#BlogTour: The Crying Season by D. K Hood @bookouture @DKHood_Author @NHolten40 #TheCryingSeason

Book Synopsis:

The light fades as she runs for her life, the forest now becoming quieter around her. The only noise she hears is the sound of footsteps following her…

It’s hiking season in Black Rock Falls and the small town in Montana is flooded with visitors. But when a hiker finds a human skull on a deserted trail in the woods that surround the town, Detective Jenna Alton is called in to investigate.

With no missing persons reported, Jenna has no leads. Then her team makes a shocking discovery – the body of another hiker, a young man, tied to a tree and riddled with bullets. Could the two murders be linked?

As more bodies are found, Jenna and her deputy David Kane know that they must venture deep into the forest to find and face the killer. But nothing can prepare them for what awaits them there…

The Crying Season is available in ebook and paperback now.  The ebook is currently only £1.99 but you can purchase a copy of both here.

My Review:

Wow DK Hood has done it again with this brilliant, creepy and tension filled book.  From the opening, dramatic chapter I was hooked and I felt like I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as I was desperate to find out what happens next.

The tension never really lets up in this book as there is a generally creepy feeling to it.  The idea of something lurking in the woods is a fear that never really leaves us from childhood and the author plays on this brilliantly.  The reader is aware quite early on that there is a serial killer on the loose that made me feel that something was going to happen or something jump out at any moment which definetly kept me on my toes!

Crime fiction involving serial killers are always my favourite as they are always do unpredictable and this book is no exception.  There are lots of twists and turns and the story ended up going in a completely different direction than I thought it was.  I had lots of ideas as to who the serial killer was but was proved wrong on many occasions which made for a very intriguing read.  I love a book that does this and keeps me guessing.

As with the other books in the series I really enjoyed the fantastic relationship that the two lead detectives share.  It is a relationship based on mutual affection and trust which was great to read about.  The banter and jokes between them helped break up the tension and lead to some of the funny moments in the book.

This is the fourth book in the series but I think it would be fine as a standalone as anything you need to know is explained.  Each story is individual in its own way which makes it easy to start with any of the books in the series.

Huge thanks to Noelle from Bookouture for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.  If you like creepy, fast paced crime novels then you’ll love this book.  Just make sure you’ve got a clear schedule as you won’t be able to put it down!

About The Author:

 

 

 

 

Top 100 Amazon Bestselling Author.
I’ve always had a wicked sense of humor, and was the kid who told the ghost stories around the campfire. Writing crime thrillers for Bookouture is a dream come true for me. I really love writing the Kane and Alton Series. The success of Don’t Tell a Soul reaching 32 in the Top 100 Bestseller list on Amazon in the USA, 8 in Canada and 7 in Australia plus three genre bestsellers lists followed by Bring Me Flowers enjoying the same success, spurred me on to write more thrilling novels. Follow Me Home came next and The Crying Season is due for release in October 2018. There will be two more books in the series to come at least. My readers are wonderful people and have been my inspiration to keep going.
Why set the series in Montana?
I have spent wonderful vacations in many countries. I love the rugged beauty of Montana and can’t wait to return. I use the memories from my travels to enhance my stories.
My interest in the development of forensic science to solve crime goes back many years. It was one subject I enjoyed studying and with the constant advances, it never gets boring.
With many stories, waiting for me to write I’ll look forward to sharing many more exciting crime thrillers with you.
Join me on Twitter and Facebook.
D.K. Hood is an active member of International Thriller Writers.
http://www.dkhood.com

 

(Author picture and bio taken from Amazon.)

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#BlogTour: The Lost Daughter by Gill Paul @annecater @headlinepg @GillPaulAUTHOR @Phoebe_Swinburn #HisFic #99pEbook

Book Synopsis:

A Russian princess. An extraordinary sacrifice. A captivating secret…

From the author of The Secret Wife, a gripping journey through decades and across continents, of love, devastating loss and courage against all odds.

