Leah Smith has a new name, a new job and a new home. The sleepy seaside town, Clifton-on-Sea, is a refreshing change from the gloomy moors of Yorkshire. She couldn’t be farther away from her serial killer stalker.
Or so she thinks…
A new name isn’t enough to make her forget her past. Leah must come to terms with the events that occurred at Crowmont Hospital, especially when police discover the mutilated body of a young woman. Leah and Tom struggle with the consequences of their actions on the moors, and how they may have led to murder.
While a serial killer is on the loose, Leah throws herself into solving a different puzzle. She meets George, an elderly local man who suffered a heart-breaking childhood. In 1944, when George was just ten years old, his mother perished in a fire at the family home. His sister, Abigail, went missing during the fire, presumed dead. Abigail’s body was never recovered from the ashes. Twenty years later, George received a photograph of a young woman bearing a striking resemblance to his sister Abigail. Perhaps she didn’t die after all.
George is not a well man and time is running out to uncover what happened to little Abigail. Leah is drawn into the mystery, keen for any distraction from her own troubles. With assistance from George’s grandson, Mark, she vows to help.
But even as she immerses herself in George’s tragic past, she can never escape the one name that haunts her nightmares, Isabel Fielding…
My Review
I loved the first book, and the second was just as good. Leah has been moved under the witness protection programme, when it’s realised that Isabel survived being pushed off a cliff after trying to kill Leah and her brother Tom. They have a new life in the South East of England, living by the sea. Tom had to leave his foster family and is back with Leah, who had to leave Seb, with whom she had become good friends.
Isabel is now on the loose, in hiding and living on her wits. Her brother is in prison, her father is dead and her mother is a pill-popping alcoholic. Isabel is still obsessed with Leah, and is determined to find her.
In the meantime, Leah has found a job as a receptionist in an old people’s home, while Tom is working in a chip shop and making friends. Tom is being very difficult, and quite frankly, horrible to Leah.
In the home, Leah befriends an old man called George whose sister Abigail went missing 70 years ago. Believed to have died in a fire with her mum, her body was never found and she seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth. Leah is helping George’s grandson Mark find out what happened to Abigail.
I’m glad there was a side plot, because there wouldn’t have been enough ‘story’ with just Leah, Tom and Isabel. One thing I found very disturbing was the #justiceforAlison hashtag on Twitter, where people blame Leah for letting Isabel escape. They want her real name and location to be released. Why should public money be spent on protecting her when she was in cahoots with Isabel, they maintain. Many also believe she should have killed Isabel when she had the chance. Unless they have had military or police training, most ‘normal’ people would not be capable of killing someone, even in self defence. That’s my view anyway.
I listened to Two For Joy on Borrowbox and it’s also available on Audible. It’s the second in the series. I now need to read Three For A Girl to conclude the story.
About the Author
Sarah A. Denzil is a Wall Street Journal bestselling suspense writer. She is also known as young adult author Sarah Dalton.
Sarah lives in Yorkshire with her partner, enjoying the scenic countryside and rather unpredictable weather.
She is the author of international bestselling psychological thriller Silent Child, which topped the bestseller lists on Amazon in the US, UK and Australia.
You can read now read Aiden’s Story, a short story and sequel to Silent Child. It’s completely free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/n7lb74chp3
Find out more at: http://www.sarahdenzil.com/
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Email: sarah@sarahdenzil.com
+ Edinburgh, fiction, folklore, gothic, gothic horror, Historical fiction, mythology, review, Scotland, superstition, witchcraft, witches
The Witch, The Seed and The Scalpel by Scott O’Neill
Edinburgh 1841.
‘Reaching out like a hungry white worm it twisted and spiralled, tasting the air. Then, evidently attracted by the flow of warm blood, it squirmed its way under the surface of my skin.‘
Every autumn without fail, a strange seed appears on the chestnut tree that marks the spot where the witch Margaret McKay was murdered.
Legend states that anyone who catches this nut before it hits the ground will be blessed with untold riches, but when it falls into the eager hands of botanist Joseph Ware, the seed unleashes a terrible curse. In his quest to find the cure, Joseph discovers a resistance group battling to save the last of Scotland’s witches from a sinister order of surgeons – Gladius Dei* or The Sword of God – who believe the key to all magic lies hidden somewhere within a witch’s anatomy.
The conflict quickly tears apart the bonds of family, friendship and even reality itself, as Joseph fights to save his soul and avoid the anatomists’ dissecting table.
Ideal for readers of The Last Witch in Scotland, The Witches of Vardo, Bram Stoker or for those with an interest in witchcraft lore.
My Review
I can honestly say this was one of the strangest books I have ever read. There were times when I almost gave up, as I found some of Joseph’s visions where he talks about animal suffering (which I can relate to as a vegetarian) very upsetting. But please don’t be put off. It’s only a small part of the story, and everything else was just brilliant.
