Blinded Me With Science – Tara September

Today, I am taking part in the blog tour for Blinded Me With Science by Tara September. Many thanks to Tara for providing me with a copy of the audiobook, and to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to take part in the tour.

BLURB:

Opposites attract like a magnet to steel, or in this case, Emerson to Steel.

Emerson Powers has been so focused on obtaining her science degree that she’s neglected the more social aspects of college life. With the new start of her junior year, she’s determined to fix that with a real hands-on lesson in biology. The assignment is simple enough—teach the rock star’s son how to be good, while he shows her how to be very bad. Two objectives, one outcome … will the lesson be love or heartbreak?

Steel is no longer the bad boy Emerson knew from prep school, and he’s set to prove it by helping Emerson complete her secret list of desired college experiences. And if he can convince her that they are meant to be together along the way, even better!

While teaming up on experiments, both in and out of the classroom, Emerson discovers a new side to Steel. Leaving her to question everything she thought she knew. Still, is it enough to forgive the past or just mere chemistry?

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

For a free bonus chapter visit HERE.

REVIEW:

My second review of the day couldn’t be more different than my first, and in actual fact is a real change from the norm for me. For one, it’s a romance, which is a genre that I don’t review often, and secondly, I “read” this as an audiobook – something I also don’t often review, as a narrator can make or break a book for me, no matter how good or bad the story is.

On the subject of narration, I think I would have preferred the audio to have been read by two authors for the dual perspectives of Emerson and Steel. I will admit that I struggled a little with the female narrator attempting a male voice for an entire chapter at a time. However, once I got past this minor irritation, Steel was a character who was hard to resist. He is exactly the kind of damaged bad boy (trying to be good) that I always fall for in books.

Bookish, serious Emerson is delightfully awkward, and I found I could easily relate to her attempts to discover her inner party animal and really live the full college experience. If I had been in her shoes, I would have been putty in Steel’s hands, but, at that age, equally scared to admit it.

I think I would have preferred getting to know some background characters a little more, to really get a feel for Emerson and Steel’s lives, but I can see how this may not have worked with the writing style which often takes the form of each of the characters’ internal monologues.

Despite being a bit too heavy on the romance and a bit too light on adventure for my personal tastes, this was a light, enjoyable read/listen that I am sure romance fans will adore. (Word of warning – don’t listen to this book if anyone else can hear what you are listening to. There were a couple of instances that saw me scrabbling for my volume control!).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Fueled by an IV of green tea and Prosecco, Tara September is a multi-award-winning contemporary romance author of bestselling sassy & steamy love stories filled with banter. Based in Southwest Florida, Tara holds a master’s degree in journalism from New York University, a B.A. from Wheaton College in Massachusetts, as well as attended college courses at Queen’s College in London, U.K. She is also the proud mom to identical twin 10-year-old boys and three cats.

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Don’t forget to visit the other blogs taking part in the tour.

Red Magnolia – Lucy Holden

Happy publication day to Lucy Holden and her fabulous YA paranormal romance, Red Magnolia, book one in the very exciting sounding Nightgarden Saga. Many thanks to Lucy for my copy of the book, which I received via NetGalley.

BLURB:

Decadent. Dark. Devastating. Seventeen-year-old Harper Ellory knows the ruins of the past are a dark place for a new beginning. Then she meets Antoine Marigny, and discovers just how seductive darkness can be. After the death of her twin sister, Harper dreams of a new life. But not only is the Mississippi mansion she moves into cursed, it’s also Antoine Marigny’s family home. Now he wants it back—no matter the cost.

Harper’s seen too much death to be frightened off by a curse. But Antoine is a different kind of threat. He has an infuriating smile, an annoying habit of turning up when she least expects it, and a frustrating knack for getting Harper to talk about things she’d rather keep hidden.

Like her emotions.

Antoine is also keeping secrets of his own. Secrets that Harper suspects are far darker than the curse he says he wants to protect her from.

Harper knows Antoine is dangerous. Part of her wants to take his offer and run. No dream is worth dying for.

