I am over the moon to be able to launch the book tour for one of two newly translated releases by Amazon Crossing.
Today’s book is Karitas Untitled, by Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir.
Growing up on a farm in early twentieth-century rural Iceland, Karitas Ólafsdóttir, one of six siblings, yearns for a new life. As an artist, Karitas has a powerful calling and is determined to never let go of her true unconventional self. But she is powerless against the fateful turns of real life and all its expectations of women. Pulled back time and again by design and by chance to the Icelandic countryside―as dutiful daughter, loving mother, and fisherman’s wife―she struggles to thrive, to be what she was meant to be. Spanning decades and set against a breathtaking historical canvas, Karitas Untitled, an award-winning classic of Icelandic literature, is a complex and immersive portrait of an artist’s conflict with love, family, nature, and a country unaccustomed to an untraditional woman―but most of all, with herself and the creative instincts she has no choice but to follow.
I am able to share a sneak peek chapter of the book for you to peruse at your leisure.
Untitled 1915Pencil drawing
The morning is misty gray.
The colors of the sea, the mountain, and the valley have dulled, as if the thin strip of fog painted over a picture in haste before fleeing the bitter cold that crept into the bay in the small hours.
Over the heath, still white with snow despite it being Whitsuntide, goes a cart, pulled by sturdy workhorses. Men from the valley escort the widow to her ship.
She rides straight-backed, with Halldóra next to her, shoulders slumped. The two elder brothers follow the cart, listening to its every creak.
Among the trunks, knitting machine, and sacks huddle we two younger sisters, bundled in wool. Our youngest brother rests in the arms of Bjarghildur, who hums to him, while I sit scrunched between two trunks, watching the shoreline recede.
A horse-drawn cart on a white heath.
Anxiety at the trip over the heath has kept me from sleeping for many nights. I know that an evil spirit dwells here, luring travelers and dragging them to a deep bowl hidden among the steep, landslide-ridden slopes. I look bitterly at my siblings, who have never sensed the presence of trolls and monsters as I have, let alone perceived ghosts, and I regret not having stayed behind like the maid.
Over the white heath hangs a fog that is waiting to swallow us.
All around me in the cold stillness, I hear whispering.
The hold’s hatches and the opening to the staircase had both been shut after the sea worsened, and the sour smell of vomit hung over the prostrate passengers. The families had prepared makeshift beds on the floor, while two women not in the death grip of seasickness propped themselves on their elbows and entertained each other with birthing stories. Steinunn was speaking.
“Karitas came from the sea, but Bjarghildur from the ground like any old potato plant. I was home digging up potatoes when I began having contractions, and everyone else was out in the fields. At first, I ignored the disturbance because the potatoes needed harvesting no less than the hay, and I was convinced I had enough time as it had taken three days to bring my eldest daughter into the world. But when the pangs intensified and I thought I had better go inside, it was too late: all I could do was squat there in the potato patch and let nature take its course. Two years later, when I had my third daughter, it was the same story, but that time, I was down at the beach gathering seaweed when the contractions began. From my previous experience, I knew how things would go, so I went behind a big rock where I would have sand beneath my feet, but as I was delivering, the tide began coming in, and it was only by the grace of God that the child wasn’t swept away. After two births in nature, I didn’t dare venture far from the farmhouse the next times I was due, and because of that, it was soft bedclothes that received my three boys, not sea and soil.”
It was evident from the other passenger’s expression that she wasn’t certain whether Steinunn was telling her what really happened or a dream. Still, it being an excellent story, she decided not to ask, although she did peer at the sisters as if trying to guess which had come from where and which had come into the world the ordinary way. They lay sprawled over each other like kits in their den, deathly pale and helpless from nausea, but their brothers, apart from the youngest, sleeping in his mother’s lap, were no longer susceptible to seasickness and had stayed on deck with the crew.
Steinunn’s fellow passenger had no such stories of her own, having delivered all of her children indoors, but in order not to be outdone by the widow, she resorted to relating some unusual delivery stories that she’d heard. After chatting long enough to reach the point when conversants begin sharing their personal circumstances and plans, Steinunn told the woman briefly about her desire to provide her children with educations. The woman, astonished at Steinunn’s daring, rocked on her mattress and asked whether it wasn’t madness for the widow to rush off into the unknown with six children and an empty purse. Steinunn replied that in this case, having no money made no difference.
“In Iceland, no one who works dies.”
Her fellow passenger agreed, but said that she, poor commoner that she was, could never have imagined sending her children to school, and in any case, it was too late now, since they’d all grown up and moved away. Yet she couldn’t resist mentioning one of her sons, who was a highly distinguished person, “and a deckhand on the Gullfoss itself, neither more nor less, the new ship that arrived in the spring. On board, they dance and sing, I’m told; the ship is so big and steady that there’s hardly any rolling out on the open sea. The cabins are all first class, and when the ship glides into the ports of Europe, all of the passengers, most of whom are higher-ups, gather on deck and wave at the crowd waiting on the quay.” Steinunn, who’d had to settle for a place in the ship’s hold to spare expenditure and had little desire to hear about the luxuries of the upper class, thought for a moment before replying that she doubted that people waited on the quay in foreign lands—“at least not the men, because as far as I know, all of Europe is at war, and they’re most likely on the battlefield, and although I don’t doubt the magnificence of the ship, I can hardly imagine that women on the Continent have any more time than we do for loitering on the quay, even if a ship docks.” At this reminder of the war being fought on the Continent, Steinunn’s fellow passenger grew anxious about her son and didn’t hear it when Karitas asked quietly whether she had any idea what it cost to sail aboard such a fine ship. When no answer came, Karitas gave Bjarghildur a little nudge and whispered in her ear: “Do you think we’ll ever sail overseas aboard such a ship?” Bjarghildur responded crustily to the irritating whispering, waved Karitas off, and exhaled weakly, “Leave me alone; I have no home.” Karitas saw that there was little to be gained from her in the state she was in and turned to Halldóra to ask the same thing, but stopped when she saw her sister’s expression. It didn’t result from nausea alone, that much she knew, and she stroked her sister’s arm to express affection and sympathy. Her sister just lay there, curled up and miserable on her makeshift bed, although the suffering on her face did nothing to spoil her comeliness. She resembled an image of the Savior on the cross.