1918
With the country they once ruled turned against them, the future of Russia’s imperial family hangs in the balance. When middle daughter Maria Romanova captivates two of the guards, it will lead to a fateful choice between right and wrong.

Fifty-five years later . . .
Val rushes to her father’s side when she hears of his troubling end-of-life confession: ‘I didn’t want to kill her.’ As she unravels the secrets behind her mother’s disappearance when she was twelve years old, she finds herself caught up in one of the world’s greatest mysteries.

The Lost Daughter is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only 99p.  You can purchase a copy of both here.

My Review:

The Lost Daughter is another superb book from Gill Paul.  I’m a huge fan of Russian history and the fate of the Romanov family has always intrigued me.

The story is told in two parts.  One follows Maria and her experiences in Russia and the other follows Val as she tries to solve the mystery her father left behind.

My favourite character was Maria as I really admired her bravery and determination particularly when in such a hopeless situation.  She never gives up always believing that there is a way out and things will get better.  Her immaturity at the beginning, particularly involving the opposite sex was very touching to read about, even when it gets her into some difficult situations.  It was very interesting, and brave, of the author to suggest Maria as the daughter who survives rather than the popular presumption of Anastasia.  I felt that added an unusual angle to the story and made it more intriguing.

The author has obviously done her research and I felt I could really picture  the Romanov family’s last days.  I felt huge sympathy with the characters and the situation they find themselves in.  The reader is made aware early on in the book about what is going to happen to the family so I was on tenderhooks from the start waiting for things to turn.  The fear and tension felt by those involved were almost palpable and I found myself holding my breath at times.

This was a fast paced, hugely addictive book which was very hard to put down.  There was always lots of action happening and things being discovered that makes you want to keep reading to find out more about.  I did find some of the scenes with Val quite hard to read, particularly when they were describing her experience with her violent husband.  I especially liked how the author has cleverly included actual historic events into the story.  I always enjoy being able to look these up and learn more.

This is the third book by the author that I have read and in my opinion it’s the best so far! If you haven’t read anything by this author yet I would recommend starting with this one.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for invitations me onto the blog tour and to Phoebe from Headline for my copy of the book.

About The Author:

Gill Paul is an author of historical fiction, specialising in relatively recent history. Her new novel, Another Woman’s Husband, is about links you might not have been aware of between Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, and Diana, Princess of Wales.

Gill’s other novels include The Secret Wife, published in 2016, about the romance between cavalry officer Dmitri Malama and Grand Duchess Tatiana, the second daughter of Russia’s last tsar, who first met in 1914. Women and Children First is about a young steward who works on the Titanic. The Affair was set in Rome in 1961–62 as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton fell in love while making Cleopatra. And No Place for a Lady is about two Victorian sisters who travel out to the Crimean War of 1854–56 and face challenges beyond anything they could have imagined.

Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects, and a series of Love Stories, each containing fourteen tales of real-life couples: how they met, why they fell for each other, and what happened in the end. Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love Stories.

Gill was born in Glasgow and grew up there, apart from an eventful year at school in the US when she was ten. She studied Medicine at Glasgow University, then English Literature and History (she was a student for a long time), before moving to London to work in publishing. She started her own company producing books for publishers, along the way editing such luminaries as Griff Rhys Jones, John Suchet, John Julius Norwich, Ray Mears and Eartha Kitt. She also writes on health, nutrition and relationships.

Gill swims year-round in an open-air pond – “It’s good for you so long as it doesn’t kill you”– and is a devotee of Pilates. She also particularly enjoys travelling on what she calls “research trips” and attempting to match-make for friends.

#BlogTour: Pieces Of Me by Natalie Hart @NatalieGHart @Legend_Press #PiecesOfMe #5Stars

Book Synopsis:

Emma did not go to war looking for love, but Adam is unlike any other.

