Today I have the pleasure of welcoming JM Williams to Chat About Books!

JM Williams has recently re-released his fantasy novella, The Nightingale.

I will include purchase details later on. In the meantime I have an interview with the author himself for you all the enjoy…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

Well, my name is JM Williams. Currently, I am the head of the Of Metal and Magic (OMAM) StoryVerse for my publisher Fiction Vortex. The StoryVerse is our concept of a collaborative shared universe, where multiple stories from multiple authors interact and intersect (think Marvel comics/films). My job as head is to manage the six other authors (e.g., being a deadline nazi) and also make sure that all the content fits within the canon and plot framework of our high fantasy world. In addition to writing two series for OMAM, I write other stuff on the side. I have published around 50 short stories in a wide variety of venues, self-published a couple story collections, and I am working on my second novella. I have a B.A. in English, with as much of an emphasis on writing as I was allowed, and an M.A. in History.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

I get a lot of my ideas while listening to music or podcasts in my car. On the one hand, I will often get a specific scene from a piece of music, which I will then later expand into a full story. With podcasts, often some fun fact of science or history will get me thinking, and that will eventually turn into a story (most often science fiction). The idea for the novel I am currently writing came as I was listening to an audiobook biography of Genghis Khan by the wonderful Jack Weatherford.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

Rarely. I wrote an SF short story once where the lead was based on a friend of mine, but this isn’t typical for me.

How do you pick your characters’ names?

I don’t worry about names so much for modern or SF, but with fantasy I have a basic procedure. First, I decide on a cultural reference for the people I am writing about, then I search for names from that reference base (for example, in my book In the Valley of Magic, the upper-class names are all Old Saxon and the lower-class names Old Norse). That way I can be sure that the names (and also exotic words) sound consistent. For book I am currently working on, all names and exotic words are derived loosely from Mongolian.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

There’s supposed to be a process?

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Terry Pratchett and uh…I honestly don’t read as much as I should. There are plenty of books I like, but Pratchett is the only one whose books I will grab anytime I see them. Maybe Douglas Adams. Tolkien?

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Again Pratchett, and I’d ask him if Death is all he suggested it would be.

Were you a big reader as a child?

A little. I read Jurassic Park and The Mists of Avalon in elementary school. I read a whole lot more if you count text-based video games as reading. The script for Chrono Trigger is supposedly 140k words!

When did you start to write?

I started writing stories, real and complete stories, in the 6th grade. This was due in large part to the encouragement of my teacher. Probably wouldn’t be doing this now if it weren’t for her.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

Stephen King’s IT. I’d end it about a full third earlier. Man, that book was bloated.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

I’ve got plenty of my own book ideas that need writing to be thinking about other people’s books.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

Why Don’t You Just Pick a Career Field Already?

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

I still have a crush on Cassandra Pentaghast from the Dragon Age video games. Don’t tell my wife. But really, I would love to have coffee with Scheherazade, the heroine of The Arabian Nights. Listening to her would be like taking a master class in storytelling.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

I have also been published academically, under my real name (which is TOP SECRET).

What are you working on right now?

My current novel, The Fierce, is an origin myth of sorts for the shared fantasy universe I manage. The main character is based in part on Genghis Khan and the story overall is influenced by Mongol history, Greek myth, and now most recently, the Arabian Nights. The book itself has a complex, multi-layered structure with an epistolary frame. And footnotes!

Tell us about your last release?

The last thing I released was actually a re-release of my fantasy novella The Nightingale. It is a retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. The book was first published two years ago by an indie publisher, Fantasia Divinity, but I have done some extra editing and made a new cover for this second edition.

Do you have a new release due?

I will be working on a re-release of my Of Metal and Magic novel Call of the Guardian, which was also first published almost two years ago. I need to make some adjustments to get the story back in line with the updated canon of our shared universe. I also hope to have The Fierce out by the end of the year. Additionally, I am putting together a fantasy novella based on a flash serial I originally published with Altered Reality Magazine. That one should be out relatively soon.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

Eat, drink, and sleep too much. Publishing is tiring!

How can readers keep in touch with you?

