Isabella's Adventures In Numberland by Peta Rainford - Review

On Life Of A Nerdish Mum today I have the pleasure of reviewing Isabella's Adventures In Numberland which is both written and illustrated by Peta Rainford. 

Blurb

Can you imagine what it would be like if there were no numbers? If you couldn’t measure, count or weigh? In her latest adventure, accident-prone young witch Isabella falls down a hole and finds herself in a land where nothing quite adds up. She makes new friends, encounters an old enemy and, though the odds are against her, finally saves the day.

You can count on Isabella!

Review

Isabella's Adventures In Numberland is the second book in the Isabella, Rotten Speller series, but can definitely be read as a stand alone. 

The story follows Isabella as she goes on a walk and falls down a hole, ending up in a very Alice In Wonderland-esque world with a white rabbit and a tea party. In this world their numbers have gone missing and Isabella helps to save the day with a very clever play on words. 

The story is written in rhyme and is very easy to read, however the author hasn't shied away from using "grown up" words which I really like. 

The artwork is absolutely beautiful in a very naive and childlike way and it matches the story perfectly. 

I really enjoyed this book and I enjoyed reading it to my youngest Nerdling (aged 3) who really enjoyed the pictures and looking at all the numbers. I'll definitely be going back and finding the first book in the series. 

I gave this book 5 Stars.

Isabella's Adventures In Numberland is released today and you can pick up your own copy - HERE

About The Author

Peta grew up on the Isle of Wight so long ago she can remember buying crisps from the school tuck shop for 21⁄2p. As a child she loved words, and loved drawing too, but she had no idea what she wanted to do when she grew up. She studied English at York University and then worked in London as a business journalist and editor for 14 years. She went to art classes and even studied fine art at St Martins, but she still had no idea what she wanted to do when she grew up. She moved back to the Isle of Wight in 2006, and it was here that Peta, now balancing the roles of freelance writer and mum, decided to write and illustrate her first book for children. It was a revelation: a way of combining picture making with her love of words – not to mention an outlet for her awful jokes. It may have taken more than four decades, but finally, Peta knows what she wants to do when she grows up.

Manipulated Lives by H.A. Leuschel - Review

The concept behind Manipulated Lives by H.A. Leuschel really intrigued me as there are five short stories but they are all based around the same theme of manipulators. Each story is different and told from a different perspective but they're all about the same basic thing. I have been a victim of more than one manipulative person when I was younger and I was very interested to see how the author portrayed this in her stories. 

The five stories are Tess and Tattoos, The Spell, Runaway Girl, The Narcissist and My Perfect Child. In each story the characters are all just so believable, I felt myself empathising with so many of them or at least recognising certain parts of both myself and other people in them. 

Tess and Tattoos I felt was really emotional and I'm not afraid to say that I shed a tear. Tess was such a powerful character that you would never imagine that she had been weak in her life. I think that Tess was actually one of my favourite characters throughout the whole book and I still feel like I really want to just hug her. This story just shows that you never really know anyone's full story and that even the strongest of people can be manipulated. 

The Spell followed Sophie as she started a relationship with David, the single dad of Leo. This story was one I identified with a lot and saw so many warning signs that Sophie missed as she got further into the relationship. It was also interesting to see just how clever a manipulator can be that they can have you believing that their victim is the manipulator and not them. 

The Runaway Girl was another one that I related to, followed teenage Holly, the good girl in her group of friends and in her family. She feels trapped and is planning on running away until she meets a boy. It was hard to see such a bright girl being duped by such a nasty piece of work, but again this shows that manipulators aren't just adults and that they can be any age. 

The Narcissist was he least favourite of mine of the stories as it was mainly from the very confused perspective of the manipulator in his last weeks/months of his life. It was hard to read how much that he actually believed his own lies and how much he blamed everyone else for his own shortcomings. 

