The Other Tenant By Lesley Kara Review (Random Things Tours)

Today I am on the blog tour for The Other Tenant (Published 25th April 2024) By Lesley Kara. A big thank you to the publishers Bantam/Transworld for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated. Also to the wonderful Anne for inviting me to take part in the blog tour, always a pleasure to work with.

The Other Tenant

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR COMES A GRIPPING NEW THRILLER THAT ASKS HOW WELL YOU REALLY KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU SHARE A HOME WITH…

AFTER ALL, LIVING WITH STRANGERS CAN BE MURDER…

The Queen of the killer twist is back in this gripping closed-circle thriller about an unusual home full of strangers, with a murderer in their midst…

Marlow has always lived in unusual places. But when she accepts a position as a live-in property guardian, she finds herself moving somewhere she swore she’d never return to.

Right from the start, she knows it’s a terrible mistake. The elegant Victorian school is due to be turned into luxury apartments, but its eerie, empty corridors are full of Marlow’s worst memories.

And now something sinister is happening on the site. One of the other tenants has disappeared without warning, and Marlow suspects that the nine other guardians know far more than they’re letting on. She’s determined to find out what happened to the missing woman – but which of these strangers can she trust?

And can she uncover the truth before her own past catches up with her?

About the Author

LESLEY KARA is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Rumour, Who Did You Tell?, The Dare and The Apartment Upstairs.

The Rumour was the highest selling crime fiction debut of 2019 in the UK, and a Kindle No.1 bestseller. Lesley is an alumna of the Faber Academy ‘Writing a Novel’ course. She lives in Kent. You can follow Lesley on Twitter @LesleyKara or visit her website at www.lesleykara.com

My Review

Marlow is a property guardian which is a fancy way of saying she house sits and gets paid for it. She lives in empty buildings and is tasked with looking after them until the agency tell her to move to another place.

The narrative follows Marlow as she is packing up her belongings after being told she has less than a week to leave the church she has been a property guardian for the past few months. She is disheartened to leave but knows that everything in her life is temporary, that is the life she has chosen to live. Sometimes she thinks being a property guardian feels brave and an exciting thing to do. It’s an adventure. However sometimes she wonders if it feels sordid and sad. The lack of security and never truly having a place to call home.

As Marlow is wondering what she is going to do she receives a phone-call from the agency, they have found her a new place. It sounds perfect, it’s a school in North London, a whole classroom to herself and in an Old Victorian building. Marlow loves taking photos of architecture and posting them on instagram. She hopes one day to make a full-time job taking photos. The agency inform Marlow that they have a small team already installed at the school but one of them had to leave at short notice.

There is just one little problem, it is Marlow’s old secondary school, McKinleys. She has spent the last 15 years trying to forget those dark days, she cant go back. But what choice does she have? She agrees and tries to view it as good for her healing. As soon as she sees the old school sign she feels like she has made a terrible mistake. But she has nowhere else to go, she has to go forward.

Marlow meets the rest of the property guardians and also Rob Hornby, the head guardian who has a long list of strict rules for her to follow. It soon becomes clear to Marlow that something is amiss. The sudden departure of their fellow tenant creates an uncomfortable atmosphere filled with suspicion. As the tension grows, Marlow starts to wonder what really happened to Hayley, the other tenant who suddenly left without a word. And why is the pool and pump room out of bounds?

I give The Other Tenant By Lesley Kara a Five out of Five paw rating

I was obsessed until the very last page! From the moment you start reading, Kara hooks you in. The opening alone will send chills down your spine and leave you thirsty for more.

This book had me looking over my shoulder, wondering if I was being watched. It gave me goosebumps, I loved it! I highly recommend to any lovers of thrillers, this is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy

Hop hop wiggle wiggle

All You Need Is Love By Steven Gaines and Peter Brown Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear readers I am on the blog tour for All You Need Is Love ; The End of the Beatles – An Oral History by Those Who Were There (Published 11th April) By Steven Gaines and Peter Brown. A big thank you to the publishers Monoray/Octopus Books for sending a copy to read and review. Also to the wonderful Anne, always a pleasure to work with.

 

All You Need Is Love

All You Need is Love is a ground-breaking oral history of the Beatles and how it all came to an end. Based on never-before-published or heard interviews with Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and their families, friends, and business associates, this is a landmark book, containing stunning new revelations, about the biggest band the world has ever seen.

In 1980-1981 former COO of Apple Corp, Peter Brown and author Steven Gaines interviewed everyone in the Beatles’ inner circle and included a small portion of the transcripts in their international bestselling book The Love You Make, which spent four months on the New York Times bestseller list. But left in their archives was a treasure trove of unique and candid interviews that they chose not to publish, until now. A powerful work assembled through honest, intimate, sometimes contradictory and always fascinating testimony, All You Need is Love is a one-of-a-kind insight into the final days, weeks, months and years of the Beatles phenomenon.