You can follow my blog at: http://www.jmwilliams.home.blog

You can also reach out on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/jmwwriting or http://www.facebook.com/ofmetalandmagic

And lastly, you can tune into my writing podcast The Fantasy Writers’ Toolshed, which I record with a fellow author named Richie Billing, available on a variety of platforms, including YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCETCYd6obiN5cytHRcEMFRw

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

I love talking about writing and fantasy, and enjoy mentoring new writers. So, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

I am also looking for fantasy writers to pen some flash and short stories for the upcoming Of Metal and Magic website. So, if you read some of our work and enjoy our world, why not try writing something for us?

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!

King Gregor of Eriari is on the verge of his sixtieth year. The kingdom is tense, awaiting the selection of his heir from among the three royal siblings. Kari understands the feeling all too well. She has only recently learned that she will not inherit her family’s smithy, despite her skill being far superior to that of her younger brother. Everything is a mess and nothing seems fair. Princesses can inherit the kingdom, but village girls can’t even take over a forge. Kari wonders if she will ever find a place for herself. That is, until she stumbles upon something in the royal forest that changes everything…

A fantasy reimagining of the Hans Christian Andersen classic, The Nightingale is an epic tale of magic and intrigue, courageous heroes and cunning villains. Fast-paced and filled with colorful characters, this is one you won’t want to put down.

From readers of the First Edition:

“Williams stays true to the fairytale style of the source material, adding a dash of magic and palace intrigue for good measure. This could be a great book for young readers though it’s also enjoyable for adults.”

“The characters are warm and relatable, and the action is believable. If you like a slash-em-up, this isn’t for you. If you like real people working to make their world better, give it a try.”

“This reimagination is awesome, and its fast pace keeps you hooked to the end.”

“This retelling of the fairy tale ‘The Nightingale’ is filled with deception, intrigue and a cool cast of characters.”

happy reading 🙂

Today I have the pleasure of joining in with the run-up to publication celebrations with Graeme Cumming.

Carrion will be published on Saturday!

That’s Entertainment

by Graeme Cumming

As a child, I spent an enormous amount of time in front of a TV screen – which was no mean feat considering there were only three channels and, aside from a brief burst of Watch With Mother in the mornings, they didn’t actually start broadcasting until late afternoon. And we only had a black and white set until I was in my early teens.
Even so, there was plenty for me to get excited about – from Thunderbirds to Tarzan, and Batman (Adam West, of course) to Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). There was a lot of variety in it, from the sci-fi to the supernatural, with superheroes, detectives and adventure along the way.
I read as well, and went for books well above the expected reading ages. When I was ten, I read my first Ian Fleming – though only because Roger Moore (my hero from The Saint and The Persuaders!) was about to appear in the film version of Live and Let Die. By the time I was thirteen, I’d read the whole Bond series, and was making steady progress through the works of Alistair MacLean, Desmond Bagley and Clive Cussler, as well as a whole range of other authors whose works haven’t stood the test of time.
In my mid-teens, I stumbled across John Gardner, who gave an interesting take on the Cold War, especially in the Herbie Kruger series.
By now, I was writing my own stories, although with no expectations of publication beyond the school magazine. I wrote about all kinds of things, what we’d now consider to be mix of genres – though it didn’t seem to matter much at the time.
John Gardner was a gateway to John Le Carre and spy thrillers became a big part of my reading, until I was introduced to the joys of horror and fantasy – Stephen King and Graham Masterton in particular. But Gardner did something else for me and my approach to writing. An early series he wrote featured a character called Boysie Oakes. On the covers of each book was the phrase: A Boysie Oakes Entertainment.
Even as a teenager, I liked the concept. My creative influences, from TV to books to movies, were wide and varied. But the key ingredient in everything I watched was that it was entertaining, whether it was The Goodies or Star Trek. It didn’t matter to me whether the stories were set in the Wild West, Arthurian times or modern day. Nor did it matter whether the hero was a scruffy cop, a shaolin monk, or a bionic man.
I knew I was never going to write great literature. Frankly, the idea appalled me, because it sounded boring. I wanted readers to come away from the experience excited and wanting more. So, even forty years ago, I made a commitment to myself. I wouldn’t write in a specific genre; I’d write what I enjoyed and crossing a few boundaries wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
It has been tempting to include a similar caption under the titles of both my books: A Graeme Cumming Entertainment, but it doesn’t feel right somehow. Even so, it’s what I’m thinking whenever I write.