My Perfect Child as a parent was hard to read as you have so many fears about how you are bringing up your child, that you just want to get everything right. Lisa after having an uncaring childhood of her own wants to ensure that Lucas is loved and feels loved and so she caters to his every whim even to the detriment of her husband and others. This leads to a spoilt child and a worse teenager and adult. The question that came to my mind while reading this story was whether Lucas had been born manipulative and Lisa just allowed him to get away with it, or was its Lisa's unwavering loyalty and love that created his manipulation. It all comes back to the nature vs nurture question and in this case certainly we'll never know. 

Overall such a wonderful and different read. I'm so incredibly happy that I read this book and I could barely put it down while reading it. 

I gave this book 5 stars. 

Blurb

Five stories – Five Lives. 
Have you ever felt confused or at a loss for words in front of a spouse, colleague or parent, to the extent that you have felt inadequate or, worse, a failure? Do you ever wonder why someone close to you seems to endure humiliation without resistance? 
Manipulators are everywhere. At first these devious and calculating people can be hard to spot, because that is their way. They are often masters of disguise: witty, disarming, even charming in public – tricks to snare their prey – but then they revert to their true self of being controlling and angry in private. Their main aim: to dominate and use others to satisfy their needs, with a complete lack of compassion and empathy for their victim. 
In this collection of short novellas, you meet people like you and me, intent on living happy lives, yet each of them, in one way or another, is caught up and damaged by a manipulative individual. First you meet a manipulator himself, trying to make sense of his irreversible incarceration. Next, there is Tess, whose past is haunted by a wrong decision, then young, successful and well balanced Sophie, who is drawn into the life of a little boy and his troubled father. Next, there is teenage Holly, who is intent on making a better life for herself and finally Lisa, who has to face a parent’s biggest regret. All stories highlight to what extent abusive manipulation can distort lives and threaten our very feeling of self-worth. 

September 2016 Bookish Wrap Up

Well where did the time go? By the time I've got around to doing my September wrap up it's almost time to do my October wrap up!! Between mini Nerdling starting pre-school and me getting the flu, I've just been swamped keeping up to date with everything so my wrap up got pushed to one side, but I finally am catching up (hopefully).

Ok so firstly my Getting To Know... feature is still going strong and I've had some absolutely awesome people on again in September. If you've missed any, here they are again for you:

Claire Knight - Crime Book Junkie
Claire Morley - author of "Tindog Tacloban"
Denise Erguler - author of "The Adventures Of Shifting Jack"
Susan Moody - author of "Penny Black"
Joy Wood - author of "For The Love Of Emily"
Cassandra Parkin - author of "Lily's House"
Graham Smith - author of "Snatched From Home"
Mary-Jane Riley - author of "The Bad Things"
Dane Cobain - author of "No Rest For The Wicked"

I've got plenty of exciting people coming up too so I hope you're still enjoying reading my interviews.

Myself and my buddy reader F, finished The Count Of Monte Cristo in September (look out for that review soon) and we started our next read, which is The Essential Kafka by Franz Kafka. It's definitely a lot different to anything I've read before so we'll see how we get on with it!

September for reading was another slow reading month for me, I didn't read as much as I would have liked (small spoiler for October I think I'm getting over my slump, but shh I don't want to scare it away). The books I did read are

Panterra: The Machinist by Gary L. Ward - 4 Stars
Pumpkintown Perils: A Cozy Mystery Collection by Aubrey Law - 4 Stars
Hunted: The Zodiac Murders by Mark Hewitt - 4 Stars
Captain America, Vol. 3: Loose Nuke by Rick Remender - 3 Stars
The Fury Of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men, Vol. 3: Takeover - 4 Stars
Shadow Of The Beast by Michael Fowler - 5 Stars
The Count Of Monte Cristo - 5 Stars
Time For A Short Story by Julia Roberts - 5 Stars

It was another busy month of blog tours and book blitzes in September and that will continue over the next few months which is incredibly exciting for me, I really enjoy being part of the book community and being able to chat about books!

So that's a quick over view of my bookish September, do you remember what you read in September? If not what are you reading now?

