Sisters of Berlin - Juliet Conlin @Julietconlin @bwpublishing @lovebooksgroup #lovebookstours

I'm on the tour for this wonderful book today.

Blurb

Berlin 2014. The 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, and the city is gearing up for

a celebration of unity and liberation. But, beneath the surface, are those for whom the

divisions and allegiances of the past remain close to home.

In her hushed and leafy corner of Berlin, Nina’s life is a comfortable, conventional one

– until her younger sister Marie, a free-spirited writer, is attacked and left for dead.

For Nina, Marie’s brutal demise – and that of her unborn child – tips her own carefully

controlled life into a nightmare. Stonewalled by official incompetence and subterfuge,

Nina begins to realise that her sister’s past and the secrets of the once-divided city

are connected in unimaginable ways. As she seeks out justice for Marie, Nina becomes

caught in a tangle of obsessions, lies and hidden truths that threatens to destroy her

marriage, her livelihood and all that she holds dear.

Review

The book begins with Nina and her sister Marie talking. Marie states that everyone is entitled to a secret or two. What Nina doesn't know is she won't see her sister again and maybe she did have a secret or two.

When Nina's sister is found murdered as can be expected her world starts to fall apart. However Nina has a family and her own medical practice, so she needs to keep it together for the sake of them. The book follows Nina as she tries to piece together why her sister died and at whose hands. She thought she knew her sister so well, but things start to come to light which show maybe she did have a secret or two afterall.

At times I felt like I was spiralling down into the book with Nina and her grief, it really hooked me in. The book being set in Berlin really added another dimension to the plot and it was interesting to hear about the East and West, and the subsequent fall out from the wall coming down from an internal point of view.

Running alongside the tale of grief and loss is the mystery of who killed Marie. I had my suspicions but I won't spoil it by telling you what they were. There really is so much packed into this book but the writing is so good you just don't realise it at the time of reading. It's what I would call a tale of everyday writing, but that really is so hard to do, to make it seem natural and real.

I've never been to Berlin but would love to one day, this book really brought it to life for me, although it seems they have a lot of problems with parking!

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Love Book Tours and Black & White Publishing for a copy of the book to review.

Author

Juliet Conlin was born in London and grew up in England and Germany. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Durham. She works as a writer and translator and lives with her family in Berlin. Her novels include The Fractured Man (Cargo, 2013), The Uncommon Life of Alfred Warner in Six Days (Black & White, 2017), The Lives Before Us (Black & White, 2019).

Buy Link

http://blackandwhitepublishing.com/shop.html

Publisher

Black & White Publishing was founded in 1999 by Managing Director Campbell Brown and Publishing Director Alison McBride. Since then, the business has grown into one of Scotland's leading independent publishers with over 300 books in print across a variety of genres. Committed to publishing the best books from the most talented writers in the UK and beyond, some of our bestselling authors include Daniela Sacerdoti, James Robertson, Estelle Maskame, Nick Alexander, Richard Gordon, Alex Norton, Millie Gray, Sally Magnusson and Tony Black. We produce an extensive range of titles, including general non-fiction, biography, sport and humour, as well as selected fiction, young adult and children's books.


This year, we've started an exciting new alliance with PGUK who now provide sales representation for our titles, and GBS continues to distribute our books. Our eBooks are distributed by Faber Factory. Over recent years, our range of fiction has grown following recent eBook successes such as Daniela Sacerdoti's Glen Avich series, which has sold nearly a million copies to date. These new alliances and our e-book successes are helping us shape and develop the list in new ways to bring more exciting new titles to both local and global markets.

Sisters of Berlin by Juliet Conlin @julietconlin @bwpublishing @lovebookstours 

Crimes Against a Book Club - Kathy Cooperman

 

Description

Best friends Annie and Sarah need cash—fast. Sarah, a beautiful, successful lawyer, wants nothing more than to have a baby. But balancing IVF treatments with a grueling eighty-hour workweek is no walk in the park. Meanwhile, Annie, a Harvard-grad chemist recently transplanted to Southern California, is cutting coupons to afford her young autistic son’s expensive therapy.

Desperate, the two friends come up with a brilliant plan: they’ll combine Sarah’s looks and Annie’s brains to sell a “luxury” anti aging face cream to the wealthy, fading beauties in Annie’s La Jolla book club. The scheme seems innocent enough, until Annie decides to add a special—and oh-so-illegal—ingredient that could bring their whole operation crashing to the ground.

Hilarious, intelligent, and warm, Crimes Against a Book Club is a delightful look at the lengths women will go to fend for their families and for one another.

Review

I wasn't too sure about this book to begin with as it began with the end so to speak. Although it involves characters who are women in a book club I felt the connection was a little tenuous. Once I got into the book the chapter headings are all quotes from books and little insights into different books and I actually found myself wondering and researching some of those I hadn't read or heard of. My advice is to hang in there and the book club connection will be there!

As the book got going and the two friends plan came into play it really became an unputdownable read. So many great characters all with little traits that brought them to life. The interactions between them in public and the real feelings and thoughts about one another in private.

