Published by POINT BLANK 7 October 2021 Hardback £14.99
A murder A resident of small-town Visberg is found decapitated in the forest A festival An isolated hilltop community celebrates ’Pan Night’ after the apple harvest A race against time As Visberg closes ranks, there could not be a worse time for Tuva Moodyson to arrive as deputy editor of the local newspaper. Tuva senses the scoop of her career, unaware perhaps that she is the story…
Set in Sweden’s Halloween season, when the forests are full of elk hunters and the town of Visberg is thick with the aroma of rotting fruit, BAD APPLES is a thrilling introduction for readers new to the series, and for die-hard #TeamTuva fans, a heart-stopping rollercoaster…
The Wolf Skinned is the first book in a series which chronicles the saga of Ulf The Wolf Skinned, a blood hungry Viking Berserker. Ulf is one of Odin’s sacred warriors known as a Ulfhednar; clothed in a wolf’s skin, he leaves a trail of death and pain wherever he goes. At the tender age of 17 he already has a fearsome reputation as his adopted father Eric Bloodaxe’s deadly hound of war. And by the end of the year 915 AD, every Saxon will know and fear the name, Ulf The Wolf Skinned. Link Here
My Review
I quite like historical fantasy, and historical fiction, especially stuff from the Anglo-Saxon period. It’s even better if some of the main characters were real, but unknown generally and going on an adventure. In this novella, Lady Ælfwynn of Mercia, daughter of Æthelflæd of Mercia and her husband Æthelred, has an adventure among the Vikings, and meets Ulf, a berserker.
Set in 915, five years after Æthelred’s death, when Edward of Wessex and Æthelflæd of Mercia continued to fight the Vikings as their father Alfred the Great, of Wessex, had done. In history, Æthelflæd died in 918, just before the Vikings of York were to kneel to her, and Ælfwynn took control of Mercia, but only for a few months. Before the end of the year she had been taken to Wessex by her uncle Edward and he took control of Mercia. His son became the first King of the English. No one knows what happened to Lady Ælfwynn. I personally think she was locked up in a nunnery so no one could object to her uncle’s theft of her throne. It wasn’t unheard of for a royal woman to become a nun, and it was unusual for a woman to rule alone.
Jack Johnson gives Lady Ælfwynn an adventure to rival the real adventures of her mother.
Lady Ælfwynn is doomed to marry a man of Northumbria that she doesn’t like, until the Vikings arrive to rescue the Berserker Ulf from captivity in Durham. Ulf and Ælfwynn run away from the fighting and head to York to join up with Ulf’s adopted father, Eric Bloodaxe. On their journey, they get to know each other and fall in love. In York, the Vikings are concerned about having Edward of Wessex’s niece in their halls as a ‘hostage’.
When the Lady of Mercia arrives with her brother and prospective son-in-law at the gates of York, it seems a battle is inevitable. Eric Bloodaxe tries to discuss terms with the Lady, but things don’t go well.
There is a battle. There is treachery. It’s very exciting.
And I want to know what happens next.
–
Luckily I know the author, so I’ll get to read the next instalment before it’s published. I got to read this one in an earlier stage.
–
I thought the descriptive writing was excellent and the little bits of magical reality add an enchanted element to the narrative. The Gods are certainly playing with people’s lives. It’s hinted at, subtly, that Odin is abroad in England.
–
One-eye’d trouble-making git.
–
I enjoyed the characterisation of Ælfwynn and Ulf, and the development of their relationship. Their relationship is loving and based on friendship and shared difficulties, before it becomes physical, which I liked.
The battles are very invigorating and exciting to read. They are written with a dreamlike reality. This is because the author sees them in his mind and writes what he sees.
If you like Bernard Cornwall’s Uhtred of Bebbenburg books or the TV series based on them, or the TV series Vikings, this novella is for you.
Drawing on more than a decade’s experience working with former tennis World Number One Sir Andy Murray, The Way of the Tortoise introduces you to the benefits of the slow lane and reveals why it’s the only true path to a high-performance mindset.