Under the secret shadow of trauma, Emma decides to leave Iraq and joins Adam to settle in Colorado. But isolation and fear find her, once again, when Adam is re-deployed. Torn between a deep fear for Adam’s safety and a desire to be back there herself, Emma copes by throwing herself into a new role mentoring an Iraqi refugee family.

But when Adam comes home, he brings the conflict back with him. Emma had considered the possibility that her husband might not come home from war. She had not considered that he might return a stranger.

Pieces Of Me is available now in ebook and paperback.  You can purchase your copy of both here.

My Review:

This is an absolutely stunning, emotional debut novel which I so enjoyed reading.  I thought I would like the book from the blurb but I didn’t think I’d love it as much as I did.

Pieces Of Me tells the story of Emma and Adam as Adam prepares for Deployment in Iraq.  Iraq holds lots of special memories for Emma as not only did she used to working there, it’s also the place she met and fell in love with Adam.  Told in the present day and through a series of flashbacks the reader finds out more about Emma and Adam’s relationship, their time in Iraq and what it’s like preparing for deployment.

The way this book is told feels very personal like I was experiencing everything alongside Emma or she was telling me about it as her best friend. This made me feel like I was very involved in the story and it was therefore quite an emotional read for me.  I loved the Author’s fantastic descriptions of Iraq which seemed so different from the ones shown on TV.  The descriptions of the light and colours there made it seem like a beautiful country.  These images have stayed with me long after I have finished the book.  I’d never heard of the international zone or about daily life for British workers over there which made for fascinated reading.  It must be very hard to live so close to a war zone, but separate from it for the most part.  The stories of the Iraqi people that Emma hears are very poignant to read about.  It definitely makes you think about how many people are affected by war.

The descriptions of Adam preparing for deployment and the build up to him going was quite fascinating to read about as we learn more about how the army ensures everyone, including families, are prepared.  I especially liked that they include the wives so much in the preparation and I hope that this is true to life.  Through Emma we learn more about the emotional turmoil someone must go through when a loved one is going to war.  The author does an excellent job of portraying all the thoughts and scenarios that must go through your head at such a time.

As mentioned above I really loved this book and found the subject matter utterly fascinating.  Its a very timely book as there are still soldiers being sent into war zones and families going through the problems Emma faces in the book.  The story is an easy one to get involved in and I found the book hard to put down as I was so enjoying it.  I think this is a book everyone should read as it would increase people’s awareness of what army personnel and wives go through, while also telling people more about the Iraq war. For these same reasons I think it would make a great book club book as there is lots to discuss!

This unbelievably is the author’s debut novel and I’m so excited to read more from her in the future.

Huge thanks to Lucy from Legend Press for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

 

About The Author:

Natalie Hart is a writer, researcher and communications adviser, specialising in conflict and post-conflict environments. She has worked extensively across the Middle East and North Africa, including three years in Iraq where Pieces of Me is set. Natalie has a BA in Combined Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic and Spanish) from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University.

#BlogTour: Goodbye For Now by M. J Hollows @HQstories @HQDigitalUK @MikeHollows @izsmith95 #GoodbyeForNow #WW1

Book Synopsis:

Two brothers, only one survives.

As Europe is torn apart by war, two brothers fight very different battles, and both could lose everything…

While George has always been the brother to rush towards the action, fast becoming a boy-soldier when war breaks out, Joe thinks differently. Refusing to fight, Joe stays behind as a conscientious objector battling against the propaganda.

On the Western front, George soon discovers that war is not the great adventure he was led to believe. Surrounded by mud, blood and horror his mindset begins to shift as he questions everything he was once sure of.

At home in Liverpool, Joe has his own war to win. Judged and imprisoned for his cowardice, he is determined to stand by his convictions, no matter the cost.

By the end of The Great War only one brother will survive, but which?

Goodbye For Now is available now in ebook and paperback.  You can purchase your copy of both here.

