Gin Palace By Tracy Whitwell Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear readers I am on the blog tour for Gin Palace (Published 16th February 2023) By Tracy Whitwell. A big thank you to the publishers Pan Macmillan 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.

Gin Palace

Ever since Tanz discovered she could speak with the dead, life has become a whole lot more interesting. But after putting herself in grave danger helping to solve a grisly murder, she’s now determined to ignore the voices and put all that nasty business behind her.

So when she’s offered another acting gig in her hometown of Newcastle, it feels like a perfect opportunity to spend some time with family and have a laugh with old friends.

But the dead won’t stay quiet for long. Soon Tanz is being drawn back into their world, and this time, the danger is much closer to home…

About The Author

Tracy Whitwell was born, brought up and educated in the north-east of England. She wrote plays and short stories from an early age, then in the nineties moved to London where she became a busy actress on stage and screen.

After having her son, she wound down the acting to concentrate on writing full time. Many projects followed until she finally found the courage to write her first novel – The Accidental Medium, a work of fiction based on a whole heap of crazy truth and now a trilogy, with more to come.

Today, Tracy lives in north London with her son, surrounded by a neverending supply of Aperol Spritzes and a coven of friends as spooky as she is. Tracy is nothing like her lead character Tanz. (This is a lie.)

My Review

The narrative follows Tanz shorty after the events of the first book, The Accidental Medium as she learns to live with her unusual gift of talking to the dead. Tanz is trying to put the horrific ordeal behind her, for months she has tried hard to be a normal human, with little success.  She hides away in her bed with her cat Inka and has cut herself off from all the spooky stuff. After what happened in The Accidental Medium she can’t handle it anymore as she has started having nightmares. But when her agent, Bill calls with the offer of an acting gig in her home town of Newcastle, Tanz takes the opportunity to spend time with her best friend Milo and see her parents. However the dead have other plans for her and before she knows it, Tanz is pulled back into the underworld where a vicious spirt taunts her. What happened at the Black Gate and why does a little boy with a dirty face make her feel uneasy?

I was fascinated by this story, I greedily devoured each page, hungry for more. Whitwell’s writing style flows off the page beautifully. She writes characters such as Tanz who are relatable and have a wicked sense of humour. The reader finds Tanz stuck in a bit of a rut. She is desperate for money but is fed up of taking bad acting jobs. As you follow her to her new job on a show called Pendle Investigates where she plays a common prostitute, she interacts with a variety of characters such as Caroline May, an actress in her 60s who carries an air of arrogance about her. But it’s Tanz’s way with people that pulls you in, she’s blunt, honest and caring. She makes you laugh and you immediately want to be her friend. The reader watches Tanz’s relationships grow and flourish, it’s a joy to read as you find yourself smiling at her many charming interactions.

Tanz as a character was an absolute riot to follow. She has many comic moments and is an extremely likeable character but she also has a vulnerability about her. Lately she has been feeling bad about herself and is haunted my nightmares of a man with a scar on his neck coming to murder her. She can’t escape it and becomes determined to find out what secrets lie buried at the Black Gate. She gets a sense that Newcastle isn’t haunting her but rather she is haunting it by invading its past. She starts to hear and smell all manners of a past life and it excites her. Tanz knows that the past won’t stop pestering her until she has helped free whoever or whatever has chosen to haunt her.

I give Gin Palace By Tracy Whitwell a Five out of Five paw rating.

Highly addictive with a main character that keeps you laughing even when faced with ghosts. I could not get enough, I devoured this book and wanted more.

I haven’t had the pleasure of reading the first book but this book can be read as a stand-alone. I WILL be reading it dear reader, I have to, I am hooked!

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

Links

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@WhitwellTracy

@panmacmillan

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One Moment By Becky Hunter Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear readers I am on the blog tour for One Moment (Published 2nd March 2023) By Becky Hunter. A big thank you to the publishers Corvus 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.

One Moment

One moment in time can change everything…

The day Scarlett dies should have been one of the most important of her life. It doesn’t feel fair that she’ll never have the chance to fulfil her dreams. And now, she’s still … here – wherever here is – watching the ripple effect of her death on the lives of those she loved the most.

Evie cannot contemplate her life without Scarlett, and she certainly cannot forgive Nate, the man she blames for her best friend’s death. But Nate keeps popping up when she least expects him to, catapulting Evie’s life in directions she’d never let herself imagine possible. Ways, perhaps, even those closest to her had long since given up on.

If you could go back, knowing everything that happens after, everything that happens because of that one moment in time, would you change the course of history or would you do it all again?

About The Author

Becky Hunter lived and worked in London for several years before moving to Mozambique to volunteer with horses and try her hand at writing. A few years, a few destinations, and a few jobs later she had the idea that would become One Moment. Alongside writing, she now works as a freelance editor and publicist, splitting her time between Bristol and London, and constantly trying to plan the next adventure.

My Review

Scarlett is on her way to work when she sees a cyclist on his phone run a red light. He then gets hit and falls off into the road. No one stops to help him so Scarlett rushes to aid him. As she retrieves his bike she is suddenly hit by a car and dies on impact. She watches her body be taken to the hospital, her friend Evie being told she has passed away and breaking down. She feels helpless and is angry at Nate, the cyclist that she helped. Scarlett has no idea where she is, she isn’t alive but hasn’t crossed over either. She is stuck in limbo watching the world carry on, watching Evie her best friend live a life without her.

