I am delighted to be a part of the blog tour for this book, Prickly Company by Kitty Kohnson.
Frances Mathews doesn’t get out much since her husband died, but her fondness for the hedgehogs who pass through her garden prompts her to start a campaign to create a hedgehog highway in Hilltop Place―feeding stations, holes at the bottoms of gates and fences, and wild garden areas for hibernation. To Frances’s delight, her neighbours are on board. Mostly.
There are Jess and Michael, whose marriage is cracking under the unanticipated strain of a recent adoption. And Ryan, a wounded war reporter struggling to connect with his son after a divorce and forced to return to live with his mother. Then there’s the glamourous Tara and her daughter Hermie, new to the neighbourhood and already ruffling feathers. Finally, there’s Justin and Helen, a houseproud couple who are not keen to upend their picture-perfect garden for prickly nuisances.
Before long, the Hilltop Place hedgehog highway is thriving, and new friendships are springing up all over the neighbourhood. But with new friendships, secrets are revealed. What Frances and her charitable neighbours soon discover about themselves, and each other, is hardly what any of them expected. The peaceful neighbourhood will find itself threatened in ways that affect them all … hedgehogs included.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which provides some great information about Hedgehogs and how we can help this endangered animal. It also takes us through the rollercoaster lives of the residents of Hilltop Place. Frances is a widow who isn’t interested in learning how to live in the now, preferring to live in the comfort of the past. She starts the campaign to create a hedgehog highway when the animals she has come to love come to harm. Then there is Jess and Michael, a couple with their own upsets, trying to complete their family with a difficult adoption. Tara is a single mum with a bit of a reputation. Irene lives in the Place and has her son, Ryan, living with her, having come back from a war zone with life-changing injuries. Then there’s Justin and Helen, the epitome of a perfect couple, hiding their secrets. There are some real twists and turns through the book, as the residents live entwined with one another, as they also help the hedgehogs along the way. A real twist at the end, too! Enjoyed this.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kitty Johnson is the author of Five Winters. She has an MA in creative writing from the University of East Anglia and teaches occasional creative writing classes. A nature lover and artist, Kitty enjoys walking in woodland and on the coast and makes collages and paitings from the landscape. She loves a challenge and once performed stand-up comedy as research for a book ― an experience she found very scary but hugely empowering. Kitty lives in Norwich, Norfolk with her partner and teenage son. For more information, visit http://www.kittyjohnsonbooks.com.
I am delighted to be a part of the blog tour for this translated text, The Faberge Girl, by Ina Christova.
1909, St Petersburg. Seventeen-year-old Alma longs to work at the legendary House of Fabergé, with its talented artisans, winding staircases, secret golden elevator, and glasshouse of tropical plants. But instead, Alma must sketch quietly in her room, inspired by magical visions that could have her accused of witchcraft, whilst her domineering brother presents her designs as his own.
But then comes an opportunity. With the help of a Finnish artisan Knut, she attracts the attention of Carl Fabergéhimself and is given a job at the House of Fabergé. Alma’s creations attract widespread acclaim, and her star is on the rise. But the world around her is increasingly divided, as the Revolution creeps ever nearer. Alma will be forced to decide what matters most to her. Can love, art and beauty survive such hatred and violence?
At once a poignant love story, a magical coming of age tale and a haunting and evocative account of one of Russia’s darkest periods of history, Ina Christova’s transporting debut is based on the incredible true story of Alma Pihl, the only female jewellery designer at the House of Fabergé and her journey during the age of silver culture in St Petersburg.
My review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It is a beautiful story based on the real life of Faberge’s only female artisan. Alma is only 17 and dreams of joining her brother, working as an artisan in the House of Faberge, where her father also worked. But this is not a time when women would have been accepted in this light. Alma has a talent for her sketches that she cannot realise; instead, she sends ideas via her brother. There is a worry that Alma is ‘inflicted’ with some power that others will think is witchcraft, where her imagination takes flight, and she finds herself immersed in strange scenarios and situations. While this happens, she goes into trances, which her family goes to great lengths to hide, for fear of her being locked up in a monastery to be ‘cured’. However, her dream becomes a reality when Knut, another artisan, helps her meet Carl Faberge himself to present her sketches. As the revolution begins to take hold of the country and St. Petersburg, where they live, Alma gets sucked into different perils after befriending a young man who becomes one of the leaders of the resistance groups. There is a lot to unpick in this story, but I really did enjoy reading it. Having visited St Petersburg, I could imagine certain places, and with a connection to Finland, too, I was more than enamoured of this book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ina Christova is a Bulgarian writer. When not travelling around the world, she splits her time between London and Oxford. She completed an MA in English and German Literature where she was the recipient of the Eleanor Boyle and Kathleen Major prizes for her writing. Ina’s work has been longlisted for the Blue Pencil First Novel Awards and it won this year’s Novel London Literary Competition. The first draft of The Fabergé Girl was completed on the selective Curtis Brown Creative Course in London.
