Seven Crows - Kate Kessler

Description
An ex-con tracks down the men who have kidnapped her niece in this gritty and visceral thriller.
Killian Delaney has a skewed moral compass, a high threshold for pain, and has just been released from prison to discover that someone has taken her niece.
Killian does not hesitate. Loyalty is the most important thing in her life, and when she gets a call from her sister saying that her daughter is missing, Killian immediately begins hunting down the men responsible.
She quickly discovers her niece was involved with a notorious biker gang who are engaged in everything from drugs to human trafficking. And to make it worse, the man who sent Killian to jail, the one she nearly beat to death, is at the center of it all.
To save her niece, she'll need a plan. A smart, quick, and efficient one. Because she's going to do it right this time. She'll burn them to the ground.

Review
What a fantastic read this turned out to be. Killian Delaney is the star of the book, in more ways than one. People only have to know her name to be terrified of her, because of the way she didn't kill her victim but how she left him, still suffering. Now that guy has her niece and to get her back he wants her dead.

The book seemed pretty realistic to me, not that I have any real life experience in this world. It felt very scary at times and I was so worried about Killian and her niece Shannon. She however has enough sass and when she doesn't there was the equally wonderful Story - another fabulously strong female character who I would love to meet.

I think one of my favourite quotes is "You have a beautiful way with violence, Ms Delaney". Killian may not have always had an astute plan throughout the book, but she made up for it with guts and determination. I was behind her all the way hoping her parole officer wouldn't catch up with her.

I haven't read any of Kate's books before but I think I need to add her to my list for future reads.My thanks to Kate for an e copy of the book to review.

Ten Things My Husband Hated - Pauline Wiles

Description

Maggie Moone is happily divorced.

And with her talent for fixing things, she’s perfectly content with her mundane life in the sleepy English village of Saffron Sweeting. That is, until one humiliating March evening when she learns everyone else assumes she’d love to mend her broken marriage.

Determined to prove them wrong, Maggie and her friends concoct a list of ten ways to assert her independence and live large. But her mission to move on leads to unexpected encounters, and Maggie soon finds herself mixing business with pleasure. Is the attractive young Irishman just another item on her list, or is he something more?

Before long, unresolved issues from her past begin to clash, and Maggie is forced to wonder if antagonising her ex-husband was such a stellar idea.

No sooner does she begin to understand what’s important to her, than she stands to lose everything that truly matters.

This is the fourth in the collection of Saffron Sweeting romantic comedies, which can be read in any order. If you like gentle British humour and deliciously resilient heroines, you’ll love Ten Things My Husband Hated.

Review
This is the fourth book in the Saffron Sweeting series by Pauline that I have read and I enjoyed it immensely. It's a standalone book so you don't need to have read the previous novels.

I really liked the character of Maggie, especially for her can do attitude and taking on jobs usually reserved for the boys around the house. However, at other times she did rather exasperate me as she didn't always grasp the nettle. Of course this made for a great read and a page turner to find out what exactly she was going to get involved in next.

Pauline has created a fabulous love interest in the character of Finn, although his Grandmother is a force to be reckoned with, she did provide for some very amusing scenes. As for Colin the ex-husband, he made my blood boil all through the book!

I always think that Pauline writes a book with so many facets it's hard to place into just one genre. Chick Lit for comforting read, contemporary for the setting and story line and even a little bit of a mystery.

I feel a little bit melancholy now that I've finished the book. I really got into the life of Maggie and her exploits and couldn't wait to get back to reading the book each time.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Pauline for an advance copy to review.

Between the Stops - Sandi Toksvig

Description

This long-awaited memoir from one of Britain's best-loved celebrities - a writer, broadcaster, activist, comic on stage, screen and radio for nearly forty years, presenter of QI and Great British Bake Off star - is an autobiography with a difference: as only Sandi Toksvig can tell it.

'Between the Stops is a sort of a memoir, my sort. It's about a bus trip really, because it's my view from the Number 12 bus (mostly top deck, the seat at the front on the right), a double-decker that plies its way from Dulwich, in South East London, where I was living, to where I sometimes work - at the BBC, in the heart of the capital. It's not a sensible way to write a memoir at all, probably, but it's the way things pop into your head as you travel, so it's my way'.