Gloom settled over the hold; they were out on the deep, and the rolling intensified. The vomiting worsened, the little ones wet themselves, and the sisters held their noses, tried to breathe through their mouths. Then they felt the ship slow down; the engines hiccupped and stopped. People propped themselves on their elbows and stared at the hatches. For several moments, neither a cough nor a groan was heard.
“Ice,” someone then groaned from one corner. “Damned ice.”
The hatches were torn open.
Freezing sea air streamed into the hold.
Purchase your copy, here!
Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir is one of Iceland’s most acclaimed writers and the internationally bestselling author of numerous novels, including Karitas Untitled, a Nordic Council Literature Prize nominee; Street of the Mothers; Chaos on Canvas; and Seagull’s Laughter, which was adapted for the stage and also into an award-winning film. She received her degree in 1991 from the University of Iceland and has also worked as a teacher and a journalist. Among Kristín Marja’s many honors are the Knight’s Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon for her achievements in writing and her contributions to Icelandic literature, the Jónas Hallgrímsson Prize, and the Fjöruverðlaun Women’s Literature Prize. Kristín Marja lives in Reykjavík. Philip Roughton is an award-winning translator of many of Iceland’s best-known authors, including Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness, Jón Kalman Stefánsson, Þórarinn Eldjárn, Bergsveinn Birgisson, and Steinunn Sigurðardóttir.
I am always excited to be able to feature a dear friend on my blog, and today is the turn of the lovely and most talented Marjorie Mallon!
Now, I have to tell you, I have waited a good few years for this sequel to Marje’s first book, Bloodstone, and thought I read an early first draft of the new book, I was extremely privileged to read the finished product, which continues the story of Amelina in her quest to break The Curse Of Time!
Golden Healer is The 2nd in The YA Paranormal Adventure Series – The Curse of Time.
I didn’t think my life could get any weirder, until the dreaded rollercoaster…
Amelina Scott’s destiny is to be a Krystallos: a magician of light, chosen to learn the ways of crystal magic on her 16th birthday. Located on a river pathway in a mysterious part of Cambridge, the Crystal Cottage is guarded by mythical beings.
Unfortunately, there are those who seek to harm this haven of light. Learning of Ryder – a Shadow Sorcerer with hypnotic powers – Amelina discovers that her own magic is now threatened, and that the Curse of Time might be unleashed again.
As secrets abound and the creatures of the Chronophage come alive, can Amelina become the true magician she needs to be?
A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal. NOTE: this book contains mention of self-harm, mental health issues and alludes to the potential dangers of sexual attraction, which may trigger younger/sensitive readers.
And the 2nd book Golden Healer mentions a popular old haunt of Cambridge which has since closed down – Clowns Cafe.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
My alter ego is MJ – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheros!
M J Mallon was born in Lion city Singapore, a passionate Scorpio with the Chinese Zodiac sign of a lucky rabbit. She spent her early childhood in Hong Kong. During her teen years, she returned to her father’s childhood home, Edinburgh where she spent many happy years, entertained and enthralled by her parents’ vivid stories of living and working abroad. Perhaps it was during these formative years that her love of storytelling began bolstered by these two vivid raconteurs. She counts herself lucky to have travelled to many far-flung destinations and this early wanderlust has fuelled her present desire to emigrate abroad. Until that wondrous moment, it’s rumoured that she lives in the UK, in the Venice of Cambridge with her six-foot hunk of a rock god husband. Her two enchanting daughters have flown the nest but often return with a cheery smile.
Her motto is to Do what Your Heart Desires.
And her favourite genre to write is fantasy/magical realism because life should always be sprinkled with a liberal dash of extraordinarily imaginative magic!
Accolades: M J is a finalist in the Fantasy category of N. N. Light’s Book Award for her novel Bloodstone and a finalist in the International author. She has also contributed best-selling short stories to Dan Alatorre’s Box Under The Bed anthologies.
If you’re reading this, then that means the first month of the year 2022 has reached its end!
My intentions this year are to make sure I read what I already have, and minimalise the arcs I request, so I can be writing, too…
Well, last January, I dedicated myself to reading the Bridgerton series, so my challenge for myself this year was to read some of the series of books I have on my Kindle… I do love a good serial binge, reading as well as watching on TV.
How have I done, so far?
I read two series that I had, and I think I only have 2 arcs on my list,left!
Without A Hitch is another one of the many books I have had on my TBR for a while, now, and the few days before heading back to work seemed like a perfect time to dip into this lovely little read! Three brides-to-be, whose journeys become interwoven via an online brides-to-be forum, all share their journey from proposal to the alter in this gigglesome book. Each of the ladies, along with their partners, are all very different, with their own ideas of a dream wedding, but there is one thing they all want. A perfect (for them) day. Complete with a perfect dress, venue, catering and that all-important honeymoon. If you have been on the journey to wedded bliss, you will recognise the stresses, suffer the agonies of not being able to get what you want, along with a sense of happiness and relief when that day is finally done! I thoroughly enjoyed this fun, easy to read boo, and am looking forward to diving straight into the second one!