 

“You’ll die for that!” one of the guards yelled. He raised his sword, ready to charge. Behind him, the others were preparing to do the same.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
He probably saw the doubt in their eyes before they registered it themselves. It wasn’t enough to feed off yet. But it would be when it turned to fear.
“Have I introduced you to my friends?” He didn’t wait for an answer. The wings were beating before he’d finished speaking.

 

What do you think?

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY. WORDS HAVE POWER.

A sheet of black filled his vision as hundreds of birds dived at the cottage, pointed beaks thrust forward. From this angle, he couldn’t see many of them striking it, but the few he did see held nothing back as they hammered into the shutter. The scale of the attack was beyond anything he’d seen or heard of. And bloodied casualties littered the ground: skulls shattered, wings broken, innards spilling from them. The fact that so many of them continued with the onslaught in spite of this filled him with even more dread.

Salin has always wanted an adventure and, when the opportunity presents itself, he grabs it with both hands, taking his friends along for the ride – whether they want to or not.

With strange lands come strange creatures that stand between them and their goal. And that goal is the same for someone else, a man who believes the prize is worth every sacrifice – especially when the sacrifices are made by others.

The future is about to change. But who for?

CLICK HERE to pre-order

happy reading 🙂

Hi, and welcome to my Flashback Friday feature!

On the first Friday of each month I like to have a little look back at what I was reading during the same month in previous years, since starting my blog.

Feel free to join in! 🙂

Here are my reviews from May 2019 (including a link to previous FBFs)…..

Not My Brother’s Keeper by Colette McCormick @colettemcauthor @AccentPress #BlogTour #BookReview

Crikey a Bodyguard by Kathryn Freeman @KathrynFreeman1 #BookReview @rararesources

Tuscan Enchantment by Kate Zarrelli @katmezzacappa #BookReview @rararesources

The Peacock Room by @MerrynCorcoran @RedDoorBooks #BookReview

Hitman Sam by Morgen Bailey @morgenwriteruk #BlogTour with #BookOnTheBrightSide @BOTBSPublicity #BookReview

Bridge of Lies (Adventures of Letty Parker Book 2) by Misha Herwin @MishaHerwin @penkhullpress #BookReview

#FlashbackFriday May 2019 with @emmacurtisbooks Alison Lingwood, Keith Bullock & @CKovachAuthor

happy reading!

I am thrilled to by joining in with the fabulous blog tour for Afraid Of The Light!

Afraid Of The Light

(Review written 27^th April 2020)

Afraid Of The Light is an excellent collection of short stories written by some extremely talented authors who have donated their talent in aid of The Samaritans.

Many thanks to Jo Furniss who invited me onto the blog tour and to Dominic Nolan for providing all the necessary information. A big thank you also to the authors and publisher for my ARC.

Afraid Of The Light starts with a meaningful, from the heart forward by Alex North which highlights the invaluable work of The Samaritans during these unprecedented times, and always. A lovely introduction.

As I often do with short story collections, I will be sharing my thoughts on the individual stories which I wrote as soon as I had finished each one. I read them all over the course of today and thoroughly enjoyed the entire collection.

Are You Listening?

Adam Southward

Wow! What an excellent start!

Are You Listening tells the terrifying story of seven year old Ava. Ava begins to behave very oddly. Her parents are understandably disturbed, as I would be. Ava insists her behaviour is due to instructions from the home’s listening device, which highlights many people’s concerns about such devices. However, there is much more to this story than meets the eye. It made my blood run cold!

Daddy Dearest

Dominic Nolan

A seemingly tragic tale with a short, sharp, shock at the end which made me free quite queasy, and not much shocks me these days.

Very clever writing.

Deathbed, Beth Dead

Elle Croft

So much emotion and grief in so few words. Talk about having your life turned upside down in more than one devastating way. I can’t even begin to imagine how I would react. My heart went out to Miss Peters.