Getting To Know... Joanna Lambert

Today on Getting To Know... I am delighted to bring you an interview with author Joanna Lambert. She has been great to answer all my questions, even in the run up to the release of her newest book Watercolours In The Rain. 

You write drama driven romance, what is it about this genre that draws you to it?

I’ve always been hooked on romance. So when I began to write, it had to be romantic fiction. Although I’m not a big fan of soaps, I love the structure of a community or place of work; the interaction between individuals – the camaraderie and the tensions which occur. It spikes my imagination. My first five books had big casts – four families - but my last book and the one about to be published concentrates on three individuals. One thing that hasn’t changed though is the drama.

What was the inspiration behind your last novel, Summer Moved On?

Summer Moved On, set in Devon, was very, very loosely based on Wuthering Heights.  I wanted to explore a relationship between a middle class girl and the son of a traveller.  My central characters were Jess and Talún (a Gaelic name). However, I didn’t want him to be the same tortured, vindictive soul Heathcliff had been. Instead, I made him a bit arrogant…a sort of loveable rogue whose life has gone wrong because of various factors beyond of his control. However, deep down he’s really a decent guy. Meeting Jess proves a pivotal moment in his life.  At first they clash. Talún sees her attitude as middle class prejudice. However there are deeper motives for Jess’s dislike, one of them being his current relationship with an older woman. It reminds her of how her own mother abandoned the family to go off with a younger man. Gradually, Talún begins to understand how his behaviour colours peoples’ view of him and as he begins to make changes he falls in love with Jess. Just like Heathcliff, he eventually leaves Jess and the sequel – Watercolours in the Rain - deals with his return six years later.

Your Little Court Series, which consists of Behind Blue Eyes Trilogy and two novels that can be read as stand alones, has the main character of Ella, is she based on anyone in real life or is there any of your personality in her?

I think Ella was a mix of characters I’d known and yes, I guess there was a little of me in her. I think it’s very difficult to simply pull a character out of the air. They have to have some traits you’ve come across in other people. That is what makes them real. The series began when Ella was sixteen and ended in her mid-forties (although the next generation took over in book 5 and she became a minor character). She was someone not only clever and confident, but mature beyond her years. That inspiration came from a nineteen year old I’d worked with way back. Like Ella she was calm and nothing fazed her but if pushed too far you would get quite a reaction from her.  Ella has those feisty moments too.  

When you are not writing what would we find you doing?

I am a very active blogger.  I have three blogs – one for my books, one for reviewing for Brook Cottage Books and one general blog where I post pieces and also regularly interview people –writers, editors, anyone with a connection to writing. I also love photography and my camera goes with me everywhere.  And now I’m no longer in full time work, I love to get away occasionally whether it’s a UK destination or somewhere overseas.

Do you have a favourite character that you have written so far?

In my fourth book Between Today and Yesterday, one of the main characters, Orlando Flynn, who lives on the Costa Del Sol, has a small Spanish sidekick called Elvira. He was a mixture of streetwise and comical. A little man with a big heart who brought both comedy and emotional moments to the book.

Have you always wanted to write your own novels?

Oh yes. I‘d loved writing from an early age. I used to dream up potential plots but I don’t think I ever thought I could successfully write a novel until I was in my

late twenties. However, my first two efforts, although technically proving I had the ability to write something with a beginning, middle and end, made me realise I had an awful long way to go before I could say I’d produced something commercial enough to be published. Enrolling in Creative Writing classes helped tremendously and I read a huge amount too. Even now, in my spare moments in between writing, I read. It’s great to see how other writers structure their story and handle scenes and dialogue. It’s an on-going process - you never stop learning.

What is your favourite thing about being an author?

I’ve met and made so many friends both virtual and real since I’ve been a writer. There’s a great supportive network out there. And since finishing work I can now concentrate on something I’ve spent a lifetime wanting to do – being a writer. It’s great to escape into that parallel world on a regular basis.  If I have one regret it’s that I didn’t give up work earlier.

