Today, I am on the blog tour for Dean Koontz’s newest novel, the Forest of Lost Souls.
The Blurb
A fearless woman, raised in the forest, fights against a group of powerful men in this gripping novel about good versus evil, the enduring nature of myth, and the power of love by #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz.
Raised in the wilderness by her late great-uncle, Vida is a young woman with an almost preternatural affinity for nature, especially for the wolves that also call the forested mountains home. Formed by hard experience, by love and loss, and by the prophecies of a fortune teller, Vida just wants peace. If only nearby Kettleton County didn’t cast such a dark shadow.
It’s where Jose Nochelobo, the love of Vida’s life and a cherished local hero, died in a tragic accident. That’s the official story, but Vida has reasons to doubt it. The truth can’t be contained for long. Nor can the hungry men of power in Kettleton who want something too: that Vida, like Jose, disappear forever. One by one they come for her, prepared to do anything to see their plans through to their evil end.
Vida is no less prepared for them.
Vida, the forest, and its formidable wonders are waiting. She will not rest until goodness and order have been restored.
My Review
The Forest of Lost Souls by Dean Koontz My second Dean Koontz novel. It is told from a few random POVs, but mainly from Vida, our MC; the story is part fantasy, part thriller, and a bit whoa if you know what I mean. Vida lives alone, panning for gems, with a fantastic talent for what she does. She lives alone, having lost the uncle she lived with, and has recently lost her fiance, too. Somehow, she becomes embroiled in finding out what happened to her fiance, pulling herself into danger and all manner of situations. There’s murder, horrific male characters who don’t think much of women, wolves and a white lion… As with the first, it took me a while to get into this, but the well-written, evocative language, rather than the storyline, gets my rating.
About the Author
Dean Koontz won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition when he was a senior in college, and has been writing ever since. Fourteen of his novels have risen to number one on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list (One Door Away From Heaven, From the Corner of His Eye, Midnight, Cold Fire, The Bad Place, Hideaway, Dragon Tears, Intensity, Sole Survivor, The Husband, Odd Hours, Relentless, What the Night Knows, and 77 Shadow Street), making him one of only a dozen writers ever to have achieved that milestone. Sixteen of his books have risen to the number one position in paperback. His books have also been major bestsellers in countries as diverse as Japan and Sweden. Many of his books have been made into films.
The New York Times has called his writing “psychologically complex, masterly and satisfying”. The New Orleans Times-Picayune said Koontz is “at times lyrical without ever being naive or romantic. [He creates] a grotesque world, much like that of Flannery O’Conner or Walker Percy … scary, worthwhile reading.” Rolling Stone has hailed him as “America’s most popular suspense novelist”.
Dean Koontz was born and raised in Pennsylvania. He graduated from Shippensburg State College (now Shippensburg University), and his first job after graduation was with the Appalachian Poverty Program, where he was expected to counsel and tutor underprivileged children on a one-to-one basis. His first day on the job, he discovered that the previous occupier of his position had been beaten up by the very kids he had been trying to help and had landed in the hospital for several weeks. The following year was filled with challenge but also tension, and Koontz was more highly motivated than ever to build a career as a writer. He wrote nights and weekends, which he continued to do after leaving the poverty program and going to work as an English teacher in a suburban school district outside Harrisburg. After a year and a half in that position, his wife, Gerda, made him an offer he couldn’t refuse: “I’ll support you for five years,” she said, “and if you can’t make it as a writer in that time, you’ll never make it.” By the end of those five years, Gerda had quit her job to run the business end of her husband’s writing career.
Dean Koontz lives in Southern California with Gerda and their golden retriever, Elsa. Dean and Gerda share a deep love of dogs.
“There’s nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
~Nelson Mandela~
Well, hello, my dear, dear Peeps! And, thank you, Spidey, for coming back with a great quote to start this post. 🙂
Thank you to those who have kept in touch over the last year despite my not being so active on here. I have visited blogs here and there and posted book reviews and book tour posts, but other than that, I have been a bit caught up in a whole load of other things, personally.
So, what’s been happening in the life of Ritu?