About the Author

STEVEN GAINES is the New York Times bestselling author of Philistines at the Hedgerow: Passion and Property in the Hamptons and The Love You Make: An Insiders Story of the Beatles (with Peter Brown). His journalism has appeared in Vanity Fair, the New York Times, and New York magazine, where he was a contributing editor for 12 years. Mr. Gaines is the co-founder and a past vice-chairman of the Hamptons International Film Festival. He has lived in Wainscott, a small hamlet on the East End of Long Island, for 40 years.

PETER BROWN is the former COO of Apple Corp, the Beatles’ financial empire. He’s been a Beatles intimate since their earliest days in Liverpool. Their passports were locked in his desk drawer. He was best man at John and Yoko’s wedding, he introduced Paul to Linda Eastman, and perhaps the most charming of his credentials is that he’s the only real person ever mentioned in a Beatles song, “Peter Brown called to say, you can make it okay, you can marry in Gibraltar near Spain,” from the “Ballad of John and Yoko.” Mr. Brown

 

My Review

There has never been quite an act to follow in the magical, strange but unique footsteps as The Beatles. Four lads from Liverpool with bowl haircuts, sharp snazzy suits and a sound that would become legendary. John, Paul, Ringo and not forgetting of course George had it all. The houses, the girls, the cars, anything they wanted was within reach. With Brian Epstein as their manger who was sophisticated, classy and owned a Zodiac (the lads were impressed by his car) the world was their oyster. They couldn’t go anywhere, turn on the radio, tv, without seeing themselves. Over the years it started to become too much, they felt trapped and needed space. Just what exactly went on behind the scenes? What changed in those final years of the Beatles that ended it all? In never-before-published or heard interviews with the men themselves along with their families, friends and business associates All You Need Is Love sheds light on how and why one of the greatest British bands to date, came to an end.

In 1980-1981 Peter Brown and Steven Gaines conducted interviews with everyone in the Beatles inner circle. However they were left in their archives for over forty years until now. These interviews are powerful as they coincide with the final days, weeks and years of the Beatle phenomenon.

These interviews are raw and unique. The reader is reminded at the start of the book that the interviewees don’t always remember events or people the same way. Or tell the truth so to expect to find contrasting versions throughout the interviews. It is left up to the reader to decide what they believe is true. However everyone does agree that the story of the Beatles was meant to end when it did.

When I read Paul McCartney’s interview, it filled me with sadness. A sadness that he had no idea of what unfortunate fate was in store for John. Paul’s interview was the last he gave before John was killed in December of 1980. He talks about the loss of trust between him and John. He could feel the band growing apart as they were hardly writing together. Paul mentions how he was always outvoted by the others and would dig his heels in which would cause tension.

A lot of people have the impression that it was Yoko Ono who broke up the band. She would attend recording sessions sitting on their amps, lending her vocals and ideas to songs. It would often throw the lads’ game off as they thought it was crazy. However when you learn of the infamous gig in Manila, you start to wonder if that was the beginning of the end. George comments in his interview how it was one of the nastiest times that led them to stop touring. 

I give All You Need Is Love a Five out of Five paw rating

This is a must for any die hard fan of the sensation that was the Beatles.

It is fascinating to read each interview and see similarities or contradictions. You feel as the reader that you are there in the room with them all. The relaxed atmosphere with some of the interviews is inviting as you ease into a flow with the conversation. I highly recommend this book, it allows a peek, an insight into what goes on behind the scenes from one of the most loved bands to every come out of Liverpool.

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy,

Hop hop wiggle wiggle

Girl Unmasked By Emily Katy Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear reader I am on the blog tour for Girl Unmasked (Published 28th March 2024) By Emily Katy. A big thank you to the publishers Monoray for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated. Also to the wonderful Anne for the invite to take part in the tour, always a pleasure to work with. 

Girl Unmasked

To the outside world, Emily looks like a typical girl, with a normal family, living an ordinary life. But inside, Emily does not feel typical, and the older she gets, the more she realises that she is different.

As she finally discovers when she is 16, Emily is autistic. Girl Unmasked is the extraordinary story of how she got there – and how she very nearly didn’t.

Still only 21, Emily writes with startling candour about the years leading up to her diagnosis. How books and imagination became her refuge as she sought to escape the increasing anxiety and unbearable stresses of school life; how her OCD almost destroyed her; how a system which did not understand autism let her down; and how she came so close to the edge that she and her family thought she would never survive.

In this simple but powerful memoir, we see how family and friends became her lifeline and how, post-diagnosis, Emily came to understand her authentic self and begin to turn her life around, eventually becoming a mental health nurse with a desire to help others where she herself had once been failed.

Ultimately uplifting, Girl Unmasked is a remarkable insight into what it can be like to be autistic – and shows us that through understanding and embracing difference we can all find ways to thrive.