Do you have a favourite author?

It has to be George R R Martin.  I do like fantasy and once I’d read A Song of Ice and Fire I couldn’t stop. I found the whole series so addictive. I’m just very disappointed that we’re still waiting for the next book The Winds of Winter. Even though Game of Thrones has carried the story forward on TV, I still want to read it on Kindle.

When you're writing, can you write just anywhere or do you have a certain place that you have to be?

I do have an office where I can tuck myself away and for me that’s the best place.  When I’m in writing mode I need complete concentration on my work, with absolutely no distractions.

What can we look forward to next from you?

Watercolours in the Rain, the sequel to Summer Moved On, published on October 5th. I had hoped to tell Jess and Talun’s story in one hit but it wasn’t to be.  Watercolours moves all the characters on six years and brings the story to a conclusion.  And I’m now putting together characters and sorting out a plot for book 7 whose working title will be The Boys of Summer.

Thank you so much to Joanna for some absolutely awesome answers!

Watercolours In The Rain blurb 

What happens to the future when past and present collide?

JESS:  Six years ago Jess’s relationship with Talún Hansen was torn apart by one night of deception. He disappeared from Lynbrook village and she headed for university vowing never to let anyone break her heart again. Currently teaching in Oxford, Jess returns from holiday to an unexpected phone call and life changing news which eventually sees her returning home.

TALÚN: Six years on Talún Hawkeswood, as he is now known, is heir to his grandfather’s Norfolk farming empire. When he hears of trouble in the village due to Lynbrook Hall being put up for sale, going back is the last thing on his mind. But staying away is not an option either, not when someone he owes so much to is about to lose their home and their livelihood.

LILY: Splitting with her husband after her son Josh’s birth, Lily now works as part of an estate agency sales team.  She has always held onto her dream of finding a wealthy husband and a life of self-indulgence. When the sale of an important property brings her face to face with Talún, she realises despite the risks involved, the night they spent together six years ago could be the key to making those dreams come true.

As Jess, Talún and Lily return to Lynbrook and the truth about what happened that summer is gradually revealed, Talún finds himself in an impossible situation. Still in love with Jess he is tied into a trade off with Lily: his name and the lifestyle she craves in exchange for his son. And when a child is involved there is only one choice he can make…

To Connect With Joanna Lambert

Blog - https://jolambertwriter.wordpress.com/

Website - https://jolambertbooks.com/

Google+ - https://plus.google.com/+JoLambert

Twitter - @jolambertwriter

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jolambert185

Land Of Midnight Days - Katrina Jack

I was very lucky to receive an e-book copy of Land Of Midnight Days direct from the author, Katrina Jack, in exchange for an honest review. 

Omgoodness this book sucks you right in and doesn't let you out until its done! Land Of Midnight Days is fast paced and action packed. I genuinely couldn't put this book down when I picked it up as I needed to know what happened next. 

Jeremiah the main character is a half Elwyn/half human and a genius with the flute. He is an amazing character, he is broken but he refuses to give up. I think he is also the first mute character that I have come across and it was really interesting watching the struggle of trying to make himself understood when the other person couldn't use sign language. I thought this was all handled extremely well and the author also highlighted the presumptions that people have about differently abled people. I think the description in the synopsis of Jeremiah is perfect, he knows how to survive, but not how to live. 

The characters are all fleshed out really well and there isn't a single character that I didn't find interesting. The author has updated elves, ogres and demons in a really interesting way and in a way to make them work in an urban environment instead of rolling hills and valleys. Apart from Jeremiah, I really liked the characters of Joe, Big Fred and I thought Ezra's character wasn't nice but was interesting. As a parent I just couldn't find anything redeeming in either Sylvan or Zeb as both of them let Jeremiah down in the worst way time and time again. 

The world described is one of violence and of people just trying to survive. It is a very bleak place and one that can be recognised as somewhere we could end up one day. You can feel the hopelessness of the population, though there are spots of light that are shining through the darkness and hopefully they will be the one to succeed by the end of the story. 

