CAROLES BOOK CORNER

Some Fabulous New Books To Be Published in February 2012

2012-02-01T16:21:00.002Z

I have chosen just a few of the many new books that are being published in February.

There are different genres from chick lit to mysteries....if I see a review of any of them I'll add it.

Three Letters by Josephine Cox
Published: 2 Feb 2012 - UK & USA
Formats (UK): Hardcover, Audio & Kindle ….... Paperback - 25 Oct 2012
Genre: Romance

The brand new dramatic novel from Number 1 bestelling author Josephine Cox. Eight-year-old Casey's mother Ruth is a cruel woman, with an appetite for other women's husbands. His father is quiet and hard-working and, though Tom Denton has long suspected his wife of having sordid affairs, he has chosen to turn a blind eye to keep the peace.
But then, quite unexpectedly, Tom receives two bits of devastating news, and his world is cruelly shattered. It is then he realises things will have to change. Tom decides to fight for his son, determined to keep him safe and to raise him to be the best he can be. But life is cruel when fate takes a hand, and Casey fears that his father's prophetic words are coming true! 'It's done. The dice is thrown, and nobody wins.' But there are three letters that may just change his destiny forever.

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Happy Days by Graham Hurley (Book 12 in the Faraday and Winter series)
Published: 2 Feb 2012 - UK …......... 1 Apr 2012 - USA
Format (UK): Hardcover …............. Paperback - 11 Oct 2012
Genre: Mystery

DI Faraday is gone and the police are left reeling. As his boss attempts to limit any possible PR damage his one time shadow on the force, ex DC Winter is ever more concerned that he may have made the biggest mistake of his life throwing in his lot with the city's drug baron, Bazza McKenzie. Especially as Bazza is becoming increasingly desperate and violent as his empire begins to crumble under the weight of austere times.
And, in the person of DS Jummy Suttle there's a new will at the heart of Portsmouth's embattled police force to nail Bazza once and for all, the one man Faraday was always desperate to bring to justice.
Graham Hurley's new novel is about loss. It is about the decisions we make in life, about the impact our lives have on others. Hurley's trademark authenticity has been allied to an ever increasing sense of drama as he charts the lives of his vivid characters and paints a stunning portrait of a city and a country at war with itself. A war which throws the police into the front line. Happy days?

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Summer Daydreams by Carole Matthews
Published: 2 Feb 2012 - UK …..........1 Mar 2012 - USA
Format (UK): Hardcover, Kindle …....Paperback - 24 May 2012
Genre: Fiction

What if you had always dreamed of something more...?
Nell McNamara has a happy life: her boyfriend Olly adores her, their four-year-old daughter Petal is the centre of their world and Nell has a steady job in the local chip shop. When the chippy needs a makeover, Nell jumps at the chance to unleash the creativity fizzing inside her. Inspired by what she can achieve - and encouraged by the best friends a girl can have - Nell is determined to try something new and starts making her own line of must-have handbags, which are soon flying off the shelves!
It seems Nell's dreams are finally coming true, but her success doesn't come without a price. Before too long, Nell has to ask herself if it's really possible to have it all...
Full of fun, love and laughter, soak up the sunshine with Summer Daydreams

Carole Matthews is the Sunday Times bestselling author of nineteen previous novels. Her books have been translated into twenty languages and sold to Hollywood. For all the latest news from Carole, visit www.carolematthews.com, follow Carole on Twitter or join the thousands of readers who have become Carole's friend on Facebook.

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I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
Published: 16 Feb 2012 - UK …....... 14 Feb 2012 - USA
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Audio & Kindle
Genre: Romance

I've lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day! Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive :) !!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her 'happily ever after' begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except that the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn't agree. He wants his phone back and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other's lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

Sophie Kinsella is the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series, as well as the stand-alone novels Can You Keep A Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, and Twenties Girl. She lives in England.

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Kind of Cruel by Sophie Hannah
Published: 16 Feb 2012 - UK & USA
Format (UK): Hardcover …...... Paperback - 30 Aug 2012
Genre: Psychological Mystery

When Amber Hewerdine consults a hypnotherapist as a desperate last resort, she doesn't expect that anything much will change. She doesn't expect it to help with her chronic insomnia ...

She doesn't expect to hear herself, under hypnosis, saying words that mean nothing to her: 'Kind, cruel, kind of cruel' - words she has seen somewhere before, if only she could remember where ...

She doesn't expect to be arrested two hours later, as a result of having spoken those words out loud, in connection with the brutal murder of Katharine Allen, a woman she's never heard of ...

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The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
Published: 21 Feb 2012 - UK & USA
Format (UK): Hardcover, Audio
Genre: Historical Fiction

Just in time for the centennial anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic comes a vivid, romantic, and relentlessly compelling historical novel about a spirited young woman who survives the disaster only to find herself embroiled in the media frenzy left in the wake of the tragedy.

Tess, an aspiring seamstress, thinks she's had an incredibly lucky break when she is hired by famous designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon to be a personal maid on the Titanic's doomed voyage. Once on board, Tess catches the eye of two men, one a roughly-hewn but kind sailor and the other an enigmatic Chicago millionaire. But on the fourth night, disaster strikes.

Amidst the chaos and desperate urging of two very different suitors, Tess is one of the last people allowed on a lifeboat. Tess's sailor also manages to survive unharmed, witness to Lady Duff Gordon's questionable actions during the tragedy. Others - including the gallant Midwestern tycoon - are not so lucky.

On dry land, rumors about the survivors begin to circulate, and Lady Duff Gordon quickly becomes the subject of media scorn and later, the hearings on the Titanic. Set against a historical tragedy but told from a completely fresh angle, The Dressmaker is an atmospheric delight filled with all the period's glitz and glamour, all the raw feelings of a national tragedy and all the contradictory emotions of young love.

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Echoes of Betrayal by Elizabeth Moon (3rd book in the Paladin’s Legacy series)
Published: 21 Feb 2012 - UK & USA
Format (UK): Audio.................Paperback, Kindle - 23 Feb 2012
Genre: Fantasy

All is not well in the Eight Kingdoms. In Lyonya, King Kieri is about to celebrate marriage to his beloved, the half-elf Arian. But uncanny whispers from the spirits of his ancestors continue to warn of treachery and murder. A finger of suspicion has been pointed toward his grandmother, the queen of the Ladysforest elves, and that suspicion has only intensified with time and the Lady's inexplicable behavior. Clearly, she is hiding something. But what? And why?

Meanwhile, in Tsaia, the young king Mikeli must grapple with unrest among his own nobility over his controversial decision to grant the title and estates of a traitorous magelord to a Verrakaien who not only possesses the forbidden magic but is a woman besides: Dorrin, once one of Kieri's most trusted captains. When renegade Verrakaien attack two of Dorrin's squires, suspicion and prejudice combine to place Dorrin's life at risk - and the king's claim to the throne in peril.

But even greater danger is looming. The wild offspring of a dragon are on the loose, sowing death and destruction and upsetting the ancient balance of power between dragonkind, humans, elves, and gnomes. A collision seems inevitable. Yet when it comes, it will be utterly unexpected - and all the more devastating for it.

The action continues fast and furious in this third installment of Elizabeth Moon's celebrated return to the fantasy world of the paladin Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter. This award-winning author has firsthand military experience and an imagination that knows no bounds.

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Isabel’s Wedding by Pamela Oldfield
Published: 28 Feb 2012 - UK …........... 1 June 2012 - USA
Format (UK): Hardcover
Genre: Historical Fiction

An unexpected letter brings life-changing news in this suspenseful tale of family secrets and ties - Canterbury, 1900.
Olivia Fratton will scream if she hears the words ‘Isabel’s wedding’ one more time; she’s struggling to cope with her little sister’s demands on their limited budget. But Olivia is not the only Fratton with worries: Isabel’s older brother Theo and the ‘golden boy’ of the family, Luke, all have their own troubles. But these pale into insignificance when a letter is delivered from someone none of the family ever expected to hear from again . . .

Book Review: ALL THE SINGLE LADIES BY JANE COSTELLO

2012-01-23T19:26:00.000Z

Genre: Romance/Contemporary Fiction

Published: Simon & Schuster (2 Feb 2012)

Pages: 496 (Hardcover)

Source: From the Publisher

My Rating: 9.5/10

About the Book:

Samantha Brooks' boyfriend Jamie has announced he is leaving, out of the blue. He is loving, intelligent and, while he isn't perfect, he's perfect for her - in every way except one: he's a free spirit. And after six years in one place, doing a job he despises, he is compelled to do something that will tear apart his relationship with Sam: book a one-way flight to South America.
But Sam isn't giving up without a fight. With Jamie still totally in love with her, and torn about whether to stay or go, she has three months to persuade him to do the right thing. With the help of her friends Ellie and Jen, she hatches a plan to make him realise what he's giving up. A plan that involves dirty tricks, plotting and a single aim: to win him back. But by the time the tortured Jamie finally wakes up to what he's lost, a gorgeous new pretender has entered Sam's life. Which begs the question ...does she still want him back?

I know it's only January but if I read another book this year that I enjoy as much as this then I will be very happy!

I loved the writing, the story, the characters and the pace of the book - it was so much fun to read with some laugh out loud situations.

We first meet Sam, narrator and main protagonist when her car breaks down, she is the sort of girl who is normally unflappable in a crisis, but on this occasion, having just been told by Jamie that he is leaving her to live in South America, she breaks down in front of the bemused AA man.

While Sam tries to play it cool around Jamie pretending that she's doing great without him and even going out on dates trying to make him jealous, he just can't make his mind up - should he stay or should he go? Should Sam let him go and move on or should she fight tooth and nail to win him back? This is the main crux of the story, though there are plenty of other characters who weave in and out and who all have problems of their own, including her adopted sister who doesn't know whether to meet her real father, her friend, Jen, who can never keep hold of her boyfriends for long and doesn't know what she's doing wrong.

It's very easy to get involved with Jane Costello's characters, they are all so likeable and her easy writing style and short chapters make you want to keep turning the pages, hoping that it will all turn out right in the end because you want everyone to be happy.

Overall, I highly recommend this book!

According to Cosmopolitan 'If you like Sophie Kinsella, you'll love Jane Costello'.

A Special Thank You to the publishers for sending me this book to review.

Book Review: AS THE PIG TURNS BY M.C. BEATON

2012-01-17T16:30:00.000Z

Genre: Mystery

Published: BBC Audiobooks: Unabridged (20 Oct 2011)

Rating: 8/10

About the Book:

Winter Parva, a traditional Cotswolds village next door to Carsely, has decided to throw a celebratory hog roast to mark the beginning of the winter holiday festivities and Agatha Raisin has arrived with friend and rival in the sleuthing business, Toni, to enjoy the merriment. But as the spit pig is carried towards the bed of fiery charcoal Agatha - and the rest of the village - realise that things aren't what they seem...

This was my introduction to the world of Agatha Raisin, a cantankerous, obstinate, opinionated busybody and, to be honest, not a very nice person overall!

Though she does have some good traits such as loyalty to her friends and employees.

She also has a knack of being in the right place at the right time, for instance when a pig is being roasted she is the only one to realise that it’s not a pig but a man …. she also discovers a body in an unusual place.

I really enjoyed listening to this story and I did come to like Agatha’s bustling nosiness and her vulnerabilities. The story moves along at a steady pace, it was never boring and I found it easy to follow.