 

About The Author

Emily Katy, 21, lived as an undiagnosed autistic girl for nearly seventeen years. After completing her degree in 2022, she qualified as a mental health nurse. She has a large, highly engaged following on Twitter and Instagram (@ItsEmilyKaty) and a blog http://www.authenticallyemily.uk, where she talks about autism and mental health.

Emily is a Trustee of the charity ‘The Autistic Girls Network’, a former Governor and member of the CAMHS young people’s council for her local NHS trust, and in 2021 to celebrate the International Day of the Girl, she was selected by the Women of the World Foundation as one of their 2021 40 Young Leaders.

She lives in Hertfordshire with her family and two dogs, and loves books, writing, scrapbooking and Greys Anatomy. This is her first book.

 

My Review

Emily appears as your typical girl living an ordinary life. But as we all know dear reader, appearances can be deceiving and as she gets older, Emily begins to feel different, that she is not like her peers. When she is 16 years old she discovers that she is autistic.

The strong narrative voice in this memoir is truly inspiring. By the end of the book you feel as if you know Emily, you consider her a dear friend. Through her narrative the reader witnesses what it is like to grow up undiagnosed for so long with autism. This memoir shows her story of how she finally discovered her diagnosis and how close she came to ending it all. There is a content warning at the beginning of her book warning readers that her memoir contains themes of self-harm and suicide. She also reassures the reader that she will tell her story truthfully, as accurately as she can remember for there are periods of her life where her memories are blurred so she has filled in the gaps in order to make sense of the narrative.

Emily never saw herself as an interesting person, her passion is for books and writing which had become her coping mechanism. She always felt different and that it was a bad thing. She desperately wanted to fit in and would find herself copying mannerisms and behaviours of those around her. She would later learn that is called masking. Emily often thought she failed and it led her to believe that life wasn’t for her, it led her to a dark place, one she feared she would never return from. However Emily is quick to remind the reader that even though a great deal of stuff led to that moment, trauma and mistakes but also joy. Never forget the joy.

I can’t begin to even imagine the amount of challenges life brings growing up autistic and being undiagnosed. Emily shows the readers the challenges she faced growing up with autistic. She found change difficult and was often called bossy. Adults would repeatedly remind her every day that she was different by saying things like she talked too much, too loudly and too quickly. She also notes how other children showed her that being different wasn’t always a good thing. A particularly cruel child, Ruth who was the Queen Bee at school, would laugh at her and make fun. It’s heartbreaking to read as you want to jump to Emily’s defence and tell Ruth where to go. It’s frustrating that so many people see differences as a problem, that they don’t understand how being different is a beautiful, extraordinary thing we should all embrace. It is what makes us, us, unique and opens up a world of possibilities. If we were all the same it would be pretty dull and boring. A world of clones, of sheep, where is the joy in that? I love how Emily shows the reader that they shouldn’t fear the unknown, rather they should explore with an open mind and willingness to learn.

Emily is a massive supporter in helping others with autism and educating those who are not in how they can help. It’s encouraging to read as there needs to be more awareness of how things such as a loud classroom and sudden change of routine can cause a massive repercussions on an autistic child. We should respect that they have a different way of viewing the world which needs various ways of approaching any number of situations that could be triggering. Emily admits to the reader that she feels like she has been failed and since learning she is autistic found out that so many others were being failed too. It made her sad and angry, she wanted to help, her book is for anyone who wants to know more about autism, anyone who wants to try and understand what being autistic can be like and also for autistic people who are desperate to see themselves. She does make it very clear to the reader that her aim is never to speak for all autistic people, just help promote more awareness.

I give Girl Unmasked By Emily Katy a Five out of Five paw rating

 

Words are not simply enough dear reader to even begin to explain how powerful and inspiring this memoir is.

This memoir is an eyeopening insight into what it can be like to be autistic and shows the reader that through learning, understanding and acceptance, we can all find ways to flourish.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, autistic or not, you need to have this book in your life!

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy!

Links

 

@ItsEmilyKaty

 

https://linktr.ee/girlunmasked

 

Hop hop wiggle wiggle

The Search Party By Hannah Richell Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear reader I am on the blog tour for The Search Party (Published 18th Jan 2024) By Hannah Richell. A big thank you to the publishers Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated. Also the outstanding Anne who is always fantastic at her job! Thank you for inviting me to take part in the blog tour, you are a joy to the book blogging community.

The Search Party

Five old friends.
One glamping weekend.
A storm that will change everything.

Max and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race to set up a glamping site in the wilds of Cornwall. They invite old university friends – TV star Dominic, doctor and new mum Kira, and free-spirited Jim and Suze – and their children for a trial weekend but the reunion quickly veers off-course.

First, there’s The Incident around the campfire on the first night. The following afternoon, a storm quickly develops off the rugged North Coast. When one of their group goes missing, all hell breaks loose. And as the winds batter the bell-tents, emotions run high and tension mounts for all the characters.

