tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63040796899135299922024-03-03T08:23:51.516+00:00Life of a Nerdish MumNerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.comBlogger392125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-86733960724406415882022-12-02T11:38:00.001+00:002022-12-02T11:38:40.701+00:00The Family Tree Mystery by Peter Bartram - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtrUHQR4NHimVb4as7G4GoZPJJsVkdzcaakaVGNcgJNzuzhAljMa6k08aknUX6Okejr3zGfxrZYMxOayeVOdWuB7JxCXNt-j2qH0OduGdDcxARW3mVeaf6Hu4D7EXkqPBb0q1ajo2nWwMezeqQg-KhDqlEQ6S69Fy4or_Qp9-xCPmaVJkQca9PpDm/s1280/Family%20Tree%20Mystery%20Cover%20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtrUHQR4NHimVb4as7G4GoZPJJsVkdzcaakaVGNcgJNzuzhAljMa6k08aknUX6Okejr3zGfxrZYMxOayeVOdWuB7JxCXNt-j2qH0OduGdDcxARW3mVeaf6Hu4D7EXkqPBb0q1ajo2nWwMezeqQg-KhDqlEQ6S69Fy4or_Qp9-xCPmaVJkQca9PpDm/s320/Family%20Tree%20Mystery%20Cover%20.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on Life of a Nerdish Mum I am excited to be sharing my review of Peter Bartram's latest Colin Crampton mystery. I also get to share a juicy extract to tempt you in more! A big thank you to Peter for wanting me along on this tour and Anne of Ranom Things Tours as always. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Family Tree Mystery </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Brighton crime reporter Colin Crampton gets on the trail of a big story when Hobart Birtwhistle, a distant relative of feisty model Shirley Goldsmith, is mysteriously murdered.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Colin and Shirley team up to investigate the case. Spiky history don, Victoria Nettlebed, suggests the mystery may lie a century earlier in the life of an Australian gold prospector… and the death of his partner.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">But does Nettlebed know more than she’s telling? And why did cockney metals trader Lionel Bruce meet Birtwhistle days before his death?</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Shirley wants Colin to track down her long-lost relatives. But more murders bring the threat closer to home. The pair tangle with London East End gangsters, an eccentric Scottish lord, and a team of women cricketers in their hunt for the truth.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">There are laughs alongside the action as Colin and Shirley uncover the shocking secrets of the family tree. And Shirley has one last surprise for Colin.</span></span></div><br /><p></p><p><b>My Review</b></p><p>I always look forward to picking up a Colin Crampton mystery, Peter's writing is so warm and inviting that it makes me feel like my best friend is telling me a really interesting story. The setting of the 60's, as I have said before and will say again is a character all by itself. It's not in your face, but it's so natural and it doesn't feel forced when people use things that were normal in that era. Solving mysteries took skill, patience and time, there was no nipping on google or sending a quick email. Agood phone voice was definitely an asset.</p><p>Colin and Shirley are so cute and I really enjoy their relationship as it evolves through the story an across the books. Shirley is so strong and independant, but she needs Colin in her own way. Colin, always the awkward charmer will do anything for her. Maybe the mysteries should now be Crampton and Goldsmith mysteries? The additional characters in The Family Tree Mystery all have wonderfully wacky, but realistic names as always and their character development is on point, even when they are only smaller supporting characters. </p><p>The plot and murders are done with the usual class and don't take away from the cosy tone of the story. It had me guessing a long time with the clever writing. The final plot reveal made me squeal so loud. Long time readers of the Crampton mysteries will be very, very happy! </p><p>I fully loved reading Peter Bartram's newest mystery and as always I will eagerly wait in anticipation for the next in the series! </p><p>I gave this book a big 5 stars.</p><p><b>Sneaky Extract</b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brighton crime reporter Colin Crampton has had one of those<br />days. First, one of his girlfriend’s relatives was murdered.<br />Then his news editor has been on his back for more scoops.<br />And, finally, when he arrives back at his lodgings, his<br />landlady, Beatrice “the Widow” Gribble, wants a big favour.<br />Now read on…</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It was almost midnight by the time I arrived back at my<br />lodgings.<br />I had a suite of rooms on the top floor of a house in<br />Regency Square. “Suite” sounds a bit posh. There was a small<br />sitting room with squeaky floorboards. There was a bathroom<br />where the cold tap dripped. And there was a bedroom tucked<br />under the eaves, where I lie awake at night listening to the<br />seagulls scrabbling around on the roof.<br />The place was presided over by Mrs Beatrice Gribble, known<br />to her tenants (behind her back) as the Widow. Her husband<br />Hector had expired, probably from boredom, a few years<br />earlier. There was a photo of him on the mantelpiece in the<br />Widow’s parlour. He looked like he wanted nothing so much as<br />the earth to swallow him up.<br />After Hector’s death, the Widow was faced with keeping a<br />five-storey house going without any income. So reluctantly,<br />she turned to the landlady game. She got her own back by<br />making her tenants’ lives a constant battle for sanity – not<br />least in my case.<br />I inserted my key in the lock and turned it silently. As I<br />opened the front door, I applied a well-practised upward force<br />to the handle to stop the hinges creaking. I closed the door<br />behind me and crept towards the stairs.<br />I had my foot on the first tread when the Widow shot out of<br />her parlour. She was wearing a royal-blue quilted dressing<br />gown that came down to her ankles and pink pom-pom slippers.<br />She’d put her hair in curlers under some sort of net<br />arrangement. She’d smothered white cream on her face so she<br />looked like the lead in The Ghost and Mrs Muir. On second<br />thoughts, perhaps not. In the film, the ghost was played by<br />Rex Harrison wearing a full beard. The Widow only had a thin<br />moustache along her upper lip.<br />She said in the ingratiating tone she usually saved for<br />titled ladies and bank managers: “Mr Crampton, you’re a man of<br />the world.”<br />I said: “Actually, I’m an alien from Mars and I’m just<br />going back to my mother ship to sleep.”<br />The Widow’s face cracked into what may have been a smile.<br />“You know I don’t have aliens here. Or travelling salesmen.”<br />“I thought we were missing something good.”<br />“Can you spare a minute?”<br />“As days on Mars are thirty-nine minutes longer than Earth,<br />I suppose I might manage one.”<br />It was usually quicker to let the Widow have her say.<br />The Widow said: “My cousin Christine in Solihull has passed<br />on.”<br />“You’d told me before she was moving to Cleethorpes.”<br />“She’s been called to a higher place.”<br />“Skegness?”<br />“Mr Crampton, Christine is dead.”<br />“She’ll have to cancel the Cleethorpes move, then.”<br />“And now there are arguments about who should inherit her<br />portrait of Lady Amelia Fogge? It’s by that artist who sounds<br />as though he was in the army. Corporal, was it?”<br />“Do you mean Sargent?”<br />“Yes, I think he was the brush twiddler.”<br />John Singer Sargent was more than a brush twiddler. He’d<br />been a top player in the paint-your-portrait game. Everybody<br />who was anybody in Edwardian society at the turn of the<br />century had their ugly mug slapped on a canvas by Sargent in<br />his finest oils. Now he was long dead, a decent portrait by<br />him could easily sell for twenty or thirty thousand pounds. No<br />wonder the Widow wanted to get her grubby fingers on it.<br />I said: “Surely, Christine’s will sets out who gets the<br />picture.”<br />“She didn’t have a will.”<br />“She died intestate?”<br />“No, in a nursing home.”<br />“If there’s no will, her goods and chattels go to her next<br />of kin. Is that you?”<br />“It could be.”<br />“What relation were you to Christine?”<br />“Sort of a cousin.”<br />“What sort?”<br />“The sort that couldn’t stand her. She always had her nose<br />stuck in the air. The type that thinks she’s better than<br />anyone else.”<br />“You didn’t like her but you want her picture,” I said.<br />“Isn’t that just a teensy-weensy bit hypocritical?”<br />“I didn’t say I didn’t like the picture.”<br />I shrugged. “Well, I can’t see why you need my help.”<br />“Because Christine kept the picture in a vault. A bank<br />vault. I rang up the bank manager today, but he wouldn’t let<br />me have it. I want you to write him a letter. On my behalf.”<br />“Much better you do it yourself.”<br />“I wouldn’t know what to say – how to put it right. You<br />have a way with words.”<br />The Widow gave me a big blousy wink. “There’d be something<br />in it for you,” she said. “That new rug for your bedroom<br />you’ve been going on about.”<br />I staged a long yawn to show how unimpressed I was. “I’ll<br />think about it,” I said.<br />I powered up the stairs. Behind me, I heard the Widow slam<br />the door to her parlour.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />* The Family Tree Mystery, book 7 in the Deadline Murder<br />series, by Peter Bartram, is available as a paperback (£8.99)<br />or e-book for Kindle (£2.99 until 31 December, then £4.99)<br />from: <a href="https://mybook.to/the-family-tree-mystery-kindle">https://mybook.to/the-family-tree-mystery-kindle</a></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">A</span>bout the Author</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaf_VMx-RsTxjHN0Y-3ZShPdkXoIDYNqots7AaM45GAhMlDPuKqQhIeGRVLD5a7rIda8LtY2BmEkWBAgHiVx0gnebNerWonpFAiewHKdHzyRffkxkACt-6x2kk-WfReN5K50ORww_BUh5VhzeIZ_j2bwj0pBS6D9sHFaI3N9e6chEtR2iAYv-S3NJo/s960/Peter%20Bartram%20Author%20Picture%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaf_VMx-RsTxjHN0Y-3ZShPdkXoIDYNqots7AaM45GAhMlDPuKqQhIeGRVLD5a7rIda8LtY2BmEkWBAgHiVx0gnebNerWonpFAiewHKdHzyRffkxkACt-6x2kk-WfReN5K50ORww_BUh5VhzeIZ_j2bwj0pBS6D9sHFaI3N9e6chEtR2iAYv-S3NJo/s320/Peter%20Bartram%20Author%20Picture%20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Peter Bartram brings years of experience as a journalist to his Crampton of the Chronicle crime</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">mystery series. His novels are fast-paced and humorous - the action is matched by the laughs.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The books feature a host of colourful characters as befits stories set in Brighton, one of Britain&#39;s</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">most trend-setting towns.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can download Murder in Capital Letters, a free book in the series, for your Kindle from</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">www.colincrampton.com </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Peter began his career as a reporter on a local weekly newspaper before editing newspapers and</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">magazines in London, England and, finally, becoming freelance. He has done most things in</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">journalism from door-stepping for quotes to writing serious editorials. He’s pursued stories in</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">locations as diverse as 700-feet down a coal mine and a courtier’s chambers at Buckingham</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Palace. Peter is a member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers Association.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Follow Peter on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/peterbartramauthor">http://www.facebook.com/peterbartramauthor</a> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterFBartram?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">@PeterFBartram</a></span></div></div><p><b>Don't Forget to Check Out the Rest of the Tour</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERqETzfZn4iIFxUOWbJvA9mVToQr8QVJW-46-VKg7LScRfNgrXTQ0gC0J6nHtu3MkfInVZ15eHJ00BsJCWCcxSBpa2lgUjpVvucrPQNaFqWBB_wkHGhubxNMHGd-N3di0Zoc375s_rpMHDuyOdzv5RA846ZDdewS-IymcmLcnQTuHiA74z7Qc5HBZ/s1280/The%20Family%20Tree%20BT%20Poster%20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1280" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERqETzfZn4iIFxUOWbJvA9mVToQr8QVJW-46-VKg7LScRfNgrXTQ0gC0J6nHtu3MkfInVZ15eHJ00BsJCWCcxSBpa2lgUjpVvucrPQNaFqWBB_wkHGhubxNMHGd-N3di0Zoc375s_rpMHDuyOdzv5RA846ZDdewS-IymcmLcnQTuHiA74z7Qc5HBZ/s320/The%20Family%20Tree%20BT%20Poster%20.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-44940652763302278282022-04-14T18:05:00.000+01:002022-04-14T18:05:26.639+01:00The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyctQX03p0-Ht73o3De9Y4yhzAy7ih5BR0hLjKXQGRKNtYsjACh3BCugcHYdpg9luhkYEl--CmkocjQy7nTHL6DVxZqHGKBjCc4Gwtk7OZYSoVdyDzxyjgDHkdpa6stoVQuvwYlCiMFxg3nQkQN4-MBIWq-3yrGgJ1XjD73XIncPX0lseHhzl-zxSN/s2409/The%20Rabbit%20Factor%20Final%20Jpeg%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2409" data-original-width="1559" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyctQX03p0-Ht73o3De9Y4yhzAy7ih5BR0hLjKXQGRKNtYsjACh3BCugcHYdpg9luhkYEl--CmkocjQy7nTHL6DVxZqHGKBjCc4Gwtk7OZYSoVdyDzxyjgDHkdpa6stoVQuvwYlCiMFxg3nQkQN4-MBIWq-3yrGgJ1XjD73XIncPX0lseHhzl-zxSN/s320/The%20Rabbit%20Factor%20Final%20Jpeg%20(1).jpg" width="207" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on Life Of A Nerdish Mum I'm so happy to be back in the warm embrace of an Orenda Books and Random Things book tour! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am kicking off the tour for The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen with my review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Rabbit Factor</b></div><p dir="ltr">An insurance mathematician’s carefully ordered life is turned on its head when he unexpectedly loses his job and inherits an adventure park … with a whole host of problems. A quirky, tense and warmly funny thriller from award-winning Finnish author Antti Tuomainen.</p>
<p dir="ltr">What makes life perfect? Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen knows the answer because he calculates everything down to the very last decimal.</p>
<p dir="ltr">And then, for the first time, Henri is faced with the incalculable. After suddenly losing his job, Henri inherits an adventure park from his brother – its peculiar employees and troubling financial problems included. The worst of the financial issues appear to originate from big loans taken from criminal quarters … and some dangerous men are very keen to get their money back.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But what Henri really can’t compute is love. In the adventure park, Henri crosses paths with Laura, an artist with a chequered past, and a joie de vivre and erratic lifestyle that bewilders him. As the criminals go to extreme lengths to collect their debts and as Henri's relationship with Laura deepens, he finds himself faced with situations and emotions that simply cannot be pinned down on his spreadsheets…</p><p dir="ltr"><br /></p><p dir="ltr"><b>My Review</b> </p><p dir="ltr">Going in to reading The Rabbit Factor I already knew that I would enjoy the writing style as I have read and enjoy Antti Tuomainen's writing before. It didn't disappoint and his clever sense of humour shone through this smoothly written book. </p><p dir="ltr">As there is a mystery to the story, I won't be talking too much about the plot line. However I would be remiss if I didn't mention how incredibly well woven the tale was and the pacing of the writing matched what was happening during each chapter. It wasn't a heart pounding race to the end, and that really worked with developing the character of Henri and the background of the adventure park (not amusement park). </p><p dir="ltr">Henri is truly wonderful and I found very likeable. The way he tries to deal with things so logically and that while it occasionally works, he shows so much growth throughout the book and develops a wider range of methods. He shows both through his dealing with out of the box situations and a romance that he's not what anyone, including himself, would expect. </p><p dir="ltr">Overall an absolute pleasure to read and I'll definitely be continuing to read anything by Antti Tuomainen. I gave this book five stars. </p><p dir="ltr"><b>About The Author</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RGukVKYFRgPa7UTI-PzpYzfVyb-6NOtUqw51mum0zCQ9DwTWyWDXPL9CI9Z8stHQwlcNhBVdkvZW9_zT8B0wTC3Xa3oiVUW26L_UKYwPho0030LQgxscTF1JTdc3IXEYWlcYfBDkHMIUkgSy4MGOx9_oRYvMERu0gHSqGMR716T6M24DMFTwfOvS/s3404/Antti-Tuomainen.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3404" data-original-width="2551" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RGukVKYFRgPa7UTI-PzpYzfVyb-6NOtUqw51mum0zCQ9DwTWyWDXPL9CI9Z8stHQwlcNhBVdkvZW9_zT8B0wTC3Xa3oiVUW26L_UKYwPho0030LQgxscTF1JTdc3IXEYWlcYfBDkHMIUkgSy4MGOx9_oRYvMERu0gHSqGMR716T6M24DMFTwfOvS/s320/Antti-Tuomainen.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author Iin 2013, the Finnish press crowned
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tuomainen the ‘King of Helsinki Noir’ when Dark as My Heart was published.