Loveable Alan Atcliffe

SR Masters

The saying “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is” sprung to mind when I read this story. I think it can also be applied to people. Some are not at all who they seem to be and you never know what sinister secrets they might be hiding behind closed doors.

Sleep Time

Phoebe Morgan

Oooo, this is a terrifying tale. It made my heart race and gave me serious goosebumps! I’m giving nothing else away!

Coming Home

N J Mackay

A heart-breaking story of grief and PTSD but also one of hope. It brought a tear to my eye.

Sausage Fingers

Victoria Selman

Woah! Deliciously dark and disturbing. I have no other words!!

Just A Game

Rachael Blok

A chilling tale of a sinister game with murderous consequences.

Drowning in Debt

Heather Critchlow

Lucy and Paul are desperate. They have years of mounting debt and seemingly no long-term escape from the bailiffs.

Desperate times lead to desperate measures.

They devise an elaborate plan which seems foolproof to Paul but Lucy has her reservations. Paul is a controlling influence though and Lucy gives in. When she gets cold feet along the way Paul forces her into a split second decision that will change her life forever. Possibly for the better!

To Evil Or Not To Evil

Jo Furniss

Well, this was just terrifying!

Anything involving robots freaks me out. It scares me how easily AI could dominate our lives if allowed.

This story certainly left me with the chills and panicking about what the future could look like!

Sheep’s Clothing

Robert Scragg

My heart was almost hammering out of my chest throughout this story!

I felt quite disturbed by the deceit and secrecy. The insinuations made me feel quite sick, but all is not as it seems. The conclusion was quite a relief despite the heart-breaking circumstances. Very clever writing. For such a short story it certainly packs an emotional punch.

Frantic

Clare Empson

This is indeed a frantic tale and I found myself easily swept along. Thinking the grass might be greener is a common mistake made by many. It rarely ends well. One woman’s lustful lapse in judgement threatens to collapse the life she knows around her. The ending was not at all what I expected.

Planting Nan

James Delargy

This is a sinister story which is oddly amusing as we see it through the innocent eyes of a child.

Very entertaining!

Shadow

Kate Simants

A truly chilling tale of obsession and revenge.

These stories set a very high standard. All are coffee break length and each one is unique, similar only in quality. I think any reader will appreciate such clever, often hard-hitting and compelling writing.

Why not treat yourself to a copy and help to raise funds for The Samaritans at the same time as enjoying a good read.

Some people are scared of the dark. But it’s the light that exposes the secrets.

A young boy with nightmares faces up to his demons. A deathbed confession turns the world on its axis. A five-year-old watches his parents bury a body in the garden. A soldier returns from the war to find the horror isn’t yet over.

Afraid Of The Light brings the imagination of fourteen bestselling crime writers together in a collection that will keep you up all night. From a deadly campfire game to a holiday gone wrong, to an AI assistant with a motive and a love affair that can only end in murder, this is a gripping, twisty set of stories to send a shiver down your spine.

“The stories are wildly entertaining in their own right, but they also address the concerns and fears we all feel: isolation and loneliness; guilt and grief; justice and punishment. And perhaps most importantly of all: redemption and hope.” — Alex North

CONTRIBUTORS
Are you Listening? – Adam Southward
Daddy Dearest – Dominic Nolan
Deathbed, Beth Dead – Elle Croft
Loveable Alan Atcliffe – S R Masters
Sleep Time – Phoebe Morgan
Coming Home – N J Mackay
Sausage Fingers – Victoria Selman
Just a Game – Rachael Blok
Drowning in Debt – Heather Critchlow
To Evil or Not to Evil – Jo Furniss
Sheep’s Clothing – Robert Scragg
Frantic – Clare Empson
Planting Nan – James Delargy
Shadow – Kate Simants

All author royalties from the sale of this anthology will be donated to the Samaritans.

Samaritans is a charity working across the UK and Ireland to reduce the number of people who take their own lives and help people who are struggling to cope with how they’re feeling or with life’s challenges. When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year.

You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit http://www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.

happy reading 🙂

This collection has introduced me to some new-to-me authors. I have many more books on my TBR list now!

I have the pleasure of welcoming Nicole Overby to Chat About Books today!

