Goshawk Summer A New Forest Season Unlike Any Other James Aldred Review

GOSHAWK SUMMER BY JAMES ALDRED

A New Forest Season Unlike Any Other

Hardback published by Elliott and Thompson 29th July 2021

The woods holds its breath, the only sound the begging of chicks and the gentle breeze sieving through the trees. The forest hasn’t been this quiet for a thousand years. In early 2020, wildlife cameraman James Aldred was commissioned to film the lives of a family of Goshawk in the New Forest, hs childhood home. He began to plan a treetop hide in a remote site that would allow hi to film the Gos net, the newly hatched chicks and the lives of these elusive and enchanting birds.

Then lockdown. And as the world retreated, something remarkable happened. The noise of our everyday stilled. No more cars, no more off-roaders, no more airplanes roaring in the skies, no one in the Goshawk woods – except James.

At this unique moment, James was granted a once in a lifetime opportunity to keep filming. And so, over Spring and into Summer, he began to record his experiences in a place empty of people but filled with birdsong and new life.

Amidst the fragility and the fear, there was silver moonlight, tumbling fox cubs, calling curlew and, of course, the soaring Goshawks – shining like fire through one of our darkest times. A Goshawk summer unlike any other.

MY REVIEW

Goshawk Summer A New Forest Season Unlike Any Other is a new book by James Aldred, who is the author of The Man Who Climbed Trees.

Goshawk Summer is filled with a lovely diary of events from the wildlife cameraman James Aldred. He takes readers through lockdown in spring 2020 at the New Forest in England, with his camera capturing a wild goshawk landing on a nest. While James is in the New Forest during Covid there isn’t a soul there apart from James.

His passion for filming all types of animals takes him to East Africa to a cheetah family, baby cubs and lions.

As we all know it was really difficult keeping children occupied during lockdown.

During lockdown, James takes his three boys out into the empty landscape bringing with them their bows and arrows with them.

There are many lovely dates set in his amazing diary inside this book that James tells readers all what he see, and all the exploring, watching and filming that he did.

James Aldred, is a well known cameraman who has worked with the famous David Attenborough.

ABOUT JAMES ALDRED

James is an Emmy winning documentary cameraman specialising in wildlife and filming at height. Passionate about filming in the rainforest canopy, he has spent the last 20 years working regularly with the BBC and National Geographic to explore and help document the wonders of this tree.

You can find James on Twitter

@Jraldred

To buy link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Goshawk-Summer-Magical-transporting-Macdonald/dp/1783966122/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=James+aldred&qid=1627134975&sr=8-1

Maria’s Island Victoria Hislop Review

MARIA’S ISLAND BY VICTORIA HISLOP

ILLUSTRATED BY GILL SMITH

Hardback published by Walker Books 3rd June 2021

A powerful and enchanting tale of love, separation and stigma.

My name is Maria Petrakis. This is the story of my life.

Inspired by the bestselling novel. The Island, and retold as a story for children. Maria’s moving tale of how her fate was bound to the Cretan island of Spinalonga is full of friendship and family, courage and hope. Above all, it is the perfect story for our time.

MY REVIEW

Maria’s Island by Victoria Hislop is the most highest level of interest for children of 8 years plus. This marvellous book has fabulous creations of illustrations that children with love to study and take in all the details of all the characters.

Although this book is aimed at 8 and overs I absolutely adored it. I have to say that Maria’s Island is my top favourite book by author Victoria Hislop.

With our own emotional times with coronavirus and death, and with now so many having to isolate, this book the story of Maria’s Island is quite an emotional book with Leprosy. Our own doctors and nurses caught coronavirus and died , it’s the same in this story, where not only people were catching it but nurses too caught Leprosy.

If I could have given Maria’s Island by Victoria Hislop more tan 5 stars I would have been very happy to have done so, as I found this book went to the extra mile of being very educational, being part fictional, part true, with history and geography blended throughout this amazing easy read children’s book. I absolutely loved reading and taking in every word. Further more I believe that this book it very suitable for adults like me to have the pleasure in reading.

I would urge all parents and schools to read and discuss about the terrible events that took place in Maria’s Island.

About the story.

Rita lives in London but she half Greek. Every summer she goes with her parents on a long journey by plane and a boat to the island of Crete to visit her yiaya that is Greek for grandma. Crete became part of Greece in 1913.