I shall be reading more of this entertaining series.

Body Care Product Review: ROSA FINA INNOCENCE CREAMY FACE WASH by Barefoot Botanicals

2012-01-13T12:30:00.000Z

About the Product:

Natural purity for heaven-sent skin! This foamy, but creamy Rosa Fina - Innocence - Creamy Face Wash both refreshes and nourishes the complexion.

Toning rosa mosqueta oil combines with soothing calendula, willow and mallow to condition the skin, while mineral-rich dead sea salts purify and rejuvenate. For skin that feels born again. More than a cleanser, this product actively nourishes and balances your complexion too. It gives more than it takes away.

This face wash has a lovely creamy texture with a gorgeous smell .... I use it every morning and night and it makes my skin feel very clean and non-greasy, it doesn't feel dry or tight.

According to the instructions you are supposed to "massage over skin in circular sweeps then remove with a damp cloth" but I prefer to splash my face with water to rinse it all off and it doesn't leave a residue.

It doesn't lather up so don't expect it to be full of bubbles!

Overall, I have been very happy to use this ..... I have had no adverse reaction ..... my skin does tend to be greasy and Barefoot Botanicals say that it is recommended for Sensitive, Mature, Rosacea, Fine Lines, Wrinkles, Scarring, Combination, Oily, Acne skin.

About Barefoot Botanicals:

The Barefoot Botanicals Rosa Fina range is Barefoot's specialist range for mature skin and skin in need of special care. Formulated from a rare and highly therapeutic rosa mosqueta oil pressed from seeds of a wild Chilean rose. This precious ingredient is clinically proven to dramatically reduce wrinkles, stretch marks and scar tissue, leaving skin smooth, firm & radiant.

Barefoot Botanicals name was inspired by the ancient Chinese tradition of barefoot doctors who travelled from village to village without shoes, dispensing wisdom and remedies. The secret of Barefoot's success lay in its advanced formulations, which combine the best of cutting-edge science with a thousand years of herbal wisdom. Each ingredient has been carefully sourced to provide high performance with powerful therapeutic benefits without sacrificing ethical integrity

Available from mypure.co.uk in a 100ml tube.

As with all the products on the Mypure website the Rosa Fina Creamy Face Wash is sulfate free (sodium lauryl sulfate SLS, sodium laureth sulfate SLES, ammonium laureth sulfate ALES), paraben free & phthalate free.

Some other products that I have reviewed for Mypure are --

Living Nature Firming Eye Cream

A'kin Lavender and Rose Moisturising Night Cream

Comvita Anti-Ageing Nourishing Hand and Nail Cream

Lovea Argan Brilliance Shine Shampoo

Book Review: THE HUNGER GAMES BY SUZANNE COLLINS

2012-01-06T14:42:00.000Z

Genre: YA/Science Fiction/Fantasy/Adventure

Published: Scholastic (Sept 2008)

Pages: 464

Rating: 8.5/10

THIS HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY MY SON

About the Book:

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. But Katniss has been close to death before - and survival, for her, is second nature. "The Hunger Games" is a searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Welcome to the deadliest reality TV show ever...

When I first heard about Suzanne Collins "The Hunger Games" I thought it would be an epic novel about kids being forced to fight in jungles and would be a philosophical meaning about how corrupt and injust the legal system and the government is.

So you can understand my reluctance when I started hearing people comparing it to Twilight and Harry Potter.

These reluctances where soon banished when I found it to be not as huge and clever as I thought but still a fun, exhilarating ride with a female protaganist that you can't help but root for. I would mostly compare it to 1984, although not as depressing, and the Japanese movie "Battle Royale", although not as brutal. Somewhere in between is the Hunger Games. It is fun, exciting and this is only part one, which means it hopefully will get better and better.

Also look out for the motion picture coming out in Spring 2012.

Body Care Product Review: LIVING NATURE FIRMING EYE CREAM

2011-11-16T17:04:00.000Z

About the Product:

Firm and smooth delicate skin around the eye and minimise the effects of ageing with Living Nature's light Firming Eye Cream. The calming and soothing effect of the Harakeke gel offers relief to tired and puffy eyes.

The plant actives used in Living Nature can speed up the skin renewal and repair process. - Repair the damage done to your skin during the day, i.e. free radical damage, loss of moisture and UV damage. - Promote cell repair and bring fresher, younger-looking skin to the surface.

Sorry the picture is a little blurred but it does give you an idea of what the product looks like!

I've been using this eye cream for the past few weeks - it is very light and creamy. When I first used it it made the skin around my eyes feel quite tight, it wasn't an unpleasant feeling, in fact it felt as if it was working!

The instructions say that you should use your ring finger to dab it around your eyes which I have been doing and it does absorb surprisingly quickly into my skin. I use it night and morning after cleansing.

Does it work? Well, I honestly haven't noticed any difference with the lines underneath my eyes but the lines at the corners do seem to be a little less noticeable.

It is available from mypure.co.uk in a 10ml tube.

Everything sold by mypure is sulfate free (sodium lauryl sulfate SLS, sodium laureth sulfate SLES, ammonium laureth sulfate ALES), paraben free & phthalate free.

Check out their website - they have lots of offers on their goodies and it's Free Delivery to the UK.

Some New Books Published in November 2011

2011-10-31T20:08:00.000Z

This is a monthly feature where I pick just a few of the many new books coming out soon. Some are well-known authors but I've also chosen some that are not household names.

How It All Began by Penelope Lively
Published: 3 Nov 2011 - UK ….......... 5 Jan 2012 - USA

Genre: General Fiction

When . . . Charlotte is mugged and breaks her hip, her daughter Rose cannot accompany her employer Lord Peters to Manchester, which means his niece Marion has to go instead, which means she sends a text to her lover which is intercepted by his wife, which is . . . just the beginning in the ensuing chain of life-altering events.

In this engaging, utterly absorbing and brilliantly told novel, Penelope Lively shows us how one random event can cause marriages to fracture and heal themselves, opportunities to appear and disappear, lovers who might never have met to find each other and entire lives to become irrevocably changed.

Funny, humane, touching, sly and sympathetic, HOW IT ALL BEGAN is a brilliant sleight of hand from an author at the top of her game.

Penelope Lively, CBE, was born in Cairo, Egypt and came to England at age 12 in 1945. She studied Modern History at Oxford …. has two children and six grandchildren and now lives in London. Her books have been shortlisted three times for the Booker Prize, winning once for Moon Tiger in 1987.

For more on Penelope Lively see her website.
Click here to see what Samantha Cox at bookgeeks thought of this book.
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The Sisters by Nancy Jensen
Published: 8 Nov 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: General Fiction

In the tradition of Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping and Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge, a dazzling debut novel about the family bonds that remain even when they seem irretrievably torn apart

Growing up in hardscrabble Kentucky in the 1920s, with their mother dead and their stepfather an ever-present threat, Bertie Fisher and her older sister Mabel have no one but each other - with perhaps a sweetheart for Bertie waiting in the wings. But on the day that Bertie receives her eighth-grade diploma, good intentions go terribly wrong, setting off a chain of misunderstandings that will send the sisters on separate paths and reverberate through their daughters' and granddaughters' lives.

What happens when nothing turns out as you planned? From the Depression through World War II and Vietnam, and smaller events both tragic and joyful. Bertie and Mabel forge unexpected identities and raise daughters - and sisters - of their own, learning that love and betrayal are even more complicated than they seem. Gorgeously written, with extraordinary insight and emotional truth, Nancy Jensen's debut novel illuminates the far-reaching power of family and family secrets.

Nancy Jensen is a Goodreads author and there are several reviews of this novel there.

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The Real Katie Lavender by Erica James
Published: 10 Nov 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: Romance

At 30, Katie Lavender thinks she is better than most when it comes to dealing with life's surprises. But when she gets a request to visit a solicitor, she's not expecting the dramatic turn her life is about to take. There, she receives a letter from her deceased mother that literally changes everything she ever knew about herself...

Sounds intriguing.....

Erica James is the author of several bestselling novels. Born Erica Sullivan, she grew up on Hayling Island in Hampshire, England and lives now with her two sons in Cheshire. She began writing after attending a creative writing course at the Arvon Foundation. For her novel Gardens of Delight she won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award from the Romantic Novelists' Association in 2006.

To find out more about Erica James her lovely website is here.

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Brodmaw Bay by FG Cottam
Published: 10 Nov 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: Horror

It's the perfect seaside village - no crime, no Londoners ...When things start to go badly wrong for James Greer in London, Brodmaw Bay seems to be calling him and his family. There's a perfect house, excellent schools - and welcoming neighbours who assure the Greers that they'd be delighted to have some new blood in the Bay. But perhaps the village isn't so much welcoming them as luring them. To something ancient and evil....

FG Cottam has had several horror books published by Hodder -- his last novel was The Waiting Room which I have reviewed here.

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Home for Christmas by Cally Taylor
Published: 10 Nov 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: Popular Fiction

Beth Prince has always loved fairytales and now, aged twenty-four, she feels like she's finally on the verge of her own happily ever after. She lives by the seaside, works in the Picturebox - a charming but rundown independent cinema - and has a boyfriend who's so debonair and charming she can't believe her luck!
There's just one problem - none of her boyfriends have ever told her they love her and it doesn't look like Aiden's going to say it any time soon. Desperate to hear I love you' for the first time Beth takes matters into her own hands - and instantly wishes she hadn't.
Just when it seems like her luck can't get any worse, bad news arrives in the devilishly handsome shape of Matt Jones. Matt is the regional director of a multiplex cinema and he's determined to get his hands on the Picturebox by Christmas. Can Beth keep her job, her man and her home or is her romantic-comedy life about to turn into a disaster movie?
A sparkling seasonal tale of finding true love at Christmas.

Aawww I love this cover! It makes me feel all warm and Christmassy.......

Cally Taylor’s novel Heaven Can Wait was published by Orion in October 2009. It scooped the 'Debut Novel of the Year' and 'Novel of the Year' prizes at chicklitreviews.com, was awarded chicklitclub.com's first ever 10/10 review and has been translated into thirteen languages.

For more information on Cally Taylor her website is here.

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The Alloy of Law (The 4th book in the Mistborn series) by Brandon Sanderson
Published: 10 Nov 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: Fantasy

Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.

Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history - or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice.

One such is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn, who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.

The Mistborn series is a trilogy of high fantasy novels. Published by Tor Fantasy between 2006 and 2008, the series currently consists of Mistborn: The Final Empire, Mistborn: The Well of Ascension, and Mistborn: The Hero of Ages.
The Alloy of Law is a stand-alone short novel which takes place about 300 years after Mistborn: The Hero of Ages.

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No Holds Barred (Daniel Whelan, Book 2) by Lyndon Stacey
Published: 24 Nov 2011 - UK …...... 1 Mar 2012 - USA
Genre: Mystery

When ex-police dog handler Daniel Whelan is asked by his former boss to help a friend who is struggling to run her husband's haulage company while he is recovering from a vicious attack, he and his German shepherd, Taz, rapidly find themselves attracting the wrong sort of attention. Daniel investigates, and soon finds evidence of some very nasty business indeed - but after several violent warnings, he begins to wonder . . . has he bitten off more than he can chew?

This is unusual - an ex-police dog handler (with Taz the dog) who investigates mysteries!