My Review:

Goodbye For Now is a very powerful and emotional piece of historical fiction that was an utterly fascinating read.  It is also an in-depth look at the war years as it follows two brothers one at home and one fighting on the front line.

As mentioned in a previous post I haven’t read much about the first world war so I enjoyed learning more about it.  I especially hadn’t read anything involving a character who is anti war and the other people’s reactions to his supposed cowardice, so Joe’s story was very interesting.  It’s amazing to think this was people’s reactions to someone not wanting to fight, though perhaps understandable as the country was in the middle of a war.

The story goes back and forth between the two brothers, describing their experiences during the war.  I did like reading both of the brother’s stories as they were both very likeable characters.  Their experiences were very different and both men were incredibly brave in their own way.  While George was perhaps more obviously brave for going to war, I really admired Joe’s bravery for standing up for what he believed in.  He faces some quite fierce opposition at times and could easily have given in but doesn’t which I found very impressive.

This was a wonderfully written book, with lots of different things happening that kept my interest throughout.  The dual timeline helped with this as the differences between them were fascinating to read about.  Its also an incredibly emotional book as the effect that the war has on the two brothers, their families and friends is very poignant to read about.  This is made even more so by the fact that we know this was a real event and that people really were affected like this.

Goodbye For Now is, unbelievably, this author’s debut novel and I will definitely be interested in reading more from him.  If you like beautifully written, emotions historical fiction then you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to HQ Stories for my copy of this book via Netgalley and to Isabel Smith for inviting me onto the blog tour.

About The Author:

Michael Hollows was born in London in 1986, and moved to Liverpool in 2010 to lecture in Audio Engineering. With a keen interest in history, music, and science, he has told stories since he was little. Goodbye for Now is his first novel, which he started as part of his MA in Writing from Liverpool John Moores University, graduating in 2015. He has also been published in SF anthologies, and is now researching towards a PhD in Creative Writing, working on his next novel. http://www.michaelhollows.com

#BlogTour: The River Runs Red by Ally Rose @AllyRoseAuthor @damppebbles @fahrenheitpress #TheRiverRunsRed #DampPebblesTours

Book Synopsis:

Berlin is in the midst of its worst winter in decades. Against the backdrop of freezing temperatures, blizzards and snowstorms, the city refuses to grind to a halt. Lurking within the shadows is a Stasi victim, out for revenge against the former East German informants known as ‘The Ears’. Their dark secrets are about to be exposed. A mix of ice and water and a single gunshot, provides the ultimate payback. With the Millennium approaching, Hanne Drais, the criminal psychologist working within the Berlin Mitte Police team led by the irascible Oskar Kruger and his laid-back sidekick, Stefan Glockner, are seeking the perpetrator of these violent crimes. Who is the man they’ve nicknamed Snowflake? Who is turning the river red? Praise for Ally Rose “Shades of Val McDermid and Stieg Larsson The historical research which has clearly gone into this is impressive and the characterisation good. The plot is excellent with some great twists and the story keeps you guessing right to the end.” “A plot that will keep you on your toes as nothing is straight forward. Just as you are sure you know what is happening, there’s a twist that shocks you.” “The story grips you from the start, avoiding any boring narrative whilst still maintaining good characters and fantastic storyline.” “A real page turner, Gripping and full of suspense with surprising twists and turns throughout, it had me hooked from the start.”

The River Runs Red is available now in paperback.  You can purchase a copy here.

My Review:

I’ve always been a fan of books set in the cold war as there’s always a lot of tension in the books and a feeling that anything could happen at any time. This story is told two timelines.  One follows Hanne Drais and his team as they try to  find the person who is murdering former Stasi informants.  The other follows East German rower Rudy through his life in East Germany and his interrogation at the hands of the Stasi police.

