Quote of the Month!

 

Lockdown, babies and books!

 

No one could have predicted this - well, maybe they did but no one wanted to listen, but that is a story for another day. So, I am back, my little darling is finally going to bed at a decent time and sleeping through the night which means I have a lot more energy and I also have time to read a little in the evening, which is fabulous.

I really want to do more with this blog, so I am thinking of going some blog tour companies and take part in some virtual tours because that just sounds like a really cool thing to do. Watch this space!

News Update!

 I am going to take a short break from reading - a new baby is not giving me much time to read, but don't worry, I will be back!!

Book Review, Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell

 

Fools and Mortals

By Bernard Cornwell

A dramatic new departure for international bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, FOOLS AND MORTALS takes us into the heart of the Elizabethan era, long one of his favourite periods of British history.

Fools and Mortals follows the young Richard Shakespeare, an actor struggling to make his way in a company dominated by his estranged older brother, William. As the growth of theatre blooms, their rivalry – and that of the playhouses, playwrights and actors vying for acclaim and glory – propels a high-stakes story of conflict and betrayal.

Showcasing his renowned storyteller’s skill, Bernard Cornwell has created an Elizabethan world incredibly rich in its portrayal: you walk the London streets, stand in the palaces and are on stage in the playhouses, as he weaves a remarkable story in which performances, rivalries and ambition combine to form a tangled web of intrigue.

No Richard Sharpe - shame on your Mr Cornwell!! I haven't read a Bernard Cornwell book in ages so when I saw this one on NetGalley, I had to request it.  This book has everyone one would expect from a novel by Cornwell - it has a super fast-pace, engaging characters and a compelling plot. I thought it was great. It unfortunately does not have Richard Sharpe, but it is still darn good.

I picked up my copy from NetGalley, but you can grab your on Amazon. 

Book Review, Traitor’s Knot By Cryssa Bazos

 

Traitor’s Knot

By Cryssa Bazos

England 1650: Civil War has given way to an uneasy peace in the year since Parliament executed King Charles I. 

Royalist officer James Hart refuses to accept the tyranny of the new government, and to raise funds for the restoration of the king’s son, he takes to the road as a highwayman. 

Elizabeth Seton has long been shunned for being a traitor’s daughter. In the midst of the new order, she risks her life by sheltering fugitives from Parliament in a garrison town. But her attempts to rebuild her life are threatened, first by her own sense of injustice, then by falling in love with the dashing Hart. 

The lovers’ loyalty is tested through war, defeat and separation. James must fight his way back to the woman he loves, while Elizabeth will do anything to save him, even if it means sacrificing herself. 

Traitor's Knot is a sweeping tale of love and conflicted loyalties set against the turmoil of the English Civil War.

Confession time - I saw this book on my best friends coffee table and having staked an interest in the said book, my friend was kind enough to let me borrow it, although I was under strict instructions not to read it in the bath. Of course I agreed, but you know how it is. Thankfully the damage is not too bad, and I actually think water damage gives a book character. Umm...!

This book is amazingly addictive. I could not put it down, this book was glued to my hand  (except for the whole dropping it in the bath incident)! This is a novel that has to be on your to-read list because it is quite simply brilliant.

I grabbed this book from my friends coffee table but you can also grab a copy on Amazon which is where I am going now to replace the one I dropped!

Quote of the Month

 

Book Review - Everything We Left Behind: A Novel by Kerry Lonsdale

 

Everything We Left Behind: A Novel

 By Kerry Lonsdale

Two months before his wedding, financial executive James Donato chased his trade-laundering brother Phil to Mexico, only to be lost at sea and presumed dead. Six and a half years later, he emerges from a dissociative fugue state to find he’s been living in Oaxaca as artist Carlos Dominguez, widower and father of two sons, with his sister-in-law Natalya Hayes, a retired professional surfer, helping to keep his life afloat. But his fiancée, Aimee Tierney, the love of his life, has moved on. She’s married and has a child of her own.

Devastated, James and his sons return to California. But Phil is scheduled for release from prison, and he’s determined to find James, who witnessed something in Mexico that could land Phil back in confinement. Under mounting family pressure, James flees with his sons to Kauai, seeking refuge with Natalya. As James begins to unravel the mystery of his fractured identity, danger is never far behind, and Natalya may be the only person he can trust.

This book was absolutely amazing. I know it sounds clichéd but I was mesmerised from the first sentence. I could not put this book down and I read long into the night. Although this is book 2 of a series, I did not feel at all lost. Reading this book was almost effortless. This book should be on your to-read list.

I got my copy from NetGalley but you can pick up yours on Amazon