes (literally) and she would know exactly how their life would end. No wonder she didn’t want to start a relationship with Grayson, especially once she realised that there was more to it than harmless flirting. But as I’ve just rambled, would it be worth it to take the chance?

Even though the storyline had quite a deep storyline to it, I actually found it to be quite uplifting and touching. I’m not saying that I found it entertaining reading about how characters reached their demise, however what I am saying is that, despite all of the uncertainty, the storyline was strong enough to stand on its own two feet and give the reader food for thought, even without the main prospect of death.

I wasn’t sure at all what to think when I first started reading, in fact I thought ‘With This Kiss’ was so far away from my usual reads, that I wouldn’t like it, as though it was a bit away with the fairies. Oh how wrong was I! ‘With This Kiss’ was my kind of read big time, and it wasn’t away with the fairies in the slightest, in fact I thought it was such a well rounded, life affirming, tender read and yes, I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it.

‘With This Kiss’ is guaranteed to give you hope in life, especially when life is one of the most uncertain things in the world.

Purchase now from Amazon

#TheHeights by Louise Candlish (@louise_candlish @TeamBATC @JessBarratt88) #BlogTour #Review #Booktwt #thewritinggarnet

I am absolutely delighted to be sharing my thoughts on Louise Candlish’s latest novel, The Heights, as part of the blog tour. My thanks go to Jess and the Simon and Schuster team for asking me to be involved and for supplying a proof for me to read and review honestly.

He thinks he’s safe up there. But he’ll never be safe from you. 

The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among the warehouses of Tower Bridge, its roof terrace so discreet you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren’t standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there – a man you’d recognize anywhere. He’s older now and his appearance has subtly changed, but it’s definitely him. 

Which makes no sense at all since you know he has been dead for over two years.  You know this for a fact.  

Because you’re the one who killed him.  It’s time to confess what we did up there.

‘Kieran Watts has been dead for over two years when I see him standing on the roof of a building in Shad Thames…’

#CloseToTheEdge

What does The Writing Garnet think?

When I see people say that a book is ‘unputdownable’, I think to myself that they’re fibbing because surely you would put a book down to pee and what not. How could a book be read cover to cover without putting it down? My answer to that, after reading ‘The Heights’ and only putting it down once to grab a chocolate bar and then pick it up again, is ‘very easily’. Heck, my 2 second put down to grab an aero bar doesn’t even count as putting it down as the cover was still warm from my hands!

After I had finished reading the book that literally took me 2 hours to read, my daughter asked me how many stars I would give it, and, without missing a beat, a response of ‘five stars’ flew out of my mouth. There was no doubt in my mind at all as ‘The Heights’ had the marital uncertainty, the troublesome pasts of the main characters, secrets that were too damaging to reveal regardless of how long had passed. The story had thrill, it had a chase, suspense, characters which you just wanted to dislike yet weirdly liked and visa versa.

I loved the way the author let’s us see both sides of the situation from two characters point of view, allowing readers to work out on their own, indirectly, which was bad cop and which was good cop. Which character was the most trustworthy? Which character was seeing things clearer than the other? Which one wasn’t being honest with themselves? The storyline was a well crafted, well oiled piece of ‘machinery’ so to speak as it hopped from different events flawlessly, without missing a single beat or filling the storyline with unnecessary padding. Every single word in this book had its place and played a vital role in bringing ‘The Heights’ to life.

If you hadn’t guessed already, Louise Candlish’s novel blew my mind and reignited my love for reading. Its books like this, written by authors as talented as Candlish, that make me excited about the written word. If youre after a new book to read, I highly suggest you buy and devour this one as yes, it really is and un-putdownable read.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heights-Louise-Candlish/dp/1471183483

#BlogBlitz! #Review – Keep You By My Side by Callie Langridge (@clangridgewrite) @bombshellpub

Happy publication day to Callie Langridge and ‘Keep You By My Side’! I am honoured to be kicking off the blog blitz today with a review, many thanks to the publisher for the blitz invite and ARC.

Are family secrets the ties that bind or the lies that divide?

The secrets of one family live in the walls of a cottage perched high on a Dorset cliff. But secrets can only be kept for so long.

 Follow three generations of a family from war-torn London, to the permissive 60s and liberated 80s. Gertie, Rose and Abi live through joy, tragedy and heartache as they navigate complicated mother-daughter relationships and learn the importance of friends and finding love. When circumstances force them under the same roof, secrets begin to unravel and promises made in love threaten to tear them apart. 

 How far would you go to protect the people you love?

What does TWG think?

Having read and absolutely adored Callie Langridge’s debut novel, I could not wait to see what the author would bring out next. She had certainly set the bar high for herself with her debut, that’s for sure! I tried to ensure that I kept my mind open, reading the book as though I hadn’t read anything from the author before, purely because the bar was so high. I must admit that it didn’t always work though.

‘Keep You By My Side’ is gold from various viewpoints at multiple moments in time, with one character in particular telling her story during the war. It took me a little while to work out how all of the characters fit together, but when I did, I enjoyed being able to connect with the characters on a deeper level now that I was aware of their individual links in the storyline.

I would say that the romance element is evident throughout the entire novel, and it is also written in such a heartfelt manner so that even someone as unromantic as I, could fall under the heartwarming spell.

