Category Archives: Book Reviews

Killer Casting by Simon Maltman – REVIEW

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Today I’m reviewing Killer Casting by Simon Maltman.

I stumbled upon Simon on Instagram actually and like I always say, there’s so much choice out there it’s hard to think of which book to read next so why did I pick Simon you may ask…

If you follow my blog you’ll know that my reviews are actually the books I’m buying with my hard earned money and when I noticed Simon post about a reviewer wanting to be paid to review his work I thought I’d balance that out and show him what a good reviewer is ha. No hate on anyone I just love my own style of support.. it’s not a cheap hobby but it’s mine ha

Here’s the blurb

‘A Docu-drama about a murder. And the killer’s in the cast.’

Jessica, an up-and-coming young director is helming her first full documentary.

It focuses on the story of a young girl, murdered fifteen years before in New York.

The girl’s father was convicted and has been in prison ever since.

But he’s innocent.

Joe killed her.

Joe’s killed a lot of people.

When Joe sees the call for amateur actors to join the cast, he has an idea.

Joe gets lots of ideas. That’s how he’s survived this long.

But this time, has he gone too far?

Review

Jessica has the chance of a lifetime.. she’s directing a documentary around the murder of a young girl.. the father convicted for her murder. Little does she or the small crew know he’s innocent and they are about to come face to face with the real killer.

Joe.. ah Joe..he’s a killer who is slowly escalating.. he used to be able to control the urge but now the thrill wears off too fast and the need to kill comes more and more quickly..

Luckily for Joe his fix comes in the form of auditioning for a role in Jessica’s documentary.. the very murder he actually committed.. to Joe there can be nothing sweeter! Especially when he’s able to come face to face with the man he put in jail.

Joe continues to kill throughout but balancing all these versions of himself slowly starts to take it’s toll..and Jessica can sense something is off.. but she has no real idea what..

That is until everything unravels..If you think I’m going to spoil the ending think again ha. Let’s just say the suspense and the twists had me hooked, I loved the characters, even Joe.

Plot wise I loved it, Riveting! The pace quickly builds, short sharp chapters and those last few are dynamite. Joe thought this would be a fun idea.. how wrong he was.. but he’s got away with everything until now.. so can he find a way out of this one too?

For my first foray into the authors work I was really pleased to say the least, pace is spot on, chapter length perfect. Joe’s development is absolutely on point.. after all this is his tale, you even feel his thrill during the kills.. his excitement.. Jessica too steals the show as her development copies Joe’s as you learn more about them both, their lives, feelings, everything you need to make that person feel real.

Well worth grabbing a copy if you enjoy the genre! Very much enjoyed this one, easy flowing and engaging 5/5 stars!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

BLOG TOUR – King of Kings by MJ Porter

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Today is my stop on the blog tour for King of Kings by MJ Porter!

Here’s the blurb

In the battle for power, there can be only one ruler.

AD925

Athelstan is the king of the English, uniting the petty kingdoms of Wessex, Mercia, the Danish-held Five Boroughs and York following the sudden death of his father, King Edward.

His vision is to unite the realms of the Scots and the Welsh in a peace accord that will protect their borders from the marauding threat of the Norse Vikings.

Whilst seemingly craving peace and demanding loyalty with an imperium over every kingdom, Athelstan could dream of a much bigger prize.

But danger and betrayal surround his best intentions, namely from his overlooked stepbrother, Edwin, who conspires and vies for what he deems is his rightful place as England’s king.

As ever, powerful men who wish to rule do not wish to be ruled, and Constantin of the Scots, Owain of Strathclyde, and Ealdred of Bamburgh plot their revenge against the upstart English king, using any means necessary.

An epic story of kingsmanship that will set in motion the pivotal, bloody Battle of Brunanburh where allies have to be chosen wisely…

Review

King of Kings revolves around the Battle of Brunanburh and the events that lead to this epic battle.

Athelstan is King of the English but not everyone is happy with the uniting of the kingdoms.

The King of the English has designs to grow his kingdom but mostly he’s looking to the future, in the short term he knows peace is the only solution but if we know anything about Kings and Queens of the past is that it’s a treacherous position to hold, not only do you have threats from outside of your kingdom but you have to watch your back too.. family doesn’t mean what it should to some.. and families can be quite complicated at times.