I loved being able to plunge straight into the next story in Bettina Hunt’s series about the three brides, this time, following their adventures on honeymoon. Well, not strictly all on honeymoon. Two managed to make it up the alter, and back down as married women, but one had a change of heart. However, it was still great to continue all three stories, from Sienna and her Social Media influenced frenzy of a trip, to Bryony who was meant to be honeymooning on a shoestring budget, cut even shorter when she discovers her new hubby has a gambling addiction, then rescued with a competition win, and finally to Agnes, who left her ideal Jewish fiance standing at the alter, falling into the arms of her own angel, Gabriel. Weddings… honeymoons… all stressful, but still the brides are tied together by that forum… and now, I just want to find out what happens next, when they enter the next of the site’s rooms… hopefully, there will be babies without a Hitch, too!
I must admit to going on a bit of a Bettina Hunt binge, and though I started at the wrong end of her releases, it didn’t detract me from the enjoyment of her writing. In fact, I can see the way her style has developed from book to book. A Tempting Trio is the story of Sarah, who has managed to find herself, unintentionally in a bit of a dating conundrum. She’s been in a relationship with David, a married man, though she knows it’s wrong, and she should end in, when she meets a rather gorgeous stranger, Adam, in a coffee shop. He leaves his number. Maybe Adam will be the one who helps her kick her married man to the curb, and back to his wife… Then she’s offered a job opportunity by her best friend, Alice, which introduces her to Tommy, an aristocratic romantic, who rather fancies our Sarah. All three men have something about them. But she’s not that greedy… is she? There are some moments when you feel glad you’re not in her shoes. I mean, what are the chances of having all three of your men turning up in Paris, and confronting you while you are trying to enjoy a midnight visit to the Eiffel Tower?! Again another easy to read, fun story, where you don’t quite know where Sarah and her dating future will lead her.
I have loved Sonali Dev’s Bollywood inspired stories, and the Rajes series has been waiting for me to dive in, for a while now. This first book, loosely based around some themes from Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, was a great read! Trisha Raje is a surgeon with a plan. She also is part of an Indian royal family. She has ideas that might not always align with those of HRH, or her father. These issues have caused rifts between them. DJ Caine is a British born man of mixed descent, who has seen a tough life, losing his parents, and other loved ones, as well as being threatened with the loss of his only surviving family member, Emma. He’s also an incredibly talented chef who has been hired by Trisha’s sister, Nisha, to cater for events leading up to the hopeful beginnings of their brother Yash’s political career. Secrets. There are always secrets. And being a part of a royal family, (even though the royal part doesn’t really exist, anymore), has its own share of burdens. Trisha and DJ clash, but they both need each other, in order to help their family members, and there is a certain chemistry between them, that they are trying hard to deny. Family drama, racial and class prejudices, high jinx briberies, and sizzling hot food, as well as chemistry… what more could you want?
Well, ahem, I haven’t read anything racy for quite a while, so I was thankful for the heads up, on this one. However a bit of raunch never deters me from reading a good book, and I had great fun reading this one! Sapphire is trying to keep her family’s jewellery business afloat. Patrick is trying his hardest to gain the approval of his parents, as he works to launch a collection for their successful couture fashion house, in Melbourne. They both need each other, really, but there is history. This relatively short, but snappy read details their interactions as they try to combine business with pleasure, and aim to bring both their companies to success. An enjoyable, easy, but naughty in places, read!
I am a solid Sandy Barker fan and have devoured all her previous books, in a flash, so to know there was a fourth coming in her travel romance series, was just fantastic. I love how each story is individual, but that there are links and characters that tie them all together. so, yes, it could be a stand-alone, but equally, it’s always fun to read books in a series, in order, to keep track of each character’s story. This book centres on Jaelee Tan. She’s a bigwig VP back in the US, and the daughter of a mother who doesn’t show much emotional involvement in her life but expects big things from her only child. After bumping into her ex at her best friend’s party, and feeling her world unravel, Jaelee takes a sabbatical from work, which ends up being the catalyst for her leaving her job. She moves to Bali to UROP, a place filled with ‘digital nomads’, where she hopes to ground herself. Jae finds herself in paradise, with new friends, and ideas for a new future for her career. As I was expecting, there was going to be romance, and it came in the form of Hot Scot, Alistair. An intense romance that gathers speed fast in this idyllic location. But, romances are not meant to be smooth-sailing, are they? There are exes involved, then families and their issues have to crop too… So Jae swaps the beauty of Bali for the gloom of Scotland… All in all, an easy, fun read, with lots of laughs, love and sizzles! Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think first off, if you are looking for a light-hearted, fluffy read, then this probably isn’t quite the read for you. That doesn’t make it a no go, though. Recipe for Persuasion is another Austen inspired book, the second in the Rajes series bu Sonali Dev, this time focussing on Ashna Raje, daughter of the younger of the Royal Raje brothers, who was uprooted from her life in the palace in India, to the US. Struggling to keep the memory of her father alive, as she works hard to steer his restaurant, Curried Dreams, in the right direction, Ashna is confronted with a face from the past, as she swallows her nerves and ends up signing up to a reality cookery show. Rico, a world-renowned soccer player, ends up as her partner on the show, but his reasons for being there are a little more calculated. Yes, there is second chance romance within this story, obviously, with the above two characters, but the story is so much more. From the complex relationships between estranged mothers and daughters, marital expectations, rape, PTSD, Dev has explored so much within the pages of this novel. I felt invested in the family, having read the first book, and though it wasn’t as easy a read as the first, Recipe for Persuasion was just as good. Bring on book 3!
