Category Archives: Book Reviews

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.

BLOG TOUR – The App by Stuart James

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Today is my turn on the blog tour for The App by Stuart James!

Here’s the blurb.

The App…

Once you’re in, they’ll never let you leave.

Whatever happens, don’t download The App.

* It will come in the form of a link. Maybe in your DM’s on a social media account, the junk folder of your emails or a WhatsApp message from a friend.

* You’ll be enticed by the chance of winning one hundred thousand pounds on offer every Friday, wired straight into the winner’s bank account.

* It’s not a joke.

* This part is genuine.

* Someone can and will win the money.

* But at what cost?

Marty Benson gets the link sent to him by a friend. So what is the harm in looking?
He clicks it, downloads the app and enters a few basic details.
A message prompts him to wait while he’s loaded onto the system.
An hour later, another message.

• Do not delete the app.

• Do not tell anyone outside of your family about the app.

• Send the link to one person who is close to you.

* Do not throw your phone away.

* Always narrate while streaming.

• If you break any of the rules, we’ll kill a member of your family. Then we’ll kill you.

Marty is sent a picture of his wife, who is shopping with her mother in Oxford Street.

As Marty struggles to breathe, he clicks the links and watches the most recent streams, realising what happens within the
app.

Every Friday morning, a person is randomly picked from social media.

They now have a bounty on their head—a death warrant. But they don’t know it.

Their profile appears on the app’s main page; all their details are displayed.

Every app member must play the game at least once a month or face the consequences.

Kill the person randomly selected from social media.

Win one hundred thousand pounds.

As Marty watches the terror unfold and everyone streaming the hunt within the app, he realises he has to do something.

But how do you stop a murder, when everyone could be the killer?

Review

The vast majority of us will own a phone, a vast majority of us would happily download an app based on a friends recommendation.. but what if that link they have sent is dangerous? Many of us will have downloaded a virus at some point but in comparison.. This App… it’s life or death!

Marty downloads the app, it’s been sent to him by his best friend Davey..but the sinister side of the app shows quickly when a picture of his family is sent to his phone with list of instructions. He can’t delete the app.. they will know.. he can’t ignore the app either as he soon learns what happens to those who don’t play by the rules.

While Marty tries to get to grips with the situation he’s faced with we learn of the learn of the app creator and his own twisted mind.

We also get to know what it feels like to be one of the hunted!

I loved how the author switched perspectives, you see things through the eyes of the creator, the hunter and the hunted! This led to an easy flowing and exciting tale that grips you..it’s like the author keeps teasing you.. you have to know what happens next.. like the app.. you can’t ignore it..can’t look away..

The App is all about the tension..the creepiness of those involved with the app so the characters themselves while good were not my main focus.. It was all about the app and the creator’s lust for torment and death that had me hooked, the character has more depth than the others and I would have loved more time to see him develop further as he’s just so wonderfully twisted. Even though you should despise him.. there’s something that draws you to him and his life is what really makes the book pop!

Overall a fun read that explores how technology can be misused and the depths some people will go to survive… as well as the depths some will sink to in order to fulfil their perverted desires!

A 4* easily from me,

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon!

My thanks go to the author and ZooloosBookTours for having me on the tour and for providing me a copy of the book to aid my review!

Why not check out the other stops on the tour for more?

Author Bio

I have always loved scary stories, especially ones that shocked me, left me terrified, looking under my bed or in the wardrobe before going to sleep.

There was just a fantastic buzz whenever I watched or read something that took my breathe away.

I remember going to my nan’s house in Ireland as a youngster with my mother and sister, on the West Coast, staying in a cottage, surrounded by miles of fields and my family sitting around the table in the kitchen at night telling ghost stories. Going out and exploring derelict farmhouses in the middle of nowhere. I remember clearly the field at the end of the road was supposed to be haunted by headless nuns. My cousins often remind me of the great times we had, frightening each other and running for our lives whenever we’d see something that didn’t look right.

This is why I love nothing more than to tell a story.