Month four of the year, and it’s a different life we are living at the moment. Have you managed to read more, or less? I have found that I am easily distracted from books at the moment, but that’s not so say I’m not going to try! I’ve been reading in bed, in the bath, on the sofa, in the garden, and even while walking! (yes honestly!) Last April, I think I managed around 15 books in a month. Did I hit anywhere near that number this month?
Only You by Kate Eberlen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Two young souls meet in Rome and end up striking up a friendship which turns to an intense romance. With a dance background behind both of them, music and dance bring them together more.
Until their pasts catch up with them.
I must confess that it took me a while to get into this book. Written from two perspectives, we learned about Alf and Letty, how they were feeling in Rome, but it took a little while to get in the swing of things. The second section, which jumps back, explaining the whys of the story, gave me a good few Aha! moments. And the conclusion... well, it was what we all would want from a love story.
But, I have to say, I did enjoy it, once I got into the story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, I was glad to get back to the adventures of Harry Spittle in his lawyer days! What a fantastically farcical tale of the mishaps and misadventures that Harry finds himself in, narrowly escaping prison, mixing with the wrong sorts, and with reappearing ghouls from the past. I really enjoyed it, and Le Pard’s way with words, his dry sense of humour, makes the book for me! Hooray for Harry, the hapless hero!
What a lovely story filled with love, hope and true goodness. Just the kind of book to read, to surround yourself with positivity. Quinn Cooper travels to a tiny backwater, Emerson Pass, in the snowy winter, to take up a position as a school teacher, where she can earn money, and send some back to her poverty-stricken mother and sister, back home. Lord Alexander Barnes has managed to fulfil his dreams. He moved from England to the USA, and has, slowly, built up a small town, Emerson Pass – a place he’s proud to call home. A place his children can grow up happily, despite their lack of a mother. All they need is a school, with a good teacher at it’s helm. It’s safe to say that neither Quinn, nor Alexander were what the other imagined, but as they get to know one another, it’s clear they need one another. Their story is entwined with tales of the residents of Emerson Pass, bigotry, racism, honour, respect, love. A happily ever after that I know is going to spawn some great sequels!
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but the blurb held an interesting premise. Unfortunately, I found it very hard to get into. The way the book was written with no regard to traditional structure or punctuation was different, but also confusing. Nevertheless, each short section detailing a different strong woman’s life was intriguing. I had to read to the end to find out how it all tied together. But… I just wish there were fewer characters, so I could get to know some in more detail, rather than so many, women, who seemed to blend into each other after a while. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Having read The Book Thief before, and loving it, this book, People Like Us really appealed to me and I was not disappointed, A love story, set in Germany, detailing the relationship between Hetty, daughter of a high ranking SS officer, and Walter, a young Jewish neighbour. The story starts at a time when they were children, and Hetty owes her life to Walter when he rescued her from drowning. It is a time of innocence, when there is no real distinction between Aryan and other races, for the children at least. As time goes by, and the Nazi regime begins to take hold of the lives and thoughts of the younger generations, friendship turns to forbidden love. I was engrossed from very early on in the book, and my heart went out to the innocents in the war. All those whose lives were ripped apart because of the thinking of that one man, Hitler, and his henchmen. Highly recommended, Many thanks to NetGalley ad Head Of Zeus for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review,
It’s been a couple of months since I started the Cliffside Bay series, and what with ARCS and a certain pandemic, it has taken me a while to get back to the books, but I was determined! This wonderful series of books takes a look at the lives of a group of friends whose lives become entwined in different ways. Each book takes a look at a specific couple, winding threads from previous stories, and planting the seeds for the next ones. In Marred, we learn more about Kyle and Violet. Kyle, or Kale, as Violet’s son calls him, is a successful property developer with a ton of money, a portfolio bulging with properties and a reputation as a ladies man. Violet is a single mother with a conscience. She takes an instant dislike to this man who wants to commercialise her beloved home town, Cliffside Bay, with a holiday resort, but finds herself in a situation where, not only is she working for him, but living with him too. A wonderful read, where you know the happily ever after will come, but not without its fair share of ups and downs. Thank you, Tess! On to Tainted!
Book 5 of the Cliffside Bay series and I am not tired of it at all. In fact, since I came into it so late, I am lucky that there still a good few for me to read! This story focuses on the last of the Dogs, Lance, and his relationship with Mary, who tumbled into the lives of the Cliffside Bay gang when her father, Dax, married Lance’s housekeeper, Flora. We get to learn, as we do in each story, more about these key characters, as well as taking deeper looks into the lives of the established pairs. And then there is always the introductions of fresh blood, that give you good indications of the stories that may be to come. I loved that Tess Thompson dealt with the issues around losing a baby, mid-pregnancy. Miscarriage, in all its different forms, is an awful thing to go through. I know. Been there done that. But it is handled with kid gloves, and you end the story with a huge helping of hope. Tess’s books are always filled with positivity, no matter what bumpy ride the characters may take you on, to get to the end of their journey. I can’t wait to get to the next one, now!