I’m not saying that I didn’t enjoy ‘Keep You By My Side’ because I did, but for me personally, I didn’t find it as strong as the debut. Don’t get me wrong, Langridge told Gertie’s story beautifully and I was mesmerised by her journey, I just wanted more as I know the author has the outstanding talent to achieve that. This book was a very poignant and pleasing read, I just hope that the next novel comes back as strong as the first one.

As a story told by three generations, it was remarkable to see just how their personalities differed over the years, even though a lot of their choices and decisions were quite similar. My heart went out to Abi, but for me the star of the book was Gertie. I think that was because she reminded me of one of my own family members. Her story really touched me and I am delighted that I was able to be a part of that by reading it.

Overall, ‘Keep You By My Side’ was a very heartwarming and tender read which kept me cosy from start to finish. It is a lovely, lovely read which came across well, despite having to follow in the footsteps of the authors incredible debut novel.

Buy Now!

About the author.

Callie was born and brought up in Berkshire. After a brief teenage spell in the depths of Lancashire, she moved back to London.

 Having left school at 16, she studied drama before embarking on a career in marketing. This saw her work in music marketing in the heady days of Britpop in the nineties. She unleashed her creativity in the design of window displays and marketing campaigns for the leading music retailer. More recently she has followed her passion for history, working in marketing and communications for historical and cultural organisations.

 On hitting her thirtieth birthday, she decided finally to pick up her pen and take the first of many creative writing courses. A few years later and she has had a number of short stories published and plays performed at theatres and venues across London. Her first novel A Time to Change was published in September 2017.

 Her second novel Keep You By My Side will be published in October 2018.

 Callie lives in London with her long-term partner, an ever-growing collection of antique curiosities, and more books than any person really needs. 

#BlogTour! #Review – The Christmas Cafe at Seashell Cove by Karen Clarke (@karenclarke123)

After seeing loads of pretty Christmas decorations in a shop today, I am very much in the Christmas spirit, just in time to review Karen Clarke’s newest novel. Thank you to Bookouture for the blog tour invite and the ARC. Here is my review:

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the café at Seashell Cove, where there’s hot chocolate to keep you warm – and the man of your dreams could be waiting…

Interior designer Tilly Campbell loves being carefree and single. But her latest job is redecorating the cosy local café for a Christmas party, and when her friends confess their plans for the big night – including a proposal, a declaration of love and a pregnancy announcement – Tilly starts to wonder if she might be missing out…

Transforming the café into a winter wonderland is more of a challenge than she thought, so when she bumps into gorgeous newcomer Seth, Tilly welcomes the distraction. Seth is a single father, struggling to settle his son Jack into their new cottage, and Tilly is determined to help them make their house into a home in time for Christmas.

But with the café still in chaos just days before the party it looks like it’s going to be a Christmas to remember for all the wrong reasons… With friends old and new relying on her, can Tilly save the Christmas party?

And could she finally find love waiting for her under the mistletoe?

What does TWG think?

It feels like ages since I was last in Seashell Cove! I was so excited to catch up with all of the characters and find out what they have been up to since I last ‘saw’ them. At first I didn’t recognise the place, probably because I half expected to be back with Meg as the main character. It was wonderful to see snippets of her story live on in this one though, that’s for sure.

I did find the book to be a little of a slow starter as I took a while to warm up to Tilly, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the overall vibe of the book. Once I got further into the storyline, my opinion of Tilly changed and I found myself warming to her like marshmallows to a fire. How the hell she put up with her sister, Bridget, without committing a murder is beyond me!! Romy, Bridget’s little girl, had me in hysterics! She reminded so much of my own little girl. If only we all went through life without a care in the world like children!!

Tilly is a very independent character who is so set on doing things for other people, she sometimes forgets just how much one person can hold on their shoulders. Fortunately for her, newcomer, Seth, helps her see otherwise. As for his mother though, geezzzzzz!!!!!! I don’t get why he didn’t stand up to his mother! I know that Felicity wanted to do right by her grandson, but surely she must have realised that alienating him wouldn’t be the answer?

Even though this is a Christmassy book, the festive theme isn’t overpowering for those who dislike Christmas in October. I do think that as festivities were an apparent part of the book, that there should have been more oomph with it. That said, Gwen’s antics with the Christmas pudding kept Christmas on the map.

All in all, The Christmas Cafe at Seashell Cove kept me thoroughly entertained from start to finish, with Romy being my star at the top of the Christmas tree. I really do hope we get to see more from the gang in Seashell Cove, as I can’t wait to find out what else others are hiding! A fun, light hearted and addictive read – a great follow up novel in an already fabulous series.

Buy now!

About the author.

Karen is the author of the popular BEACHSIDE and SEASHELL COVE series of romantic comedies, published by Bookouture. 

She’s also written three romcoms with a paranormal twist, all available to download

When she’s not working on her novels, Karen writes short stories for women’s magazines and has had over three hundred published globally. Some of them can be read in her short story collection ‘BEHIND CLOSED DOORS…and other Tales with a Twist’ 

Karen lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband and three grown-up children, and when she’s not writing loves reading, walking, baking and eating cake.

 

Author Social Media Links: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.clarke.5682

Twitter:     https://twitter.com/karenclarke123

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard

Website: http://writewritingwritten.blogspot.co.uk/