MJ Porter wonderfully weaves the tale with changing perspectives, exploring the motivations and inner thoughts of some of the most powerful and influential people at the time. I found this amazing to read, I know we may not really know someone’s thoughts but the changing perspective really gave life and depth to each of the characters. I particularly loved that I felt the author managed to put some of their own writing style into the tale, little moments when you can tell they had fun writing the scene.. don’t get me wrong.. textbooks are brilliant for facts but sometimes  you need a little something extra to bring events and characters to life and a tale such as this gives you that.. it makes me want to learn more and in particularly keen to learn more about the Welsh Kings. I can’t say I now much about the period but King of Kings gives me exactly what I need, historical fiction that excites.. sparks the desire to learn more.

The book has a large ensemble of characters, and the story covers a wide period, so I’d definitely say give yourself the time to really immerse yourself in the book. The short chapters certainly helped me to retain the information and ensured the flow of the tale went well. It’s a pretty perfect book to get lost in for a few hours.

Overall a really enjoyable read, I particularly liked exploring the different characters and their motivations, each wanting to ensure their safety but at the same time ready to attack if the time is right. It’s all about the build up baby..you are just wanting to see who will step over the line first!

4/5 Stars

My thanks go to @rararesources for having me on the tour, as well as the author and publisher for supplying an ARC to aid my review. As usual though… I’m buying the book too

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio –

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. They were raised in the shadow of a building that they believed housed the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia – so their writing destiny was set. The first novel in their new Anglo-Saxon series for Boldwood Son of Mercia was published in February 2022.

Social Media Links –  

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

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

Newsletter Sign Up: https://www.mjporterauthor.com/

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mj-porter

BLOG TOUR – The Flight by Heather J. Fitt

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Today is my turn on the blog tour for The Flight by Heather J. Fitt!

Here’s the blurb

A young mother is trapped with a killer thirty thousand feet up, in this gripping mid-air murder mystery by the author of Open Your Eyes.

On a plane to Barbados, nurse Melissa sits with her young son, Theo. On the same flight, up in first class, are a bride- and groom-to-be, heading for their tropical wedding destination, accompanied by family and friends.

When two members of the wedding party die in mysterious circumstances, it becomes clear that a killer is on board. Trapped in the cabin thousands of feet above the Atlantic, tensions mount as accusations fly—and when little Theo seems to vanish into thin air, this bizarre flight becomes even more turbulent . . .

Will Melissa be able to use her medical knowledge to find her son and bring a cold-blooded killer to justice before it’s too late?

Review

Melissa and her young son Theo have planned a little getaway. You see things haven’t been going well for Melissa she’s a single mother who is trying to relax a little after getting out of a toxic relationship.

Having a little one in tow Melissa is aware the flight might not be an easy ride but little does she know how crazy things will end up.

Once aboard there’s a plea from the cabin crew, a passenger needs assistance. Melissa with her training offers up her help but there’s little she can do. The woman has died!

Going back to her son Melissa tries to put events out of her mind but it’s not going to be easy.. another lady suddenly dies. This time something is off…and by taking a closer look at the first deceased it quickly confirms they aren’t just deceased .. they are both victims!

Now there’s a few twists and turns, misdirection to throw you off the scent of the killer but it has to be one of the wedding party yes? But why, where’s the motive?

When the truth is unveiled the pieces fit together but are we sure that’s the end of it??

I very much enjoyed the plot of The Flight but what I found really good was the depth given to the characters as we learnt more about them personally and their motivations. The author really managed to make you feel for Melissa who constantly feels judged by others as a singe parent and we even see some of the comments and looks she receives as she tries to look after her young son alone.

Going back to the plot I thought It was well planned out and flowed well and I really liked how each chapter was brought to us from a different perspective, it honestly kept you guessing as each time you thought you knew who could be the killer the next chapter sort of blew that theory away with their own thoughts and emotions. Those last few twists were real corkers!

Overall a cracking story, top notch character development with an engaging plot.

4/5 stars

To find out more head to Goodread or Amazon.

My thanks go to Heather J. Fitt for having me on the tour and for the ARC to allow me to have my review prepared. I’ve got myself a kindle copy too. No free rides with David’s Book Blurg ha ha

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio

Heather J. Fitt

Heather was born in Scotland and after moving around Europe with her parents and sister, settled in Hampshire where she met her husband, Stuart.

After leaving the rat-race in 2018, Heather re-trained as an editor and proof-reader and entered the world of publishing. These days she works as a part-time freelancer and a part-time Commissioning Advisor for Bloodhound.

Heather was inspired to start writing her novel by the authors who have become her closest friends. Now the ideas are flowing she has plans to write several more over the coming years.