I’ve become invested in the Rajes siblings and their dramatic lives, and Yash was definitely a character I was intrigued by, via the snippets I learned in the previous two books. A romance at heart, with politics, racism and yoga as the sub interests. Yash has been maintaining a facade for the last ten years, of a relationship with his friend, Naina, while they both chase their dreams, unencumbered by the pressures from family to settle down. A horrific event at one of Yash’s political engagements throws both their worlds into further confusion, as she appears to have real feelings for him, while he is beginning to realise what he really wants, and needs, though it may not be the choice his family would make, on his behalf. India tries her hardest to distance herself from the brother of some of her closest friends. Yash and she have a history, that no one else is aware of, though the tragic event stirs up feelings of concern that she thought she had finally left behind. The story follows how their journey, almost a second chance romance, evolves, and the reactions of the families as truths are unearthed. A great read!
I have enjoyed all of the previous three books and was excited to read this, the final book in the Rajes series. This time Sonali Dev has taken the youngest of the sibling,s Vansh, as the main character, and oh, my, the twists, as his romantic interest is revealed! There is extreme forbidden lust, as he finds himself drawn to his older brother’s (not really) ex, Naina. Both are passionate characters with worthy causes they want to contribute towards, but with difficulties from their upbringings raising their heads constantly, the conflict gets juicy. I was a little sad, as I really wanted to know more about Esha, and knowing this was the last book, I began the book thinking I was going to be missing something, once the series finished, but I was glad she got her own subplot in this final instalment, and that we can leave the Rajes clan with a happy heart! Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyage for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been following Jaspreet Kaur on Instagram for a couple of years, and seeing her upcoming release, Brown Girl Like Me, filled me with excitement. I was over the moon to be able to read an advance copy. Being a Brown Girl, and especially a British-born Brown Girl, it has always been hard to find ourselves out there, in anything other than stereotypical roles, via a novel, or on film and in TV series. Brown Girl Like Me is a great attempt at pulling together all the feelings that we may have encountered through our lives, from the lack of strong role models to not being understood in myriad circumstances. It is certainly not a quick and easy read. Something to sit, read, digest and savour. Personally, for me, it made me realise that I am lucky. There were many instances Kaur wrote about situations that I hadn’t experienced, but there were so many of her personal stories that resonated with me. I have always had a lot of support and openness within my family, where we were able to speak out about pretty much anything. But yes, I will always be that Brown Girl, and I am bringing one up, too, who I hope will be a strong Brown Girl in herself, who knows there is a strong Brown Girl right behind her, too. There is also cause to celebrate our culture, customs and backgrounds, and reasons to ensure we stay proud and remember that w might be Brown, but our heritage has more colour in it than many others. Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Katie Fforde has accompanied me through my young adult years, all the way to the present, and I know that whenever I pick up one of her books, I will be engulfed in the story, immediately. A Wedding in Provence is much the same. Alexandra is en route to Switzerland, in Paris, enjoying her last moments of freedom, before she has to enrol in a finishing school, as expected by her relations. Not very eager to take this route, she jumps at the chance to stay in gay Paree for a little longer when a temporary job offer comes up, but it ends up in Provence, as a nanny, rather than something more glamorous. She finds herself in a chateau, looking after three children, unaided, two of which aren’t keen to have her there, with a grandmerè who doesn’t feel she is qualified, an estranged mother of said children, who wants to whisk the children away, and a friendly dog. What’s more, she appears to have some feelings for the father, who just happens to be a Count. Oh, it could just be straightforward, couldn’t it? The Nanny and the Count fall in love and the children have a ready-made happy family… But where’s the fun in that? We get to meet Alexandra’s friend David, who comes to help her tutor the children, and he also happens to be homosexual, something frowned upon in England during the setting of this story. He’s her best friend, but also like a surrogate father to her. There are many interesting characters in this book, that help to add colour to the story, and the market scenes make me want to go and visit similar places, too! Yes, the romance is there, absolutely, simmering, in the background, but I do wish there had been more of the build-up, as the inevitable conclusion is so sped up! However, we do get to enjoy the development of the relationship between the young nanny and her charges, as they go from wary to not wanting her to ever go. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Releasing 17th February, 2022
So hot off the press, we don’t even have a cover, yet!
I loved Before I Saw You, and was thrilled to be asked to review the next release from Emily Houghton, Last Time We Met. A kinda second chance romance, but with a whole lot of other circumstances to navigate through. Eleanor and Finley have been best friends since they were dots, then life happened, and Fin disappeared from Eleanor’s life. Fast forward to fifteen or so years later, and Eleanor is feebly trying to get over an awful break-up with her long-standing partner Oliver. No amounts of tea and sympathy from her mother, sister Freya, or even her best friend Sal are helping her get over him. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Fin is reeling from a phone call from England, telling him his mother is at the end of her life. A mother he left behind and hasn’t spoken to for many years. As well as many other people who were precious to him at one point. Oh, and he’s just ended his current relationship, too. It’s inevitable, isn’t it, that the two former best friends end up meeting, and they haphazardly work their way through the difficulties they both faced, both at the end of their former friendship and over time they had no contact. Oh, and did I forget to mention that when they were young and innocent, they signed a contract that if they were both singles at 35 years old, they would have to marry one another? As it is, they are both 34, and not in relationships. That would just segue into such a predictable ending for the story. No. I shall not spoil it for you, and tell you that they live happily ever after, but I will say that I finished the book with a smile on my face, but not before shedding some tears, too. So much covered, from alcoholism to estrangement, and how hiding your feelings can be the worst thing you could ever do. I whizzed through this in a day and loved each moment of the book. Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK and Transworld for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Another Sarah Morgan stunner! This time we have a multi-POV story, from the eyes of Joanna, a woman who hears of her ex-husband’s death, Ashley, the girl who was with him at the time, and Mel, Joanna’s childhood friend. Joanna lives a blessed life, apart from one thing. She has no privacy. Having been married to a famous TV chef, who often cheated, she has got used to a life spent with cameras following her every move, and even post-divorce, her life is not her own. Ashley, is young, and pregnant, with something important to tell Cliff, the man driving the car they are travelling in, when a horrific accident happens. Mel and Joanna were best friends for most of their young life, until Joanna upped and left, suddenly, at 16, supposedly breaking Mel’s twin brother, Nate’s, heart, and taking up with Cliff soon after. The accident that took her ex-husband’s life affects Joanna more than she thought, as she ups sticks and leaves her beautiful home, which feels like a prison, and heads off, back to her home town, with young mum-to-be, Ashley in tow. A great story, that shows how not everything is what it seems to be, all of the time. I enjoyed this read. Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It feels like an age since I read the first book in The Curse of Time series, but it was great to pick up where we left off, with the continuing story of Amelina and her mystical powers. This time, she is a little wiser and is aware of the powers given to her, and wary of certain individuals, such as Ryder, who has his own dark secrets. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout the story. I felt so sorry for poor Esme, trapped in the mirror, and I wanted to shake Jade until she realised the error of her judgement. But, I can feel another story coming as the ending was definitely not a Happily Ever After!