I left you guys dangling a bit when I went ‘on a break’ at the end of September, 2023, after finding myself at the point of breakdown.
Lil Princess suffered a lot these last few years, with still to be diagnosed ASD, as well as some severe Mental Health problems. And I was her chosen person, so I had to ride the increasingly dark lows as well as the manic highs with her. It took a toll on me and my own health, as she wouldn’t communicate with anyone apart from me and one of her teachers at school.
I ended up off work for six weeks before Christmas to support her lowest period.
I won’t go into the details, but suffice to say, I would never wish the situations we encountered upon any family. It was extremely tough. The hardest time of my life, to be honest.
It was even tougher as she wasn’t up to sharing anything with the rest of the family which impacted her dad, Hubby Dearest, as well as her brother, Lil (Big) Man. Feelings of helplessness were big…
But, over the last nine months, things have changed, and with a lot of support she is in a much better place.
Such a good place that, despite missing around 30% of her learning time and education, she still managed to pass ALL her GCSEs, as well as gaining an A in her Literature and B in English Language! She’s off to Sixth form this week, to start A-Levels – a day I wasn’t sure we would see, at some times.
Lil (Big) Man has completed his first year of his apprenticeship, and apparently, he is one of the top-performing apprentices in the company, which is a global firm. Fantastic news!
I’m still driving him around though, so we are working on getting that license, when I will be able to hang up mum taxi duties, for him at least. Keep your fingers crossed!
I’ve not been able to spend as much time with Pops and Mum as I would have hoped, because of being needed to ferry Lil(Big) Man around, but they spent time with us at Christmas, and a few days in. the summer too. Pops was in hospital, too, at one point, and it has just highlighted how fragile life is. He’s 78 now, and Mum is shouldering a lot. I am always there, as well as my Brother, emotionally, but not being able to be there physically, all the time, is a different drain on our hearts.
Sonu Singh is now ten years old, and still as wonderfully grumpy as always. I do love him!
Then, in April, Lil Princess got a new kitten, Minnie Kaur. She is a little minx! But, so, so cute. These two are still working on being friends, but they are getting there! Here’s Minnie!
School was tough in its own way, as we had our first full academic year as a part of a new academy. So many changes, and expectations that weighed heavily upon a much-reduced staff, with inconsistent leadership as our head left, and we had an interim head, (our original deputy) who moved on to pastures new. I had several members of my team who had long periods of time off, due to health, which impacted everyone, including the children. An unintentional injury sustained after trying to look after an SEN child has left me with a scarred arm and a dodgy knee. All this, plus I had that six-week stint where I was out, too, meant it was pretty rocky, most of the year.
However our new head joined in April, and things are beginning to ease into a more consistent routine.
I’ve spent the last couple of years spilt between two classrooms, as the EYFS Phase Leader. This academic year, though my management role is the same, I am now going to be in my own classroom for the whole week (bar my management time). I have a class name, too, Hedgehog Class, and have spent a lot of time in school over the holidays, shifting things around, cutting and laminating, and creating a new environment for my first batch of Hoglets!
Here’s hoping this academic year is more stable with a solid leadership team, and, fingers crossed, my own personal circumstances more settled, too.
Writing-wise, I have news, too.
It took a long while for my writing mojo to come back after a year or so of not being able to focus, given what was happening at home. However, in April, with everything on a relatively even keel, I wrote LOADS! And then, during the May half term, I wrote THE END on book three in the Rishtay Series, In God’s Hands.
The story has a heavy dose of infertility, which was quite emotional to write about, given my own fertility issues when trying to start a family, but I hope my own emotions helped to mold the story.
It’s with the publisher and editor now, and we are scheduled for a November 5th release.
Feedback from my three alpha-readers has been positive, and that is without edits. I’ve made a grown man cry several times, and been told it was real women’s fiction, gripping, and they felt compelled to read more.
So far, from my dear publisher, I got this: “Absolutely loving book three, think it’s your best yet. So proud of you!”
Lil Princess wants me to add a book to the series, highlighting Mental Health, too, so maybe that will be an addition in the future. I’m too close to that situation right now to write it.