From London facts including where to find the blue plaque for Una Marson, 'The first black woman programme maker at the BBC', to discovering the best Spanish coffee under Southwark's railway arches; from a brief history of lady gangsters at Elephant and Castle to memories of climbing Mount Sinai and, at the request of a fellow traveller, reading aloud the Ten Commandments; from the story behind Pissarro's painting of Dulwich Station to performing in Footlights with Emma Thompson; from painful memoires of being sent to Coventry while at a British boarding school to thinking about how Wombells Travelling Circus of 1864 haunts Peckham Rye;from anecdotes about meeting Prince Charles, Monica Lewinsky and Grayson Perry to Bake-Off antics; from stories of a real and lasting friendship with John McCarthy to the importance of family and the daunting navigation of the Zambezi River in her father's canoe, this Sandi Toksvig-style memoir is, as one would expect and hope, packed full of surprises.

A funny and moving trip through memories, musings and the many delights on the Number 12 route, Between the Stops is also an inspiration to us all to get off our phones, look up and to talk to each other because as Sandi says: 'some of the greatest trips lie on our own doorstep'.

Review

I just loved this book and I'm sorry to finish it. I will miss the chatty conversation that Sandi strikes up between the pages. I first recall Sandi in the 1980s when she did the Comedy Store and I've often thought she would be a lovely friend to have and I think this book proves that. 

Although she states it's a kind of memoir, the vehicle she uses (no pun intended) is the No 12 Bus journey. She takes us along the route of the no 12 and while we are going along with her she tells us of things that have happened along the journey, and also points out interesting facts about the places the bus passes. I really feel I learnt so much - if only I could recall it all!

What I do remember are some scenes she described which were just laugh out loud funny. I won't do any spoilers, but one concerned a guy on the London Tube and her reaction just had me laughing the moment she began the tale. I would sooner forget the awful tales of how she has been treated for "coming out" but I feel they will stay with me. People are so cruel and I had no idea she had suffered like this. 

I also hadn't realised what an extraordinarily interesting life she has led. This is not someone who is interesting merely because they became famous, her early life and that of her Father is just so absorbing.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

The Art of Looking Up - Catherine McCormack

Description

The Art of Looking Up surveys 40 spectacular ceilings around the globe that have been graced by the brushes of great artists including Michelangelo, Marc Chagall and Cy Twombly.

From the floating women and lotus flowers of the Senso-ji Temple in Japan, to the religious iconography that adorns places of worship from Vienna to Istanbul, all the way to bold displays like the Chihuly glass flora suspended from the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas: this book takes you on a tour of the extraordinary artworks that demand an alternative viewpoint.
 
History of art expert Catherine McCormack guides you through the stories behind the artworks – their conception, execution, and the artists that visualised them. In many cases, these artworks also make bold but controlled political, religious or cultural statements, revealing much about the society and times in which they were created. Divided by these social themes into four sections – Religion, Culture, Power and Politics – and pictured from various viewpoints in glorious colour photography, tour the astounding ceilings of these and more remarkable locations: Vatican Palace, Rome, ItalyBlenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, UKLouvre Museum, Paris, FranceDali Theatre-Museum, Figueres, CataloniaMuseum of the Revolution, Havana, CubaCapitol Building, Washington, DC, USAFour eight-page foldout sections showcase some of the world's most spectacular ceilings in exquisite detail.

First and foremost, this is a visual feast, but also a desirable art book that challenges you to seek out fine art in more unusual places and question the statements they may be making.

Review

What a brilliant idea for a book. 40 spectacular ceilings from around the world and you don't have to get neck ache to see them. Obviously it is better to see things in real life - or is it? The photographs in the book get you so close to the art work, nearer than you could see in real life. The sumptuous photographs are just beautiful.

I think this is a book to have on the coffee table and if you feel a little blue or the weather isn't nice, just take a peek inside, you will be feeling so much better immediately. I really can't emphasis enough how wonderful the photographs are.

Some are from buildings I have only seen from outside and so the glimpse inside is amazing. One is of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona which one day I would love to see, but this must be the next best thing or better. Such a close up of the details and a wonderful explanation of it too. For this is not just a book of photographs, descriptions and background are provided too in great detail.