But Harper is done running from death.

She’s ready to make an offer of her own. An offer destined to turn Antoine Marigny’s life upside down.

Even if it means binding herself to the curse forever.

Red Magnolia is the bewitching first installment of the Nightgarden Saga. A heart wrenching YA/NA paranormal romance full of Southern Gothic atmosphere, supernatural adventure, and shocking twists that will keep you turning pages deep into the night.

If you’re a fan of The Vampire Diaries, Twilight, and romance that rips your heart out, you’ll love the Nightgarden Saga. Red Magnolia is a YA/NA paranormal romance that is sweet with heat, without any explicit scenes, suitable for ages twelve and up. The first in a series of seven, it can be read as a stand alone or as part of the series.

REVIEW:

Red Magnolia is a compelling read, which I sped through in one day because I was so hooked on it. Although it is not entirely unpredictable, it is well written and I found I was invested in the characters very quickly. I couldn’t read the book fast enough to discover what would happen to them. In my head, the mysterious Antoine Marigny was a dead ringer for Teen Wolf’s Derek Hale, which was a definite bonus for me!

I am a sucker for a good vampire book (if you’ll excuse the pun), and I absolutely loved this book. The setting is rich with history and the secrets surrounding the old Marigny house add a real gothic feel to the story.

Red Magnolia is definitely one for fans of Twilight and The Vampire Diaries. It has everything you could possibly wish for in a YA vampire book, and I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Inside Voices – Sarah Davis

Come with me to Alaska as I join the blog tour for Inside Voices by Sarah Davis. Many thanks to Sarah, and Darkstroke, for providing me with a copy of the book, and to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of the tour.

BLURB:

The mind is a strange beast…extraordinary, unpredictable, protective.

Penny Osborn’s mind is no exception. In High School, Penny witnessed a massacre and lost her father to the same killers. She had seen it unfold before it happened, in a premonition, but could not prevent it.

A college research project at the edge of the Arctic is her chance for a new beginning. Struggling with PTSD, Penny’s therapy includes running, dogs, and guitars. Yet her fresh start is plagued by new premonitions, dark and foreboding, that coincide with a rising number of murders in the community. Her visions are vague, offering little to identify the killer.

When confronted with an orphaned polar bear cub, Penny risks everything to save its life. The deepening mystery of the murdered women, coupled with the exhaustive duties of caring for the small cub, draw her closer to her friend, Noah, and further from her sister.

Fearful for the serial killer’s next target, Penny discovers where her physical abilities can help her.

Will letting go of the past lead to healing? And can she stop the murders?

PURCHASE LINKS:

Purchase Link

REVIEW:

Every now and then I read a book that I find difficult to review – not because I didn’t enjoy it, just because it is hard to capture my feelings and put them into words. Inside Voices is one such book, and it has actually taken me a few days to work through my emotions and write this review. On the one hand, you have the challenging themes of grief, depression and PTSD, but on the other, there is something soothing about the setting of the book. Throw in a killer on the loose, and you can see why I needed time to process.

The descriptions of the Alaskan landscape and way of life in the remote community were captivating, the warmth of the people providing a contrast to the harsh, freezing conditions that they live in. It is Penny’s relationships with her new friends, and particularly with Blue and Fjord, that make this a comforting read, in spite of the horrors of a terror attack and a murderer on the loose. In fact, for me, although these events added tension to the book, it really was the relationships and emotions that really made the book.

Inside Voices is an interesting look at how trauma can affect people in different ways, and how being in the right environment, with the right people, can soothe your soul.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Davis is many things…wife, mother, veterinarian, writer. An avid reader, she enjoys stories that transport her into new and exciting lands. Having read more books than she could ever count, she has considered writing a novel for ages. It wasn’t until the idea for “Inside Voices” popped into her mind that she finally started pursuing that dream, with much encouragement from her family. She and her incredible husband share their remote home on the prairie with their three extraordinary children and one mostly human Weimaraner.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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Instagram – Penny

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GIVEAWAY:

Win a $15 Amazon Giftcard (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Make sure that you visit the other blogs taking part in this tour.

