Book Review “Freecycling for Beginners” by Misha M. Herwin

4 STARS

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Freecycling for Beginners

The time has come for Jane to sell the family home. Downsizing to a flat means that everything must go, but her late husband’s favourite chair is far too precious for the tip.

Meanwhile, Robyn, balancing her precarious career as a portrait artist with raising an autistic son, is searching for a chair with panache that will allow her sitters to pose in comfort.

Elsewhere in the city, Tracey is clearing out her wardrobe at the same moment that divorced and cash-strapped Debbie is frantically seeking a prom dress for her daughter.

None of these women have ever met until Freecycle brings them together and their lives are about to be changed in ways they could never have imagined.

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 4 STARS

This book definitely fits that old adage of, Never judge a book by its cover, or indeed the title. That is exactly what I did and boy how wrong could I be? This is not a lesson in how to freecycle, nor how to use the website. Its about the lives that are brought together after using Freecycle.

The Story revolves around several characters, families, single people, dogs, life, love and just being good to each other by the simple act of sharing what you no longer need can bring joy to others.

As Misha herself says in the book “who could have imagined that one post on freecycle would have changed our lives in so many ways”

I particularly enjoyed how each separate story is brought together and that they all become intertwined through the posts they create and goods that go on to make everyone’s lives that little bit better, from a scruffy old chair to a beautiful prom dress. An Aston Martin lift to the prom, finding a dog a new home through building a rabbit hutch for an Autistic boy. A feel good story that makes you realise there are plenty of good people out there.

Unfortunately I had to drop a star for Freecycling because of the language used concerning Finn, an Autistic child who is repeatedly referred to as “handicapped” and that he was not “normal” like his brother and sister. As a disabled person, reading this did make me feel quite uncomfortable as these terms are so outdated, they grated with me. I am more than happy to read books with disabled characters, in fact there should be more but the language needs to be correct and more positive.

That said this is a delightful tale highlighting how people doing one simple act can change things massively for somebody else.

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Freecycling-Beginners-Misha-Herwin-ebook/dp/B09F7XYLLG

US – https://www.amazon.com/Freecycling-Beginners-Misha-Herwin-ebook/dp/B09F7XYLLG

Author Bio – Misha M Herwin is a Staffordshire based writer. When not writing she runs workshops for adults and children, including youth groups at the New Vic Theatre, and events such as the 6×6 Story Café for Stoke Libraries. She spends what spare time she has with family and friends, reading, working in her garden and baking. Scones are a speciality.

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Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/misha.herwin

@MishaHerwin

https://mishaherwin.wordpress.com/

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Book Review “The Accused” by Owen Mullen

5 STARS

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The Accused SYNOPSIS/Book Blurb

When Private Investigator Charlie Cameron agrees to take on a cold case, he is drawn back into Glasgow’s dark underworld…

Glasgow PI Charlie Cameron knew Kim Rafferty was bad news the moment they met. Desperate people always spelled trouble in his experience, and Mrs Rafferty was as desperate as they come. What she was asking for was insane. If he agreed to help the wife of the notorious East-End gangster, the consequences for them both could be fatal.

Twenty-four hours later, another betrayed woman with a hopeless case is pleading for Charlie’s help. The PI is her only chance to keep an innocent man from serving a second prison sentence for murders he didn’t commit.

Dennis Boyd is on the run, and as Charlie fights against the clock to keep him out of jail, he crosses a line that puts him on the wrong side of the law and pits him against his old friend and ally, DS Andrew Geddes.

As the body count grows, and the defence for his client falls apart bit by bit, Charlie refuses to accept the inevitable. But everyone has their limits – even the infamous Charlie Cameron. Will he be forced to admit that this case may be the one to beat him…

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

Secrets and intrigue lie at the heart of this murderous thriller. Some of the characters are dastardly with cruel intentions and will literally do anything to get away with murder and frame innocent people, or are they as innocent as they want us to believe?

Charlie, the Private Investigator does not want to get drawn in to this deadly game but he is intrigued enough by Dennis that he just can’t keep away from the case. He has many fingers in many pies and is able to discover things that have lain dormant whilst Dennis was in Prison for a crime he is adamant he did not commit. However as the body count rises Charlie begins to doubt everything he has been told. Should he really continue trying to prove that his client is innocent or get out now while he is still alive?

The case of Kim Rafferty that Charlie also reluctantly takes on becomes quite grisly and had me almost recoiling at the violence that ensues. A cleverly written storyline that drags you along with it even though you’re not sure you really want to go there. The descriptive writing is excellent and you just don’t want to put the book down.

I was enthralled by Owen Mullen’s writing style. It’s edginess keeps you interested without being over the top with gratuitous violence. There are violent acts but they fit with the nature of the characters and the worlds they move in.