Rita and her parents stay in Agios Nikolaos in her grandma’s apartment overlooking the the beautiful sea. Her grandma teaches Rita a Cretan dance.

Rita’s mother asks Rita’s grandma if she would come to live in England with them, but it’s far too cold for her in England and she has far too much to look after Crete. Rita doesn’t understand what her grandma has to look after.

Rita wants her grandma to take her on a bus to the village. While they are at the village her grandma points out where she used to live as child with her parents.

It is while they are alone together Rita’s grandma Maria, openly talks about living in Plaka with her parents and family. Maria tells her granddaughter Rita how lots of people including her family were effected by a disease Leprosy. And anyone that became effected by Leprosy was immediately taken away by a boat and sent to an island known as Spinalonga.

Maria’s friend Dimitris who was like a brother to her, he first caught Leprosy, being sent by boat to isolate on the small island Spinalonga. Then her mother caught it and was taken away to the island too. Unfortunately it was long before Maria was sent to Spinalonga. Way back then it was the law that anyone infected with the disease were all sent to Spinalonga to stop the spread of Leprosy.

I found this extremely educational as I knew nothing about Leprosy until I read Maria’s Island by Victoria Hislop.

I loved every single word written inside Maria’s Island and totally adored all the illustrations by Gill Smith. This is a real must buy, must read.

About Leprosy in the 21st century

Leprosy is one of the world’s oldest diseases. It is caused by bacteria that effects the nerves of the hands, feet and face. If left untreated it can cause pain, disfigurement and result in permanent disability. There is now an effective cure, but millions of people around the world are still disabled by the consequences of Leprosy and are subjected to discrimination and social exclusion, like Eleni, Dimitris and Maria in the story. This prejudice also makes people fearful of coming forward for diagnosis.

My special thanks to

I have to say with my hand on my heart a mega big thank you to walker Books for sending me this wonderful book Maria’s Island to read and review ❤️

About author Victoria Hislop

Victoria Hislop read English at Oxford, and worked in publishing, PR and as a journalist before becoming a novelist. She is married with two children.Her first novel, The Island, held the number one slot in the Sunday Times paperback charts for eight consecutive weeks and has sold over two million copies worldwide. Victoria was the Newcomer of the Year at the Galaxy British Book Awards 2007 and won the Richard & Judy Summer Read competition.

Her second novel, The Return, was also a Sunday Times number one bestseller, and her books have been translated into more than twenty languages. A short story collection, One Cretan Evening, was published in September and both a third novel, The Thread is published in English in October and in Greek in November 2011.

 

She is also an ambassador for Lepra, as the world’s first Leprosy prevention organisation. Lepra is an international charity that has been on the forecourt of prevention, treatment and management of Leprosy since 1924.

https://victoriahislop.com/

https://www.walker.co.uk/Maria-s-Island-9781406399073.aspx

Twitch M. G. Leonard Review

TWITCH BY M. G. LEONARD

Paperback published by Walker books 3rd June 2021

ISBN : 9781406389371

TWITCH has three pet chickens, four pigeons, swallows nesting in his bedroom and a passion for birdwatching.

On the day of the summer holidays he arrives at his secret hide to find police everywhere. A convicted robber has broken out of prison and is hiding in Aves Wood.

Can Twitch use his talents for birdwatching in the hunt for the dangerous prisoner and find the missing loot?

MY REVIEW

Twitch is the most unusual story I have ever read. It has amazed me how the author M. G. Leonard came up with this fabulous idea for a story.

For Twitch he liked watching the birds and training his pigeons they were better than humans to him.

Twitch has enemies, he is picked on by boys because he keeps Pigeons, and chickens, he has others nesting in his garden. Also Twitch has a pair of blue tits in a nesting box with swallows that come back every year.

A man who is a stranger comes to Twitch’s rescue while some boys are dangling a worm trying to force it Twitch’s mouth. Twitch is pleased that the man who saved him is a birdwatcher like him.

You know time and time again how it’s drummed into you that you must never talk to strangers or accept sweets. This strange man takes Twitch to a sweet shop and buys Twitch some sweet and a newspaper for himself.

Can Twitch a birdwatcher outwit an escaped convict ?

When Twitch is alone back in Aves Wood alone he sees a lot of police are looking for an escaped criminal from a prison. Twitch uses his bird watching skills to help catch the man who escaped prison.