I'm truly inspired by this book, both creatively and also to visit these amazing places, of which most I knew nothing of previously.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

Eat Yourself Healthy - Dr Megan Rossi (edited review)

Description

'Learn to love your gut with this jam-packed book from Dr Megan' - Jamie Oliver

'I've learnt so much from Megan, looking after my gut is now a priority and I feel so good for it. She's a huge inspiration to us' - Ella Mills, author and founder of Deliciously Ella

The go-to lifestyle guide for a happy gut that will transform your health and wellbeing.

Drawing from the latest research and a decade of experience as a dietitian and consultant at The Gut Health Clinic, Dr Megan Rossi explains how to feed your gut for a happier, healthier you using simple, delicious and gut-boosting recipes.

Eat Yourself Healthy is packed with over 50 delicious, easy-to-make meal ideas from delicious breakfast options such as banana, fig and courgette breakfast loaf and chickpea crepes, to crowd-pleasing dinner recipes including creamy pistachio and spinach pesto pasta and mouth-watering satay tofu skewers.

Alongside Dr Rossi's gut-friendly recipes, Eat Yourself Healthy also includes expert advice on how to deal with common complaints such as IBS and bloating, diagnose food intolerances, and manage good gut health with sleep and exercise routines.

Supercharge your digestive health and transform your overall wellbeing with this ultimate guide that promises to make you happier and healthier from the inside out.

Review edited 28.10.19

I was given an ARC of a sample of this book to review. I can only base my thoughts on the part of the book I was able to read.

I have an interest in maintaining a healthy gut as I have some issues from time to time. Most of what I read in this book was new to me.

My take aways from this book are:- the advice to ask yourself these questions "How will I feel if I continue versus if I stop?" and What will my life look like in one year if I continue versus if I stop". I felt these two pieces of advice could be applicable to any change in your life and worth remembering. The other one is to eat misshapen fruit as apparently it contains more polyphenols.

There are also some good recipes in the book including one for Prebiotic chocolate bark and my favourite Banana, fig and courgette breakfast loaf which I hope to make.

There is a website which when you have a full copy of the book you can access certain things such as a stress assessment. As I haven't seen these extras I can only comment that it seems a useful addition to the book, however, how detailed they are I am unsure of.

Edited: to say that I have now received a copy of the full book. I've been able to access the assessments and they really do add an extra dimension to the book and I was pleasantly surprised by my results. The book is set out really well, with lots of clear text for dipping into and some lovely colour photography. A book you will want to refer to again and again.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and my thanks to netgalley for the sample to review and Penguinlife for a copy of the full book.

The Final Trail - A A Abbott - Book Cover Reveal with #LoveBooksTours

THE LAST EDITION OF TENSE CRIME THRILLER

SERIES SET IN BIRMINGHAM

RECEIVES CITY CENTRE LAUNCH

Birmingham has well and truly been put on the crime thriller map with the success of the TV series Peaky Blinders but for bookworms amongst us the popular Trail Series has long brought readers into the modern day 21^st century with its tense storylines, murder and intrigue set in and around the city.

The Trail series features a vodka business, a cancer cure and obsessive killers. Every book is a good read in its own right – each is a great crime story with terrific twists to keep the tension mounting - but together, they follow the same characters over several years.

The Trail series author AA Abbott also known as Helen Blenkinsop, has been compared with the likes of Ruth Rendell, John Grisham and Jeffrey Archer.  She lived and studied in Birmingham for nearly 20 years and her passion and love for the city became the inspiration for the Trail series.

Now, after four successful editions the last storyline will be revealed in the publication of THE FINAL TRAIL which will be launched in Birmingham on 28th October.