Who is lying in hospital, who has gone missing and who is the body on the beach below the cliffs . . .?

About the Author

Hannah Richell was born in Kent and spent her childhood years in Buckinghamshire and Canada. After graduating from the University of Nottingham, she worked in the book publishing and film industries in both London and Sydney. She is a dual citizen of Great Britain and Australia, and currently lives in the South West of England with her family. Richell is the author of international bestsellers Secrets of the Tides (2012), The Shadow Year (2014), The Peacock Summer (2019) and The River Home (2020). Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages.

My Review

From the moment you begin reading, Richell has you holding you breath, on edge as the goosebumps shiver down your spine. She instantly creates the eerie, sinister atmosphere that continues to follow the reader throughout the book.

The narrative follows a group of old friends that have know each other for 20 years meeting up for a reunion at Max and Annie’s new business venture, a glamping site set in north Cornwall called Wildernest. The plan is for the four families, the Kingsleys, the Davies, the Millers and Kira with her 5 month baby Asha and new boyfriend Fred to trial the site for the May Day weekend. Sixteen people in total if you count Kira’s 5 month old baby. What should have been a weekend of laughs and enjoying the fresh country air quickly descends into chaos with one of them ending up in hospital and another discovered dead below the cliffs. There is no mobile signal, they are left isolated with no signs of life for miles.

There is a variety of characters to follow in this book, each one with their own motive to betray the others. The reader learns more about each character as they are being interviewed by the police. Slowly a picture of the chilling events that took place over the weekend begins to unfurl. You’re not exactly sure who to trust and suspect everyone until you finally learn the truth of what happened near Morvoren Point. It’s enough to chill the blood as you are left picking your jaw off the floor, suspicion is everywhere, the reader is none the wiser until the very end. 

I loved how Richell uses the elements to help create tension and unease throughout the narrative. A storm breaks out over the weekend at the glamping site, the aggressive winds and cold temperature reflects that of the characters and their feelings towards each other. They may be old friends but after the incident on the first night around the bonfire, things become muddied. Blood is spilled, friendships are destroyed and trust is but a distant memory. This is a weekend that none of them will ever forget. 

I give The Search Party By Hannah Richell a Five out of Five paw rating

Highly addictive and gripping, I was holding my breath the entire time.

I LOVED this book! Fascinating writing, Richell has a talent for creating an intriguing narrative with a mixture of characters set against the suffocating atmosphere of Cornwall’s beauty. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a compelling thriller that keeps you guessing till the every end.

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy!

Hop hop wiggle wiggle

The Time Of Her Life By Tracy Bloom Review (Random Things Tours)

Today I am on the blog tour for The Time of Her Life (Published 18th January 2024) By Tracy Bloom. A big thank you to the publishers HarperCollins for sending me a copy to read and review , always appreciated. Also to the wonderful Anne for the invite to take part in the blog tour, always a pleasure to work with.

The Time Of Her Life

The worst day of her life could be the best thing that’s ever happened.

Kim Jacobs believes that she is happily married, until her husband tells her he is leaving her. Forced to re-evaluate her life on the same day that her son leaves for university, Kim is shocked to find herself sleeping in the spare room of his college flat share.

She never imagined her prime would be spent with a bunch of man-babies, but amongst the empty pizza boxes and unwashed laundry, Kim can feel something starting to happen.

Can her unlikely new housemates help her realise that maybe the best is yet to come?

About The Author

Tracy Bloom started writing when her cruel, heartless husband ripped her away from her dream job, shopping for rollercoasters for the UK’s leading theme parks, to live in America with a brand-new baby and no mates. In a cunning plan to avoid domestic duties and people who didn’t understand her Derbyshire accent, she wrote NO ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY. It went on to become a No.1 bestseller and publishing phenomenon. Since then Tracy has written many more novels and been published successfully around the world. She now lives back home in Derbyshire with her husband and children.

My Review

Kim Jacobs has it all, happily married for 20 years to husband Richard, a rewarding job as a hairdresser and her only son Harry is about to go to university. Life couldn’t be better for her…that is until the night of her husbands 50th surprise birthday party. After Kim does a speech to their friends and family about how much she adores her husband, he drops a massive bombshell. He is leaving her, for Alison, the neighbour next door. It’s a classic cliché that destroys everything Kim thought she had. Not wanting to stay where it is literally on her doorstep, Kim decides to go and stay in Nottingham after dropping her son off at his new accommodation for university. As luck would have it there is a spare room going free and before she knows it Kim is living with her son and his flatmates while working at the local chippy. The student life has never looked more appealing when your husband’s a cheater and everything you thought you had was a lie.

The narrative follows Kim in third person as she navigates her new outlook on life after the destruction of her marriage. Bloom has created an extremely likeable character in Kim that the reader can feel and root for. Bloom has written Kim with a vulnerability that all she has ever known is being a hairdresser, mum and wife. She has done it for so long that she no longer knows what she wants in life. Kim is a great believer in fate and turns her unfortunate situation into one of opportunity. Bloom allows Kim to grow, to realise that she is strong enough and doesn’t need to rely on anyone but herself. Kim also has to let her son Harry go, to cut those apron strings and let him be free. She starts to think that maybe Richard leaving her was possibly the best thing to have happened.