Right now, I am planning another project, which, when underway I will reveal more about.
Healthwise – perimenopause is playing merry havoc with my system, right now. We thought we had the HRT prescription down, but things are not quite right so I am waiting for another set of appointments. The probable Fybromyalgia is still there, raising its head once in a while, and now there is a chance I may be lactose intolerant! So, I’m doing a bit of a lifestyle overhaul, but nothing too over ambitious. No dairy, and short daily Pilates session, along with a couple of supplements to help with hormone balance and gut health. Wish me luck!
As I did mention in a review post last month, I went on holiday for the first time in 20 years. Like a proper break, to Gran Canaria with Lil Princess. It was much needed, and we had an amazing time.
I also attended my first Romantic Novelist’s Association conference. A whole weekend, and two nights away, with no-one but romance writers, and plenty to learn. I met people I have conversed with, virtually, for years, and that was one of the most magical things about the conference. It was in the hallowed Royal Holloway University, and I think I 100% want to sign up for the next one in 2026!
Don’t worry, I shan’t be disappearing any time soon. I think my priorities have changed, and as that happens, so do we, as individuals, evolve.
I’ll still be reading, reviewing and blog touring, as well as popping in more regularly with updates and, who knows, I might have the energy for a few writing prompts, but no promises!
Also, I turn 49 in a couple of days, so this is the last year of my 40s… Eeeek!
August, you have flown by, and I cannot believe that as I type this, I am preparing to return to school on Monday!
Summer holidays have whizzed by, with our Gran Canaria trip and me going to the Romantic Novelist’s Association Conference for a whole weekend (Such fun!|) and taking Lil (big) Man out driving a lot.
The Big News was that Lil Princess got her GCSE results and passed everything, including some fantastic grades in her English subjects! Those of you who know her recent struggles will appreciate how much of an achievement this is. She will be starting 6th form and her A-Levels next week!
I am now also looking into the possibility that I am lactose intolerant… that will be fun, cutting dairy out… (Do I have the Fibromyalgia to thank for that, Perimenopause, or just my silly body? Who knows?)
Also, I spent at least one, if not two, days a week in school preparing my new classroom. I am in a different room this year, so I had a lot to do from scratch. (So much for teachers having a six-week break, eh!)
Back is aching, and I am tired, but content!
The big question is, what did I read, and did I continue to get words down?
I started the month with 6 NetGalley ARCs. Finally, I started with less than the previous month.
I began to plan the next book I want to write… you will have to keep tuned about that!
I also binge-watched a few things. I had never watched BBC’s Waterloo Road, a series set in a secondary school in northern England. With 13 series out there, it was going to be a long haul, but one day, it automatically started playing on BBC iplayer, and I ended up watching. I’ve watched five series so far! I also watched part one of the new Emily in Paris Netflix series.
I also caught up with my dear friend Amanda Prowse’s podcast episodes with her best friend, Penny Dommet. It’s called Chit Chat and All That, and is so funny. I listen to them, and it’s like I am sitting there at the table with them, mug in hand, giggling along to their hilarious chatter. They go off-tangent so quickly, crease up into laughter at any moment, and talk about all sorts of stuff. I had 15 episodes to catch up on, and I listened to them all in the car or when ironing or cooking!
I read ten books, all of which were ARCs, and have a list of five left to read. (Again, this is less than what I started with, but I’d admit to adding a lot to the list and reading them, too!)
It is an intergenerational story about a brother, father, and grandmother and the untruths they keep hidden from one another for fear of being found out and not perfect. Emily is a teacher, yet things are a bit rocky for her because she worries about not being perfect, and her fiance has just left. Ed—her dad—is in deep money trouble. He feels the only solution is to make up with his estranged daughter to show his mother he is the perfect dad, and then she may help him financially. Liz is stuck in a care home after ‘falling down’. She’s in a bit of a financial bind after helping her online “friend’ despite words of warning from her best friend. Things come to a head, and honesty is found to be the best policy, but not before a lot goes wrong in the name of perfection. A good read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for an ARC.