Taking inspiration from Aesop’s well-known fable of the Hare and the Tortoise, internationally renowned trainer Matt Little recognizes that there is no fast path to success. By focusing on immediate results, we can gloss over process in the race to get ahead, skipping over the lessons and experiences that we all need to build solid foundations for our future achievements. Matt shows that taking the slow lane can not only help you reach your goals more effectively, it can make your successes more sustainable by increasing your motivation, energy and resilience. Packed full of examples from the highly adaptable worlds of sport and business, as well as Matt’s own remarkable career, The Way of the Tortoise reveals, through practical exercises and techniques, the essential strategies we can all use to achieve extraordinary results.
Female writing duo ‘Elizabeth Harrison’ releases a powerful thriller that addresses the issues women face through life and the readiness of the drug companies to provide a pill for every problem.
Roberta, Rosie, Sandra and Linda meet at college in the 70s and remain constant friends, despite life’s up and downs. The sudden death of one of the friends leads the others to suspect that a slimming drug she had been taking was perhaps to blame. Was this a wonder drug or a threat to life? The friends start to uncover long held secrets and betrayals – both personal and professional, but the pharmaceutical industry is not yet finished with them.
Feeding the Gods is a thriller that addresses friendships, the different roles a woman must take on through life and the power of the drug giants.
“Feeding the Gods is a triumph of strong female voices. Posing toughquestions and packed with character, it’s bold, witty and thoroughly engaging.” – Miles Hawksley
Themes Friendship Adventure Family Deaf sibling Sign Language Acceptance
Blurb
What would you do if you found the world’s smallest dog?
When Ernie and his family leave the countryside to move to the city. Ernie feels like he’ll never settle into their new home.
Yet on his very first night, a surprising new friend introduces himself – Swop is a very tiny dog. A dog that just happens to be the size of a satsuma.
Ernie vows to keep Swop a secret, but Swop has other ideas and he’s determined to make Ernie’s first day at his new school a memorable one!
Kerry Daynes, leading forensic psychologist, takes us into the murky world of psychological investigation to uncover what lies buried. Each of her clients is classed as a ‘mentally disordered criminal offender’ whose psychological problems have contributed to them breaking the law.
Whether she is dealing with a young murderer who says he has heard voices telling him to kill, a teacher who daubs children in red paint and threatens to abduct them, or an aspiring serial killer who faints at the sight of blood, Kerry’s quest is to delve beyond the classic question asked of forensic psychologists: ‘Are they mad or are they bad?’
In her new book, Kerry provides an unflinching, enlightening and provocative insight into the minds of her clients, shedding light on the root causes of their behaviour.
Four chilling true crime stories in one collection.
Best-selling true crime author, Ryan Green, has complied four fascinating stories in one collection. Volume five contains some of Green’s most intriguing accounts of violence, abuse, deception and murder. Within this collection, you’ll receive:
The Texas Tower Sniper: The Terrifying True Story of Charles Whitman Growing up under the brutal rule of his father took its toll on Charles Whitman Jr. He could not live up to the impossible expectations or accept the failures. His life started to unravel. He wasn’t going to slide into mediocrity or go silently into suicide. The world needed to know his name and what he was truly capable of, for the rest of time.
The Kentucky Cannibal: The True Story of an Outlaw, Murderer and Man-Eater In 1850, Boone Helm headed “Out West” to chase the Californian Gold Rush. During his travels, Helm killed and consumed the flesh of his enemies and travelling companions, earning him the nickname “The Kentucky Cannibal”. In California, where violence was the law of the land, Helm’s savage set of skills could finally be recognised and rewarded.
Vampire Killer: A Terrifying True Story of Psychosis, Mutilation and Murder In 1978, Richard Chase was influenced by constant commanding delusions that had devastating consequences on the City of Sacramento. The crime scenes were so disturbing that the police were not equipped to deal with them. Within the space of a month, six victims were found mutilated, disembowelled, abused and missing vast quantities of blood.
Gorilla Killer: A True Story of Betrayal, Brutality and Butchery Before Bundy and BTK, there was Earle Nelson. Serial Killers were unknown to the American public in the 1920s but the local authorities and press were fast becoming aware of the devastating and horrific reality that unfolded before their eyes. The roaming “Gorilla Killer” became the first real ‘superstar criminal’ who everyone talked about and feared.