The thing that made this book for me was the wonderful descriptions of Berlin during the cold war.  The claustrophobic atmosphere the author describes is almost palpable and I felt myself feeling nervous for the characters within the book.  It must have been very hard to live in such a time and always feel like you had to look over your shoulder.  The actions of the Stasi police were quite brutal and I must admit I found them hard to read.  Worse still was the apparent indifference by the officers to what they were doing to Rudy which I found quite hard to stomach.  How people can act like that towards another human is beyond me.

This was an interesting book for me as I found myself routing for both sides of the investigation.  Whilst I liked Hanne Drais and wanted him to catch his murder, I also felt sympathy for the murder who obviously has had some experience of the Stasi police and their methods.

This is the third book in the Hannie Drais series but I feel it could easily be read as a standalone book.  If you like fast paced thrillers this might not be for you as there isn’t a lot of action.  If however you like historical crime fiction that makes you think, then you’ll love this book.

Thanks to Emma from Damp Pebbles Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

 

About The Author:

Ally Rose writes –

“I’ve always been interested in writing crime stories and with the Cold War era, there is such a rich tapestry to draw from; especially the notorious and quelling Stasi reign in East Germany. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, gives a contrast between the different worlds and any past crimes are held to account in a unified Germany.

Berlin is one of my favourite cities, and I’ve spent time living and discovering this diverse city and its surrounding areas. Seeing my characters in familiar places, they seem to come to life.

Hope you enjoy my Hanne Drais books.”

Follow @AllyRoseAuthor@fahrenheitpress on Twitter

#BlogTour: Palm Beach Finland by Antti Tuomainen @annecater @OrendaBooks @antti_tuomainen #PalmBeachFinland #RandomThingsToyrs #MustRead #5Stars

Book Synopsis:

Sex, lies and ill-fitting swimwear … Sun Protection Factor 100

Jan Nyman, the ace detective of the covert operations unit of the National Central Police, is sent to a sleepy seaside town to investigate a mysterious death. Nyman arrives in the town dominated by a bizarre holiday village – the ‘hottest beach in Finland’. The suspect: Olivia Koski, who has only recently returned to her old hometown. The mission: find out what happened, by any means necessary.
With a nod to Fargo, and dark noir, Palm Beach, Finlandis both a page-turning thriller and a black comedy about lust for money, fleeing dreams and people struggling at turning points in their lives – chasing their fantasies regardless of reason.

Palm Beach Finland is available now in ebook and paperback.  The ebook is currently only 99 p. You can purchase your copy of both here.

 

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this author and his unique writting style that perfectly blends dark noir with humour.  Palm Beach Finland was no exception and I often found myself laughing aloud at the characters antics.

There are some truly fantastic characters in this book which are each so wonderfully endearing that you can’t help but like them.  My favourite was Leivo, the resort owner who was an hilarious character with his misguided plans to make his resort the best thing in Europe.  Olivia was another favourite character of mine as I found her to be hugely likeable but very astute as nothing much gets by her.  Her chemistry with Nyman was lovely to read about and I found myself really wanting them to get together.

This is a book about a murder investigation but it’s actually a lot more then that as the focus is also on the characters and their story.  Its a very unpredictable book as your never sure what’s going to happen next but that’s half the fun! I thoroughly enjoyed this fun, witty and mad book.

This is the third book by this author I have read and I’m slowly working my way through his older books.  I’m very excited to see what he comes up with next, a must-read author for everyone as I guarantee it will make you laugh!

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog.  If you like funny, unusual crime fiction then you’ll love this book!

