Pages: 372Published: 6th February 2020Genre: Historical FictionContent warnings: Discrimination/bullying, injury detail When should my story begin? Not when I was born, a butcher's son, in a tiny cottage just like all the other tiny cottages in Oakham. Who'd have thought then that I'd ever have much of a story to tell? Perhaps it starts when people began to nudge … Continue reading Book Review – The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn
Pages: 375Published: 13th May 2021Genre: Historical FictionContent warnings: Discrimination, animal death/cruelty, attempted rape, sexual references 1866. In a coastal village in southern England, Nell lives set apart by her community because of the birthmarks that speckle her skin. But when Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders arrives in the village, Nell is kidnapped. Her father has sold her, promising Jasper Jupiter … Continue reading Book Review – Circus Of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal
Hello everyone, Somehow we are halfway through the year! June was another busy and eventful month, during which I was constantly balancing a relentlessly hectic time at work by trying to make the absolute most of all my evenings and weekends. In the UK it all began with a long weekend for the Queen's Platinum … Continue reading Monthly Wrap-Up – June 2022
Pages: 262Published: 23rd June 2022Genre: Psychological Thriller I was handed a proof copy of this book by the author in person, as she just so happens to be a work colleague of mine. It was amazing to read a soon-to-be-published novel by someone who I know in real life, after the initial starry-eyed surprise at finding out she … Continue reading Book Review – Still Water by Rebecca Pert
Hello everyone, A recent post on the Twitter account for the Women's Prize for Fiction claimed that of the bestselling books by female authors, men make up only 19% of their readers. This statistic really caught my eye, but sadly it did not surprise me in the least. I have had conversations with friends and … Continue reading Discussion – Male Readers And Female Authors
Pages: 326Published: 2nd February 2021Genre: General FictionContent warnings: Child abuse/cruelty, sexual content Alexandra Gracie doesn't want to think about her family. She doesn't want to think about growing up in her parents' House of Horrors. And she doesn't want to think about her identity as Girl A: the girl who escaped, the eldest sister who freed her older brother … Continue reading Book Review – Girl A by Abigail Dean
Hello everyone, Today I am sharing a spotlight of a debut psychological thriller, Still Water by Rebecca Pert, which is being released tomorrow. What is so remarkable about this book is that I know the author - she is one of my work colleagues! I had no idea that she was an author in her spare time … Continue reading Spotlight – Still Water by Rebecca Pert
Pages: 352Published: 11th July 2019Genre: General FictionContent warnings: Sexism/misogyny, sexual references, cancer storyline 1968. Veronica Moon, a teenage ingénue from an estate in Essex is teaching herself the art of photography. Her passion and skill build, though of course it can only ever be a hobby. And then she visits the picket line at Dagenham Ford Factory. At the … Continue reading Book Review – The Woman In The Photograph by Stephanie Butland
Hello everyone, I am ever so gradually making a dent in my TBR this year in the attempts to beat that backlog, but of course that does not stop new books from being added. So it is time for a look at five more that I have added to my 'want to read' list on … Continue reading Five Books On My TBR – June 2022
Pages: 331Published: 26th April 2022Genre: Mythological FictionContent warnings: Child death, animal sacrifice, violence/injury detail The House of Atreus is cursed. A bloodline tainted by a generational cycle of violence and vengeance. This is the story of three women, their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods. ClytemnestraThe sister of Helen, wife of … Continue reading Book Review – Elektra by Jennifer Saint
Stephen Reads Books 