Katie Fford’s books have kept me company through much of my adult life, from the end of university, marriage, kids, and now, as we live in this surreal world of COVID-19. I was smitten with the story of Helena and her ‘not romantic at all’ relationship with her evil, about to evict her, landlord, Jago, as well as the tale of Gilly, Helena’s mother, who has side away from love after her divorce. Needless to say, there’s definitely a happy ending, with a few wrong ‘uns thrown in, along the way. I love how Fford writes in a way that makes the reader lose themselves in the story, forgetting reality while being immersed in her lovely stories. Definitely a great feel-good romance! Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This time we are venturing into the world of the Wolves, and their romantic pursuits. The Wolves are a secondary pack of men who have, for various reasons, ended up in Cliffside Bay and have been mentioned in the previous 5 books, so it is easy to see how their stories slot into the adventures of the Dogs. This time we are given more of an understanding about Rafael and his dark past, and Lisa, with her disturbed background, and hopes and dreams. I knew they were going to get together. I knew all was going to be fine at the end, but Thompson took her scenic route, as always, to get us to the end. Another wonderful addition to the Cliffside Bay series!
I do love these little novellas that Tess Thompson has written, to add a little splash of extra spice into her Cliffside Bay Series! Here we get to become involved in the expansion of the Dogs and their families, with not one, but two births, and all during the season of Christmas! A lovely, easy read that you can devour in one sitting.
Book seven of the Cliffside Bay series, and Tess Thompson takes us on another romantic journey, uniting a pair who are destined to be together, even though they don’t quite know it yet! We follow one of the Wolves, Stone, and his developing feelings for Pepper. Another tale of heartbreaks, and emotional upheavals that result in that Happy Ever After!
11. So I managed eleven. That’s not so bad, is it, and I managed to read lot’s of Tess Thompson’s series which was on my Kindle FOREVER!
I have omitted an arc I read as well, and I have been dipping into craft books and online courses, as well as writing, and popping in to school to do the Covid-19 version of my day job, so I don’t think eleven books is to be sniffed at!
So, how has your reading month been? Seen anything you like the look of?
I know I have been reviewing books on a monthly basis, but sometimes a book comes along with a background to it that just begs to be singled out, and I came across such a book this week.
I was extremely excited to take delivery of this inspirational book, by an equally inspirational woman.
Raj Kaur Khaira is a British-born, raised in Canada woman of South Asian descent, Sikh by religion.
At ten, she was horrified at the reaction to her sister’s birth by other family members, who were saddened that there wasn’t a boy this time.
Over the years she became a true activist for women’s rights, and her interest in the harmful impact of sexist South Asian and non-South-Asian customs and traditions on both boys and girls spurred her on to do something more.
Raj founded The Pink Ladoo Project in October, 2015.
This project was a mission to encourage families to celebrate the births of their little Princesses, as well as their little Princes.
Traditionally, at the birth of a boy, orange sweets called Ladoos are distributed to family and friends, yet nothing for the birth of a girl.
But why?
The Pink Ladoo Project strives to challenge this belief, and they asked for Indian sweet makers, and families to make/purchase/order pink ladoos, so that the arrival of a girl could be celebrated equally. Pink, not just because of the Western link with girls, but also because the colours pink, and red, signify Strength, Power, Luck and Celebration in our culture.
The Project has taken off hugely and there are many thousands of followers. It not only lauds the births of girls, but also celebrates and shares stories of female empowerment, from the story of a mother giving away her daughter at a wedding, to an occasion when three granddaughters carried out the traditionally male ritual of carrying the casket at their’ grandfather’s funeral.
I truly applaud this practice and have my own personal story to share…
When my mother was due to give birth to her first child, she was in a country away from her own family, the UK, so her mother flew over from Kenya to be here to support her.
The pregnancy hadn’t come about easily, or as quickly as some wanted, but finally, the big day arrived and so did I.
A girl.
My Pops was overjoyed. He was the first one to hold me as I had been born by c-section. I was his first child, and the first thing he could truly call his own.
My mum and grandma were so happy too.
Except, joy was marred when a woman arrived at our house, pretty much mourning the fact that I had been born a girl, especially since my grandma had flown all this way…
My Pops gave her a piece of his mind and told her she should be ashamed, being a woman herself, saying those things.
He went on to give sweets out to the family, even though eyebrows were raised, as 43 years ago this was not the done thing… But that’s my Pops. ❤
They went on to have the prodigal son, my brother, and no one complained then!