When she isn’t reading, Heather enjoys spending her time watching sport –­ especially her beloved rugby – and exploring the British countryside with Stuart.

Heather’s debut novel was published by Bloodhound in Summer 2021.

For regular bookish updates, you can follow Heather on Twitter: @HeatherJFitt

BLOG TOUR – Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow

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Today we kick off the blog tour for Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow (book 3 in the Rosie Robson series) by Colin Garrow

Here’s the blurb.

A dead body. A hoard of forged banknotes. A gangster out for blood.

Newcastle, December 1955. Returning home after a weekend away, singer and amateur sleuth Rosie Robson discovers a man lying on a baggage trolley with his throat cut. After the police get involved, an attack on Rosie and her boss prompts Inspector Vic Walton to find a safe house for the pair. But the bad guys seem to be one step ahead of them and Rosie is forced to track down a possible witness to the murder in a bid to learn the truth. Can the canny crooner solve the mystery before a Newcastle gang boss catches up with her? 

Set on Tyneside, Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow is book #3 in the Rosie Robson Murder Mysteries series.

Review

Rosie and her friend return to Newcastle after a weekend away only to discover a body in a baggage trolley. Inspector Vic Walton is soon on the case. The victim had their throat cut..

There’s not a lot of evidence but with Rosie’s help Vic soon has a suspect.. the issue is someone is following Rosie.. and she’s doesn’t know why.

The case heats up as Rosie is followed, accosted and attacked… Rosie seeks shelter among friends only to drag those very individuals into the danger and even a safe house isn’t safe..

How do these people keep finding Roaie? And why do they want her? She doesn’t know anything… or does she?

I’ll admit I haven’t yet read the other books in the series so was worried I may not understand some of the context but I need not have worried. There’s clearly a backstory to some of the characters but the author nicely gives you titbits of information allowing you to understand their motivations and the events that previously played out.

There’s some really good twists to the tale.. I love and hate to say this but I demolished this in 1 day.. it was just an exciting read from the 1st page to last.

As a proud northerner myself I really loved the descriptions of my local area and the detail added, it easily allowed me to envisage Rosie’s journey in my mind and that added an extra dimension to the tale!

Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow ticked all of the boxes for me, there’s mystery, suspense, blood and twists to name but a few prime pieces I look for.. but the main thing I loved about the book was the character depth, their induvial personas and traits, each were fun to read and I felt myself reading each character myself in a different voice, they became real.

Very interesting plot with superb writing. I’ve read a couple of the authors other works and I love his writing style.. maybe it’s a northern thing ha ha.

If you asked me why I haven’t read the previous books in the series I’ll be perfectly honest.. there’s too much choice out there and sometimes you don’t know stories exist.. now I do I’ll be making up for lost time.

An effortlessly riveting and engaging 5* read!

My thanks go to @rararesources for having me on the tour, as well as the author and publisher for supplying an ARC to aid my review. As usual though… I’m buying the book too and in addition I’ll be grabbing the first two books in the series 😊

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio:

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

Social Media Links –

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

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

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/colingarrow

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

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

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

BLOG TOUR – Bellatrix  by Simon Turney

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Today is my stop on the blog tour for Bellatrix by Simon Turney!!

Simon is a firm favourite on David’s Book Blurg and my aim this year will be to read more of his earlier works but today I’m supper excited to share my views on his latest release.

Here’s the blurb :-


Warrior and combat medic of the Twenty Second Legion, Titus Cervianus, must fight the armies of the fabled Warrior Queen in this blistering new Roman adventure from Simon Turney.

Egypt, 25 BC. Titus Cervianus is no ordinary soldier. And the Twenty Second is no ordinary legion. Formed from the personal guard of a conquered king, the Twenty Second’s ways are strange to soldiers of the Empire – yet the legion has proved itself in the blistering heat of the desert.

Cervianus and his comrades march into the unknown as he and the Twenty Second Legion contend with the armies of the Bellatrix: the Warrior Queen of Kush. The Kushites and the Egyptians are united against the Roman presence in their lands – but there are complex political and military forces at work. Deep in the deserts, Cervianus and his comrades must brace themselves for a furious onslaught as they take on the might of the Bellatrix.

Review

Bellatrix is the second instalment in the Legion XXII series. I’d definitely recommend reading the 1st book if you haven’t already to better understand some of the backstory of Cervianus and the other soldiers, you could probably read it without but having that knowledge really gave me some “Oooo” moments as tasty little reminders are thrown in.