The narrative follows Scarlett in first person and switches to third when the reader follows Evie. Scarlett is forced to watch the aftermath of her death unfold, stuck. She witnesses the present but also revisits her memories. Scarlett starts to see how she could have supported Evie more, encouraged her to do more things and not let her MS define her. Scarlett is glad in ways that Nate and Evie found each other. She hates how they came to be but slowly starts to see the old Evie she remembers, the one who enjoyed life before her diagnosis.

Scarlett and Evie have been best friends for as long as either of them can remember. They lived together in a flat in London, Scarlett worked in fashion and had big dreams of launching her own label while Evie works as an assistant, mostly at home and doesn’t leave the house if she can avoid it. Evie’s real passion is music. She plays the violin but since she was diagnosed with MS she struggles.

It was interesting to follow Evie on her journey of grief and how she is forced to overcome her fear of her MS and take control of her life without Scarlett. I was cheering for her on the sidelines with Scarlett, wanting her to achieve her dreams and live her life. Not hide away and let her MS define her, but to take charge and make a change.

Hunter has created perfect characters that come into Evie’s life after the death of Scarlett that not only help her but encourage her to push herself, to do more and pick up her violin again. Evie’s new neighbour,  Astrid, a 13 year old girl plays the violin and asks Evie for help with a solo. Evie is hesitant but she soon builds a friendship with the teenager as in ways she reminds her of Scarlett. Nate seeks Evie out after the accident and worries about how she is coping but also doesn’t bubblewrap her because of her MS. He takes her places which forces her out of her comfort zone and challenges her MS. Evie feels she can’t do much because of it but through Nate and Astrid she slowly starts to see that maybe she can live a full life and not let her MS stop her but to find a balance. It’s wonderful to read how these characters come together and help Evie as you grow fond of them. The reader has only just met Scarlett and yet she quickly dies but you come to know of her through Evie and Scarlett’s memories.

I give One Moment By Becky Hunter a Five out of Five paw rating.

This story broke me, I was a mess! I loved every second!

This is an emotional read and deals with themes of death, depression and suicide. Everyone deals with grief in their own ways, there is no right or wrong way. Life is unexpected, you never know what is round the corner so make the most of each day, take chances and live in the moment. I highly recommend this book to everyone, I absolutely loved it, I couldn’t put it down!

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

Links

Buy a copy

@Bookish_Becky

@CorvusBooks

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This Could Be Everything By Eva Rice Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear reader I am on the blog tour for This Could be Everything (Published 16th Feb 2023) By Eva Rice. A big thank you to the publishers Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated. Also to the wonderful Anne for inviting me to take part in the tour, always a pleasure to work with.     

This Could Be Everything

It’s 1990. The Happy Mondays are in the charts, a fifteen-year-old called Kate Moss is on the cover of the Face magazine, and Julia Roberts wears thigh-boots for the poster of a new movie called Pretty Woman.

February Kingdom is nineteen years old when she is knocked sideways by family tragedy. Then one evening in May, she finds an escaped canary in her kitchen and it sparks a glimmer of hope in her. With the help of the bird called Yellow, Feb starts to feel her way out of her own private darkness, just as her aunt embarks on a passionate and all-consuming affair with a married American drama teacher.

This Could Be Everything is a coming-of-age story with its roots under the pavements of a pre-Richard-Curtis-era Notting Hill that has all but vanished. It’s about what happens when you start looking after something more important than you, and the hope a yellow bird can bring . . .

About The Author

Eva Rice has written 5 novels and is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets – a post-war coming-of-age story that was runner-up in the 2006 Richard and Judy Book of the Year. It is currently being developed by Fudge Park (creators of The Inbetweeners) and Moonage Pictures (Pursuit of Love) as a major new TV series. Eva has toured with bands since her early twenties. She has written the music and lyrics for Harriet a musical based on an early Jilly Cooper novel due to open in 2023. She has a geek-like fascination with pop music, and her party trick is recalling chart positions.

My Review

It’s 1990 and nineteen year old February Kingdom (What an awesome name!) sits in her room listening to the radio top 40 chart count down. A ritual she has done since the tragic death of her non-identical twin sister Diana six months ago. February spent the first nine years of her life in Austin, Texas and then for the next seven in Oxfordshire, England. Yet she tells everyone she’s a Londoner born and bred, she feels London in her bones although her Texas accent gives her away. She lives with her aunt Ann and uncle Robert since her parents’ death in a fire at King’s Cross station in 1987. February locks herself away in her room and hasn’t stepped outside in months. She panics at the thought of having to answer the phone, the door, and has forgotten how to talk to people. But one evening a small yellow bird flies into her kitchen and changes everything.

I loved that at the start of the book there is a playlist that you can scan and listen to as you read. It added to the nostalgia of going back to the 90’s, listening to its sound and remembering simpler times before the internet really took its hold with its social media and being glued to your phone. It was refreshing and an indulgent experience.