Be aware there is a special mega big twist, one that I for sure didn’t see coming towards the end. I loved every page of the story of Twitch and I could clearly hear his voice as a boy character, because M. G. Leonard has an incredible way with voices in children’s stories.

I would like to thank Walker Books for sending me this wonderful page-turning book to read and review.

ABOUT AUTHOR M. G. LEONARD

M. G. Leonard is an award winning bestselling writer of children’s books, as well as a founding member of Authors4Oceans. Her books are sold in forty countries, and there is currently a TV series in development based on her Beetle Boy series. Her first picture book, The Tale of a Toothbrush, is out now. She is also co-author of the critically acclaimed Adventures on Trains series. Before becoming a writer. M. G. Leonard worked as a digital media producer for the National Theatre, The Royal Opera House and Shakespeare Globe. She lives in Brighton with her husband, two sons and pet Beetles. #TheTwitchers

https://www.twitter.com/MGLnrd

http://www.twitter.com/WalkerBooksUk

To buy on amazon link https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twitch-M-G-Leonard/dp/1406389374/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1OPISM8Z5F971&dchild=1&keywords=twitch+mg+leonard&qid=1626790013&sprefix=Twitch+m%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-1

The seed for this story was planted in 2016 at an entomology conference, when the author M.G Leonard met the nature journalist Megan Shersby and vet, author and TV presenter Jess French. Megan is a keen birder and she has met Jess at Birdfair a festival for birders. They suggested M. G Leonard should go to the next festival, but she protested as she knew nothing about birds. The author followed bird lovers on social media and was impressed with the knowledge and passion of young birders. All of the people that the author met were all an inspiration whilst writing this book Twitch.

Confessions from the Quilting Circle Maisey Yates

CONFESSIONS FROM THE QUILTING CIRCLE BY MAISEY YATES

Paperback published by Mills and Boon 8th July 2021

Stitching their family back together one truth at a time.

The Ashwood sisters have never had anything in common. Except their ability to keep secrets. But when their grandmother dies they must all return to their hometown to clear her estate and face up to the reasons why they all left.

Lark has been running away from her past for years. But now finally she must face up to the secret she’s been hiding and the man she’s never stopped loving?

Hannah spent her whole childhood dreaming of escaping and she plans to leave as soon as she can. Until she comes face to face with the only man who’s ever been able to distract her.

Avery has built the perfect life in her hometown. But can she carry on paying the price of perfection? Or will the support of her sisters help her find a different version of perfect?

The Ashwood family must learn to heal. But first they must learn to trust each other like never before.

MY REVIEW

I dearly loved reading this story of three very different sisters and the the delightful things that they find in their late grandmother’s house.

I found the Confessions from the Quilting Circle a very unique story.

For anyone who is creative and loves knitting, or sewing or cross stitch, or painting you all will adore reading about Ashwood sisters. Even if you don’t have a sewing or painting hobby I just you will fall in love with story about loss and new beginnings.

What the story is about

When the greatest loved grandmother, Adeline Dowell dies, the Ashwood sisters are very sad, as they all had a lot of fun staying with their grandmother when they were young. Addie had taught all her grandchildren to knit, paint and to quilt, but she didn’t teach their mother as a a child anything.

Now all three sisters had grown up they led very different lives. Avery the oldest was very organised, being very neat and orderly. Hannah the middle sister moved to Boston and was a professional in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. And Lark was the youngest the real flair for art, just like her grandmother.

The miner’s House that their grandmother lived in had a little candy shop at the front, but now their mother and the three sisters have to sort out their grandmother’s belongings. They find boxes of fabric and beads. Lark has the business idea of turning The Miner’s House into a craft Cafe.

I found Confessions from the Quilting Circle a beautiful read. I have read some hot romance novels by Maisey Yates, but never a page-turning contemporary romance story, with so many secrets that I was shocked when I found out, the biggest secret.

My very special thanks to Mills and Boon for sending me the paperback, and a hobby craft quilting butterfly and a gorgeous iron on or sew on butterfly motif.

ABOUT MAISEY YATES

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit.

In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book. Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard. She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.