So, I managed fourteen books. What were your first reads of the year?
December is done. 2021 is done… And that has been a fantastic year of ARC reading!
Well, you guys should be proud of me! I managed to get to the end of the NetGalley arcs, and even began to make a dent on the TBR book that have been languishing on my Kindle for an undisclosed amount of time!
And, I know I still have one day left of the year… but, I am cooking another Christmas dinner, tonight, and will be doing lots of bits and bobs tomorrow, so, I don’t think I will be fitting in any more full books of reading
Oh my goodness, this book resonated with me on so, so, SO many levels, I just can’t describe it! M is for Mummy is a book about love – a Mother’s love. Lucy is an exhausted mother of two boys aged 4 and under, Stan and Jack. Before that, she was, and still is, wife to Ed, a session musician, and prior to that, she was a cellist of the highest level. Motherhood takes every ounce of her energy, so much so that it’s like she’s lost her own identity, and if it wasn’t for her close friends, Jen and Charlie, she’d give up even imagining a future of music, for herself. On top of that, she is dealing with the likelihood that her older son might just be autistic. With certain habits and traits being displayed, she is more and more convinced that he is, but without a diagnosis, and little support from other directions, Lucy battles with the meltdowns and obsessions as best she can.
I loved this. As I said before, it resonated, so much. As a teacher of young children, I come into contact with children like Stan, increasingly, and the difficulties that parents have, of accepting that maybe, there is something else that might be making their child act in certain ways.
Lucy is a fantastic, though knackered mother, and I applauded her for recognising something within her child, and wanting to act upon it. I only wish I could suggest this as reading for certain parents who really don’t get ASD…
Many thanks to NetGalley and Corvus/Atlantic Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Releasing 5th May 2022
Oooh! So many good things about this book. Yet again, I was drawn in by the fact that this was a book centred around a school, (teacher here!) and mysterious happenings concerning the pupils, Glass Lake is a school that people clamour to get their children into and will fight tooth and nail to stay on the right side of those ‘Lakers’ who seem to rule the roost – power parents, rather than the principal. However, something happens which sets off a chain of events, that somehow link back to another local tragedy… A lot of mystery, and twists. I do love a good twist! I don’t want to give anything away, but there are some big issues dealt with, within the covers of this book, regarding sexting, and keeping our children safe online. It did get a little confusing when the chapters jumped from one timeline to another, and the points of views switched, sometimes, mid-chapter, which I had to really concentrate on, to know whose head I was in at the time, however, I was captivated and wanted to know what happened, and finished this book on a cold, windy Sunday, in pretty much one sitting! Many thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic/Corvus books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Releasing on 3rd February, 2022
Tara Hunter is a councillor, in the midst of one of the hugest projects of her life. The village where she lives has suffered from the after-effects of life-changing, for some, flooding, and she has put her heart and soul into trying to help everyone affected to get back on their feet. It’s a fact that after flooding, a lot of hidden rubbish comes to the surface of the water, and it appears that the same happens to Tara and her own hidden insecurities and feelings. Things she has managed to compartmentalise, forget about and move on from, from her childhood, come flooding back. Of course, it doesn’t help that the rogue father who disappeared when she and her twin brother Toby were children also reappears, with a couple of his own secrets Couple that with an intriguing new addition to the staff of the Wellness Centre she works for, David, and throw in some fantastic four-legged characters, and you have a captivating read. I enjoyed this book, very much, and reading about Tara made me think a lot about my own well being. it is so easy to become the carer for all others, forsaking your own needs, especially if you feel they aren’t worthy of being acknowledged, or too painful to analyse. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Uk for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
I’ll just start by saying I loved this book. I was captivated from the moment I read the blurb, and was so glad to have been granted the chance to read an arc. The C-Word. It’s a b!tch, isn’t it? This book highlights so many issues with the suffering a cancer patient goes through, from the words they hate people using to describe their experience, to the changes they experience, but also, it looks at how cancer affects those around the patient, too. Jess has it all. Great job, wonderful partner, lovely friends, and a doting dad. Then she realises she has something else she hadn’t counted on. Breast cancer. From trying to hide her diagnosis from all but her closest colleagues and friends, to deciding to announce to the office,, andher Facebook family, we accompany Jess through her experience. Should she harvest eggs? Freeze an embryo? Cut it or shave it? Wig it or go au natural? Soldier on or admit she’s floundering? Jess’s life is turned upside down. But there are ways she can right it. They just don’t all seem to be the right decisions. She meets Bel, a younger cancer patient, who teaches her the value of the life she has, and through Bel, she learns more about love, life and herself. Again, I’ll say it. I loved it. Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an Arc in exchange for an honest review.