I'm not sure why I have never heard of this series before or why more people aren't talking about it. I would 100% recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy or urban fantasy. I will definitely be picking up the rest of the books in the series to find out what happens next to Jeremiah and the other characters. 

I gave this book 5 stars. 

Land Of Midnight Days 

What would you do if your life was filled with fear: hide, run away - or would you fight back? In a city at war with itself, Jeremiah Tully already knows how to survive, now he must learn how to live. Mute from birth, of mixed race heritage and his only possession a charmed flute, Jeremiah tries to discover where his remarkable talent as a musician will take him.

Getting To Know... Mary-Jane Riley

Today on Getting To Know... I have the lovely author of The Bad Things and After She Fell, Mary-Jane Riley. She took time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions. 

Your two novels, The Bad Things and After She Fell, are both psychological thrillers, what in particular draws you to that genre?

I’ve always loved reading all things crime, but I think psychological thrillers are more concerned with extraordinary things that happen to ordinary people and the way they deal with them. That’s what I like to explore. The struggle for survival. Actually, crime writer Belinda Bauer puts it really well: ‘Life is the river and crime is the rocks. It’s only when we hit a rock that we find out whether we are one of life’s swimmers – or one of life’s sinkers.” Neat, isn’t it?

You have worked as a journalist, is writing an article and writing a novel completely different or do you go about it in a similar way?

It is pretty similar (except for the length!) in that you have to have a great opening paragraph, a fabulous middle and an intriguing and satisfying end. The first paragraph of an article has to hook the reader in, so does the first paragraph of a book. Both disciplines use the six Ws – What, Who, When, Where, Why and How. Working for BBC NewsOnline meant we had to be extremely accurate in our facts – something I’m still a little obsessed with but am learning that I’m writing fiction – and in our grammar and spelling. Mind you, when I had the first lot of edits for THE BAD THINGS from my editor I’d made so many errors despite reading it through a million times, I felt very ashamed! One thing that has stood me in good stead is that when writing news stories you have to put it together and get it written very quickly. You also had to use simple words, straightforward construction. I try to do all that now in my fiction.

You have also worked as a BBC radio talk show host, can you tell me what that was like?

Enormous fun! I interviewed all sorts of people from writers (Ruth Rendell, P.D.James to name only two) to politicians (slippery) to stars of the entertainment world (mixed) to ordinary people who had a story to tell. They were generally the most interesting – the woman whose daughter had been murdered and how she, the mother, had been living with the fact they never caught the killer; the man who was transitioning to become a woman; a man living with AIDS; a girl who was paraplegic due to a skiing accident; a couple who were living with having won the lottery. All sorts. Many years ago I did a programme on an Independent radio station late at night where I had an expert in the studio and people ringing in about their sex problems. I learned a lot from that.

You and two friends formed a group that helps charities in telling their stories, can you tell me more about that?

Yes, it started in a small way when Sue Welfare (a fabulous writer of romantic comedies and now psychological thrillers) asked me and a qualified counselor, Andrea, to help disadvantaged people to write their life stories. Anyone could come along. It was a free course in conjunction with the BBC and the University of East Anglia. By the end of six weeks everybody had a paragraph about their lives to take home. It was wonderful seeing how people blossomed. We did that for about three years, then branched out as Write Out Loud into helping people with disabilities, elderly people, and people with serious illnesses to write about their lives. A few years ago we were asked to go to a conference in Nigeria to take writing classes for aid workers. That was so interesting and eye-opening in all sorts of ways, not least because Nigeria is not the most settled of countries.

Do you find yourself drawing inspiration from your time as a journalist when plotting your stories?

Most definitely! I’m a bit like a magpie, taking elements from this news story and that news story to make up my own. I still trawl news websites and read a newspaper everyday. It’s also useful to have been at police press conferences and spoken to police officers in the course of my work….but in the past I covered stories that would almost be too much for fiction!

When you're writing do you have a set routine or a certain place you enjoy to sit?