February was an interesting character to follow. The reader gets to hear her thoughts and feelings of what she is going through at such a dark time in her life. Her whole world has been flipped upside down since the death of her family. She is afraid of all the things that once pleased her, has dropped out of everything and will only speak to her aunt and uncle. Her world is one filled with panic, fear and grief. The reader witnesses how difficult it is for her to answer the phone when it continues to keep ringing. They experience how something that seems simple enough to most people, is a daunting task for February who is filled with anxiety. She doesn’t feel like she is enough. As sisters it was Diana who got all the attention, she was a model and people would say is full of life. February keeps her head down and studies, not wanting to be noticed. The beauty of this book is that the reader gets to watch February grow and overcome her fear. You are constantly cheering her on, supporting her, wanting her to know it’s ok and to take those first scary steps out into the world.

I couldn’t help but smile whenever February and Theo were together. The interaction between these two characters was fascinating to watch, beautiful and tender as they slowly let each other into their lives. Theo is the complete opposite to February, he’s cheeky and encourages her to take back control, to get out into the world. Before her sister died February was all set to go to go to university back in Texas but has long since given up that dream. Theo tells her she should do it and to also start playing tennis again, a passion she has stopped since Diana died. Theo can see that February needs help and so gives her his canary who is called Yellow. February says she was useful when she was a twin, a sister, she needs to believe and know that she is enough. Theo tells her she’s useful now, without her he won’t survive and that maybe Yellow saves her. It takes her a while but she slowly starts to want to wake up, go out, answer the door or phone. Theo at first frightened her as he made her feel things she thinks she shouldn’t. With the help of him and Yellow February starts to see what happens when you look after something more important than yourself. She sees the hope a tiny yellow bird can bring.

I give This Could Be Everything By Eva Rice a Five out of Five paw rating.

Absolutely fantastic! A heartwarming story that will make you cry, laugh and see how life is very often not about the arrival, it’s about the journey. I could not put this book down, I was obsessed. I highly recommend to everyone. 

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

Links

Buy a copy 

@EvaRiceAuthor

@simonschusterUK

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Death and the Conjuror By Tom Mead Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear readers I am on the blog tour for Death and the Conjuror (Published 2nd February 2023) By Tom Mead.  A big thank you to the publishers Head of Zeus/Aries 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.

Death and the Conjuror

1936, London. A celebrity psychiatrist is discovered dead in his locked study. There seems to be no way a killer could have escaped unseen. There are no clues, no witnesses, and no evidence of the murder weapon. Stumped by the confounding scene, Inspector Flint, the Scotland Yard detective on the case, calls on retired stage magician turned part-time sleuth Joseph Spector.

Spector has a knack for explaining the inexplicable, but even he finds that there is more to this mystery than meets the eye. As he and the Inspector interview the colourful cast of suspects, they uncover no shortage of dark secrets… or motives for murder. And when a second murder occurs, this time in an impenetrable elevator, they realize the crime wave will become even more deadly unless they can catch the culprit soon.

About The Author

Tom Mead is a UK crime fiction author specialising in locked-room mysteries. He is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the International Thriller Writers’ Organization.

His debut novel is Death and the Conjuror, featuring magician-detective Joseph Spector.

 

My Review

I love a good old fashioned murder mystery, the suspense, the suspects, the clues, all building to the big reveal at the end when it all finally clicks into place. And boy did this book not disappoint.

Set in 1936 London, Dr. Anselm Rees, a psychiatrist to celebrities who wish to remain anonymous, is found dead in his study. His throat has been slashed and all the windows and doors are locked. There is no possible way that the killer could have escaped without being seen by his housekeeper Olive Turner. With little evidence, no clues and no sign of the murder weapon Inspector Flint from Scotland Yard is at a loss. He turns to retired stage magician Joseph Spector for some help uncovering the truth. On interviewing the suspects they discover more dark secrets and disturbing truths that leave no reason to question a motive for murder. Then out of nowhere a second murder takes pace in an impenetrable elevator. It becomes clear to the dynamic duo that if they don’t catch the killer soon, more and more bodies will be discovered with no signs of how they were conjured.

Told in three parts the story mainly follows George Flint, the detective on the case of the murder of Dr. Rees, and Joseph Spector, a retired stage magician who aids Flint in seeing what others often overlook or fail to notice. It was fascinating to watch these two characters interact with each other, how their minds worked on uncovering the truth behind the murder. Flint believes that the benefit of knowing a magician is that he is learning how tricks are done. It helps him look beyond what he knows and the possibilities of the impossible. It’s hypnotic to read as the pieces all slowly fall into place, you kick yourself for not seeing it sooner.

I loved Mead’s attention to detail in his writing, everything has a purpose and it hints clues to the reader for solving the murder. He leaves little breadcrumbs for the reader to follow but also doesn’t give too much away. It gets you thinking and questioning the other character’s motives. You suspect everyone and try to get your head around how this magic act took place. How did the murderer get out of a locked room? Who was the murderer? The questions whirl around your head as you try to figure out this locked room mystery. It’s exhilarating dear reader as you get caught up in the suspense, you have to know how this murder happened.

I give Death and the Conjuror By Tom Mead a Five out of Five paw rating.

Absolutely brilliant and highly addictive, I loved every second and didn’t want it to end.

From the moment you start reading, Mead throws the reader straight into the action. I was hooked and could not put this book down. I had to know how it was done and why!