This is a book about a woman, Susan, who works with, and ends up best friends with her employer’s daughter Norma. We are privy to the way their relationship develops, from one of colleagues to best friends, then colleagues again, with less friendship. The book is set over several decades, and details the changes in their lives, as their own relationship morphs, ending with the horror of COVID-19. I want to have liked this more, but unfortunately for me, it was a hard read. I was unable to really get into the swing of the book and found there was not a proper story arc to it, a definite beginning, middle or end…
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for an ARC n exchange for an honest review.
An interesting story, revolving around Pooja, and her group of friends, with some illicit love, abuse, rape, and the horrors of portion thrown in. The story has some poignant parts within, but there was sometimes quite a bit of jumping around, meaning I wasn’t moving seamlessly with the story. However, there was a lot of meaning within.
I’m a huge fan of Indo Anglo fiction, and I’ve read a couple of other books by Jeevani Charika, so was over the moon to be able to read Playing For Love. Sam (Samadhi) is trying her hardest to make a success of her new start-up business, Shanthi Bags, with no support from her family. Because she hasn’t told them. Instead, she’s ploughed her savings into a small office within The Nest, and hopes her crowdfunding campaign works. Luke’s a nice bloke… Who happens to see the most beautiful woman ever, at his workplace, and hasn’t a clue how to approach her. He’s too shy. But, he can help her with her business, and then, maybe she’s fall in love… Unlike his alter-ego, Blaze, YouTube gaming star, Brash, confident, and always that little bit aloof. (But no one knows that Blaze is Luke.) Who happens to be someone Sam has watched on Youtube for many years, admires. Maybe even has a fangirl crush on… Then something happens that throws Sam and Luke together, but not in the way they ever expected. I devoured this easy read in a couple of hours in one sitting. A light-hearted fun read, with a little family background to tug at the heartstrings, and a sweet, bumbling Luke, who you really want to succeed in his attempts to woo Sam. Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s been a while since I visited Katy and Ben’s chaotic life, and here we find them in the throes of early parenthood. The stresses of that, along with the worry of past infidelities, makes for a gigglesome read. Is Katy happy to be going back to work? How will Ben cope as a Stay At Home Dad? And when he struggles, who will he turn to? Funny! I can’t wait for the next one!
A lovely book filled with anecdotes about the funny things children do and say, centred around Christmas and the Nativity. It spoke volumes to me, especially as an Early Years Teacher!
I can’t believe I got to 46 years of age and hadn’t read this Children’s classic, but I was determined to remedy that. Charlotte’s Web is a true tale of friendship and determination. A bittersweet tale, which teaches so much about life within its pages.
Back in the world of Katy and Ben, and Matthew and Alison, with a sprinkling of Duncan, Braindead and Ally, topped with a mother and her toyboy, a job offer, and a huge family Chrtistmas! I always enjoy reading series, where you can immerse yourself in the characters and their stories, and this one is no different. Katy and Ben are finally in their dream home, gearing up for their perfect first Christmas in it. But life has other ideas. She’s still working, and now, so is Ben. After Millie, now 3-years-old, started pre-school, he ended up back in education, but now at her nursery. Crowned Master Elf, he has the pre-school nativity to supervise, and that is never without its fraught moments. A client offers Katy something of a curveball of an opportunity, which she spends most of the book trying to figure out. Matthew is like that bad smell that seems to never quite get the hint, and comes back on a regular basis. After some misunderstandings at his twins’s preschool, they are enrolled at the same one BEn works, which causes untold (funny) stress. Plus he’s a dad of three now, with a fourth on the way. I love the side characters in this series, and Braindead gets a bit more of a starring role in this book, with him finding himself lovestruck! Katy’s mother is hilarious, too, as she announces she has left her marriage, and taken up with a Spanish toyboy of her own, and that they are coming for Christmas! A laugh out loud book, with so many unfortunate mishaps and misunderstandings, coupled with the continuation of a fantastic story.
Another hilarious addition to the No-One Ever Has Sex series. Katy and Matthew’s indiscretion manages to cloud the nuptials of Ben’s best friend Braindead, to Abby, causing a lack of bedroom action between newlyweds, and angst in Wedded Bliss Land, too. To top it off, Katy’s Mum is getting married, and so is her best friend, Daniel, to her step-dad-to-be’s son! Following? Such a fun read!
The last in the No-One Ever Has Sex series and it was another great addition. I wondered how the fallout from a one night stand could end up spanning five books, but, to be honest, it wasn’t really mentioned much in this one. Instead, we have three of our fave couples from the last four books, Katy and Ben, Braindead and Ally, and Daniel and Gabriel, on a family holiday with their assorted offspring. From the moment they set off on a budget flight, much to the disgust of Daniel, who is used to the finer things in life, and meet a hen party, to the time they finally see their sleeping arrangements, to the touchdown back home, after a week of craziness, you know you are in for a great laugh!
Now, I have read a fair few of Geoff Le Pard’s books, and I’ve enjoyed them all, varied in their genres as they are. The Art Of Spirit Capture has to be by far my favourite of all I have read, I have to admit! It’s a long un, around 500 pages, but you really don’t realise, once you get into the story, and I definitely did. In fact, it was my Christmas reading, and I was thankful that the turkey and all its trimmings wasn’t something that had been left to me to cook, because I slept very little on Christmas Eve, engrossed as I was in the story! Jason Hales (you will remember the name, after hearing Cyrus, one of the other characters insisting on always using Jason’s full name!) has been made redundant. It’s not ideal. He’s already getting through a particularly upsetting break-up and juggling those emotions with ones related to his brother. Peter, who was in an unfortunate biking accident, and is now in an induced coma. Then, he receives a call from a small village lawyer, telling him an old aunt of his, Heather, has passed on, leaving him and his brother as sole beneficiaries of her estate. The story follows Jason as he ends up making a home for himself in the cottage he spent many a summer of his early childhood. The locals are wary of him. He’s wary of everyone. Except for Lotte. She was a childhood friend, from his earlier mentioned summer visits. However, she has secrets. Secrets that seem to involve him and his brother and something his uncle Ben used to make. Spirit Captures. I can’t put too much more in this review, for fear of including spoilers, but suffice to say, it is a fantastic read, and there is a bit of paranormal there, along with romance, too, and a wonderful mystery unravelled as the story unfolds. Fabulous read!