Winter Light – Martha Engber

Today I am joined by Martha Engber, as part of the blog tour for her book Winter Light. Many thanks to Martha for taking the time to talk to us today about her goals as an author, and to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources, for inviting me to be a part of the tour.

BLURB:

Fifteen-year-old Mary Donahue of suburban Chicago is a kid on the cusp of failure during the brutal blizzard winter of 1978-79, the end of a hard luck, hard rock era sunk in the cynical aftermath of the Vietnam War.

Though a smart, beautiful kid, she’s a motherless girl raised by an uneducated, alcoholic father within an extended family of alcoholics and addicts. Aware that she’s sinking, she’s desperate to save herself and so reaches out to an unlikely source, Kathleen, a nice, normal kid from English class.

But when the real storm hits, the full force of a harsh adult world almost buries Mary. Only then does she learn that the only difference between life and death is knowing when to grasp an extended hand.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

GUEST POST:

My goal as an author is to write books that completely capture readers’ imaginations. Not partially. Not almost. But totally. In short, I’m trying to achieve the same level of immersion in other universes that I experienced while reading when I was a kid.

Jane Eyre, Great Expectations, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Secret Garden, Lord of the Flies, Ender’s Game. The genre never mattered to me so long as two things occurred: 1) the author launched me to where I’d never been before, and 2) the author never — not for a single moment — broke the magic of that universe. When I finished that kind of book, I’d be sad for days, wishing I could get back to that world, but knowing I couldn’t.

I suppose getting spoiled like that so early on is why nothing irks me more than sloppy storytelling where I can see author missteps: characters not acting according to their natures; plot twists that don’t make sense; telling me too much, even though the author has done a good job of showing what’s going on.

If I’m a harsh critic of other books, that means I have to be even tougher on my own, which I took to heart when writing Winter Light.

Though I wrote the first draft in about four months, I spent the next ten years turning the material over and over to see every angle of every moment, because I know as a reader how even one tiny oversight can rip a reader out of that particular world.

The most interesting part of writing this book, however, was that magical moment when I no longer thought about the reader, but instead felt overcome with responsibility to Mary Donahue and the need to tell her story right. If I was going to burden her to the point of breaking, I had to see and understand every implication of that weight and its effect on her and others.

And therein came my epiphany as an author. By losing myself in Mary’s universe, as I once got lost as a reader, I allowed Mary to tell her own story. She’s so with such strength and courage that she — not I — is the one who will bring readers into her world and keep them there to the very end.

Long live characters who allow us to feel at such a deep level!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Martha Engber’s next novel, WINTER LIGHT, will be published Oct. 6, 2020, by Vine Leaves Press. She’s also the author of THE WIND THIEF, a novel, and GROWING GREAT CHARACTERS FROM THE GROUND UP. A journalist by profession, she’s written hundreds of articles for the Chicago Tribune and other publications. She’s had a play produced in Hollywood and fiction and poetry published in the Aurorean, Watchword, the Berkeley Fiction Review and other journals. She’s also a freelance editor, workshop facilitator and speaker. She currently lives in Northern California with her husband, bike and surfboard.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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GIVEAWAY:

Martha is running three fab giveaways at the moment – if you click on the prize info for each, it will take you to the Rafflecopter entry form. Ts & Cs for all three are underneath the entry links.

Win an e-copy of Winter Light (Open INT)

Win a Book Club Chat from Martha Engber (Open INT)

Win a free hour book development consultation with Martha Engber (Open INT)

Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter links.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Don’t forget to pay a visit to the other blogs on the tour to find out more about Winter Light.

Escaping Demons – Killian Wolf

You might remember that towards the end of last year, I reviewed a book by the name of The Haunting at Paradise House by Killian Wolf. Since then, the book has undergone a fairly large revamp, and I am joining Rachel’s Random Resources today to help spread the word. If you have seen my review and fancy reading the book, the title you are looking for now is Escaping Demons. All the new details are given below. Make sure you read to the end of the post for a fab giveaway!