It’s a masterpiece of storytelling and modern Gothic literature – it’s use of language poetic and lyrical. It flows with the grace of a winding river, and the main characters are beautifully written and sympathetic.
And I admit I cried at the end, though I’m not sure whether it was tears of sadness or happiness for Joseph. But my favourite character was his cousin Molly, still so young, but brave, steadfast and loyal. In fact the whole story is very women-focused, the men being mainly sadistic torturers of witches, while the women understand the powers of nature, herbs and healing.
*Interesting to note that Gladius Dei was a book by Thomas Mann, though there is no parallel with this story. On the other hand the Viscus of Devilry – the seat of evil in a witch – seems to be a total invention by the author.
Many thanks to www.mcnidderandgrace.com for an ARC.
About the Author
Scott O’Neill spends much of his free time exploring the hills and shores of his homeland the Isle of Bute, a landscape full of history and mystery which inspires much of his writing including two published novels: The Buzz Building (2014) and The Hectic Headspace of Abigail Squall (2018).
He has written several screenplays including Underground, a crime thriller which was sold to Celtic Films, The Circle, an indie horror film starring Ross Noble (2017) and Sketches of Bute (2024). The sequel to The Circle called The Circle: Awakening will be released in 2025.
+ 1960s, 1970s, adoption, childhood, family, fiction, friends, grief, Iceland, Iceland noir, lies, review, Scandi noir, secrets, sisters
Home Before Dark by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir translated by Victoria Cribb
November, 1967, Iceland. Fourteen-year-old Marsí has a secret pen pal – a boy who lives on the other side of the country – but she has been writing to him in her older sister’s name.
Now she is excited to meet him for the first time.
But when the date arrives, Marsí is prevented from going, and during the night her sister Stína goes missing – her bloodstained anorak later found at the place where Marsí and her pen pal had agreed to meet. November, 1977. Stína’s disappearance remains unsolved. Then an unexpected letter arrives for Marsí It’s from her pen pal, and he’s still out there…
#HomeBeforeDark Twitter/X @evaaegisdottir @OrendaBooks @victoriacribb #RandomThingsTours @RandomTTours #booktwitter
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Desperate for news of her missing sister, but terrified that he might coming after her next, Marsí returns to her hometown and embarks on an investigation of her own.
But Marsí has always had trouble distinguishing her vivid dreams from reality, and as insomnia threatens her sanity, it seems she can’t even trust her own memories. And her sister’s killer is still on the loose…
My Review
What starts off as a slow burn, picks up pace and becomes creepier and more unsettling with every chapter. It’s told from the point of view of Marsí in November 1977, and then goes back and forth to her older sister Stína up until she went missing in November 1967.
Stína appears to have vanished completely, but how is that possible? Her body has never been found, but some believe she wanted to get away enough to leave the country and never return. That makes Marsí cross as she doesn’t believe Stína would do that to her or her parents.
The parents are a bit odd. Their mother wanted to be an actress, but had to give it up when she got married and became pregnant with Stína. Their father owns an intensive chicken farm, which is horrendous, with hens pecking other hens to death. It makes me glad I don’t eat chicken. In one part, the father is feeding chicken meat to his pet chickens, and Marsí is understandably horrified. She won’t ever eat chicken.
While searching for links to her sister’s disappearance Marsí discovers that the house where her sister studied art was previously a home for unmarried mothers called Reykir. This was during the second world war. Reykir is relevant to the story, as are various other characters in the book. There are a number of twists – including one major one – and eventually it all comes together. It’s very cleverly written and I gave up trying to guess what had happened. What makes it all the more complicated is that Marsí is an unreliable narrator, unable to separate her visions and dreams from reality.
Suffice to say I really enjoyed it and look forward to more from one of my favourite authors in one of my favourite genres – Iceland Noir. I love that Iceland is a character in itself. It’s so different from anywhere I have ever been.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
About the Author
Born in Akranes, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir studied for an MSc in Globalisation in Norway before returning to Iceland and deciding to write a novel. Her debut, The Creak on the Stairs, was published in 2018, becoming a bestseller in Iceland and going on to win the Blackbird Award and the Storytel Award for Best Crime Novel of the Year. It was published in English by Orenda Books in 2020, and became a number-one bestseller in ebook, shortlisting for Capital Crime’s Amazon Publishing Awards in two categories, and winning the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger. Girls Who Lie, Night Shadows, You Can’t See Me and Boys Who Hurt soon followed suit, shortlisting for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger, the Capital Crime Awards, and the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel. You Can’t See Me won the Storytel Award for Best Crime Novel of the Year in Iceland in 2023. In 2024, Eva won Iceland’s prestigious Crime Fiction Award, the Blood Drop, for Home before Dark and was shortlisted for the coveted Glass Key. The Forbidden Iceland series has established Eva as one of Iceland’s bestselling and most distinguished crime writers, and her books are published in eighteen languages with more than a million copies sold.
