PIECES OF ME NATALIE HART BLOG TOUR

PIECES OF ME NATALIE HART
Paperback published 4th October 2018 Published by Legend Press

Emma did not go to war looking for love, but Adam is unlike any other.
Under the secret shadow of trauma, Emma decides to leave Iraq and joins Adam to settle in Colorado. But isolation and fear find her, once again, when Adam is re-deployed. Torn between a deep fear for Adam’s safety and a desire to be back there herself, Emma copes by throwing herself into a new role mentoring an Iraqi refugee family.
But when Adam comes home, he brings the conflict back with him. Emma had considered the possibility that her husband might not come home from war. She had not considered that he might return a stranger.
MY REVIEW
Pieces Of Me is beautifully written. A beautiful story. Emma didn’t go to war looking for love. Author Natalie Hart makes this story like a real life within the Iraq War. About Natalie Hart, she is a writer and communications adviser, specialising in conflict and post-conflict environments. She has worked extensively across the Middle East and North Africa, including three years in Iraq where Pieces of Me is set.

MORE THAN A FEELING CATE WOODS BLOG TOUR

In her twenties, Annie Taylor was sorted she had her dream job, an amazing social life and was happily single. The future looked bright and full of adventures.

Life, however, hasn’t turned out quite how she expected. Now Annie is living with her boyfriend Luke and is a stay-at-home mum to their baby daughter. The promising career has petered out, and along with it, her confidence and creativity. And then Luke does the unforgivable. Annie finds herself suddenly, terrifyingly, on her own. With the help of her group of loyal friends, Annie faces the challenge of trying to reconcile the glamorous, carefree Annie of old with the knackered mum of one she sees in the mirror today. Is old Annie gone forever, or could this finally be the chance to find herself once more?

Cate woods is laugh- out-loud funny and life affirming. Second love second time lucky?

Prologue

Five years ago Girl, I am gagging over your look tonight. That headscarf – I die ! Total glamazon realness. Vintage Pucci.

Oxfam discount bin. I grin striking a pose. When a drag queen compliments your accessories you can be pretty sure you’re doing something right.

Well that was 20p fabulously spent. Miss Annie-licious Pussy is on Fire! She bends down to give me a theatrical air-kiss on both cheeks in wig and heels, self-styled door bitch Madame Kiki Beaverhousen must be pushing seven foot . She lifts the rope and I slip under, sensing the mass scowl from the line of people waiting round the block who’ve just watched me queue jump.

See you inside I say waving to Madam Kiki and disappear into the darkness beyond the doorway. All the signs are there tonight is going to be fun.

As I make my way down the velvet-lined corridor, my step unconsciously falling in time with the music, excitement bubbles inside me. I pass a large gilt mirror and pause to check my reflection total glamazon realness pouts back. It took me two hours to get ready, which I guess is pretty standard for a Thursday night after all.

IN HER SHADOW MARK EDWARDS BLOG TOUR

Isabel’s life seemed perfect. Successful business, beautiful house, adoring husband. And then she was dead.
For four years Jessica has never doubted that her sister Isabel’s death was an accident. But when Jessica’s young daughter seems to know long-forgotten details about her aunt’s past, Jessica can’t shake the feeling that there’s a more sinister truth behind the tragedy.
As Jessica unearths disturbing revelations about her sister, and about the people she loved and trusted most, it becomes clear Isabel’s life was less than perfect and that Jessica’s might also be at risk.
Did someone murder Isabel? Are they now after Jessica and her family? The key seems to lie in the hands of a child. Can Isabel reveal the truth from beyond the grave, or is the answer closer to home?
In Her Shadow is a gripping tale of family secrets, lies and obsession from the two million copy bestselling author Mark Edwards.

MY REVIEW

At school little Olivia gets into a fight with another girl. It seems that Olivia can see a dead member of the family, her Aunt Izzy who was Jesica’s successful sister a businesswoman, the one Mum who was proud of. The star who had burned brightly but all too briefly. When Jessica had discovered that she was pregnant with Olivia, she had rushed round to tell her sister Izzy, but six weeks later, Izzy was dead.

A short extract

The moment Jessica reached her daughter’s classroom door, Mrs Rose leaned out and said the phrase Jessica dreaded more than any other. Can I have a word please?

They were only six weeks into the school year the all important reception year and Olivia had turned four at the end of August, making her one of the youngest children in the class. For the first few weeks she had clung to her mother every morning, refused to speak to the teachers, cried when she was picked up and generally made Jessica feel like she was evil for leaving her in this place five days a week. But then Olivia had suddenly settled down, appeared even to enjoy going to school. It had been such a relief.

But the tone of Mrs Rose’s voice, the slightly nervous look in her eye, suggested something had changed.

You Only Live Once Gracie Dart #1 Jess Valance

You Only Live Once Gracie Dart #1

Paperback publisher Hot Keys

The start of a hilarious new teen series for fans of Geek Girl.
Gracie Dart has always worked hard and she’s got a wall covered with revision timetables and French verbs to prove it. But now GCSEs are behind her and she suddenly starts to think: what was the POINT of it all?
When Gracie thinks she’s dying of a disgusting tropical illness, she starts to worry she’s been wasting her best years being sensible. It’s like people say: you only live once – so isn’t it about time she started LIVING?

(OK, so the tropical illness turned out to be a fake-tan miscalculation. Anyone could make the same mistake.)
When Gracie decides to do something, she does it properly. Gracie Dart is about to live out her dreams. However embarrassing.