The Accused is one of those books that you don’t want to end because you’re enjoying it so much, well written, engaging and an all round scorcher of a thriller.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/2SxiAVD

Social Media Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OwenMullenBooks

Twitter https://twitter.com/owenmullen6

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Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/owen-mullen

Author Bio –  Owen Mullen is a highly regarded crime author who splits his time between Scotland and the island of Crete.  In his earlier life he lived in London and worked as a musician and session singer.

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Book Review “The Babysitter” by Gemma Rogers

5 PLUS STARS

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The Babysitter

It’s every mother’s worst nightmare…All NEW from Gemma Rogers

Ali and Christopher Tolfrey’s one year old daughter Eden is abducted whilst in the care of Ali’s best-friend.

Snatched in broad daylight from Bushy Park on a trip to the swings, Eden disappears without a trace.

Brooke Simmons, regains consciousness, dazed from a blow to the head, to find Eden, her bestfriends’ child is missing.

Someone has taken Eden and Brooke knows who.

But it’s a secret she can’t share with Ali or the Police without revealing the web of deceit she’s spun.

Can Brooke get Eden home before her lies come back to haunt her? Or is the net closing in on her?

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3dojACz

REVIEW BY NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 PLUS STARS

I have to give The Babysitter 5 Plus Stars , I loved every page of this suspenseful thriller. The story is very different from the norm and I found myself in conflict with my own emotions, wanting to dislike “the bad guy” but finding myself feeling sorry for them, being Spun a web of lies that forces this person to take drastic action.

The Babysitter, Brooke can not quite believe how very daft she has been and it seems the more she tries to undo this devastating event the worse she makes things.

I read this book in two evenings, it’s an absolute page turner, it kept saying to me ” you can’t stop here there’s a really good bit coming up”

The underlying stories that run through the entire book really highlight how fast a couple can unravel. Once seemingly very happy, in love with the perfect family very quickly falls apart as dark secrets are revealed after their baby, Eden disappears.

Anyone who reads thrillers with a difference, shocking tension running through it that grabs the reader and takes you along with it right to the last page, needs to grab a copy of this corker of a thriller.

Author Bio –  Gemma Rogers was inspired to write gritty thrillers by a traumatic event in her own life nearly twenty years ago. Her debut novel Stalker was published in September 2019 and marked the beginning of a new writing career. Gemma lives in West Sussex with her husband, two daughters and bulldog, Buster.

Social Media Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gemma.rogersauthor.35

Twitter https://twitter.com/GemmaRogers79

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Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gemma-rogers

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Book Review “The Stolen Baby” by Diney Costeloe

FIVE STARS

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SYNOPSIS/Book Blurb

EVERY MOTHER’S WORST NIGHTMARE IS ABOUTTO COME TRUE…
Based on a gripping and moving true story,The Stolen Baby is the new Second World
War novel from bestselling author Diney Costeloe
Plymouth, 1941. As sirens blare all around, the Shawbrook family take refuge in a packed shelter. Bombs have
already begun to fall through the night sky when they realise their infant son, Freddie, has been forgotten in
the rush, left to sleep in his crib. Terrified, Vera, his young mother races to find him and bring him to safety.

The next morning, air raid warden David Shawbrook returns from his watch to find the shelter pulverised, and his
family seemingly all dead. Dirty footprints inside their home betray the looters who have rifled through the
house.
Meanwhile, Maggie waits alone for her husband. Since the death of her infant son, she passes her days at home with
neither joy nor aim. But not this morning. For this morning her husband has brought home a child, found
abandoned in the aftermath of the terrible raid – a child she is sure is the one she held in her arms so many months
before.

REVIEW BY NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

The Stolen Baby had me enthralled right from the word go. A highly emotional Novel that brings WW2 to life in the most lifelike manner that reached right into my soul. I felt that I was there with them, experiencing the absolute devastation and heartache on every page, How people just had to get up and get on no matter what had happened to them. Demolished homes, lost lives, new love and the most heart-breaking, thinking you’d lost your entire family and your precious baby.

Maggie is a tricky character but I really did feel her pain at the lose of her baby but what she goes on to do is utterly devastating for others. In her mind she is doing the right thing and once she decides on her course of action, it is almost impossible for her to relent and go back on her decision.

The Shawbrook families story is shocking and certainly brings home the absolute horror of war, yet also the ability of a family to carry on and find new love and hope.

An absolutely remarkable story. I was totally drawn in to the stories of these characters. The ups and downs had me in tears and I felt an outright love and in awe for everything they go through. A must read for any Historical war Novel lover. The Stolen Baby stands out a mile as an outstanding story that takes you on an emotional ride through many highs and lows.

