Today you would have hit a century, Instead, we’re left with memories Of all the good you did
Nanaji, A loving son, husband, brother A father like no other Whose forward thinking gave opportunities To all his children, not just his blood. And a Nanaji and Baba Whose Naatey Potey miss the opportunities We lost to know you, And for you to know us.
Nanaji I hope wherever you and Nanima are, You watch us And I hope we have made you proud. We’ve tried to be the best we could As I know you would want us to
Nanaji, You gave from the heart and from the soul. You taught us kindness and generosity Is where the goodness lies Your memory, your legacy lives on within us all
Happy 100th Birthday to one of the best humans there ever was. We love you Nanaji, I only wish we had more time to know you, not just hear about what a wonderful soul you were.
My Nanaji and Nanima (Maternal Grandparents)Nanaji and a baby RituMy brother and me with a photo of our beloved Nanaji
I apologise for not posting this sooner, but better late than never, eh!
I’m bringing to you a book with a psychological thriller twist, all with a sprinkling of Indian Masala!
Rupa Mahadevan has written a brilliant book, Nine Dolls, which I was honoured to read.
The Blurb
When a group of friends reunite to celebrate the Hindu Dolls festival in a Scottish manor in Oban, they’re hit by more than just the storm. Dolls move, and secrets are revealed. But which secret is worth killing for?
Nine nights.
Nine secrets.
And one unforgettable name…
NINE DOLLS – an award-winning psychological thriller – is almost here.
Dark. Addictive. Chilling to the core.
Every day unveils another secret.
Every lie pulls you deeper into the nightmare.
Every doll hides a truth you’re not ready to face…
Nine days that will change everything.
Nine Dolls.
I asked Rupa about the inspiration for her fantastic debut, and this is what she told me:
Golu (which translates to “display”), the dolls we set up during Navaratri, have always been a big part of my childhood. Navaratri is my favourite festival, even more than Diwali, which is far more popular. There’s something so visual and colourful about it—a way of storytelling that really captured my imagination. Growing up, my sister and I used to compete over whose side of the dolls told a better story.
Thinking back, that is where my love of stories started. I’ve always been passionate about crime stories. I practically grew up with Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie, as well as legendary writers in Tamil (my mother tongue) like Kalki. You’d think it would be a no-brainer to combine the two. The nine nights of Navaratri, with its theme of good versus evil, naturally lend themselves to the structure of a crime thriller.
But it wasn’t until a writer friend, Angela Nurse, asked if I’d ever thought of weaving it into a story that the idea truly clicked. The rest, as they say, is history!
Okay, so I have just finished this, Nine Dolls by Rupa Mahadevan and OMG, what a ride! I’m all for any books with anything Southeast Asian within the covers, and Nine Dolls has that in spades, as well as being a compelling psychological thriller. Ten people, some friends and some new to the group, end up in a house in Oban on a holiday that coincides with the Hindu festival of Navratri. Leela, wife of one of the original friend group members, is newly married and also religious, so she wishes to observe the holy festival while they are away. Part of this involves displaying nine dolls in a particular manner to honour different goddesses. The dolls on display are a little different to the traditional ones; however, once everyone has consented to take part, she happily sets up her display and makes plans for the nine-day festival. However, things go awry when she discovers that her display has been tampered with, and in the following days, more and more strange things happen to the dolls, as equally strange things occur in the house to different people, all while the Beast from the East takes effect. I was hooked on this book from the start, and it had so many twists and turns, with the reader trying to work out what was going on and who was responsible for all these awful things… Fantastic read!
About The Author
Rupa Mahadevan is a passionate story-teller of character led and page turning thrillers that keeps you guessing till the last chapter. Her books aims to be an alluring mixture crime and culture.
Another wonderful blog tour stop this time for Karen King and her fab book, The Old Gals Bucket List.
The Blurb
The Approval of Sheep
Gordon Slee fears he was never meant to be born. Anxious since childhood after hearing he was an accident, the forty-two-year-old is still struggling to escape the shadow of his high-achieving family.
But a glimmer of hope is on the horizon – a huge promotion within his hotel group is up for grabs, and he is sure that his time has come to make a mark on the world.
However, within his own department, redundancies are afoot. He may lose his job before he gets the chance. Until he learns of a historic covenant that preserves the right for sheep to run through the company’s top London hotel. Could he convince his boss that he’s the man to save the hotel from catastrophe?
Up in Bryn Nefyn, North Wales, live the descendants of the covenant owner. The elderly sheep farmer and his aging hippy brother could use the money the hotel might offer. But along with their strong-willed American shepherdess, they laugh at Gordon’s attempts to negotiate a deal. Surely, they couldn’t use a covenant that’s been forgotten about for over a hundred years.
Or could they?
For lovers of upmarket commercial fiction with a touch of romance and comedy, The Approval of Sheep is an uplifting story about family and love, overcoming adversity and discovering our reason for our place in this world.