Bloom has captured the heartache and torment that comes with the collapse of a marriage. Years of love and fond memories all fade and make you wonder if it was ever real. Kim is left hurt and confused, questioning what did she do wrong, how could she have not seen it and of course he would have an affair, she’s ‘only a hairdresser’. Bloom displays the never-ending hope, possibilities of happiness and passionate endless love to the reader. In Kim she has created a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, allowing her the room, time and freedom she needs in order to transform into her beautiful true self. It’s a joy to read, you want her to succeed and cheer her on the whole way through. 

The characters that surround Kim bring that extra warmth and support that you need after a break up. They are a mixed bunch, her housemates Sonny and Angus are complete opposites. Vicky, her best friend since primary school is always up for a laugh and encourages the happy-go-lucky side of Kim to emerge. Max her boss appears to come off as a no-nonsense kind of guy but as Kim gets to know him she finds out that he too has been hurt by love in the past. These characters encourage Kim to get out there, live a little and have the time of her life. She deserves it, now is her time to shine and figure out what she wants out of life, free of guilt. You are ecstatic that Kim is not left alone during her breakdown. She has the support and kindness in the last place she ever suspected to find it.

I give The Time Of Her Life By Tracy Bloom a Five out of Five paw rating

Beautifully heartbreaking, I was a mess. Bloom writes with a powerful emotional creativity that tugs at the heartstrings but also makes you smile with the happiness and love that is slowly uncovered.

How can you not love Kim? You feel like you know her, have become friends with her. As a hairdresser she loves talking to people and listening to their woes. You feel at ease with her and comfortable, that your worries will be cut and washed away. 

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy!

Hop hop wiggle wiggle

Strong Female Character By Fern Brady Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear reader I am on the blog tour for Strong Female Character (Published 11th January 2024) By Fern Brady. A big thank you to the publishers Brazen/Octopus Books. Also to the wonderful Anne for inviting me to take part in the tour, always a pleasure to work with.

 

Strong Female Character

A summary of my book:

1. I’m diagnosed with autism 20 years after telling a doctor I had it.
2. My terrible Catholic childhood: I hate my parents etc.
3. My friendship with an elderly man who runs the corner shop and is definitely not trying to groom me. I get groomed.
4. Homelessness.
5. Stripping.
6. More stripping but with more nervous breakdowns.
7. I hate everyone at uni and live with a psycho etc.
8. REDACTED as too spicy.
9. After everyone tells me I don’t look autistic, I try to cure my autism and get addicted to Xanax.
10. REDACTED as too embarrassing.

About the Author

Fern Brady is a woman. She is also autistic. She was born in Scotland (no, not Glasgow). She has no presets for being a ‘good woman’ – she never hated her body or indulged in messy millennial shame. She now lives out of wedlock in London. She has zero children.

Fern’s caustic wit, exceptional writing and electric stage craft has made her one of the UK’s hottest comedy stars. As seen on Live from the BBC, Live from the Comedy Store, The Russell Howard Hour, and Live at the Apollo. She’s had viral success with her BBC Life Lessons and supported Frankie Boyle and Katherine Ryan on tour. She can currently be seen on Taskmaster on Channel 4.

My Review

Be ready dear reader to hear a brutally honest account of life with autism. Like a lot of things in this world, we are often told a vague outline of what a diagnosis is without actually understanding what it entirely means. Strong Female Character is Brady’s memoir and it’s bloody brilliant.

Brady grew up in Bathgate, Scotland and was told over and over that she was very, very clever but also very, very bad. As a child she spent a lot of time alone as she didn’t know how to talk to other children. She always found it a struggle to socialise as she got older. Any attempt she made to fit in only pushed her further and further away, making her seem weird and odd. Brady writes with a vulnerability as she shares her memories of being bullied over having an accident, kids calling her names and making friends with a tree. Brady turns her attention to books and learning, she finds a love in languages. At 15 she first got depressed and hated being around her family as they were too noisy. She would have to calm herself down in the evenings by punching her bedroom wall repeatedly or spend hours in her rocking chair. She takes everything people say at face value which can land her in awkward situations. As an adult she attends university and explores her sexuality. I was immersed in Brady’s memoir, she shows the rough, gritty, not so glamorous side of university life. She is forced to take to stripping as she needs money to survive. I am also curious about the real side to strip clubs and think the public need to see the reality of that lifestyle.

This book is fascinating, to experience and learn more about autism, a life that most of us are unaware of is a wide awaking. How everyday things can appear ok to us like bright lights and loud noises but to others it’s a torment. I hate the word “normal” as what is normal? Who defined the word normal to class it as normal? I believe we all think and see things in our own unique way and what’s more beautiful than that? I think we need to be constantly educating ourselves to the way our minds work, we are not all the same and that is truly a wonderful thing.