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Bloodstone (Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan, Book 11) by Paul Doherty
Published: 24 Nov 2011 - UK …........ 1 Mar 2012 - USA
Genre: Historical Mystery

December, 1380.
When the corpse of Sir Robert Kilverby is discovered in a locked room, Brother Athelstan accompanies the King's coroner to investigate. For Sir Robert had in his possession a priceless relic, a sacred bloodstone, which has now disappeared. Did Sir Robert die of natural causes or was he murdered? Athelstan is sceptical of rumours of a curse hanging over Sir Robert, but when it is discovered that a second old soldier has been gruesomely slain on the same night, the rumours no longer seem so far-fetched . . .

Paul C. Doherty has published a series of historical mysteries set in the Middle Ages, Classical, Greek, Ancient Egypt and elsewhere. He writes both fiction and non-fiction under his own name, both as P.C. Doherty and Paul C. Doherty, as well as the pennames: Anna Apostolou, Michael Clynes, Ann Dukthas, C. L. Grace, Paul Harding, and Vanessa Alexander. Doherty is the author of several mystery series, including The Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan, the Hugh Corbett medieval mysteries, the Canterbury Tales of mystery and murder.

He is also the Headmaster of Trinity Catholic High School in the UK.
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Deception (Harry Tate, Book 3) by Adrian Magson
Published: 24 Nov 2011 - UK …... 1 Mar 2012 - USA
Genre: Thriller

Former MI5 officer Harry Tate's skill at tracking down runaways is second to none - and the Security Services need his help. When MI6 ask him to trace Vanessa Tan, a lieutenant with the Royal Logistics Corps who failed to report for her return flight to Afghanistan, Harry instinctively feels it's a mission to avoid. But when he learns of the involvement of his former boss, Henry Paulton - the man who tried to have him killed - he agrees to take the job, and events soon take an unexpected turn . . .

ADRIAN MAGSON began writing short fiction and features for women’s magazines, contributing over the years to publications in the UK, US, Scandinavia, Japan and Australia. As well as writing comedy material and stories for BBC radio, he also turned to writing crime thrillers, and was shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award. Since then he has gone on to have several crime thrillers published.
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Just Another Day by Patricia Fawcett
Published: 30 Nov 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Returning to her roots and discovering that her childhood home in Devon is up for sale, Frankie buys it on impulse but is moving back a mistake?
Will living here again help her to come to terms with something that has haunted her for years? Will she be able to rid herself of the guilt she feels following the accident to her brother James, an accident for which she feels responsible.
Meeting up with an old girlfriend Izzy brings things to a head for Izzy was present that day and knows the truth and it is Izzy and Gareth, the new man in her life, who help Frankie to find her way to forgive herself at last and move on.

Patricia Fawcett was born in Preston, Lancashire and has been writing for over 30 years.
For more information see her website.

If I see any reviews of these books I will add them

Book Review: THE COLOUR OF DEATH BY MICHAEL CORDY

2011-10-20T16:00:00.000+01:00

Genre: Thriller

Published: Transworld (Aug 2011)
Pages: 381 (Paperback)
Source: Part of the Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge
My Rating: 7/10

About the Book:

In a residential neighbourhood of Portland, Oregon, an unknown young woman uncovers a shocking crime scene by inexplicably sensing the evil within its walls. To the police, she is a mystery. She can’t even tell them her own name. They christen her Jane Doe.

Suffering terrifying hallucinations, Jane is assigned to Nathan Fox, a forensic psychiatrist struggling with his own demons. Together they must piece together the jigsaw that is Jane’s identity.Then a sequence of brutal killings terrorizes the city and Fox learns Jane is the only cryptic link between the unrelated victims. To solve the murders, Fox must discard his black and white preconceptions, look beyond the spectrum of normal human experience and confront the dark truth of her past…and his own.

This is my 3rd read of 4 books in the Transworld Book Reading Challenge.

I was really engrossed in this book at the start as we first meet Nathan Fox as a young boy when his mother, father and young sister are brutally murdered during a gas station robbery ...... but Nathan can't remember anything about the traumatic incident or why his life was spared.

The story then moves 19 years to the present day as Nathan is now a psychiatrist helping people though he can't help himself with his loss of memory. He is detached and has learned to distance himself from pain and loss.

He is then entrusted to a young woman who has total memory loss and, because Nathan is the right colour of indigo, she trusts him and no-one else. I found this side of the story very intriguing as both the woman and Nathan shared a special kind of sense.....Nathan could feel someone else's pain and Jane Doe had other senses as well, which are slowly revealed and which could be the reason for her memory loss.

The story becomes even more intriguing when a series of murders occurs and Jane's picture is found with the victims and she is persuaded to use her other senses to help identify the killer .....the police are sceptical...... but Nathan believes in her.

I liked Nathan and so did Jane who thought he was a hard man to get to know well even if you were a friend, though she doesn't find him aloof or cold, he was too compassionate. I liked their developing relationship, it seemed real and natural.

Up to this point in the book I was getting involved with the characters and enjoying the storyline but when it moved on to a cult who lived deep in the woods and who's charismatic leader has three beautiful devoted wives I'm afraid my interest started to wane a little.

It was still quite gripping but it wasn't the same book for me and I found myself not rushing to finish it to find out what was going to happen.

The other books I have read for this Challenge are --

The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark

and

The Secrets Between Us by Louise Douglas

My next (and final) read will be

The Water Room by Christopher Fowler

Book Review: BABY BE MINE BY PAIGE TOON

2011-10-14T15:34:00.003+01:00

Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Published: Simon & Schuster (July 2011)
Pages: 439 (Paperback)

Source: Publishers
My Rating: 9/10

About the Book:

'He's not mine, is he?' That's the question I fear the most. You see, I have a secret. My son is not fathered by my boyfriend, but by one of the most famous rock stars that ever lived. And he doesn't even know it.
One-time celebrity personal assistant to wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg Stiles is now settled and living in the south of France with her doting boyfriend Christian and their son Barney.
But they're living a lie - a lie that will turn their lives upside down and inside out - because as Barney reaches his first birthday, Meg can no longer deny that her son is growing to look more and more like his rock star father every day, and less and less like Christian, and sooner or later, the world is going to realise ...

This is the follow-up to Johnny Be Good which was published in 2008 so it's been a long anxious wait to find out what happened to Meg and Johnny. I haven't read that book but I wish I had -- I don't think I needed to read it but, after finishing this, I wanted to read it, if only to know more about their relationship before this sequel.

I loved the writing style, it was not over-dramatic or soppy, it had just the right amount of tenderness and fun and sadness all wrapped up in the story.

At the beginning of the story Meg was full of guilt and lived in constant fear of everyone (particularly the lovely and patient Christian) finding out, but when Johnny finds out early on that he is Barney's father he reacts in a totally different way to what everyone expects from a man 'with the attention span of a gnat'.

'Okay,' I say, because I don't want to hurt him (Christian) anymore. But this is going to be complicated. Johnny is aware of Barney's existence now. I can't imagine how this is going to pan out, but there's one thing I'm certain of: there's more hearbreak to come.

Meg's roller coaster of emotions really moved me as she tried to come to terms with her guilt over Christian, her feelings about Johnny, and above all her love for her little boy which really shone through and was incredibly touching at times.

While I didn't laugh or cry (as the blurb suggested) there were some funny moments and I did feel for Meg, I really wanted her to be happy and I was never sure how it was going to go, it kept me on tenterhooks until the very end.

I thought this was an engrossing story, great storyline, interesting characters, that will keep you reading because you just want to find out what happens! And you can't ask for anything more in a book can you?

Special Thank You to the publishers for sending me this book to review.

Paige Toon's author page on Simon & Schuster is here.

Body Care Product Review: A'KIN ANTI-OXIDANT DAY CREME

2011-10-11T16:06:00.000+01:00

About the Product:

A'kin Rose de Mai, Anti-oxidant Day Time Face Cream is a rapidly absorbed anti-oxidant rich formula with the ultimate combination of active ingredients including vitamins A, B5, C, E, alpha lipoic acid and vipers bugloss oil (omega 3, 6 & 9 essential fatty acids) all encapsulated in a 12-hour time-release system. Helps fight wrinkles and increase skin suppleness and elasticity. Perfect as a makeup base.

This is the most gorgeous rich and creamy face cream. It is so easy to apply, quickly absorbing into my skin and has a lovely flowery scent which is not too overpowering.

I use it every morning after cleansing -- my skin can get greasy during the day but I have had no problems when I use this Cream -- it keeps my skin fresh and non-greasy all day. I really love it!

I also use the A'kin Lavender and Rose Moisturising Night Cream -- which I love as well! -- my review of that is here

It is available from the Mypure website in a 50ml pot.

All A’kin products are free from sulfates, ethoxylates, parabens, propyleneglycol, petrochemical cleansers, silicones, phthalates, mineral oils, DEA and artificial colours. The A’kin skin care range was launched in 2002 in Australia and brought to the UK for the first time by mypure in 2004.
They are ingredient-rich, vegan and use certified organic ingredients where possible, they have been formulated without animal ingredients or animal testing.

Book Review: THE DETECTIVE BRANCH BY ANDREW PEPPER

2011-10-07T19:05:00.000+01:00

Genre: Historical Mystery
Published: Orion Books (Feb 2010)
Pages: 372 (Paperback)
Source: BookDagger RealReaders
My Rating: 8.5/10

About the Book:

Drury Lane, 1844. A robbery has been committed at a pawnbroker's, leaving three people dead. The man called in to investigate is Pyke, head of the Metropolitan Police's newly formed Detective Branch at Scotland Yard.
Pyke must find the culprit and quickly, especially as the identity of one of the victims threatens to expose his own criminal past.
A valuable religious artefact appears to have motivated the robbery but when the main suspect commits suicide in police custody, the investigation falters. Then the rector of a wealthy parish is brutally murdered and Pyke spots a connection. His suspicions lead him to a dissolute former Catholic priest, rumours of devil worship, and an old case that no one wants him to investigate.
With time running out and the murderer threatening to kill again, Pyke must face up to forces within the police and the church who would prefer the secrets of the past to remain buried forever.
Pyke joins the newly formed Detective Bureau of the Metropolitan police in a tale of corruption and murder.

This is the 4th book in the Victorian mystery series featuring Detective Pyke. I haven't read any of the first three so I can't compare this with the earlier ones.

Pyke had a chequered past, he had been convicted of murder and sentenced to hang, only to escape and earn a full pardon, he had also served some time in the debtors prison.

He was certainly no goody goody but he was a good policeman and "as he looked down at the bodies.....it was his job to remain detached, to see things as they were, but it was hard work to look at the crime scene and not feel a twinge of excitement. An abomination had been perpetrated and it was his job to find the man or men responsible.
At bottom, it was why he'd agreed to join the police force; because he loved the thrill of the chase."

He had a strained relationship with his 14 year old son, a strained relationship with his superiors and an equally strained relationship with his peers in the Detective Branch. All in all, he's not very good with people.

What started off as a routine robbery/murder soon turned into a complicated story of a stolen church artefact, a man accused of murdering a child, past murders that may or may not be related to this murder investigation and other surprising turn of events.

This was a better than average mystery which seemed slow at the beginning, there were a lot of characters to remember but once the story had developed I became thoroughly engrossed and had no idea which way it was going to go.

Special Thanks to BookDagger RealReaders for sending it to me.