BLURB:

One phone call landed me the perfect job. Too bad it didn’t come with life insurance.

I didn’t think this job would be anything special. Sure, the first phone call was weird, and yeah, maybe it wasn’t the smartest idea to come to someone’s house before I met them in person, but Dax seemed nice. All he wanted was a caretaker for his sick father.

Oh, and an exorcist for the spirits haunting his family’s estate. Now he’s left me alone with his father, and the ghosts know my name. Caring for an old man with dementia, I can do. Fighting evil spirits? That’s way above my pay grade.

But Dax has disappeared so I have to learn on my own or both Orlando and I might not live to see tomorrow…

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Killian Wolf is a Miami, FL native who enjoys pirates, rum, and skulls as much as she loves writing about dark magick and sorcerers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cultural Anthropology and Sociology and a Master of Science in Environmental Archaeology and Palaeoeconomy.

Killian writes books about obtaining magickal powers, and stepping into other dimensions. She lives in England with her husband, a tornado of a cat, and the most timid snake you’d ever meet.

When she isn’t writing, you might find her at an Archaeological dig, rock climbing, or sipping on dark spiced rum while working on a painting.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook

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Twitter

Bookbub

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GIVEAWAY:

Win a £25/ $25 Amazon Gift Card (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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My Travels With A Dead Man – Steve Searls

Today I am joining the blog tour for My Travels With A Dead Man by Steve Searls, and have the honour of sharing an extract of the book with you all. Many thanks to Steve for allowing me to share this, and to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of the tour.

BLURB:

Jane Takako Wolfsheim learns she can alter time and space after meeting a charismatic stranger named Jorge Luis Borges.

Inextricably she falls for Borges. Soon, however Borges’ lies and emotional abuse, and nightmares about a demonic figure, “the man in black,” nearly drive Jane mad. After her parents are murdered, Jane flees with Borges. Both the ghost of haiku master, Basho, and the Daibutsu of Kamakura, a statue of Buddha that appears in her dreams, offer her cryptic advice. Unable to trust anyone, Jane must find the strength to save herself, her unborn child, and possibly the future of humanity.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Website

Black Rose Writing

Amazon US

Amazon UK

EXTRACT:

Context: Jane’s flees Minneapolis with Borges. She’s still the primary suspect in her parents’ deaths, even though Borges killed Marty Schneider, the lawyer who planned the murders and hired hit men to carry them out. At a motel near Buffalo, NY, Borges reveals Jane has the extraordinary ability to go “Elsewhere.” i.e., she can alter time and space to create alternate worlds to which she can travel. Jane dismisses this claim about her, but Borges insists what he said was true. To bolster his argument he shows Jane he can read her mind and predict the future. These disclosures shock Jane. Finally, he reveals when his mother told him not only the full truth regarding his father’s identity, but also why it matters so much …

* * *

            “My father was a weak man, but a genius. Her words. Yet she didn’t identify him. I learned who he was when a high school language arts teacher mentioned I shared the name of the great South American man of letters, Jorge Luis Borges, and asked if my mother was related to him. It hit me then that this man was my father. That caused quite the fight when I came home from school, as I shouted obscenities at Mother for hiding his identity, while she, in a rage, threw expensive chinaware about the kitchen, which created quite a mess. It ended when she collapsed in a heap, sobbing on the floor amid all the broken porcelain. We didn’t speak to one another for a week after that.”

            He turned his back on me, hands clasped behind him, thinking god knows what. Until now, my Borges denied any connection to the ‘Great Man,’ and yet, for the longest time, I suspected he was the son of the famous Borges. It wasn’t rational, more based on intuition. Now that I knew, I had a million questions, but I asked only one. “Why do you need someone like me?”

            “Why? Because my mother told me that the things I could do, things no one else could, would destroy me unless I found a woman who could go Elsewhere like her, though she never used that word for her gift, as she called it.  She always said when she chose my father it was the biggest mistake in her life. Only my choice of the right person could repair the damage. And you are the one, Jane, the key to my destiny.”

