Book Review | But I Smile Anyway...

#BookReview Judith Barrow – Mary’s Shadows Series- 4 Books

02 Jan 2018 32 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Judith Barrow, Mary Howarth, War Saga

I haven’t been totally vegetized over the holiday… Plenty of reading went on and I made a teeny dent in my TBR pile!

One set of books I read were by the extremely talented Judith Barrow. Visit her blog here!

I have always loved stories that were based during the war years. It comes from the fact that my mother loves these kinds of family sagas too, and so when I ventured into more grown-up fiction, these kinds of stories were on my mother’s bookshelves, rather than the chick lit, which I am also a bit partial to!

Well, Judith’s books are exactly the kind of stories my mum would love!!!!

Judith Barrow

Pattern Of Shadows

My rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Judith Barrow has spun a fantastic tale about a northern family in the grips of the war, with some extremely sensitive, yet relevant to today issues.
My heart went out to the protagonist, Mary, and all she had to endure, from an awful boyfriend to loving one of the ‘enemy’, rape and coping with the pregnancy of her unwed sister. All this and dealing with her troubled parents, and a brother who was not only an objector to the war, but struggling to come to terms with homosexuality.
A meaty read and I was very glad to see there was a sequel!

Goodreads review – here

Amazon review – here

Changing Patterns

Changing Patterns by [Barrow, Judith]

My rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was happy to be able to read the continuation of the Howarth family’s situations.
Mary and Peter appeared to be happily settled, but with the death of her brother Tom, a whole host of secrets are brought to the surface. Certain truths are uncovered which create situations where they all feel that things will never be the same again.
I really enjoyed how Judith Barrow took the different threads from the original story, and continued to weave another gripping chapter in the story of Mary and her family.

Goodreads review – here

Amazon review – here

Living In The Shadows

Living in the Shadows by [Barrow, Judith]

My rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Taking a step further into the later years of Mary, and the Howarth family, we meet the various children, and nephews and nieces.
The events of the past have a knock-on effect on the children of the family, and old secrets are unearthed again.
I really enjoyed the whole series of books, and look forward to more from Judith Barrow!

Goodreads review – here

Amazon review – here

Secrets

My rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A short spin-off book with some stories about the minor characters from the Howarth family saga – It was a wonderful way to add some context to the characters we learned a little about in the three book series.

Goodreads review – here

Amazon review – here

And I am excited to read the prequel, A Hundred Tiny Threads, which charts the story of Mary Howarth’s parents.

It has also been chosen as The Welsh Books Council’s BOOK OF THE MONTH in January 2018!

100 Tiny Threads by [Barrow, Judith]

Visit Judith’s Amazon page here to get all her books!

I’m sorry if my reviews are rather simplistic, but I read for enjoyment, not to find technical issues with books, and if a story reaches my heart, and makes me want to keep on reading, it is a good book!

The Magician’s Curse (Book 1) – Linda G Hill #BookReview

01 Dec 2017 11 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Linda G Hill, The Magician's Curse

Another book read, another series I am waiting for the sequel too now!

Linda G. Hill

I have supported and followed Linda for a long while now, taking part in her challenges on her blog and I read her novella All Good Stories with pleasure, so to see her full length book finally out there, I was excited to read it!

The Magician's Curse: A Paranormal Romance The Great Dagmaru Book 1 by [Hill, Linda G.]

Here’s my review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I started out reading this book, not knowing what to expect really, and after a few chapters I was hooked!
Herman (the unfortunately named female main lead!) is leaving home to attempt to make a better life for her brother and her and somehow is led a different path by the meeting of a stranger on a train. Stephen Dagmaru is drawn to this stranger on the train, and invites her to become his assistant. He draws her into his life and family worries with an ulterior motive, but also for love.
Though I wondered whether it was believable that someone would just go off with someone they had just met, I continued and was not disappointed.
We meet certain characters and get a good idea of what they are like, and others are hinted at, so you know they will be of importance at a later date.
Helping a magician break a family curse, falling in love, the prospect of a happily ever after… but with the open ending, as you know something is going to happen…

On Amazon

On Goodreads

The Blurb:

When Herman Anderson leaves home to make a better life for herself, she doesn’t expect to meet a tall, dark stranger with whom she’ll fall hopelessly in love.
Charming and mysterious, Stephen Dagmar is a stage magician seeking an assistant. The moment he sets eyes on Herman, he knows she’s the one. He brings her home to his Victorian mansion where they embark upon an extravagant romance. Yet a shadow hangs over their love. Will the curse on his family end Stephen and Herman’s happily ever after, before it really begins?
Amidst lace and leather, innocence and debauchery, The Magician’s Curse begins the Gothic tale of The Great Dagmaru. Magic and romance await.

Purchase it here.

#BookReview – Keepers by Sacha De Black @sacha_black

22 Nov 2017 25 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Eden East, Keepers, Sacha Black, Sacha De Black, Trutinor

Over two years ago, I was introduced to a rather madcap young lady. She had spent her time organising a Bloggers get together in London, complete with awards, and I was gutted that I hadn’t been able to go. To be honest, I wasn’t sure my family would have understood my interest in meeting these strangers who were fast becoming virtual friends to me.

Still, I followed the progress of the bash and the organiser closely and am pleased to say I was able to finally go, and now, a twice-attending veteran, I feel I can call Sacha a friend, as well as a whip-wielding Bash-organising fiend!

The gorgeous Sacha (De) Black!

Oh, but don’t let me forget the other label – author.

Yup.