I felt such a righteous fury as no one questions Brady’s behaviour and put it down to her being annoying. If she had been diagnosed sooner she would have got the help and support she needed. Brady considers approaching a GP multiple times, but always convinces herself she was too busy. When she does tell a psychiatrist that she thinks she has Asperger’s he tells her that she doesn’t fit the criteria because she makes eye contact and has had boyfriends. I mean, really dear reader? How are these professionals qualified? 

I give Strong Female Character By Fern Brady a Five out of Five paw rating

A powerful, witty and honest memoir that exposes itself in all its glory for the world to see.

Brady shows but a glimpse to what it is like being autistic. It’s complex and she best describes it as when you have been on a night out and got blackout drunk and the next day your friends are laughing at all the stupid stuff you did, that’s what it feels like. But there’s no excuses for your behaviour and no one is laughing. Brady scratches her arms after people touch her and smashes up her stuff at home. The reader can feel Brady’s frustration raging off the pages as she longs for someone, anyone to understand what she is going through.

I highly recommend that everyone should read this book! If not for Brady’s outlandish humour and no nonsense view on the world, then to educate themselves on what it is like to have autism.

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy!

 

 

Hop hop wiggle wiggle

Peas on Earth By Huw Lewis Jones Illustrated by Ben Sanders Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear reader I am on the blog tour for Peas on Earth (Published October 19 2023) By Huw Lewis Jones illustrated By Ben Sanders. A big thank you to the publishers Thames & Hudson for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated. Also to the wonderful Anne for the invite to take part in the tour, always a pleasure.

Peas on Earth

The latest addition to the laugh-out-loud series of picture books by award-winning author Huw Lewis Jones and illustrator Ben Sanders, in which the naughty antics of a truly terrible piece of fruit, Bad Apple, prove deliciously entertaining.

In this festive edition, Bad Apple faces his greatest challenge yet: it’s Christmas day and everyone is just so … jolly.

Granny Smith’s carol singing and Pineapple’s incessant dancing are grating to say the least, but it’s the cheery arrival of Pea and his extended family that pushes Bad Apple over the edge.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas … but how long can the Peas last?

About the Author

Huw Lewis Jones is a polar-exploring author and historian who lives in Cornwall, UK. His books include Explorers’ Sketchbooks, The Writer’s Map and Archipelago (all Thames & Hudson).

About the Illustrator

Ben Sanders is an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer based in Ballarat, Australia. He is the author and illustrator of I’ve an Uncle Ivan and I Could Wear That Hat! (both Thames & Hudson Australia).

My Review

It’s that time of year again, the decorations are up, presents are nestled safely under the tree and a mince pie is always a good idea for breakfast. It’s Christmas! The festive season is upon us, it’s time to feel jolly. But not everyone is excited about Christmas…

This children’s picture book aged for 3 years plus tells the story of a bad apple, will he be naughty or nice this Christmas? Apple is a grumpy fruit, he hates Christmas as it is so jolly. The fruit, vegetables and cat are getting festive but Apple is not happy. Granny Smith is carolling with Carrot, Orange and Cat, the Plums are wrapping presents and the Mince Pies are merry. Little Pea brings all his friends but Bad Apple is being nasty to the guests, he thinks Christmas is rubbish and the peas are just pests. Can Cat come to the rescue in time to save Christmas? How long can peace last… 

We loved reading this story together and giggling at how naughty Bad Apple was. The boys found Bad Apple funny with his grumpy faces and the mischief he got up to. We couldn’t stop laughing when we saw what Cat did to Bad Apple in the end, just desserts.

We loved the illustrations of all the different faces on the fruit, vegetables and especially how grumpy Bad Apple is. The colours are cheery and made our tummies rumble, we had to nibble a mince pie or two in-between pages. The boys have also decided to draw faces with a sharpie on the fruit…which is amusing to see everyday which different expressions they make. One of them has even added googly eyes!

Jones has definitely captured the hustle and bustle that happens around this time of year. Along with Sanders’ illustrations, the book shows the joys of the holidays but also how not everyone is in a jolly mood. It’s a mixture of emotions and in ways the boys felt sad for Bad Apple as he does not enjoy Christmas. But then they also learned that being nasty to others is never ok. They want Bad Apple to be a Happy Apple and want to be his friend as they think he is lonely. It’s really sweet how a story that is a couple of pages long can really make an impact on little minds.

I give Peas on Earth By Huw Lewis Jones Illustrated by Ben Sanders a Five out of Five paw rating

A fun, festive, family favourite read that is the perfect present this Christmas for your little ones.

This is very quickly becoming part of our bedtime routine, especially in the lead up to Christmas. This book has got us all excited and we can’t wait for the big day! We might also now have an apple as our star on top of our Christmas tree…

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy!