There was a great scene were one of the ladies really puts one over an overbearing woman - who I had wanted brought down a peg or two. The book is brilliantly written and whilst comedic also very satisfying too with a look at life through a different mechanism than usual.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. This book is from my personal shelf.

Why Visit America - Matthew Baker

 

Description

Welcome, dear visitor, to a proud and storied nation. When you put down this guidebook, look around you. A nation isn't land. A nation is people.

Equal parts speculative and satirical, the stories in Matthew Baker's collection portray a world within touching distance of our own. This is an America riven by dilemmas confronting so many of us, turned on its head by one of the most innovative voices of the moment.

Read together, these parallel-universe stories create a composite portrait of our true nature and a dark reflection of the world we live in.

Review

This book of short stories won't suit everyone. Cleverly written with such imagination and creative writing, each one is a story set in a future America - although that future could be nearer rather than farther away from us in some of the stories. It's a little like Black Mirror.

The writing style is unique with the descriptive nature of the prose coming in the main from very long paragraphs and sometimes lists. It's certainly effective in bringing home the message but as I said it won't be for everyone. 

The first story was quite tragic and upsetting for me. It took me a while to fully realise what was happening and this is true of most of the stories, as you seem to fall into them and then slowly they unfold and explain themselves. Some of the stories left me wanting an explanation or an "ending" which is usually how I feel about them in general.

The last story will remain with me for some time. It's called "To Be Read Backward" and I actually read it twice to try to fully grasp it. 

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars and my thanks to the author and Pigeonhole for being able to read along.

Note To Boy - Sue Clark

Description

Eloise is an erratic, faded fashionista. Bradley is a glum but wily teenager. In need of help to write her racy 1960s memoirs, the former 'shock frock' fashion guru tolerates his common ways. Unable to remember his name, she calls him Boy. Desperate to escape a brutal home life, he puts up with her bossiness and confusing notes. Both guard secrets. How did she lose her fame and fortune? What is he scheming - beyond getting his hands on her bank card? And just what's hidden in that mysterious locked room?

I'm so thrilled to be on the Blog Tour for this book today.

Review

I liked the description of this novel, but it was when I read the author's bio that I knew I wanted to read it. Reading that she has written comedy for some of the greats, I knew this was going to be a funny book and I wasn't let down. There are some classic lines and right at the beginning Eloise is describing her previous "help" who couldn't even say essential words, such as "Gin and Tonic" - had me laughing out loud straightaway.

Once I got the characters voices in my head I cast Taron Egerton from the Kingsman in the role of Bradley - his grammar leaves a lot to be desired and Eloise tries to improve him in this respect.  Eloise is a sort of Patsy Stone from Absolutely Fabulous, but if anything more outrageous and ditsy. 

Each chapter gives the heading of one of the characters and in the case of Eloise could be in the present day, which at times paints a sad and sorry picture or it could be her recollection of her colourful and  past life in the world of fashion. 

Meanwhile Bradley has his own issues with a prominent strawberry birthmark and a bully boy of a brother. I was routing for him to get on with Eloise and maybe improve his lot. Eloise employs him as her help and feigns not remembering his name and refers to him as "boy" leaving him notes - while she ponders why he hasn't yet brought her the requested "gypsy creams". Bradley has no idea what gypsy creams are, but does an admiral job of trying to track them down. There are quite a few 70s references so you might not get all of them if you're from a younger generation but for me it was perfect. She gets a little confused and at one point talks about Lionel Blair who used to live down the road - "you know he used to be PM!" 

This is a fab story of two unlikely people coming together to form a team who go on to take on some unscrupulous people in a funny yet at times sad and poignant landscape.

I'm giving this book five out of five stars. My thanks to Random Things Tours and Unbound digital for the ebook to review.

AUTHOR 

Sue Clark has grilled John Humphreys, quipped with Ronnie Corbett, danced with one James Bond and had a one-sided conversation with another, and penned funny lines for the likes of Lenny Henry, June Whitfield, Roy Hudd and David Jason. She's been a BBC radio and TV comedy scriptwriter on such shows such as Alas Smith and Jones, Weekending, The News Huddlines and The Jason Explanation, a copywriter, a PR, a journalist, a magazine editor, a writer of guidebooks, a secretary and was, briefly, paid to read books all day long for a film producer. And now she's written a novel. 

Twitter: @sueclarkauthor 

Facebook: SueClarkAuthor 

sueclarkauthor.com

The Authenticity Project - Clare Pooley

Description

The Radio 2 Book Club pick, perfect for fans of The Flatshare

'This is the feel-good story, full of hope, that we all need to read right now.' Woman & Home, Book of the Month

‘A joyous, funny read that leaves you all warm inside’ Beth Morrey, author of Saving Missy

Six strangers with one universal thing in common: their lives aren’t always what they make them out to be.

What would happen if they told the truth instead?

Julian Jessop is tired of hiding the deep loneliness he feels. So he begins The Authenticity Project – a small green notebook containing the truth about his life.

Leaving the notebook on a table in his friendly neighbourhood café, Julian never expects Monica, the owner, to track him down after finding it. Or that she’ll be inspired to write down her own story.

Little do they realize that such small acts of honesty hold the power to impact all those who discover the notebook and change their lives completely.