You can find author Maisey Yates on her website

http://www.maiseyyates.com

Or on

Twitter

maiseyyates

To buy link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Confessions-Quilting-Circle-heartwarming-feel-good/dp/1848458525/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Confessions+from+the+quilting+circle+maisey+yates&qid=1626702855&s=books&sr=1-1

All Our Hidden Gifts Caroline O’ Donoghue Review

ALL OUR HIDDEN GIFTS BY CAROLINE O’DONOGHUE

Paperback published by Walker Books 27th MAY 2021

ISBN : 9781406393095

400 pages

Amazon to buy link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Hidden-Gifts-Caroline-ODonoghue/dp/1406393096/ref=sr_1_1?crid=37XEPG3OJEJFE&dchild=1&keywords=all+our+hidden+gifts+caroline+o+donoghue&qid=1626448573&sprefix=All+our+hidden+%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-1

The Cards hold the truth. Be careful what you ask !

Maeve Chambers doesn’t have any special gifts. That is until she finds a dusty old pack of tarot cards, giving uncannily accurate readings to everyone around her.

But when she reads for her ex-best friend Lily, a strange card appears in the deck and everything goes wrong. Lily doesn’t come to school the next day, or the next, and Maeve knows she’s been taken somewhere the police will never find her. Only the cards and something older, something even more powerful can bring her back.

MY REVIEW

I love tarot card reading stories as I bought a lot of tarot cards for my daughter, which we are both so in to . I have used a lot of them that appear in the story here on my website along with the book.

This novel maybe for 14+ year olds but I loved it, and I can safely say it’s certainly suitable for the older generation to read.

Maeve Chambers is at St Bernadette catholic girls school, costing two thousand euro a term. Maeve, gets detention after she threw a shoe at a teacher and is led to the Chokey, a long deep cupboard. She is ordered to clean out the cupboard.

While Maeve is in the cupboard listening to a Walkman she stumbles upon some tarot cards. Once she takes them home Maeve learns as much as she can in how to deal with the tarot cards and what each one means.

As soon as word got around the school that Maeve, did tarot card reading all the pupils wanted Maeve to help them predict their future.

Lily O’Callaghan and Maeve once we’re best friends but had grown apart. You should always be careful for what you wish for. As when Maeve does a reading for Lily it goes horribly wrong, Maeve tells Lily ‘I wish you would disappear’.

Everyone in the whole school becomes concerned when Lily doesn’t attend school. And to make it worse Maeve knows one of her tarot cards are missing. I was wandering could there be a connection? And will they find Lily O’Callaghan?

MY THANKS TO

I would like to thank Walker Books for sending me this spellbinding book to read and review.

https://www.walker.co.uk/All-Our-Hidden-Gifts-9781406393095.aspx

ABOUT AUTHOR CAROLINE O’DONOGHUE

Caroline O’Donoghue

Caroline O’Donoghue is a journalist and author. She has published two adult novels, Promising Young Women and Scenes of a Graphic Nature, and is currently working on a collection of personal essays exploring her experiences of feminism and witchcraft. She has a regular column in The Irish Examiner, and has written for The Irish Independent, Glamour, Buzzfeed and Vice, among others. Caroline also hosts Sentimental Garbage, a podcast in which she reviews commercial women’s fiction titles with other authors. All Our Hidden Gifts is her first novel for young adults Visit Caroline on

https://www.twitter.com/Czaroline

War and peace Leo Tolstoy by Gemma Barder review

❤️ Easy Classics

WAR AND PEACE LEO TOLSTOY BY GEMMA BARDER

Illustrated by Helen Panayi

Paperback published by Sweet Cherry Publishing 24th June 2021

To buy asa single copy

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Leo-Tolstoy-Peace-Classics-Collection/dp/1782267816/ref=pd_ybh_a_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=V3J9AQRXGM9BA0MNJ637

PIERRE is nothing like his confidant, handsome friend ANDREI. He is awkward and shy and when his father dies and leaves Pierre a vast FORTUNE, suddenly very popular.

As WAR rages on the edge of Moscow and the charming young NATASHA catches the eye of both friends, Pierre must decide what he wants and who he is.

Can Pierre finally find happiness, and will Nastasha decide where her heart truly lies?

MY REVIEW

I read War and Peace as a stand-alone book and not from the box collection, however after reading and enjoying War and Peace as a standalone single copy, but I would love to have this beautiful box collection.