The Twenty Second Legion are now in Egypt, the aim as always, to defeat their enemies, to reaffirm their control. These dark clad warriors have caused many Roman deaths… but do those in charge really know the price they will have to pay to cross the desert?

Firstly, I loved the detail of the legion formation and the different roles, this shows the authors knowledge but also his skill at weaving this information in nicely with the plot, there’s no unnecessary descriptions and detail was added naturally just when I needed it.

The journey is perilous and the Kush warriors make themselves known early.. leaving the legion will little choice…they take the supplies.. especially water… they are too far now to turn back but they don’t have the supplies to make to it their destination either… men are going to die.

The legion also need to contend with the desert itself, I don’t want to spoil it but I really enjoyed one particular section of the story that focused on the sandstorm and the aftermath, beautifully woven and engrossing.

Cervianus is going to have his work cut out for him to keep as many men alive as possible.. with very little supplies.

What I really love about this series is it’s not your typical historical fiction book full of battles and gore… oh yes it certainly has it’s moments but it gives more than that.. it’s one man’s journey to keep these men alive.. a desperate struggle to belong and find his way in life and his biggest battle to fight is his own fear… there’s so much depth and growth to the character.

Bellatrix is far from a slow burner but I loved the page count given to the desert crossing.. it’s still actioned packed but brings some authenticity to the tale..not all men die by the sword afterall.. just getting from A to B can be dangerous for many other reasons and Turney does an excellent job of exploring these, such as the effect of the sun, lack of water and shade, the sand itself.. it’s a masterclass in understanding the weaknesses of the human body to commit to such as task as crossing the desert.

Turney has put everything into this book and more if that’s possible.. it’s got action, blood and gore but it’s also got humanity mixed with real emotion to give you a well round and magnificent tale.

A resounding 5* read that packs in so much more than you could ever imagine..leaving you salivating for more!

Fans of Turney will not be disappointed!

My thanks go to Head of Zeus/Aries Fiction for having me on the blog tour and for allowing me an ARC to aid my review. I had this on pre-order and was more than happy to buy a copy too 🙂

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon (Or any good local book retailer)

Why not follow the tour?

About the author


Simon Turney is from Yorkshire and, having spent much of his childhood visiting historic sites, fell in love with the Roman heritage of the region. His fascination with the ancient world snowballed from there with great interest in Rome, Egypt, Greece and Byzantium. His works include the Marius’ Mules and Praetorian series, the Tales of the Empire and The Damned Emperor series, and the Rise of Emperors books with Gordon Doherty. He lives in North Yorkshire with his family.

Follow Simon Turney

Twitter: @SJATurney

Facebook: Simon Turney Author aka SJATurney

Website: https://simonturney.com/

Follow Aries

Twitter: @AriesFiction

Facebook: Aries Fiction

Website: http://www.headofzeus.com

BLOG TOUR – Forest of Foes by Matthew Harffy. #ForestOfFoes

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Today is my turn on the blog tour for Forest of Foes my Matthew Harffy!!!

Forest of Foes is the 9th instalment in The Bernicia Chronicles series and what a cracking read it is!

Here’s the blurb:

AD 652. Beobrand has been ordered to lead a group of pilgrims to the holy city of Rome. Chief among them is Wilfrid, a novice of the church with some surprisingly important connections. Taking only Cynan and some of his best men, Beobrand hopes to make the journey through Frankia quickly and return to Northumbria without delay, though the road is long and perilous.

But where Beobrand treads, menace is never far behind. The lands of the Merovingian kings are rife with intrigue. The queen of Frankia is unpopular and her ambitious schemes, though benevolent, have made her powerful enemies. Soon Wilfrid, and Beobrand, are caught up in sinister plots against the royal house.

After interrupting a brutal ambush in a forest, Beobrand and his trusted gesithas find their lives on the line. Dark forces will stop at nothing to seize control of the Frankish throne, and Beobrand is thrown into a deadly race for survival through foreign lands where he cannot be sure who is friend and who is foe.

The only certainty is that if he is to save his men, thwart the plots, and unmask his enemies, blood will flow.

Review

After the events of the last instalment we see Beobrand is sent on a mission by his Queen. This journeys target is Rome!

Although this will take him far from home his oath is ironclad and he will see Wilfrid safely to his destination. Oh Wilfrid.. this man had my life ha ha.. He has a wandering eye and things very highly of himself.. he’s going to cause some trouble.. you can feel it.

Nothing bad will happen on the journey though will it…Yeh right… it’s not going to go smoothly is it? Ha.