About the Author:

Andrew Pepper is a lecturer in American Writing and Contemporary Crime Fiction at Queen's University, Belfast. His first novel, THE LAST DAYS OF NEWGATE, was shortlisted for the CWA NEW BLOOD AWARD. He lives in Belfast with his partner and children.

SOME NEW BOOKS COMING OUT IN OCTOBER

2011-10-02T16:34:00.001+01:00

This is a monthly feature where I pick out just a few of the hundreds of new books coming out soon.

If I see a review of one of them I'll put a link to it.

Unsaid by Neil Abramson
Published: 6 Oct 2011 - UK ….. 4 Aug 2011 - USA
Genre: General Fiction

UNSAID is told from the perspective of Helena Colden, a veterinarian who has just died of breast cancer. Helena is forced to witness the rapid emotional deterioration of her husband David. With Helena's passing, David, a successful Manhattan attorney, loses the only connection that made his life full. He tries to carry on the life that Helena had created for them, but he is too grief-stricken, too angry, and too quickly reabsorbed into the demands of his career.
Helena's animals likewise struggle with the loss of their understanding and compassionate human companion.
Because of Helena, David becomes involved in a court case to save the life of a chimpanzee that may hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of animals consciousness.
Through this case all the threads of Helena's life entwine and explode - unexpectedly, painfully, beautifully.

There are lots of mixed reviews on Goodreads for this book, many are 5 stars.
Beautiful colours on the cover.

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Awakenings by Edward Lazellari
Published: 17 Oct 2011 - UK …... 30 Aug 2011 - USA
Genre: Fantasy

Cal MacDonnell is a happily married New York City cop with a loving family. Seth Raincrest is a washed-up photographer who has alienated even his closest friends. The two have nothing in common - except that they both suffer from retrograde amnesia. It's as if they just appeared out of thin air thirteen years ago, and nothing has been able to restore their memories. Now their forgotten past has caught up to them with a vengeance.

Cal's and Seth's lives are turned upside down as they are stalked by otherworldly beings who know about the men's past lives. But these creatures aren't here to help; they're intent on killing anyone who gets in their way. In the balance hangs the life of a child who might someday restore a broken empire to peace and prosperity. With no clue why they're being hunted, Cal and Seth must accept the aid of a strange and beautiful woman who has promised to unlock their secrets. The two must stay alive long enough to protect their loved ones, recover their true selves - and save two worlds from tyranny and destruction.

“Lazellari’s debut fantasy foretells a promising career. Read Awakenings and get in on the ground floor with a great new writer.”
--Glen Cook, author of The Black Company series

"Edward Lazellari is a talent to watch with high expectations."
-- Ben Bova, six-time Hugo Award Winner

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The Faithless by Martina Cole
Published: 18 Oct 2011 - UK
Genre: Mystery

Gabby looked at the woman she had hated nearly all her life. Then she sat down on the ladder-backed chair, put her face into her bloodied hands and cried.
To the outside world, Cynthia Tailor is a woman to envy; she has a devoted husband, a lovely home and two gorgeous children. But Cynthia is deeply unhappy with her lot; she has always craved the best things in life, and is determined to see that she gets them. Cynthia will let nothing stand in her way, even if it means devastation and tragedy for those nearest to her. And the casualties are many: her husband Jimmy, weak and unable fight the wife he can never please; her sister Celeste, from whom Cynthia steals her most precious possession; and her parents, Mary and Jack, who pick up the pieces.
But the victims who suffer the most are Cynthia's children. For James Junior and Gabby, the pain she causes will stay with them for ever...

Martina Cole is a British crime writer and most of her stories are about London’s gangster underworld. She has sold over 10 million copies of her books in the UK alone. Most of her novels feature a female protagonist or antihero.

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As The Pig Turns (Agatha Raisin, Book 22) by MC Beaton

Published: 20 Oct 2011 - UK …..... 11 Oct 2011 - USA
Genre: Mystery

The picturesque Cotwsold village of Winter Parva has decided to warm the winter months after the holidays by roasting a pig in the town square. Agatha, always one for a good roasting, has arrived with her former protegée and current rival in the private detection racket, Toni, to enjoy the merriment. But as the rotary spit is placed over a bed of fiery charcoals and the pig is carried toward its final resting place, Agatha realizes that things are not as they seem....

'Stop!' she screams suddenly.

The "pig," in fact, is Gary Beech, a policeman not exactly beloved by the good people of the village. Although Agatha has every intention of leaving matters to the police, everything changes when Gary's ex-wife hires Toni to investigate. With that provocation, how could any sleuth as obviously vain and competitive (and secretly insecure) as Agatha could do anything other than solve the case herself?

I really should get round to reading one of these books, as they sound like just the type of cosy mysteries I enjoy. Agatha Raisin’s website can be found here.
MC Beaton is also well known as the author of the Hamish Macbeth mystery series set in the Highlands.
A full list of all her books can be found at fantasticfiction.co.uk
****************************************************************

Dragon’s Field by Elizabeth Gill
Published: 22 Oct 2011 - UK ….... 1 Feb 2012 - USA
Genre: Saga

1909, Northumberland. When Shona Hardy’s worst fears come true and her fisherman husband James’ boat is lost at sea, she finds herself alone in a village where she has always been an outsider.
But little does she know that, a world away, wealthy bank manager Harry Darling has never forgotten the horror of his impoverished childhood, nor the kindness of a young girl, Shona Hardy.
So when a man slips and dies outside his bank, and Harry recognizes him as Tam, Shona’s estranged father, his past and present collide, altering his - and Shona’s - lives forever . . .

**********************************************************************

The Thread by Victoria Hislop
Published: 27 Oct 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: Romance

Thessaloniki, 1917. As Dimitri Komninos is born, a devastating fire sweeps through the thriving Greek city where Christians, Jews and Muslims live side by side. Five years later, Katerina Sarafoglou's home in Asia Minor is destroyed by the Turkish army. Losing her mother in the chaos, she flees across the sea to an unknown destination in Greece. Soon her life will become entwined with Dimitri's, and with the story of the city itself, as war, fear and persecution begin to divide its people.

Thessaloniki, 2007. A young Anglo-Greek hears his grandparents' life story for the first time and realises he has a decision to make. For many decades, they have looked after the memories and treasures of the people who were forced to leave. Should he become their next custodian and make this city his home?

Victoria Hislop’s debut novel set in Greece, The Island, (which I’ve read and enjoyed) was a No.1 bestseller in the UK. “To Nisi” the 26 part adaptation of the novel is the most successful series in the history of Greek television, watched by some two-thirds of the population!

Her website can be found here.
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666 Charing Cross Road by Paul Magrs
Published: 27 Oct 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: Horror/Quirky Urban Fantasy

From olde London Town to the juicy heart of the Big Apple, something is waiting to bite In a Manhattan gallery, a strange, undead woman, who's been lost for centuries, is found in a basement and becomes the centrepiece of Shelley's new museum show. Nicknamed Bessie, the Scottish Bride, she becomes an overnight celebrity as Christmas approaches.
From the dusty vaults beneath the famed bookshops in Charing Cross Road, Shelley's bibliophile aunt Liza receives crumbling volumes by post, while her friend Jack prefers brand-new books and his brand-new lover.
When a small leather-bound book of spells arrives, Liza finds it repellent. But its arcane magic brings Bessie to life, and enthrals Shelley's posh boyfriend Daniel - literally. It contains the quintessence of evil in the form of a dark bloodstain marking several pages: vampire blood.
As Daniel's power grows, everyone's lives are infected. Soon the vicious vampire infestation rife in NYC threatens to spread to London - and only the Scottish Bride and her new friends can stop it...

I have had Paul Magrs Hell’s Belles on my bookshelf for ages, I’ve heard great reviews about it but, for some reason, I’ve just never got round to reading it.
The huge list of his books can be seen at FantasticFiction.co.uk

** If you would like to win a copy of this book (and you're in the UK) head on over to BookChickCity where you'll find a review and a chance to win 1 of 4 copies!

Ends 31 October 2011 -- Good Luck! **

Book Review: THE SECRETS BETWEEN US BY LOUISE DOUGLAS

2011-09-15T17:57:00.001+01:00

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Psychological Fiction
Published: Transworld Publishers (7 July 2011)
Pages: 457 (Paperback)
Source: Part of the Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge
My Rating: 9/10

About the Book:

A chance encounter: When Sarah meets dark, brooding Alex,she grasps his offer of a new life miles away from her own. They’ve both recently escaped broken relationships, and need to start again. Why not do it together?

A perfect life: But when Sarah gets to the tiny village of Burrington Stoke, something doesn’t add up. Alex’s beautiful wife Genevieve was charming, talented, and adored by all who knew her. And apparently, she and Alex had a successful marriage complete with a gorgeous son, Jamie. Why would Genevieve walk out on her perfect life? And why has no one heard from her since she did so?

A web of lies: Genevieve’s family and all her friends think that Alex knows more about her disappearance than he’s letting on. But Sarah’s fallen in love with him and just knows he couldn’t have anything to hide. Or could he?

The story starts in Italy when Sarah first meets Alex and his young son, Jamie, on holiday. Sarah is the narrator throughout and she is recovering from the trauma of recently losing her new born baby and then discovering her partner's infidelity, so she is quite vulnerable and that's probably why she jumps at the chance of a fresh start when Alex asks her to come and live with him and help to look after Jamie.

Her family and friends all thinks she's mad and she also has doubts as she thinks "what if Alexander was a conman, or worse? Even if he had not actively abused his wife, she had her reasons for leaving him - and to leave the child, too, he must have done something awful. He may be one of those Jekyll and Hyde characters, a charmer on the surface and an insecure and possessive control-freak on the inside."

Louise Douglas puts this seed of doubt in Sarah's head and this sets the tone for the rest of the book and, because we only know what Sarah is thinking, we don't actually know what everyone else is really thinking. I thought this worked really well as I was never sure who to trust and I kept changing my mind as I wondered what could have happened to Genevieve. Also the fact that Alex didn't talk very much about his feelings and his past life all added to the suspense.

Sarah's imagination starts to play tricks on her as she is all alone in the old creaky house in the middle of nowhere - did she really see Genevieve in the mirror and what are those scratching sounds in the wall?

I was completely engrossed in this story as Sarah tries to make sense of her new life and surroundings and the people around her, with the shadow of Genevieve always in the background.

Although this isn't an original plot .... it has been compared to the classic story of Rebecca which I haven't yet read .... I thoroughly enjoyed it as the tension gripped me until the end.

This is the 2nd book I've read for the Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge.

Louise Douglas's website is here, but it looks like it hasn't been updated recently as there is no mention of this book! But you can read about her other published books.

Body Care Product Review: RADIUS ORIGINAL TOOTHBRUSH

2011-09-14T19:38:00.001+01:00

About the Product:

The first and most popular Radius toothbrush, provides an all-over mouth clean. A wide oval head with 300% more premium bristles than any ordinary toothbrush distributes pressure, reduces erosion, and massages sensitive gum tissue while the handle has an ergonomic easy grip ensuring a dentist recommended 45 degree angle.

As you can see in the above picture this is no ordinary toothbrush! The head is far larger than any other toothbrush I've ever used and the handle is a completely different and unusual shape as well.