About The Author:

Finnish Antti Tuomainen (b. 1971) was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. The critically acclaimed My Brother’s Keeper was published two years later. In 2011 Tuomainen’s third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for ‘Best Finnish Crime Novel of 2011’ and was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. The Finnish press labelled The Healer – the story of a writer desperately searching for his missing wife in a post-apocalyptic Helsinki – ‘unputdownable’. Two years later in 2013 they crowned Tuomainen ‘The King of Helsinki Noir’ when Dark as My Heart was published. With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen is one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime genre formula. The Man Who Died brought him to his literary best.
Follow Antti on Twitter @antti_tuomainen, on Facebook facebook.com/AnttiTuomainen and on his website: http://www.antituomainen.com

#BlogTour: Come Find Me by Sarah Hilary @annecater @headlinepg @sarah_hilary @jenniferleech1 #ComeFindMe #RandomThingsTours #5Stars

Book Synopsis:

On the surface, Lara Chorley and Ruth Hull have nothing in common, other than their infatuation with Michael Vokey. Each is writing to a sadistic inmate, sharing her secrets, whispering her worst fears, craving his attention.

DI Marnie Rome understands obsession. She’s finding it hard to give up her own addiction to a dangerous man: her foster brother, Stephen Keele. She wasn’t able to save her parents from Stephen. She lives with that guilt every day.

As the hunt for Vokey gathers pace, Marnie fears one of the women may have found him – and is about to pay the ultimate price.

Come Find Me is available now in all formats.  You can purchase your copy here.

My Review:

Come Find Me is another fantastic, dark thriller from Sarah Hilary!  I’m such a huge fan of this series which keep getting better and better in my opinion.

This book felt a little more sinister than the other books, maybe this was because of the background of the murderer that DI Marnie is hunting or because there is more of a claustrophobic atmosphere to the book which makes danger seem really close.  There were times when I felt I couldn’t breathe as the story unfolds and Marnie gets closer to the criminal.

DI Marnie is again my favourite character in the book, showing herself as a very strong capable police officers that you can’t help but like.  She does seem a little more fragile than in previous books maybe due to the events that  unfolded in the previous book.  In fact this whole book seems a lot more personal as a few of Marnie’s team are battling family problems which at times affected their work.

This book intrigued me from the start with its violent opening and while it was a little bit of a slow burner I was soon hooked.  Just when I thought I’d figured everything out, the author throws another twist into the story which sent it off in a completely different direction.  The book was then very hard to put down as I was desperate to keep reading to find out how it all works out.

This is the third book by Sarah Hilary I have read and I can’t wait to read more from her as her books are always amazing reads.  This book could be read as a stand-alone as it’s a very good story on in its own right, however it might be beneficial to read them in order as you’d have a better understanding of the background of the case.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Jenni from Headline for sending me a copy of this book.  If you’re a fan of well plotted, thrillingly far books you’ll love this one!

About The Author:

 

 

 

 

Sarah Hilary has worked as a bookseller, and with the Royal Navy. Her debut, SOMEONE ELSE’S SKIN, won Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year 2015 and was a World Book Night selection for 2016. The Observer’s Book of the Month (“superbly disturbing”) and a Richard & Judy Book Club bestseller, it has been published worldwide. NO OTHER DARKNESS, the second in the series was shortlisted for a Barry Award in the US. Her DI Marnie Rome series continues with TASTES LIKE FEAR (2016) QUIETER THAN KILLING (2017) and COME AND FIND ME (2018).

Follow Sarah on Twitter at @Sarah_Hilary

#BlogTour #Spotlight: The Boardwalk by The Sea -Autumn Antics by Georgina Troy @GeorginaTroy @rararesources #AutumnAntics

Good evening everyone and welcome to my spot on The Boardwalk By The Sea- Antumn Antics blog tour.  Apologies to Rachel and Georgina for this being late. It’s my son’s birthday tomorrow and as it’s a school day we went out and celebrated today!

The Boardwalk by The Sea is available now in ebook and paperback now.  The ebook is currently only 99p.  You can purchase a copy of both here.