Beobrand and his warriors meet a group of individuals being attacked by wolf’s heads.. but these aren’t your average individuals, and this chance encounter sets Beobrand and his men on a different path that ultimately leads to betrayal & bloodshed….but there may be a chance for retribution.

I really enjoyed the latest instalment, Beobrand is older now, his eyes are not once what they were but he’s still just as deadly, but it was a real joy to see Beobrand share the limelight with his men, and you can really see the connection he’s made with each and everyone of them as they offer up their lives for him… to fight for what’s right.

The author spent a lot of time ensuring the development of Beobrand flowed well throughout the story, he still mourns the loss of his wife, he’s conflicted over his difficult relationship with his son and the shadows of the past walk with him daily…

… but not all of these shadows are in the past…and not all are friends either.

These insights help you envisage Beo, he’s not the young man we first met any longer.. the past has changed him.. is it his fate to survive while others die?

I particularly enjoyed the growth of Cynan, you can really see some of Beobrand in him and he has his own worries too.. he’s rash and impulsive at times.. just like his lord… but god I love him.

The twists in the plot quite honestly had me on tenterhooks.. There’s one moment I won’t spoil but the author sets the tense atmosphere perfectly and you can feel something is about to happen but when the story plays out it’s like a punch to the guts that you didn’t see coming.. it knocks the air out of you it’s that amazingly breath-taking.. and very bloody clever of the author too.. I knew something was brewing but could never have guessed what they had in mind.. wow.

Beobrand and his Black Shields are as powerful as ever as they band together chanting “Death”, the image of these men advancing is enough to scare most foes and those who don’t run will live to regret that choice…but will everyone make it back home.. time will tell.

Forest of Foes is the perfect addition to the series, the plot is strong and the characters have soo much depth and there’s plenty of detail and action just when you need it. It’s quite honestly the only series I feel like I want to start again with so I can enjoy this from the start all over again!

I’m more than eager to see what the author offers the readers next.

A raving 5 stars from me! and a big shout to Head of Zeus and their art team.. Love the cover and the colours 🙂 a massive thank you for having me on the tour. I received an ARC to allow me to have a review ready but I had my pre-order in from day 1!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon (Or any good local bookseller 😊 )

Why not follow the tour?

About the author

Matthew Harffy lived in Northumberland as a child and the area had a great impact on him. The rugged terrain, ruined castles and rocky coastline made it easy to imagine the past. Decades later, a documentary about Northumbria’s Golden Age sowed the kernel of an idea for a series of historical fiction novels. The first of them is the action-packed tale of vengeance and coming of age, THE SERPENT SWORD.

Matthew has worked in the IT industry, where he spent all day writing and editing, just not the words that most interested him. Prior to that he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator. Matthew lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.

Follow Matthew Harffy

Twitter: @MatthewHarffy

Instagram: @beobrand

Website: matthewharffy.com

Follow Aries

Twitter: @AriesFiction

Facebook: Aries Fiction

Website: http://www.headofzeus.com

The Pedlar’s Promise by Steven A. McKay – REVIEW & COMPETITION!!!

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Today I’m reviewing The Pedlar’s Promise by Steven A. McKay.

This novelette is part of the authors The Forest Lord series and is pegged as an “exciting Forest Lord novelette for Christmas”.. Let’s give it the David’s Book Blurg treatment and find out.

Oh and keep reading.. I may have added a little competition at the end 😊

Here’s the blurb

Medieval England, December

A pedlar has been sent to Wakefield with an unexpected and apparently quite valuable Christmas gift for John Little and his friend Will Scaflock. Unfortunately, the pedlar likes his ale a little too much and somehow gets lost and ends up in the wrong town. With no other work to do, or any strange mysteries to solve for a change, the pair of bored former outlaws decide to ride out and track down their gift. Of course, things don’t quite go as smoothly as hoped and they experience a series of hair-raising adventures on the snowy roads and villages of Yorkshire before their quest finally ends with a surprise…
Will our heroes ever find their quarry? What is the mysterious gift their friend Robert Stafford has sent to them from Brandesburton? And who the hell thought it was a good idea to go riding around northern England in the depths of winter searching for a drunk old pedlar?
Pour yourself a warm glass of wassail and settle in beside the fire to find out!
The Pedlar’s Promise continues the series of short winter stories including Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil, Faces of Darkness, The House in the Marsh, and Sworn To God, and brings some much-needed cheer to the gloomy winter months.

Review

I’m a big fan of the author and it’s sort of become a Christmas tradition to sit down with a new novella from the author at this time of year. McKay hasn’t disappointed and has written a lovely little tale featuring Little John, Will Scarlett and Tuck.

