Uncategorized – Page 8 – Everything Is Better With Dragons

Cover Reveal: The Gossips’ Choice, by Sara Read

Blurb

“Call The Midwife for the 17^th Century”

Lucie Smith is a respected midwife who is married to Jacob, the town apothecary. They live happily together at the shop with the sign of the Three Doves. But sixteen-sixty-five proves a troublesome year for the couple. Lucie is called to a birth at the local Manor House and Jacob objects to her involvement with their former opponents in the English Civil Wars. Their only-surviving son Simon flees plague-ridden London for his country hometown, only to argue with his father. Lucie also has to manage her husband’s fury at the news of their loyal housemaid’s unplanned pregnancy and its repercussions.

The year draws to a close with the first-ever accusation of malpractice against Lucie, which could see her lose her midwifery licence, or even face ex-communication.

Orenda Roadshow Southwell library 27th February 2020

Just got back, I had to walk off some of my giddiness. I had a wonderful time. I spoke to a few people, authors mostly, plus Anne Cater the fabulous blog tour organiser and Karen Sullivan, publisher. I bought 6 books, some from authors I’ve read before, like Matt Wesolowski and Antti Tuomainen, and some by authors I haven’t read but I liked the bits they read out, like Will Carver and Kjell Ola Dahl. I also got the Vanda Symon book I was missing, Ringmaster.

And it was 3 for 2 so I had a bit of a spree and supported a small independent bookshop, The Bookcase in Lowdham, Nottinghamshire. Indie publisher, indie bookshop, supported by a local library. It’s wonderful.

I really enjoyed meeting Johanna Gustawsson. I have all three of her books but I only brought Blood Song as it was the first one of hers that I read and I didn’t want to overwhelm her. We had a chat about realistic autistic representation.

I am slowly calming down, the walk through night time Southwell and then writing this has helped, but I’m still all bubbling with happiness. Going to journal for a bit to ground me again. I need to get some sleep tonight.

It was probably a mistake getting a room at a pub. I can hear conversations down in the bar.

Extract Post: Walking Back to Happiness, by Penelope Swithinbank

Blurb

Two vicars, their marriage in tatters with wounds reaching far back into the past, set out on a journey to find healing and restoration. Their route will take them from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, but will it help them find their way home? Along the 320-mile route across rural France, burdened by backpacks and blisters, Kim and Penelope stumble across fresh truths, some ordinary, others extraordinary. But will they be defeated by the road ahead or triumph over the pain of the past? Is there a chance they’ll find themselves in France and walk back to happiness? In this simple but enchanting book, part travelogue and part pilgrimage, Penelope invites you to walk with her and her husband on their epic journey as they encounter new faces and new experiences, and reconnect with each other and with God. Every step of the way, you’ll discover more about yourself and what’s really important to you.

Review: The Base of Reflections, by AE Warren (Tomorrow’s Ancestors Book 2)

The Base of Reflections

What happens when the future abandons the past?

Elise and her companions have made it to the safety of Uracil but at a price. Desperate to secure her family’s passage, she makes a deal with Uracil’s Tri-Council. She’ll become their spy, jeopardising her own freedom in the process, in exchange for her family’s safe transfer. But first she has to help rescue the next Neanderthal, Twenty-Two.

Twenty-Two has never left the confines of the steel walls that keep her separated from the other exhibits. She has no contact with the outside world and no way of knowing why she has been abandoned. With diminishing deliveries of food and water, she has to start breaking the museum’s rules if she wants a second chance at living.

One belongs to the future and the other to the past, but both have to adapt—or neither will survive…

Purchase Link – http://mybook.to/TBOR

Map Review: Major & Mrs Holt’s Battle Map of the Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches

My Review

This map seems fairly detailed and would be useful for someone touring the D-Day Landing beaches if they’re searching for specific sites. No hotels, car parks etc. but the GPS references would make your tour to Normandy easier.

October to December 2019 Scheduled Reviews and Promo Posts

Since it’s almost October (what a thought!) I decided I’d better start being a bit more organised again and actually write one of my ‘scheduled reviews’ post so you know what’s coming up.

Some of the blog tours I’m participating in in the next three months

October

2nd
- Review – Crime
- Sound by Catherine Fearns
- Organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

4th
- Review – Crime
- A House of Ghosts by W.C. Ryan
- Organised by Compulsive Readers

7th
- Review – Folklore
- Foxfire, Wolfskin and Other Stories of Shapeshifting Women by Sharon Blackie
- Organised by Random Things Tours

10th
- Review – Crime
- The Birthday House by Jill Treseder
- Organised by Random Things Tours

14th
- Review – Crime
- Sacrificing Starlight by David Pipe
- Organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

20th
- Review – Crime
- Hallowed Ground by Paul Twivy
- Organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

22nd
- Promo Post – Crime
- The Wife’s Revenge by Deirdre Palmer
- Organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