Unfortunately, I did not like using this toothbrush at all, I found it too unwieldy to use. I thought the handle was uncomfortable to hold and I could not get used to the size of the brush head. I just couldn't continue with it - I never got used to using it all - and I did try for quite a while! It just wasn't for me.

The only compliment I can give it is that the bristles were lovely and soft.

Apparently, as the Radius bristles do not absorb water they last up to three times longer and only need replacing every 9 months instead of 3.

They are available in different colours and can be bought from mypure.co.uk for £9.99.

Book Review: ROBOPOCALYPSE BY DANIEL H WILSON

2011-09-10T16:30:00.001+01:00

Genre: Science Fiction
Published: Simon & Schuster (June 2011)
Pages: 347 (Paperback)
Source: From the Publisher
My Rating: 8/10

About the Book:

Two decades into the future humans are battling for their very survival when a powerful AI computer goes rogue, and all the machines on earth rebel against their human controllers.

The machines believe that the planet would be better off without humans, and that robots would be better caretakers of the earth's ecology.
Twenty minutes afer the war ends, Sergeant Cormac 'Bright Boy' Wallace is exterminating robots in the Alaskan wilderness when he finds a machine containing a an information cube - the robots' black box on the entire war. Inside are thousands of accounts of humans designated 'heroes' by the machines; from children to soldiers - those who fought, and those who died. A few individual robots also rejected the super-AI's homicidal campaign and join with human forces to save their collective freedom.

Robopocalypse tells the story of humanity's battle to survive, with fry cooks and ordinary citizens battling rogue smart cars and independent-minded kitchen appliances, while government scientists take on murderous supercomputers.

(Taken from Simon & Schuster website)

I don't read a great deal of Science Fiction books as sometimes I find them a little too 'heavy' and long-winded with lots of scientific jargon that I find difficult to follow ....... but I'm happy to say that this book doesn't fall into that category. It was quite an easy read with some likeable characters.

As the blurb above mentions, the story starts just after the War has ended and we are introduced to the main protagonist who finds a black box that's showing holograms of the robot uprising and he writes it all down as he thinks everyone should know about it from beginning to end ......... and this is how the story starts.

The first chapter details how and why the uprising began and each chapter from then on is narrated by a different character - we meet most of them before Zero Hour (this is how the uprising is described) and they are a fascinating mix - including a soldier in Afghanistan, a little girl in the US who's dolls suddenly start talking to her, an elderly man in Japan who's a machine expert with a doll robot for a companion. An interesting mix that we also meet during and after Zero Hour.

I really liked how each chapter deals with the way each person has coped with the uprising and how they survived it.

There are lots of descriptions of different kinds of robots who do all sorts of jobs from domestic robots in the house to Army soldiers, we know what they're made of, their size, shape etc. and I did have difficulties sometimes visualising these robots.

In the first months after Zero Hour, billions of people around the world began a fight for survival. Many were murdered by the technology they had come to trust: automobiles, domestic robots and smart buildings.

This isn't a gory story of fighting, though there is some of that, but there are human stories and tales of survival and heroism and this is what makes it so interesting and gripping.

A well-written and steady paced novel that was scary in parts (I even think the cover is scary!)

Daniel H Wilson's very informative website is here where he mentions the new film of Robopocalypse by Steven Spielberg.

Body Care Product Review: COMVITA ANTI-AGEING DAILY SPA BODY WASH

2011-09-09T12:51:00.000+01:00

About the Product:

Comvita Daily Spa Body Wash is a gentle body cleanser.

Contains Comvita®’s clinically researched HUNI®XA Manuka honey, proven to support your skin's natural elasticity and help delay the signs of ageing.

Extract of the Native New Zealand Kumarahou plant, well known as a natural soap alternative and used for its soothing and restoring properties.

The Comvita Daily Spa Body Wash comes in a neat little bottle with a pump spray and the body wash is pale brown in colour with a creamy consistency.

It did leave my skin feeling soft and it didn't dry my skin out at all, though I did use quite a lot before I could get a good lather but other people may find that's okay for them.

I have used other products by Comvita and I have to be honest and say that I just don't like this smell.....I have mentioned it before in my other review..... it's just not a nice aroma at all.

Having said that, I do really like their products, they're well packaged and are extremely effective at what they do!

I have reviewed -- Comvita Anti-Ageing Radiance Plus Lotion

and

Comvita Anti-Ageing Nourishing Hand and Nail Cream

They are all available from mypure.co.uk

The Comvita Daily Spa Body Wash is available in a 200ml bottle for £17.00 at mypure.co.uk

Book Review: THE LAST SEAL BY RICHARD DENNING

2011-09-04T10:58:00.000+01:00

Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Published: March 2010
Pages: 374 (Paperback)
Source: Received from author
My Rating: 8/10

About the Book:

A powerful demon has been trapped under the city of London for over 300 years. Now, however, malevolent forces are at work in the 17th century, planning to unleash terror and chaos on the world. Two rival secret societies the Liberati and the Praesidum - are caught in a battle that threatens to destroy the city and its unknowing inhabitants.

When a truant schoolboy, Ben, finds a scroll revealing the location of magical seals that bind the demon, this throws him into the centre of a dangerous plot that leads to the Great Fire of London. Ben must overcome his own problems - fear of failure, desire for revenge, guilt over his parents deaths - if he is to protect the city, and confront the evil demon.

As the plot unfolds, a little more of the mystery about Ben's own past and his parents deaths is made known. Ultimately, Ben and his friends must combat sorcery, defeat the evil Liberati and destroy the demon if they are to save their city and themselves.

(Taken from Goodreads)

First Lines:

Just before the hour appointed for the service of Lauds - the sixth past midnight - a short figure stole down Ludgate Hill and out through the old city gate to a small church that lay beneath the shadow of St. Paul's Cathedral, which brooded over London like a mother hen protecting her clutch of chicks.

This is book one of the Praesidium series set in 17th century London.

This story starts in 1380 when a demon is summoned by a warlock inside the Cathedral and who then runs amok in central London ........ when a sorcerer manages to put him back in his prison the warlock vows to discover how to bring him back again, thus the battle between good and evil begins.

We are then taken to the year of the Great Fire of London, 1666, and introduced to the main characters of Ben, an orphaned school truant, Freya, the thief who lives on her wits, Tobias who wants the scroll that Ben finds and the bookseller Gabriel, member of the Praesidium.

There are some vivid descriptions including this of the Shambles in London where blood and offal from freshly butchered meat dripped on to the ground and ran off downhill. All round the market, hawkers sold candles, beer, mussels, honeyed nuts and cane rods............beggars, prostitutes and pickpockets plying their trade.

This is such an exciting read, with lots of suspense and believable characters which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the way the author weaved elements of fantasy around the historical facts of the Great Fire, all obviously meticulously researched.

Richard Denning's blog and details of the blog tour can be found here.

New Books Published in September 2011

2011-08-28T16:45:00.001+01:00

This is a monthly feature where I've found just a few of the many fabulous new books coming out in September.
If I see a review of any of them I will put a link to it.

Murder in the Afternoon (3rd book in the Kate Shackleton series) by Frances Brody
Published: 1 Sept 2011 - UK & USA

When two children take some food to their stone mason father who is working in a quarry, they find him dead, but when they return with their mother, they find the place deserted with no sign of a body . . .Another unusual disappearing act requiring the expertise of Kate Shackleton, who must unravel the mysteries of this strange case and discover the truth.

I loved the 1st book in this new cozy mystery series -- Dying in the Wool -- and this one will be added to my wish list.

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The Price to Pay by Lynda Page
Published: 1 Sept 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: Romance

A riveting, heart-rending tale of betrayal and revenge.

Erica and Simon Dunmore have been happily married for fifteen years. The only thing that casts a shadow over Rica's happiness is her failure to have a baby and Simon realises he would do anything to provide her with the child she so desperately craves. Then unexpectedly he brings home a beautiful baby boy whose mother has given him up for adoption and Rica cannot believe her luck - they can be a proper family at last. Little does she realise the horror that lies ahead when her husband and son go missing...

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The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Published: 5 Sept 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: Historical

Greece in the age of Heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. Here he is nobody, just another unwanted boy living in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles.

Achilles, 'best of all the Greeks', is everything Patroclus is not - strong, beautiful, the child of a goddess - and by all rights their paths should never cross. Yet one day, Achilles takes the shamed prince under his wing and soon their tentative companionship gives way to a steadfast friendship. As they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something far deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel and deathly pale sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.

Fate is never far from the heels of Achilles. When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows Achilles into war, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they have learned, everything they hold dear. And that, before he is ready, he will be forced to surrender his friend to the hands of Fate.

Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.

Check out these reviews of this Historical novel on Goodreads.

Jackie at Farm Lane Books has also read it - see her review here

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The Lady of the Rivers (3rd in the Cousins’ War series) by Philippa Gregory
Published: 15 Sept 2011 - UK …........ 18 Oct 2011 - USA

Jacquetta, daughter of the Count of Luxembourg and kinswoman to half the royalty of Europe, was married to the great Englishman John, Duke of Bedford, uncle to Henry VI. Widowed at the age of nineteen she took the extraordinary risk of marrying a gentleman of her house-hold for love, and then carved out a life for herself as Queen Margaret of Anjou's close friend and a Lancaster supporter - until the day that her daughter Elizabeth Woodville fell in love and married the rival king Edward IV.

Of all the little-known but important women of the period, her dramatic story is the most neglected. With her links to Melusina, and to the founder of the house of Luxembourg, together with her reputation for making magic, she is the most haunting of heroines.

Having read and enjoyed the 1st two in this series -- The White Queen and The Red Queen -- this is definitely on my wish list!

Update! I'm very excited to have recently received this book from Simon & Schuster ................... look out for my review!

In the meantime please check out Jera's Jamboree and find out what Sharon thought of this story!
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Land of Hope and Glory by Geoffrey Wilson
Published: 15 Sept 2011 - UK & USA
Genre: Fantasy

It is 1852. The Indian empire of Rajthana has ruled Europe for more than a hundred years. With their vast armies, steam-and-sorcery technology and mastery of the mysterious power of sattva, the Rajthanans appear invincible. But a bloody rebellion has broken out in a remote corner of the empire, in a poor and backward region known as England.

At first Jack Casey, retired soldier, wants nothing to do with the uprising, but then he learns his daughter, Elizabeth, is due to be hanged for helping the rebels. The Rajthanans offer to spare her, but only if Jack hunts down and captures his best friend and former army comrade, who is now a rebel leader. Jack is torn between saving his daughter and protecting his friend. And he struggles just to stay alive as the rebellion pushes England into all-out war.

Geoffrey Wilson was born in South Africa. He grew up in New Zealand and then backpacked around the world before eventually settling in the United Kingdom.
Geoffrey worked as a bookseller, technical author and project manager until finally finding the time to get down to what he had always meant to do – write stories. He lives in London with his wife and stepson.