            He turned to face me, but his hands remained behind his back.  The muscles in his arms grew taut, and rippled, as if fighting with one another. “Her desire to bear the child of a great man was a mistake.  She acted with an incomplete understanding of the consequences for her and for me.  When she chose my father, she ignored his motives for wanting to be with her, or she assumed the usual motives, let’s say.  Only after I was born did she discover the truth, but by then it was too late.”

            Motives? Mistake? “What difference could it make what his motives were?”

“Because she chose him,” he said, as if that explained it all.

Confused, I said, “So?”

“She should have seen into his heart, for she is like me in that regard. But it’s not so simple.  This knowing, it’s not as easy as I made it seem earlier.  With you, it took months.  My mother never told me how long she was with my father, when their relationship began, when she chose him.  I suspect he disappeared from her life before she knew him for what he was.”

“And what was that?” I asked. When he hesitated, I added, “And what does any of this have to do with you needing someone who can do this crazy Elsewhere stuff? I’m sorry, but this makes no sense, even I if can do this Elsewhere thing.  Why do you need me? You have your own abilities. Aren’t they enough?”

            Borges gave me a look that bordered on deranged. “You can’t imagine how difficult my life has been,” he said through clenched teeth. “So many things you don’t understand. My entire existence depends on what you can do. Please, just have faith I’m doing what’s best for us both.”

            “You’re right. I don’t understand.”

Borges tried to respond, but emitted only a strangled guttural noise. I saw desperation in his eyes and panic written on his face. His chest thrust forward even as his lower body held him back. In that moment, he struck me as the opposite of Bashō, lacking serenity, a man on the brink of some great explosion, capable of anything. Then, just when it seemed he was about to strike me or worse, the room darkened. Fast moving rain clouds blotted out the sun. Thunder shook the walls. Sheets of rain fell from the skies, forming a waterfall that poured off the motel’s slanted roof onto the tiny balcony outside.  Both Borges and I stopped and watched the storm together, yet very much apart. 

            To me, the storm acted as an enchantment. Flashes of lightning pierced the downpour. Despite its fury, I felt calm, and something else no words can describe. I envisioned a vibrant green world, a magical place with thousands upon thousands of ferns, bushes, tall trees, vines and other plants of all kinds. A place where verdant mountains rose straight out of the ocean, and unimaginable creatures gamboled about, playful, happy, unafraid.  Somewhere else, the storm still raged, and in that place stood a man I adored and yet who frightened me. A man I no longer trusted, but who I still loved, strange as that seemed. However, the reality where he existed was a pale shadow compared to the green world I gazed upon.  It was my Borges’ voice that brought me back. I heard my name, like a whisper on the wind, but then louder, spoken with more force each time I heard it. Jane. Jane! JANE!

            My green world vanished. In our room, Borges grasped my shoulders, his hands shaking me as a baby shakes a rattle. The rain still fell and the thunder still rumbled, but only as a faraway rumor.  When I looked up, only then did he release me, stepping away, visibly distressed. “You were leaving me,” he said, not so much to me as to himself.

            “I’m back,” I replied, though from where, I didn’t know. Yet I wanted nothing but to return there, so beautiful, so peaceful, a paradise.

            “You were about to go Elsewhere,” he muttered, his voice quaking. I didn’t argue the point.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steve Searls retired from the practice of law in 2002 due to a rare chronic autoimmune disorder (Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Cell Associated Periodic Syndrome). He began writing poetry in 2001 and, using the pseudonym, Tara Birch, was the featured poet of Tryst Poetry Journal’s Premiere Issue. He’s also published numerous poems as Tara Birch in print and online, including the poetry chapbook, Carrots and Bleu Cheese Dip, in 2004.  Steve was also active as a blogger posting under the name, Steven D, at Daily Kos (2005-2017), Booman Tribune (2005-2017) and caucus99percent (2016–present). Steve’s published essays on Medium include “Clara’s Miracle,” about his wife’s cancer and resulting traumatic brain injury from chemotherapy, and “My Rape Story.” Raised in Colorado, he now lives with his adult son in Western NY.  My Travels With a Dead Man is his first novel.