Over these last few years, I have followed her progress in writing the first of her YA trilogy. I have marvelled at her ability to be a wife and mother, organise amazing events, operate a weekly writing challenge, and even churn out writers help book (and workbook!) and rewrite her entire fiction work THREE times, before the perfectionist in her was finally happy with the result!

And what a result!

Now, let me tell you I am not the world’s greatest YA fiction reader. Nor do I get excited over fantasy realms or individuals with great powers, but I felt compelled to read Sacha’s book because I felt I wanted to support a fellow Indie author, and to be honest, the snippets I had caught from her regular posts had piqued my interest.

So, the book in question…

Keepers (The Eden East Novels Book 1) by [Black, Sacha]

Available to buy here.

My review…

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What a fantastic book!

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to get hooked, but oh my did I!

From the moment I stepped into the realm of Trutinor and the life of Eden East, with her powers and all the angst of being a teenager with so much pressure upon you, I was sunk.

I ended up reading the whole book in a day!

The characters are written well, with a depth to them which leaves you caring a lot about the protagonist and wishing evil thoughts upon the villains!

There is a love story, a family saga, and fantasy all in one, with the reality we know, Camden Town, woven into the cloth of the story that is set in a world that is unknown.

I loved the short glossary of terms at the beginning that shows just how well thought out this whole new realm is. And each chapter starts with a snippet from ancient scriptures from Trutinor, which again show the immense planning that has been done in conjuring up this story.

I can honestly say this was ‘unputdownable’ and I was left hanging, in a good way, desperate for the sequel to be published!

Well done Sacha! I am so proud of you! You did it! Gave birth to your longed for baby book!

My review on Goodreads – Here

My review on Amazon – Here

Book Blurb

Eden’s life is balanced…

…until her soul is bound to her enemy.

When her parents are murdered, the realm of Trutinor is threatened. Then a mysterious human arrives and changes everything.

As Eden’s world spirals out of control, she doesn’t need a charismatic Siren from her past returning to complicate life.

Now, saving Trutinor is the last thing on Eden’s mind.

Three boys.

Two murdered parents.

One deadly choice.

You can get the book from here. It will redirect you to your most frequently visited store.

Me with my real – live author friend! ❤

#Bookreview – Poetic RITUals by Ritu Bhathal

27 Aug 2017 21 Comments

by Ritu in Poetic RITUals, Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Poetic RITUals, Robbie Cheadle

Woke up to a most touching review for my Poetry book, this morning!
Thank you Robbie! ❤

Robbie's inspiration

What Amazon says

Delve into a book of verse exploring different topics and different genres, all with a RITUal twist.

A collection of poetry drawing on the experiences of the writer, ranging from matters of the heart, love for the family, situations in life and some verses written with a humorous twist.

My review

This is a delightful book of poetry with a lot of variety in the tone and content of the poems. They are all written from a very human perspective and cover the day-to-day life of a Mother of two, wife and employee with a lovely twist of humour. As all of these things myself, I found the verses to be very relatable. The book is divided into four sections which each deal with different aspects of life, namely, Family RITUals, Life rituals, Rituals of the heart and Rituals to make you smile.

Who could not enjoy…

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Beneath The Apple Blossom – Kate Frost #BookReview

11 Aug 2017 10 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Beneath the Apple Blossom, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Family, Kate Frost, Loss, miscarriage, Support, Trying to concieve

Another week of the holidays done, another book read.

A while back (possibly even a year back), I read an interview with an author called Kate Frost. Her then newly released book, Beneath The Apple Blossom, looked to be something that would be of interest to me.

The Blurb:

Four women, linked by blood ties, friendship, betrayal, loss and hope, struggle with the choices they’ve made and the hand that life’s dealt them.

All Pippa’s ever wanted is marriage and kids, but at thirty-four and about to embark on IVF, her dream of having a family is far from certain. Her younger sister Georgie has the opposite problem, juggling her career, her lover, a young daughter and a husband who wants baby number two.

Pippa’s best friend Sienna has a successful career in the film world, and despite her boyfriend pressurising her to settle down, a baby is the last thing she wants. Happily married Connie shares the trauma of fertility treatment with Pippa, but underestimates the impact being unable to conceive will have on her and her marriage.

As their lives collide in a way they could never have predicted, will any of them get to see their hopes realised?
…

As I read it I was amazed at how emotional it made me feel. I remembered the time when we were struggling. The anacronyms like 2ww and BFN and BFP flooded back, as I remembered the wonderful forum I had joined when we were struggling with conceiving, and after, for the support of others in the same situation.

It’s true though, not every woman wants to be a mother. And not everyone can make a good one either.

But the pain that accidental pregnancies can cause to others, I’ve experienced that too, while we were in the midst of our own journey. Hearing about someone talking about a baby that wasn’t expected or wanted, was like a knife being plunged into my womb, and twisted. Yes

Yes.

It felt that extreme.

Yet when there were others who were expecting, and it was a much longed for baby, I was overjoyed for the parents-to-be.

Deep down I knew that one day, our turn would come. And it did, twice, with two angel babies in between.

Beneath the Apple Blossom: The Hopeful Years Book 1 by [Frost, Kate]

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My reviews on Amazon and Goodreads:

What a great book!
Having been through fertility struggles of my own, it was amazing how I related to a lot of the issues faced by 2 of the main characters in this book.
It’s very true, that as much as some women crave to be mothers, there are those that really don’t feel it’s for them, and this book explored both sides of the same coin.
The realistic writing brought back some painful memories for me, but also that sense of camaraderie that I too felt in a very special online forum that I had also joined while trying to conceive.

Buy it on Amazon here.