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

 

Links

Buy a copy

 

@TomMeadAuthor

 

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The Witch and the Tsar By Olesya Salnikova Gilmore Review (Random Things Tours)

The Witch and the Tsar By Olesya Salnikova Gilmore Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear readers I am on the blog tour for The Witch and the Tsar (Published 8th December 2022) By Olesya Salnikova Gilmore. Happy Publication Day! A big thank you to the publishers HarperVoyager for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated. Also to the lovely Anne for the invite to take part in the tour, you make being a part of this community awesome!  

 

The Witch and the Tsar

As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves.

As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan— soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine.

About the Author

Olesya Salnikova Gilmore was born in Moscow, Russia, raised in the United States, and graduated from Pepperdine University with a BA in English / political science, and from Northwestern University School of Law with a JD. She practiced litigation at a large law firm for several years before pursuing her dream of becoming an author. She is happiest writing historical fiction and fantasy inspired by Eastern European folklore. She lives in a wooded lakeside suburb of Chicago with her husband and daughter. The Witch and the Tsar is her debut novel.

My Review

We have all heard the nightmarish tales of Baba Yaga. A boney hag who lives in the woods in her hut with chicken legs as she feasts on the bones of young children. But what if it was all a lie? A lie to hide the truth of who Baba Yaga really is. After not seeing each other for over a decade Tsaritsa Anastasia, wife of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich shows up after having been poisoned. Once Yaga has performed a ritual to heal her, Anastasia begs Yaga to travel with her to Moscow. Yaga has been away from the world for years, only knowing of its hate against her. But who is trying to kill Anastasia? And for what purpose?

The story takes place in sixteenth-century Russia where Yaga lives deep in the forest with her wolf Dyen and owl Noch. She tends to anyone who calls upon her for healing and wisdom. The myth of Baba Yaga stalks her daily with people fearing to approach her incase she devours them. But one day a friend from the past approaches her, Tsaritsa Anastasia, wife of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich needs her help. Someone at court is trying to poison her. Yaga eventually agrees and sees at court the dark forces that wish to manipulate and take control of the country.

Gilmore beautifully breathes life into the myth of Baba Yaga, making her a woman who feels, has heart and isn’t a demonic creature with an iron nose who preys upon the weak. I felt for Yaga, she is a strong female character who is cursed with the myth that she is a demon. She is lonely and has been for centuries with only her animals for company. The woods have been her safe haven, away from the pitchforks and whispers of her witchcraft. Yaga wishes she could live among mortals, being a healer and advisor as she enjoys filling her empty house with her potions. Not only does it keep her mind busy but it gives her a sense of purpose. For a time Yaga moved from village to village helping those who needed her but it always ended the same way. Chased out by talks of demonic and unnatural powers, eating humans and decorating her house with human skulls. No matter where she goes Yaga’s legacy clings to her preventing such a life, always casting doubt on those who wish to seek her out.

I enjoyed reading about Yaga’s origins, how her father was mortal and her mother was a goddess. Yaga’s body has not aged past thirty despite being on Earth for centuries. Her appearance baffles people when they meet her as she is not the haggard boney witch they are expecting. She has wild black hair with the odd grey streak and her arms are covered in art. Yaga has tried time and time again to convince mortals that she is not what they think to no avail. I felt strongly for Yaga, the years of being alone and everyone thinking the lies and rumours told were true. But she continues to strive, to fight and help those who need her. I admired her bravery and determination.

I give The Witch and the Tsar By Olesya Salnikova Gilmore a Five out of Five paw rating

Hypnotising and enchanting, you will be captivated from the moment you start reading. I could not put this book down. This refreshing new take on Baba Yaga was fascinating to read, I could not get enough. Highly recommended.

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

 

Links

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@OlesyaAuthor

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Disobedient Women By Sangeeta Mulay Review (Fly On The Wall Press Blog Tours)

Today dear readers I am on the blog tour for Disobedient Women (Published 25 Nov. 2022) By Sangeeta Mulay. A big thank you to the publishers Fly On The Wall Press for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated.  

Disobedient Women

Set in contemporary India, Sangeeta Mulay’s unforgettable debut novel is a compelling story of four unforgettable characters:

Aparna – a courageous campaigner of rationality and freedom of expression. Will the patriarchal grip of a religious society manage to silence her?

Hari – the passionate founder of a religious organisation. As Hari becomes a rising star for the local Hindu right-wing, will he lose himself?

Naseem – Aparna’s wise daughter who is discovering her sexuality. Will she have the strength to stand up for her mother against societal stigma?

Kashi – Hari’s daughter who is in love with science and…girls? Confused about her sexuality, will she be able to lead life on her own terms?

Confronting issues of religion, bigotry, sex and politics, Disobedient Women tells the interwoven stories of two families and their battle of ideologies. A novel of the choices women make under pressure, where to be disobedient is the only option that offers change.

About the Author

About the writer Sangeeta Mulay was born in Pune in India and now currently works in London as a UX writer. She received an honourable mention in the 2021 NYC midnight micro-fiction challenge. Her book for young adults, ‘Savitribai Phule and I’ was a notable book of 2020 for The Bombay Review. She has also had a short story highly commended in the Sydney Hammond short story competition. Another of Mulay’s short stories will be published in a 2022 Fox and Windmill anthology.