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Don’t forget to visit all the other fantastic blogs taking part in the tour for this book.

Choices Shape, Losses Break – Nia Lucas

Today I can finally share my thoughts on the latest book by Nia Lucas, Choices Shape, Losses Break. I have been looking forward to talking to you about this. Many thanks to Nia for providing me with a copy of the book, and to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of the tour.

BLURB:

Shunned and struggling at home and school, teenager Lorna Davies clatters into chaotic and charismatic Shay O’Driscoll and Leon Barrett at an illegal rave in 1995. As Lorna’s talent for dancing sees her unexpectedly employed in the strobe-lit heart of 90’s club culture, her world is turned on its head by her budding friendship with Shay and Leon. For the boys, their high-risk lives endanger all three of them in an association that blurs the lines between friendship and dependency.

As the risks escalate, Lorna’s best friend Hannah, her brother Dan, her bully-turned-protector Nico and her unexpected friend Rosa watch with concern as she is thrust ever closer to harm in an intoxicating new landscape. When life-threatening events risk separating them permanently, Lorna, Leon and Shay juggle love, loyalty, sacrifice and exploitation as their lives change beyond recognition. Will the losses they face break them all?

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Nia Lucas’ first book Love Punked will be available for FREE from 18th-22^nd August.

REVIEW:

Before I jump into my review for this book, I want to start with a small health warning – this book is being marketed as NA contemporary fiction, and that is exactly what it is. Don’t let the age of the main character fool you into thinking it is a YA read – there are some decidedly mature themes involved throughout.

Choices Shape, Losses Break is a heartbreaking read, featuring a cast of characters who are so fundamentally damaged that they don’t know who they are without each other. However, being so reliant on other people isn’t without its challenges, and the road they follow is far from smooth.

I was the same age as Lorna in 1995 so it wasn’t hard for me to relate to her. It was liking stepping back in time, the fashion, the music, the sneaking out to the phone box for private conversations, the overwhelming, confusing emotions. However, while I was headed off to the under-17’s disco at the local sports centre, Lorna finds herself swept up in a life of nightclubs and illegal raves. 

The switch to Leon’s point of view in the later stages of the book, discovering what he had been through and how he felt was like a knife to the heart. I loved Leon at first sight and just fell more and more in love with him as his secrets and insecurities were slowly revealed. He really is just a gentle giant who desperately needed to be loved.

Shay is a more problematic character. I wanted to love him too, and my heart bled for him at times, but then there were the other times were his controlling behaviour towards Lorna was at best more than she was equipped to deal with, and at worst borderline abusive (actually at times not even borderline).

Shay’s behaviour is just one of many challenging themes that Nia Lucas tackles in Choices Shape, Losses Break. It is by no means an easy read. That said, these are important themes that shouldn’t be ignored, and are certainly not unique to the 1990s. Lucas handles them with care, and the resulting book is something raw that reaches right into your soul. It is one of those books that it is incredibly difficult to articulate exactly how it made you feel because by the end, your emotions have been torn to shreds and left in a heap in the corner.

Aside from the three main characters, Choices Shape, Losses Break has a wonderful supporting cast, who are quite literally there to support Lorna, Lee and Shay, no matter how many bad choices they make, and I loved each of them for this.

This book left me wanting to know what came next for so many of the characters, and I was pleased to see that a follow up is on its way that will hopefully resolve some of the questions I was left with.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am a UK-based author of Contemporary women’s fiction who is passionate about writing amazing, strong and relatable female characters who readers really invest in- I love to write stories about the best mate you wish you’d had! My Welsh heritage and my life as a practising Social Worker with teenagers and their families heavily influences my work as does my love of all things 90’s, especially Rave and Clubbing culture. My first novel, ‘Love Punked’ is rated 5* on Amazon and my second 5* rated Novel ‘Choices Shape, Losses Break’ is now available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited!

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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Make sure you visit the other blogs taking part in the tour for this great book.