I’m so grateful when people not only read my thrillers but also take the time to get in touch and leave a review. To me, that is the greatest feeling, hearing from people that have enjoyed my work. I know then that I’m doing something right.

I’m 49, married and have two beautiful children. Currently, I’m a full-time plumber but would love nothing more than to make a living from my writing. I hope I write stories and people continue to enjoy them for years to come. That would be completely amazing and a dream come true.


Follow him at:


Twitter: https://twitter.com/StuartJames73

Website: https://www.stuartjamesthrillers.com/

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

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stuartjamesauthor

BLOG TOUR – Warrior and Protector by Peter Gibbons

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Today we kick off the blog tour for the wonderful Warrior and Protector by Peter Gibbons.

Here’s the blurb.

The start of a brand NEW series – an unputdownable fast paced adventure, filled with unforgettable characters.

989 AD.

Alfred the Great’s dream of a united England has been forged by his daughter Aethelfaed and grandson, King Aethelstan.

The Vikings have been expelled from York following the death of Erik Bloodaxe, and for two generations there has been peace between Saxon and Dane.

A new Viking warlord Olaf Tryggvason seeks revenge for Bloodaxe’s death and the slaughter that followed, and has set his sights on a fresh assault on England’s shores. With Skarde Wartooth they set sail for Saxon lands, hungry for glory, conquest and vengeance.

Beornoth, a brutal and battle-hardened Saxon Thegn, is called to arms to fight and protect the Saxon people from the savage Norse invaders. On a personal crusade, he joins the army of Byrthnoth, Lord of the east Saxons in a desperate fight against the bloodthirsty Vikings.

Beornoth must lay his own demons to bed, survive vicious attacks and find redemption for his tragic past.

Review

The Vikings.. previously defeated.. fled home.. but many years have gone by and time does not heal, some still hold a grudge and it’s time to return.. time for vengeance!

These Vikings are true blood.. not the settled kind who embraced the shores of England.. the brutal murderous kind ready to spill blood.

The King needs warriors to stop this Viking force from shedding more blood, the scars from the last time at sill raw. Real warriors are needed, ones who know how to stand up to these Vikings.

This is when we meet Beornoth, he’s a man of pure strength but he’s broken. The loss of his family to Viking’s sent him spiralling into the drink.. he tumbled so far down he even lost the title Thegn and everything that comes with it!

There’s a chance to reclaim the title.. reclaim the honour associated but Beornoth is bitter and rightly so.. but a chance encounter..and a stupid amount of ale help set Beornoth on his journey of redemption… he’s pretty much left with no choice!

Along the way he faces internal battles as well as the physical ones.. can he stop the drink long enough to become the man he once was? Can he face his demons.. Will fighting the Vikings ease his suffering?

Beornoth struggles playing second fiddle a little, he’s not in command and has also been tasked to look after a boy, the son of Ealdorman Aethelhelm! He’s to train him in battle..yeh this isn’t going to be easy.

The best character for me was Wulfhere, another fallen warrior who swears his sword to Beornoth and the first 5 or 6 chapters really do hook you in and set the scene and cast and give so much development before you really even get stuck into the blood and guts of the tale. To have characters stick in your mind in so few pages is awesome and a credit to the author.

I’ve heard many a good thing about the author but this is my first foray into his world and imagination, and I’m so glad a jumped on this one and feel rather disappointed in myself that it’s taken me this long to pick up one of his books…I’ll learn from this error! Ha.

Set in 10th century England you know the book is going to be filled of blood and guts but that’s only part of it, Gibbons manages to add a wealth of depth and feeling and sets the scene so well, it’s a fiercely powerful tale of redemption.. One I’m fully committed to now!

Warrior and Protector is not your typical warrior tale of battle, it has that but it has the character depth needed to make a series succeed and I’m excited for more!

I really wish I could put some spoilers in to really give you an idea of Beornoth’s journey, there’s soo much history and meaning and this leads to some quite intense and emotional scenes that really hit you.

I don’t like to compare but I always see people do this so here we go.. you’ll love this if you enjoy authors such as Gordon Doherty, Matthew Harffy and C. R. May, each of these 4 have their own style but what they really have in common is depth. A warriors tale, a journey, with pure raw emotion flowing.