Review

The reader finds themselves in contemporary India where Aparna Soman is an anti-superstition campaigner, promoting rationality under the patriarchal grip of a religious society that seeks to silence her. She will stop at nothing to get her voice heard. In contrast to Aparna the reader also follows Hari Sabnis, the founder of religious organisation Dharma Sanstha. Their goal is to convert India from secular to Hindu nation. But when Hari starts to become a rising star for the local religious right-wing can he trust his feelings or will he lose himself and forget the real fight he’s fighting for?

It was fascinating to read parallel lives and beliefs, to see two sides of the story. It added an extra depth and brought a wholeness to the narrative. Two families with two different views. Both Aparna and Hari share one similarity in the fact that they both have daughters. Naseem is wise at 18 years old and is only just discovering who she is. She loves her family and is in awe of her mother Aparna and how she fights strongly for her voice to be heard. But she is struggling to stand up for her and is still trying to understand her own sexuality. Kashi loves science and girls but with her father being Hari this places her in an unfortunate situation. She is confused and wants to live her life her way but is trapped with the brutal force of opposing opinions and views saying what she desires is wrong.

Aparna was inspiring to read, she is stubborn and determined to stand up for what she believes in. I found her a force to be reckoned with, one that is needed more in these times of change. She worries where will women go for help if they can’t trust their local police, who will stand up for them when making a sexual harassment complaint against a Godman. It takes great courage to stand up in a world where you are not seen as an equal and a mere tool for procreation. But someone has to say and do something.

I found Mulay’s writing about modern day Hindu vs Muslim culture clashes in India incredibly brave. It is a sensitive topic to discuss that most will shy away from but Mulay has served it more than justice. It needs to be talked about, to keep being talked about, how else will anyone learn and grow? Women are being forced to make choices under pressure and are seen as disobedient if they want change. It needs to be talked about and not dismissed. Things needs to change.

I give Disobedient Women By Sangeeta Mulay a Five out of Five paw rating

Strong and empowering to all women, I highly recommend this book to everyone. You NEED to read this dear reader.

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

Links

Buy a copy

@groggy_eyes

@fly_press

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If the River is Hidden By Cherry Smyth and Craig Jordan-Baker Review

Today dear readers I am reviewing If the River is Hidden (Published paperback 24th Nov 2022)  By Cherry Smyth and Craig Jordan-Baker. A big thank you to the publishers Epoque Press for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated.

If the River is Hidden

If the River is Hidden charts the journey of two writers from the source to the mouth of the Bann, Northern Ireland’s longest river. Through a dialogue of prose and poetry the history, landscape and divisions that have come to define the North are explored and challenged. With backgrounds from each side of the sectarian divide, theirs is a journey of uncovering a sense of place and of searching for meaning; a reshaping of the authors’ own memories, experiences and expectations. For like the river, it is not just what is visible, but what is hidden, that comes to define us.

If the River is Hidden has also been developed as a performance piece with the flautist Eimear McGeown.

About the Authors

Cherry Smyth is an Irish writer, living in London.  Her first two poetry collections, When the Lights Go Up, 2001 and One Wanted Thing, 2006 were published by Lagan Press.  Her third collection, Test, Orange, 2012, and fourth, Famished, 2019 were published by Pindrop Press.  Her debut novel, Hold Still, Holland Park Press, appeared in 2013. Famished tours as a performance in collaboration with vocalist Lauren Kinsella and composer Ed Bennett. Cherry was nominated as a Fellow for the Royal Society of Literature in 2022 and is also a Hawthornden Fellow. She is Associate Professor in Creative & Critical Writing at the University of Greenwich. 

 Craig Jordan-Baker has published fiction in New Writing, Text, Firefly Magazine, Potluck and the époque press é-zine. His drama has been widely performed in the UK and he has had work commissioned by institutions such as The National Archives, Brighton Museums and the Theatre Royal Brighton. Craig lives in Brighton and is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Brighton. The Nacullians, Craig’s debut novel, was published by époque press in 2020. 

My Review

If the River is Hidden tells the journey of two writers who follow from the source to the mouth of the Bann, Northern Ireland’s longest river. Their journey is one of pain filled with sweat and blisters but also personal experiences of childhood and loss. They are searching for meaning on their pilgrimage, what is hidden and will help come to define them. They are listening to the Bann, intrigued by what it has to say.

Cherry wants to learn the North again, to walk beside it. There is a part of her that won’t let go, it’s pulling her towards North, her family and a desire to be near her old home again. Cherry suggests to Craig that The Bann should be walked and they should do it together. But Craig has spent the last year in his small flat and wonders why would they follow the river. He looks at a map charting the river and realises that rivers are already stories and wonders what story new or old may be told on their journey. Craig starts to come around to the idea as the river will take him towards Banbridge, a part that is family and he has a strong desire to be near an old home. Craig doesn’t want to stick to them using physical maps, that they should enjoy working out the path and embrace the uncertainty that lies ahead. They are learning where Irish and English meet, discovering more about themselves, meeting new faces and hearing stories of old. 

What I enjoyed most about this book was how the story was narrated through the mixture of prose and poetry. The reader discovers the history of the landscape and the divisions that define Northern Ireland.

I give If the River is Hidden By Cherry Smyth and Craig Jordan-Baker a Four out of Five paw rating

The writing is rich and full of memories, folk tales and past lives. It’s absorbing as you soak up the atmosphere, I highly recommend dear reader, this is a book that will help you discover the raw beauty that runs freely throughout Northern Ireland.