MY REVIEW

I’m a big fan of Jess Vallance. I have read Birdy which is about Birdy, who was always a loner, she had given up on finding friendship. Birdy is a fabulous read and I highly recommend it. Then I read The Yellow Room by Jess Vallance. That’s about Ana is pestered by an annoying creepy boy who is blackmailing her. I advise to reading The Yellow Room. Now I’ve fully enjoyed You Only Live Once that is a new series that’s being launched. You Only Live Once Gracie Dart book 1 ( Gracie Dart series. ) You Only Live Once is about Gracie Dart who is absolutely certain that she has a deadly tropical disease and that death is upon her. She has severe skin ulceration to her mouth to her nose. She is coughing with mutilated airways and as Gracie’s skin is a strange colour, she is sure that she has liver failure. When Grace Georgina Dart is given the all clear, she decided to start living. Find out what Gracie decided to do in this laugh out loud novel. I’m super excited for Jess Vallance next Gracie Dart series book that’s being published February 2019 To Be Perfectly Honest Gracie Dart book 2.

PETALS AND STONES JOANNE BURN BLOG TOUR

Published In Paperback 6TH September 2018 by Legend Press

When Uma discovers her husband’s infidelity just hours before his untimely death, the carefully woven threads of her life begin to unravel.

Struggling to manage the grief of those around her, she escapes to a remote cottage by the coast where she swims in the winter sea, cooks the forgotten Keralan dishes of her childhood and begins the search for her husband’s lover.
It isn’t long before Uma realises what she must do to pick up the tattered threads of her life. But will her choices jeopardise the only family she has left?

MY REVIEW

I do love reading about fictional marriage troubles. In this case the troubled truth is only revealed to Uma the wife after her husband’s death. Uma is like most wives, she did have an idea that her husband Daniel was having an affair. But the sad issue here is that she had only just found out before he died and didn’t get to talk about it with him. Uma has the woman’s mobile number that her husband was having an affair with and Uma knows that his secret lover, lives in Devon. Uma is determined to meet her dead husband’s lover to get to the truth of how the affair started and further more what was her husband Daniel ‘s intentions. I really enjoyed reading every minute. I recommend Petals And Stones as it extremely well written.

The Ash Doll James Hazel

THE ASH DOLL JAMES HAZEL

Paperback published 20th September 2018 by Zaffre

Some things are meant to be forgotten . . .

What starts out like any other major libel trial for prolific lawyer Charlie Priest turns into a legal train wreck when the defence’s star witness turns up murdered. While the defence stalls for time, Priest is determined to find out who is responsible, but as the bodies begin to pile up, Priest realises that he’s caught in a web of deceit and corruption that protects a deadly secret: one that threatens to tear him and those he loves apart.

MY REVIEW

When I reviewed The Mayfly, I quoted that the author James Hazel is a name to keep a look out for. And here it is James Hazel is back with his second novel The Ash Doll. Where Charlie Priest is back. If you haven’t read The Mayfly, you can read The Ash Doll as a standalone.

As for The Ash Doll, I do love reading about a good scandal. The story starts of in court Elias v. The Real Byte Limited. Tensions builds up, I was totally gripped, the scene was just like so real-life. Charity founder and CEO Alexia Elias, is suing small independent online magazine, The Real Byte, for libel following an article about her that was published. A scandal broke out at the Elias Foundation, it was discovered that a small branch office had been funnelling charity funds to an organisation known as the Free People’s Army, a terrorist cell operating in Northern Turkey.

I was excited to read on as the question hit me, was there any actual proof that the magazine is telling the truth about Alexia Elias and her husband?

James Hazel is one those authors who packs quite a few different scene settings to the mixture. I’m now looking out for book three.

LIFE ‘S A BEACH CHLOE COLES

LIFE’S A BEACH CHLOE COLES

Paperback published by Hot Key Books.

Paige and Holly have wrangled their way to one of the biggest literary festivals ever, at Skegton-On-Sea.

it’s what Bookshop Girl Dreams are made of Or it would be, If it wasn’t for the extreme fringe-running weather conditions, the lovesick best mate and that total DIVA of a romance novelist they’ve been stranded with.

Life isn’t always as straightforward as it seems in the swoon-worthy books Paige is selling. But as clouds loom over Skegton, this might be Paige’s big chance to shine.

MY REVIEW

I wanted to read Life’s A Beach bookshop Girl novel, because I had read book one, Bookshop Girl with Paige and Holly who work in Bennett’s book shop. In Life’s A Beach, Paige and Holly are really excited they have blagged their way going to Skegton-On-Sea Book Festival. ( I can’t help feel a little bit envious of them I’ve never been to a book festival in the UK.) Paige and Holly are both even more excited when they find out that the gorgeous author Johnny Hoxton will be attending. At the book festival, Paige is to help seventy six year old glamorous author Lady Minnie Rockwell. I was absolutely amused reading about the romance author Lady Minnie Rockwell. The way Minnie is portrayed reminded me a lot the very glamorous Dame Barbara Cartland who used to write romantic novels. I personally love reading about a rich glamorous character in stories. The whole story is just loveable with lots of other little things happening for Paige and Holly. I’ve enjoyed book one Bookshop Girl, then I found Life’s A Beach totally a glamorous fun read, now I just must read book three Bookshop Girl novel set in Paris, that’s coming out soon. If you like reading books by Holly Smale and Holly Bourne.