I love reading this quick easy classic children’s book, War and Peace, as I haven’t never read the full length book. So for me this children’s book was very easy to read and for children there is lovely big Writing. I found the whole story easy to follow too, and what I loved even more there’s a free audiobook code to scan to hear the story and not many books have a free audiobook with it. This book and others in the collection that can be bought separately, they are all a real must read, smart buy!

About the story

Pierre and Andrei are two different men. Pierre Bezukhov is good at making conversations. But his friend Andrei Bolkonsky who is tall and handsome is married to someone who he doesn’t love.

When Pierre’s father, Count Bezukhov, dies, Pierre becomes one of the riches young unmarried men in Moscow. But now he has become rich every one is suddenly inviting him to balls ever night and then there was families that wanted him to marry their daughter and Anatole Kuragin’s sister was one of them who wanted to marry Pierre. It was very clear that Helene seems only interested in marrying him for his money and his status.

War rages against Napoleon and the French army. Moscow feared fir their homes and their loved ones. Russian generals ordered families to leave Moscow as the French are invading. Pierre is captured by the French army.

I would like to thank Sweet Cherry Publishing by surprising me by sending me this wonderful book to review and I do love surprises!

All books can be bought on amazon separately.

Or There is a lovely, beautiful new 10 complete collection to this new easy classic collection for children from ages 7+ and I think you will all agree with me this box collection is a must have.

Each book in this fabulous box has its own free audiobook code! All the books are illustrated by Helen Panayi.

The complete adorable box set

Inside this 10 box set Easy Classic Epic Collection includes

War and peace Leo Tolstoy.

Anna Karenina

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

The Brothers Karamazov ISBN 9781782267850 is published in October 2021. That I have no picture for.

Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev

Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin

Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov

A Hero Of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov

To find out more about sweet Cherry Publishing about these books and more visit

https://sweetcherrypublishing.com/the-easy-classics-epic-collection/

About author Gemma Barder

Gemma Barder lives in Market Harborough, Leicester, with her family and a mischievous cocker spaniel. She started life working in children’s and pre-teen magazines before moving into the world of publishing. She’s now a freelance writer full time and writes activity books, treasuries, novels and storybooks for children, as well as publishing her own magazine. Gemma writes a wide range of children’s books for Sweet Cherry, with more projects in the pipeline.

PAPERBACK RUTHLESS WOMEN MELANIE BLAKE

RUTHLESS WOMEN BY MELANIE BLAKE

Paperback published by Head of Zeus 8th July 2021

AMBITION CAN BE DEADLY

On a tiny private island of the coast of Jersey, the cast and crew of Falcon Bay are at breaking point. Their show was once the world’s most popular soap opera, but ratings are at a all time low. And when the new network owner, the malevolent Madeline Kane, arrives, it’s clear she’ll do whatever it takes to get it back to the number one slot.

Director Farrah, star Catherine and producer Amanda are the passionate, ambitious women trying to hold the production together. But thanks to their corrupt boss, Jake Monroe, their careers are under threat. Now, as Madeline’s pressure to revive the show intensifies, a battle of the sexes is unleashed.

Can these women team up to bring down their rivals? Or will jealousy, betrayal and revenge rip their friendships apart? As the story reaches its shocking climate, one thing is for certain only the most ruthless woman will survive.

MY REVIEW

Ruthless Women is the my type of book I would read over again.

I’m so pleased that my favourite book is the Sunday Times bestseller and the hottest book of 2021. Over 100,000 copies have been sold. It’s perfect for summer reading, or whatever the whether.

What has been said about Ruthless Women.Does for TV what The Devils Wears Prada did for fashion:Ok!

A twist so shocking you’ll be talking about it for years : Daily Mirror.

All rise for the new queen of the bonkbuster : The Times.

A must read romp with real bite: Heat.

Treachery and lust shockingly good: Sun Glitz, glamour and ambition perfect: women & Home

Ruthless women going to be the most eagerly anticipated novel of 2021. It’s shocking, sexy and bursting with scandal. Ruthless Women is an erotically charged thriller set on an international TV soap, it takes readers on a wild ride behind the scenes of beloved TV drama Falcon Bay, beamed globally to millions three days a week from its picturesque location in the Channel Island. But even in this beautiful coastal spot, tension swirl. Once one of the world’s most popular soap operas, but now with ratings and syndication at an all-time low, the production has been sold to an American business woman, beautiful and malevolent Madeline Kane.