Links

Buy a copy

@CherrySmyth

@CraigJordanBak1

@Epoque_Press

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When Cherry Lost Terry By Penny Phillips Review (Random Things Tours)

Today dear readers I am on the blog tour for When Cherry Lost Terry (Published 26th April 2022 By Old Street Publishing) By Penny Phillips, illustrated By Clare Mallison. A big thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy to review, always appreciated. Also to the wonderful Anne for the invite to take part in the tour, you making being a part of this community amazing.   

When Cherry Lost Terry

When Cherry lost Terry one day, Where was he? Could anyone say? Asleep in a tree? Or down by the sea? He couldn’t be TOO far away. The animals searched high and low, Unsure what to do, where to go. Would Terry appear? The story is here… Just read it – and then you will know!

About The Author

Penny Phillips began making up poems when she was four, which was far too long ago. Having worked as an editor in publishing for over 30 years, she finally got round to writing a book herself. When Cherry Lost Terry has been extensively tested on children but not on animals. Penny is now the Sub-editor of The Oldie and lives in London with her husband.

About The Illustrator

Clare Mallison has only one photograph of herself in which she is not eating or drinking. She has worked as a freelance illustrator for various publications, including The Times, Financial Times, New Statesman and New York Times. When Cherry Lost Terry is her first book.

My Review

This adorable picture book for 3 to 5 year olds tells the story of a white cat called Cherry who has lost her dear friend Terry. One day Antelope Ann spots trouble at sea so goes off to find out what’s happening along with Badger Billy. They jump in Billy’s boat Little Lilly and go out to sea. All of a sudden Cherry comes flying past on a ferry and asks the animals for help. Her friend Terry has fallen into the sea and she can’t find him. Soon all the animals start to help looking for Terry. There is a giraffe called Grace, a hippopotamus called Hank, a Panda called Penny and many more animals who join the adventure to find Terry. Where is Terry? Who is Terry? Come find out dear reader. 

I enjoyed how Phillips used the alphabet with the name of the animal beginning with the same letter as their species. I thought this was a useful and fun way for children to learn. My boys loved the mixture of animals that were included in the story, they kept trying to guess what kind of animal Terry could be. The story taught my boys about friendship and helping each other out in times of need. And how could you not want to help Cherry, she’s a talking white cat!

The flow of this story is perfect for bedtime as it uses limericks, the rhymes roll off your tongue creating a cosy and relaxing atmosphere. My boys love rhymes and kept trying to guess what the next word would be. Our favourite character was Wayne the Whale, we are desperate to take a ride on him with the other animals on his back.

Mallison’s illustrations are beautiful to look at, they bring Phillips’ words to life as the animals jump out at you on the page. Mallison uses gentle and warm colours that help you absorb into this animal adventure, you feel like a kid again and stop at nothing to help Cherry find Terry. Mallison brings wonder and warmth with her illustrations, you are transported into a magical world that you will love visiting time after time.

I give When Cherry Lost Terry By Penny Phillips a Five out of Five paw rating.

An absolute joy to read! This is the perfect bedtime adventure for your little ones. We loved it!

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Cat Lady By Dawn O’Porter Review (Random Things Tours)

Today I am on the blog tour for Cat Lady (Published 27th October 2022) By Dawn O’Porter.  A big thank you to the publishers HarperCollins for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated. Also to the lovely Anne for the invite, you make being a part of this community wonderful.

Cat Lady

SINGLE – INDEPENDENT – ALOOF – CUNNING – AGILE – CANNOT BE TAMED

We’ve all known a cat lady – and we’ve probably all judged her too. But behind the label – the one that only sticks to women – what if there’s a story worth nine lives? Told with Dawn’s trademark warmth, wit and irreverence, CAT LADY is a story about defying labels and forging friendships. It’s for the cat lady in all of us – because a woman always lands on her feet . . .

About The Author

DAWN O’PORTER lives in Los Angeles with her husband Chris, her two boys Art and Valentine, cats Myrtle and Boo.

Dawn is the bestselling author of the novels The Cows and the Richard and Judy Book Club pick So Lucky, and her non-fiction title Life in Pieces was also a Sunday Times bestseller.

Dawn started out in TV production but quickly landed in front of the camera, making numerous documentaries that included immersive investigations of Polygamy, Size Zero, Childbirth, Free Love, Breast Cancer and the movie Dirty Dancing.

Dawn’s journalism has appeared in multiple publications and she was the monthly columnist for Glamour magazine. She is now a full-time writer of eight books, designs dresses for Joanie Clothing, LOVES instagram, and has a large following on her Patreon blog.

My Review

Narrated in first person the story follows Mia who finds it safer to play the part of loving wife to Tristan, devoted stepmother to Oliver and high-driven career woman as MD at Isabella May jewellery. She dresses the part and brings order and routine to her life. Mia goes above and beyond to make sure her husband is happy. She will host a dinner party for his friends who don’t particularly care for her and want Tristan to still be married to his ex-wife Belinda who cheated on him. But she tries because she knows it makes Tristan happy. She even cooks meat for them when she is a vegan and has to put up with their rude, obnoxious comments about her lifestyle choice. Mia is used to being the odd one out but does her best at finding ways to fit in. She loves her step-son Oliver and has a strong bond with him. She will hide treats in his lunchbox as a little reminder that she loves him because saying it makes him uncomfortable. Belinda despises Mia and enjoys putting her down at every possible opportunity, dismissing her role as a step-mother. Mia is determined to not be the villain and has to grin and bear the torment. She wants the best for Oliver and so keeps the peace with Belinda by not saying anything and letting her waltz in and out of her home as she pleases.

