#BookReview for A Wish For Jinnie by Audrey Davis

My review for A Wish For Jinnie by Audrey Davis, 5/5 stars. It also earns a Pink Quill Book Pick badge (click here for more information.)

Have read the author’s Haunting of Hattie Hastings series, I was really looking forward to reading her latest book. She very kindly gave me an ARC, and it didn’t disappoint!

I was grabbed from the first pages, both by the great characters and by the author’s wonderful writing style, full of dry British humour. From Jinnie’s grandma Wilma, a feisty old woman who keeps a copy of Sex After Seventy in her living room, to Dhassim the genie, who loves the Spice Girls and wearing women’s tracksuit bottoms, this book had me chuckling all the way through.

It’s a love story – Jinnie is getting over being dumped by her fiance Mark by starting a new life in a small Scottish town – but it’s also so much more. It’s a story of ordinary people struggling to get by, dealing with dementia, and divorce, and loneliness. But most of all it’s a story of hope, of believing that something better could be just around the corner, and that maybe what we want isn’t as important as helping others.

The characters are people you meet every day, from all walks of life – we’ve all known a Jo or a Janette. I loved this wonderful, feel-good story with a dash of magic, and I can guarantee it will warm your heart and leave you yearning for more!

Well-written, with touching moments as well as plenty of humour, I highly recommend this book!

You can preorder it now, and read it from the 22nd June:

getbook.at/AWishForJinnie

https://books2read.com/u/4N9kr6

https://www.kobo.com/ebook/a-wish-for-jinnie

#BookReview for Passions & Peonies by Kristina Beck

My review for Passions & Peonies by Kristina Beck, 5/5 stars. It also earns a Pink Quill Book Pick badge (click here for more information.)

I love this new series by Kristina Beck! These feel-good stories have the ups and downs of real life, interspersed with humour, poignant moments, and lots of romance. (And just look at that cover – gorgeous!)

Lacey is such a great character – bubbly and fun-loving, but vulnerable too beneath the surface. Her tendency to be clumsy adds some wonderful moments to the story! And who wouldn’t fall in love with Will?! Sexy, serious, with eyes only for the girl he falls in love with…

With only one glorious week together before it’s time to return to reality, the story keeps you enthralled and wondering how it’s all going to finish. Highly recommend.

Amazon US
Amazon UK

#BookReview for 2000 Tunes by Karl Drinkwater

My review for 2000 Tunes by Karl Drinkwater, 5/5 stars (would be more if I could!). It also earns a Pink Quill Book Pick badge (click here for more information.)

Where do I start with this book? I’ve read most of Karl Drinkwater’s books and loved them all, but this one has to be my favourite so far.

It’s like taking a trip back in time, revisiting old friends and old haunts. I’ve never been to Manchester, but the way he pulls you into each setting, you feel like you’ve lived there yourself. The characters are so well written, so well developed, so realistic, that you feel as if you’re there with them, living their lives with them.

Sam and Mark are two completely different people, leading separate lives, the only thing in common is the place where they work. And the fact that they are two deeply vulnerable people, struggling to find their place in the world, despite everything that keeps knocking them down. We’re pulled into their lives right from the start, as Sam mourns the death of her grandmother, and Mark mourns the demise of The Hacienda, and walk beside them as their lives slowly entwine.

There are other characters, each adding extra depth and richness to the story: Emily, Sam’s vibrant, fun-loving friend with a heart of gold; Roger, the office creep (we’ve all known one of them!); Rene, the misunderstood boss who’s the butt of everyone’s jokes; and Ben and Dave, two colleagues who become Mark’s first real friends.

And there’s the music, which weaves itself around the threads of the story, evoking memories from those long-gone years. Even if you weren’t into the indie groups of the time, Mark’s passion (and the author’s) for his music gets into your soul.

The ending doesn’t disappoint either – not too long and dragged out, not so short it leaves you wanting more. It’s just perfect.

There are so many wonderful parts to this story, so many little scenes that keep popping into my head even after I’ve finished reading it, as if they’re my memories now, not something I read. It’s going to stay with me for a long time. Highly recommend!

Amazon US
Amazon UK

#BookReview for The Black Fire Chronicles: One Magical Day by Kim Rigby, and Amélie by Lisa Hofmann

My review for The Black Fire Chronicles: One Magical Day (Prologue) by Kim Rigby, 5/5 stars.

What a great addition to the Black Fire Chronicles! The author takes us back to the magical day when Andrew and Ralph meet for the first time, but there’s a dark entity out to stop this ever happening.

We get to see more of Andrew’s parents, and Dorothy and the hare pop up too in this exciting prequel to the series. With plenty of action and some insights to the rest of the series, it’s a great read for children and adults alike. Highly recommend.

Amazon US
Amazon UK

 

My review for Amélie by Lisa Hofmann, 5/5 stars.

What I love about Lisa Hofmann’s short stories is that you are drawn into the story straight away, as if you’ve been a part of the story from the beginning.

I could picture the castle, feel the terror of the siege, the desperation of the people, and sympathise with Amélie’s distress at having to leave her sick mother.