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">the Scandinavian crime genre formula, and his poignant, dark and hilarious The
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Man Who Died became an international bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and Last Laugh Awards. Palm Beach Finland was an immense success, with
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Marcel Berlins (The Times) calling Tuomainen ‘the funniest writer in Europe’. His
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">latest thriller, Little Siberia, was shortlisted for the CWA International Dagger, the
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Amazon Publishing/Capital Crime Awards and the CrimeFest Last Laugh Award,
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and won the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian<b> </b>Crime Novel of the Year.</div><b><br /></b><p dir="ltr"><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIfULwERT9qn0k73Mc6GyV2dZXYKxmj3467BU2ve2ResYATPIJ05ZIa8ZLG30h2KBwhhk0kYnTQb-IdqY8alZvPQDQXAlM8wYzIV8vDsGzUa74WEkEb6s4L-tAI-WCgDoHfEFN--fh7aYhP3nNtUMjmwHxGVS_i0rBaLpMtsq9xs3NQs9SRqO4AeP/s2245/The%20Rabbit%20Factor%20paperback%20blog%20tour%20banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2245" data-original-width="1587" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIfULwERT9qn0k73Mc6GyV2dZXYKxmj3467BU2ve2ResYATPIJ05ZIa8ZLG30h2KBwhhk0kYnTQb-IdqY8alZvPQDQXAlM8wYzIV8vDsGzUa74WEkEb6s4L-tAI-WCgDoHfEFN--fh7aYhP3nNtUMjmwHxGVS_i0rBaLpMtsq9xs3NQs9SRqO4AeP/s320/The%20Rabbit%20Factor%20paperback%20blog%20tour%20banner.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr"><br /></p><p></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-2410213849977079352022-04-02T17:30:00.002+01:002022-04-02T17:30:47.835+01:00A Very Alice Easter <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qDMYueXZz6FS185TrYcsgECQ8T1J_nWuSRAtcl8tyBrQm-MR_gmVKCLQCEYQVwHgDoCpr-N1HG-jKNbyJqC8fOWR4DuCCgM9ux_ALY62fkqLZGinkrGbZiQyfTMhMoEEAdNOBTf9sI5SemEC9AJ234IidLmCFlzJxuwu1vxs2Yq3zRT03fdmsYIO/s4032/PXL_20220402_094557717.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qDMYueXZz6FS185TrYcsgECQ8T1J_nWuSRAtcl8tyBrQm-MR_gmVKCLQCEYQVwHgDoCpr-N1HG-jKNbyJqC8fOWR4DuCCgM9ux_ALY62fkqLZGinkrGbZiQyfTMhMoEEAdNOBTf9sI5SemEC9AJ234IidLmCFlzJxuwu1vxs2Yq3zRT03fdmsYIO/s320/PXL_20220402_094557717.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Blackburn BID are hosting an Easter Wonderland Adventure and today kicked off the Easter and half term activities in the town centre.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The themed trails are always a huge hit with the kids and this Alice in Wonderland trail was most definitely one of the best ones we've been to. Because it was the first day, there were characters around who you could meet and intereact with. They also gave special words as clues to complete a phrase in the trail booklet. When this was completed, the kids both got an easter lolly for getting it right. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We decided to visit all the characters first before going on the decorated egg hunt, the characters we met were...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>Alice</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rw7Eh02OgioarZyUMz1OOS-CjW0h6Q8N-oSr4P364BiARbwkKStrwtPP1aRL9NhNpFkG0MZ94R0xHJ5rVKrg1qcuqx9l2L31Tx4HIw61aswuU69MtF8S0U-mSDYvPgvduRHvJSZ8ijE-w4uLT6Xr_o8wHl1sfp592eArrA5EbdszrIzzx7-pzNPI/s4032/PXL_20220402_095400136.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rw7Eh02OgioarZyUMz1OOS-CjW0h6Q8N-oSr4P364BiARbwkKStrwtPP1aRL9NhNpFkG0MZ94R0xHJ5rVKrg1qcuqx9l2L31Tx4HIw61aswuU69MtF8S0U-mSDYvPgvduRHvJSZ8ijE-w4uLT6Xr_o8wHl1sfp592eArrA5EbdszrIzzx7-pzNPI/s320/PXL_20220402_095400136.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We met Alice first and she was absolutely wonderful. She was in the Mall and was having a round of pin the smile on the Cheshire Cat with the kids. Thea put her smile on almost perfectly and Tristan made it look like it was wearing a hat. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>The Mad Hatter</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4b4QIx0qIWcRU7lKlGBKsM1Gkc2_Q471fH0bs_IOl6G-4DSZE6EN9I7kk9IftlhBZeF_9v8rl0y-u3xlO7Daxdi4j8aW75jeLSyfB99DTwn8zlfTjLA8Swfu8izEWeMLPc44y72TQe_-x-tha7rvwI5-mj7gDNXlnSRUT2BH5gEbvqKLI36jEPfT0/s4032/PXL_20220402_100914084.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4b4QIx0qIWcRU7lKlGBKsM1Gkc2_Q471fH0bs_IOl6G-4DSZE6EN9I7kk9IftlhBZeF_9v8rl0y-u3xlO7Daxdi4j8aW75jeLSyfB99DTwn8zlfTjLA8Swfu8izEWeMLPc44y72TQe_-x-tha7rvwI5-mj7gDNXlnSRUT2BH5gEbvqKLI36jEPfT0/s320/PXL_20220402_100914084.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>We found the Mad Hatter down a rabbit hole in Mad Hatters Cupcakes and Tearooms. He was as mad as a box of frogs and had riddles for the kids to solve. Thea wasn't a big fan and left, but came back with the added bravery of a marshmellow lolly. Tristan thought he was brilliant and solved his riddle to get the word clue. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>The Queen of Hearts</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbsHm4j1QZeNC_Uy2yDFVu9JST3_onD1KMq41kegqhHdb3D_h7iinXBRDpHu38Jz0OQD8hLZRBtIT42FZTxEV5MEeH4FpPfp66bhMBkrFWyJFDuC9GYURh1bCHMtdpOT6zk986qAT8RVZcVRlmx8XZyw1yY47c9AZgYj75SRVl-9PB0mP8rtxSO4-/s2881/PXL_20220402_103038337.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2881" data-original-width="1456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbsHm4j1QZeNC_Uy2yDFVu9JST3_onD1KMq41kegqhHdb3D_h7iinXBRDpHu38Jz0OQD8hLZRBtIT42FZTxEV5MEeH4FpPfp66bhMBkrFWyJFDuC9GYURh1bCHMtdpOT6zk986qAT8RVZcVRlmx8XZyw1yY47c9AZgYj75SRVl-9PB0mP8rtxSO4-/s320/PXL_20220402_103038337.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" width="162" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">My favourite character and costume! The Queen was outside of the cathedral and the kids managed to have a game of croquet with her without losing either of their heads! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>The King of Hearts</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6f59K9qF1mQjVGFt6A7QGll6EpwyK_ZKlWrMiXhlCN97eXg_AB1yf1FWUwIn3ZZHvI6p93cZBqxDh1awRDHvz_j-0JQW_gNN14ZWR33_yfIun2Hx3TlYdY7QwAbpJ5O1GDAx2FcayPvFlKkHOt8OqYzls9EJNDXDIgKkJl7DiQi6s5NWRiCor521k/s4032/PXL_20220402_103715638.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6f59K9qF1mQjVGFt6A7QGll6EpwyK_ZKlWrMiXhlCN97eXg_AB1yf1FWUwIn3ZZHvI6p93cZBqxDh1awRDHvz_j-0JQW_gNN14ZWR33_yfIun2Hx3TlYdY7QwAbpJ5O1GDAx2FcayPvFlKkHOt8OqYzls9EJNDXDIgKkJl7DiQi6s5NWRiCor521k/s320/PXL_20220402_103715638.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The King of Hearts was avoiding his wife and hiding out in Geek Retreat. He was busy playing memory games. I absolutely loved the giant cards and the kids were so happy finding pairs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>The White Rabbit </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbzYEZfbsSmWJB7IcXTxsMeVoU0FJNvoW09tbRy8Ak32vFwq9iaGZXSCua5u78cOFX3JmoXcTsH9QEa6qCV9SLnymTm_MNW4DVCGmtjaSo4iLRSf-D7PSohsgQM0Am8S-dTDw3WWUFL_ED_SoKxcl8Bbs5jPGelWdl_kF9uioOQeXJUsrdj6bCxcT/s3610/PXL_20220402_104153109.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3610" data-original-width="2816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbzYEZfbsSmWJB7IcXTxsMeVoU0FJNvoW09tbRy8Ak32vFwq9iaGZXSCua5u78cOFX3JmoXcTsH9QEa6qCV9SLnymTm_MNW4DVCGmtjaSo4iLRSf-D7PSohsgQM0Am8S-dTDw3WWUFL_ED_SoKxcl8Bbs5jPGelWdl_kF9uioOQeXJUsrdj6bCxcT/s320/PXL_20220402_104153109.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>The White Rabbit was celebrating one of their many Un-Birthdays in the market. Thea decided she had a lot of Un-Birthdays too and both kids managed to solve the riddle for our last word clue. <p></p><p>Once we'd met all the characters, we stopped for a bit of dinner and then went on the easter egg hunt. There are 9 eggs hidden around the town centre that have all been decorated by local schools. Each one has information about it and the answers to the questions in the trail booklet. Tristan's favourite thing to do is a treasure hunt/trail, so he was really happy using the map to figure out where all the eggs were. I got confused by the map and used the list of places instead! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSOj69MYsCceUD_CxjTMxTzQoy1_qw1ur8BNfRG45SAIuIZmTp9JVKBRL76a6gRYJgT-LHwPa6gyaVt8A7BSAoGquLUQabr1G9eEs3OaWbH-TjM_qmqoRUv-6HZJoDs8vK75lQQScl5VHV5VjM1qO0zXf6D8uSytWMEAEgBckZHTdQaV8VgzQWHP0/s4032/PXL_20220402_101258774.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSOj69MYsCceUD_CxjTMxTzQoy1_qw1ur8BNfRG45SAIuIZmTp9JVKBRL76a6gRYJgT-LHwPa6gyaVt8A7BSAoGquLUQabr1G9eEs3OaWbH-TjM_qmqoRUv-6HZJoDs8vK75lQQScl5VHV5VjM1qO0zXf6D8uSytWMEAEgBckZHTdQaV8VgzQWHP0/s320/PXL_20220402_101258774.PORTRAIT_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>The egg hunt is on till the 16th of April and there's a chance to win £100 in vouchers if you fill in the trail booklet questions and hand back in at the Ask Me point in the Mall. There are also activites on daily which all look really fun, so I'm sure we'll be back another day to check them out.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0F6rkLV5AJr-5Wiq2YIEpvEfjd6mksRh0pVfTlisErN_y-vigvz_chse-lMggKwWltQdb16pfMUOdFsBSQBmPApbAtWvaQLwxNcIKjx59LQqkBuaVokomzNAR0xFUgzmFIdCwfQRO9JmAz76xRJAkBRlqbvzq19T31yhs18AP9rw4NaMVLaBSuGG/s4032/PXL_20220402_161339186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0F6rkLV5AJr-5Wiq2YIEpvEfjd6mksRh0pVfTlisErN_y-vigvz_chse-lMggKwWltQdb16pfMUOdFsBSQBmPApbAtWvaQLwxNcIKjx59LQqkBuaVokomzNAR0xFUgzmFIdCwfQRO9JmAz76xRJAkBRlqbvzq19T31yhs18AP9rw4NaMVLaBSuGG/s320/PXL_20220402_161339186.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-59440903421063049362021-09-15T13:39:00.002+01:002021-09-15T13:39:37.390+01:00The Lion And The Unicorn by Tom Ward - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkKLRMAAJ-Ran-XLwWV7-IVzGgcbWPT-ZSAGWVomTqF2-nm_9oJv3v8m9igZbBx1TKpKd-0v8DdI5j6gncma6XV4Q4e3Mh4uGQEA3PGVhXbPwYfyt6JctQj7vpOgp-4U307wuQFuvyYI/s500/The+Lion+and.+the+Unicorn+Cover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkKLRMAAJ-Ran-XLwWV7-IVzGgcbWPT-ZSAGWVomTqF2-nm_9oJv3v8m9igZbBx1TKpKd-0v8DdI5j6gncma6XV4Q4e3Mh4uGQEA3PGVhXbPwYfyt6JctQj7vpOgp-4U307wuQFuvyYI/s320/The+Lion+and.+the+Unicorn+Cover.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on Life Of A Nerdish Mum I'm closing out the blog tour for The Lion And The Unicorn by Tom Ward. A big thank you to both the author and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Lion And The Unicorn</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">London, 2054. After a devastating global pandemic and a bloody revolution,
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Britain’s new government imposes peace by stringently dictating the nation’s
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">cultural intake. In the quest to create better citizens, everything from the
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">television we watch to the clothes we wear is strictly policed. As part of the unit
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">tasked with upholding these so-called ‘Bad Taste Laws’, H. and his partner,
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bagby, have their work cut out.
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When former reality TV star Caleb Jennings is found murdered, some suspect it
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">could be a simple vigilante slaying. But, as H. digs deeper into the killing,
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bagby’s association with old revolutionary figureheads is called into question.
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With the help of Caleb’s estranged sister, the museum curator Kate Faron, H.
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">must navigate a Britain in which paranoia and suspicion of the unknown are
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">rife, all the while dealing with the mysterious tech behemoth Vangelis, new
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">revolutionary murmurings, and the legacy of Kate’s biologist parents.
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Compelled by what he uncovers, H. begins to question his loyalty to the state at
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">a time when national stability couldn’t be more precarious</span>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>My Review</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have read many dystopian works of fiction and many murder mysteries, but The Lion And The Unicorn is my first with both mixed together and it really, really works! I really felt the different politics and morality laws added a whole extra layer of intrigue. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The main character H is neither a traditional grizzled detective or a teenaged saviour and so is very relatable and deals with issues in ways that anyone would. I found myself debating what I would do in his place and most of the time I'd do exactly what he did. I really enjoyed his thought process and the feelings that followed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As the story takes place following a pandemic and the following fall out, it was very close to home as everything is not really that much of a stretch to imagine with the direction certain real life politics are heading. In some ways this made the story even more immersive as I could picture how situations would come about and obviously I still have very strong feelings about living through a pandemic. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall a really excellent book. I really enjoyed the writing style and the story was wonderfully planned out. There were enough twists that kept me wanting to know what happened next. I would love to read more from Tom Ward. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I gave this book 5 stars. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>About The Author</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHkg5iddpu63su0ycDB2RuVxKUHoUKzhqNzDqtL6lpxyv02ZDgflpIDzLvzRr0sQEuye-ee9fh_S1YPQJOlt9PsJ7wrP4dS1X43Wh-PBFaf1Gz_WnJ055qOQwYtO6lizrksFt9V8VSgg/s2048/Tom+Ward+Author+pIc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHkg5iddpu63su0ycDB2RuVxKUHoUKzhqNzDqtL6lpxyv02ZDgflpIDzLvzRr0sQEuye-ee9fh_S1YPQJOlt9PsJ7wrP4dS1X43Wh-PBFaf1Gz_WnJ055qOQwYtO6lizrksFt9V8VSgg/s320/Tom+Ward+Author+pIc.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tom Ward is an author and features writer, writing for publications including
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wired, Esquire and National Geographic.