Things appear to be going well for Mia, she has a loving husband, a lovely home and her work has an exciting pitch coming up at Selfridges. However on the day of the pitch Mia discovers something disturbing that changes everything. She is instantly thrown into the lion’s den and forced to claw her way out. Her life is ripped to shreds right in front of her. O’Porter gets you hooked from the moment you start reading, the story, the characters, the humour, it’s all brilliantly written. I lapped up every second, I wanted more.

The relationship Mia has with her husband looks perfect and loving on the outside yet when you look closer it lacks intimacy and passion. Tristan enjoys her sense of humour as his ex-wife doesn’t have one and she loves it when he laughs at the things she says. They still have sex but there is a set of rules they have to follow, Tristan instructs her on what to do and she does it. They also sleep in separate bedrooms because of Pigeon, Tristan thinks sleeping with animals is unhygienic. Pigeon is everything to Mia, her baby, and takes the responsibility of owning a cat seriously. Mia prefers to have her own room, her own space with Pigeon. She hates the idea of giving it up because Tristan wants to wake up next to his wife, he doesn’t just want her sexually but craves the affection that she shows towards Pigeon.

Pigeon is exceptional to Mia. She found her when she was a kitten, Pigeon saved her in the darkest moment of her life. She doesn’t know how her life would continue if anything was to happen to her. When people learn Mia has a cat she automatically becomes cat lady which is an insult as no one means it as a compliment. When you are called a cat lady people are saying you are lonely and isolated. Mia goes out of her way to make Pigeon’s life as exciting as she can. One of the things she loves about cats is the way they rely on routine, they eat, sleep, do everything together. Mia loves routine and struggles when things are out of her control. When chaos rears its ugly head she spirals and things become dark. Mia comes from disorder, chaos. Her mother passed away when she was young and her father scared her. He would drink and show no interest in his daughters.

Mia doesn’t have many friends, more coworkers and acquaintances. She speaks to her sister Liz occasionally, they were a lot closer when they were younger but drifted apart as they grew older. I often felt sad at the loneliness and isolation that surrounds Mia. I could understand and see why her cat is everything to her.

Mia takes her job at Isabella May jewellery extremely seriously. She dresses how she thinks an MD of a business should dress, smart, serious and together. It’s a role she has become accustomed to playing. She keeps to herself at work as she doesn’t see it as a place to grab attention, only to be good at her job. She has to have routine and organisation in her life and often judges her coworkers arrival times. She doesn’t understand why they arrive late or have breakfast at home before coming to work.

Mia finds herself attending a pet bereavement group at a Methodist Church. She has attended other groups in the past, AA and eating disorders but has never found her place. She feels guilty for attending as her cat is still alive but senses that this is a safe space to express yourself. Animals give you a special kind of love and a loyalty that knows no bounds. Mia feels welcomed by the group facilitator Tiana and the other members that attend. Mia loves being around pet lovers as they understand. They connect more to their furry friends, they bring them joy more than humans do. She feels good to be in a group that makes her feel better. Mia feels more herself in a room full of strangers than anywhere else. Slowly she starts to open up and starts talking about her husband, she isn’t sure that he gets her or understands the things that have made her who she really is. She loves him but does’t feel herself with him and wonders if cat lady suits her better. She worries she has to be someone else to keep her marriage going.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the journey that Mia went on. She went from having everything to nothing. Her character development was fascinating to read, to learn and understand why she is the way she is. I wanted her to succeed in her job, with friends, in love. I was hanging on every last word in the hopes that she would come out of this on top.

I give Cat Lady By Dawn O’Porter a Five out of Five paw rating

Purrrfectly empowering! I had tears in my eyes from laughing and crying throughout this book. I highly recommend dear reader, you will become addicted!  There is no such thing as just a cat.

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

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The Parlour Game By Jennifer Renshaw Review (Random Things Tours)

Today I am on the blog tour for The Parlour Game (Published 30th Aug 2022) By Jennifer Renshaw. A big thank you to the author 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.   

 

The Parlour Game

DEATH IS ONLY THE BEGINNING… a dark gothic tale for fans of The Clockwork Girl and The Woman in Black.

London, 1873.

Ivy Granger, an amateur botanist, is plagued by disturbing dreams and faceless whispers. Misunderstood by her father, she fears for her sanity – threatened with the asylum or worse, the hands of a man she loathes.

But a stranger at her mother’s funeral reveals Ivy’s world has been a lie and she could have a different life, for she is capable of so much more…

Miss Earnshaw, London’s most renowned spiritualist, is Ivy’s only hope of revealing what secrets her mother took to the grave and discovering her true purpose.

Ivy’s journey for knowledge takes her to Blackham House, a building haunted by a terrible past – full of macabre artefacts and ancient studies of the supernatural. But behind closed doors, the Blackhams collect more than relics alone, and Ivy will soon find herself at the centre of a conspiracy spanning generations and a hidden evil waiting to be unleashed.