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

I feel like I’m a very unusual story – I’m a 23 year old accountant living in the city of Charlotte, NC. I loved writing stories when I was younger and creating fictional characters in my head. Then life kind of happened… I got wrapped up in CPA exams and work. Suddenly, I found my world shattering and it brought me back to writing and finding it therapeutic to write down different emotions and conflicts people face as we inevitably grow older.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Unfortunately, it came from losing a loved one. This book walks readers through the range of emotions one feels when death of a loved one is near. It allows readers to self-reflect on their own pain, yet find comfort in the fact that they aren’t alone in feeling their grief. In the end, we realize the sun will shine again and with the support of those around us we can enjoy the warmth once more.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

Yes, they are! I think the reader will quickly pick that up…

How do you pick your characters’ names?

One thing I love about a book is a challenge. The challenge of finding the hidden meanings or the underlying themes of a story. So, hopefully the reader can accept the challenge and figure out how the names were chosen.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

Speaking with others was key for me! I spoke to so many different people about the range of emotions felt when losing someone.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Jodi Picoult
Judy Blume
Sarah Pinborough
A.J. Finn
Celeste Ng

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I’m torn- either Jodi Picoult because my mom let me read her books when I was maybe a bit too young, but it sparked my interesting in reading immensely, so I would want to say thank you. On the other hand, I would also want to meet Rachel Hollis to pick her brain about her process on writing motivational books.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes!! That is so important to get into as a kid. I am so grateful my dad pushed me to get into reading.

When did you start to write?

I wrote my first story in second grade- how two dogs fell in love!

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

There’s a reason behind every story – can’t say I would change anything.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

I wish I wrote about the hardship of middle school- don’t laugh! Those years were ROUGH for me. I think that is a story people can relate to.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

Several Faces

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Just because I’m reading this book right now – Vivian Miller. I would take her to the coffee shop her and her husband had their first date to try to understand why she did what she did.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

I have a twin sister!

What are you working on right now?

Another book told from multiple perspectives about a story I think many women can relate to.

Tell us about your last release?

This was my first book!

Do you have a new release due?

No, not yet!

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I did nothing actually – I was so nervous to put this book out in the open. It’s so raw and heartfelt, so I hope the readers can feel that.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

I have a Goodreads page and a Facebook page “Top Down Day”

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Check out the “Top Down Day” page on Facebook for book club questions! https://www.facebook.com/Top-Down-Day-106150087730213/

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Nicole! 🙂

A simple phone call has Dawn’s world turned upside down.

The most important person in her life is now fighting for his life. As the walls start enclosing around her, she battles between protecting her children and herself. Emotions are high and patience is running thin. Whose opinion matters most in a situation like this? What will tomorrow bring?

This book walks readers through some of the scariest moments in life. It brings to light different emotions and internal conflicts. The story is a great read for those finding themselves in traumatic situations and wondering if their feelings are out of line.

happy reading 🙂

A Guy Walks Into A Bar

Mick Williams

(Review written 24/04/2020)

This book is just brilliant! I thoroughly enjoyed every page.

I liked Paul Howard immediately. I found him very endearing and quite hilarious at times. He is a travelling salesman and the story begins where he is in a hotel bar. He soon finds his attention drawn to a beautiful lady in a red dress and he can’t quite believe his luck when she reciprocates his interest resulting in a night of passion which leaves him feeling pretty proud of himself.

When he wakes, she is gone but this he expected. He still feels like the cat that got the cream.

What he doesn’t expect is everything that happens from this moment on. Starting with a FBI agent in the hotel room! It seems his lady friend is not who she said she was, but who is she and why would the FBI be looking for her? What has he got himself involved in!? You’ll just have to read it for yourself to find out. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

This book is a thoroughly entertaining read. Full of action, adventure, and danger. It’s like a roller-coaster ride, exciting but terrifying at the same time. My heart was certainly beating faster on more than one occasion. I’m so glad I lead a quiet life! I think I’ll stick to reading about such adventures.

There are also many laugh out loud moments (promoting the Captain to General and a reference to the Decepticons spring to mind. Lol!). I loved the banter between the characters. They gel so well together.

There is also romance and who doesn’t love a bit of romance!?

I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying this book. I loved it!