Here I am, back with Olive Ketteridge and her strange way of telling stories about people around her. She’s joined by Lucy, this time, an author who has a deep connection with the area and the people. We dig deep into the psyches of different people and help solve a murder! It is an odd book style, but that is not a criticism. It’s just different and compelling at the same time. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an ARC.
Two best friends whose relationship faltered reconnect on the island where they grew up, and they both realise they need one another more than they care to admit. Flo and Renee meet in Guernsey at an unexpected funeral and move in together amidst awkwardness. They wrestle through an argument that caused their strong friendship to break a few years ago. Renee dreams of leaving her childhood home and becoming a writer in London. Flo is escaping London with a secret that she battles to hide. Then, they both end up working at the same marketing company and living together, which puts additional strains on their friendship and gives them an opportunity to be there for one another once again. It’s funny but tragic, too, at times—the kind of humour you expect from a Dawn O’Porter book. I enjoyed reading this, an easy summer read filled with more serious topics and humour. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC.
I’ve read a few of Nicola Marsh’s thrillers, and this is written in that same distinctive way. A three-POV story between two estranged sisters, Brooke and Lizzie, and Noel, the surviving half of a set of twins, introduces us to some crazy family dynamics, a whole load of lies, and pretty twisted characters! Brooke and Lizzie’s relationship is fragile due to the lies they have been told their whole lives, and mistrust is still at the forefront of their minds. Then Noel enters. He is a seemingly decent guy, even though he was incarcerated for an accidental death he was responsible for. But things are off from when Lizzie meets him, and she cannot get her sister, Brooke, to listen. I must admit I figured out one of the twists along the way, but there were plenty of other betrayals and untruths that emerged later in the story. It kept me turning the pages! Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.
I have just come up for air after immersing myself in the glorious story of The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer. Having read some of her previous books, I knew I was in for a treat. We start with a runaway being pursued by the police, and she collides with Marcus Greybourne as she attempts to escape their clutches. Having suffered an injury, party Mr Greybourne’s fault, he insists on looking after her, but with a condition. She continues the charade of being his wife, the excuse he used to stop the local constable from continuing his chase. Once in the house, she discovers that this isn’t a straightforward deal, as Luna Greybourne is a woman accused of being a witch. I don’t want to go into too much detail, as that will give away parts of the story, but the storyline has wonderfully complex twists and a dark romance at its base. Jenni Keer draws us in with beautifully crafted characters and plenty of page-turning moments that keep the reader hooked until the end. I absolutely LOVED it! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Nicholas Sparks has the exceptional storytelling talent of drawing you into the lives of total strangers and making you care about what happens next. In Counting Miracles, we have the POV of three people. Total strangers whose lives end up entwining in ways you wouldn’t have imagined. Tanner Hughes, an ex-Army Ranger, is alone now. He’s grieving the loss of his grandmother, the last of his family, and the woman who, along with his grandfather, brought him up after his mother died after childbirth. And she left him with a mystery: the name and possible location of his birth father, who he’d never known. Kaitlyn Cooper is a doctor and single mum to two kids. She lives a peaceful life in Asheboro, content with her job and her charity work. She also keeps tabs on her teen daughter, who always seems to be up to something, and her young son, whose innocence she wants to preserve for as long as she can. Elderly Jasper lives alone in his wooden cabin by the forest. Sure, he knows the Dr. and sometimes spends time with her young son, but he doesn’t need anyone except Arlo, his faithful mutt. No one else in his life has stuck around, and most of those around him steer clear of him, allowing him to grieve a tragic accident that changed his whole life. Twists of fate and another traumatic incident lead these three unconnected individuals through a journey of discovery and an unexpected but heartwarming ending. Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK, for an ARC.