23rd
- Promo Post – YA
- Darkest Hour by Rachel Churcher
- Organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

23rd
- Review – Non-Fiction
- Charles and Ada: the computer’s most passionate partnership by James Essinger
- Organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

27th
- Review – Crime
- Little Siberia by Antti Tuomainen
- Organised by Orenda and Random Things Tours

28th
- Review – Children’s Picture Book
  - The Alphabet of Life by Fran Morris
  - Organised by Authoright

November

2nd
- Review – Non-Fiction
- Stand Against Injustice by Michelle Diskin
- Organised by Love Books Tours

5th
- Review – Crime
- Demon’s Fire by Lee Cockburn
- Organised by Authoright

9th
- Review – Crime/Sci Fi
- Blue Gold by David Barker
- Organised by Love Books Tours

14th
- Review – Non-Fiction
- Frankie: the women who saved millions from thalidomide by James Essinger & Sandra Koutzenko
- Organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

18th
- Excerpt –
- The Devil’s Apprentice by Kenneth B Andersen
- Organised by Love Books Tours

23rd
- Review – Crime
- In the Wake by Helen Trevorrow
- Organised by Love Books Tours

26th
- Review – Crime
- Children of Fire by Paul CW Beatt
- Organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

December

1st
- Review – Crime
- Death Makes No Distinction: A Dan Foster Mystery by Lucienne Boyce
- Organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

4th
- Promo Post – YA
- Fighting Back by Rachel Churcher
- Organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

As you can see October and November will be busy but I’m taking most of December and January off to read the 50+ books I’ve acquired over the summer for myself rather than doing blog tours. I also have a small mountain of books from Pen & Sword to review. At some point soon there will be a true crime review post. Maybe to tie in with Halloween. I don’t know. And now I must go, I’ve got three books to review next week, and I’m only partly through two of them and haven’t started the third. Plus I need to get some ideas written down for my fantasy novels. I’m making some pretty big edits to the already published books and will be changing the third book, but that’s another post altogether.

Review: ‘Magnificent Women and their revolutionary machines’, by Henrietta Heald #RandomThingsTours #Unbounders #MagnificentWomen

Blurb

‘Women have won their political independence. Now is the time for them to achieve their economic freedom too.’

This was the great rallying cry of the pioneers who, in 1919, created the Women’s Engineering Society. Spearheaded by Katharine and Rachel Parsons, a powerful mother and daughter duo, and Caroline Haslett, whose mission was to liberate women from domestic drudgery, it was the world’s first professional organisation dedicated to the campaign for women’s rights.

Magnificent Women and their Revolutionary Machines tells the stories of the women at the heart of this group – from their success in fanning the flames of a social revolution to their significant achievements in engineering and technology. It centres on the parallel but contrasting lives of the two main protagonists, Rachel Parsons and Caroline Haslett – one born to privilege and riches whose life ended in dramatic tragedy; the other who rose from humble roots to become the leading professional woman of her age and mistress of the thrilling new

In this fascinating book, acclaimed biographer Henrietta Heald also illuminates the era in which the society was founded. From the moment when women in Britain were allowed to vote for the first time, and to stand for Parliament, she charts the changing attitudes to women’s rights both in society and in the workplace.

Review: ‘Lost Solace’, by Karl Drinkwater

Sometimes spaceships disappear with everyone on board – the Lost Ships. But sometimes they come back, strangely altered, derelict, and rumoured to be full of horrors.

Opal is on a mission. She’s been seeking something her whole life. Something she is willing to die for. And she thinks it might be on a Lost Ship.

Opal has stolen Clarissa, an experimental AI-controlled spaceship, from the military. Together they have tracked down a Lost Ship, in a lonely nebula far from colonised space.

The Lost Ship is falling into the gravity well of a neutron star, and will soon be truly lost … forever. Legends say the ships harbour death, but there’s no time for indecision.

Opal gears up to board it. She’s just one woman, entering an alien and lethal environment. But perhaps with the aid of Clarissa’s intelligence – and an armoured spacesuit – Opal may stand a chance.

Theakston’s Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival, Harrogate: Day One

Entry 1: 14:45

After an early start, due to massive anxiety, I caught my first train. It was on time and everything. The TransPennine Express is reasonably comfortable, and from Grimsby to Scunthorpe I had 1st Class all to myself.

Yes, I travel first class when I can. I need the extra leg room and the quiet. TPExpress trains don’t have a quiet carriage and the standard class carriages can turn into a scrum on a bad day.

So, I got to Doncaster on time and made use of the LNER 1st class lounge to get a cuppa and water. I’ve never been in there before, and since I’m getting the Northern rattletrap on the return journey I won’t be again, at least not this time. It was very comfortable. The train was late and I had to go across to platform 8 but it’s a warm, muggy day so sitting outside wasn’t too horrendous. I drank my hot chocolate – I filled up my travel cup while I was in the 1st class lounge – and waited, wrote some Twitter poetry about being anxious and tried to read some more of The Quaker, but it just wasn’t doing anything for me (see review post).