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He has won the GQ Norman Mailer Award, the PPA New Consumer Magazine
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Journalist of the Year Award, and has been shortlisted for The People's Book
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Prize. He is also a graduate of the Faber Academy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lIarDUiTuzzPpaYnmwjlM4OogElthS_1ahH2mhrkRepJgpf34w7HNDs6bqVjy725HVo9BFtPU6HrE85JsY6lmZ_JdXl1VsbVHC_TBpOUL8EL_-MHl9pxJN3zbC4E2TKwfGonjAHBT9o/s1280/Lion+and+the+Unicorn+BT+Poster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1280" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lIarDUiTuzzPpaYnmwjlM4OogElthS_1ahH2mhrkRepJgpf34w7HNDs6bqVjy725HVo9BFtPU6HrE85JsY6lmZ_JdXl1VsbVHC_TBpOUL8EL_-MHl9pxJN3zbC4E2TKwfGonjAHBT9o/s320/Lion+and+the+Unicorn+BT+Poster.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-5546793792311416092021-08-24T16:02:00.000+01:002021-08-24T16:02:32.707+01:00Gorilla by Christine Hamm - Blog Tour Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmxNrg0gCjC7IeDFTM4LhMRXxZsUUdILbS92Fi8eFasl8JOD5fH_J45wvHfuKw_xtRXDzXkKKfPcAiI2w1Ep7Jryh_9EjeVvRyhIOFbFUMlgAplScHIv3m5_fAaWPZxZJqLpQfb7z7ck/s2048/Gorilla+Cover.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmxNrg0gCjC7IeDFTM4LhMRXxZsUUdILbS92Fi8eFasl8JOD5fH_J45wvHfuKw_xtRXDzXkKKfPcAiI2w1Ep7Jryh_9EjeVvRyhIOFbFUMlgAplScHIv3m5_fAaWPZxZJqLpQfb7z7ck/s320/Gorilla+Cover.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on <i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum</i> I am sharing my review of Gorilla by Christine Hamm. A big thank you to the author and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours.</div><p></p><p><b>Gorilla</b> </p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Poetry. Women's Studies. Winner of the 2019 Tenth Gate Prize. This surreal series of prose poems, harmonic and jarring, pops the reader into a world where the animal is a danger-suit we might all don, or is a force of chaos that breaks families, or America's unconscious hatred of women. Perhaps it is our world, perhaps more real than surreal. One of the most unusual investigations of gender and family, this collection disorders and disturbs, knowing that upending the status quo makes the best manners of all.</span></span></p><p><b>My Review</b></p><p>I'm so happy I "discovered" poetry a few years ago, it's so easy to check out different genres and types and finding your own favourite method is really fun to do. I love poems that tell a story and Gorilla definitely falls into this category, each poem itself tells a tale and there's also a running thread through the whole collection. </p><p>Gorilla is on of the more challenging poetry collections I've read. The use of magical realism alongside anthropomorphism it at times meant I had to read the poem a second time to ensure I'd understood what I had read. This is not a bad thing! Poetry should be re read as you pick up something different each time you read. </p><p>I was listening to a lot of Kate Bush while reading this, which I really felt enhanced the experience and feeling of being just on the edge of reality. </p><p>The poems are written beautifully and I could definitely feel the emotion and I identified myself in more than one of them. </p><p>Overall a really excellent collection and I'll be excited to read more poetry by the author. </p><p>I gave this book 4 stars. </p><p><b>About The Author</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC7JrD-zT63E02UVAwEBguCNSCcAFqkYF-io5FoxK8uQoTkqIkBmFtFXdWsD5UPJUNDvaioRmiSUL1isg3w7dGj4ENJQQ4Z-Mgwo1AEg6ahtGn6K3NUqUuNcyrZYIKiAUSROplfVzruc/s917/Christine+Hamm.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="681" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC7JrD-zT63E02UVAwEBguCNSCcAFqkYF-io5FoxK8uQoTkqIkBmFtFXdWsD5UPJUNDvaioRmiSUL1isg3w7dGj4ENJQQ4Z-Mgwo1AEg6ahtGn6K3NUqUuNcyrZYIKiAUSROplfVzruc/s320/Christine+Hamm.jpeg" width="238" /></a></div><br /><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b95bc3ca-7fff-9980-3db8-16a4afb6e45b"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Christine E. Hamm, queer & disabled English Professor, social worker and student of ecopoetics, has a PhD in English, and lives in New Jersey. She recently won the Tenth Gate prize from Word Works for her manuscript, Gorilla. She has had work featured in North American Review, Nat Brut, Painted Bride Quarterly and many others. She has published six chapbooks, and several books -- including Saints & Cannibals, about which Cynthia Cruz said, "Joyfully acrobatic is her language and the wonderful jumps she makes. Hers is a voice we have been waiting for."</span></span></span></p><p><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumRR41WkQTHZmaNO1nIJLv6uVh2rCaYcPX-iGi4QGX419iHCUDgddiuxoiFJqXN7Mp9q00rPPi1OuYhTTPdGaenXMpeI9Nhyphenhyphen462SzR90jxk-tCHTGoVCMvCL-heAgA0dhF2tXTEeG_u4/s1280/Gorilla+BT+Poster.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1280" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumRR41WkQTHZmaNO1nIJLv6uVh2rCaYcPX-iGi4QGX419iHCUDgddiuxoiFJqXN7Mp9q00rPPi1OuYhTTPdGaenXMpeI9Nhyphenhyphen462SzR90jxk-tCHTGoVCMvCL-heAgA0dhF2tXTEeG_u4/s320/Gorilla+BT+Poster.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-60641712273433009082021-07-21T02:06:00.000+01:002021-07-21T02:06:15.132+01:00Ruabon by Karl Drinkwater - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9rw6hXqyTlO2C6ypx99r_6CGyKV9iioxYQA92kLMO-LodgwiFzPbJn8EiAfe7xkElVnDKKgNVyQbe8vws69bBSrLVLZXE902RklpV4OnlPdsV01tLImxkScSoEgUQfAg63fvIfP4jwU/s2048/Ruabon+%2528e-book%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9rw6hXqyTlO2C6ypx99r_6CGyKV9iioxYQA92kLMO-LodgwiFzPbJn8EiAfe7xkElVnDKKgNVyQbe8vws69bBSrLVLZXE902RklpV4OnlPdsV01tLImxkScSoEgUQfAg63fvIfP4jwU/s320/Ruabon+%2528e-book%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on <i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum</i>, I'm taking part in the blog tour for Ruabon by Karl Drinkwater. A big shout out to the author as always and thank you to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for having me along. </div><p></p><p><b>Ruabon</b></p><p>Welcome to Tecant.</p><p>Nothing ever happens here.</p><p>Until today.</p><p>Ruabon Nadarl is just another low-ranking member of the scan crew, slaving away for the UFS which “liberated” his homeworld. To help pass the time during long shifts he builds secret personalities into the robots he controls. Despite his ingenuity, the UFS offers few opportunities for a better life.</p><p>Then Ruabon detects an intruder on the surface of a vital communications tower.</p><p>He could just report it and let the deadly UFS commandos take over, while Ruabon returns to obscurity.</p><p>Or he could break UFS laws and try to capture the intruder himself. For the UFS, only the outcome matters, not the method. If his custom-programmed drones can save the day, he’ll be a hero.</p><p>And if he fails, he’ll be dead.</p><p><b>My Review</b></p><p>Another absolute page turner in the Lost Solace series by Karl Drinkwater! I flew through this do quickly because I just couldn't put it down.</p><p>I will never not be amazed at how much character development and world building that Karl Drinkwater can bring to a story, I become completely invested in the character and Ruabon was no different. Ruabon has depth and complexity and it was so interesting seeing what he would do next. </p><p>The tone throughout is both thrilling and intense as you watch the scenes unfold. </p><p>You can tell in all his work, but particularly in the Lost Solace series, just how much time Karl Drinkwater spends researching things and making sure the science in his world works. It's technically written, but doesn't exclude people who aren't technically minded. </p><p>A really wonderful addition to the series and another 5 stars from me. </p><p><b>About The Author</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnP4NFPqg_eMgV_ea6LX4A6vrKom71Tzb2TOM-u5ZuFsxgDsrgth5Sqt7W-oCF6TaGucMKpNWiOWsIsZEIZSGHcFbI5piPUCxblePYtq5D8i0Xx3_jDLVAwV3jtyU9Hdb_AC4noA2B0Co/s1207/2018-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1185" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnP4NFPqg_eMgV_ea6LX4A6vrKom71Tzb2TOM-u5ZuFsxgDsrgth5Sqt7W-oCF6TaGucMKpNWiOWsIsZEIZSGHcFbI5piPUCxblePYtq5D8i0Xx3_jDLVAwV3jtyU9Hdb_AC4noA2B0Co/s320/2018-01.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>Karl Drinkwater writes thrilling SF, suspenseful horror, and contemporary literary fiction. Whichever you pick you’ll find interesting and authentic characters, clever and compelling plots, and believable worlds.</p><p>Karl has lived in many places but now calls Scotland his home. He’s an ex-librarian with degrees in English, Classics, and Information Science. He also studied astrophysics for a year at university, surprising himself by winning a prize for “Outstanding Performance”. Karl is an active member of the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), the Horror Writers Association (HWA), and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).</p><p>When he isn’t writing he loves guitars, exercise, computer and board games, nature, and vegan cake. Not necessarily in that order.</p><p>Website https://karldrinkwater.uk</p><p>Twitter http://twitter.com/karldrinkwater</p><p>Facebook https://www.facebook.com/karlzdrinkwater</p><p>Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorkdrinkwater/</p><p>Newsletter http://bit.ly/newsletterkd</p><p><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AmOOnfieKqqayONXMST7LzXj_PoSWc1lgDTVLaN6zJ6OMk0T2hP5kRNcrlXBSDtA1qXZWAwnoeV6GKak44guI17x9Zay0-9gBEylfayjWDEsu3LWQ8tM9XC-XX4GB71UR3hlJttg518/s2048/Ruabon+Full+Tour+Banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AmOOnfieKqqayONXMST7LzXj_PoSWc1lgDTVLaN6zJ6OMk0T2hP5kRNcrlXBSDtA1qXZWAwnoeV6GKak44guI17x9Zay0-9gBEylfayjWDEsu3LWQ8tM9XC-XX4GB71UR3hlJttg518/s320/Ruabon+Full+Tour+Banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-68245453229603476292021-07-16T15:37:00.000+01:002021-07-16T15:37:28.052+01:00Clarissa by Karl Drinkwater - Blog Tour Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-w8xfIZH4kMGRWxVyjwonMho0YkUH9oezauKYf3OaHLRqxKMFjYgKjXDKH5VCJjKlzexzwp-VDzUagxiTbOMB4BfFcxKs25YYDnNoifjyhBYmJxrqlwJDmELJ6qdCQdNp_xi9SPMrwI/s503/57972025._SX315_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-w8xfIZH4kMGRWxVyjwonMho0YkUH9oezauKYf3OaHLRqxKMFjYgKjXDKH5VCJjKlzexzwp-VDzUagxiTbOMB4BfFcxKs25YYDnNoifjyhBYmJxrqlwJDmELJ6qdCQdNp_xi9SPMrwI/s320/57972025._SX315_.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Today on Life Of A Nerdish Mum, I'm extremely happy to be sharing my review of Clarissa by Karl Drinkwater. <span style="text-align: center;">A big thank you to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources and of course Karl Drinkwater for having me along. </span><p></p><p><span style="text-align: center;"><b>Clarissa</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">If you’re reading this: HELP! I’ve been kidnapped.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Me and my big sister stayed together after our parents died. We weren’t bothering anybody. But some mean government agents came anyway, and split us up.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Now I’m a prisoner on this space ship. The agents won’t even say where we’re going.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">I hate them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">And things have started to get a bit weird. Nullspace is supposed to be empty, but when I look out of the skywindows I can see … something. Out there. And I think it wants to get in here. With us.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">My name is Clarissa. I am ten years old.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">And they will all be sorry when my big sister comes to rescue me.</span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;"><b>My Review</b></span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;">I am always incredibly excited to read anything new by Karl Drinkwater (I really should share a photo of my Karl Drinkwater book shelf!) and that wasn't any different this time. I'm completely invested in anything Lost Solace too, it's definitely one of my favourite Sci Fi worlds. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">Never underestimate just how much world building and character development that Karl Drinkwater can fit in a novella. Even though Clarissa is just over 100 pages long, I was so absorbed and felt like I learned so much without it being an info dump. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">I really feel like Clarissa is a really believable ten year old girl, I definitely related the way she thought at times to how I was back then (I know that was a while ago). She's so strong and observant, but considering who her sister is I'm not surprised. She's easily become one of my favourite characters in this series. </span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;">In Clarissa you can definitely tell that Karl Drinkwater writes horror and I think the combination of the genres is perfect. They really compliment each other. I love how he knows when to bring it in for maximum effect.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">As always I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and I always want more. I gave this book 5 stars and will continue to recommend this series to everyone!! </span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;"><b>About The Author</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgje0VyFws49qYtFLrXROyXJBYS-Kf1SeQD3Bj0qUkv7o2F5q6Is4mJiou7b93mi93CokGIi47EpaapgILjUF4Z_OxZmEml9r05SJoSOO1kbp1_i7YfP6pFtfKZb2TkNy2VYF9PQa1-6_I/s1207/dbei_rjw.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1185" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgje0VyFws49qYtFLrXROyXJBYS-Kf1SeQD3Bj0qUkv7o2F5q6Is4mJiou7b93mi93CokGIi47EpaapgILjUF4Z_OxZmEml9r05SJoSOO1kbp1_i7YfP6pFtfKZb2TkNy2VYF9PQa1-6_I/s320/dbei_rjw.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">Karl Drinkwater writes thrilling SF, suspenseful horror, and contemporary literary fiction. Whichever you pick you’ll find interesting and authentic characters, clever and compelling plots, and believable worlds.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">Karl has lived in many places but now calls Scotland his home. He’s an ex-librarian with degrees in English, Classics, and Information Science. He also studied astrophysics for a year at university, surprising himself by winning a prize for “Outstanding Performance”. Karl is an active member of the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), the Horror Writers Association (HWA), and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">When he isn’t writing he loves guitars, exercise, computer and board games, nature, and vegan cake. Not necessarily in that order.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">Website <a href="https://karldrinkwater.uk/" style="color: #0a89c0;">https://karldrinkwater.uk</a><br />Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/karldrinkwater" style="color: #0a89c0;">http://twitter.com/karldrinkwater</a><br />Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/karlzdrinkwater" style="color: #0a89c0;">https://www.facebook.com/karlzdrinkwater</a><br />Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/authorkdrinkwater/" style="color: #0a89c0;">https://www.instagram.com/authorkdrinkwater/</a><br />Newsletter <a href="http://bit.ly/newsletterkd" style="color: #0a89c0;">http://bit.ly/newsletterkd</a></p><p><span style="text-align: center;"><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCsh1n6u1yyNi_rkJvt6qbw9E9FljS33OayAfkqgt7w-nsx-ShZURHNIVBjeU8n4OeE96jcPgGecCp7kmAtXad0BR0h9McTOnrLCKOITyqDDyuc9j5PyKIwJm425ObBf9TnhXS0EuyuU/s2048/Clarissa+Full+Tour+Banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCsh1n6u1yyNi_rkJvt6qbw9E9FljS33OayAfkqgt7w-nsx-ShZURHNIVBjeU8n4OeE96jcPgGecCp7kmAtXad0BR0h9McTOnrLCKOITyqDDyuc9j5PyKIwJm425ObBf9TnhXS0EuyuU/s320/Clarissa+Full+Tour+Banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></span></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-58268749901053956432021-06-24T23:02:00.002+01:002021-06-24T23:02:15.296+01:00Preacher Boy by Gwyn GB - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8iGQzmiRm6zug4VI8s2m2CkMcmBn3DQnHY1v7AeZCdpPl87rwe6JeyjUIJEWE3DI6me-P7JrqhzP0OHxXI_qmyfwxKVS-r4D-Pn4sjUYIZlNMkH_nkdeiYPkvK9lnP2Q4she3nDZRpE/s869/Preacher+Boy+3D+Cover+.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8iGQzmiRm6zug4VI8s2m2CkMcmBn3DQnHY1v7AeZCdpPl87rwe6JeyjUIJEWE3DI6me-P7JrqhzP0OHxXI_qmyfwxKVS-r4D-Pn4sjUYIZlNMkH_nkdeiYPkvK9lnP2Q4she3nDZRpE/s320/Preacher+Boy+3D+Cover+.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today Life Of A Nerdish Mum I'm taking part in the blog tour for Preacher Boy by Gwyn GB. A big thank you to the author, publisher and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Preacher Boy</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dr Harrison Lane is everything you wouldn’t expect from a man with a psychology doctorate. For victims, he’s everything they need.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As Head of the Metropolitan Police’s Ritualistic Behavioural Crime Unit, Dr Harrison Lane knows his Voodoo from his Aum Shinrikyo and a Satanist from a Shaman.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Harrison had an unusual childhood, raised by a bohemian mother and one of the native American Shadow Wolves - the elite tracking squad that works with US Drug enforcers. After his mother’s murder, he dedicated his life to finding those who hide behind spiritualism and religion to do evil. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Following the discovery of a missing boy’s body in what looks like a Satanic killing, Harrison is called in to help detectives. When a second boy is snatched, it becomes a race against time to save him, and sees Harrison come face-to-face with some dark secrets from his own childhood.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>My Review</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Preacher Boy is the first in a new series by Gwyn GB and it's the first book I've read by the author, but it won't be the last. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The story is fast paced from the start and pulls you right in. I found it hard to put down at times to do adulting when I wanted to know what would happen next. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The writing is excellent and I really enjoyed Dr Harrison Lane, though I would have liked to get to know him a bit more. There are two more books due out, so I'm sure gaps will be filled in as the series progresses. It certainly makes me want to read the next book to get more information. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Though kidnapping is a sensitive subject, especially one involving children, the author desks with it in as respectfully as possible. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall a really good read and I look forward to the rest of the series. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I gave this book 4 stars </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>About The Author</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uQa2jkk4ARGdP_zFJ5IBN0-iir6Uo19hsaghj68mdG3SkdQGp3uYdLx2MqThh3OkVHMzW0uytaHQpR6EJwPPgZaSzLydnUS4vwFF6e8gfKm7UibEg-KPFO7yIWlOGuBUK6V_yMxkXU0/s1280/Gwyn+GB+Author+Pic.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1059" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uQa2jkk4ARGdP_zFJ5IBN0-iir6Uo19hsaghj68mdG3SkdQGp3uYdLx2MqThh3OkVHMzW0uytaHQpR6EJwPPgZaSzLydnUS4vwFF6e8gfKm7UibEg-KPFO7yIWlOGuBUK6V_yMxkXU0/s320/Gwyn+GB+Author+Pic.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gwyn is an Amazon Top 20 bestselling author. She’s a former UK national TV newscaster and presenter, and journalist for national newspapers and magazines. Gwyn became a journalist because all she wanted to do was write and has finally realised her dream of being a full-time fiction author. Born in the UK, Gwyn now lives in the Channel Islands with her family, including a rescue dog and 17-year-old goldfish.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gwyn launched her debut novel, Islands as Gwyn Garfield-Bennett in 2016, the romantic suspense book rose quickly into the Amazon top 20. Her first crime mystery series, featuring DI Falle, launched with Lonely Hearts in 2017.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can find out more about Gwyn at www.gwyngb.com</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Or on social media:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GwynGBwriter</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Twitter: https://twitter.com/GwynGB</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gwyngb/</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeeZOibRCXB_LTwOtqVyTAkBAQxRWS2HWBdmyyPxed4Vrnjd7lEPwllEF8-Xyzw7o4VLn-Da1BX8t5pTdvJHGw8rI65IBof2QurC0gX4hw3-OlduqrEbK-v6kZNP30-iQayjpZFog2-o/s1280/Preacher+Boy+BT+Poster.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeeZOibRCXB_LTwOtqVyTAkBAQxRWS2HWBdmyyPxed4Vrnjd7lEPwllEF8-Xyzw7o4VLn-Da1BX8t5pTdvJHGw8rI65IBof2QurC0gX4hw3-OlduqrEbK-v6kZNP30-iQayjpZFog2-o/s320/Preacher+Boy+BT+Poster.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-70528728717053315012021-06-24T16:14:00.001+01:002021-06-24T16:14:14.287+01:00In Other Words: Eight Stories, Eight Unheard Voices - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7A3J_x36-JJp7tmh1Z7sx0o6Sxev6-bMEsf1jw-stYPgJ9AKG1ToJsWaG9vGDdsEe5NawTfTym_Y23ASRdM4HORWnuW5n-pBy8MDokFJ7xIJilcFSeD1YjcjZP7ZxTlpcu4Fg27QLIuk/s400/In+Other+Words+Cover.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7A3J_x36-JJp7tmh1Z7sx0o6Sxev6-bMEsf1jw-stYPgJ9AKG1ToJsWaG9vGDdsEe5NawTfTym_Y23ASRdM4HORWnuW5n-pBy8MDokFJ7xIJilcFSeD1YjcjZP7ZxTlpcu4Fg27QLIuk/s320/In+Other+Words+Cover.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on Life Of A Nerdish Mum, I'm sharing my review of a very special book - In Other Words. A big thank you to the authors, publisher and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>In Other Words</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A shift in the nature of light reveals an eighth colour in the visible spectrum. A boy befriends the last tree in the natural world. A single mother finds help at the darkest point of her life. A young man finds himself trapped in a university overrun by crows.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These stories and more form In Other Words, an anthology as diverse as the writers themselves. Some cover trauma, societal issues and stigma; others offer fragments of hope and light. Some reach back in time while others transport us to another dimension altogether. There is heartbreak, wit, humour, poignancy and above all a mastery of the imagination.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What these transcendent stories share is that they were created by autistic writers, people often dismissed as unimaginative or incapable of creativity a myth that has persisted for generations. This collection hopes to shatter those stereotypes, those misconceptions and misunderstandings, and the perception that one must be neurotypical to be afforded a voice in the arts.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>My Review</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What a wonderful and perfect anthology of short stories! Not one story was less than another and each was extremely enjoyable in a different way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I laughed, cried and wondered throughout and feel I went through a whole gamut of emotions in between. I've been trying to decide if I had a favourite story, but genuinely I think it'd be unfair to make me choose and as it's my review I decided to say they're all my favourite, just for different reasons. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The level of writing skill in each story is amazing and some beautiful prose is used. What Mainspring Arts have done to be able for this work to be shared is commendable as we might have missed out on some amazing new authors. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I absolutely loved reading In Other Words and I will be getting myself a hard copy to keep in my collection. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">100% 5 stars for this anthology. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>About Mainspring Arts</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mainspring Arts, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to making the arts
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">inclusive, diverse, and accessible to all, was founded in 2015 by Katya Balen and
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Miranda Prag. They were frustrated by the lack of diversity in the arts, where
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">neurotypical and non-disabled actors or writers frequently assume the roles or
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">voices of neurodivergent people, or those with disabilities. Katya and Miranda
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">believe those people should be able to tell their own stories, and Mainspring
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Arts exists to help them do it. @mainspring_arts</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tr-0IRU1shiYD3l6ddVGx1ims1DPeEfGzGDSPjiW947ewj0_L_O_K-VsI5hQcJ8WZqW4WUUC2TyZvV-tbfeV4B2qUgg2fyER3jQ5riX2LtcikLvtzlJeqXyxVPA_mjh-hcNl6JvVong/s1191/In+Other+Words+BT+Poster.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tr-0IRU1shiYD3l6ddVGx1ims1DPeEfGzGDSPjiW947ewj0_L_O_K-VsI5hQcJ8WZqW4WUUC2TyZvV-tbfeV4B2qUgg2fyER3jQ5riX2LtcikLvtzlJeqXyxVPA_mjh-hcNl6JvVong/s320/In+Other+Words+BT+Poster.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-88797475872507058042021-06-22T11:12:00.000+01:002021-06-22T11:12:33.182+01:00Finding Freedom In The Lost Kitchen by Erin French -Blog Tour Review <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeTxuAFHNabQbEXcputm2QCSmKFqiqNQrc0DpyLmQImj3hB28a3XxSaMfpi2HkZU_6fc6VoWSvJcXWOM_GHWPvf08X1nn6tj83t0PiLdgRKd1-xxlBLWz5GortE7zWY38gHq9tUMy48A/s2048/FINAL+Finding+Freedom+Cover.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1329" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeTxuAFHNabQbEXcputm2QCSmKFqiqNQrc0DpyLmQImj3hB28a3XxSaMfpi2HkZU_6fc6VoWSvJcXWOM_GHWPvf08X1nn6tj83t0PiLdgRKd1-xxlBLWz5GortE7zWY38gHq9tUMy48A/s320/FINAL+Finding+Freedom+Cover.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on <i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum</i> I'm proud to be part of the blog tour for Finding Freedom In The Lost Kitchen by Erin French. A big thank you to the author, publisher and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Finding Freedom In The Lost Kitchen</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Erin French grew up barefoot on a 25-acre farm in Maine, fell in love with food as a teenager working the line at her dad's diner and found her calling as a professional chef at her tiny restaurant The Lost Kitchen, tucked into a 19th century mill--now a world-renowned dining destination.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Finding Freedom in the Lost Kitchen, Erin tells her story of multiple rock-bottoms, from medical student to pregnant teen, of survival as a jobless single mother, of pills that promised release but delivered addiction, of a man who seemed to offer salvation but ripped away her very sense of self. And of her son who became her guiding light as she slowly rebuilt her personal and culinary life around the solace she found in food--as a source of comfort, a sense of place, as a way of creating community and making something of herself, despite seemingly impossible odds.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Set against the backdrop of rural Maine and its lushly intense, bountiful seasons, Erin French's rollercoaster memoir reveals struggles that have taken every ounce of her strength to overcome, and the passion and courage behind the fairytale success of The Lost Kitchen</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>My Review</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What an inspiring and emotional read. Finding Freedom In The Lost Kitchen, allows you to follow Erin French on her journey from developing her love of food and cooking to the darkest times of Erin's life, to finding herself again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The writing is beautiful and flows so naturally, you don't realise how much you've read as it's been so easy to read. If Erin ever decided to become an author of fiction I'm sure she'd be amazing. The way she described experiences and places, really made me feel like I was there and participating. I was really involved in her life. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are bits throughout which are hard reading due to the subject matter. Reading about addiction and what it can do to you, especially when you're so involved with the person and are rooting for them so much. Knowing the outcome definitely helped getting through those parts. I feel privileged that Erin decided to share her life with us. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An absolutely amazing read and one that will stay with me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5 stars. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>About The Author</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbWUU2J34PoP7kDRj2pUQ10R234zEZS7w0kmm5WfLp_NWD1fSvGGg9hbKfguySolZ4ehzEKhGrkW6Ld4iEj6B5zdYMHjPhAyiHdvPXLBhV4-03TVD-1hnG1yJpy9DZe7V8nyNSMUHmGw/s2048/Erin+French+Author+Pic.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbWUU2J34PoP7kDRj2pUQ10R234zEZS7w0kmm5WfLp_NWD1fSvGGg9hbKfguySolZ4ehzEKhGrkW6Ld4iEj6B5zdYMHjPhAyiHdvPXLBhV4-03TVD-1hnG1yJpy9DZe7V8nyNSMUHmGw/s320/Erin+French+Author+Pic.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Erin French is the owner and chef of The Lost Kitchen, a 40-seat restaurant in
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Freedom, Maine, that was recently named one of the World’s Greatest Places by TIME
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Magazine. Booking is by postcard ballot on the first day of spring with over 20,000
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">postcards received last season. Erin French has written for The New York Times,
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Martha Stewart Living and The Wall Street Journal. Her first book, The Lost Kitchen
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cookbook, was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award and named one of the
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">best 2017 cookbooks by The Washington Post and Vogue. Erin French will host The
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lost Kitchen TV show on Joanna and Chip Gaines’ new television network, the
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Magnolia Network, launching in March 2021</span>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQ4Th-YMyo1CO9XbD3OAjk7IizX_hgEjVKa5_kc3EaNGQcVWC2MnxceYTXfik6rBOhBZ6q8i8399KPpnCIS64H6v96XMU52sgkj7tGZ6F1eXxQgiynmps7nbFW3I9cPxPVenak2L3Rg0/s1280/Finding+Freedom+BT+Poster.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQ4Th-YMyo1CO9XbD3OAjk7IizX_hgEjVKa5_kc3EaNGQcVWC2MnxceYTXfik6rBOhBZ6q8i8399KPpnCIS64H6v96XMU52sgkj7tGZ6F1eXxQgiynmps7nbFW3I9cPxPVenak2L3Rg0/s320/Finding+Freedom+BT+Poster.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-45447625207945401092021-06-10T10:58:00.000+01:002021-06-10T10:58:06.930+01:00She Never Told Me About The Ocean by Elisabeth Sharp McKetta - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdK6Bnr-6pbIVqPPAvpctkwIvEAhGaPuhQTvwFtNcQeEvrXeNqj9tPGIcoREAx4szqoGTpS8nSDQwt1qBIDtmMRZOJ_BBJopFfcJ8Qt0aLvMS5fELfzzYzQIwHymYU21wbv4chZPZFh7I/s1000/She+Never+Told+Me+Cover+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="625" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdK6Bnr-6pbIVqPPAvpctkwIvEAhGaPuhQTvwFtNcQeEvrXeNqj9tPGIcoREAx4szqoGTpS8nSDQwt1qBIDtmMRZOJ_BBJopFfcJ8Qt0aLvMS5fELfzzYzQIwHymYU21wbv4chZPZFh7I/s320/She+Never+Told+Me+Cover+.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Today on <i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum</i> I am happy to be taking part in the blog tour for She Never Told Me About The Ocean by Elisabeth Sharp McKetta. A big thank you as always to the publisher and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours. </p><p><b>She Never Told Me About The Ocean</b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.0960007pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Told by four women whose stories nest together, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.0960007pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She Never Told Me About the Ocean </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.0960007pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is an epic about a rite of passage that all humans undergo and none remember: birth. </span></span></p><p><span style="text-indent: 0.0839996pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eighteen-year-old Sage has been mothering her mother for as long as she can remember, and as she arrives on the shores of adulthood, she learns a secret: before she was born, she had an older brother who drowned. In her search to discover who he was and why nobody told her, Sage moves to tiny Dragon Island where her mother grew up. There, she embarks on a quest to learn the superstitions of the island, especially its myths involving her mother. Gathering stories from Ilya, a legendary midwife who hires Sage as her apprentice; Marella, Sage’s grieving mother who was named for the ocean yet has always been afraid of it; and Charon, the Underworld ferrywoman who delivers souls to the land of the dead, Sage learns to stop rescuing her mother and simply let go. But when her skill as Ilya’s apprentice enables her to rescue her mother one final time, in a way that means life or death, Sage must shed her inherited fears and become her own woman. </span></span></p><p><b>My Review</b></p><p>This is the first book I have read by Elisabeth Sharp McKetta and it definitely won't be the last! I'm going to have to find all her back catalogue to work through I enjoyed She Never Told Me About The Ocean so much. </p><p>She Never Told Me About The Ocean is such a beautifully written book and the language is poetic and pulls you into a world of folklore and myths. I absolutely love learning about both of these things so this really spoke to me and I was fascinated. </p><p>The characters are extremely real and the story is very character driven. I always love reading multiple POV books as you get an insight into more characters than just the main character. </p><p>Overall a very compelling read and one I have recommended to friends. </p><p>I gave this book 5 stars. </p><p><b>About The Author</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZMpAXXKoZYxNK-01EPAMmOFdBSV2iP3lJcio8iVibuXLFPlcff9iNcCqW3WzELPKyAG-PdMoshnWOAqxmcsZEc7zmKpCejoho6-xA0AKSizbqEmLC-46d5SNkZZ6TmYOP9nvU3PiYTE/s512/Elisabeth+Sharpe+McKetta+Author+Pic.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZMpAXXKoZYxNK-01EPAMmOFdBSV2iP3lJcio8iVibuXLFPlcff9iNcCqW3WzELPKyAG-PdMoshnWOAqxmcsZEc7zmKpCejoho6-xA0AKSizbqEmLC-46d5SNkZZ6TmYOP9nvU3PiYTE/s320/Elisabeth+Sharpe+McKetta+Author+Pic.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b4056437-7fff-b49c-6a5c-abb8ef1f7df6"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-right: 4.15778pt; margin-top: 13.616pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elisabeth Sharp McKetta grew up in Austin, Texas. She holds </span><span style="text-align: right; white-space: pre-wrap;">literature degrees from Harvard, Georgetown, and the </span><span style="text-align: right; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Texas at Austin and teaches writing for the </span><span style="text-align: right; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harvard Extension School and the Oxford University </span><span style="text-align: right; white-space: pre-wrap;">Department for Continuing Education. She is the author of </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">eight books: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Live in Boise, Energy: The Life of John J. </span><span style="text-align: right; white-space: pre-wrap;">McKetta Jr., Fear of the Deep, Fear of the Beast, Poetry for </span><span style="text-align: right; white-space: pre-wrap;">Strangers Vols. I and II, The Creative Year: 52 Workshops for </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Writers</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Fairy Tales Mammals Tell. She Never Told </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me About the Ocean </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is her first novel. </span></p><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">elisabethsharpmcketta.com</span></span></span></div><p><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5MmAvXEaKNZ22NWgT-XVo_NGdm0ujL8rPU2NBY5_DrGIpggTz0JrQS5mO123OCwXpJiOnCkCk03G-aTQA5srnIDBzdbx6RpYMOQ3sWvCiJ1zBmaOZLlC8BC9DjW1csd2VywqksqnfESk/s1280/She+Never+Told+Me+BT+Poster.