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Letter from a Stranger by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Published: 15 Sept 2011 - UK & USA

Captivating and evocative, Letter from a Stranger will take you on an unforgettable journey from idyllic Connecticut to exotic Istanbul to war-torn Berlin then back to the present day.
When award-winning film maker Justine Nolan returns to her beautiful childhood home, she is intrigued by an envelope she finds in her absent mother’s post. But the letter inside contains a shocking revelation. If genuine it will change everything she believes about her family’s recent history, her mother and her adored grandmother, Gabriele.
With the support of her beloved twin brother, Richard, Justine resolves to uncover the truth. To do so she must travel to Istanbul – the teeming, beguiling city on the cusp of East and West. It is a place which holds its own secrets, leading her to a fascinating man who appears to know more than he is prepared to disclose.
Yet even when her quest succeeds, Justine is faced with a further mystery: Gabriele’s background is not what it seems. Justine is given a book of memories in which the real story unfolds, taking her back to the darkest days of European history, with its suffering and astonishing acts of bravery. At the heart of it lie the final facts of Gabriele’s identity – and her own.
The letter from a stranger has brought her not only to the truth about her family but also a chance to heal the wounds of past betrayals, to embrace a new love and new life.

Barbara Taylor Bradford’s UK website is here - The US website is here
Her debut novel, A Woman of Substance, published in 1979 has sold over 32 million copies worldwide and, according to Reuters, it ranks as one of the top ten bestselling novels of all time.
Letter from a Stranger is her 27th novel.

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The Mechanical Messiah: and other Marvels of the Modern Age by Robert Rankin
Published: 15 Sept 2011 - UK …..... 1 Dec 2011 - USA

The newest opus from the Master of Far Fetched Fiction features magic, mayhem, mechanical marvels, messianic madness, and the music hall.

This sounds a little …....... mad.

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The Affair (Book 16 in the Jack Reacher series) by Lee Child
Published: 29 Sept 2011 - UK

Everything starts somewhere. . . .

For elite military cop Jack Reacher, that somewhere was Carter Crossing, Mississippi, way back in 1997. A lonely railroad track. A crime scene. A coverup.

A young woman is dead, and solid evidence points to a soldier at a nearby military base. But that soldier has powerful friends in Washington.

Reacher is ordered undercover - to find out everything he can, to control the local police, and then to vanish. Reacher is a good soldier. But when he gets to Carter Crossing, he finds layers no one saw coming, and the investigation spins out of control.

The phenomenally successful Lee Child is back with another Jack Reacher novel ….......... apparently I read somewhere that Tom Cruise is to play Reacher in a new film.

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The Memory of Blood (9th book in the Bryant and May Series) by Christopher Fowler
Published: 29 Sept 2011 - UK …........... 27 Mar 2012 - USA

Christopher Fowler’s acclaimed Peculiar Crimes Unit novels crackle with sly wit, lively suspense, and twists as chilling as London’s fog. Now the indomitable duo of Arthur Bryant and John May, along with the rest of their quirky team, return to solve a confounding case with dark ties to the British theater and a killer who may mean curtains for all involved.

For the crew of the New Strand Theatre, the play The Two Murderers seems less performance than prophecy when a cast party ends in the shocking death of the theater owner’s son. The crime scene is most unusual, even for Bryant and May. In a locked bedroom without any trace of fingerprints or blood, the only sign of disturbance is a gruesome life-size puppet of Mr. Punch laying on the floor. Everyone at the party is a suspect, including the corrupt producer, the rakish male lead, the dour set designer, and the assistant stage manager, who is the wild daughter of a prominent government official.

It’s this last fact that threatens the Peculiar Crimes Unit’s investigation, as the government’s Home Office, wary of the team’s eccentric methods, seeks to throw them off the case. But the nimble minds of Bryant and May are not so easily deterred. Delving into the history of the London theater and the disturbing origins of Punch and Judy, the detectives race to find the maniacal killer before he reaches his even deadlier final act.

The 1st book in this series was a treat - here are my thoughts on Full Dark House

I’m also taking part in The Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge and the 2nd book, The Water Room, is on my reading list.

Christopher Fowler’s blog can be found here.

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Book Review: THE SANDALWOOD TREE BY ELLE NEWMARK

2011-08-21T18:10:00.002+01:00

Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: Apr 2011
Pages: 489 (Paperback)
Source: Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge
My Rating: 9/10

About the Book:

It is 1947, and Evie and Martin Mitchell have just arrived in the Indian village of Masoorla with their five-year-old son. But cracks soon appear in their marriage as Evie struggles to adapt to her new life, and Martin fails to bury unbearable wartime memories.
When Evie finds a collection of letters, concealed deep in the brickwork of their rented bungalow, so begins an investigation that consumes her, allowing her to escape to another world, a hundred years earlier, and to the extraordinary friendship of two very different young women.
And as Evie’s fascination with her Victorian discoveries deepens, she unearths powerful secrets. But at what cost to her present, already fragile existence?

First Line:

Our train hurtled past a gold-spangled woman in a mango sari, regal even as she sat in the dirt, patting cow dung into disks for cooking fuel. A sweep of black hair obscured her face and she did not look up as the passing train shook the ground under her bare feet.

We first meet Evie and Martin as they are travelling to their new home in India where an old Sandalwood Tree with long oval leaves and pregnant red pods presided over the front of their new house.

Martin had come back from the war with combat fatigue, he wanted everything neat and tidy - it was about control, Evie knew, but she didn’t know how to deal with it. By coming to India she hoped that their cracked marriage would be mended with exotic glue, and they would rediscover the charmed world they had shared in the beginning of their marriage.

When Evie discovers a loose brick behind the cooker which hides a packet of folded papers tied with a faded blue ribbon which ‘reeked of long-lost secrets’ she becomes obsessed with the two English ladies who lived a hundred years ago and whose letters she is now engrossed in reading.

We are then taken back to the mid 19th century as the young Felicity and Adela first meet and they become firm friends. We follow them as they grow up and, by a remarkable coincidence they both end up living in India.

There are more coincidences when Evie unearths more of Adela’s journals in various locations which I did find hard to believe.

I loved how the two parallel stories also coincided with the Indian uprisings in each century, the author didn’t take sides with either the British or the Indians, she just gave us the facts and left it to the reader to decide the morals.

I enjoyed the overall story, it was slow at first but the pace quickened about halfway through, some of the characters I connected with more than others and the descriptions of India were vivid and real.

This was my first book in the Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge. Click here for more information and to participate and click here to see which 4 books I've chosen.

Book Review: THE SILENT LAND BY GRAHAM JOYCE

2011-08-11T16:25:00.000+01:00

Genre: Psychological Fiction
Published by: Doubleday
Pages: 262 (Hardback)
Source: Publishers
My Rating: 8.5/10

About the book:

In the French Pyrenees, a young married couple is buried under a flash avalanche while skiing. Miraculously, Jake and Zoe dig their way out from under the snow—only to discover the world they knew has been overtaken by an eerie and absolute silence.
Their hotel is devoid of another living soul. Cell phones and land lines are cut off. An evacuation as sudden and thorough as this leaves Jake and Zoe to face a terrifying situation alone. They are trapped by the storm, completely isolated, with another catastrophic avalanche threatening to bury them alive . . . again. And as the couple begin to witness unsettling events neither one can ignore, they are forced to confront a frightening truth about the silent land they now inhabit.

The one word that describes this book is ‘eerie’. The atmosphere, the situation the two people find themselves in, the deserted town and the visions that seemingly only Zoe can see are haunting and mysterious.

They try to drive out of town but the car breaks down, they try to walk away but end up on the same road that brings them back to the town, they ski over the mountain but, again, they find themselves back to the same familiar buildings.

“It’s almost like something is keeping us here in this village.” Zoe said, looking around her. “Like something doesn’t want to let us go.”

Zoe and Jake are a happily married couple who have been together for 10 years and their love for each other is apparent in the tender way they watch out for each other, constantly reassuring each other that everything will be okay, while keeping their thoughts to themselves that it may not be.

They can walk into any of the shops and take whatever they want, including designer shoes and clothes but there seems little point when there’s no-one to show off to.

Candles don’t burn down, food stays fresh, Zoe has the same recurring vision of the hotel lobby full of people but when she looks again they’re gone, they felt as though they’d been living there for weeks but it was only a couple of days …... what and where is this place?

I was totally immersed in the story of this young couple who are desperate to know what’s happening but are powerless to do anything, and I felt such sympathy and desperation for them I really wanted there to be a happy ending.

There are just a handful of books I’ve read that have stayed with me long after I’ve moved on and I think that this will be one of them.

Special Thanks to the publishers for sending me this book to review.

Body Care Product Review: COMVITA ANTI-AGEING RADIANCE PLUS LOTION

2011-08-07T19:34:00.000+01:00

About the Product:

Liquorice root extract, a natural skin brightener, gently evens out skin tone while Keratin protein promotes skin firmness and smoothes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
The addition of Macadamia oil gently boosts skins hydration. Purifying extracts of Hyssop, Saw palmetto fruit, Sesame seed and Argan kernel help to visibly control and remove excess sebum, especially in the oil-prone T-zone area of the face. Extract from the New Zealand Manuka plant visibly soothes and calms as your skin is left feeling smooth, re-energised and radiant.

This is my second review of mypure’s new Comvita Anti-Ageing range and I have to say that they are both fabulous products to use and complement each other.

My review of the wonderful Hand and Nail Cream is here.

The pump action bottle is really easy to use and I’m pleased that it doesn’t all come out at once like some products do, you just obtain what you need. The lotion is pale brown in colour, has a light consistency and spreads very easily over my face and absorbs very quickly as well.

The smell is not too strong which is good as I wasn’t too keen on it, but it does disappear when used.

It also absorbs the excess grease on my face and I can really tell a difference in the morning, my skin is not oily at all. This is the first face lotion that I’ve used that really lessens the grease on my skin.

I use it every night and I’ve been very happy with the results so far. Definitely one to recommend for mature skins that tend to get greasy, though it is suitable for normal to oily skin types.

Everything sold by mypure is sulfate free (sodium lauryl sulfate SLS, sodium laureth sulfate SLES, ammonium laureth sulfates ALES), paraben free & phthalate free.

It is available from mypure in a 50ml bottle for £30.00.

BOOK NEWS: Libraries will rely on volunteers to survive, says report

2011-08-06T15:04:00.001+01:00

More and more books will be distributed from shops, churches and village halls, predict local government and library bodies

Options for ensuring libraries' survival in the 21st century include running them in partnership with the private sector, charities and other councils.

Libraries will increasingly rely on volunteers and community groups, with more books distributed from shops and village halls, according to a report released on Friday from the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA).

The report monitors the progress of 10 pilot projects established by the year-old Future Libraries Programme, including Bradford's book borrowing points in shops across the city; Hertfordshire's plans to expand in co-operation with adult social care and children's centres; and the money-saving combined libraries service proposed by several London councils. Suffolk plans to recruit members of the public on to boards of governors running its libraries, and Northumberland and Durham are trialling ebooks for older people and children.

Options for ensuring libraries' survival in the 21st century include running them in partnership with the private sector, charities and other councils; integrating with community facilities including churches, shops and village halls; or providing services including health centres and police surgeries in existing libraries. Culture minister Ed Vaizey said the report shone a spotlight on innovation and creative partnerships. "It will be a hugely useful resource, inspiring local authorities to emulate the best ideas to provide a first rate library service."

Chris White, chairman of the LGA culture, tourism and sport board, said libraries were among the most valued services provided by councils. "We know that people of all ages and from all backgrounds are quite rightly very protective over their local library."

The report is bullish about the future of libraries, suggesting that innovations can "increase numbers using libraries while delivering millions of pounds of savings". But council cuts threaten hundreds of libraries across the country.