Follow her on @evaaegisdottir
About Orenda Books
Orenda Books is a small independent publishing company specialising in literary fiction with a heavy emphasis on crime/thrillers, and approximately half the list in translation. They’ve been twice shortlisted for the Nick Robinson Best Newcomer Award at the IPG awards, and publisher and owner Karen Sullivan was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2016. In 2018, they were awarded a prestigious Creative Europe grant for their translated books programme. Three authors, including Agnes Ravatn, Matt Wesolowski and Amanda Jennings have been WHSmith Fresh Talent picks, and Ravatn’s The Bird Tribunal was shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award, won an English PEN Translation Award, and adapted for BBC Radio Four ’s Book at Bedtime. Six titles have been short- or long-listed for the CWA Daggers. Launched in 2014 with a mission to bring more international literature to the UK market, Orenda Books publishes a host of debuts, many of which have gone on to sell millions worldwide, and looks for fresh, exciting new voices that push the genre in new directions. Bestselling authors include Ragnar Jonasson, Antti Tuomainen, Gunnar Staalesen, Michael J. Malone, Kjell Ola Dahl, Louise Beech, Johana Gustawsson, Lilja Sigurðardóttir and Sarah Stovell.
This is a heartwarming story about a group of friends and their families…with a sprinkle of romance and an adopted Border Terrier for good measure!
Mo, Michael, Martin, Malcolm and Craig all come from very different backgrounds, but find themselves living and working closely together, at The Buckley Hotel in central London.
The Buckley Hotel has been closed for a luxury refurbishment and these five young people – along with ‘The Boss’ John and his devoted PA Avril – have just four months to recruit and train all of the staff and get everything ready for the grand reopening of the hotel.
Along the way…they all become close friends, we meet their families and there’s plenty of tears, laughter and romance.
Hamish the Border Terrier joins them to live at The Buckley…he steals their hearts and makes their ‘family’ complete.
We learn that Mo and Michael knew each other briefly over 10 years earlier and it soon becomes clear to their new friends that they still have chemistry. The question is…will they ever do anything about it, or will they need a helping hand?
My Review
I really enjoyed reading The Buckley Hotel, but ultimately I am used to books with more drama. Traditionally a story requires a ‘dramatic arc’ which ‘refers to three main sections: exposition, climax, and dénouement, which are connected by rising action at the beginning and falling action towards the end.’
Having studied creative writing, it’s hard to ignore these three things. In this book we have a group of people – Mo, Michael, Martin, Malcolm and Craig – who all start work at the hotel at roughly the same time – and they gel immediately. Lovely, but no tension.
They work together (I hope there’s going to be a Slimming World club at the hotel as they’ll certainly need one after all the cake and biscuits), eat together, go to the pub, win the quiz every Sunday night, and generally become besties after about five minutes.
It’s not real life. I once disliked a colleague so much that I am killing her off (metaphorically speaking) in my novel. But the characters are all lovely, the setting is gorgeous, and the story is, well, nice. An easy holiday read.
However, it had SO much potential. A couple of events could have been really dramatic. Malcolm’s family situation was so sad and could have had me in tears, but it resolved itself far too quickly ‘not with a bang but a whimper.’ Then there is Grant. That could have really created an arc of its own.
It was still heartwarming and great fun. I loved the introduction of Border Terrier Hamish, and of course fluffy, white, pooch Melody. PLEASE let them have puppies together in the next book. Or maybe Buster will be Dad Dad.
Many thanks to the author for a review copy and to my ‘buddy’ readers for sharing their views.
About the Author
“I have had the absolute privilege of being the ‘Mum Mum’ of two Border Terrier boys… Hamish who sadly passed away in 2021 and now Archie who he sent to us to mend our hearts ♥️
When writing my very first book – New Beginnings at The Buckley Hotel – it was therapeutic and healing to include Hamish as a ‘character’ in the story 📕
It’s a very light hearted, easy read…the kind of book I like to read myself.
I’m currently writing my second book in this series, which is a Christmas book featuring the same characters, with the special addition of ‘wee Archie’!
AUTHOR PIC
A chilling psychological thriller by the million-copy bestselling author of Silent Child.
Who really killed Maisie Earnshaw?
Within the walls of the high-security psychiatric facility, Crowmont Hospital, reside many violent offenders. To nurse Leah Smith, no matter what, all offenders are patients first and foremost. When Leah is appointed as nurse to Isabel Fielding, she is determined to remain professional despite the shocking crime Isabel allegedly committed in her past.
Years ago, six-year-old Maisie Earnshaw was found face down in a duck pond, her body mutilated. Isabel–at age fourteen, found covered in Maisie’s blood–was convicted of murder.
As Leah spends time with Isabel, she comes to know her as a young woman with a sweet, gentle nature, someone she could never see as a murderer. Leah begins to suspect members of the Fielding family of framing Isabel as a young girl, and she’s not the only one. True crime blogger James Gorden thinks Isabel is innocent too.