Links

Buy a copy

 

Hop hop wiggle wiggle

If I Had A Polar Bear By By Gabby Dawnay Illustrated by Alex Barrow Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear reader I am on the blog tour for If I Had A Polar Bear (Published October 5, 2023) By Gabby Dawnay and illustrated by Alex Barrow. A big thank you to the publishers Thames & Hudson for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated. Also to the wonderful Anne for inviting me to take part in the blog tour, you are amazing.

If I Had A Polar Bear

The latest addition to the wildly popular series of bedtime stories imagines what it would be like to have a polar bear for a pet. What would it be like to have a polar bear as a pet?

It might be an unconventional choice, but it would be sure to give the best bear hugs…

Polar bears are cuddly but they’re also very strong. As marine mammals, they can swim for days at a time – that’s serious perseverance! So if Santa ever needed help delivering his presents, guess who he would call?

Join our funny female protagonist as she wonders ‘what would life be like… if I had a polar bear?’

About the Author

Gabby Dawnay is a writer and poet. She is a regular contributor to OKIDO magazine and a script-writer for children’s television.

Alex Barrow is a London-based illustrator, and the art director for and a regular contributor to OKIDO magazine.

Alex and Gabby are the duo behind children’s picture books If I had a dinosaur, A House for Mouse and A Song for Bear, all published by Thames & Hudson.

My Review

Grab a blanket, make yourself a hot chocolate piled with marshmallows and snuggle down with your little ones for a story of wonder. Have you ever wondered dear reader what it would be like to have a polar bear as a pet? I definitely have, they are beautiful animals and so FLUFFY!

The story follows a child who wants a polar bear as a pet. They see them as reliable and calm. The polar bear would help teach them their amazing swimming skills and at night they would gaze upon the northern nights. Not only does this story take you on a wondrous tale of imagination but there are also facts about polar bears such as how people think polar bears are white when in fact their fur’s translucent and just reflects the light. The rhyming narrative makes the whole experience more fun and it helps the story flow.

The pictures in this book are delightful and really immerse you into the story. The detail and tones used are gentle and relaxing, they are a joy to look at. We could have spent hours just looking at them and imagining life with a polar bear.

I give If I Had A Polar Bear By Gabby Dawnay Illustrated by Alex Barrow a Five out of Five paw rating

A charming, delightful tale that will make you smile at the idea of having a polar bear as a pet.

My boys absolutely loved this book, they have all asked for a polar bear for Christmas! How on earth is it going to fit under the Christmas tree? Hmmm

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy!

Links

Buy a copy 

Hop hop wiggle wiggle

Be More Octopus By Suzanne Lissaman Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear reader I have the absolute honour of kicking off the blog tour for Be More Octopus (Published 12 June 2023) By Suzanne Lissaman. A big thank you to the publishers Octosulis Publishing for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated. Also to the wonderful Anne for the invite to take part in the blog tour, you are amazing.    

Be More Octopus

Is hitting a handsome professor with a vacuum cleaner a good way to start a new relationship? Em doesn’t think so. But she’s not looking for a new man, or is she?

When Em discovers that her fiancé’s having an affair, she leaves her stressful call centre job, packs up her paints and easel and moves to the coast to build a better life on her own. But her new life becomes more complicated when charming professor, Jack Carver, arrives for a holiday. Who’s he avoiding? And what do Jack and Em have in common?

Set in Birmingham, London and the fictional town of Dashford in North Devon, Be More Octopus is an entertaining, friends-to-lovers romantic comedy.

About The Author

Suzanne Lissaman is a romantic comedy writer based in the UK. When she’s not writing, she’s also an artist and award-winning photographer. She lives in the West Midlands with her husband, two children, and a demanding but adorable cat.

My Review

Em’s life is turned upside down when she discovers her fiancé, Connor is having an affair. Fed up of always settling and never pushing herself to achieve her dreams of painting for a living, Em decides to take charge of her life. Told in three parts the narrative follows Em’s journey to rediscover herself and her passion amongst the beautifully scenic backdrop of North Devon with a dash of love and humour thrown into the mix. 

Em is a fascinating character to follow and extremely relatable. When she finds out that Connor has been having an affair she questions her life. Stuck in a job working in a call centre she makes the decision to quit and move back to her dad’s. At 29 years old Em wonders what happened in her life to end up back at her family home. She goes into the loft and finds an old canvas which ignites her passion for painting. She suddenly sees that she has been stuck in a dead-end relationship and letting life pass her by. She makes a decision to never settle for second best and find something that isn’t too challenging so it gives her time to work on her art. She stumbles across a job for a live-in part-time holiday let concierge in Dashford-On-Sea North Devon. Her new life leads her to the dashing and charming Jack Carver. While working at Dashford Grange, Jack who is a Professor of 18th and 19th century British history comes to stay on holiday to finish writing his book. The connection between Em and Jack sparks off the page, you feel a sense of desire and lust as they grow closer. You desperately want them to get together. I couldn’t stop laughing at how they meet, a perfect meet cute. Em is instantly attracted but tells herself that he is not her type, that she does not want another man in her life so soon. She is avoiding men and taking the approach that her best friend Lucy suggested, ‘Be more octopus” Did you know dear reader that a female octopus will throw rocks at unwanted attention from a male? Fascinating, isn’t it? Lucy reminds Em of the trip they took at school to an aquarium where they learnt this fact. Em does her best to be more octopus but she keeps bumping into Jack at every turn.