Warrior and Protector – A skull cracking 5 star!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.. or support your local retailor 🙂

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 I’ll be having a copy winging it’s way to me too! Anyone know any good joiners to turn the kids room into a library?

Why not follow the tour –

Author Bio –

Peter Gibbons is a financial advisor and author of the highly acclaimed Viking Blood and Blade trilogy. He comes to Boldwood with his new Saxon Warrior series, set around the 900 AD Viking invasion during the reign of King Athelred the Unready. The first title of the new series, Warrior and Protector, will be published in October 2022. He originates from Liverpool and now lives with his family in County Kildare.

Social Media Links

Facebook: Peter Gibbons Author – Home | Facebook

Twitter: Peter Gibbons Author (@AuthorGibbons) / Twitter

Instagram: Peter Gibbons Author (@petermgibbons) • Instagram photos and videos

Bookbub profile: Peter Gibbons Books – BookBub

BLOG TOUR – Lilac Skies by Shivani Bansal

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Today is my turn on the blog tour for Lilac Skies by Shivani Bansal

Here’s the blurb.

Punjab, India. It’s 1942 and Meena is still a girl when her parents tell her she is to be married, in five days, to a total stranger. What’s more, he lives in Kenya. A different country, a different continent, thousands of miles away from everything she knows. She doesn’t want to marry, but with four brothers and sisters, Meena knows she will be a burden to her parents if she stays. And it isn’t her decision to make.

Nairobi, Kenya. Meena’s new home is beyond anything she could have imagined. Nairobi is beautiful, but tensions under the colonial British rule run high. She is told she is lucky because her husband Amar is young and handsome, but all is not as it seems within her marriage… Tucked away from the outside world, Meena spends her time by the mango tree dreaming of going home… until she realises the friendships that she forges here are all she can hold onto.

Going from girl to woman in a strange land, can Meena find a way to finally make her life her own?

Review

Not the typical book I’d pick up but something about the blurb just sucked me in.

Meena is a happy young woman living in India with her family, unfortunately times are tough and with many mouths to feed her parents make the decision for her, that she should marry.

Amar shows interest in the marriage and dowry agreed so in 5 days they will be man and wife. This is real emotional struggle for Meena as not only does she not know the man but he’s also from Kenya so this marriage will mean moving to another country.

At first things look ok, maybe just a little shaky as Meena is very home sick. This is made so much worse as Amar’s mother lives with them and treats her son like butter wouldn’t melt, he’s the golden boy. This means no one would be good enough for her boy and she constantly undermines Meena. It doesn’t help that Meena hasn’t learnt the skills to cook. She’s essentially a slave.

There’s a ray of hope for Meena when Amar’s sister arrives and they soon form a friendship but nothing can save her from Amar’s darkside which ultimately leads to some very tragic events.

The story moves at a decent pace and Meena ends up in the UK but it’s not going to be the dream life, and the events that happen ensure Amar’s darkside comes out time and time again.. he promises to change.. but they always say that..

Meena’s only happy times is with her children or the friend she makes, Kanika. Kanika understands Meena’s pain more than most and ultimately is the one who keeps Meena going, they support each other.

Lilac Skies is a beautiful but harrowing disturbing tale that touches on many difficult subjects, arranged marriages, miscarriage, domestic abuse… you’d think with such subjects the book would be a difficult read but I found it the opposite, it was so beautifully written it flowed and you just got invested, knowing Meena would find the strength to keep going.

While reading I can honestly admit the story flowed so well I described it as poetry so it was wonderful to read towards the end of the tale that Meena takes up poetry.. it just felt like the character really did write her own story.

Hauntingly beautiful, beautifully written, a story that will really stay with you.

5/5 Stars

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 I’ve already bought a copy myself too!

Why not following the tour?

Author Bio –

Shivani Bansal has a First Class degree in International Relations and Politics, which has yet to be put to use! She works full time in digital marketing in the charity sector, and also runs a small baking business from home called Sweet Beginnings Bakes. She loves writing story ideas in her Pusheen notebook in her spare time.