Is Leah allowing her own dark past to taint her judgement as she grows closer to her patient? Or has a young woman been unjustly robbed of her childhood?
My Review
I know some people had an issue with the plot twist, but I didn’t see it coming and I don’t care. And yes the ending went into the realms of the sublime to the ridiculously far fetched, but again I don’t care because it’s fiction and I found it highly entertaining. If I wanted mundane I’d watch a soap opera (no thanks) or read a cosy crime (which I do as well).
I think one of the things I loved the most about One For Sorrow is not knowing whether Leah is innocent. ‘… a young woman with a sweet, gentle nature, someone she could never see as a murderer.‘ according to Leah. And the reader doesn’t have a clue either. And I’m not saying, because that would spoil everything.
The book has everything you could want from a thriller. It has psychopaths (or sociopaths) – I never know the difference, a grisly murder right at the beginning, an unreliable main character, a psychiatric hospital as the setting, magpies, a crazy family and a chilling, suspenseful, fast-paced story.
I listened to One For Sorrow on Borrowbox. It’s the first in a series – I already have the next book Two For Joy reserved ready. And yes I do cross myself whenever I see a magpie. ‘Good morning Mr Magpie, where’s your wife,’ you are supposed to say.
About the Author
Sarah A. Denzil is a Wall Street Journal bestselling suspense writer. She is also known as young adult author Sarah Dalton.
Sarah lives in Yorkshire with her partner, enjoying the scenic countryside and rather unpredictable weather.
She is the author of international bestselling psychological thriller Silent Child, which topped the bestseller lists on Amazon in the US, UK and Australia.
You can read now read Aiden’s Story, a short story and sequel to Silent Child. It’s completely free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/n7lb74chp3
Find out more at: http://www.sarahdenzil.com/
Join the newsletter for updates: http://eepurl.com/cwAmZD
Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahadenzil
Check out her Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/sarahadenzil/
Email: sarah@sarahdenzil.com
When a young boy endangers himself to save a mermaid, he never could have imagined the unexpected result of his actions.
Genre: Children’s fiction ages 4-8 Years
Pages: 15
It turns out one good deed deserves another.
My Review
When Douglas Ridge, who was very, very mean, captures a mermaid with the darkest hair and the greenest eyes that the young boy had ever seen, he boasts that she will make him a fortune.
But the boy is a kind and sensitive soul, and he saw the mermaid’s fear. So while Douglas and his mates are out of the room, he freed her and ‘scooped her up into his arms and held her to his chest’. He then released her back into the sea. And that was that, or was it?
But what happened many years later is at the heart of the book. I shall leave you to read it for yourselves.
It’s a lovely story with a message about kindness and karma, and it teaches children how when you help someone out who is in trouble, you may be repaid with a favour when you are in trouble yourself.
The illustrations are colourful and striking and will appeal to children of all ages.
Many thanks to Hygge Book Tours for inviting me to be part of #TheYoungMermaid #blogtour
Meet the Author
Diagnosed with dyslexia when I was 5 years old, I struggled at school until I discovered my love of books and started to learn how to read at 11. I have since published over 6 books including my Faraday Bear & Friends book series. Away from the desk I enjoy surfing, collecting badges and autographs and playing the guitar.
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+ audio book, audio drama, childhood, family, family drama, fiction, gothic, gothic horror, Gothic mystery, Historical fiction, literature, review, secrets, siblings, sisters, Yorkshire
Mrs England by Stacey Halls
West Yorkshire, 1904. When newly graduated nurse Ruby May takes a position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs.
But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear there’s something not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs England. Ostracised by the servants and feeling increasingly uneasy, Ruby is forced to confront her own demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. After all, there’s no such thing as the perfect family – and she should know.
Simmering with slow-burning menace, Mrs England is a portrait of an Edwardian marriage, weaving an enthralling story of men and women, power and control, courage, truth and the very darkest deception. Set against the atmospheric landscape of West Yorkshire, Stacey Halls’ third novel proves her one of the most exciting and compelling new storytellers of our times.
My Review
I got this audiobook from Borrowbox. It’s such a great service from the library and it’s free. Plug for our libraries, but let’s get on with the book itself.
As you know Gothic mystery / horror is one of my favourite genres, particularly the ones where an often feisty governess (in this case she’s a children’s nurse) takes a job at a remote house in the countryside. It’s spooky with shadows on the walls of corridors and messages written on mirrors, and the master is dark and broody. And handsome – obviously. The mistress is often ill (or dead) or locked in the attic (think Jane Eyre). Or supposed to be dead, but lives in the attic. But I digress.
In Mrs England, we have most of these things. Except Lilian England is very much alive, but she’s fragile, forgets things, and walks in her sleep. Her family is very rich and powerful. Mr England, however, is in charge of the house and the mill.