You don’t have to have read any of the other books in this series to read this one, you could easily jump in here as a taster before buying the authors longer works but having read the previous books I think it would just give the characters a little more depth and you’ll chuckle even more, trust me.

So what happens in the story you may ask. Well Tuck has asked a pedlar to bring a gift back to Will and Little John.. but he’s gone missing… To give him his dues the pedlar and Tuck were both drunk at the time. Shock..ha

Now Tuck doesn’t have time to let Will and Little John know what the gift was and knowing Will that won’t sit easy with him.. he doesn’t like the unknown.. and it’s an itch he needs to scratch so he and John set out to find the pedlar!

Chaos ensues..there’s fights.. mud.. and laughs along the way but will they find the pedlar and the gift Tuck sent? And what kind of gift would have been sooo important to send anyway?

What I rally loved about this short read was that true to form it’s a cracking fun read, but you can really tell the author had fun with this one. McKay has reached the stage in the series where he can basically take any path he wants, and it shows just how talented the author is in bringing the reader fresh and fun tales.

The Pedlar’s Promise isnt as dark or mysterious and some of the authors novellas but this one fits perfect for the season, it’s light-hearted and had me smiling the whole way through. I can quite easily see myself sitting with the kids with this one chuckling away.

Another masterful piece of literature. 5*

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

Now on to the important matter. I while ago I meant to run a competition to win a signed book from Steven A. McKay.. and me being the divvy I am… I forgot. Argh. Can I blame the fact my girls are now 8 and driving me nuts?

Anyhoo..to make up for that I’ve made the prize even better so up for grabs is :-

A signed copy of The Druid, book 1 in the Warrior Druid of Britain series!

And also a signed poster from the 3rd book in the series – The Northern Throne. I was very lucky when I requested one for myself ages ago the author accidently sent me two ha ha, so why not give this second one a nice new home?

What do you need to do to win? Well first of let me give the rules.

I like to keep things simple, so I use Rafflecopter and you have a few different chances to earn an entry into the competition. The competition is no way endorsed by anyone other than myself and I’m responsible for sending the prize to the winner. Unfortunately this does mean I can only open this up the UK residents only as I’ll be paying the postage. The competition is open for a week!

I will contact the winner via email to confirm their address and will post the winners name on my social media 🙂

Ready to enter? Click here

BOOK BIRTHDAY BLITZ- The Automobile Assassination by MJ Porter

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Today I’m taking part in the book birthday blitz for The Automobile Assassination by MJ Porter!!

Here’s the blurb

A 1940s mystery

Erdington, September 1944

As events in Europe begin to turn in favour of the Allies, Chief Inspector Mason of Erdington Police Station is once more prevailed upon to solve a seemingly impossible case.

Called to the local mortuary where a man’s body lies, shockingly bent double and lacking any form of identification, Mason and O’Rourke find themselves at Castle Bromwich aerodrome seeking answers that seem out of reach to them. The men and women of the royal air force stationed there are their prime suspects. Or are they? Was the man a spy, killed on the orders of some higher authority, or is the place his body was found irrelevant? And why do none of the men and women at the aerodrome recognise the dead man?

Mason, fearing a repeat of the cold case that dogged his career for two decades and that he’s only just solved, is determined to do all he can to uncover the identity of the dead man, and to find out why he was killed and abandoned in such a bizarre way, even as Smythe demands he spends his time solving the counterfeiting case that is leaving local shopkeepers out of pocket.

Join Mason and O’Rourke as they once more attempt to solve the impossible in 1940s Erdington.

Review

So firstly I’m totally biased when it comes to MJ Porter.. I just love the writing style from the author, I love the directness of the characters, the blunt honesty.. it automatically makes me feel at ease and ready to enjoy the tale. This doesn’t mean it’s an easy 5* from me.. if anything MJ Porter has to work harder to stay on top form in my eyes ha.

I also really love that the story is so well written, even though it’s book 2 in The Erdington Mysteries series you don’t have to read the previous book at all to follow the characters, each develop naturally and you learn their motivations..their ticks.

This  book starts strong with a body being found.. what’s unusual about this one is they can’t really tell much about the victim.. they are completed folded in half!!

Where the body was found points suspicion on the royal air force but is this a clever trick, coincidence even?

We also have other cases on the go at the same time, the automobile association are playing havoc, helping their members avoid trouble with speeding traps and we also see someone sharing counterfeit ration coupons!