I may say this every time I read one of Gillian Harey’s France-based books, but a little bit of me wants to find a small village somewhere in France where I can lose myself! This time, in The Little Provence Book Shop, the main character, Adeline, has taken a big step after a tumultuous period in her life. She has uprooted herself and Lili, her five-year-old daughter, from London to a sleepy village in rural Provence, where she has somehow found a job in a tiny bookshop. Armed with enough French to get by and not much more, Adeline starts work and develops an interesting relationship with the shop’s owner, Monique, with whom she feels a strange connection she cannot pinpoint. She is running from a secret and a possible answer she is looking to find, and at the bookshop, she slowly realises that she might not be the only one with something she is hiding, and secrets rarely stay in the box we put them in. Of course, there is a chance of romance – why would there not be? But whether it comes from hunky patissier Andre or more friendly Michel is not for me to tell! The Little Provence Bookshop is a feel-good, heartwarming story about a woman looking for her roots. Along the way, she finds them and helps others find their branches. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood for an ARC.
I’ve enjoyed the Boardgame Cafe series by Jennifer Page, and to find another book was fantastic! Kate is happy (ish) in life, being Little Miss Perfect at work and being there to help and support her friends and the community around her. However, it feels like she’s stuck in one place while everyone else is moving on. Her best friend, Jo, is loved up, and happy with her partner and running a successful business, and her other close friends are in relationships or even pregnant. It’s just her sitting there alone, even though the others never make her feel like an outsider or a spare part. She embarks on a relationship she’s unsure of and finds another cause to support, as the local businesses and residents lament the B&B generation where summers are lovely and busy. The cold weather starts, and there is no one here… no holidaymakers, no affordable housing for those who would like to live there, and no trade… I won’t go into it too much, as you need to read for yourself, but it was great to read about how Kate grows as a person, coming to grips with some long-held beliefs, repairing some relationships, and severing others. Oh, and I just loved Xander! I’m just saying… who can resist a man who cooks? Of course, we are treated to updates on all the old characters through this book, as their stories entwine, however you could read this as a stand alone. Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for an ARC.
Note: I have not read the previous book, so this can easily be read as a stand-alone. (But now I know there are more; you know what I’d be reading!) A funny, sexy story involving two attractive people, astronauts, family politics, blackmail, and a sphinx cat named Mike Hunt (Yup, she went there!) And though there aren’t loads, the spice scenes there are hot! 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Liz, or Anne as she is known to John, and Felix, or Johnny as Anna/Liz recognises him, meet in a bar, and one thing leads to another, but not quite how they imagine. Cue an embarrassing moment that comes back to haunt them as they meet again, and one identity is revealed. However, there are still secrets, as the other is still very much under wraps. There are so many laugh-out-loud moments in this story and that spice I mentioned earlier, and the cat scenes are exquisitely done. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Releasing 1st October, 2024
So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!
Today, I am on the blog tour for Ram Murali’s debut, Death In The Air.
The Blurb
‘Unexpected delights await on every page of Ram Murali’s impressive and captivating debut. Crisp as a gin and tonic and delightfully wicked, this smart, smart novel delivers a sophisticated, subversive murder mystery set in the highest stratosphere of the international idle rich. I had to force myself not to binge it in one night so I could savor it like the rare and exquisite meal that it is.’
Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians
Ro Krishna seems to have it all: charm, Oxford and Ivy League education, perfect hair and a successful career – until he was forced to leave his job under mysterious circumstances. Reeling, he decides to recover from the stress at Samsara, a world-class luxury wellness resort in the Indian Himalayas, where he can enjoy innumerable yoga classes, massages and guided-meditation sessions alongside the hotel’s other rich and well-connected guests.
But between the treatments and enforced daily steams, there’s plenty of tension and intrigue amongst the clientele of charismatic heiresses, films stars and politicians… and then one of the guests is found dead. As the police arrive and the hotel scrambles to keep the murder quiet, Ro is pulled into an investigation where nothing is as it seems, endangering them all.
It’s not just heiresses and Bollywood stars-to-be staying at Samsara. A murderer has also checked in – and they’re not leaving yet.
I have always liked to support South Asian authors, and when I was approached to read a copy of this book for the book tour, I readily agreed. Murder mysteries aren’t my usual choice of genre, though I have been known to read them. Ram Murali’s main character, Ro Krishna, is involved in work-related problems from the beginning of the book. He meets some shady characters mentioned at the beginning, but they seem to disappear until the end. Taking a complete break from his usual life, he ends up at a spa resort in the Himalayas, Samsara. There, he meets a few of the other guests and meets new people from completely different backgrounds. Then tragedy strikes and a body is found. He ends up being involved in the investigations and tries to solve the mystery with some of the others and the Police. Honestly? I was intrigued to find out what happened. Still, I did find it hard to get into because there were many references to fashion brands, sometimes unnecessarily, and not every situation was clear. Ro has a crystal, Pendy, whom he talks to, and their communication isn’t always easy to understand. I’m not sure the ending was as clear-cut as I had hoped.