A big thank you to the author, Mick Williams, for my signed paperback copy.

Via Amazon UK

From Amazon Top Ten selling author Mick Williams comes a page-turning adventure thriller…

When traveling salesman Paul Howard unwinds in a hotel bar, he’s pleasantly surprised to
attract the attention of a beautiful woman. But after the best night of his life, he finds that she
is not who she seems. Her life as a professional thief-for- hire pulls him into a breathtaking
world of secrecy and danger.

Tracked at every turn, they join forces with a disillusioned assassin and a hostage victim bent on
revenge, and go on a life-threatening run to fight teams of hit-men and a shady underworld
organization who will stop at nothing to recover a stolen item in their possession…an item with
the potential to trigger World War III.

With the clock ticking and bullets flying, they race across the country in an effort to stay alive
and, ultimately, save the world.

About the author

Mick Williams moved from Stoke-On-Trent, England to Kentucky, USA. Then, after almost a decade, he moved back.

In between reading, writing and listening to good music he still watches proper football and, for his sins, follows his local team, Port Vale. He does also still cheer for the Indianapolis Colts.

He was adopted by two cats, Crash and Thud, and resides with his patient wife in Staffordshire.

ICYMI

A Reason To Grieve by Mick Williams #BookReview

happy reading 🙂

I am absolutely thrilled to be sharing my review of this beautiful book with you all today! 🙂

Happy Publication Day, Claire Huston! 🙂

Art & Soul

Claire Huston

(Written 08/04/2020)

What an absolute joy to read this book was! I have absolutely LOVED it!

Becky Watson is an inspiring and instantly likeable character. A single mother to a toddler, juggling motherhood with running her own business, she is certainly not shy of hard work. Her business is quite unique, as she is a life-fixer. I’ve never known a life-fixer, but it sounds like an interesting and challenging job. Her clients hire her for whatever they need to improve their lives and her new client certainly seems to be stuck in a rut with no seemingly easy way to escape. She is obviously going to have her work cut out with this one.

Charlie Handren is an artist. A struggling artist who has lost his muse. His marriage has failed which hasn’t helped his creative juices to flow, for quite some time. Six years in fact. His daughter talked him in to giving Becky a call, but he’s not at all convinced and they struggle to hit it off to begin with. Becky does wonder if she can be any kind of help to him at all. Eventually, between herself and his daughter, Phoebe, they get him to agree to give her ideas a try and they put Becky’s plans in action. And what an ambitious plan it is! I found the whole thing quite exciting.

Becky is quite bossy to be honest, but she obviously knows her stuff. I admired her confidence. I enjoyed the friendship that quickly builds between Becky, Charlie and Phoebe, although it isn’t without it’s ups and downs. What friendship is!?

I didn’t warm to Rachel, at all, and did wonder what Charlie saw in her, past her looks. I was really, really, really hoping he would direct his affections towards Becky instead. The chemistry between them is difficult to ignore. You know what it’s like when you’re reading a book with two characters who are obviously made for each other but can’t seem to see it for themselves so you really, really want to jump in to the story and bang their heads together to make them see sense? Well, yeah, this is one such story!

I felt completely invested in these characters and totally immersed in their story. I was routing for them both to find true love and happiness, and I thoroughly enjoyed the rollercoaster of emotions I experienced along the way.

This isn’t your average romance. It’s a beautifully written novel full of fascinating characters you will fall in love with.

Virgil is a fabulous character! Loved him!

There is also lots of cake and who doesn’t love cake!?

Art and Soul really does have it all. I can’t imagine anyone not loving it from the first page to the last, as I did. It left me with a huge satisfied smile on my face.

Many thanks to Claire Huston for my beautiful paperback copy. I am truly thankful to have had the pleasure of reading it prior to publication.

OUT NOW!

About the author…..

Claire Huston lives in Warwickshire with her husband and two children. Art and Soul is her first novel.

A keen amateur baker, she enjoys making cakes, biscuits and brownies almost as much as eating them. You can find recipes for all the cakes mentioned in Art and Soul at http://www.clairehuston.co.uk along with over 100 other recipes. This is also where she talks about and reviews books.