In the last book ..."Glamorous Kat White has built a successful craft vodka brand in Birmingham, but she has an uneasy relationship with her business partner, Marty Bridges. Her mother had previously supplied with poisonous vodka. Marty doesn't trust Kat, resents having to depend on her for commercial success, and isn't thrilled that his eldest son wants to marry her. That's not his biggest problem, though. He's trying to develop a cancer drug with Kat's brother, Erik, and it's draining money he doesn't have. Just as he finds an investor with pockets deep enough to fund their research, Erik is lured to the former Soviet Union and thrown into jail. Meanwhile, Ben Halloran, who killed his father to save Kat's life, is faced with the twin risks of a murder charge and his brother's deep-seated desire for revenge. Can Ben escape with his life and liberty? And can Marty save both Erik and his business - and learn to trust Kat?"

Helen said “I’ve been writing about these amazing characters for over 5 years, so you can imagine, they have become a part of my life. It’s been a great journey and they have come through so many storylines that it feels right for them to achieve their dreams at last.”

Most of the action in THE FINAL TRAIL takes place across the city and features the famous Rose Villa Tavern and 1,000 Trades in the Jewellery Quarter; The Mailbox, home to the BBC in Birmingham, Holloway Head by the famous Pagoda Island and locations in Harborne and Edgbaston.

Helen added “It’s going to be very sad to launch the last book as the stories and characters have built up such a following but it will give me the opportunity to weave new and exciting tales - I have so many ideas buzzing in my head.”

THE FINALTRAIL is a perfect read for those who like a fast-paced crime thriller combined with suspense, humour and plot twists.  It’s ideal to take away on holiday and provides a great read during the autumn/winter nights.

THE FINALTRAIL will be available to order from Amazon in e-book, paperback and  dyslexia-friendly format from Monday 28^th October 2019.

Website:  https://aaabbott.co.uk/   Twitter:  @AAAbbottstories

Blurb

Family feuds just got bloodier… A gripping thriller, and a great story of death, revenge and vodka.

To save glamorous Kat White’s life, Ben Halloran killed his gangster father. Now his brother wants to even the score.

The gripping Trail series of British crime thrillers reaches its dramatic conclusion in this compelling page turner.  

Buy Link

https://amzn.to/2BJmoHg

The Last Voyage of Mrs Henry Parker - Joanna Nell

Description

A poignant ode to love and the memories that make a well-lived life, from the author of THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA RETIREMENT VILLAGE

As the wife of retired ship's doctor Dr Henry Parker, Evelyn is living out her twilight years aboard the Golden Sunset. Every night she dresses for dinner - gown, tiara, runners - and regales her fellow passengers with stories of a glamorous life travelling the world in luxury, as well as showing off her superior knowledge of everything from ships' customs to biographical details of her heroine, Florence Nightingale. The crew treat her with deference. And forbearance.

But when Henry goes missing, Evelyn sets off to search every part of the grand ocean liner to find him, casino, nightclub and off-limits areas included.

Misadventures are had, new friends are made, scandalous behaviour noted - all news to Evelyn. If only she could remember the events of the night before as clearly as she can recall the first time she met Henry on a passage from England to Australia in 1953 and fell in love, abandoning her dreams to become a midwife to be a wife instead - and the long-ago painful events that left Evelyn all at sea.

Why is it so hard to forget some things and so hard to remember others? And where is Henry?

Review

I really enjoyed the first book by this author, so I was looking forward to reading this one and it didn't disappoint. The only thing I would say is that at times I did find it incredibly sad.

Mrs Henry Parker as she likes to be known hails from the days when women always used their husbands name and not their own. She lives on a cruise ship with her husband who is Doctor for the ship, except she just can't seem to find him anywhere on board, no matter where she looks. 

Very early on we realise that Evelyn has dementia and it was so realistic that I wasn't sure I wanted to carry on reading. Having met all too many real life Evelyn's, her words and actions were very familiar to me and it was just sad. Yet again as with her previous book, the author's GP background makes the narrative spot on and true to life.

I did stick with the book, and I was rewarded with Evelyn's tales of her life, beginning with when she was just 21 years old. These parts of the book I absolutely loved, only to be brought back to the present day and Evelyn's confused mind. All through the book Evelyn continues to look for her husband, crossing off on the map of the ship everywhere she has looked for him.

Why I wondered did they continue to let her stay on the ship? When she is obviously becoming more and more confused. I really thought at this point that I knew what was going to happen. The ending when it came was surprising with a hint melancholy yet also so satisfying. 

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.