With a touch of magic and a promise of love, this short story will remain with you for a long time after reading it. Highly recommend.

Amazon US
Amazon UK

Free children’s books!

A few days ago, Sarah Northwood and I launched our new book, Unicorns, Mermaids, and Magical Tales, and were delighted to hit the number one spot in the UK and US! Our website is getting visitors every day too, and many people have already downloaded the free activities for kids.

We’re both mums, and we know how difficult it is to keep kids entertained in normal times, let alone now, so we decided to make our book free for 3 days! With magical poems and short stories, it will (hopefully) keep them quiet for a while!

You can download it here:

getbook.at/MagicalTales

I’ve also put Adventure in Malasorte Castle free, and Dreamland is only 99c/99p. Enjoy!

You can download them here:

getbook.at/MalasorteCastle

books2read.com/Dreamlands

 

#BookReview for The Runaway by Linda Huber

My review for The Runaway by Linda Huber, 5/5 stars. It also earns a Pink Quill Book Pick badge (click here for more information.)

What can I say? I’ve read quite a few books by Linda Huber, starting with The Cold Cold Sea, which my husband bought me for my birthday a couple of years ago. Since then, I’ve become quite a fan. She kindly gave me an ARC of The Runaway, and I loved it!

Nicola, Ed, and Kelly are such relatable characters, and you immediately feel like you’ve known them forever. Nicola is a stressed-out mum, trying to juggle work and family life in London, Kelly is a teenager, going through a turbulent time and opposed to any change, and Ed is the quiet one, keeping himself to himself. Everything ticks along nicely, until Ed’s mother dies and he inherits her house down in Cornwall.

For a while you don’t know where the story is going to take you, then all of a sudden you’re in the middle of every parent’s deepest fear. The tension pulls you along, keeping you enthralled as the story develops. The scenes where Nicola is trawling the streets of London are heartwrenching, and so well written!

I’m not going to give anything away, but I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished. There were so many missed chances, so many “Noooo!” moments, and a scene towards the end that will have your heart in your mouth as you beg her not to do it.

A great psychological thriller I highly recommend!

Amazon US
Amazon UK

Publication Day|Unicorns,Mermaids and Magical Tales|Julia E Clements & Sarah Northwood

A fantastic article all about our new children’s book and website!

CookingTheBooks

I am excited to share with you this wonderful collaborative book for children aged 8-12 and adults alike. This is a jam-packed post showcasing the wordly talents of two brilliant Indie authors by sharing with you a few snippets, the wonderful website that has lots of lovely colouring pages, games and other magical things and my review. So please join me in celebrating their new book release. Enjoy!

First up the blurb and purchase link(s)

Blurb

Step into a world of enchanted forests and magical creatures, where every page takes the reader on a wondrous journey. Incredible realms await, with unicorns, fairies, mermaids, and dragons, and so much more. Together with beautiful illustrations, this collection of short stories and poems will capture the hearts of children of all ages and transport them on a magical adventure. A fairy stuck in a wishing well. A mermaid who can’t swim. A girl…

View original post 570 more words

#Unicorns, #mermaids, and so much more!

About six months ago, Sarah Northwood and I decided to write a children’s book together. You can see the cover reveal and read about it here.

The book, Unicorns, Mermaids, and Magical Tales, is now with our beta readers, and initial feedback is wonderful!

“There are so many beautiful passages throughout, life lessons for young children hidden within the stories, and some lovely advice (kindness, courage) as well.”

“I love the short stories, perfect for a bedtime story each night, with lots to spark the imagination of little ones (and grown ups too!)”

We now have a publishing date! The paperback will be available from the 15th March. The ebook will be available to pre-order the same day at the special low price of 99c/99p, and will be published on the 31st March.

We’ve also created a website where you can find lots of fun activities for children, with puzzles, word searches, and beautiful hand-drawn pictures to download and colour in. We’d love to see your children’s creations and show them off on the site!

Visit the site

Take a look and let me know what you think!

We’re very proud of this book, with its beautiful illustrations, poems, and short stories that we hope children will love and treasure for years to come. I hope we’ll write more books together in the future!

Book Review|The Madness|Helen Pryke

A great review for The Madness by Cooking The Books!

CookingTheBooks

I always love it when Helen produces a new book, regardless of length. This creepy short story is her latest offering. Available on Amazon or free if you sign up to her newsletter. Links at the end!

The Madness Published 10th February 2020 Publisher Self published (KDP)Pink Quill Books Edition Kindle 29 pages GenreHorror/Thriller PurchaseLink Https://books2read.com/TheMadness
Blurb
I fear for my sanity. The shadows speak to me, telling me their secrets, terrible secrets I don’t want to hear. The mirrors are worse, for there I see their faces.

When Nick and Anita inherit Belton Manor, they can’t wait to start restoring it to its former glory.

They don’t know it was built on the site of an asylum for the insane.

Anita hears voices whispering in her ear and sees shadows where no shadow should be. Then the nightmares begin.

Belton Manor hides a secret. A secret that…

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