Can Ivy survive in a world where women must play their part or risk being silenced?

 

About The Author

Jennifer Renshaw grew up in Sussex, England, and is a former analyst. She has always been fascinated by history and enjoys a gothic mystery. She now lives in Denmark with her family and two portly cats.

 

Review

The year is 1873 and Ivy Granger stands alone at her mother’s grave. Ivy secretly wishes they had rather buried her cousin Edith who is already busy trying to marry her off or send her away. Now with her mother, Lillian gone Ivy fears for her future and doesn’t understand what her purpose is. When her mother was alive she had encouraged her pursuit of botany, studying and drawing the plants all around. Ivy has hopes of becoming a botanist and continuing her studies but fears her dream fading now as she is left with her father and the interventions of Edith who sees her as an inconvenience. 

From a young age Ivy has always woke to voices and strange dark figures lurking in her bedroom. She would hide under her blankets fearing that the devil had found her. On the way to her mother’s funeral an old woman rushes at the carriage and warns how the spirits follow her. Shaken up by this encounter Ivy worries now that her mother has passed, who will keep the voices and creatures at bay in the night.

Ivy has no friends, no one she can safely confide in. She has always hidden in the shadows and listened to what others say about her, how she’s quiet and odd. Ivy herself doubts she would be missed if she died and thanks to her knowledge of plants would know how to end her suffering. As she stands at her mother’s grave her thoughts are suddenly interrupted when a striking woman approaches her. She introduces herself as Miss Earnshaw, Rosetta, a dear friend to her mother. Miss Earnshaw says they are family and has come to warn Ivy about the dark forces working against them. She tells Ivy that she has been protected for a reason but now she has to know who she really is. Miss Earnshaw advises that Ivy must come to London with her, that she can teach and protect her but before Ivy can accept her father appears telling Miss Earnshaw to stay away, before she leaves she hands Ivy a card and tells her to find her in London. Ivy is bewildered by this invitation but wants to learn more about her mother and the possibility of being related to Miss Earnshaw. Maybe she can help her understand why she sees and hears strange things at night.

Told in four parts the reader follows Ivy’s journey to disocver the truth behind this mystery woman who calms to have known her mother. She travels to London and seeks her out only to discover that she has disappeared. Her investigations lead her to Blackham House, the last place Miss Earnshaw was seen attending a party to conduct a séance. Thanks to good fortune Ivy is mistaken for the new maid and accepts the job in the hopes she will learn more about Miss Earnshaw’s disappearance. It doesn’t take Ivy long to realise that the Blackham house holds many dark, disturbing secrets. The house is full of strange, unusual collections from all over the world that many would and have died for, the infamous Blackham House collection is well known among many. The family is obsessed with shiny objects.

Blackham House has a mind of its own as doors bang and windows open letting in a cold wind that sends shivers up your spine. The food deteriorates quickly, often rotting the next day after being purchased, life does not last long in the house. Magpies surround the garden where exotic plants grow. Ivy notices how they shouldn’t survive in this climate and is desperate to take a sample. The more Ivy learns about the house the more she knows she has to find out the truth. The house is short staffed, Mrs Higgins the cook mentions how a few have left recently as Ivy works alongside another maid Hannah who takes an instant disliking to her. But when Ivy finds a truck full of possessions members of staff must of left behind she begins to question what would make them leave so hastily. Renshaw hooks you in, you are desperate, determined to learn the truth about Miss Earnshaw and the horrific secrets buried under the house.

Master Blackham, his new wife Angelica and his mother, Lady Blackham all live in the house along with the staff. Master Blackham has returned home with Angelica from Italy with the hopes that the ghosts from his past will no longer torment him. It is his mother’s wish that the vacant position in the household should be corrected as soon as possible but Master Blackham fears he has made a grave mistake in marrying again. He drinks himself unconscious most nights, stumbling about the corridors while his wife hides away in her room, drinking tonics to help her sleep and forget the nightmares. Ivy feels sympathetic towards Master Blackham at times but finds it hard when she hears how he treats his wife by locking her bedroom door at night. Ivy dreads going into Lady Blackham’s room as it is consumed with death. She feels uncomfortable and uneasy in her presence. There is something about Lady Blackham that scares her, makes her want to scream and run. But she can’t, she has to stick it out until she knows what happened that night at the séance. The truth will send your jaw to the floor dear reader. I did not see that coming.

Ivy is a strong, determined character to follow. She only wants to follow her own ambitions which do not include being someone’s wife. She wants to be free to study, draw, do as she pleases. Her mother wanted better for her and Ivy will do anything it takes to avoid a fate chosen for her by others. I enjoyed watching her develop and her confidence in herself gaining. It was fascinating to read and I cheered her on every step of the way.

I give The Parlour Game By Jennifer Renshaw a Five out of Five paw rating

Renshaw creates a suffocating atmosphere that fills the reader with dread at each turn. You never know what lies in wait in the shadows. I constantly felt like Ivy, that I was being watched. It was haunting and I loved every second.

The Parlour Game is book one in The Corvidae Hauntings, I can’t wait to see what happens next!

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

Links

Buy a copy 

 

@ jen_renshaw

 

www.jenniferrenshaw.com

 

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