As well as her website, you can find her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Goodreads: linktr.ee/clairehuston_author

happy reading 🙂

Happier Thinking

Lana Grace Riva

(Review written 16^th April 2020)

Happier Thinking is an inspiring little read. I have read it this morning whilst enjoying a coffee, in my back garden, in the glorious sunshine.

This a self-help book but is unique in the sense that it is the author’s own coping strategies with stress and anxiety. It is very reader friendly and almost made me feel like I was having an informal chat with the author, discussing how to turn negative thoughts in to positive ones in the hope of living a happier, less stressful, life. Much like the chats we might share with our partners, family, and friends. They always make us feel better, in general, and this book has that same feel good factor. We all need these chats sometimes as although the advice in this book might seem obvious, we do tend to forget it when things are not going our way. I will certainly be putting some of this advice into practice in the future.

I especially liked the ‘Be Kind’ chapter. It has an important message for us all. I quote, “Happier Thinking goes hand in hand with kindness. Kindness to all including yourself.” We all need to remember to be more kind to ourselves as well as each other.

I very much recommend this book to you if you suffer with stress and/or anxiety, or even if you don’t.

I think these words will in inspire you either way.

Many thanks to the author for my review copy.

Via Amazon UK

Changing how you think is possible. I wasn’t always so sure that was true until I experienced it myself, but I know now we don’t have to just accept unhappiness. Not always anyway. This book is my collection of tips and suggestions that have helped me achieve happier thinking. It’s sort of a gym for my mind. I’d love to tell you it was easier than the real gym but well… it’s not really. It takes time, effort, and practice but it’s absolutely well worth the rewards.

happy reading 🙂

Fallible Justice

Laura Laakso

(Louise Walters Books)

(Review written on 15^th April 2020)

Fallible Justice has been on my bookshelf, unread, for far too long and I’m so glad I have finally had the chance to read it! It has made a wonderfully refreshing change to read something quite different to most of the books I tend to gravitate towards.

This is an Urban Fantasy which is generally out of my reading comfort zone (I have no idea why though), but I found it completely captivating. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it during the last few days (mostly in the comfort of my back garden, in the sunshine). 😊

Fallible Justice is similar to most of what I read, in the sense that it is a crime thriller of sorts. There is still a mystery to solve and an investigation to follow and to become immersed in. I loved the supernatural side of this investigation and the many fascinating characters we meet along the way. It is very cleverly written, and I happily escaped real life to lose myself within the pages of this book.

Given what is going on in the world right now particularly (COVID-19 – in case we need a reminder in years to come), it was a very welcome distraction.

The main character, Yannia Wilde, is a Private Investigator and is hired by the daughter of a man who is due to be executed for a crime she believes he is innocent of. Yannia is her last hope of saving her father’s life. Can she prove his innocence in less than a week? They don’t have the luxury of time and despite her initial reluctance Yannia decides to take on the case with the help of her friend, Karrion (a bird shaman) who becomes her new apprentice. I was as determined as they are to find out the truth.

Yannia is one of the Wild Folk who escaped the conclave to make a life for herself in the city of Old London. I was very much drawn to Yannia and fascinated by her story. I really warmed to Karrion too and I’m very much looking forward to catching up with them both in book 2 (which I have already purchased).

Pure escapism!

I look forward to reading more books in this genre in future.

Many thanks to Louise Walters for my review copy.

Via Amazon UK

In Old London, where paranormal races co-exist with ordinary humans, criminal verdicts delivered by the all-seeing Heralds of Justice are infallible. After a man is declared guilty of murder and sentenced to death, his daughter turns to private investigator Yannia Wilde to do the impossible and prove the Heralds wrong.
Yannia has escaped a restrictive life in the Wild Folk conclave where she was raised, but her origins mark her as an outsider in the city. Those origins lend her the sensory abilities of all of nature. Yet Yannia is lonely and struggling to adapt to life in the city. The case could be the break she needs. She enlists the help of her only friend, a Bird Shaman named Karrion, and together they accept the challenge of proving a guilty man innocent.
So begins a breathless race against time and against all conceivable odds. Can Yannia and Karrion save a man who has been judged infallibly guilty?

happy reading 🙂

The Break Up

Tilly Tennant

(Review written 14^th April 2020)

Tilly Tennant has done it again! I absolutely adore Tilly’s writing and I have adored The Break Up.