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About the Author:
Diney Costeloe divides her time between Somerset and West Cork. She is the author of
twenty-three novels, several short stories, and many articles and poems. She has three
children and seven grandchildren, so when she isn’t writing, she’s busy with family.
dineycosteloe.co.uk @dineycosteloe
For more information please contact: Avneet Bains · avneet@headofzeus.com
Head of Zeus, 5-8 Hardwick Street, London, EC1R 4RG ∙ http://www.headofzeus.com ∙ @HoZ_Books

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Book Review “The Fall” by Evie Hunter

4 STARS

The Fall

Victim or villain?

She’s out of prison…

Lauren Miller has served six years behind bars for a crime she did not commit. Now, with her life in tatters, she is determined to bring those who framed her to justice.

Out for revenge…

Journalist Nate Black is intrigued by Lauren’s story. Is she the innocent victim she claims to be or is there more to her past? Eager to learn more he offers to help Lauren clear her name and bring the real villains to justice.

And running out of time.

But with millions of pounds still missing, Lauren remains the prime suspect…and the main target in an increasingly deadly game. And as Lauren’s plan with Nate reaches its shocking climax, no one knows who will ultimately take the fall…

A nail-biting revenge thriller, perfect for fans of Gemma Rogers, Heather Atkinson and Caro Savage.

REVIEW BY NIKI PRESTON

Danger and Intensity lies around every corner in The Fall. On several occasions I took a sharp intake of breathe and found myself telling Lauren (in my head) “Don’t go in there” She never listened though. Lauren comes across as a very capable, strong woman but as I got to know her character I soon found out there was a huge layer of uncertainty buried deep with in her. Her time in prison has meant that she has created a wall of distrust and its not easy to break that wall down. The rather gorgeous Nate who seemingly comes to her rescue on many occasions finds her pulling him in to her life and all it’s complications. Will he help her get her revenge on her ex partner? Will he ever break down that wall? Does he really believe everything she is telling him? Is his Knight in Shining armour persona really all it’s cracked up to be?

One of the characters I fell for almost straight away is the stray dog who follows Lauren home but soon becomes her greatest ally. He’s a feisty little chap who will not let anyone he distrusts near Lauren. He saves her on a couple of occasions and I felt so proud of him. He is the only one who breaks down Laurens barriers almost immediately and becomes her safety net. He takes to Nate straight away and makes Lauren think he just be trustworthy even though she has reservations about him.

The Fall is definitely for you if you love a good fast paced thriller with many twists and turns along the way. A strong female central character with flaws that make her come across as a genuine individual with the moral strength to get through each and every troublesome day.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3xzyj5V

Author Bio –  Evie Hunter has written a great many successful regency romances as Wendy Soliman and is now redirecting her talents to produce dark gritty thrillers for Boldwood. For the past twenty years she has lived the life of a nomad, roaming the  world on interesting forms of transport, but has now settled back in the UK. Her first female revenge thriller The Fall will be published in September 2021.

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Social Media Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wendy.soliman.author

Twitter https://twitter.com/Wendyswriter

Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/wendy-soliman

Book Review “A Beautiful Spy” by Rachel Hore”

5 STARS

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SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB

A Beautiful Spy

Minnie Gray is an ordinary young woman. She is also a spy for the British government.

It all began in the summer of 1928…

Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference.

Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement.

REVIEW BY NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

A thrilling spy story with an unassuming young woman at its very heart. Minnie is a thoroughly likeable character, quiet, a gentle trusting soul, a girl who would make a loyal friend. She wants to make a difference , want her life to make count for something. She does not want to succumb to what she sees as a life of drudgery, married with a family. She wants so much more than that, however is she ready for this new life that she has been summoned to in London?

Minnie’s outstanding observational skills are second to none which makes her the perfect spy candidate. A beautiful Spy is truly suspenseful, I worried for Minnie on many occasions. She is so trusting that she finds herself being drawn in to ever increasing danger. It is a book that deals with other difficult topics, including Minnie’s own mental health as she struggles to cope in a world that she can not share. She feels in constant turmoil and battles long and hard with the conflict she feels spying on people that she feels have become her friends.

All in all A Beautiful Spy is a phenomenal novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat, willing Minnie to get through her dangerous days and cope with her double life. I highly recommend this novel, if you love a good spy story, full of intrigue, mistrust and genuine danger.

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Untitled-Rachel-Hore-Pa/dp/1471187217

US – https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Spy-Rachel-Hore-ebook/dp/B08955K1RB

Author Bio

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Rachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, where she taught publishing and creative writing at the University of East Anglia until deciding to become a full-time writer. She is the Sunday Times (London) bestselling author of ten novels, including The Love Child. She is married to the writer D.J. Taylor and they have three sons. Visit her at RachelHore.co.uk and connect with her on Twitter @RachelHore.