Authors including Zadie Smith, Philip Pullman and children's laureate Julia Donaldson have joined the campaign to save local libraries. To read more of this article please click guardian.co.uk

Book Review: THE UNSEEN BY KATHERINE WEBB

2011-08-01T19:47:00.000+01:00

Genre: Fiction
Published by: Orion (Mar 2011)
Pages: 373 (Paperback - Uncorrected proof)
Source: Waterstones Facebook
My Rating: 9.5/10

About the Book:

England, 1911. The Reverend Albert Canning, a vicar with a passion for spiritualism, leads a happy existence with his naive wife Hester in a sleepy Berkshire village. As summer dawns, their quiet lives are changed for ever by two new arrivals.
First comes Cat, the new maid: a free-spirited and disaffected young woman sent down from London after entanglements with the law. Cat quickly finds a place for herself in the secret underbelly of local society as she plots her escape.
Then comes Robin Durrant, a leading expert in the occult, enticed by tales of elemental beings in the water meadows nearby. A young man of magnetic charm and beauty, Robin soon becomes an object of fascination and desire.
During a long spell of oppressive summer heat, the rectory at Cold Ash Holt becomes charged with ambition, love and jealousy; a mixture of emotions so powerful that it leads, ultimately, to murder.

The story starts in 1911 with Hester writing a letter to her sister saying that she’s looking forward to the new maid, Cat, coming and how she will be her ‘project’.

We are then fast forwarded to the present when Leah, a freelance journalist, has been asked to come to Belgium from England to try and discover the identity of a young WWI soldier who has been found buried in a garden. He had two letters on him from a H. Canning which pique her interest.

This is the intriguing beginning to a compelling drama played out during the long hot summer of 1911 when everyone’s lives would never be the same again after the two additions to the Canning household, who comprised:-

Cat Morley, feisty, unafraid to speak her mind, even to her employer, and had been in prison for her suffragette activities. I really liked her, and, like many servants at that time she was starting to question her status and rights.

Robin Durrant, a theosophist who believed in ethereal beings and was on a quest for wisdom and spiritual enlightenment. Both Cat and Hester didn’t trust him. He was manipulative, smooth, unreadable and a very unlikeable but compelling character.

Hester Canning, naive and nervous wife of the vicar, she is desperate for a child. I felt a lot of sympathy for her, she was a good person who tried to do the right thing but she was too soft.

Albert Canning, the local vicar who invites Durrant to stay, believes everything he says and hangs on his every word, his face alights with excitement welcoming Robin to his house.

In the present, while Leah is trying to identify the soldier, the sender of the letters and the secrets contained therein, we discover the truth about the lies and deception during that ill-fated 1911 summer.

I really liked the dual narrative between past and present.

I loved everything about this book, the time period, the writing, the original plot, the characters who all seemed real and believable to me.

If you’re interested in this time period I would definitely recommend a non-fiction novel called The Perfect Summer: Dancing into Shadow in 1911 by Juliet Nicholson. The backdrop is the long hot summer of 1911 and here are my thoughts on the book.

I'M PART OF THE TRANSWORLD BOOK GROUP!

2011-07-28T16:21:00.000+01:00

Transworld Publishers are once again running a Book Reading Challenge. You have to choose 4 books from a choice of 15 and read them from August to October. Sounds great doesn't it?! If you want to take part just click

The Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge!

and pick your books which you then have to review on either Amazon and/or your blog and then they'll send you the next book on your list. Easy peasy!

The books I've chosen are :-

The Colour of Death by Michael Cordy

The Water Room by Christopher Fowler

The Secrets Between Us by Louise Douglas

The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark

Are you taking part in this Reading Challenge? If so, which books have you picked? Please share your choices ........... I'd love to know!

NEW BOOKS COMING OUT IN AUGUST 2011

2011-07-24T14:57:00.001+01:00

This is a monthly feature where I highlight some of the great new books being published soon.
If I see a new review of any of the books I will put a link to the review.
Which books are you looking forward to next month?

Private Lives by Tasmina Perry
Published: 4 Aug 2011 - UK & USA

Anna Kennedy loves her career. A young associate with a top media law firm, she's the lawyer to the stars, hiding their sins from the hungry media. When Anna fails to prevent a damaging story being printed about heart-throb movie star Sam Charles she finds herself fighting to save not only his reputation, but also her own. But Anna is about to uncover a scandal more explosive than even Sam's infidelities. A party girl is already dead and those responsible are prepared to silence anyone who stands in their way. Not least a pretty young lawyer who knows too much...

This is Tasmina Perry’s 6th book and she’s fast becoming quite a successful romantic/chick lit novelist. She left a career in law to enter the world of women’s magazine publishing before writing her debut novel, Daddy’s Girls, in 2006.

Thanks to BookHugger RealReaders I have this book to read …...... watch out for my review!

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Final Days by Gary Gibson
Published: 5 Aug 2011 - UK & USA

Final Days follows the lives of a few key characters as a cataclysmic event is unleashed in Earth's near future. This is a twenty-third-century thriller revolving around the slow uncovering of a conspiracy that irrevocably dooms the Earth, set against a backdrop of interstellar colonies. The story takes advantage of current cutting-edge ideas about the creation of artificial wormholes for interstellar travel, and their implications for practicable time travel. Action-packed and fast-paced, this is a thrilling SF adventure and a wonderful start to Gary's new series.

For more information about the book and to read more on Gary Gibson see panmacmillan.com

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Secrets in Burracombe by Lilian Henry
Published: 18 Aug 2011 - UK & USA

Sometimes we all want to get away ...and Burracombe is the perfect place to escape to. A seemingly sleepy Devonshire village, in fact it's full of intrigue and drama.
Family secrets, budding romance, cruel twists of fate and amazing friendships all play out against the backdrop of the beautiful countryside.
It's autumn 1953. The village is delighted when Joe Tozer - who left Burracombe as a young man in 1919 - returns to visit his family. His life since emigrating to the States has been a world away from rural Devon - but coming home, he falls in love with the place (and one particular person) all over again. With him, is his eldest son, Russell. He sets hearts fluttering in the village - but will there be anyone on his arm when he catches the boat back to America?

In her latest Burracombe novel, Lilian Harry takes her readers on another wonderful journey through the lives of characters old and new - all of which feel like friends by the novel's end.

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Good as Dead (10th in the Tom Thorne series) by Mark Billingham
Published: 18 Aug 2011 - UK & USA

The Hostage: Police officer Helen Weeks walks into her local newsagent's on her way to work. Little does she know that this simple daily ritual will change her life forever. It's the last place she expects to be met with violence, but as she waits innocently at the till, she comes face to face with a gunman. The Demand: The crazed hostage-taker is desperate to know what really happened to his beloved son, who died a year before in youth custody. By holding a police officer at gunpoint, he will force the one man who knows more about the case than any other to re-investigate his son's death. That man is DI Tom Thorne.
The Twist: While Helen fights to stay alive and the body-count rises, Thorne must race against time if he is to bring a killer to justice and save a young mother's life.

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The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Published: 18 Aug 2011 - UK …........... 23 Aug 2011 - USA

The Victorian language of flowers was used to express emotions: honeysuckle for devotion, azaleas for passion, and red roses for love.
But for Victoria Jones, it has been more useful in communicating feelings like grief, mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.
Now eighteen, Victoria has nowhere to go, and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. When her talent is discovered by a local florist, she discovers her gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But it takes meeting a mysterious vendor at the flower market for her to realise what's been missing in her own life, and as she starts to fall for him, she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past, and decide whether it's worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.
"The Language of Flowers" is a heartbreaking and redemptive novel about the meaning of flowers, the meaning of family, and the meaning of love.

A lovely review of this book can be seen at Jera’s Jamboree

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Defender of Rome by Douglas Jackson
Published: 18 Aug 2011 - UK …........ 27 Sept 2011 - USA

Gaius Valerius Verrens returns to Rome from the successful campaign against Boudicca in Britain. Now hailed a ‘Hero of Rome’, Valerius is not the man he once was – scarred both physically and emotionally by the battles he has fought, his sister is mortally ill, his father in self-imposed exile. And neither is Rome the same city as the one he left.
The Emperor Nero grows increasingly paranoid. Those who seek power for themselves whisper darkly in the emperor’s ears. They speak of a new threat, one found within the walls of Rome itself. A new religious sect, the followers of Christus, deny Nero’s divinity and are rumoured to be spreading sedition.
Nero calls on his ‘Hero of Rome’ to become a ‘Defender of Rome’, to seek out this rebel sect, to capture their leader, a man known as Petrus. Failure would be to forfeit his life, and the lives of twenty thousands Judaeans living in Rome. But as Valerius begins his search, a quest which will take him to the edge of the empire, he will discover that success may cost him nearly as much as failure.

To know more about Douglas Jackson his website is here

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Wrapped Up In You by Carole Matthews
Published: 25 Aug 2011 - UK
A Christmas fling, or has Janie found the real thing? Thirty-something hairdresser Janie Johnson's single status is a constant source of gossip for her friends and clients. So after too many nights in with her cat, a blind date disaster and news that her ex is getting married, Janie realises it's time to do something dramatic with her life. It's time for an adventure! Leaving winter behind, Janie takes the plunge and books an exotic trip to Africa. Her friends think she's mad and Janie thinks they may very well be right ...but then she falls head over heels for her tour guide and fully fledged Maasai Warrior Dominic. But can Janie now face spending a snowy Christmas back home without him? Packed with unforgettable characters, romance and laughter, Wrapped Up In You is your very own perfect Christmas Carole!

''Think Marian Keyes with a splash of Jane Green. If you've never read any of Carole's books, you are definitely missing out."

Vito Magazine

Leah over at Chick Lit Reviews has given this 3/5 - read her insightful review here

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The Wrong Side of Happiness by Tania Crosse
Published: 25 Aug 2011 - UK …....... 1 Dec 2011 - USA

A harrowng and engrossing saga set in nineteenth-century Devon - It is 1887, and times are lean. When West Country farm labourer Emmanuel Ladycott and his dairymaid daughter, Tresca, lose their jobs, they head for Tavistock, where Emmanuel hopes to join the hundreds of navvies working on the new railway line. Tresca is determined to forge a new life among the overcrowding and poverty of Bannawell Street. But when Emmanuel loses this new job, Tresca is left on the brink of despair. Will she find the strength to fight for her future?

Tania Crosse has been called ‘The Catherine Cookson of Hound of the Baskerville Country!’

All her books and info are can be found at her website here

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A Bitter Truth (3rd in the Bess Crawford Mystery Series) by Charles Todd
Published: 30 Aug 2011 - UK & USA

Already deservedly lauded for the superb historical crime novels featuring shell-shocked Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge (A Lonely Death, A Pale Horse et al), acclaimed author Charles Todd upped the ante by introducing readers to a wonderful new series protagonist, World War One battlefield nurse Bess Crawford.
Featured for a third time in A Bitter Truth, Bess reaches out to help an abused and frightened young woman, only to discover that no good deed ever goes unpunished when the good Samaritan nurse finds herself falsely accused of murder.
A terrific follow up to Todd's A Duty to the Dead and An Impartial Witness, A Bitter Truth is another thrilling and evocative mystery from 'one of the most respected writers in the genre' (Denver Post) and a treat for fans of Elizabeth George, Anne Perry, Martha Grimes, and Jacqueline Winspear.