Social Media Links –

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shivanib_writer

BLOG TOUR – Thief by Owen Mullen – REVIEW

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Today is my turn on the blog tour for Thief by Owen Mullen!

Here’s the blurb.

It takes a thief to catch a thief…

Charley Glass arrived in her family’s lives like the hurricane she’d escaped. But she hadn’t run far enough: the ruthless Giordano family are on her tail and want two things – her life, and the return of the property she stole from them. No matter how many bodies stack up.

After years of longing, Charley finally has the family she’s always wanted, but now she’s going to have to tell them the real reason she came looking them. There is only one way she’s going to stay alive, and that is to employ the muscle of the notorious Glass Family.

The head of the family, Luke, has become embroiled in a dangerous political plot and isn’t sure they’re strong enough to take on one of New Orleans’ biggest crime gangs. But he’d put his life on the line to protect the empire they’ve built – even if they’ll have to take on an enemy hurting enough to cross an ocean for revenge.

Page-turning, gritty, and utterly compelling, Thief is Owen Mullen’s best book yet. Perfect for fans of Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers and Mandasue Heller.

Review.

I’m so glad to be back with the Glass family! I’m invested in them now so was eager to find out what could happen this time!

The glass family is made up of Luke, Nina and Charley. Luke is the head of the family, but Nina and Charley are the ones who keep the money coming into the bank.

Thief is a masterpiece in storytelling and any aspiring writer should look at how effortlessly Owen Mullen weaves a tale, there’s multiple things events.. numerous characters but it’s balanced perfectly and flows so easily.

Nina, oh Nina. She’s had it tough, and she’s not fully recovered either. She’s dealing with her demons but at what cost?

Charley, oh Charley…Now the backstory comes out. Charley is the newest member of the family who showed up one day, proved her worth and has never looked back… but what’s she’s been running from is about to catch up with her.

Luke, ah Luke. I can’t not love the guy. Family is all that matters but he doesn’t know everything..there’s some secrets.. and nothing is certain in life.. can he keep the family safe and find away to help both Charley and Nina?

What I really love about Owen’s writing is it’s prefect.. utterly engrossing, dark and gritty. It’s the tone..I don’t know how he does it but the style of writing is exactly what I want to see.. it’s the grittiness.. the realness.. the depth to the characters.. utter WOW!

This is the best instalment yet for plot and character development. Don’t get me wrong, every book in the series is great but this one is a cut above.. the depth and time given to each character’s story arc is amazing. I really didn’t think it would be easy to develop the existing characters while introducing new ones so perfectly!

For me George Ritchie steals the show, he’s the backbone behind the Glass family.. he’s such a pleasure to go on a journey with.. I don’t think will ever truly know George.. he keeps a lot to himself but it’s more what he doesn’t say that develops him…a man of few words but when he talks.. you listen!

Plot wise there’s multiple angles to this tale with some cracking twists along the way, it’s unbelievable how much is packed in but expertly driven along by the author at a steady pace. What I loved the most was the backstory, it helped me understand motivations for sure… but more than anything it was just so damn exciting!

Once you get stuck into this one you won’t be able to put it down!

To find our more head to Goodreads or Amazon!

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 as part of the tour, but this was always going to be on my bought list! I never miss a book of Owen’s and would happily pay anything he asked! I’m just greedy and like to get a book quick and support the author with my reviews as soon as I can 😊

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio –

Owen Mullen is a highly regarded crime author who splits his time between Scotland and the island of Crete.  In his earlier life he lived in London and worked as a musician and session singer. He has now written 11 books and his first gangland thriller for Boldwood.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/owenmullen10

Twitter: https://twitter.com/owenmullen6

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/owenmullen6/

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

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/owen-mullen

BLOG TOUR – Guided Meditation Sleep Stories For Children: 25 Magical Stories by Linda Owen – REVIEW

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Today I’m taking part in the blog tour for Guided Meditation Sleep Stories For Children: 25 Magical Stories by Linda Owen!