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Book Review “Snowflakes over The Starfish Café” by Jessica Redland.

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Synopsis, book blurb

Snowflakes Over the Starfish Café

Welcome to The Starfish Café – where you will find stunning views, delicious food and lifelong friendships.

Two broken hearts.

Since she inherited The Starfish Café, Hollie has poured her heart into the business, striving to keep her mother’s traditions and warm-hearted spirit alive. But behind closed doors Hollie is searching for true happiness, as she grieves the tragic loss of her family who were once the beating heart of the café…

An unexpected meeting.

Jake lives by two rules: don’t let anyone get close and don’t talk about what happened. Little does he know that a chance meeting at The Starfish Café, facilitated by a fluffy lost dog, is about to turn his world upside down…

The chance to love again.

Can Hollie and Jake break down the barriers that have been holding them back from finding love and happiness, before Christmas comes around? Afterall, with courage, nothing is impossible…

REVIEW BY NIKI PRESTON

FIVE STARS

This book is one of those that will stay with me for a very long time. Moments that make you smile, moments that make you sigh and moments that actually made my heart hurt.

To me this book is much more that a romance, it is more a life lesson on how to cope with life and all that is throws at you.

The two main characters, Hollie and Jack have both been through huge tragedies that have shaped them and how they are spurred on in their lives to honour the memories of their loved ones, but at what cost to them? They clearly should be and need to be together. They are immensely good for each other but do they ever actually get to that point of trust that means they can fully give each other the chance of a life filled with love? No spoilers from me on this one.

As I just said, I don’t want to give away any spoilers but their is one section of the book that includes a “Rubik’s cube” that moved me to tears. It is simply the best analogy for rebuilding a life that I have ever read.

My advice is, grab yourself a copy, a cuppa, a comfy chair and immerse yourself in this wonderfully written book. It is full of characters that will remind us someone we know, Mrs Sultana is just wonderful, even though she is a background character she and other seemingly background characters have stories that only lend themselves to making this book one of the best I have read. A five star book all the way.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/34I47Zk

Author Bio –  

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Jessica Redland writes uplifting stories of love, friendship, family and community set in Yorkshire where she lives. Her Whitsborough Bay books transport readers to the stunning North Yorkshire Coast and her Hedgehog Hollow series takes them into beautiful countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds.

Social Media Links –  

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Book Review “Lil’s Bus Trip” by Judy Leigh

Lil’s Bus Trip

THE BLURB

It’s always a good time for a road trip…

When 82-year-old Lil decides to book herself, her 65-year-old daughter, Cassie, and her friend Maggie on a bus trip across Europe, she hopes for a little adventure to counteract the monotony of life in sheltered accommodation.

Along with three members of the Salterley Tennis Club and the Jolly Weaver five-a side football team, whose ideas of a good time are rather different to Lil’s and strikingly at odds with each other’s, the merry band of travelers set out on their great adventure.

From moving moments on the beaches of Normandy, outrageous adventures in Amsterdam, to the beauty of Bruges and gastronomic delights of France, the holiday is just the tonic Lil, Maggie and Cassie needed. 

And as the time approaches for them to head home, Lil makes an unexpected discovery – even in her advancing years, men are like buses – there isn’t one for ages then two come along at once. Is Lil ready to share her golden years, and can the ladies embrace the fresh starts that the trip has given them. Or is it just too late to change… 

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3wV7Kr4

REVIEW BY NIKI PRESTON

5 STARS *****

The first thing to say in this review is, oh my goodness what an absolute gem of a book. I was left thinking, I hope, when I reach my 80’s that I am just like Lil. What a woman! She proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that life is for living, age simply does not matter. Judy Leigh writes her characters with a forthright strength that immediately makes you sit up and pay attention. I adored the fact that this marvellous book puts an older woman at its very heart and what a feisty, fun loving woman she is too.

I am not going to whittle on about the themes in the book, like I usually do, this book does not need any bolstering from me. The “Blurb” gives you all the information you need to make you say ” I need to read this”. Suffice it to say its a masterpiece in friendships that are out of the ordinary, a strong bond between mother and daughter, both independent fabulous ladies and there is a potential for love on the horizon, no matter where you are in the world. There are many laugh out loud moments, one that sticks in my mind is a game of strip poker with 3 OAPs who are unwittingly a bit high, well they were in Amsterdam. Its so funny that I’m still chuckling about it. What more could you want in a great read, a bit out of the ordinary, proving that age is just a number and its never to late to take on a new adventure. I loved this book, I would highly highly recommend to anyone and everyone.

Author Bio –

 

Judy Leigh is the bestselling author of A Grand Old Time and The Age of Misadventure and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/judyleighuk

Twitter https://twitter.com/JudyLeighWriter

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Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/judy-leigh