When my own first child was born after a long struggle with fertility issues, a boy, my mum did whisper to me, “We were happy with what ever grandchild you were going to bless us with, but I am secretly glad it was a boy, so no one can put any pressure on you at all…”
They would never think negatively, but were so aware of the thinking of the majority of the community.
I went on to have my Lil Princess, and actually, she was celebrated by everyone, as the first girl in two generations within my in-laws family, so her arrival was a blessing of a different sort!
From this project, for Raj, the idea stemmed to create a collection of phenomenal South Asian women, from the past, as well as the present, to inspire the South Asian Super Girls of today.
What a fabulous idea!
Raj collated the details of many women, some already known, some lesser known, but no less inspirational, and created this collection of biographies coupled with some absolutely fantastic artwork from a team of amazing South Asian women artists.
What I loved about this book was that each woman is discussed in short snippets, easy for a child to digest, and at the end, there is a page for the girl herself to write her own biography, and draw her own fantastic portrait, because we all have it within ourselves to be Super Girls!
Lil Princess is reading it now. I devoured it in a sitting, and learned about women I had admired in the past, as well as some I hadn’t heard of. From the old school royalty of India, Noor Jahan, Jhansi ki Rani and Razia Sultan, modern day celebrities, like Jamila Jameel, Lilly Singh and Meera Sayal, we are introduced to Pritam Kaur Hayre, a woman who emigrated to Canada at 50, and with no English, helped to gain rights for workers on farms, and was even vice president of the Canadian Farmworkers Union, and Jayaben Desai who also instigated protests against the working conditions in factories, and so many more.
I thoroughly recommend this book as something for all South Asian young girls, (and older ones too,) to readm as well as women from outside of the Asian community, as we definitely need to be reminded sometimes that the Female of the species is pretty damned special!
Honestly, I think each school should have a copy of it!
And there are so many more out there…
I want to mention our home grown Super Girl, Sukh Ojla, who is an extremely funny female Indian comedienne who also talks about her own anxiety and depression via her Social Media…
And within my own life, I count my own mother as a huge inspiration to me. She has taught me so much about life, and how to live it to the fullest. Her greatest advice to me was to “never lose yourself” and she has been there, my biggest supporter in my blogging and writing adventures too.
So, if you want to see a review by me, here you go…
Stories for South Asian Supergirls by Raj Kaur Khaira My rating: 5 of 5 stars An absolutely wonderful, inspirational collection of biographies celebrating the South Asian superwomen out there, some already known and some lesser-known, but no less inspirational. What a brilliant book to show our girls what they can aspire to be!
And it is available to purchase far and wide, in major book sellers, and from Amazon too. Click here to purchase.
As you can tell by the length of time between this and the last review, my reading has been little and often, rather than steaming through books, but you can thank the time of year for that!
Anywho, where was I? Oh yes! My review! I was pleased to receive a copy of Amanda Prowse’s new book, The Girl In The Corner via NetGalley, and as a complete fan of her books, I was not disappointed in the slightest with this one either!
Let me give you a little info on the book first.
Rae-Valentine and Howard were childhood sweethearts. They’ve shared twenty-five peaceful years since they were brought together by Dolly, Howard’s larger-than-life sister. But now, on the night of their wedding anniversary, Howard reveals a shocking betrayal that leaves Rae reeling.
Heartbroken, she takes Dolly on her would-be anniversary trip to Antigua and the two women drink and dance and talk like they haven’t in years. But in the break from real life, Rae realises her choices have always been made for her, and suddenly she’s questioning not only her fragile marriage but also her one-sided friendships. Is she really the pushover everyone else sees?
When Howard comes looking for reconciliation, Rae has a choice to make: keep the peace, as she always has, or put herself first for once and find out who she really is.
And my review…
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yet another wonderful page-turner by this wonderful author, Amanda Prowse.
I was hooked within mere pages, wanting to read the story of the rather exotically named Rae Valentine, who had an extremely unexotic life.
Much like a lot of women out there, Rae Valentine finds herself in an almost prescribed role of wife, mother, carer, cook, cleaner, general dogsbody, then a shock admission from her husband sends her life spinning off axis.
Will she forgive him?
Will she sink back into that corner, content to be an observer, and the good old Rae Valentine expects, or will she finally take her own steps into the centre of the room?
Beautiful, believable writing, hinting at a life we can relate to, a person we probably know, and an ending that has left me wanting Amanda to get writing on a sequel!
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This title is expected for publication in December 2018.
![Booms And Busts by [Le Pard, Geoff]](https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/4158%2BoOW%2BvL.jpg)
![The Girl in the Corner by [Prowse, Amanda]](https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41zJjJpDYnL.jpg)
But I Smile Anyway... 