Mary Smith has written some beautifully poignant shorts, here, drawing on her own life experiences of living in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and of course, Scotland. From the horrifying story of Merunissa and her mother to the story of Odd Socks and a man residing in a care facility, and, of course, Ali the Donkey Boy, there is something there to touch all hearts.
This is terrifically hard to read, as a British Sikh woman. Not because I don’t believe it, but I know, for a fact that there have been women, like Sarbjit, who have been cushioned from all things Western, in their life, here in the UK, despite being born and brought up here. They haven’t been awarded the freedom of their peers, citing culture and their community, and ‘honour’ as a reason. I always count myself lucky to have been born into a family for whom doing the right thing was more important than the expected thing. Sarbjit’s book details the horrific true story of one of the first honour killings that resulted in a conviction of the perpetrators – the victim’s mother-in-law and her husband. And all because she was not willing to toe the line they were throwing. We learn of how Sarbjit was brought up to be ‘respectful’ of her elders and the community (read scared, not respectful) and how she could/should never go against them, for fear of shaming her family. How her arranged marriage was foisted upon her, and how she suffered the pain of knowing what had happened to Surjit, the other daughter-in-law of the family, yet felt unable to do anything, paralysed with the fear of what may happen to her, her children, the family… It’s stories like these that do build up your faith in the law, when you know there are individuals like DCI Clive who stood with her, and believed her, and in the end, managed to secure the conviction of the murderers. Yes, I felt angry, almost annoyed, at why she didn’t step up, sooner, but then, deep down, I know of her confusion. How she was pulled in two very different directions, and how her own upbringing caused her to doubt what she should have done earlier. A compelling true story, that just so, so sad.
Trigger warnings for Abuse Oh my goodness. Short in length, but the punches packed in this novelette by Vega are felt long after you finish the book. Emma is a girl who has ended up a number in the system, after losing both parents. With no-one else to guide her and abuse at every turn, from physical to mental to sequel, it’s a disturbing read. A lesson in what pushing someone too far can do…
This was a story that had such wings, but the way it was presented meant it never took flight. An intriguing way of telling a story, with the alphabetical chapters, but poor spelling and grammar kept popping out. I think there could have been so much more detail to the story, thus warranting the reader to want to read more in a prospective series. Unfortunately, it didn’t hit, for me. P.S. I really do hate it when I feel like I can’t give a glowing review…
I have had this book sat on my Kindle for a long while, now, waiting to be read. I didn’t choose not to read it. It just ended up getting nudged down the list as I added to my huge list of books that I buy. But, I am glad that I finally read it. A funny yet poignant tale about a couple. Zoe and Greg, who, after twenty years of marriage, and that settled feeling together, meaning you lose interest in keeping the weight down, are both heavily overweight. They kid themselves that they are happy. Well, they are, true love, that is. You don’t really see your loved one physically, because you love the person inside. However, a friend at Zoe’s work, the local radio station, thinks it would be the best idea for them to both enter a couples weight loss competition, run by the station. Whichever couple loses the most amount of weight, collectively, wins a life-changing sum of money. Neither of them is really interested, but for the sake of the prize, they give it a go, and along the way, they learn a lot about themselves and get themselves into some mischief, all in the name of losing weight. I laughed out loud. I giggled. I related with so many of their struggles too. All in all, a fantastically funny, but real book!
A sweet next episode into the lives of the three sisters, left a restaurant by their grandma in Nantucket. The whole of Christmas feels magical in Nantucket, and it seems to be having a positive, and romantic, effect on everyone connected to the restaurant. An easy, feel-good read.
Another book that has been languishing on my Kindle for the last few years. I am so glad I decided to read this, today. I have become a little more into horror and thrillers, recently, and this fit the bill, perfectly, not overly gory, but scary enough! A ghost haunts the room of teenager Cain, and she’s out to get revenge, using him to help her. Sarah was a young girl in her prime, who was killed by three boys from her school. She can’t rest until she has avenged her death. Cain ends up the perfect source of information and fuel for her to wreak her havoc. But, he isn’t interested in being the accomplice to a ghost. So she turns on him, too. A quick, jumpy, thrilling read!
I do love a Bollywood inspired story, and Sonali Dev is one of the Queens of the genre. Ayesha is getting on in the eyes of her widowed mother. But, how can she leave her mum, alone? Ever since the death of her older brother, Ayesha has been with her Amma, filling the gaps of both her father and brother. And, anyway, she’s never going to find someone to replace the true love of her life. Still, it doesn’t stop her mother from match-making. At her best friend’s wedding, Ayesha comes to realise exactly how meddling her mother can be… and not always in the way she would have thought. A really fun, quick and easy read to bring a little Eastern spice into the cold nights! Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a lovely debut from author Ruby Basu, combining two of my favourite things: my Indian heritage, and Christmas!