Nothing seems just be going anywhere until a connection is finally made..but it’s still not clear yet what is truly going on.. theirs some secrets still to be uncovered.

I love the quirky style of storytelling, it’s fun and engaging. There’s twists along the way and a bag load of mystery to be unwrapped.

When I talk about character development I mean I want to feel like I know the people, like they are sitting next to me.. the quirks.. their look, eye moment.. everything and MJ Porter certainly knows how to write a character to intrigue the reader.

I thought the plot was superb and I loved how things came together as the story progressed, you really felt the frustrations of the characters like you were right there with them.

Add the plot with the character development and you’ve got a 5* winner for me. MJ Porter seems to be able to turn their hand to different periods with ease but with each adding their own style of writing. I’ve falling in love with the style and I’m as always eager for more ha ha!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon (Or any other good bookseller 😊 )

Author Bio

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, as well as three twentieth-century mysteries. Raised in the shadow of a building that was believed to house the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia, meant that the author’s writing destiny was set.

Social Media Links –

Website: www.mjporterauthor.com/www.mjporterauthor.blog   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MJPorterauthor

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mj-porterauthor/

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

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/coloursofunison/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mj-porter

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MJ-Porter/e/B006N8K6X4/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7163404.M_J_Porter

Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/MJPorterauthor

BLOG TOUR – Warrior of Mercia by MJ Porter! (The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles Book 3)

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Today I’m kicking off the blog tour for Warrior of Mercia by MJ Porter! (The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles Book 3)

It gets better as it’s only just been released today!!! Congratulations to MJ Porter on a cracking new release!

Here’s the blurb

Icel is a lone wolf no more.

Oath sworn to Wiglaf, King of Mercia and acknowledged as a member of Ealdorman Ælfstan’s warrior band, Icel
continues to forge his own destiny on the path to becoming the Warrior of Mercia.

With King Ecgberht of Wessex defeated and Londonium back under Mercian control, the Wessex invasion of Mercia is over.

But the Wessex king was never Mercia’s only enemy. An unknown danger lurks in the form of merciless Viking raiders, who set their sights on infiltrating the waterways of the traitorous breakaway kingdom of the East Angles, within touching distance of Mercia’s eastern borders.

Icel must journey to the kingdom of the East Angles and unite against a common enemy to ensure Mercia’s hard-won freedom prevails.

Review

Firstly.. WOW..

Secondly… WOW..

We are back with Icel but don’t worry if you are not familiar with the series as the author does a nice little recap of events but in such a subtle way, for new readers it will give you the backdrop to Icel’s life to present, for the readers who have been with him from the start it’s a nice refresher and really gets you in the right zone, and puts you right back into the moment so you already feel those emotions brought on by the previous books again.

It’s only been a few months really since all this craziness started and in that time Icel has lost a lot, including his uncle. Friendships have become strained and he’s struggling to find his feet as a warrior. It doesn’t help that the King has singled him out for favour.. this doesn’t go down well with some!

What MJ Porter manages to do so well is setting the scene.. the emotions..the smell.. it feels like you are right there with Icel, you can smell his sweat and feel his heart pumping.

The Wessex King has run for his life but Mercia isn’t safe yet. The Viking’s are inbound and they could be an even bigger threat than Wessex.. but with so many men dead from the previously hard won battle how will King Wiglaf protect his people and repel these forces?

I keep saying it in my reviews but one thing I need to hit that 5* is character development, if characters go stale or seem out of place it just spoils the flow of my reading but there’s never any worry when reading anything by MJ Porter.

The plot is so expertly woven with character development, and you see each character grow as the page turns and I loved seeing characters like Cuthred with his own story arc. It was also great to see Brute and Wine back.. Icel’s trusty steeds, they don’t say anything obviously but their actions are louder than words and Brute especially brings a massive smile to my face.

Icel’s development is at the forefront and the author did a brilliant job showing the internal battle he faces each day, he trained to be a healer, now he’s a warrior, so many faces of those crush beneath feet, or with ghastly wounds.. he’s torn.. he could have saved some of these men.. and did… only to have them return to the fight and die. There’s a real depth to the character that can’t be beaten!

I’m never one to give spoilers but you can tell from the synopsis there’s going to be some battles.. blood and guts and it was beautifully brutal in detail and merged perfectly with Icel’s development, his feelings, his history… His uncle is never far from his thoughts and there’s clearly a hidden secret..but what? And why does the new Queen hate him so much? All will be revealed…. Or will it? Ha.

A wonderous 3rd instalment packed full or excitement, I’ve got the kindle version but can’t wait to grab hold of a paperback too!