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Book Review: AGENT 6 BY TOM ROB SMITH

2011-07-22T15:34:00.000+01:00

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Simon & Schuster (July 2011)

Pages: 543 (Hardback)
Source: BookDagger RealReaders
My Rating: 8/10

About the Book:

Former Soviet Secret Service agent Leo Demidov has built himself a new life as a civilian with his wife Raisa, and their two teenage daughters, Elena and Zoya. The Soviet Union is a country trying to reassert itself after the murderous excesses of Stalin and the chaos of the following years, and as the Cold War continues powers inside Russia seek to topple their great enemy, the United States of America. Communist allies within the United States will prove vital players in this game of intrigue and revolution. Raisa and their two daughters travel to the United States on a diplomatic mission, but a horrifying tragedy destroys everything Leo and Raisa have built. Leo must get to the States somehow and find out what happened. Exiled from the Soviet Union and separated from his family, Leo's quest takes him through the stark wilderness of Afghanistan, reawakening all his old instincts and forcing him to confront his demons. But whatever it costs, wherever he must go, he will find Agent 6.

Set in 1965 onwards, this is the final instalment in the story of Russian secret agent Leo Demidov, following on from Child 44 and The Secret Speech, neither of which I’ve read. I didn’t feel that I needed to in order to understand Leo’s past life as early on we are given an insight into the brutal regime in 1950’s Soviet Union.

Leo is no longer an agent, he has a mundane job and is now married to Raisa. When she and her two daughters are invited to New York as part of a delegation of students performing concerts to improve relations between the two countries Leo has to stay at home and worry....... with good reason! As something terrible happens there that will change all their lives forever.

The slow build up to that terrible event was incredibly gripping, you knew something was going to happen but you had no idea what it was.

We next meet Leo 8 years later as he is shot and badly wounded trying to cross the Russian border into Finland …............ he is desperate to leave the Soviet Union and get to the USA for revenge.

The story then jumps to 7 years later in 1980 in Kabul, Afghanistan where Leo is a soviet advisor providing counsel to the Afghan communist regime. Doing a job no KGB officer wanted. He is disillusioned, addicted to opium and the USA seems further away than ever. He just lives for the night-time when he can forget everything and fill his body with the opiate.

I did feel that some of the writing dragged a little here and I found it hard-going for a while until the action picked up again.

I had a lot of sympathy for Leo, I think that deep down he was a good man, the drugs helped to block out the reality of his situation as he couldn’t find a way out of his sad and lonely life, and he had forgotten what his goals and incentives in life were.

Since returning from the arrest of the deserting officer, Leo had smoked for several hours in an attempt to suppress an almost unbearable sense of restlessness. Listening to the plans hatched by the two lovers hoping to embark on an impossible journey reminded him ........ of his own thwarted ambitions to reach New York.

I enjoyed the writing style, it flowed very easily and apart from the few chapters in the middle, I was engrossed in the story. I look forward to Tom Rob Smith’s next book, his website can be found here

Thank you to BookDagger RealReaders for my copy of this book.

Book Review: THE ORPHEUS TRAIL BY MAUREEN DUFFY

2011-07-17T18:47:00.000+01:00

Genre: Crime, Thriller
Published by: Arcadia Books (Aug 2010)
Pages: 210 (Paperback)
Source: From the Publishers
My Rating: 8/10

About the Book:

When the body of a child is found among the charred remains of a pier fire - surrounded by a ritualistic fire basket and items associated with the cult of the Greek god Dionysus - detective inspector Hildreth calls in the local museum's curator, Alex Kish, to help him decipher the mysterious symbolism. Soon after, an ancient Saxon amulet is stolen from the museum and the dead bodies of other young boys begin to turn up arranged as grotesque works of art with components of the gold amulet around their necks. The enigmatic detective inspector draws the curator into a strange web of ancient secrets, pagan ritualism, and the illegal trafficking of young boys. Hildreth and Kish are caught up in a race against time to interpret these ancient codes and clues before death claims another young life.

This is a decent thriller, and at just over 200 pages long I thought it was just long enough to keep my interest but not too long that I got bored.

The main protagonist is Alex, a museum curator in a seaside town, who comes across as quite likeable and very imaginative if a little indecisive. He is taken into the confidence of the local Detective (an armchair archaeologist himself) who trusts his judgement and knowledge on the Greek myths which seem to be a recurring theme in the young boys’ murders.

It seems that there is somebody with a knowledge of ancient beliefs who is killing boys in bizarre circumstances. Together with Hilary, an expert from the London museum, they try and discover who is carrying out these killings.

Maureen Duffy is a poet and her descriptive writing paints a wonderful picture of a cold and miserable seaside town just after Christmas and the aftermath of the discovery of another body -

The town decorations were still up but the chains of light swinging in a cold wind from the grey edgy sea looked exhausted and forlorn. The party was over. The millenium that had begun with such optimism in a glittering firework of hope and energy, of relief that the bloody 20th century was behind us, had been eclipsed almost at once by the choking fumes of despair as the juggernaut rolled out again in all its trappings of torn flesh and bloodied wounds.

Alex and Hilary discover that there is more to the boys' murders than first suspected and it seems that someone is watching them.......

This was an intelligent thriller that wasn’t exactly a page turner but I enjoyed it overall.

Special Thanks to the Publishers for sending me this book to review.

The website for Maureen Duffy is here

BOOK NEWS: British Library prepares £9 million book bid

2011-07-15T19:06:00.003+01:00

The British Library is attempting to raise the money to buy the St Cuthbert Gospel, the oldest intact book in Europe.

The St Cuthbert Gospel: 'a window into a rich, sophisticated culture' Photo: AP

The book, which is palm-sized and still leather-bound in its original cover, is believed to have been buried with St Cuthbert on Lindisfarne in 698, before the saint and his tome were later reburied in what would become Durham cathedral.

The St Cuthbert Gospel has been on loan to the British Library since 1979, and the library is now appealing to arts and heritage foundations across the country to raise around £9 million for a permanent purchase.

The National Heritage Memorial Fund have already pledged to offer a £4.5m grant – the largest single acquisition grant in the library's history. The Art Fund and the Garfield Weston foundation have each promised to pledge £250,000 towards the purchase.

Should the British Library be successful in acquiring the book, it will be displayed for half of the year at Durham cathedral, on the same site where it was found entombed with St Cuthbert in 1104.
Lynne Brindley, the British Library's chief executive, described the book as "a beautifully preserved window into a rich, sophisticated culture that flourished some four centuries before the Norman conquest".

Article taken from thetelegraph.co.uk

Book Review: THE GREATEST GUIDE TO WINNING COMPETITIONS BY KAREN J JONES

2011-07-10T15:08:00.000+01:00

Genre: Hobbies/Pastimes
Published by: Greatest Guides (Jan 2011)
Pages: 160 (Paperback)
Source: From the Publisher
My Rating: 9/10

About the Book:

With a multitude of prizes and life-changing experiences up for grabs from high-profile companies, it's hardly surprising that the hobby of 'comping' is rapidly increasing in popularity. This book will help dispel any myths associated with competition rigging, and will guide you effortlessly through the maze of highly-effective techniques that Karen J. Jones has developed in her role as a prolific winner of high-value prizes. Karen's phenomenal success has spanned over thirty years. She now shares the secrets of her success with you, in the hope that you can also derive endless enjoyment from this intriguing and lucrative hobby. Happy comping!

I've been entering competitions on and off for over 30 years now, in which time I've won lots of little prizes like T-shirts, CD's, Videos, books etc., which were all nice to win and I've won bigger prizes such as a Video Recorder, a Laptop and even a holiday (see here) over the years. Yes, ordinary people do win!

One of my very first wins was a t-shirt runners up prize from Comfort Fabric Conditioner and it was the one and only time I'd ever won with a slogan! To be honest, I don't like doing them so I never enter competitions that involve them ............ but maybe after reading some of the tips in this book I may re-consider.

Karen Jones has been entering and winning competitions since childhood, many of which were slogans, and here she shares some of her tricks and tips to help anyone win that elusive prize like a brand new car, a holiday or cash.

Even if you're a seasoned 'comper' or are just a beginner there is something for everyone in this easy to read guide. Set out in chapters, the titles are self-explanatory:-

Getting Started
Entry Foms and Details
Customizing your Entry
Internet and Phone-in Contests
Writing Effective Slogans
Sharing Your Hobby
Chasing the Big Wins
The Value of Research
Keeping Records

She tells you how and where to find entry forms, how to increase the chances of YOUR entry being chosen, how she meticulously researches the products to help her write the perfect slogan, plus so many other details that you've probably never even thought of!

This is a great little book to keep referring to when you're going through a lean spell (like me!) and I would recommend it to any 'comper'.

This is just one of many titles in The Greatest Guide series of books available from the lifestyle and gift book publisher greatestguides.com
Special Thanks to them for sending me this book to review.

Body Care Product Review: COMVITA ANTI-AGEING NOURISHING HAND AND NAIL CREAM

2011-07-07T19:31:00.000+01:00

About the Product:

Comvita Nourishing Hand & Nail Cream is an intensively nourishing and conditioning hand and nail cream.
Strengthen nails and protect your hands from the visible signs of ageing with this indulgent formula.
Contains Comvita®’s clinically researched HUNI®XA Manuka honey, proven to support your skin's natural elasticity and help delay the signs of ageing.

This super rich cream quickly and easily absorbs into my hands and nails. I rub it in every night before I go to bed and my hands feel so soft in the morning, I absolutely love it!

The cream is so thick yet so light and it really feels as if it's working straight away while it's gradually absorbing into my hands.

The best point about this wonderful Hand Cream is that it contains Manuka Honey which comes from the flowers of the manuka bush grown in New Zealand and has antibectarial properties over and above those of other honeys. (Taken from an article on the BBC website)

It is available in a 75ml tube for £14.00 from mypure.co.uk

As with all products sold at mypure it is sulfate free (sodium lauryl sulfate SLS, sodium laureth sulfates SLES, ammonium laureth sulfates ALES), paraben free and phthalate free.

To see my other Body Care Product Reviews see here

Book Review: THE CONFESSIONS OF A LIBERAL LOVER BY EM MULLER

2011-07-03T19:24:00.000+01:00

Genre: Fiction
Published by: Red Rose Publishing (May 2010)
Pages: 160 on my eReader
Source: Received from the author
My Rating: 7/10

This is the tale of a young girl who reads too many romance novels and believes that the secret to happiness is to find the man of her dreams and she'll live happily ever after ............but she discovers that life is not perfect and it doesn't work out the way it does in romance novels.

We follow Maud as she makes mistakes in picking the wrong man (I'm sure most girls can identify with that!) for the wrong reasons.

The only friend she has is a toy gargoyle that she picked up at a fair, he was a 6" grey plastic creature, hunchbacked with short thin bowed legs and large pointy ears. It was quite weird when, after 10 years, he suddenly started talking to her and offering his advice on her love life......but I really loved the idea! It was so funny yet, in the context of the book, I thought it worked.

Oh how Maud needed advice! One boyfriend asked her if there was anything in her past that could embarrass him one day by the media if he was a politician....not very romantic! She even experimented with a female relationship. There are some X-rated scenes!

This is a light-hearted and fun read that's easily downloaded to your reading device...........ideal for the lazy summer days when you just want to read a short story.

E.M. Muller's website is here. I thank her for sending me this download.