This debut novel by Karen Storey was a wonderfully well written tale with it’s heart based on a true covenant. I’ve heard of sheep in London and covenants about them being allowed to run through certain areas according to these ancient covenants, so to have this book’s core being about a similar covenant, was intriguing. Gordon, our MC is in a bit of a bind at his job, in that due to possible redundancies, he may be out of a job, on top of a failed marriage proposal. He’s feeling quite useless, compared to his heigh flying siblings. Then with the knowledge of a covenant involving sheep being allowed to run throught the hotel he works at, he tries to bargain for a promotion. He finds himself in Wales in order to negotiate with the owner of the covenant, and finds himself stuch with some stubborn, untrusting folk and a lot of sheep. The whole story was highly entertaining, and there were some lovely emotional elements that made Gordon appear more human as the story progressed, and I was more than satisfied with the ending. A little romance, a lot of self discovery and a shedload of sheep!
About The Author
Karen Storey is an award winning fiction writer and has been featured on the acclaimed book podcast, The Bestseller Experiment. As well as a novelist, she is a prolific short story writer. Her stories have been published in various anthologies and placed in several international competitions. Her memoir pieces have also been published within the New York Times bestselling book series, Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Originally from New York City, Karen lives in Warwickshire, England and has written articles for American in Britain magazine. She lives with her husband, whose surname Storey was the perfect wedding gift. They share their home with a snarky cat who writes Karen’s monthly author newsletters and a crazy little Bichon Frise dog who barks at his own reflection. You can visit her website and subscribe to her newsletter at http://www.karenstoreyauthor.com
Giveaway To Win a signed copy of The Approval of Sheep and a luxury Welsh chocolate bar featuring a sheep by the award winning Welsh chocolatier, Sarah Bunton. (Open to UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Gleam box below. The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Another wonderful blog tour stop this time for Karen King and her fab book, The Old Gals Bucket List.
The Blurb
‘It’s time to really live our lives!’
It’s been eight months since Sandra lost her beloved husband, and she knows something has to change. Her son wants her to sell up her home and move into a retirement apartment, close to him. But she doesn’t feel ready for that yet.
Then she bumps into her old friend Patti, heading off to get her first tattoo. Patti explains she’s beaten cancer and now she’s ready to make every second count… And – sitting down for a cuppa and a slice of cake – the women land on the perfect idea – a bucket list!
As they set out to fulfil dreams, overcome fears, and have the adventure of their lives, their lives intertwine with others who feel the same, including Mary and her anxious husband…
If anyone can help them live their best lives… it’s the old gals!
I do love a story centred around characters of a certain age, and this was a perfect pick-me-up, A reminder that just because you are a bit older, it doesn’t mean you can’t keep on learning and experiencing new things in life. Sandra is widowed and struggling to get the confidence to live without her beloved husband Brian. Her son wants her to up sticks and move closer to where he will be living with his family, as they are also moving. A chance meeting with an old colleague and friend, Patti, who is also alone now and a cancer survivor, kick-starts a life-changing set of decisions that helps both women begin to live again. They create their own bucket lists, including learning new things and defeating lifelong fears, and with the help of Patti’s granddaughter, they start an Instagram account following the Old Gals and their Bucket List quest. I loved this. The idea of a bucket list has always intrigued me, but I haven’t ever created one myself. I think I may have to, now, after reading this! There is so much to revel in from rekindling old friendships to igniting other sparks, as well as a good old-fashioned adventure. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
About The Author
Karen King writes psychological suspense and women’s fiction and is celebrating her fortieth year of publication. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors, the Crime Writers’ Association and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists.
I am thrilled to be on the Blog Tour for the fab Charlie Dean! Check out this gorgeous cover for The Pumpkin Pact.
The Blurb
Welcome to The Pumpkin Patch at Pickle Grove.
Andi is worried that her relationship with Drew has become dull and boring. They never do anything exciting these days, in or out of the bedroom. So when a swoon-worthy stranger appears, she is instantly swept off her feet.
When they unexpectedly meet again, they realise they have more in common than they thought possible so draw up a pact to spice up their lives! The plan they conjure up while working together at The Pumpkin Patch, to make their partners jealous, brings them closer than ever.
Andi plucks up the courage to finish with Drew but there are no signs of Andrew doing the same and she thinks she’s lost him forever.
With meddling exes, misunderstandings and miscommunication getting in the way, can The Pumpkin Pact bring them back together?
Aw! What a lovely Autumnal read! If you want something to give you the warm and fuzzies as the nights begin to draw in, and the chill is starting to make itself known, this is the one, with a teeny bit of spice to add to the warmth! Andi is stuck in a relationship with Drew that she is not sure of, but she knows no better. She meets Andrew by chance and there is a spark but there’s nothing she can do… Or is there? Plenty of well-meaning and loving characters who are all cheering Andi on to make the right decision, but there are also lots of blockades in the way. And then there is Pumpkin. I love Pumpkin! He’s Andi’s gorgeous husky dog who appears to be a brilliant judge of character!
in a Scottish manor 
in Oban, they’re hit by more than just the storm. Dolls move, and secrets are revealed. But which secret is worth killing for? 
NINE DOLLS – an award-winning psychological thriller – is almost here.
Every day unveils another secret.
But I Smile Anyway... 