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5MmAvXEaKNZ22NWgT-XVo_NGdm0ujL8rPU2NBY5_DrGIpggTz0JrQS5mO123OCwXpJiOnCkCk03G-aTQA5srnIDBzdbx6RpYMOQ3sWvCiJ1zBmaOZLlC8BC9DjW1csd2VywqksqnfESk/s320/She+Never+Told+Me+BT+Poster.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-62030392972479861382021-04-21T10:05:00.001+01:002021-04-21T10:05:19.472+01:00Resourceful Living by Lisa Dawson - Blog Tour Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEDmiiF6NMkwAXMMe1L5I6LLC-viK2E-nMKJjVDhZkIB95wqWPWIDnx1Dcpq19wmu0DUyJAeMUifQMYTmMPYoAX-XrYChnvXDq0Wx4A-_e22p6cG5a-s1uHpJAKQCTJxCH2jCFrKzniI/s1280/Resourceful+Living+Cover+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1041" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEDmiiF6NMkwAXMMe1L5I6LLC-viK2E-nMKJjVDhZkIB95wqWPWIDnx1Dcpq19wmu0DUyJAeMUifQMYTmMPYoAX-XrYChnvXDq0Wx4A-_e22p6cG5a-s1uHpJAKQCTJxCH2jCFrKzniI/s320/Resourceful+Living+Cover+.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on <i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum</i> I am taking part in the blog tour for Resourceful Living by Lisa Dawson and I a sharing my review. A big thank you to the author and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Resourceful Living</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">It's often thought that restyling your space comes with a hefty price tag and unavoidable waste. But in </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Resourceful Living</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">, award-winning interiors blogger Lisa Dawson shows how with a little creativity, you can revamp your home with existing pieces, vintage finds and key purchases.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">The clever ideas in this beautiful book cover the most important ways we use our homes, from eating to sleeping, living and working. Starting with The Basics, Lisa shares tricks for steering clear of interiors 'fast fashion', re-purposing favorite furniture and making the most of what you have. In Styling Your Home, she offers simple solutions for re-imagining each room, from gallery walls to home bars, repainted furniture to retro accessories.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Including her top ten key vintage buys and a guide to thrifting, as well Lisa's inspiring advice about the fun of creative sourcing as a more sustainable way to keep your home feeling fresh.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>My Review</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Coming out of lockdown a lot of people have completed some amazing home renovations and beautified rooms with simple tricks and honestly I would have loved to join in. Now that things are easing, I have the headspace to start thinking of projects and plans, and reading Resourceful Living has been a wonderful inspiration! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All the photos are absolutely stunning and even without reading anything, just flipping through is such a relaxing and inspiring experience. I've tabbed so many pages of my favourite pictures ready for going forward with my ideas. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The whole book is written with a friendly tone and it almost feels as if you are chatting with a friend and they're offering suggestions on the best ways to get things done. There's ideas and suggestions for everything and everywhere you could think of in your home. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really enjoyed the case studies and in particular the mood boards which showed more the decision process and colour choices. Not every design or idea will be for everybody, but there's plenty of choice as you go through. I'm a big fan of pre loved and thrifting, so the tips were very helpful and can be used for more than just furnishings. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall a really wonderful, aesthetically pleasing and inspirational read that I will be referencing a lot over the next few months. A definite 5 stars from me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>About The Author</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaJFyV264PqFAYIl7m71s-CZPPVOgJ2HIQi7dBNVqcNKXjYhpYcNSue37aZDA8DWrnqQJFCFoE_YcNE9fj1Mv1up3sACFzkQKI13l49-SVqK6UWDWGlV6qpl9OAq3ZqRmfJjhWsAYyUQ/s1500/Lisa+Dawson+Author+pic.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaJFyV264PqFAYIl7m71s-CZPPVOgJ2HIQi7dBNVqcNKXjYhpYcNSue37aZDA8DWrnqQJFCFoE_YcNE9fj1Mv1up3sACFzkQKI13l49-SVqK6UWDWGlV6qpl9OAq3ZqRmfJjhWsAYyUQ/s320/Lisa+Dawson+Author+pic.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lisa Dawson is a multi-award-winning interiors blogger, writer, workshop presenter and social media influencer. She writes a popular weekly blog, is a regular contributor to Frank magazine and creates professional social media content for brands such as John Lewis and Loaf Home. She is co-founder of the popular Instagram hashtag #MyHomeVibe which had over 1.5 million posts and was the first UK-based interiors community hashtag when it launched in 2016. She lives in York with her husband, three children and a badly behaved Lhasa Apso called Buddy. Lisa shares her home inspiration on her Instagram @_lisa_dawson_ and www.lisadawsonstyling.com</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8GDYi9jNt7fmvCFr-ZdJTRkQE3xe5ubaM5cvI7N6FQbaNn0MyZQ3V9nZApfNjxfl2W6sf6-sZfCBSvgpJ0eXWF9yr5rAgzxOIbvI2NSPvl1apbkEQuxJBSI5g4fAmF8WCXEnGDlvXWo/s1280/Resourceful+Living+BT+Poster.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8GDYi9jNt7fmvCFr-ZdJTRkQE3xe5ubaM5cvI7N6FQbaNn0MyZQ3V9nZApfNjxfl2W6sf6-sZfCBSvgpJ0eXWF9yr5rAgzxOIbvI2NSPvl1apbkEQuxJBSI5g4fAmF8WCXEnGDlvXWo/s320/Resourceful+Living+BT+Poster.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-36813007245470025832021-04-14T13:09:00.001+01:002021-04-14T13:09:54.418+01:00Shadows Of Hell by Duncan Thompson - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMk-J6c2sWwX8VLUKGyhwhEJpbUVgLgqucVRpH6sTfsjW8vpbe2jMI3ERh_4m5gRIc8O-9Wqh8sd24WQIXJhkQM6PdE4Nt-PP_bIyjCICORU9zhJG70QFCjoeWVCjL2FUyoyXEEH7SZ9E/s2048/Shadows+of+Hell.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMk-J6c2sWwX8VLUKGyhwhEJpbUVgLgqucVRpH6sTfsjW8vpbe2jMI3ERh_4m5gRIc8O-9Wqh8sd24WQIXJhkQM6PdE4Nt-PP_bIyjCICORU9zhJG70QFCjoeWVCjL2FUyoyXEEH7SZ9E/s320/Shadows+of+Hell.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on <i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum</i> I'm finishing out the blog tour for Shadows Of Hell by Duncan Thompson with my review of the book. A big thanks to the author and Emma Welton of DampPebbles Blog Tours.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Shadows Of Hell</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">When a man of heavenly worth sins in Hell, darkness shall reign upon the earth</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">A message from the other side - an omen of the impending apocalypse. A message intended for one man, the only man who can prevent Armageddon, saving the soul of every man, woman and child on Earth. That man is Joe Costello.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">But, not only is Joe trapped in the underworld, he is also the same man who has the power to unleash the shadows of hell upon the world.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Inspired by Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, Joe must battle his way through the nine circles of Hell - his escape being the key to salvation. Not only will he face all manner of Hell's demons, he'll also face his own.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">However, Joe is not alone on his journey, as he is guided through each level of Hell by medium and psychic, Layla Thorne. Shadows of Hell is the epic follow-up to Shadows of the Woods.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>My Review</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What a book!! I was really grabbed by the blurb so jumped at the opportunity to read Shadows Of Hell. I'm definitely glad that I did. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I fell in love with the characters. Considering it's quite a short book, the characters are very well developed and you feel a connection sign them. The dark humour was really well done too and made me chuckle when I really shouldn't have! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm a big fan of Dante's Divine Comedy, I was intrigued to see what the author did with the story and I was not disappointed, Duncan Thompson takes the nine levels of hell and ramps up the volume all the way to 11! The level of gore could be too much for some people, but it's done so well and it fit perfectly for me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The book is fast paced and sharp witted and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute! I read in one sitting, cringing at some points and laughing at others! I wish I'd read Shadows Of The Woods first, but I don't feel it affected my reading experience too much, plus I now get to go and read that. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a definite recommendation from me and a full 5 stars! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>About The Author</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6SAi0u8OSE_AvIA81R8e7QiCC6DjRKxSMA7zRJxSVspmIuL12V5jBfmIWIlQzQJMIZWN2oza2f8dZUGEbhLOO78fi0C4f18ghRU83AT10XMf29w9QFSGeej-eAIMYP3zYbjpjru1slY/s400/duncan+thompson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6SAi0u8OSE_AvIA81R8e7QiCC6DjRKxSMA7zRJxSVspmIuL12V5jBfmIWIlQzQJMIZWN2oza2f8dZUGEbhLOO78fi0C4f18ghRU83AT10XMf29w9QFSGeej-eAIMYP3zYbjpjru1slY/s320/duncan+thompson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Duncan Thompson has spent most of his life in a small market town in West Yorkshire -- the same town in which most of his stories are set under the guise of Ravenfield. Duncan has been writing works of fiction since the age of seven. In those early days, his stories often involved himself and his friends being transported to fantasy worlds. However, as a teenager, Duncan fell in love with horror movies and his writing took a whole new direction.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Duncan works in financial services and lives with his partner and their two young children. He also has slight obsession with Spider-Man, the actor Bruce Campbell, as well as having an addiction to vinyl records, coffee and Lego.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDkUbcZ_DaeDIF3vjDA2QISqWG55xBqwkP6DHjwJzznlbcGT3hROkZAw19kMdl6vxVC6c-e_BzivEe2x52Yk1zOFs-UhGMOKDiB6rGg9Zut7Wa3ksa-eLPMDWY9Ps-l-Z912qMrmqXNA/s1920/Shadows+of+Hell+banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDkUbcZ_DaeDIF3vjDA2QISqWG55xBqwkP6DHjwJzznlbcGT3hROkZAw19kMdl6vxVC6c-e_BzivEe2x52Yk1zOFs-UhGMOKDiB6rGg9Zut7Wa3ksa-eLPMDWY9Ps-l-Z912qMrmqXNA/s320/Shadows+of+Hell+banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-66523686081406483402021-03-19T07:00:00.001+00:002021-03-19T07:00:13.944+00:00Notebook by Tom Cox - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-PPuydDwmJNjcSsvKq7Neoidnsmo_iYvUHwBMGT8qIzF2n2skrMkE0S7RiEK4fkyCL9KPZ9ZthSLNqK9l1MFQsZIO6Ipm8Vr7wf6dJk_KvtbL1Rg-EQOj03f0IohYeK2OMNMMpJlUz0/s499/Notebook+Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-PPuydDwmJNjcSsvKq7Neoidnsmo_iYvUHwBMGT8qIzF2n2skrMkE0S7RiEK4fkyCL9KPZ9ZthSLNqK9l1MFQsZIO6Ipm8Vr7wf6dJk_KvtbL1Rg-EQOj03f0IohYeK2OMNMMpJlUz0/s320/Notebook+Cover.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today on <i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum</i>, I can barely contain my excitement as I am sharing my review of Tom Cox's newest book, Notebook. I am a big fan of his work and am always honoured to be part of blog tours celebrating his publications. A big thank you to the author and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Notebook</b></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sure, sex is great, but have you ever cracked open a new notebook and written</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">something on the first page with a really nice pen?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The story behind Notebook starts with a minor crime: the theft of Tom Cox's</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">rucksack from a Bristol pub in 2018. In that rucksack was a journal containing</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ten months worth of notes, one of the many Tom has used to record his</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">thoughts and observations over the past twelve years. It wasn't the best he had</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ever kept – his handwriting was messier than in his previous notebook, his</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">entries more sporadic – but he still grieved for every one of the hundred or so</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">lost pages.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This incident made Tom appreciate how much notebook-keeping means to</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">him: the act of putting pen to paper has always led him to write with an</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">unvarnished, spur-of-the-moment honesty that he wouldn’t achieve on-screen.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here, Tom has assembled his favourite stories, fragments, moments and ideas</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">from those notebooks, ranging from memories of his childhood to the</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">revelation that 'There are two types of people in the world. People who fucking</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">love maps, and people who don't.'</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The result is a book redolent of the real stuff of life, shot through with Cox’s</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">trademark warmth and wit.</span></div></div><p><b>My Review</b></p><p>What a well needed breath of fresh air Notebook is. Tom Cox absolutely astounds me every single time I read one of his books as I can't believe the amount of whimsy he captures in his work. I definitely feel he has been blessed by the fairies with his talent. </p><p>Notebooks theselves are a magical force, which anyone who is a fan of stationery can attest. You can leave your thoughts in them, come back at a completely differet time in your life and add more. This magic is what Tom Cox seems to have channelled with his collected thoughts gathered not neccessarily in order, but in a way that shows what caught his attention at the time. Sometimes it jumps from thought to thought and it made me chuckle at points as my husband says that's what it's like having a conversation with me. </p><p>The art included by Cox's parents add to both the overall beauty of Notebook (Tom Cox's books are always absolutely stunning both inside and out) and I felt priviledged that not only had he shared his musings and thoughts, but he had shared a bit of his parents too. </p><p>Reading Notebook, is a very hard experience to explain, but I felt so light and happy while reading and I felt I was left with an almost afterglow as I processed what I had read and thought on my own notebooks and journals.</p><p>I think this is my favourite book to date and as always I will wait patiently and excitedly for whatever Tom Cox brings out next. </p><p>I gave this book 5 stars and would have given it more!</p><p><b>About The Author</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfvUw9ngsBG77N158L6WZOyfoXsprdSPOeLslyXERy-cJckSYGs6v-BdZcEN3kWa3_DJWarjp0uYVXlJ4gqVb5D3OaXwaKCrVK6-kgJ1nM0wJSIoU_unJicH8bStVi3epw5j8NUqu7Us/s615/Tom+Cox+Author+Pic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="615" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfvUw9ngsBG77N158L6WZOyfoXsprdSPOeLslyXERy-cJckSYGs6v-BdZcEN3kWa3_DJWarjp0uYVXlJ4gqVb5D3OaXwaKCrVK6-kgJ1nM0wJSIoU_unJicH8bStVi3epw5j8NUqu7Us/s320/Tom+Cox+Author+Pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tom Cox lives in Norfolk. He is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling The</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Good, The Bad and The Furry and the William Hill Sports Book longlisted Bring Me</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the Head of Sergio Garcia. 21st-Century Yokel was longlisted for the Wainwright</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Prize, and the titular story of Help the Witch won a Shirley Jackson Award.</span></div></div><div><br /></div><b>Dont Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-0mOL_a0wlWuQZdZoWg54qJG64G4Q0teOzM_SwF_wLKRC7vFyxQYOyUafUH4Fix_M3IMqJPPuE0tv5PbQNCFsxYJeqbNSjbcxmOLZHO3-TsXOiFORcc_SBzReLlsdb624M7J_5BLl_4/s1280/Notebook+BT+Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-0mOL_a0wlWuQZdZoWg54qJG64G4Q0teOzM_SwF_wLKRC7vFyxQYOyUafUH4Fix_M3IMqJPPuE0tv5PbQNCFsxYJeqbNSjbcxmOLZHO3-TsXOiFORcc_SBzReLlsdb624M7J_5BLl_4/s320/Notebook+BT+Poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-16324922698034083842021-03-17T17:31:00.001+00:002021-03-17T17:31:43.457+00:00Understanding Kids by Tanith Carey - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMe_9Syc0tetNq5wqI_wjwJyEk_Boq0LnfxHvhJMeNW8RSFn5sdsEvpLzLTAEogpXEZc2tfmutYG3oMLpiPpnkDPSXuk1jq_s6X-d76zOWX0vdkXu5H4rJbhaX6ApcHxZ2RutLCuzUoI/s617/What%2527s+My+Child+thinking+Cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="595" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMe_9Syc0tetNq5wqI_wjwJyEk_Boq0LnfxHvhJMeNW8RSFn5sdsEvpLzLTAEogpXEZc2tfmutYG3oMLpiPpnkDPSXuk1jq_s6X-d76zOWX0vdkXu5H4rJbhaX6ApcHxZ2RutLCuzUoI/s320/What%2527s+My+Child+thinking+Cover.