5/5*

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

My thanks go to the author, the publisher, and Rachel’s Random Resources for having me on the blog tour! I received an ARC of the book as part of the tour but like I say.. this will be added to my paperback collection as soon as possible! This is one of the reasons I review.. Just to get in there early to read the book knowing I’m going to be buying a copy anyway 😊

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio –

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. They were raised in the shadow of a building that they believed housed the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia – so their writing destiny was set. The first novel in their new Anglo-Saxon series for Boldwood Son of Mercia was published in February 2022.

Social Media Links

Twitter https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

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

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/MJPorterNews 

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mj-porter

BLOG TOUR – David’s Bathtime Adventure by Sue Wickstead

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Today we kick off the blog tour for David’s Bathtime Adventure by Sue Wickstead! Oh… and keep reading if you’d like to enter a little giveaway for a chance to win a Double-Decker Playbus colouring book with a 3D model for Daisy Daydream Bus!

Here’s the blurb

David loves his bath time!

As Mum fills the bath with water, David get himself ready for a swimming adventure.

With toys and his fishing gear, he certainly enjoys splashing around in the water.

(And making a mess!)

Where will his imagination take him?

Review.

This is my second adventure with the wonderfully named David.. I mean how could I not jump on the blog tour with such a strong name as David ha ha.

In David’s latest adventure it’s bath time! David once again uses that wonderful imagination of his to have a wonderful time.

Not every child loves bathtime so as a parent I found this a fun little book that may help children relax a little as she what fun they can have in the bath. I remember as a child you could get me out of the bath, I used to spend hours with my turtle figures and my daughter Georgia takes after daddy with a bunch of dinosaurs next to the bath.. these actually live next to daddy’s battleships but enough about that ha ha.

When asked what they liked about the book there was two things that stood out, they particularly liked the illustrations, especially when David uses his imagination, with the toys in a chest becoming the treasure he found.

They also really enjoyed the story itself and how David makes his own fun from any situation.  It’s fun, enjoyable and packed with energy!

My two are now eight and this book was perfect for them, length is perfect but it’s aimed so well that I could read it too them but also have them read it to me as part of their learning and reading at home

Sue Wickstead is now a firm favourite in our house with a wonderfully enjoyable tales of adventure and I’m excited to see what’s next!

5/5 Stars.

To find out more or to grab a copy why not head over to Amazon! or any other good retailor 🙂

My thanks go to the author, the publisher, NetGalley, and Rachel’s Random Resources for having me on the blog tour! I received an ARC of the book so my kids could take part and they loved it. If you follow me on Instagram you can even see a picture of Georgia reading the book as soon as she got home from school 🙂

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio –

A work of the heart.

I am a Supply teacher working across Sussex and Surrey.

For over 20 years, alongside my teaching career, I worked with a Children’s Charity, a Playbus, which led me to write a photographic history book about it. (Bewbush Playbus.)

I have been telling stories about the bus which led me to writing the fictional tale.

‘Jay-Jay the Supersonic Bus’, came out in print in 2014.

The story has led to other children’s stories.

‘David’s Bathtime Adventure’, as well as my last book ‘David’s bin Day’, is a story about my comical little brother growing up and the games he liked to play.

There are more stories written and on their way. (All of my stories do have a bus in them somewhere.)

In my role as visiting Supply Teacher, I am able to share my stories.

I have also undertaken author visits both in schools as well as online, visited libraries for story time and events on request.

I have also used many of my books as a starting point for online learning with EYFSHome – providing ideas to support the books. (Both of the David stories were told as part of this which led to the writing of the books.)

Social Media Links – 

Website :- https://suewickstead.co.uk/davids-bin-day

Amazon.co.uk – http://bit.ly/JJKSupersonic

Amazon.com – http://amzn.to/2BxvU2l

Waterstones http://bit.ly/2wytDz5Waterstones

WHSmith http://bit.ly/2TtCr2I

Foyles – http://bit.ly/315DESrFoylesbooks

Barnes & Noble – http://bit.ly/2IgCKKjBandN

Book depository http://bit.ly/2Ax6VcZ

Now for the exciting part!!! The giveaway to Win a Double-Decker Playbus colouring book with a 3D model for Daisy Daydream Bus (Open to UK Only)

For a chance to win head over to Rafflecopter . If you’ve been to Rafflecopter before you’ll know how easy this is to enter 🙂 There’s multiple ways to earn an entry so why not give it a go!!

*Terms and Conditions –UK 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.