Lara a single lady with her own wedding planning business which she runs from a summer house in her back garden. I LOVED this! If only I was brave enough to start my own business from my back garden. She is quite the inspiration. Employing just one assistant, Betsy (who is adorable), she has built up a successful business. Some of their clients are hilarious, others just genuinely lovely.

Lara is a likeable character, although she did frustrate me at times. In a good way though, as she is very real. She often overthinks things which I think is quite typical of anyone who has been through a break up such as hers. Her ex, Lucian, left her for her best friend. I’m pretty sure this would mess with my head also and leave me struggling to trust anyone again.

Lucian is a slimy character. I’m not sure what she ever saw in him really and I reckon he did her a favour in the long run. She still has the one true love of her life anyway, her cat, Fluffy!

Fluffy’s wandering ways lead her to meet Theo, who turns out to be a VERY likeable character. Their relationship goes from icy cold to hot and heavy and back again. A real rollercoaster romance which makes this book a highly entertaining read. The two of them have a quick temper, but the chemistry between them is undeniable. I did want to bang their heads together at times, but only because they are obviously made for each other. I was routing for them the whole time.

If you love a romance with plenty of drama, and amusing moments, you will love this book. I love it when a book leaves me with big smile on my face and this one most certainly did that.

I highly recommend!

Via AmazonUK

What happens when Mr Right goes rogue?

Lara doesn’t have a back-up plan. So when her safe-bet boyfriend Lucien dumps her for her best friend, Lara’s world implodes. Life after the break up stretches bleakly ahead, lonely evenings on the sofa with only a bottle of wine and her grey cat Fluffy for company…

Down the road, Theo loves his job as a jazz musician, giving other people great nights out before coming home in the early hours and unwinding with his loyal cat Satchmo.

What they don’t know is that it’s the same cat.

And when they find out, standing in the streets in their pyjamas, both on the hunt for their lost pet, sparks of the wrong sort fly.

Lara can’t deny that Theo is one of the most gorgeous men she’s ever met, but she can see exactly why he’s still single. They do say opposites attract… but is she ready to move on? And when Lucien comes back into the picture, will she be tempted back to her life before the break up, or risk everything on the chance of something new?

A wonderfully warm will-they-won’t-they romantic read that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. If you’re a fan of Jill Mansell and Carole Matthews, The Break Up is the love story you’ve been waiting for.

Readers are loving The Break Up:

‘Oh my gosh I loved this book. I think it would make a great movie… Tilly Tennant books always warm my heart and always give me a giggle too’ StefLoz Book Blog, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I loved this book, it is such an enchanting read that I could have happily devoured in one sitting… it has just the right amount of romance and humour and is much more than a boy-meets-girl kind of book… It is a lovely story where we learn not to give up on our dreams and I highly recommend this book!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is such a magical and heartwarming story, I have absolutely adored this and I’m really sad that I will never be able to experience reading this for the first time again… it should be on everyone’s TBR list. I cannot say anything negative about this one, it has been the perfect book to switch off with at the end of a busy day. This is most definitely a five star read, I only wish I could give this higher. It is truly deserving of all the stars and is magical.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Such a sweet and comforting read, perfect for curling up with on a cold, wet day.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I love this author and never miss one of her books.’ Stardust Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What a beautiful book this is! I wasn’t sure what to expect at first but once I started reading I couldn’t stop. Would definitely recommend’ Beanie Bookworm

‘Really enjoyed this, Lara and Theo are great characters and the story line was lovely. Perfect to lose yourself in for a few hours!’ Netgalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a lovely book… There were parts that broke my heart and parts that made me smile.’ B for Book Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Another brilliant book by Tilly Tennant.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is a lovely easy read romantic story with lots of laughs… I found I just couldn’t stop reading.’ NetGalley Reviewer

‘A cute romantic story filled with some hilarious moments!’ Goodreads Reviewer

‘An enchanting book which captures your heart and you can be swept along with the “loveliness” of it all’ Goodreads Reviewer

happy reading 🙂