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on <i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum</i> I'm sharing my review of What's My Child Thinking and What's My Teenager Thinking by Tanith Carey. A big thank you to the author and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>What's My Child Thinking</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Find out what your child really means when he says "Look what I did", "But I'm not tired," or "You're embarrassing me," and discover what's really going on when he can't express himself at all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Using more than 100 everyday scenarios, the book leads you through each one step by step, explaining not only your child's behavior and the psychology behind it but also your own feelings as a parent. It then gives instant recommendations for what you could say and do in response to best resolve the situation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Covering all your child's developmental milestones from ages 2 to 7 years, What's My Child Thinking? covers important issues, such as temper tantrums, friendships (real and imaginary), sibling rivalry, aggressive behavior, and peer pressure. There's also a bank of practical "survival guides" for critical times, such as traveling in the car, eating out, and going online safely.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rooted in evidence-based clinical psychology and championing positive parenting, What's My Child Thinking? will help you tune in to your child's innermost thoughts and be the parent you want to be.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>My Review</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As parent to a two year old, 7 year old and 12 year old, I was extremely interested in both What's My Child Thinking and What's My Teenager Thinking as they cover the whole range of ages. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The format, style and illustrations are incredibly well organised and very easy to navigate in both books. The illustrations are also beautiful and easy to look at, I really enjoyed them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The way the sections are broken down into different age groups was really helpful and easy to pick out just the age you were interested in if you choose not to read through all ages at the same time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is a lot of very valuable and obviously well researched information throughout. Though some suggestions may not work for all parenting types, it's still nice to be given ideas on what may possibly work or help in different situations. I personally also found it helpful that there were possibilities for what a parent could be thinking or feeling in certain situations rather than just the child. I felt it gave a much more informed and wider information. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I found that the What's My Teenager Thinking was a lot more useful in my life as though I once was a teenager, it was a long time ago! Toddlers and slightly older children have quite simple needs overall, but when hormones hit things become more complicated. I really felt that I learnt some coping skills for both me and my pre teen going forward and hopefully that'll mean that we can get through this next period of her life together and with less stress. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really enjoyed both books and will be referencing back to them now that they're on my shelves. I'll also be lending out What's My Child Thinking to some friends who are going to be parents soon as I think it'll be a valuable read for them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I gave these books 5 stars </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>About The Author</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaTjZ59VmM-drHC8EnMY_AW258blO3GUamAucKo4475_BtKu5BPQhxQx_iUaOp70yZAbqOA2ySAPBlYo4PIgcbP57rkp4D_EkX9AcH5uco1BJps0zdU1bWSucJu05DdURSAY1-aJ0nHI/s1280/Tanith+Carey+Author+Pic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaTjZ59VmM-drHC8EnMY_AW258blO3GUamAucKo4475_BtKu5BPQhxQx_iUaOp70yZAbqOA2ySAPBlYo4PIgcbP57rkp4D_EkX9AcH5uco1BJps0zdU1bWSucJu05DdURSAY1-aJ0nHI/s320/Tanith+Carey+Author+Pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0f2a272d-7fff-4422-090b-b1ee8f7f0cbc" style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tanith Carey is a parenting author who writes on the most pressing challenges facing today’s parents. Her 11 books include ‘Taming the Tiger Parent’, 'Girls, Uninterrupted, and ‘The Friendship Maze’. Tanith also writes on parenting, psychology and social trends for publications all over the world, and has appeared on TV and radio programmes, such as </span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NBC Today</span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the US, </span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour</span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You and Yours</span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ITV’s This Morning</span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Lorraine show</span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good Morning Britain</span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Tanith has two teenage daughters.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JkBIZELHy30VMlTsVK1Qjns5KtQWInhl0Jjw48zvA3t3bLFkX5zICP4QMUhMb3ckBi02tFyopxkB_AJXQvBYx2H0SQbjqxd-uFna2qHY_z2Cb9fPMu8BZLBhebv4RH-zBNFyA-OhG4c/s1280/Understanding+Kids+BT+Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JkBIZELHy30VMlTsVK1Qjns5KtQWInhl0Jjw48zvA3t3bLFkX5zICP4QMUhMb3ckBi02tFyopxkB_AJXQvBYx2H0SQbjqxd-uFna2qHY_z2Cb9fPMu8BZLBhebv4RH-zBNFyA-OhG4c/s320/Understanding+Kids+BT+Poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-29948377442102015782021-03-04T13:25:00.003+00:002021-03-04T13:25:53.487+00:00Watery Through The Gaps by Emma Blas - Blog Tour Review by <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6kWjBd9eUZfpm1Gy_ve-KxBfabmm0hsrhllgK_UFulcSCV-nHkcgoSn0dMYNKEzvTaCwMm9iA4YecBM-Smq2K2VNcVVafys3-dINsuGJnn1pZjdq_nOM4NqsEMPJfKQ8_MnXYdLxfEA/s500/Watery+Through+The+Gaps+Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6kWjBd9eUZfpm1Gy_ve-KxBfabmm0hsrhllgK_UFulcSCV-nHkcgoSn0dMYNKEzvTaCwMm9iA4YecBM-Smq2K2VNcVVafys3-dINsuGJnn1pZjdq_nOM4NqsEMPJfKQ8_MnXYdLxfEA/s320/Watery+Through+The+Gaps+Cover.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I'm excited today to be taking part in the blog tour for Watery Through The Gaps by Emma Blas. I'm sharing my review of this lovely collection of poems. A big thank you to the author and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours. <div><br /></div><div><b>Watery Through The Gaps</b></div><div><br /></div><div>A compelling collection that slips between the crevices of the skin and buries itself into your bones."</div><div> </div><div>'Watery Through the Gaps' is a book for those waking to the realisation that there is more outside than just us. It is for those of us who long to bridge the chasm between the human and earth experience. These poems are stepping stones leading us through the water. Following the river will lead us home and we will never be alone again.</div><div> </div><div>In Emma Blas' second collection of poems, she invites you into dialogue with the sea, taking you into the depths and leaving you wondering whether you can trust the current. Despite the terrifying tug of the undertow, we are exactly where we are meant to be.</div><div> </div><div>If you like poetry that ripples through the depths of the self, against the mirror of the natural world, this book is for you.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>My Review</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I had such an emotional journey while reading Watery Through The Gaps. Having lost two very close family members not long before reading this, I wasn't sure if it'd be too soon, but it turned out to be just what I needed. </div><div><br /></div><div>The theme of water felt very personal and has so many different meanings and interpretations. I'm always drawn to water and so it felt like the poems were speaking to me directly. What added to this was the lack of capital letters, it made it feel to me like it was my voice. I feel this made me more involved and almost like the stories were coming from me. </div><div><br /></div><div>The mix of nature with emotions work so beautifully. It's such a natural and powerful way to view grief, loss and other emotions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Normally I plan to read poem anthologies by dipping in and out, but always end up reading them through all in one go. With the emotions evoked in Watery Through The Gaps though, I did find myself putting my book down for a while just to give myself time to think and digest what I had read. </div><div><br /></div><div>An absolutely stunning read and one I will be recommending and passing on. </div><div><br /></div><div>I gave this book 5 stars. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>About The Author</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibtouuWvLjkbBkXrFrPOij9J8kKqH_hf4JskoUFdWCiH8MUz6Z2AKN-Gw7QakYMVBXxQ-MoLtfa9cntAYWfhgPrJnHpXkyJWfjTW3pvRFh_c8mXWTeTGBH12zFvUlPjsPGyf6IixgzbXc/s2048/Emma+Blas.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibtouuWvLjkbBkXrFrPOij9J8kKqH_hf4JskoUFdWCiH8MUz6Z2AKN-Gw7QakYMVBXxQ-MoLtfa9cntAYWfhgPrJnHpXkyJWfjTW3pvRFh_c8mXWTeTGBH12zFvUlPjsPGyf6IixgzbXc/s320/Emma+Blas.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Emma Blas lives near gijón in spain. her poetry explores transitions, shifts of phase and form in the natural world. you will find her at the beach, walking through the dramatic landscape of asturias, or with her hands in the soil, trying to learn from the earth. it is these crossing points between the physical, psychological and imagined states of life that are painted in her poetry.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxOyqkXc7fmtX4Vwhf6WgdJMQ2iAcs9jpOUHRS3b9_XKDOPjBAAOGmGHyZx426SDn0RuTVnZkugNpryYTKKYsOmlAJJYQgaHfyHP8jHLWtVy05UMcGJzGK2d2dgQ8zJNHnsa46OMI27s/s1280/Watery+Though+The+Gaps+BT+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxOyqkXc7fmtX4Vwhf6WgdJMQ2iAcs9jpOUHRS3b9_XKDOPjBAAOGmGHyZx426SDn0RuTVnZkugNpryYTKKYsOmlAJJYQgaHfyHP8jHLWtVy05UMcGJzGK2d2dgQ8zJNHnsa46OMI27s/s320/Watery+Though+The+Gaps+BT+Poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-6554213918105910362021-03-04T10:15:00.000+00:002021-03-04T10:15:01.782+00:00The Last Witch by Sabina Gabrielli Carrara - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5hd-bpZu4mr15np2vMCacB5y_XmOR1jxFb-9daru7VAkxRt3VesqOfxGPb294wSuWffXub2LIcpOhVJJlpUU3lICe0CNXOvLpXt4nbcKjqBRmRjJdQscfKrVDXJOcyKCkT_fzv86vuM/s1049/20210304_093047.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5hd-bpZu4mr15np2vMCacB5y_XmOR1jxFb-9daru7VAkxRt3VesqOfxGPb294wSuWffXub2LIcpOhVJJlpUU3lICe0CNXOvLpXt4nbcKjqBRmRjJdQscfKrVDXJOcyKCkT_fzv86vuM/s320/20210304_093047.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today on Life Of A Nerdish Mum, I am happy to be sharing my thoughts about The Last Witch by Sabina Gabrielli Carrara. A big thank you to the author and Emma Welton of Damppebbles Blog Tours. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Last Witch</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f20ebe7-7fff-732e-3709-6ecdbcbcf632" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back in 1974, the dormant Irish village of Seacross is shocked by the gruesome circumstances of young Margaret Morehouse’s death. Forty-five years later history seems to repeat itself and the quiet life of the coastal Irish village is suddenly shaken by a series of ritualistic murders. Someone had broken the pact of secrecy to obtain justice, but if the truth comes out nobody will be spared, from the future Taoiseach to the local men of power.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>My Review </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed The Last Witch. After an extremely shocking opening, the story starts on a slow burn before picking up pace towards the end. I found this really worked for me as it caught me with the murder in the first chapter and then I kept thinking "just one more chapter" because I wanted to know what happened. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The mystery is masterfully done and I was kept guessing, I really should keep records of my theories in future to compare them to the actual outcome. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Billy McCabe is more of your traditional old fashioned officers, but he's likeable and I like the fact he has a wife (and dog). His character development throughout is believable and I enjoyed seeing how he dealt with things. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I felt like Seacross was a character in itself, I love tiny rural villages where everyone knows everything and everyone. It always gives the feel that there's something going on. I could also picture it perfectly from the beautiful description. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall a incredible book and I will be finding other books by Sabina Gabrielli Carrara to go back and read. A definite recommendation from me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I gave this book 5 stars. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>About The Author</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5TrLTqyUyYW4I6ZQzWkSTSbS-Ayp5slSyyEm_1yoqW0PZnRFkQ76Fa8WRDrfqAmYtpbu5pMRS5TYkALp2FlweM7AifwqgSqW8RiGfofmKOuLd-hTI2ap7C_hV6CEntLttNFU6mCA3lE/s1018/FB_IMG_1614851141451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5TrLTqyUyYW4I6ZQzWkSTSbS-Ayp5slSyyEm_1yoqW0PZnRFkQ76Fa8WRDrfqAmYtpbu5pMRS5TYkALp2FlweM7AifwqgSqW8RiGfofmKOuLd-hTI2ap7C_hV6CEntLttNFU6mCA3lE/s320/FB_IMG_1614851141451.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Italian Ireland-based author of murder mysteries with a psychological twist, after a degree in History and Philosophy and some experience in Human resources, Sabina decided to go back to her old passion: writing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She is a published author in Denmark and currently living in the little village of Balrothery in North Co. Dublin with her husband, their two daughters and three dogs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRl1T6F4vE_r9PXhfRvryBL4g9NtB0BX0KIqQX4sPAgplswXKuyE_nlbbvAlfDCAoPkc7nf0MDI3igVmLz8o8UvDYPfI_5-auOcScrmrmGqm9VbNd-rPE0Tmwjqba-p7gkZkD7Z4wlDI/s1024/20210304_093049.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRl1T6F4vE_r9PXhfRvryBL4g9NtB0BX0KIqQX4sPAgplswXKuyE_nlbbvAlfDCAoPkc7nf0MDI3igVmLz8o8UvDYPfI_5-auOcScrmrmGqm9VbNd-rPE0Tmwjqba-p7gkZkD7Z4wlDI/s320/20210304_093049.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-77328969934038672622020-10-02T21:30:00.000+01:002020-10-02T21:30:24.984+01:00Wild Whispers (Adult Wellness Sessions) With Wild One Adventures<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrbs-oPQA3SjsTwt6etdexDkTaTNgRLwkPKUIeYUxeKyP7LTqjk8k6zWhqjAoelkINp0bRNhOKsmKBHReTruH1bPi2orWxvDGXmZ21xxDhKvYdmxcjhYEpoAbVEMFMwa_VvZXrn2HugY/s4032/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200930200932942_COVER%257E2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrbs-oPQA3SjsTwt6etdexDkTaTNgRLwkPKUIeYUxeKyP7LTqjk8k6zWhqjAoelkINp0bRNhOKsmKBHReTruH1bPi2orWxvDGXmZ21xxDhKvYdmxcjhYEpoAbVEMFMwa_VvZXrn2HugY/s320/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200930200932942_COVER%257E2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>If you went down to the woods on Wednesday, you be sure to find a small group of people having the most amazing time. <p></p><p>Everyone who knows me even slightly, knows how much I absolutely love Wild One Adventures and how I make sure that Thea attends every session, so when I had the opportunity to attend a demo session for grown up Wild Ones you know I was right in there! </p><p>We met up at 7PM and we were welcomed with a sign and fairy lights and lanterns leading us toward a fire.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQdrGtN86X1HSyUoDs_IV2wyytK5Otl92m1kqmc-O6RndVZR3REzi9M4OeDWoB0XqKMGBO3fGzk-zQdhWDCcUypSdGffBn-uDW5bM_PfMt_gwoDParT661Z7gS00gA-7acD5EBH4nnAo/s4032/00000PORTRAIT_00000_BURST20200930190450406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQdrGtN86X1HSyUoDs_IV2wyytK5Otl92m1kqmc-O6RndVZR3REzi9M4OeDWoB0XqKMGBO3fGzk-zQdhWDCcUypSdGffBn-uDW5bM_PfMt_gwoDParT661Z7gS00gA-7acD5EBH4nnAo/s320/00000PORTRAIT_00000_BURST20200930190450406.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>When we'd all arrived, we sat down on wooden toadstools (me more carefully than most as the first time I'd sat on one I fell off backwards haha) and Louise welcomed us and explained what her thoughts were about the session and introduced us to Nicky. Nicky talked a bit about wellness and meditation. Though most of us knew each other or at least recognised each other from Wild One Adventures sessions, we went round and chatted about what we do and the kind of outdoor activities we all get up to. It was so nice chatting to other people who are like minded and in such a relaxed and friendly way. </p><p>Once we were all introduced and relaxed we all went and got in a hammock. I've never been in a hammock before and was quite worried I'd end up flinging myself across the woods! Luckily Louise was lovely enough to talk me through sitting in and give me a helping hand and I got in safely. In our hammocks, we could meditate if we chose, nap or just take time to relax. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUU7hkV_Vm5A1mWrpe0_cB7jD1Ed4pRMNtwwpc6KhNb-7g9NT5GkZPZxDDrmo4Y12J_DtbD4c_-p_QBYmH38cfl6d32XiGpTajuvLMZioAw4-IsWyhqwtupF_Qw7nNiZ_Rvna533ZTBOg/s4032/00000IMG_00000_BURST20200930192446404_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUU7hkV_Vm5A1mWrpe0_cB7jD1Ed4pRMNtwwpc6KhNb-7g9NT5GkZPZxDDrmo4Y12J_DtbD4c_-p_QBYmH38cfl6d32XiGpTajuvLMZioAw4-IsWyhqwtupF_Qw7nNiZ_Rvna533ZTBOg/s320/00000IMG_00000_BURST20200930192446404_COVER.jpg" /></a></div><p>The feeling of being in the hammock was lovely, it gently hugged my arms against me and it was so comfortable for my back. I loved looking up through the trees to see the fading daylight and listening to the rain dropping through the leaves and the river running nearby. I could quite happily have dozed off had I stayed in it longer. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw_x2JAf4YR5hB1SP2_7HKi8v1qYdNSS4DWCo8pK2hKvs_ACT2jAJaO0-vZqXzMHYFCu1zGVOfDuAttAqmwnw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>After a length of time, we could either spend longer in the hammock or come back round the fire. We all chose to go back round the fire and we all talked about how much we enjoyed the hammock experience.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UfJ4NUTKGahPAJVAfhNIRrAdAYpsoiYIvb2JAkqC3gvWNnA4U1RULVXv93Ep1jA_VfA1LW-LimMwZz1MDURB1E2i5LqR9gdj2yb4K8WNShxgdjzdcqBtUUJNOuoeOhzKBccEOi7PC3k/s4032/00000PORTRAIT_00000_BURST20200930200648881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UfJ4NUTKGahPAJVAfhNIRrAdAYpsoiYIvb2JAkqC3gvWNnA4U1RULVXv93Ep1jA_VfA1LW-LimMwZz1MDURB1E2i5LqR9gdj2yb4K8WNShxgdjzdcqBtUUJNOuoeOhzKBccEOi7PC3k/s320/00000PORTRAIT_00000_BURST20200930200648881.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>We'd been asked to bring mugs and honestly I'd expected either tea or maybe hot chocolate...I was very wrong! Our choices were mulled wine of Baileys! Originally I was going to have a mulled wine, but Louise mentioned toasting a marshmallow and then dunking it in the Baileys, I WAS SOLD. It was quite possibly the most decadent experience I've ever had haha! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46k4SuXUZ4FSRoy_zz5c42cMsbNDB4d1FXiSiSvyxcgKckCktwFZTbnIa1liUY6DJwgI_26r711ttsgOK3m3r880fxl6GQkSMpDA7MhFyI0jkTLQArlxK9l3vaYblRhWRIqtFi88JNnQ/s4032/IMG_20200930_195107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46k4SuXUZ4FSRoy_zz5c42cMsbNDB4d1FXiSiSvyxcgKckCktwFZTbnIa1liUY6DJwgI_26r711ttsgOK3m3r880fxl6GQkSMpDA7MhFyI0jkTLQArlxK9l3vaYblRhWRIqtFi88JNnQ/s320/IMG_20200930_195107.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall this was the most relaxing, friendly and freeing "adventures" I've ever had. It was something I needed so badly with everything over the past couple of years and I felt so light and positive afterwards. If you get the opportunity to take part and book into one of these sessions, I urge you to do it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzY-YapnLqz0Aqeq5tvbSqJVvUFfEbAHLWNAw-yEvkhQjixOI6CcrxAEAPqNglZdMTweJhh3JeCvhXLMPwRn8YuCmlYJxpsh2-PSNyu_ib3Ca2C_tlg2mGXCRYwEwEcAenE80DSQ1Kn0/s4032/00000IMG_00000_BURST20200930200838698_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzY-YapnLqz0Aqeq5tvbSqJVvUFfEbAHLWNAw-yEvkhQjixOI6CcrxAEAPqNglZdMTweJhh3JeCvhXLMPwRn8YuCmlYJxpsh2-PSNyu_ib3Ca2C_tlg2mGXCRYwEwEcAenE80DSQ1Kn0/s320/00000IMG_00000_BURST20200930200838698_COVER.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-81552561032151216112020-09-08T22:27:00.000+01:002020-09-08T22:27:15.736+01:00The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart - Blog Tour Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="486" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh839qKno9xA0ayIxis6zdRHZnLELr5tivoR7GqvhyphenhyphenpdeVjfXOt_zJg-PDnVNGViFOLzortkdX4Zcr9Tqw9JluJznaJY70kCbvc2OL2OHhCa34tiuF9uA9KnVeIFzIfCOUMJKKtvCQg0y0/s320/50706646.jpg" /></i></div><div><br /></div>Today on<i> </i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum I am<i> </i>excited to be part of the blog tour for The Bone Shard Daughter. A big thank you to the author and Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Readers for having me along. <p></p><div><b>The Bone Shard Daughter</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">In an empire controlled by bone shard magic, Lin, the former heir to the emperor will fight to reclaim her magic and her place on the throne. <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">The</i> <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Bone Shard Daughter </i>marks the debut of a major new voice in epic fantasy.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />The emperor's reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire's many islands.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Lin is the emperor's daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright - and save her people.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>My Review</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Wow!! If I could get away with a one word review for this absolutely amazing book, then Wow pretty much covers it. I don't feel I've the right vocabulary for how much I enjoyed The Bone Shard Daughter, but I'll give it a go. </div><div><br /></div><div>I really enjoy a multiple POV (point of view) story, but it has to be really well written to pull it off. Andrea Stewart is like some sort of magician with how the story flows effortlessly between POVs as well as perspectives. Each character has their own feel and voice and I didn't feel any we're interchangeable. I flew through the book because I kept wanting to know what would happen with the next person.</div><div><br /></div><div>The characters themselves were also really well developed, even the less focal characters. I really felt like I knew each one and I was invested in their stories right from the beginning. The relationships are also done beautifully in my opinion and seem very organic and real. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Bone Shard Daughter is a slower paced debut (and first in series) which I really enjoyed. I loved being part of the build up towards the deeper parts of the story instead big just being thrown right in the deep end. I'm chomping at the bit now, ready for the next book. I need more from the world and author! </div><div><br /></div><div>I would really recommend The Bone Shard Daughter and the hype really is deserved for this book. I gave it 5 stars. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>About The Author</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlBGEHddGekbiMbW9H-KT5yRHfumLLR46csMpuslvmDWCI_Q0RROl185kZvE8NNTzJ8IQFRkb4P4oB_Q0FrOVXUyn_TVARAppbxB0oB7KxRDshiSZu874oe7-E0EfvnGr4S8bW0V6Wh8/s263/800052.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlBGEHddGekbiMbW9H-KT5yRHfumLLR46csMpuslvmDWCI_Q0RROl185kZvE8NNTzJ8IQFRkb4P4oB_Q0FrOVXUyn_TVARAppbxB0oB7KxRDshiSZu874oe7-E0EfvnGr4S8bW0V6Wh8/s0/800052.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Andrea Stewart is the Chinese American daughter of immigrants, and was raised in a number of places across the United States. Her parents always emphasized science and education, so she spent her childhood immersed in Star Trek and odd-smelling library books. When her (admittedly ambitious) dreams of becoming a dragon slayer didn't pan out, she instead turned to writing books. She now lives in sunny California, and in addition to writing, can be found herding cats, looking at birds, and falling down research rabbit holes.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNghvRJLULMQ3ubDBNpzGomjxsd4GrS5dMv8XbYtnSjMVZ4-j9tpP6NJ1gFpWiO0mk3WCe86ix1oIub8WvSRmZed-sKglVQUKf2TWX2xAwG2MFFE2TBwFhpGG8lYV1Pg9vpV0loA0HrKg/s1024/Bone+Shard+daughter+blog+tour+asset.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNghvRJLULMQ3ubDBNpzGomjxsd4GrS5dMv8XbYtnSjMVZ4-j9tpP6NJ1gFpWiO0mk3WCe86ix1oIub8WvSRmZed-sKglVQUKf2TWX2xAwG2MFFE2TBwFhpGG8lYV1Pg9vpV0loA0HrKg/s320/Bone+Shard+daughter+blog+tour+asset.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-67950023283752737272020-09-05T20:23:00.002+01:002020-09-05T20:25:58.665+01:00Glamping With Wild One Adventures! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgx2EhZ7sqgG2huCwD5-L1QtLl0M4pXAp8Lo_vLiDbrs3oy4x1Ia9lL32_T3QKKjpRpwpU6bM-37XYiYrMY0Qqzb1C5zUt7LfKAXdMJo7g7Y2iOY99egNiEqGBCNp2mr4X4IhfYCk7mLM/s4032/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200829151533711_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgx2EhZ7sqgG2huCwD5-L1QtLl0M4pXAp8Lo_vLiDbrs3oy4x1Ia9lL32_T3QKKjpRpwpU6bM-37XYiYrMY0Qqzb1C5zUt7LfKAXdMJo7g7Y2iOY99egNiEqGBCNp2mr4X4IhfYCk7mLM/s320/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200829151533711_COVER.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I've been trying to write an Instagram post or a review all week, but nothing felt right. So I've decided a chatty blog post was the best idea. </p><p><br /></p><p>Last weekend was the last weekend of the summer holidays after obviously a very weird and difficult year so far. I'd wanted to do something special for Tristan and spend some time just one on one with him, but hadn't a clue what to do. </p><p>I'd seen that Wild One Adventures had started offering glamping experiences in people's gardens, which I thought was amazing, but sadly something my back yard would not accommodate. As lockdown restrictions lifted, I noticed they had started offering the experiences at Brocklehead Farm and Caravan Site, so I asked about it and ended up booking for the 29th of August. </p><p>As the time approached I'd let Tristan know our plans and he was ridiculously excited. He's never been camping before so it was going to be a new experience for him making it even more special. He counted down the days and talked about it constantly. </p><p>On the day I was both excited and nervous as I wanted him to love it as much as I knew I would. </p><p>Nerdish Dad dropped us off at the gates and the entrance was so lovely with a carved welcome sign. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizae4MDJgSOEHH8ooUuwHPdftpDy8Nrz5rgd9xDDMNbQc1ntWK_iHF4s7EXQdSb6UVzxiAVOQGgdywxP2aABf2EN1S3Def_oM27q26Us3pmFykrg3WpJ7a0a2bgO6Q7RKBIQj6ZeUiCfw/s3658/IMG_20200829_150207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizae4MDJgSOEHH8ooUuwHPdftpDy8Nrz5rgd9xDDMNbQc1ntWK_iHF4s7EXQdSb6UVzxiAVOQGgdywxP2aABf2EN1S3Def_oM27q26Us3pmFykrg3WpJ7a0a2bgO6Q7RKBIQj6ZeUiCfw/s320/IMG_20200829_150207.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>And we walked down to our pitch. I was pleasantly surprised with how many people were there and how the site was all laid out around a playground for the kids. On our pitch, our canvas teepee was all set up and outdoors there was a firepit and table and chairs all ready for us. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1-ymx252WfDTQ5O_4qs8_P1OT0YMQ14c6HQMv1prhaxzjLPKy1dxpKeNihhO8LTHgn4-KELhm5tl3JNBCFhdRlhssicLhy1LNMUeooKhEeXZYvrlcnEL_TaV63Chyphenhyphenjp5yvTLxgdOeNA/s4032/IMG_20200829_150311.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1-ymx252WfDTQ5O_4qs8_P1OT0YMQ14c6HQMv1prhaxzjLPKy1dxpKeNihhO8LTHgn4-KELhm5tl3JNBCFhdRlhssicLhy1LNMUeooKhEeXZYvrlcnEL_TaV63Chyphenhyphenjp5yvTLxgdOeNA/s320/IMG_20200829_150311.jpg" /></a></div><p>Honestly I was impressed enough with just the outside, but when I opened up the tent I cried and Tristan whooped. It was so unbelievably stunning. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6-WOwhOaDg8wbXekdUR-me2Sq7se6jZBACuAmFqIFMaEh74tRk7AG9WDlRVyAcv0Us-8IF0-P4Elv88K9RK83IfMaHFldJgq_A6hqOLBHX8u08G_2y17i7FxVGmlYi5HK3OYrg6eujA/s4032/IMG_20200829_150529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6-WOwhOaDg8wbXekdUR-me2Sq7se6jZBACuAmFqIFMaEh74tRk7AG9WDlRVyAcv0Us-8IF0-P4Elv88K9RK83IfMaHFldJgq_A6hqOLBHX8u08G_2y17i7FxVGmlYi5HK3OYrg6eujA/s320/IMG_20200829_150529.jpg" /></a></div><p>It was so welcoming and Louise (Wild One Adventures) had thought of everything. There was lego and other bits for Tristan to play with and there was gin and Eccles cakes for me. We spent time exploring the tent and then we went looking for the loos and shower block. It might sound strange, but I've never seen such beautiful campsite facilities before and they were incredibly clean.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnIyNlfdOVQ_ceEWGW9sIOTjp6UWM49_wPQNP2chm4hNgfs96W3cqiO_v-5QilDkifmW0KgaJ6jHHbq_WW9fJy6QMhbfD0aDKDZJ2bqWMsxpb4_ZbFtHCfMvVK3xAP7HDXz62EzZIXXw/s4032/IMG_20200829_185956.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnIyNlfdOVQ_ceEWGW9sIOTjp6UWM49_wPQNP2chm4hNgfs96W3cqiO_v-5QilDkifmW0KgaJ6jHHbq_WW9fJy6QMhbfD0aDKDZJ2bqWMsxpb4_ZbFtHCfMvVK3xAP7HDXz62EzZIXXw/s320/IMG_20200829_185956.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I then sat and just took in all the outstanding views and enjoyed my brew from my flask while Tristan was building all sorts of creations with the Lego. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We did have a sprinkling of rain, but it didn't stop us from sitting by the fire - which I managed to light effortlessly - and enjoying the outdoors. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For tea I had brought a picnic and we sat in the tent to eat and talk. Tristan tried an Eccles cake for the first time and he's definitely a fan! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPDufXM275DOmE-cGYB_coXUgMvfSOCFKD1PhsUbU2Wc-OLrhvc0b76MZf4nsZ_BxmDt28ge0YaNi8TuXvGido5qyJKi9Z40-sS2kBs0Lnk9VSyHF-wCGNj70aG-ucHS5k4FsWO7aDR0/s4032/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200829170128955_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPDufXM275DOmE-cGYB_coXUgMvfSOCFKD1PhsUbU2Wc-OLrhvc0b76MZf4nsZ_BxmDt28ge0YaNi8TuXvGido5qyJKi9Z40-sS2kBs0Lnk9VSyHF-wCGNj70aG-ucHS5k4FsWO7aDR0/s320/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200829170128955_COVER.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>By this time it was about half 7 and Tristan was itching to go and play on the playground. I was a bit nervous as there were quite a few other children, but I didn't need to be. He made friends and they were all playing socially distanced games, like Touchless Tig, the rules of which changed constantly! <div><br /></div><div>While supervising, I sat quietly and really took time to focus on the moment. Listening to the kids laughing, feeling the cool breeze that was bringing the smells of someone's barbecue and watching the sun as it set was the most perfect moment I could have asked for. I haven't felt so light in a long time. As the sun was finally setting, Tristan came to join me and we watched it together. Another first time experience for him.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcWVSd-JRkkz5a1xJuyNQSqe-Nav7PfnlgDCsleHZcJ_TJdWJaiRA0rlWMkZeoOmRzjdOnPfYgmFbgzReSBn8MemAJUE2lp5y6NX2lx8jzHmVDQfrPEuT43YBD_74w-mB9g_8Ohv-Y00/s4032/00000IMG_00000_BURST20200829200114244_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcWVSd-JRkkz5a1xJuyNQSqe-Nav7PfnlgDCsleHZcJ_TJdWJaiRA0rlWMkZeoOmRzjdOnPfYgmFbgzReSBn8MemAJUE2lp5y6NX2lx8jzHmVDQfrPEuT43YBD_74w-mB9g_8Ohv-Y00/s320/00000IMG_00000_BURST20200829200114244_COVER.jpg" /></a></div><br />As it went dark we wandered back to our tent and got ourselves ready for bed and piled blankets on top of us as it'd got a bit chilly by this stage. Louise (Wild One Adventures) had left a pack of Uno cards for us to use and though neither of us had any idea what we were doing, we had the most amazing time just laughing and making it up as we went along, playing by fairy lights. This has to be one of my favourite memories from the whole experience and I know it's one of Tristan's too as he's told other people about it. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkZdSEXk7aThGfdcvbYs43uG0_BfyZ1r1eBP7r6ziPBswj24RdiZ9eDRUHC7ztLeAfxi-dyq1tKs_wavYNGhvlh-8WV9yesg3LkPUmk9idsmeGn4x4YFRU558aJUZV7izGBH88vdw_d4/s4032/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200829203939571_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkZdSEXk7aThGfdcvbYs43uG0_BfyZ1r1eBP7r6ziPBswj24RdiZ9eDRUHC7ztLeAfxi-dyq1tKs_wavYNGhvlh-8WV9yesg3LkPUmk9idsmeGn4x4YFRU558aJUZV7izGBH88vdw_d4/s320/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200829203939571_COVER.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>We settled down for the best nights sleep I've had in a long time! </div><div><br /></div><div>In the morning, Tristan woke at seven as usual and he had us dressed and at the playground in record time! We did go say hi to the cows first though. I let him play for an hour or so while I enjoyed the views and then we sorted out breakfast before being picked up to go home. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3ZH2__gO0PEI9n-PYCMrUZznIRZsaKNLJnhgEwMzw2TxEKGEoitCAsICDZTmfWYrwUzhed4TWoRcQFFD6s6zKUg1aO7LWw-rpQu3P0hvfxxm8EgGsuNlIarwhtcSxr6b7oB9kNp_3Go/s4032/00000IMG_00000_BURST20200830083205733_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3ZH2__gO0PEI9n-PYCMrUZznIRZsaKNLJnhgEwMzw2TxEKGEoitCAsICDZTmfWYrwUzhed4TWoRcQFFD6s6zKUg1aO7LWw-rpQu3P0hvfxxm8EgGsuNlIarwhtcSxr6b7oB9kNp_3Go/s320/00000IMG_00000_BURST20200830083205733_COVER.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>I cannot recommend this whole thing enough. Louise has made glamping even better in my opinion with all the thought and love and care that she puts into the whole thing. And Brocklehead Farm and Caravan Site is a perfect destination whether you're local or not. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect way to spend time with my boy and to treat him for coping with everything so well. He wanted to stay a second night and is already asking what dates I've booked next year. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's turned into quite a long post and I really hope I've done the experience justice.</div>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-62762756912479350432020-08-29T00:18:00.000+01:002020-08-29T00:18:35.367+01:00The Naseby Horses by Dominic Brownlow - Blog Tour Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KGetabS5cJnQ_se_wNIgJhqbAy4Jke-bplWRrrXYOLrfKkUH0NIr4ibyyYIeaMmUhDPv8h8_vCSxaJKn0ns7H_L1P94jsWFC4tHs57RTx6R4wSYNbKNnqmwSSy9d98C87nOcaBUHi_E/s2048/9781999630560.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1306" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KGetabS5cJnQ_se_wNIgJhqbAy4Jke-bplWRrrXYOLrfKkUH0NIr4ibyyYIeaMmUhDPv8h8_vCSxaJKn0ns7H_L1P94jsWFC4tHs57RTx6R4wSYNbKNnqmwSSy9d98C87nOcaBUHi_E/s320/9781999630560.jpg" /></a></div>
Today on Life Of A Nerdish Mum I'm happy to be sharing my review of The Naseby Horses by Dominic Brownlow. Thank you to Emma Welton of Damppebbles Blog Tours and the author for having me along. <div><br /></div><div><b>The Naseby Horses</b></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Seventeen-year-old Simon’s sister Charlotte is missing. The lonely Fenland village the family recently moved to from London is odd, silent, and mysterious. Simon is epileptic and his seizures are increasing in severity, but when he is told of the local curse of the Naseby Horses, he is convinced it has something to do with Charlotte’s disappearance. Despite resistance from the villagers, the police, and his own family, Simon is determined to uncover the truth, and save his sister.
Under the oppressive Fenland skies and in the heat of a relentless June, Simon’s bond with Charlotte is fierce, all-consuming, and unbreakable; but can he find her? And does she even want to be found?