About the Author
Ram Murali began his career as a lawyer in private practice in London and Paris, and worked for many years across all aspects of film and television development, production and distribution. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College, Columbia Law School, the Sorbonne and the University of Cambridge.
‘Glamorous, gripping, absolutely heaps of fun. I loved this’ – Lucy Foley, bestselling author of The Paris Apartment and The Guest List
‘A stunning, sophisticated, scalpel-sharp murder mystery. Powerful, fun and hugely rewarding. Immensely impressive’ – Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin At The End
‘A warm broth of Golden Age mystery (both Agatha Christie and Richard Osman would be proud)… Evocative, provocative, and very, very fun’ – AJ Finn, author of End of Story
‘A romp of a whodunit, poking fun at the über wealthy whilst calmly meditating on both the horror of Partition and identity in a globalized world. I rattled through it. Ro is a very charming lead character indeed!’ – Charlotte Vassell, author of The Other Half
Firstly, sorry this is a tad later than the end of July, since I was busy sunning myself on my first beach holiday since 2004. Yes, you read that right. It’s been 20 years since I got on a plane to go away, purely for vacation reasons, and not family related ones! Lil Princess and I had a wonderful time in Gran Canaria, and I read lots and lots! It was much needed after a tumultuous academic year. I was totally exhausted, physically as well as mentally. It was a full on R & R & R time – Reading & Rest & Recuperation!
The big question is, what did I read, and did I continue to get words down?
I started the month with 10 NetGalley ARCs, and awaiting feedback on book 3 from some readers and my editor.
I wrote no new words, but I have submitted my manuscript for book 3, In God’s Hands, to my editor, and we have a prospective publication date of 5 November! I have been thinking up ideas for the next steps, though! Whether it will be connected to the first three books or a totally different project, I am not sure, but I have ideas for both!
I read 11 books, all of which were ARCs, and have a list of six left to read.
Definitely a 5 star read, but you’ll have to wait for the review, as I am inviting Lucy over around publication day to chat about her latest release!
OMG, I’m not sure what else to say! The Rose Code was fantastic, so I knew I was in for something special, and I was right! Brilliant book! Set in the 1950s in Washington, Briarwood House is home to a woman and her two children and a boarding house for women and their lodgers. She’s not a particularly lovely landlady, but her children more than make up for her lack of manners and humanity. Her guests are a real mishmash of characters, each with a very different backstory, from immigrants with secrets to army wives to women with nowhere else to go. They all keep themselves to themselves until the arrival of Grace March, an enigmatic woman with an air of je ne sais quoi about her. She slowly builds relationships in the form of The Briar Club, where the lodgers and the children meet in her room for an illicit dinner club while the landlady is away. This time, she thaws the ice that has been present between the residents and slowly builds relationships that help each woman in the end. It is a complex story, with the POV of each character in the form of a chapter, where we learn their backgrounds and what they may be running/hiding from. Even the house has its say as it tries to make sense of an incident that brings all the women and other key characters together. The book is set post-WW2 but amid the Korean War, and that timing dramatically impacts the story. There is fear of communism and spies, as well as racism, that is rife at that time. It’s a book you need to give your time to, too, but once you are in there, you will find yourself turning the pages faster and faster as you become consumed by the twists and turns. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC.