Beyond The Yew Tree – Rachel Walkley

Today I join the blog tour for Beyond The Yew Tree by Rachel Walkley. Many thanks to Rachel, and to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources, for inviting me to take part in this tour, and for providing me with a copy of the book.

BLURB:

Whispers in the courtroom.

Only one juror hears them.

Can Laura unravel the truth by the end of the trial?

In an old courtroom, a hissing voice distracts shy juror, Laura, and at night recurring nightmares transport her to a Victorian gaol and the company of a wretched woman.

Although burdened by her own secret guilt, and struggling to form meaningful relationships, Laura isn’t one to give up easily when faced with an extraordinary situation.

The child-like whispers lead Laura to an old prison graveyard, where she teams up with enthusiastic museum curator, Sean. He believes a missing manuscript is the key to understanding her haunting dreams. But nobody knows if it actually exists.

Laura is confronted with the fate of two people – the man in the dock accused of defrauding a charity for the blind, and the restless spirit of a woman hanged over a century ago for murder. If Sean is the companion she needs in her life, will he believe her when she realises that the two mysteries are converging around a long-forgotten child who only Laura can hear?

Ordinary women.

Extraordinary experiences.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Goodreads

REVIEW:

I have a fondness for books with dual timelines, and Beyond the Yew Tree has only added to that.

As always with dual timelines, no matter how much I enjoy the modern parts of the story, it is always the slow unravelling of long forgotten stories and secrets that really capture my imagination. Emma’s tale, however tragic, was fascinating, and offered an insight into the history of a communication method that I had previously never considered, but now am interested to find out more about.

Whilst I will confess to finding the details of the trial and Laura’s experiences as a juror a little less intriguing than the rest of the book, it was touching watching Laura grow as she was pushed out of her comfort zone in every way imaginable. The subtle changes that she goes through amalgamate to create a character who seems much more comfortable in her own skin by the end of the book than she does at the beginning.

As the court case and Laura’s nightmares developed, I loved the delicate way that the puzzle pieces slipped into place, aided by chapters from history, to slowly form a full picture. The resolution, although it did not come as a complete surprise to me, was beautifully developed, and really rather touching.

Beyond the Yew Tree is an enjoyable read that has left me wanting to explore Lincoln’s historic sites for myself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Aspiring writer who pens Women’s Fiction and magical tales about family secrets.

What else?

An East Anglian turned Northerner – almost.

Information professional, always.

Biologist, in my memories.

Archivist, when required.

Amateur pianist and flautist.

Reluctant gardener.

Scribbler of pictures.

And forever…. a mother and wife.

Oh, not forgetting, cat lover!

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GIVEAWAY:

Win One copy of The Last Thing She Said or The Woman of Heachley Hall (Open INT)

• If the winner is in the UK then it will be a print copy, otherwise International winner is e-book.

Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

ENTER HERE

Make sure you visit the other blogs taking part in this tour to find out more about Rachel’s latest book.

This Vicious Way – Cover Reveal

I am thrilled to be taking part in the cover reveal for the latest book by Madeline Dyer today. I don’t have the official blurb yet, but here is what I can tell you. This Vicious Way is the second book in the brilliant The Dangerous Ones series, and is set in the same world as Madeline’s previous Untamed series. It can be read as a standalone, but if you want my advice, get yourself to the bookshop/internet and grab a copy of all the previous books set in this world as quickly as you can. You won’t regret it!

The Dangerous Ones series is a dystopian/adventure series, and is aimed a slightly older audience than the Untamed series, being Upper YA/NA rather than pure YA, but honestly I haven’t been able to call myself a young or new adult for quite some years now and I still love them. A Dangerous Game, the first book in this series, is my favourite of Madeline’s books so far, and so I am very excited to find out what is in store with This Vicious Way.

Anyway, without further ado, here comes the cover…

The cover was designed by Molly Phipps at We Got You Covered Book Design, and I think it perfectly reflects the tone of the series so far.

If you want to know more about The Dangerous Ones series, have a read of my review of A Dangerous Game.