Book Synopsis:

Pull on your beanie, the fireworks are about to begin…

Being a part-time hand model can be tricky, especially when you have to deal with prima donnas like Megan Knight, a reality star whose meteoric rise has surprised everyone. Bella is happiest running her tiny antique business from the front room of her cottage on the boardwalk. To ensure she has enough income coming in, she also rents out two of her bedrooms and is hiding a secret crush on one of her lodgers. His name is Jack Collins and he also happens to be her best friend Sacha’s brother. If life wasn’t complicated enough, her world-travelling mother appears on her doorstep on the same evening that Jack’s ex-fiancée arrives on the boardwalk determined to win him back. Bella has a lot of thinking to do and soon discovers that not all gems sparkle.

“A wonderfully warm, romantic read” Karen Clarke, author of The Beachside series

“A joy to read” Gilbster, Top 500 Reviewer

About The Author:

Georgina Troy is a pseudonym of author Deborah Carr. She recently signed with HarperCollins’ romance imprint HarperImpulse to write an historical romance to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War. The Poppy Field by Deborah Carr will be published in e-book format on 12 October 2018 and in paperback on 27 December 2018.

Georgina was a finalist in the Contemporary Romance Category of the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards 2016 (RoNAs) with A Jersey Kiss and a finalist in the Joan Hessayon Award for new writers 2015. Her first four-book series, The Jersey Scene and books 1 and 2 of her second series, The Boardwalk by the Sea are available.

She also writes thrillers as Ella Drummond and lives on the island of Jersey with her husband and three rescue dogs and is 1/3 of The Blonde Plotters.

Sign up to Georgina’s Newsletter at:deborahcarr.org/contact

Connect with Georgina:

Website: https://deborahcarr.org

Facebook: Georgina Troy

Twitter: @GeorginaTroy

#BlogTour: Wyld Dreamers by Pamela Holmes @UrbaneBooks @LoveBooksGroup #WyldDreamers #LoveBooksGroupTours #PamelaHomes

Book Synopsis:

In the summer of 1972, a group of friends is invited to Somerset to help photographer Seymour Stratton renovate a dilapidated cottage on Wyld Farm. Over the next year the group come to regard the farm as offering them a place to be for the rest of their lives, to enjoy ‘the good life’. But despite the commitment and camaraderie the rural idyll collapses.

Twenty-five years later, the group is brought together again in unexpected circumstances. Can events of the past be forgotten? Or will the secrets that are revealed devastate once unbreakable friendships?

Wyld Dreamers is available in ebook and paperback now.  The ebook is currently only £1.99.  You purchase your copy of both here.

My Review:

The Wyld Dreamers is a lovely book that perfectly evokes those long, seemingly endless summer days of youth.  I loved the wonderful description of the beautiful Wyld Farm and the life that they lived there.  The relaxed party atmosphere was great to read about and made me wish that I was there alongside them experiencing it all myself.

The characters were all great creations and I felt like I could really imagine them in my mind, particularly the waif like models who floated around the place at times.  My favourite was Seymour Stratton as I loved his laid back attitude and his affection towards the guests.  He is very generous towards them all, always bringing in lots of treats for the many parties he throws.  I did also like the main character Amy as she seems like a lovely friendly girl who is very willing to get stuck in and help out around the farm.  Her naivety was quite cringy at times though and I found myself feeling quite embarrassed for her.

The story has lots of surprising twists and went in a different direction to how I though it would go.  The first few chapters lull the reader into a sense of false calm as the idyllic setting of the farm, and life on it, is described.  Slowly real life and real responsibilities start to take over and shatters Amy’s lovely summer.  In a lot of ways this is a coming of age book as Amy breaks away from her parents and starts to discover the world on her own.

This is the second book by the author I have read and while I didn’t think it was as good as her first, I’d still recommend it to other readers.  If you like coming of age stories that are filled with nostalgia for summers gone by then you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to Kelly from Love Books Group Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Pamela Holmes was born in Charleston, South Carolina. At the age of eight, she moved with her family to England. She works and volunteers to improve the lives of older people, including those with dementia, and sings in a rock band.