Ruby May, her previous family having moved to America and she didn’t want to emigrate with them because of her own family, takes a job looking after four children, Decca, Saul, Millie and baby Charlie, in deepest Yorkshire. She particularly gels with eleven-year-old Decca, who is intelligent and thoughtful.
Ruby is from Birmingham and the book is narrated from her point of view. I love the narrator’s accent. Ruby has devoted her life to being a nanny, rather than marriage and children of her own. Her feelings towards Mr England trouble her.
It’s initially a slow burn, but then it becomes mysterious and scary and I loved it more and more. I adored The Foundling, and I am now on the waiting list for The Familiars, the author’s first novel.
About the Author
Stacey Halls was born in Lancashire and worked as a journalist before her debut The Familiars was published in 2019. The Familiars was the bestselling debut hardback novel of that year, won a Betty Trask Award and was shortlisted for the British Book Awards’ Debut Book of the Year. The Foundling, her second novel, was also a Sunday Times top ten bestseller. Mrs England is her third novel.
How would you cope if your dog suddenly became disabled after an accident?
This is the situation Jo Sellers found herself in when her beloved dog Reba ran into a tree in her garden in the dark. She found herself in her worst nightmare, with her dog hanging onto life by a thread, with a broken neck making her body unresponsive. From that moment, her world turned upside down and she has chronicled her emotional journey from the moment of the accident, the surgical interventions, and the long process of helping her dog heal not only from the physical injuries, but the emotional ones too.
Publisher: Green Cat Books
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 156 including images
She is an expert in canine separation anxiety, but had never had to nurse a dog back to health before. Follow Jo through the steps she took to adapt to her dog’s changing needs, how she helped to teach her dog to stand and walk again, and how you can find inspiration from any similar situation of rehabilitating a dog after spinal injury.
My Review
One Paw At A Time is written in diary form. Each day we follow Reba’s progress from quadriplegic to restored mobility (up to a point). It’s a miraculous journey for both dog and owner.
Following Reba’s horrific accident in the garden, the operation to stabilise her neck, and the extended stay at the vet hospital, Jo has to now rehabilitate her beloved dog at home. She must perform the daily physio, provide reassurance as Reba is very distressed, help with the toileting, and cope with sleepless nights.
Initially Reba is on pain medication and sedatives, and has no control over her bladder or bowels. She cannot walk at all, so Jo must carry her everywhere. This is taking a toll on Jo’s health, she is exhausted, and has a bad back from the weight of the dog. She does have friends and family who come round to help her.
Slowly but surely, Reba begins to get better. As she becomes stronger and her mobility improves, she is less distressed. Jo cannot leave her alone in case she has another accident, and the soaring costs of the vet bills and therapy sessions are impacting on Jo’s finances. She has exceeded the insurance pay out, used all her savings, and is unable to take on work as before. But Reba comes first.
When I said I would read this book, I thought it would be heartbreaking and that I would be crying all the way through. In fact it is uplifting (once you get past Reba’s initial distress), and the strength of both pup and owner shine through. I hope we’ll get an update on Reba’s progress in due course.
About the Author
Jo Sellers is an award winning ABTC Accredited Trainer and a Certified Separation Anxiety Behaviourist. Pippin Pets Dog Training was established in 2015 at the same time her dog Reba joined the family. This cheeky Cocker Spaniel/Bichon Frise crossbreed led her to specialise in Separation Anxiety after helping Reba overcome her fear of being home alone.
Helping dogs overcome Separation Anxiety is now the principal part of her business and online support for other trapped at home owners, and she has helped hundreds of other dogs and owners.
In 2024, Reba’s freak accident shook her world, and a long road of recovery loomed ahead. She took on the challenge, learning about dog’s biology and motion, the various rehabilitation therapies, and alongside the many specialists, helped her dog to learn to walk again.
Jo regularly studies and learns from other amazing professionals to keep up to date and learn new skills and techniques in order to provide her clients with the best support and guidance.
Many thanks to Hygge Book Tours for inviting me to be part of #OnePawAtATime #blogtour
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+ family, fiction, love, Magical realism, marriage, review, romance, speculative
The Color of Dreams by Michael Zajaczkowski Readalong
What if the key to saving your dreams—and your family—came in the form of a tiny, mystical angel?
Ben Davidson’s life is unraveling. He loses his job unexpectedly, his family is slipping away, and the dream he once shared with his father is on the verge of collapse. Just when it seems like all hope is lost, a magical encounter with a glowing little angel reveals six powerful spiritual truths. Will it be enough to help Ben turn his life around before it’s too late?
Set in the late 1980s in the Pacific Northwest, The Color of Dreams weaves an enchanting tale of perseverance, love, and the mystical forces that shape our reality. As Ben embarks on a journey of self-discovery, the angel teaches him lessons that challenge his deepest fears and awaken his long-buried faith in himself.