The Ryan Green True Crime Collection contains chilling accounts of some of the most brutal and bizarre true crime stories in history. Green’s riveting narrative draws the listener into the real-life horror experienced by the victims and has all the elements of a classic thriller.
My review
I received an email from Ryan Green about a month ago, the day this audiobook was published on Audible and received a code for a free copy in return for an honest review.
Three of these books were new to me; I’ve listened to The Kentucky Killer before, so that one was not a surprise to me, and I’ve heard of the Gorilla Killer from a podcast. I’ve heard of Richard Chase but not the details, and I hadn’t heard of Charles Whitman at all.
The narratives of each of these men is told in an easy to understand and easy to digest. Some of the material is very graphic so it should be approached with caution. The lives of the murderers is told in chronological order from birth to death. Some of the possible origins for their behaviour and their self-justification are explored.
Steve White is a very good narrator and he does the material justice.
Billy Plonka – the Prince of Stink, the Monarch of Muck, the Sultan of Slime, the Duke of Dregs and the King of Kak. He’s the most extraordinary maker of GROT in the entire world, and he’s invited 5 individuals (Orson Ploop – An overweight kazoo playing protégé; Victoria Scabb – 259th in line to the English throne; Viola Mudguard – 11-year-old, ex-Wollywood star; Spike Peecee – A self-obsessed dweeb who can never disconnect from the Internet; and Marley Suckett – An anti-hero), to visit his world-famous Grot Laboratory, and step into an adventure they will never forget!
Your tour is about to start. Don’t wander off . YOU! Yes, YOU! I’m talking to YOU! Mr. Plonka would hate to lose you along the way… READ IT!!! BILLY PLONKA AND THE GROT LABORATORY- the 100% unofficial official parody of one of the greatest children’s stories of all time.
This modern re-telling of the Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ stays true to the wonderful wit of Dahl, but brings the tale into the modern age with a lovely twist at the end. Each character meets their grotty fate as they go on their tour of The Grot Laboratory – as the name suggests, a disgusting place full of scumpiddlinoxious fumes and materials. Words reminiscent of Dahl fill the pages – Whi-ffi (it’s like wifi only smellier), whazzplop and picklescooper to name but a few.
Audiobook Published June 8th 2021 by Orbit ISBN:154910487X (ISBN13: 9781549104879) Series: Burning Kingdoms #1
Tasha Suri’s The Jasmine Throne begins the powerful Burning Kingdoms trilogy, in which two women–a long-imprisoned princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magic–come together to rewrite the fate of an empire.
Exiled by her despotic brother when he claimed their father’s kingdom, Malini spends her days trapped in the Hirana: an ancient, cliffside temple that was once the source of the magical deathless waters, but is now little more than a decaying ruin.
A servant in the regent’s household, Priya makes the treacherous climb to the Hirana every night to clean Malini’s chambers. She is happy to play the role of a drudge so long as it keeps anyone from discovering her ties to the temple and the dark secret of her past.
But when Malini bears witness to Priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a vengeful princess seeking to steal a throne. The other is a powerful priestess seeking to find her family. Together, they will set an empire ablaze.
Deadbeat Kevin Jones finds himself kidnapped to an alternative reality where Wales is the single global superpower. Abducted from his mundane existence by the mysterious Gwen, she tells him there are forces seeking his destruction – he has to run or die. It turns out Kevin’s story holds the key to why all worlds but ours turn out the way they do – Pax Cambria.
Featuring a host of mysterious characters, cheese-on-toast based fast food, altright druids and the deadly all-knowing Taffia, Anthracite begins the battle to address the woeful lack of Welsh themed comedy cyberpunk. The fearsome Jones-Corporation might run the world but they have a dirty little secret they don’t want to get out. Swansea has never looked more like near-future LA. It’s already got the rain.
![The Wolf Skinned (The Wolf Skinned Saga Book 1) by [Jack Johnson]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41HGkdfEQ1L.jpg)
Everything Is Better With Dragons 