Coming from a devout Hindu background, Sharmila’s family never celebrated, even though they lived in England. She fed her love of Christmas by watching Christmas Hallmark style movies. Now, Sharmila has been gifted something she held as one of her biggest wishes: the chance to experience a real American small-town Christmas, but there are conditions attached. Unaware that her gift is actually part of an inheritance claim, She flies to the US with her best friend Penny and embarks upon a truly magical festive adventure, but there are always going to be flies in the ointment. Lucas and Zack are not impressed that their uncle has left their family home and controlling shares in the family business to a total stranger. They are going to try their best to overturn this. But, you know the score. It’s a Christmas book. There has to be love, and obstacles, and lots of festive food, right? It’s just the right balance of ‘will they/won’t they’ to create a fun, easy to read festive book!
A heartbreaking memoir, detailing the struggles author D.G. Kaye has with reconciling her thoughts and memories of their narcissistic mother, just before, and after she passes away.
Another memoir from D.G Kaye, though this time it’s an amusing one with travel anecdotes, as well as some sound advice on packing practically, and how o, just maybe, get away with bringing back all that extra shopping!
So, how was this final month of 2021, and what has my total books read been this year?
Well, I may have just surpassed my monthly reading record, as I think that was 25 books, this month!
And the total for the year? Not counting all those picture books I read to the children at school daily…
I didn’t surpass my total from 2020, which was around 170, but 145 books read. That is a pretty respectable amount, I reckon!
2022 is already promising to be a year filled with many other literary high points, so I am going to aim to stay sensible on signing up for arcs, and faithfully try to get somewhere through this TBR list that I have… All my unread eBooks are on a list, and I feel lightheaded whenever I look, and there is another trolley in my reading nook, filled with the physical books that I have bought but not got to reading, too… Maybe, just maybe, I can make a dent in them, too!
What was your total books read count? And favourite book of the year?
It’s not often that you get the chance to showcase the work of a writing LEGEND, and I am in that position, right now!
Writing powerhouse Marian Keyes had a book out, twenty five years ago, called Rachel’s Holiday. Now, it might sound like a bit of a fluffy read, a beach romance sort of thing, but no, Rachel’s Holiday is a much meatier read than that, and along with a bit of the comedic genius that Keyes always adds into her books, she delves into more serious issues.
Rachel and her experiences never left many readers, or Marian, herself, so, next year, a sequel is coming out, Rachel, Again.
However, before that, Rachel’s Holiday is being rereleased – a 25th Anniversary special – and I am honoured to be a part of the blog tour to celebrate this!
The Blurb…
Meet Rachel Walsh. She has a pair of size 8 feet and such a fondness for recreational drugs that her family has forked out the cash for a spell in Cloisters – Dublin’s answer to the Betty Ford Clinic. She’s only agreed to her incarceration because she’s heard that rehab is wall-to-wall jacuzzis, gymnasiums and rock stars going tepid turkey – and it’s about time she had a holiday.
But what Rachel doesn’t count on are the toe-curling embarrassments heaped on her by family and group therapy, the dearth of sex, drugs and rock’n’roll – and missing Luke, her ex. What kind of a new start in life is this?
Now, not having access to Goodreads, 25 years ago, what better time to post my review of a fantastic book, by a fabulous author, on the re-release of it? I treated myself to a re-read, as well, all almost 600 pages of it, in one weekend, too! This is quite a read, filled with comedic moments, however, the real subject is no laughing matter. We have Rachel Walsh, our hapless heroine, who finds herself back in Ireland, incarcerated in Cloisters, a clinic for addicts, after an accidental overdose in New York. Now, there’s nothing wrong with Rachel. Oh, no. It was all a misunderstanding. She can’t wait to get out. But, the eight weeks she stays there, end up being the most poignant years of her life. Rachel is the middle sister of five, in a loving Irish family. Well, as loving as you can get, with all that oestrogen running rife around the house. Many choices she makes in life are a direct result of how she felt, growing up. And some of those decisions led her to drugs. Addiction does a lot to you. You may feel you are gaining a lot, every time you feel that high from your chosen poison, but in reality, you are losing everything around you. And every one that really mattered. Rachel’s Holiday explores this whole scenario, including the stages of acceptance, that you might, indeed, be an addict. I loved this, and cannot wait for the sequel which is due out next year!
Can I say, I am a little excited at having read a teeny snippet of Rachel, Again, and I now can’t wait for that to be released, either!
A little bit about Marian Keyes
Marian Keyes is one of the most successful Irish novelists of all time. Though she was brought up in a home where a lot of oral story-telling went on, it never occurred to her that she could write. Instead she studied law and accountancy and finally started writing short stories in 1993 “out of the blue.” Though she had no intention of ever writing a novel (“It would take too long”) she sent her short stories to a publisher, with a letter saying she’d started work on a novel. The publishers replied, asking to see the novel, and once her panic had subsided, she began to write what subsequently became her first book Watermelon, published in 1995.
The books deal variously with modern ailments, including addiction, depression, domestic violence, the glass ceiling and serious illness, but always written with compassion, humour and hope.
In 2009, Marian experienced the start of a major depressive episode, and had to stop any work. Eventually she found that baking cakes helped her survive; and in 2012, she published Saved by Cake, which combines recipes with autobiography.
As well as novels she has written short stories, and articles for various magazines and other publications. She has published three collections of her journalism, titled Under the Duvet and Further Under the Duvet, now collected in one volume under the title Under the Duvet: Deluxe Edition, and donated all royalties from Irish sales to the Simon Community, a charity which works with the homeless. In 2016 Marian published a new collection of essays, Making It Up As I Go Along.
She was born in Limerick in 1963, and brought up in Cavan, Cork, Galway and Dublin; she spent her twenties in London, but is now living in Dún Laoghaire with her husband Tony. She includes among her hobbies reading, movies, shoes, handbags and feminism.
But I Smile Anyway... 