In this life-affirming novel, readers will be drawn into Ben’s journey as he learns:
- How dreams are born from a higher source
- Why thoughts become reality
- The power of choosing faith over fear
- How to “Imagine better than the best you know”
- How to trust the “why” of your dreams and let the “how” unfold
- And most of all, how to help others by letting your inner light shine
Will Ben be able to apply these life-changing lessons to rebuild his broken life, rekindle his family’s love, and revive the dream he thought was lost? With heartfelt moments of inspiration and a touch of metaphysical magic, The Color of Dreams is a soul-stirring story that reminds us of the power of believing in ourselves and the beauty of second chances.
Perfect for fans of metaphysical fiction, spiritual transformation, and heartwarming stories of redemption, this novel will leave you inspired to chase your own dreams and embrace the possibilities of life’s unseen magic.
My Review
When I started reading The Color of Dreams and the angel was introduced, my first thought was I can’t deal with this. I don’t believe in angels, or manifesting or any of that stuff. But I was enjoying the story, and though both Ben and Em needed a kick up the bum, I loved the kids and of course Sadie the dog and Oreo the cat.
When Sadie was getting weaker and the angel was relaying to Ben what the dog was thinking (I hope that’s not a spoiler), I was crying buckets. When we lost our 17 year old Jack Russell three and a half years ago, she had dementia and was in severe distress. We knew it was time. We sat with her on the grass, the sun was shining, and the vet gave her an injection. You could tell she was at peace. I’d have loved an angel to tell me how she felt.
I’m still not sure whether the angel was real, or allegorical.
I love Ben’s relationship with his father and how after years of bitterness towards him for giving up on Ben’s dream, they can finally let go and rebuild their relationship. Ben also helps his neighbour’s grandson Toby, who is going off the rails because he has no focus, but Ben teaches him all about making the mailboxes and he is totally changed. I was surprised though that he was only 13!
A couple of things mystified me though. Em’s family are very wealthy, but apart from doing expensive sounding things with the grandchildren, they don’t help out financially at all. Seemed pretty mean to me. If they had helped, maybe Em would have been more supportive of Ben’s ambitions. We also stopped hearing about Ben’s mum – was she still around? As for Ryan – just don’t get me started.
At the end of the book there are some discussion points including one about the six lessons. The third lesson asks us Fear or Faith? I suppose this is the one that will stick with me. Because Ben is driven by fear and Em has no faith in him. It’s not a good relationship. It also asks if I could spend one day with the angel, what would I ask her? Well that’s a simple one. I want to know what my puppy is thinking!
Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of #TheColorOfDreams readalong.
About the Author
“Imagine better than the best you know…” So begins the magical teachings in my new novel, The Color Of Dreams, which releases on May 1, 2025. Imagine if a magical visitor came to you with a chance to redeem your life, a chance to make your deepest dream come true. Could you develop the faith to chase your dream one more time? The Color Of Dreams is a story I’ve had inside me for 30 years. Now my dream is finally becoming a reality! I hope it inspires you to not only let your own dream out, but that it helps you shine your light so others can follow it to live their dreams, too.
I’m inspired by books, people, animals, nature…life itself, really. In my last book, The Owner’s Manual To Life, I collected 100 of my favorite quotes and wrote a two-page essay helping to reveal their wisdom. The subtitle of the book, “Simple Strategies to Worry Less and Enjoy Life More” sums up the intent of the book. Who doesn’t want to enjoy life more? Here a few of my favorite quotes from the book:
“Happiness is pretty simple—someone to love, something to do, something to look forward to.” –Rita Mae Brown
“We don’t need more to be thankful for, we need to be more thankful.”
“Formula for failure: try to please everyone.”
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” –Annie Dillard
If you’re looking for a book to help you find the joy in this remarkable world, to help you look beyond the occasional darkness, then check it out. I guarantee it will help you become kinder to yourself, and it will help you rediscover the point and purpose of life: to help others.
Lastly, I encourage you to visit my website, https://michaelzbooks.com/ and sign up for the quotes I send out each Wednesday. Also, you’ll find my email address there; I encourage you to send me some of your favorites as well. I always enjoy the wisdom other people have inside of them.
Until then, remember what Ruth Ann Schabacker said: “Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.”
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+ Dogs, fiction, friends, friendship, grief, literature, loss, love
A New Life by LJ Ambrosio (Reflections of Michael Book 4)
From America to the streets of Paris, A New Life follows two friends as they navigate grief, love, and self-discovery in a city filled with history and hope.
A New Life is a story that lingers long after the last page
Excerpt
“They spent the rest of the trip talking about Rhonda and how great she was, from the fight where she tried to protect Ron to the National Cemetery where she was left behind by accident at dusk, not found until midnight.
“Louie and Ron had a chuckle over how Rhonda refused to walk on the sidewalks in Paris because of all the cigarette butts on the ground; she had to be pushed around in a baby carriage, because she did not want to burn her paws. Louie started crying, and Ron comforted him, assuring him that the pain was fine; he needed to accept it.