I loved reading Ruthless Women about ambition can be deadly and the fierce talk in the meeting room.

In meeting room 6 producers, writers and executives met daily to create and manage the stories designed to keep their millions of viewers tuned in to the soap opera Falcon Bay.

Arrogant Jake Monroe had been promoted to controller of the drama by the networks new owners. I would have been in tears if Jake spoke to me like this in aboard meeting. ‘ Is this it ?’ he asked, pointing at the board and meeting every person’s eyes one by one, sending shivers down their backs. ‘What’s the matter with you ? ‘ he growled.

READ IF YOU DARE HOW JAKE TALKS IN THE MEETING ! PART OF PAGE 7 

Mousey girl, who was new and hadn’t been told that stillness was required when Jake’s mood turned, was trembling,clearly feeling even colder now she’s been shouted at. With shaking hands she slowly started tucking the wrap around herself, almost like a comfort blanket. This caught Jake’s eyes she raged on, his handsome face now almost pink with anger.

This is supposed to be the ” Creative Zone”, people,’ he yelled, using his fingers to make inverted commas in the air. ‘And none of you lazy fuckers are creating shit. No, actually, that’s not true. All of you are creating shit – shit that no one is watching’

As Mousey began tucking the last edge of the wrap under her leg, Jake could stand it no longer. He clicked his fingers and pointed at her. ‘ Get out ! You’re fired.’

I found the whole story fascinating as Ruthless Women is inspired by Melanie‘s behind the scenes knowledge of British Soap operas.

I would like to thank very much Midas and Head of Zeus for sending me a printed paperback to read and review ready for release day. I have had a wow of a time reading Ruthless Women and I can’t wait to read Melanie Blake’s next book.

About Melanie Blake

At 15 Melanie Blake dreamed of being a writer, but was told by her English teacher that the only thing she’d ever write were labels for factory boxes. Severely dyslexic, and desperate to escape a childhood of poverty and religious extremism in Stockport, she left school with no qualifications and run away from home. Against all odds, Melanie managed to blag her way onto the lowest rung of the showbiz ladders, working as an extra on Emmerdale, Coronation Street and Eastenders and a camera assistant on Top Of The Pops. It was during this time that she got her first big break aged 21, when soap icon Claire King chose Melanie to be her agent. Her agency was an immediate success, and she would go on to represent the likes of Patsy Kensit, Michelle Collins, Stephanie Beacham, Emily Lloyd, Denise Welch, Jennie McAlpine, Laila Morse, Daniella Westbrook, Amanda Barrie, Gillian Taylforth and Nadia Sawalha earning herself the tag Queen of Soaps. Melanie still represents a high-profile stable of some of the best-known faces on British television but is also now enjoying success in her own right as a columnist, producer, author and playwright. She lives in London.

Melanie wrote her first book The Thunder Girls when she was working in the music industry as a young woman, that was published by Pan Macmillan. She adapted it for the stage herself and it went on to break box office records at the Lowry Theatre. Her second novel Ruthless women has been even bigger success, going straight into the Sunday Times hardback fiction chart at number 4 staying in the top 10 for a month, also charting in Australia,Canada and New Zealand.

PAPERBACK PARIS BY STARLIGHT ROBERT DINSDALE

PARIS BY STARLIGHT BY AUTHOR ROBERT DINSDALE

Paperback published by Penguin 24th June 2021

Settle down, pull your covers tight. Look to the window, out into night.

Every night on their long journey to Paris from their troubled homeland, Levon’s grandmother has read to them from a very special book. Called The Nocturne, a book full of their people who generations before chose to live by starlight.

With every story that Levon’s grandmother tells them in their new home, the desire to live as their ancestors did grows. And that is when the magic begins.

But not everyone in Paris is won over by the spectacle of Paris-by-Starlight. There are always those that fear the other, the unexplained, the strangers in our midst. How long can the magic of night rub up against the ordinariness of day? How long can two worlds occupy the same streets and squares before there is an outright war? 

My review 

Paris by Starlight by author Robert Dinsdale is the bestselling novel of The Toy Makers that was his first venture into magic. Paris by Starlight is a warm-hearted and beautiful a very well written adult fairytale full of fantasy and magic. 