She won the Jane Austen Short Story Award in 2014 and her shortlisted work was highly recommended in the HISSAC award 2015. Pamela lives in London with her husband, acclaimed cartoonist Kipper Williams.

 

#BlogTour: The Poppy Field by Deborah Carr @DebsCar @HarperImpulse @rararesources #ThePoppyField #WW1

Book Synopsis:

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

Young nurse, Gemma, is struggling with the traumas she has witnessed through her job in the NHS. Needing to escape from it all, Gemma agrees to help renovate a rundown farmhouse in Doullens, France, a town near the Somme. There, in a boarded-up cupboard, wrapped in old newspapers, is a tin that reveals the secret letters and heartache of Alice Le Breton, a young volunteer nurse who worked in a casualty clearing station near the front line.

Set in the present day and during the horrifying years of the war, both woman discover deep down the strength and courage to carry on in even the most difficult of times. Through Alice’s words and her unfailing love for her sweetheart at the front, Gemma learns to truly live again.

This epic historical novel will take your breath away.

The Poppy Field is available now in ebook at the amazing price of 99p and will be published in paperback on the 27th December.  You can purchase or pre-order your copy of both here.

My Review:

The Poppy Field is a fantastic dual timeline story set in WW1 that was a truly fascinating and emotional read. The story follows Gemma in the present day as she tries to recover from a broken heart whilst renovating an old farm house for dad in France.  The other timeline follows Alice who is working as a nurse during ww1.

I must admit I did prefer Alice’s story to Gemma’s as there was a lot more going on and the historical details were very interesting.  It’s hard to believe the conditions that the nurses had to work in and the horrors they must have encountered on a day to day basis.  The descriptions of the constant drop offs of casualties was hard to read about at times and it made me wonder how the nurses coped.  Alice is a brilliant character, feisty and brave with a huge heart which was well suited to her chosen career.  The love story that starts between a wounded soldier and her was wonderful to read about and it was great to see Alice happy as I felt she deserved it.  The scenes describing this relationship were a great contrast with the war scenes, though quite poignant at times as with it being war you were never sure what would happen.

That’s not to say Gemma’s story wasn’t interesting.  I really enjoyed reading about the old farm house and her plans for renovating the place, particularly as this is something I’d love to do.  The rather hunky builder who comes to help her definitely made for great reading and I kept hoping that something would happen between the two of them as I felt Gemma deserved some happiness.  The discovery of the letters did help add more to Gemma’s story as I felt it made her more connected to the house and town she found herself in, helping her to build her confidence in her new surroundings.  I did want to scream at her though to get a move on and read the letters a bit faster as sometimes there seemed to be quite a big gap between them.

The story is very well plotted and the author has obviously done her research as there is a lot of fascinating historical detail that I didn’t know about included in the story.  The two women’s story’s linked together really well and, although I did prefer Alice’s story, I kept reading as I wanted to discover how both of their stories ended. The two stories seemed very believable and the characters very real which made it easy to get involved in the story.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I would definitely read more from her in the future.  If you enjoy dual timeline historical fiction that is quite emotional and fully immerses you into the story then you’ll love this book.

Hige thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Impulse for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Deborah Carr lives on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands with her husband, two children and three rescue dogs. She became interested in books set in WW1 when researching her great-grandfather’s time as a cavalryman in the 17th 21st Lancers. Broken Faces is her debut historical novel.

She was recently commissioned to write The Poppy Field to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War for HarperCollins’ romance imprint, HarperImpulse.

She is one third of the Blonde Plotters writing group and was Deputy Editor on the online review site, Novelicious.com. Her debut historical romance, Broken Faces is set in WW1 and was runner-up in the 2012 Good Housekeeping Novel Writing Competition and given a ‘special commendation’ in the Harry Bowling Prize that year.

Follow Deborah:
Website: http://www.deborahcarr.org
Twitter: @DebsCarr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeborahCarrAuthor/
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