“Rhonda was so smart,” Louie said proudly. “Some people don’t know the relationship between an owner and their pet. It is so special, so unconditional. Rhonda will always be a part of me. It was nice to bury her here in America, her home country.”
“A while later, Ron and Louie arrived at their motel. Ron said to him, “Let’s get the luggage and go to bed. Hey, I was thinking when we get back to Paris, you should move in me with me and stop sleeping in the bookstore.”
“Louie could not believe what he heard. Sharing more time with Ron would be special; he was excited to have that time together.”
Competition
L.J. Ambrosio will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner…. via Rafflecopter
My Review
Since reading the last book, we acquired a Jack Russell puppy called Patch. She’s nearly nine months old. She makes Mikey look like a saint. She climbs like a monkey on tables and windowsills, chews everything and hides under the bed and won’t come out. Four slices of pizza would be chicken feed to her.
Jack Russell Mikey can never replace Rhonda, who Ron and Louie buried in America before exiling themselves in Paris, but Louie needed a friend as well as Ron. They learned a lot about love from Rhonda.
Louie is now living with Ron in his apartment and they are both running the Shakespeare and Company bookshop owned by Madame. Joseph, who they met on the street, is one of the ‘Tumbleweeds’ (who stay free in exchange for help in the shop), and Louie also befriends Adrian, a highly intellectual man who is unfortunately very sick, but is delighted with the friendship.
Since Lily passed away in book three, Louie has struggled with his sexuality, though he has never had a gay relationship and is not sure how he feels. Despite the freedom felt in Paris there is an underbelly of hatred towards gay men and communists in particular. Demonstrations can be dangerous for those involved.
I was interested in The Lost Generation of artists, writers and poets, like Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway and Hart Crane, but it was Zelda Fitzgerald’s story that really got to me. The wife of author F. Scott Fitzgerald of The Great Gatsby fame, she spent much of her life in and out of mental hospitals, diagnosed with schizophrenia, but it is more likely she was bipolar. She died with eight other women locked up in Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina. I hope the smoke got to her and the others before the fire consumed them.
Many thanks to Goddess Fish Promotions and the author for inviting me to be part of the review tour.
About the Author
Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio taught at seven universities. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.
Buy Links
Palace Marketplace: https://market.thepalaceproject.org/item/5900746
Hoopla: https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/16927020
Barnes and Noble; https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/exiles-lj-ambrosio/1145295484;jsessionid=6BEBDF0D8FDBD00DC37A1EAACF96C083.prodny_store01-atgap12
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/exiles/id6482298566
Everand: https://www.everand.com/book/720323806/Exiles-Reflections-of-Michael-Trilogy
Thalia: https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1071509419
Vivlio: https://shop.vivlio.com/product/9798990212138_9798990212138_10020/exiles
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1546995
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/exiles-65
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Exiles-Reflections-Michael-Trilogy-Ambrosio/dp/B0CZHY93GQ/ref=sr_1_1
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+ crime fiction, Detective novel, fiction, kidnapping, murder mystery, mystery, police drama, police procedural, psycopath, review, serial killer
An Evil Mind by Chris Carter (Robert Hunter #6)
A freak accident in rural Wyoming leads the Sheriff’s Department to arrest a man for a possible double homicide, but further investigations suggest a much more horrifying discovery.
A serial killer who has been kidnapping, torturing and mutilating victims all over the United States for at least twenty-five years. The suspect claims he is a pawn in a huge labyrinth of lies and deception – can he be believed?
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The case is immediately handed over to the FBI, but this time they’re forced to ask for outside help. Ex-criminal behaviour psychologist and lead Detective with the Ultra Violent Crime Unit of the LAPD, Robert Hunter, is asked to run a series of interviews with the apprehended man. These interviews begin to reveal terrifying secrets that no one could’ve foreseen, including the real identity of a killer so elusive that no one, not even the FBI, had any idea he existed … until now.
My Review
Welcome to post number six on this fab #blogathon. I will be reviewing one book per month.
This is definitely my favourite so far, even without Garcia at Robert’s side. In An Evil Mind, Detective Robert Hunter is called by the FBI to help with a case. There’s been an accident in the car park of a diner, and the truck that was hit has a surprise in the back. A freezer containing half a ton of oven chips? Cookie dough flavoured Häagen-Dazs? No, two severed heads. After all, this is Chris Carter, what else would we expect?
The case has immediately been handed over to the FBI. They have someone in custody, but he is asking for Robert, and him alone. Who is this man and why Robert? All is soon revealed, but can he believe that the suspect is innocent, and that he was simply delivering the truck.
Robert is partnered with Special Agent Courtney Taylor, working under old adversary Adrian Kennedy, head of the FBI’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime. Together they must work out if the suspect is lying, but he is like an automaton, and almost impossible to break.