Paris by Starlight is a beautiful tale of love and acceptance set in a magical yet familiar Paris. It’s a beautiful glittery book, with a wonderful storyline that is just perfect to sit outside on a nicer summers day out in the garden .

Paris by Starlight would make a welcome gift. The beginning threw me straight into the book. 

About the wonderful story.

Esme is forbidden to open her bedroom shutters, that her father built to block out the night. The stories Esme loves are the ones her father tells her each night aren’t they full to bursting with courageous girls doing forbidden things? With Esme ‘s father telling her once upon a time stories this reminded me of when I was a little girl and my late father told me once upon a time fairytale stories, until I fell off to sleep. 

You can tell how talented this author is when he sets character Levon in an uncertain voice to tell a story. Levon began in English to start the story…..Past the forests of midnight, so the old stories say, a boy lived alone where the dark magic held sway. He’d been vilified, exiled, spat on and stoned for he was a pauper, who just hadn’t known, that pauper can’t ask for the hand of a queen, that a pauper must live life unheard and unseen. So they’d driven him off from our glittering tide, to an anchorage deep in the radiant wild.

Come sail with me, come sail with me, out across the land locked sea.

Isabelle had heard this tale before it was one of Maia’s favourites, the story of the boy who fell in ove with the moon.

Paris in Starlight will appeal to fans of Robert’s previous novels like The Toymaker. And if you haven’t read any of his previous novels like me, I know you will enjoy Paris by Starlight. 

What has been said about Paris By Starlight.

Paris by Starlight is the magical new novel from the acclaimed author of The Toymakers, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman and Erin Morgenstern.

Beautifully captures the hazy, dissonance of storytelling and invention. Guardian.

This spellbinding tale of nocturnal life and magic in the streets of Paris tells of the courage it takes to be different and follow your dreams. Waterstones.

A skilful, human tale. SFX

About author Robert Dinsdale

Robert Dinsdale was born in North Yorkshire and currently lives in Leigh-On-Sea. He is the author of three previous critically acclaimed novels THE HARROWING, LITTLE EXILES and GINGERBREAD.

His bestselling novel THE TOYMAKERS was his first venture into magic.

See what I Can Do ! Jon Roberts review

See What I Can Do ! By Author Jon Roberts Illustrations By Hannah Rounding

Paperback published 22nd June 2021 by

https://graffeg.com/

To buy link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/See-What-I-Can-Do/dp/1913733890/ref=pd_ybh_a_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6SM2KNBXB7GXSDSEK6BD

Every child is different. Some are loud, they love talking and showing off. Others are quite and like to be on their own. Some have differences that you can see, while others have differences that may not be so obvious. We are all unique. We all have our own lives, our own dreams, and our own talents. Let’s see what we can do.

The book See What I can do is about children with disabilities. Each child character with a different disability has a different name. The topics of disabilities include autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ADHD, Down’s syndrome, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, epilepsy, asthma.

MY REVIEW

My favourite part of the story is about children that are deaf, as I’m slightly deaf in one ear, but I don’t need to wear a hearing aid.

I became slightly deaf in one ear at the age of 9. I had an ear infection where it was running down my neck, losing my balance and I couldn’t walk or stand. When I was a young girl I had the TV up loud to hear, but as my mum didn’t realise I was slightly deaf she would turn the TV down so I began to lip read. Thankfully now to subtitles I always have subtitles on TV so the television doesn’t have to be up loud.

No one would know that I’m slightly deaf in one ear because my speech is not effected.

I can hear normal with a few people in the room. However I don’t go to book events as I fear I won’t hear every one in a large group.

I do find it difficult to hear my mum and daughter in the back of the car with the noise of the car, but I can hear my partner sitting next to me driving. I normally walk on someone’s right side so my good left ear, picks up what is being said.

I also find it difficult to hear some people and members of staff as we have adapted to wearing masks.

I recommend buying this book for your child as the whole story is very special as it teaches young children to kind to other children that suffer from a form of disability and to be friends with them play with them too.

My favourite story in the book is on page 25.

Hearing with your eyes.

The school bell rings, and the children go into the gym to play basketball.

MaryAnn, Anthony and Louis walk at the front of the line. That way they can look back and see people talking. All three have hearing loss. That means they have difficulty hearing the world around them.

“When I was very young, I used a hearing aid, ” said MaryAnn. ” I learned to talk, too. Now I am totally deaf, so I use sign language. I make shapes with my hands to talk to other people.”