The LNER train was comfortable, again 1st class. It was better than the TPExpress, more leg room and a free drink, but the carriage was bigger and there were more people. It was the London King’s Cross to Leeds train so I was joining it late. Definitely impressed, and should I make any trips to London. I’m going to try to book far enough in advance that I can afford to go first class. I had a decent chair and table to myself. Not a big table, but better than the ones on the TPExpress.

Having got to Leeds late I missed my connection to Harrogate, but another one was due at 1315. I got that one. Northern have definitely improved their carriages. It was much better than the almost a tram I’ve been on on that route before.

I got to Harrogate about 1420, and after a taxi ride to the Premier Inn, I got here at 1430. To find that the computer system had crashed and I couldn’t check in yet. I’m in the bar using my portable wifi to write this. I’ll update later.

Entry 2: 21:28

Well, I’m back at my hotel after my first foray to The Old Swan.

It was terrifying. I didn’t know anyone. there were crowds, it was noisy. I went to the reception tent for help. Got a programme so I can plan my weekend and because I mentioned getting PIP they gave me an access pass so I could get in first for events. It sort of helped, but I wandered around confused a lot and ended up in the short queue walking in tight little circles like I normally do when I’m heading into a meltdown.

I’ve come back to my hotel rather than network and drink with everyone else because I’m in pain. Can’t decide if it’s from too much walking or anxiety. I’m really not up to socialising tonight, maybe I’ll try again tomorrow?

But what happened at the awards, I hear you ask.

There were speeches from one of the organisers, I didn’t catch her name, from the sponsor’s representative, Simon Theakston, and from the award presenter Mark Lawson. They were all very funny.

Mr Lawson invited all the nominees up on to the stage one at a time to talk about their books. They were also amusing. Boris Johnson kept getting a mention.

Ian Rankin presented the award for outstanding contribution to crime writing to James Patterson. He was marvellously hilarious.

Then, Simon Theakston opened the golden envelope, and announced the winner.

The winner of the Theakston’s Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year 2019 went to Steven Cavenagh, for Thirteen.

Now, if you’ve read my reviews of the shortlist books, you’ll know I struggled with this one. Courtroom thrillers just aren’t my thing, but the judges liked it so who’m I to disagree. I’m only a little book blogger.

Oh and for people who are in Harrogate, I’m the big, fat woman who wears headphones all the time.

Book Promo: ‘The Nanny At Number 43’, by Nicola Cassidy

·        **Paperback:** 344 pages
·        **Publisher:** Poolbeg Press Ltd; 1 edition (1 July 2019)
·        **Language:** English
·        **ISBN-10:** 1781998086
·        **ISBN-13:** 978-1781998083

**Amazon:** https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nanny-at-Number-43/dp/1781998086

BLURB
Wanted, a respectable woman to care for a motherless child.
When William D. Thomas’s wife dies in childbirth, he places an advertisement in his local newspaper seeking a nanny for his newborn child.
He is thankful when an experienced nanny arrives at 43 Laurence Street and takes over from his frazzled housekeeper Mrs McHugh.
Mrs McHugh confides in her bedridden friend Betty, who has a bird’s-eye view of all the happenings on Laurence Street, that the Nanny is not all she seems. Betty begins her own investigation into the mysterious woman.
When the bodies of twin babies are discovered buried in a back garden, by a family who have moved from their tenement home into a country cottage, a police investigation begins.
But it is Betty who holds the key to discovering who the Nanny really is … and the reason she came to 43 Laurence Street.

This was supposed to be a review but the book didn’t arrive on time. I will be reviewing it at a later date.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nicola Cassidy is a writer and blogger from Co. Louth, Ireland.

She started her writing career early, entering short story competitions as a child and became an avid reader.

Encouraged by her English teachers, she chose to study journalism at Dublin City University and while working in political PR and marketing, studied a series of advanced creative writing courses at the Irish Writers’ Centre.

Later she set up a lifestyle and literary blog http://www.ladynicci.com/, which was shortlisted in the Ireland Blog Awards in 2015 and 2016 and finalist in 2017 and 2018.

She signed with Trace Literary Agency in 2016.

December Girl is Nicola’s debut historical fiction novel and is set in the mystical and ancient Boyne Valley, Co. Meath, famed for its stone age passage tombs. Elements of the story are inspired by true events.

Her second novel The Nanny at Number 43 is published by Poolbeg Press.

She lives with her husband and two young daughters in Termonfeckin, Co. Louth.

Follow her at http://www.ladynicci.com/, on Twitter @ladynicci or http://www.facebook.com/ladynicciblog.