A Evil Mind is quite different from Carter’s other novels, as we are examining the mind of a psychopathic serial killer, rather than looking for one. It’s terrifying. At one point I had to take a break before I could read on, because I cared about the victim. Then it happened again, but this time I also dreaded the level of violence that I knew was coming.
I really enjoyed this book and am now looking forward to the next one I Am Death which I will be reviewing on 8th September.
Many thanks to @Tr4cyF3nt0n for inviting me to be part of the #CompulsiveReaders #blogathon.
About the Author
Born in Brazil of Italian origin, Chris Carter studied psychology and criminal behaviour at the University of Michigan. As a member of the Michigan State District Attorney’s Criminal Psychology team, he interviewed and studied many criminals, including serial and multiple homicide offenders with life imprisonment convictions. He now lives in London. Visit his website www.chriscarterbooks.com
A newly married couple from Harrogate purchased a manuscript from an antiquarian bookseller titled, The Universal Language Isn’t Love or Music but Loneliness.
Completed in 1940 by unknown author, William Travers, it was one of several items offered at the estate auction of a local family. Reading and discussing the work changed their lives … and their marriage.
Waking in hospital Lieutenant William Travers learns the war’s over. The Armistice has been signed.
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Physically wounded and emotionally crippled, Travers shuns convention and, armed with an alto saxophone, turns his back on America to remain in Paris. He’s a jazzman at heart, so a jazzman he’ll remain. Throughout the Roaring ‘20s and Lean ‘30s, he encounters a bevy of characters: the artists of Montparnasse; the ladies at the Paris brothel; the curator at the Musee du Luxembourg; fellow band members in Paris; the stiff-collared Edwardians and the Bright Young Things who dance at London’s Savoy Hotel; the fiery Yorkshire sheep farmer who is half-American; the hard-bitten landlady in London; and, the owner of a Soho night club – the epicentre of everything considered illegal. On the eve of the Blitz in September 1940, he decided to perform one more gig.
A parallel narrative where the three protagonists, although separated by eighty years, confront the existential meaning of life.
My Review
Peter and Fiona have discovered a manuscript at the estate auction of a local family in Knaresborough. The author Lieutenant William Travers is unknown, but they begin to read together and their views are very different. Peter is somewhat obsessed, but Fiona fails to understand why. The story then continues with the contents of the manuscript.
I really adored Will. He’s a brilliant main protagonist in the story and we live his life through his eyes, from just after the First World War until 1940. Having been shot down in his aircraft, he was injured leaving him with mental trauma, back pain and one leg three inches shorter than the other. But he’s lucky – his friends all died.
Having no family left in America, he remains in Paris where life is much freer and he can earn a living playing his alto saxophone on the streets of Montparnasse. (He played in the house band of the Sinton Hotel before signing up to fly just as the Armistice was being signed.)
During his time in Paris he plays with the daring, modern jazz band Swaneeland from America, and in a brothel where the girls all have a sad story. Eventually, after a two year relationship with the enigmatic Veronique, he moves to London where he meets half American sheep farmer Helena Bolton-Leigh.
My only reservation is that we don’t know enough about Peter and Fiona to care about their relationship or the outcome. Fiona seems pretty horrid to me.
At one point, Will meets a woman who tells him that ‘The Universal Language Isn’t Love or Music but Loneliness‘, which becomes the title of the manuscript, but I disagree. The universal language is love and if it isn’t, it should be.
Many thanks to @ZooloosBT for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the Author
Steve earned a BA and MA in history from the University of Cincinnati. After serving five years as a captain/attack helicopter pilot in the US Army’s 9th Infantry Division (1980-1985), he worked as a professional archivist and historian for twenty-five years. He has published several articles in peer-reviewed history journals in addition to three works of scholarly non-fiction including, Britain’s Battle to Go Modern: Confronting Architectural Modernisms, 1900-1925 published in 2018.
After relocating from London to the Yorkshire Dales National Park in 2014, he set himself a challenge: to write a work of fiction. His first attempt, Grey, Red, Blue … Gone was published in 2021. Steve enjoyed the process so he set his sights on a work of historical fiction hoping to incorporate his passion for history. The Manuscript is the culmination of years of research and writing concerning the period in Paris and London known as the Jazz Age. An era when syncopated music nursed by cocktails comforted the bored and disillusioned and propelled the Bright Young Things toward an uninhibited lifestyle unknown to earlier generations.
Since his early days in secondary school, Steve has been interested in the lives and published works of several notable writers of the 1920s to the early 1940s, from F. Scott Fitzgerald and Richard Aldington to Ernest Hemingway and W. Somerset Maugham. He believes their work helped define those unique and troubling decades.
He still lives in the Yorkshire Dales National Park with his wife, Suzanne, a studio potter, whom he met twenty years ago at a Chicago jazz club, and a three-year-old rescue cat named Vesper.
Book Links
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234694686-the-manuscript
Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/manuscript-zbt