Anthony touches his hearing aid. “Sometimes, my friends talk too fast. They get mad when I ask them to repeat themselves. I wish they would talk clearly and slowly and not scream at me.”

Louis nods. “When I first started school, I had a hard time. People thought I was being rude, and not paying attention. Then the doctor realised I was deaf in one ear. I’ve learned that if you speak clearly and face me, I can read your lips.”

“I’m glad we are able to walk at the front of the line,” says MaryAnn. ” That way we can see people’s lips. When people don’t talk in front of me, I get very sad. I cannot join in the fun. It makes me happy when we play together and I can understand what people are saying.”

I would like to thank graffeg books for sending a copy of this special book to read and review.

https://www.twitter.com/graffeg_books

Jon Roberts is the author of two previous titles from Graffeg, Through the Eyes of Me and Through the Eyes of Us, two picture books illustrated by Hannah Rounding which are based on the life experiences of his daughter Kya, who has severe autism, and introducing children to the condition and the nuances of Kya’s character.

Hannah Rounding is a freelance artist and illustrator based in Cardigan, West Wales. Hannah uses art as a tool to improve personal and community wellbeing, with experience working in the UK charity sector and over 10 years working within International Development, while her freelance work combines a wide variety of community arts projects alongside commissioned illustration work. Her work with Graffeg includes illustrations for the picture books Through the Eyes of Me and Through the Eyes of Us, the previous two titles by Jon Roberts, and What Can You See? by Jason Korsner.

Blow, Wind, Blow ! Dom Conlon and Anastasia Izlesou

Blow, Wind, Blow, by Author Dom Conlon and illustrator Anastasia

Paperback published by Graffeg Books 29th June 2021

https://graffeg.com/

The buy link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blow-Wind-Wild-Wanderers/dp/1914079183/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&qid=1625148795&refinements=p_27%3AAnastasia+Izlesou&s=books&sr=1-2&text=Anastasia+Izlesou

Chase Wind through the ocean, fields and mountains as, from zephyr to gale, she carries seeds and stirs seas, enriching the world and breathing life.

MY REVIEW

Blow, Wind, Blow! is told the language of poetry all about the weather. It a very educational story for young children that explains in a easy way how wind is useful in some ways, like getting washing dry on a line. It also explains what it’s like to ride a bike on a blustery windy day with the leaves of trees lining the path and roads. There is a lovely page that shows what happens when hurricane forms. Inside this book will show all children how wind effects almost every aspect of our daily lives with moving windmills in Holland to irrigate land and crops, flying kites in Paris, sailing boats in the Pacific, creating sandstorms in Chad and Sudan and hurricanes in Florida before settling back down to the gusts we encounter at home.

I loved how the story is illustrated with incredible artwork by Anastasia Izlesou and completed with fascinating facts about the wind and definitions of some of the more complicated language used in the text.

Most of all I love the insides of all books by Graffeg and how each book that is bought from Graffeg has its own decorated page for children to write their name.

I would like to thank graffeg books for sending me Blow, Wind, Blow paperback to read and review.

https://www.twitter.com/graffeg_books

About Dom Conlon

Dom Conlon has also published many other books

Leap, Hare, Leap ! published July 2020

Swim, Shark, swim ! published February 2021

Blow, wind, Blow! Published June 2021

Shine, Star, Shine! Publication is October 2021

Dom Conlon is a poet and author, published by Troika, Graffeg, Ladybird, Bloomsbury, The Emma Press, and HIMSELF! He uses poetry to inspire fiction and non-fiction stories about everything from the tiniest of details to the broad brush-strokes of the universe. He’s a frequent guest on BBC Radio and was chosen as one of the key poets to celebrate the national Make A Difference campaign through poetry.

You can find Dom Conlon

On Twitter

https://www.twitter.com/dom_conlon

About Illustrator Anastasia Izlesou

Anastasia Izlesou is a multidisciplinary illustrator and designer from the UK. Using a mix of digital and traditional media, she creates vibrant work full of bold natural elements. Her inspirations range from natural sciences, literature and folklore to everyday items and objects of kitsch. The White Hare, published by Griffeg, was Anastasia’s first published book, followed by Leap, Hare, Leap ! and Swim, Shark, Swim! in this Wild Wanderers series. Anastasia is based in Bournemouth .