Another cracker continuing the Ever After Agency series by Sandy Barker. Is it better to find love the organic way, or do we all need a helping hand sometimes? The One That I Want brings us back to the Ever After Agency with another client for Poppy, one of our wonderful matchmakers, to concentrate on. Greta is the editor of a new online magazine. She focuses on her work but finds it challenging to add relationships to the mix. Her boss, Anjali, decides to intervene by employing the services of her friend’s agency to help her employee with things through an elaborate ruse of a series of articles about dating. There are some funny dates, a whole heap of confusion and plenty of ‘oooh!’ moments. On paper, Greta is a successful woman with a great job, a supportive family, and good friends. However, as we find out, things aren’t always as straightforward as they seem. She doubts herself so much. I just wanted to take her to one side and tell her to believe in her instincts! Her best friend, Tiggy, was brilliant. Straightforward, loud and hilarious. We all need a Tiggy in our lives! It’s the kind of story I have come to expect from Sandy, with a host of challenges that Poppy faces when trying to match her client while fulfilling her brief. Since this is book 3 in the series, it was good to revisit a few characters to see how they were getting on, including Poppy and her relationship, but it is easily read as a stand-alone, too. You’ll want to return and get the other two after because it’s such fun! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for a while and was not disappointed. I am a huge fan of South Asian-based fiction, stories that resonate with me as a South Asian woman. Laila Rafi’s story is a culturally sensitive Halal romance with many relatable points. Zafar and Reshma were married using the traditional arranged marriage route. She has visions of romance and slowly falling in love after their nikkah. He’s just happy he’s ticked off a box—another thing required of him as a son. A wedding from Reshma’s side in the gorgeous setting of Mombasa becomes the catalyst for them to truly get to know one another and find that connection they have been missing. Zafar isn’t keen. Business is at the forefront of his mind as he strives to keep his grandfather’s dream alive. However, sometimes you have to accept that another person’s dream may not be the best for you. I don’t need heaps of spice to keep me reading. This is a true closed-door romance, where you get the hints, which is enough. It was good to see how both characters grew and changed through the story, learning about themselves and their families and how others have shaped their thinking, sometimes for the better and for the worse, I enjoyed this, especially as it was mainly set in Mombasa, where I spent many childhood holidays! Many thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing for an ARC.
I have always liked to support South Asian authors, and when I was approached to read a copy of this book for the book tour, I readily agreed. Murder mysteries aren’t my usual choice of genre, though I have been known to read them. Ram Murali’s main character, Ro Krishna, is involved in work-related problems from the beginning of the book. He meets some shady characters mentioned at the beginning, but they seem to disappear until the end. Taking a complete break from his usual life, he ends up at a spa resort in the Himalayas, Samsara. There, he meets a few of the other guests and meets new people from completely different backgrounds. Then tragedy strikes and a body is found. He ends up being involved in the investigations and tries to solve the mystery with some of the others and the Police. Honestly? I was intrigued to find out what happened. Still, I did find it hard to get into because there were many references to fashion brands, sometimes unnecessarily, and not every situation was clear. Ro has a crystal, Pendy, whom he talks to, and their communication isn’t always easy to understand. I’m not sure the ending was as clear-cut as I had hoped.
Here we are, back at Hart’s Ridge with Taylor Gray and more cases for her to follow, although the story takes a slightly different slant this time. In Hello Little Girl, we revisit a previous case that hasn’t been resolved: Lydia Grimes’s disappearance. Taylor is invested in this case, but this time, she is removed from it for a different mission: going undercover in one of the local women’s prisons. It is another heartwrenching story where we learn more about Lydia’s incarceration, as well as the devastating news that another younger girl is in the situation with her. As always, I love how these stories take root in reality, but the story itself is fiction. Taylor’s experience was pretty horrific, too. I missed having more contact with the Gray family in this book; however, given the ending, I am excited to read what happens next. Nope, I am not spoiling it for you. I am just making sure you know to read the previous books, as they all build upon one another, which makes the anticipation even sweeter!