Drawing on philosophy, science, and the natural world, The Naseby Horses is a moving exploration of the bond between a brother and his sister; of love; and of the meaning of life itself.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>My Review</b> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div>Wow, this book was definitely a fully immersive experience. Though a debut novel, The Naseby Horses reads like a seasoned authors work. The prose is beautiful and poetic and honestly swept me into the quietly sinister and mysterious story. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Naseby Horses is definitely slower paced than I am used to and at times I wanted to read faster just to see what was really going on. That is an observation on me though rather than the book. </div><div><br /></div><div>Simon is an extremely interesting character and I was never fully sure if I liked him or not due to his unreliability. I love a well done unreliable narrator though and Simon is definitely well done. </div><div><br /></div><div>The focus on Simon's epilepsy was very well portrayed and has been the most realistic (from what a family member explains) version that I've ever read. It's a lot more in-depth than the usual character having a bit of a fit and that's the end of it. </div><div><br /></div><div>I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the journey it took me on. I can only imagine and look forward to new work from Dominic Brownlow in the future. </div><div><br /></div><div>I gave this book 5 stars. </div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>About The Author</b> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKepOZVtrvSXbKapjVOoQAsIxkEHAvruHbnYGF9MqqadRxxdKNf7f7i0m-y26oU-DB4He3J1iYmFQNDUVUceUiWo0eM1VhS2KY1lzWymbUDcAKYVdqlHR6tibiDKQMAYwlpfXx2tszdnc/s1146/Dominic+Brownlow+cropped+%25285%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="1077" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKepOZVtrvSXbKapjVOoQAsIxkEHAvruHbnYGF9MqqadRxxdKNf7f7i0m-y26oU-DB4He3J1iYmFQNDUVUceUiWo0eM1VhS2KY1lzWymbUDcAKYVdqlHR6tibiDKQMAYwlpfXx2tszdnc/s640/Dominic+Brownlow+cropped+%25285%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dominic Brownlow lives near Peterborough with his two children. He lived in London and worked in the music industry as a manager before setting up his own independent label. He now enjoys life in the Fens and has an office that looks out over water. The Naseby Horses is his first novel. It was long listed for the Bath Novel Award 2016. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Social Media:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Twitter: https://twitter.com/DominicBrownlow</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Louise Walters Books: https://www.louisewaltersbooks.co.uk/dominic-brownlow</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Purchase Links:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Louise Walters Books: https://bit.ly/3a9QLqU </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2DztRgr </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3imRms1 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Waterstones: https://bit.ly/3fCFqAx </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Book Depository: https://bit.ly/3fFJfVJ </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blackwells: https://bit.ly/2PDF0PX </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Foyles: https://bit.ly/3acjnQ3 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNMP5AA4R_Wi0U6xZ18W5733VNXQ0fbN7BUA_VJoh8-StZXMRKRzQ9WYQmibLmgmozpj42W1YhEu_YpBWzNSkFwVuO7PKLraNIeRClZRPC7OP7f1ktTGOLBxas_s8PbvoINhJLDxQmAM/s1721/The+Naseby+Horses+banner+PB.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1380" data-original-width="1721" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNMP5AA4R_Wi0U6xZ18W5733VNXQ0fbN7BUA_VJoh8-StZXMRKRzQ9WYQmibLmgmozpj42W1YhEu_YpBWzNSkFwVuO7PKLraNIeRClZRPC7OP7f1ktTGOLBxas_s8PbvoINhJLDxQmAM/s640/The+Naseby+Horses+banner+PB.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7uBM1SeltSVzgs0XNqMKp-DkiVXbEuc-XJMIRPiXdD-QQMTfXlFfcpKvxYOgC_NaKpJDB97rejGK-HWFtKAeVhLHaitu9IxmIFNkQ7Apn3UTpsEL_zG259Bpx7NzYPiPmNSEbZGaamI/s800/dpbt+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7uBM1SeltSVzgs0XNqMKp-DkiVXbEuc-XJMIRPiXdD-QQMTfXlFfcpKvxYOgC_NaKpJDB97rejGK-HWFtKAeVhLHaitu9IxmIFNkQ7Apn3UTpsEL_zG259Bpx7NzYPiPmNSEbZGaamI/s640/dpbt+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-3622602158647290382020-08-25T10:56:00.001+01:002020-08-25T10:56:30.651+01:00Grubane by Karl Drinkwater - Blog Tour Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndRpFArDMIpF0Q4sXXQLj_Uny7ZELrv29sBx9DsgQoOcMzw3TVnb70I9MlmqUKZUuBY3_ksv5egtpjYFzV4W_FUNTqB31rsF0dHYdjcXu1Q0H3yxwCuES2r6SN1K2waalal9iDx-ojjM/s2048/Grubane+%2528e-book%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndRpFArDMIpF0Q4sXXQLj_Uny7ZELrv29sBx9DsgQoOcMzw3TVnb70I9MlmqUKZUuBY3_ksv5egtpjYFzV4W_FUNTqB31rsF0dHYdjcXu1Q0H3yxwCuES2r6SN1K2waalal9iDx-ojjM/s640/Grubane+%2528e-book%2529.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>Today I'm extremely excited to be helping kickoff the blog tour for Grubane by Karl Drinkwater. Karl Drinkwater is one of my favourite authors, so I jumped at the chance to take part! I'm really hoping a hard copy bind up Lost Tales Of Solace will be released in the future so I can complete my Karl Drinkwater shelf!! A big thanks to Karl and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for having me along. </p><p><b>Grubane</b></p><p></p><p dir="ltr">Major Grubane is commander of the Aurikaa, the most feared cruiser in the UFS arsenal<b>.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">His crew is handpicked and fiercely loyal. Together, they have never failed a mission, and their reputation precedes them.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But this time he’s been sent to a key planet that is caught up in political tensions at the centre of the freedom debate. What he thought was a simple diplomatic mission turns out to be the hardest choice of his career. His orders: eliminate one million inhabitants of the planet, and ensure their compliance.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Grubane has also rediscovered an ancient game called chess, and plays it against the ship AI as a form of mental training. But maybe it could be more than that as he finds himself asking questions. Can orders be reinterpreted? How many moves ahead is it possible for one man to plan? And how many players are involved in this game?</p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>Lost Tales of Solace are short side-stories set in the Lost Solace universe</i></p><b>My Review</b><p></p><p>Grubane follows the actions of Major Grubane, and is viewed by the AI Aurikka12. As usual the writing of an AI, I feel is spot on. I always end up having them as a favourite character as though you can tell they aren't human, they learn and develop as the story continues. I get far too invested in how they "feel". </p><p>As this novella is about Grubane, it is more military in tone than the other books in the and could have come across as dry. It does not at all though and kept me thoroughly involved and I read the entire book in one sitting. An </p><p>I loved the use of chess throughout as it was something relateable and helped show how Grubane thought through certain situations and used his logical prowess. It also shows just how much work and thought goes into every story that Karl Drinkwater writes. </p><p>Though not exactly an origin story, it definitely gives a lot more insight into Grubane and it means this novella fits perfectly read either before Lost Solace or after. A good back story is always interesting in my opinion! </p><p>Another absolutely top notch and unmissable part of the Lost Solace series. I already can't wait for more. </p><p>I gave this book 5 stars. </p><p><b>About The Author</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLO3ZOzlvLIksTOtHA9boh7egMzR2YcEId1hqZNXyhkx8JEcLi_ikUotR9lxiO0PdIPyaBKC1lK2nnymshsplYiPR889TiBHOy_OVhEFCTXwcsnXxAi8SezUnOaVpJvjPiDuU21rTk2M/s1207/KD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1185" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLO3ZOzlvLIksTOtHA9boh7egMzR2YcEId1hqZNXyhkx8JEcLi_ikUotR9lxiO0PdIPyaBKC1lK2nnymshsplYiPR889TiBHOy_OVhEFCTXwcsnXxAi8SezUnOaVpJvjPiDuU21rTk2M/s640/KD.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="wp-block-column" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #464646; flex-basis: 100%; flex-grow: 1; font-family: Lora; font-size: 16px; min-width: 0px; outline: 0px !important; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px !important;">Website <a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://karldrinkwater.uk/" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #94ce00; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://karldrinkwater.uk</a> Twitter <a data-wpel-link="external" href="http://twitter.com/karldrinkwater" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #94ce00; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">http://twitter.com/karldrinkwater</a> Facebook <a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://www.facebook.com/karlzdrinkwater" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #94ce00; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.facebook.com/karlzdrinkwater</a> Instagram <a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://www.instagram.com/authorkdrinkwater/" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #94ce00; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.instagram.com/authorkdrinkwater/</a> Newsletter <a data-wpel-link="external" href="http://bit.ly/newsletterkd" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #94ce00; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">http://bit.ly/newsletterkd</a></p></div><div class="wp-block-column" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #464646; flex-basis: 100%; flex-grow: 1; font-family: Lora; font-size: 16px; min-width: 0px; outline: 0px !important; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px !important;">Karl Drinkwater is originally from Manchester but lived in Wales for twenty years, and now calls Scotland his home. He’s a full-time author, edits fiction for other writers, and was a professional librarian for over twenty-five years. He has degrees in English, Classics, and Information Science.<br style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: 0px !important;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: 0px !important;" />He writes in multiple genres: his aim is always just to tell a good story. Among his books you’ll find elements of literary and contemporary fiction, gritty urban, horror, suspense, paranormal, thriller, sci-fi, romance, social commentary, and more. The end result is interesting and authentic characters, clever and compelling plots, and believable worlds.<br style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: 0px !important;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: 0px !important;" />When he isn’t writing he loves exercise, guitars, computer and board games, the natural environment, animals, social justice, cake, and zombies. Not necessarily in that order.</p></div><p><b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5t6JCsabqcL41zsWAaD1W_MqHlMBLrd55HfMSxFTAXZ09OjmzvMCaOv7o4fax_WaV6FsDImfxCrQZkmNyizBtyOJKgMxxVjjYsnECEKfAczrK9QgrFQIbZJy2IRfZz0ZUogzEfP47A4c/s2048/Grubane+Full+Tour+Banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5t6JCsabqcL41zsWAaD1W_MqHlMBLrd55HfMSxFTAXZ09OjmzvMCaOv7o4fax_WaV6FsDImfxCrQZkmNyizBtyOJKgMxxVjjYsnECEKfAczrK9QgrFQIbZJy2IRfZz0ZUogzEfP47A4c/s640/Grubane+Full+Tour+Banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-21301580325643928522020-05-31T08:50:00.000+01:002020-05-31T08:50:04.929+01:00Nightborn by Jessica Thorne - Blog Tour Review <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today on <i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum</i> I'm pleased to be taking part of the blog tour for Nightborn by Jessica Thorne. A big thank you to Bookouture and the author for having me along.<br />
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<b>Nightborn</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Like deep dark water, it pulls them down. The faint fire of magic within them flickers and dies. Their eyes turn black as night. They are nightborn now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Grace Marchant has been many things: streetwise orphan, rebellious servant, and now beloved companion of Prince Bastien, heir to the throne of Larelwynn. But their sunlit happiness is not destined to last. The golden magic which brought them together in purest passion is threatened by strange and ancient forces. Innocent people are becoming nightborn – cruel, deadly, unrecognisable to their loved ones – and these two young lovers are the only ones with power enough to stop it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In times of peace, striking a deal with their closest enemy would be unthinkable, but now their only hope is to ally with the neighbouring Valenti royal family: manipulative, cunning, and always with an eye on the Larelwynn throne. The partnership comes at a devastating price… if Grace wants to defeat the nightborn, she must watch Bastien marry a Valenti princess.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Grace knows she must make this heart-wrenching sacrifice for the good of the whole kingdom – but she also fears the magic in her veins, usually so warm and bright, is turning cold as deepest midnight. A beguiling darkness whispers to her from within. Is Grace herself becoming nightborn?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Time is running out. With Bastien promised to another, and a stony distance growing between them, will Grace find the source of the nightborn curse before every last soul is consumed by the darkness?</span></div>
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<b>My Review</b><br />
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After reading Mageborn, I was thoroughly excited to read the next installment and I was not disappointed.<br />
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Following the slower paced first book, full of wonderful world building, Nightborn is fast paced and action packed almost beginning to end and it was brilliant.<br />
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The characters really came into their own, especially Grace which was really good to have followed from the beginning. I also enjoyed how relationships changed and evolved as the story progresses. Sometimes you find in series that relationships (friendship or romantic) hit a certain level and the stagnate for the rest of the story. This doesn't happen in Nightborn!<br />
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The story was well thought out and kept me engaged. I really cared and wanted to know what happened next. I would have liked a bit more use of powers, but that's just my opinion.<br />
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Overall a really excellent second book and I'll continue looking forward to more from Jessica Thorne!<br />
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I gave this book 5 stars.<br />
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<b>About The Author</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jessica Thorne saw Star Wars at an impressionable age and life was never the same. She’s loved fantasy, romance and science fiction ever since and spends her time looking for adventure – in the pages of her books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes she is Ruth Frances Long and won the European Science Fiction Society Spirit of Dedication Award for Best Author of Children’s Science Fiction and Fantasy, 2015.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Author Social Media Links:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #111111;">Facebook: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/JessThorneBooks/&source=gmail&ust=1589966323934000&usg=AFQjCNGXxg9qqf28NADJxdlU-Xiz_I0P1w" href="https://www.facebook.com/JessThorneBooks/" rel="noreferrer" style="color: blue; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>JessThorneBooks/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #111111;">Twitter: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/JessThorneBooks&source=gmail&ust=1589966323934000&usg=AFQjCNHhXIee-tcer1S_NAcAfN5INaWx2A" href="https://twitter.com/JessThorneBooks" rel="noreferrer" style="color: blue; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>JessThorneBooks</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #111111;">Website: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.rflong.com/jessicathorne/&source=gmail&ust=1589966323934000&usg=AFQjCNExRS5gpyrKs0-7eR1ei1MfN9ckOw" href="http://www.rflong.com/jessicathorne/" rel="noreferrer" style="color: blue; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">http://www.rflong.com/<wbr></wbr>jessicathorne/</a></span></div>
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<b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b><br />
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<br />NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-62897713371131544242020-05-10T19:01:00.000+01:002020-05-10T19:01:34.830+01:00The Happy Couple by Samantha Hayes - Blog Tour Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today on <i>Life Of A Nerdish Mum</i> I'm happy to be taking part in the blog tour for The Happy Couple by Samantha Hayes. Thank you both to the author and Sarah Hardy for having me along.<br />
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<b>The Happy Couple</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;">Me and Will. Will and Me. A perfect match.</span><span style="color: #333333;"> He said he would always be there for me, but it’s been a year since he drained his coffee, walked out the front door and vanished.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Did he leave me? Or did something terrible happen? I’m scared someone finally found out about what happened on the drive home that night…</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">I lie awake at night trawling the internet for rental properties, desperate for an escape. Until I see my husband’s gorgeous face smiling back at me from a photograph on the fireplace in someone else’s home, and something inside of me snaps.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">At the house, I find no trace of him and the woman who lives there has no idea who I am. But I’m certain she’s hiding something behind the locked door upstairs. I know that if I want answers, I have to stay.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">You might think that what’s inside that room is the answer to all my questions and the end of all my pain. </span><span style="color: #333333;">But it’s</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;">only the beginning…</span></span><br />
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<b>My Review</b><br />
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The start of The Happy Couple is a slow burn and the story comes together bit by bit before it really gets going. I like a gentler pace in my psychological thrillers sometimes as you can get lost in all the information too easily when it's thrown at you.<br />
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I'm not sure if I liked any of the characters, but I'm not really sure if I'm supposed to. Some of the lesser characters felt slightly less well rounded than others, but they were all still very easily imagined. Jo, the main character was relatable and I could feel how confused she must be. I know if it was me, I wouldn't let it go without an answer and I'd be constantly doubting my sanity, so I completely empathised with her.<br />
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The pace picks up the closer to the ending you get and I was sat on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next! Would I find out what was really going on? The ending, without spoiling anything, is going to be a marmite ending. Some people are going to hate it, but people like me will absolutely love it!!<br />
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I gave this book 4 stars.<br />
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<b>About The Author</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #111111;">Samantha Hayes grew up in Warwickshire, left school at sixteen, avoided university and took jobs ranging from private detective to barmaid to fruit picker and factory worker. She lived on a kibbutz, and spent time living in Australia and the USA, before finally becoming a crime-writer.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111;" /><span style="color: #111111;">Her writing career began when she won a short story competition in 2003 and her sixteenth novel, THE HAPPY COUPLE is out 6th May. Her novels are family-based psychological thrillers, with the emphasis being on 'real life fiction'. She focuses on current issues and sets out to make her readers ask, 'What if this happened to me or my family?' And you'll always find a BIG twist at the end of her novels!</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111;" /><span style="color: #111111;">GOOD HOUSEKEEPING says "We're big fans of Samantha Hayes. Her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping..."</span></span><br />
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<b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>NerdishMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048089400254513280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6304079689913529992.post-9810269575186291092020-04-29T09:57:00.002+01:002020-04-29T09:57:15.174+01:00Missing by A D Hay - Blog Tour Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Today is my turn on the blog tour for Missing by A.D. Hay. <span style="color: #333333;">Missing is the first book in a reporter crime thriller series. A big thank you to the author and Sarah Hardy for having me along. </span></span><br />
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<b>Missing</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Excalibur is missing, a killer is on the loose, and his career is on the line...</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">James has a nose for trouble. But that's nothing new.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This time, things are different...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">...his life is on the line.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">James is the chief editor of a small newspaper. It's hardly captivating work. He's bored. But all of that is about to change.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Late one evening, he returns home to discover his long-time girlfriend and journalist, Valentine has left. Early the next morning, James fails to reallocate her assigned story. To avoid blank space in the culture section, and loosing his job, he decides to write the story on the local museums latest acquisition, Excalibur.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But, there's one thing he didn't count on...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">....Excalibur is missing, and a dead body is at the crime scene.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As his investigations commence, James unravels a tangled web of betrayal, kidnapping, and murder. But, his fact-finding hasn't gone unrecognised. The wrong people have started to notice. And there will be consequences...dire consequences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You'll love this gripping cloak and dagger mystery because of the twists, turns, and ending you'll never guess.</span></div>
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<b>My Review</b><br />
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Well wow, that was a lot of story in a small amount of pages! This novella definitely doesn't short change you on content. The story is fast paced and the turns it takes threw me off completely more than once!<br />
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James is a very well fleshed out character and it was so nice to see a main make character that's pretty in touch with his feelings. He's not afraid to show them and it's such a nice change from the usual battle hardened character.<br />
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I loved the idea of Excalibur and I'm just amazed it wasn't a front page story in the paper, not just a filler. But maybe that's just me.<br />
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I really enjoyed Missing and I look forward to delving further into James's world and am looking forward to more from A.D. Hay.<br />
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I gave this book 4 stars.<br />
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<b>About The Author</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWDGOmNZbRR_Ctu2KvCy6qydyCrdt3HNw7JzLCILglbHJF0j40YsdV53SAKSJLFqDTsJsugK0QG1ovIP7Por_JO8i1aEH2MuZKoAZdE27mJA1JwC_rDq7RPB1blQj1Bft4SesGYu4eyM/s1600/Amazon+Author+Headshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWDGOmNZbRR_Ctu2KvCy6qydyCrdt3HNw7JzLCILglbHJF0j40YsdV53SAKSJLFqDTsJsugK0QG1ovIP7Por_JO8i1aEH2MuZKoAZdE27mJA1JwC_rDq7RPB1blQj1Bft4SesGYu4eyM/s320/Amazon+Author+Headshot.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A.D. Hay is a passionate bibliophile and can usually be found reading a book, and that book will most likely be a thriller. She is the author of Missing, the first book in a thriller series. When not absorbed in a gripping page-turner or writing, she loves to travel, drink tea, rosé, and eat pizza. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Facebook: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/AuthorADHay/&source=gmail&ust=1587123202247000&usg=AFQjCNGS9dImCOV-toHnP8slSG4bHPv1IA" href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorADHay/" rel="noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #dd5533; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>facebook.com/AuthorADHay/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Twitter: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/writeradhay&source=gmail&ust=1587123202247000&usg=AFQjCNGgbs8jt_YyK5gZDgDVhufoqlErGA" href="https://twitter.com/writeradhay" rel="noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #dd5533; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>writeradhay</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Blog: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.authoradhay.com/blog/from-the-cave/&source=gmail&ust=1587123202247000&usg=AFQjCNG871TzhnzFasn_scRTDGGlJ-CGIA" href="http://www.authoradhay.com/blog/from-the-cave/" rel="noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #dd5533; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">http://www.authoradhay.<wbr></wbr>com/blog/from-the-cave/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Website: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.authoradhay.com/&source=gmail&ust=1587123202247000&usg=AFQjCNFuDvTZGeCGegxVG3BESNqcqjPYlQ" href="http://www.authoradhay.com/" rel="noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #dd5533; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>authoradhay.com/</a></span></div>
<b>Don't Forget To Check Out The Rest Of The Tour</b><br />
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