Review

I'm not sure what drew me to read this book, maybe it was the lovely cover of the cafe. Reading the description now I'm not sure I would rush to read it, but I am so glad I did! I just loved it and couldn't wait to get back to it each time, and spent the time in between thinking about the characters.

I will admit it had a little bit of a slow start, but once the Authenticity Project notebook began its journey to the next person it really took off. Julian is the first to write in the notebook and leave it in Monica's cafe - for him it truly is the beginning of something he could never have dreamt of. One of the saddest parts of the book is when Monica is in Julian's cottage and she opens a canister of peppermint tea. There is a note from his long ago dead wife, reminding him to offer his guests biscuits, and he says, "oh that's a new one" I haven't come across a new note for a while.

Monica writes in the book next and then when the following person writes in the notebook it takes a trip overseas. As each person writes in the book their lives become entwined eventually until at a point about three quarters into the book I exclaimed out loud "OH !!!". I don't do spoilers so to find out what had me shouting out loud you need to read this extraordinary and wonderfully written book. Just when I thought I could second guess what was going to happen it all changed and then there were more changes which had me gripped as much as any thriller.

I could reveal so many tidbits about the characters, but really I think it's best for you to discover them for yourself, bit by bit, or page by page of the notebook.

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

The Switch - Beth O'Leary

Description

This program is read by British actors Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones, star of Hulu's Normal People.

A grandmother and granddaughter swap lives in The Switch, a charming, romantic novel by Beth O’Leary, who has been hailed as “the new Jojo Moyes” (Cosmopolitan UK)...

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some long-overdue rest.

Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen.

So they decide to try a two-month swap.

Eileen will live in London and look for love. She’ll take Leena’s flat, and learn all about casual dating, swiping right, and city neighbors. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire: Eileen’s sweet cottage and garden, her idyllic, quiet village, and her little neighborhood projects.

But stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected. Will swapping lives help Eileen and Leena find themselves…and maybe even find true love? In Beth O'Leary's The Switch, it's never too late to change everything....or to find yourself.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books

Review

As soon as I read that Alison Steadman was going to be reading one of the parts I knew I would love it, as she's one of my favourite actors. I wasn't disappointed, she was superb at bringing to life Eileen aged 79. As was the actor that read the part of Leena. My only slight disappointment is that when they read the parts of the supporting actors, there was obviously a change in the voice. So when I had gotten used to Eileen's Felix, when Leena spoke of him I thought "that's not Felix!".

As Eileen and Leena swap lives they bring so much to the people that surround them. From the lovely Letitia in London who had been so lonely to the grump Ronald who Leena makes not grumpy at all. The book is told from the alternate points of view of Eileen and Leena. With it being an audio book there was no mistaking which character was reading, but also the name was announced at the beginning of each chapter.

Part way through the book Eileen thinks she needs to go back to Yorkshire and I was beside myself, she couldn't go back, I needed to know what was going to become of her projects and new friends. Unfortunately the eight weeks whizzed by and the time for the swap does come to an end. 

I loved how Eileen stands no nonsense, and when one of the 30 somethings is about to send email to  someone in the same building, Eileen tells him "there will be none of this email nonsense, face to face it is". I could feel the look of shock on his face as he contemplated actually speaking to someone. Meanwhile Leena in Yorkshire is having to win over the villagers and her project manager skills aren't all that much help. 

Behind all of this we learn that Leena's sister Carla passed away. Everyone has been dealing with it in different ways, not entirely successfully. This is the deeper side of the book and it was dealt with so sensitively and the emotion in the actor's voices really brought it to life.

Whilst I am not sure I would re read this book I would love to listen to the audio again. I am already missing Eileen and Leena and their friends so much.

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

Hector at Ground Level - Gary Finnan Book Blitz

This Little Book is about being present to the wonders that exist around us At Ground Level, discovering all that we fail to see when we spend so much of our lives chasing bigger, better, faster, more, endeavouring to fly higher.

Everything else seems much more desirable around us than ourselves, or our lives and loves, after a long day at the slug farm.

When do we decide how to proceed with the life we have built thus far: Joy, Passion,

Marriage, Divorce, Suicide, Enlightenment? Choices we have made. What if you built from a place of strength rather than always feeling diminished and unfulfilled? A life built upon the life you have, rather than the elusive life you imagine, yet fear. Build a great life in balance with your best self and your nurtured relationships. Transformation is seeing the hidden gems that truly exist in plain sight.

We have all heard someone say, The grass is greener on the other side. Is it?

Most of us were 4 or 5 years old when the belief structure we made with life set in: I

am stupid, I am weak, I don’t deserve, etc. We engaged believing that we should spend

our lives proving that we are who we believe everyone else thinks we are. Breaking the

cycle of doubt is essential. Loving self is the first love.

The grass is greenest where you are!

Author Bio

Born in Scotland and raised in Zimbabwe and South Africa, Gary Finnan splits his time between Sonoma Wine country in California and his farm in Aiken South Carolina, along with his wife Eva and two daughters. Gary is an award-winning inspirational author. 

Buy Link 

https://amzn.to/3eUUSs6