Here’s the blurb –

  • GUIDED MEDITATION STORIES TO HELP YOUR LITTLE ONES SLEEP!
  • READ THE STORIES TOGETHER
  • FALL ASLEEP LISTENING AGAIN TO THE STORIES
  • DRAW WHAT YOU SAW
  • FILL IN THE JOURNAL ABOUT YOU

Twenty five individual, magical, sweet stories bringing quality reading time and guided meditation to children at bedtime.
After reading a first time, then read a story again to your child with their sleepy eyes closed for a different style of guided meditation, encouraging healthy sleeping patterns and a great imagination.

Added features include there being extra pages to “draw what you saw” at the end of each story. Furthermore, this book has journal questions to fill in and enjoy!

An ideal book making bedtime fun, relaxing and a thoroughly positive experience

Review

I’m going to start off being perfectly honest with you. I was a little sceptical as to how a book could help with the issues I’ve faced with my children and bedtime. Georgia, bless her is a very anxious child and we’ve been working hard with her, talking to her on her level, trying different bits to help her through what I hope is a phase that she will overcome or learn to cope with. Bedtime has not been the easiest some nights, sometimes she’s fine, other nights it’s horrible and she just needs you constantly near her to feel safe and happy.

When this book popped up I honestly thought, why not?. It couldn’t hurt to give it a try. So I sat down the 1st night with both children and read the first story to them. Both loved the idea of listening to the story, then drawing what they had seen in their mind afterwards, so after night 1 I was felling quite happy.

Then night 2 came… I read to Georgia first and within 5 minutes she was fast asleep! I then read to Abi and again, within 5 minutes fast asleep! I’m still not sure how that happened ha ha.

Was this a one off you might ask? Nope, My wife has also got onboard and read with the girls and again both of them were flat out!

I sat with the girls and asked them to tell me what they thought of the book and it was a resounding “AWESOME” from them with big smiles on their faces! Georgia especially liked it and she said it really did help her sleep and she wants to continue with the stories. She seemed more happy that she felt understood a little better, sometimes is hard to deal with kids and anxiety, to get the conversation on the right level so I really feel this booked helped us all.

What I loved about the book myself was not only that it engages the child but also it helps set the mood, the adult’s tone, the fact the kids have their eyes closed, relaxed. Everything is just nicely designed to help forget about the stress of the day and just enjoy being with the girls and for me it was nice to just sit with them and not simply be focused on finishing a story so I could do something else, I was there.. part of it, life can be busy, this helped me realise sometimes I just need to take a step back too.

I do hope others find this book useful, I know I did. I’ll certainly be carrying on with this one.

I’m amazed how just reading calmly and engaging with Georgia in a different way made an instant impact on her anxiety levels.

5/5 stars! EASY!

My thanks go to the author, the publisher and ZooloosBookTours for having me on the tour and for providing me a copy of the book to aid my review!

To find out more head to Amazon! Or any other local retailor 😊

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio

Born in North Lincolnshire 1966, Linda Owen comes from a large Yorkshire family of seven children. A nature lover by heart, Linda dabbles in poetry. She has entered a personal journey of self-help through holistic therapies and then became a practitioner, a Reiki lady and a natural born storyteller. Her writing has taken on many forms, ranging from different topics of books with the themes of wellbeing, spiritual, poetic and even humorous.

Linda is now working as a meditation teacher on the global website – Insight Timer, with lots of guided meditation stories and although originally for adults, now caters for children too. Her acquired knowledge through time and her age has brought more life wisdom to share.

With her background in holistic therapies, this enabled Linda to get her work (since 2020) out verbally, online and in audio style, benefiting others, covering a wide age group of people who are interested in the holistic approach of natural wellbeing of the mind and body through guided meditations. Then it occurred to Linda that it would be lovely to put all the children’s stories together in a book, to enjoy a new experience and become a useful tool to aid sleep time and wellbeing.

Her stories are tender, magical, all about promoting a positive mindset through a positive creative imagination, proving that sleep time may be wholesome, nurturing, and empowering.


Follow her at:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaOw76321013

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

Website : https://linda-owens-website.yolasite.com/