Em quickly settles into life in Devon, it feels like home and she offers to paint her boss Nancy who is delighted with the results. She encourages Em to think about selling her portraits. But Em feels she needs more practice and offers to paint Jack. The more time they spend together, the more Em can feel herself falling for him but Jack is hiding a secret that could threaten everything.

I give Be More Octopus By Suzanne Lissaman a Five out of Five paw rating

Amusing and full of classic romantic comedy moments, this book is the perfect lighthearted read to escape to the picturesque quietness of North Devon.

Lissaman writes a delightful, heartfelt story about how starting over again is not always a bad idea. Follow your dreams and never let anyone tell you otherwise. Life is too short, so live it how you want to. Embrace every moment and fill your life with the things that make you happy.

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy!

Links

Buy a copy

Hop hop wiggle wiggle

Your Rainbow By Lynn How Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear reader I am on the blog tour for Your Rainbow (Published 19th October 2022) By Lynn How.  A big thank you to the publishers Silverwood Books for sending me a copy to read and review. Also to the wonderful Anne for the invite to take part, always a pleasure to work with.  

Your Rainbow

Join Erin and Rowan as their bedtime is transformed into a multicoloured rhyming journey, enabling a visit to each colour of the rainbow in turn. It is a colourful adventure, providing the children with the wisdom and unconditional love they need to face any of life’s challenges.

This inspirational bedtime tale, both nurtures and grows the strong bond between parents and children. With mesmerising pictures and a powerful message, it is sure to become a firm favourite for this and the next generation of your family.

About the Author

Lynn How loved to write poems from a young age and was encouraged by both her parents and teachers. After fostering a love of literacy, Lynn became a primary school teacher and stayed in the profession for twenty years. Within this time, she taught across the primary age range and gained her Masters degree, SENCO and headteachers’ qualification.Lynn was compelled to write this book for not only her children, but for all other parents and children who have a shared love of those special bedtime conversations that bring families closer together. It is a time where parents are able to impart wisdom and assist their children with their worries. This story speaks of support, self-worth and love; it needed to be shared.When Lynn isn’t writing, she loves spending time with her family. They are always seeking out new and exciting outdoor adventures!Her recent work is in educational consultancy for teacher wellbeing and special needs as well as editing a well-known education blog. She has won awards for her teacher wellbeing work and her blog supporting children with social and emotional issues. She is about to have a specialist non-fiction book published on the subject of special needs in schools. 

About the Illstraitour

Jennifer is an Illustrator and Designer living in the sunny English countryside surrounded by beautiful forest. Jennifer loves creating quirky, feisty and friendly characters and bringing their wonderful personalities to life. She has a passion for inclusiveness and is a strong advocate for representation in children’s books. She loves the idea that we can change the world with the books we create. Jennifer’s work is instantly recognisable due to her rich, bright colour palette, quirky patterns and detailed textures. Her two young children provide her with endless inspiration for her work.

My Review

A bedtime story is natural for any night time routine. It’s a time of calm and peace where you and your child sit down at the end of the day and go on an adventure together. And that’s the amazing thing about books, they can take you anywhere.

The story follows Erin and Rowan as their mum tells them about the colours of their rainbow and how it can guide and help them throughout life. They all go on an adventure within the four walls of their bedroom where they explore the colours of their rainbow.

The rhyming helped get into the flow of the story and added a calming pace. The words rolled of my tongue and was almost singsongy, a lullaby which helped relax my boys.

The beauty of this book is that parents get to share with their children. It helps creates a relaxing, safe space where they can bond over many adventures.

The messages presented are powerful, they are full of support and wisdom about how you learn from pain to experience great happiness, to seek out their sun in those difficult times. It’s refreshing to read as children are often told to not focus on the bad. But here the story is showing them that the bad will only make them stronger, they will learn and grow from it. 

The illustrations are gorgeous. The boys loved looking at all the colour and detail on every page. They enjoyed trying to find the gingerbread and monkey too that joined the adventure.

I give Your Rainbow By Lynn How a Five out of Five paw rating

A delightful, colourful, magical story that is essential to any bedtime routine.

We loved this book, the boys could not get enough and it has quickly become a nightly favourite.

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy!

Links

Buy a copy

@Positive_Y_Mind

Hop hop wiggle wiggle