BEAUTIFUL! I say it every time I read an Amanda Prowse book, and I’m not scared to say it again: What a WONDERFUL story! Swimming to Lundy is a dual-timeline story that converges at the end in a happy marriage of not necessarily happy events. Told in the POVs of two women, we see two stories slowly unravel and reveal the ultimate knot that ties them together for good. Tawrie Gunn is one of three generations of women who have lived in her home. Along with her loving grandma, Tawrie has her mother there with her. But she is in limbo. All three women are mourning the loss of over twenty years ago of Tawrie’s father. Unable to move forward, because of ties holding her back, Tawrie begins wild swimming, and the following events all tie in with her swimming. Over twenty years back, we have the story of Harriet, whose life is turned upside down when she finds out about her husband’s infidelity. The upheaval of a family move to Ilfracombe seals the fate of her marriage and somehow sets a stone rolling which doesn’t rest for another two decades. Amanda has a way with words, crafting real stories, tugging at the reader’s heartstrings, finding moments that are so believable, settings that will resonate with people, and sucking us into her ‘real’ fictional world.
TW – references to FGM and rape. Having read and loved The Girl With The Louding Voice in 2020, I was eager to read this next book by Abi Dare, especially since it is a continuation of Adunni’s story, the 15-year-old girl who escaped her life in the village after she was forced to marry an elder, to Lagos – where she was sold into domestic slavery to a woman who wasn’t good to her. The story continues through her POV and Ms Tia, the woman who rescued her. Adunni’s life is set to change. She will start school as she has always dreamed, and Ms Tia will have the daughter she always dreamed of. But nothing is that simple. A midnight disturbance finds men from the village clamouring to take Adunni back, as she is to be a part of a ritual sacrifice. There has been no rain, no crops, and animals are dying, and the blame lies on the shoulders of girls who have sinned. Set over 24 hours, the story continues as Ms Tia follows her, and they get caught up in the tribal rituals the villagers follow. Hearing about both Adunni’s and Ms Tia’s backstories, as well as the horrors of punishments bestowed upon girls for no reason and FGM, amongst other horrific customs, makes for a heartbreaking story filled with hope. It is a fantastic sequel, which is highly recommended. Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC
I’ve read all of Laura Jane Williams’s books. She is an auto-read author of mine, and I was lucky enough to have an arc of this book to take on holiday. It is a fabulous blend of a great story, wonderful flawed characters, a great side cast, and just the right amount of spice! (“Though it can be a bit embarrassing to be reading a scene of that nature when by the side of the pool, with families surrounding you! Flo is a woman who has been through the wringer, suffering a breakdown a few years previously. Her family still treat her like a fragile piece of china, wrapping her up in cotton wool. Well, alternating between that and her brother’s version of sibling-style care… She’s on a family holiday and reeling from a rejection from someone she never thought would mean something to her: her brother’s best friend, Jamie. Then, there he is, on her family holiday, to cause all manner of feelings. I won’t go into it too much, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC.
This is a story that is reminiscent of One Day by Dave Nicholls, in the way we have revisited two people’s meetings and encountered them over a certain amount of years. It includes the buildups, the near misses, and the highs and lows of Charlie and Ashley from 6th form, when Charlie has an unrequited crush on Ashley, to the present day. Yes, there is happiness, but equally, as each relationship shows, there is sadness. I almost gasped at the end, thinking we were looking at another tragic ending, like One Day, but no—we were saved, thank goodness! A lovely story.
Sally Page’s stories have captured me since I read her first one, so being allowed to read this would always be taken gratefully. The Secrets of Flowers is a beautiful, intricate tale based on a real person, with hints of interest by the author, but its storyline and the main characters are fictional. Emma is a woman who is coming to grips with the loss of her husband, who quite suddenly died. She is still young, but flo9undering in her existing life. Taking a break from her normality as a scientist, she begins to enjoy a job at the small local garden centre, remembering her father’s love for flowers and immersing herself in good memories. But she is still nervous about socialising and mixing with others. A small chain of events leads to her burying herself in research about the Titanic, and a pull towards the flowers on board leads her towards Violet Jessop, the only woman to have survived three major shipwrecks, including the Olympics and the Titanic. She can’t help but feel a connection to the woman but cannot figure out what it is. Aided by Garden Centre owners Betty and Les and Tamass, their flower delivery guy, and a whole host of other people, they slowly piece together the life of a young woman and her role on the ships, revealing the connection that Emma felt so strongly with this woman. It is such a beautifully told dual-timeline story. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Fiction for an ARC.
So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!
But I Smile Anyway... 