I like to write first thing in the morning… it’s a habit left over from when I did a lot of early shifts…I had to be writing copy at six o’clock in the morning so I’m quite fresh first thing…. But I don’t get up that early any more! I like writing at my desk in the spare bedroom. The window looks out over the common so I see trees and grass and wildlife. I also write notes in longhand at the kitchen table and also sit outside when its sunny. I’m yet to try the coffee shop/library option, but I think that may come.

When you're not working what would we find you doing?

Being very boring! Reading, walking the dog, plotting, going to the cinema. Cooking (I love reading cookery books). Enjoying when my family come home for the weekend. Watching the latest Game of Thrones – I’ve only got one more episode to go!!!! What will I do then???

Do you have a favourite author?

I love Daphne Du Maurier, Ruth Rendell, P.D. James, Belinda Bauer, Louise Doughty, Linwood Barclay, Harlan Coben, Lee Child (I’m a little in love with Jack Reacher), Helen Dunmore (Her latest, Exposure, is just magnificent) and recently discovered William Shaw….I could go on….

What is your favourite thing about being an author?

Entertaining people. That’s all I want to do with my books… write something I want to write and that people will enjoy.

What can we look forward to from you in the future?

Well, I’m writing the third book featuring Alex Devlin (my journalist protagonist in THE BAD THINGS and AFTER SHE FELL) and I have an idea for a standalone psychological thriller that I am very excited about…

Thank you so much to Mary-Jane for answering my questions!

To connect with Mary

Mary's Facebook Page
Twitter - @mrsmjriley
Instagram - maryjanerileyauthor

The Bad Things

Alex Devlin’s life changed forever fifteen years ago when her sister Sasha's two small children were snatched in broad daylight. Little Harry’s body was found a few days later, but Millie’s remains were never discovered.

Now Jackie Wood, jailed as an accessory to the twins’ murder, has been released, her conviction quashed by the Appeal Court. Convinced Jackie can reveal where Millie is buried, Alex goes to meet her.

But the unexpected information Wood reveals shocks Alex to the core and threatens to uncover the dark secret she has managed to keep under wraps for the past fifteen years. Because in the end, can we ever really know what is in the hearts of those closest to us?

To buy a copy of The Bad Things click here for UK and here for USA

After She Fell

There are so many ways to fall…

Catriona needs help. Her seventeen-year-old daughter Elena was found dead at the bottom of a cliff near her boarding school. The death has been ruled a suicide, but Catriona isn’t convinced.

When her old friend, journalist Alex Devlin, arrives in Hallow’s Edge to investigate, she quickly finds that life at private boarding school The Drift isn’t as idyllic as the bucolic setting might suggest.

Amidst a culture of drug-taking, bullying and tension between school and village, no one is quite who they seem to be, and there are several people who might have wanted Elena to fall…

To buy a copy of After She Fell, click here for the UK and here for the USA

Pumpkintown Perils - Aubrey Law

Firstly I'd like to thank Aubrey Law who provided me with an e-book copy of their book Pumpkintown Perils: Volume 1 in exchange for an honest review.

Pumpkintown Perils is a collection of four short cozy mystery stories. I have discovered cozy mysteries in the past twelve months and I absolutely love them. I love the mixture of a mystery and the lighthearted (usually) way that the main character ends up solving them. 

Wanda is our main character and she is a witch who owns her own witchcraft shop and is on her way to being a very efficient investigator of mysteries, working side by side with Sam Shamrock, a police inspector who is not a witch but a leprechaun. Wanda often works out plots before Sam and puts herself in danger by trying to get things done herself even though she knows the she should really follow the rules, if they weren't so boring. 

Wanda is extremely sassy, confident and very vain. She knows how to get what she wants and will do pretty much anything to get it. She has a soft spot for hot guys and can let that get in the way at points. I'm really not sure how I feel about Wanda as she just has so much personality it can over power the story a little bit at times, but she is a strong woman and she wants to be successful in both her businesses. 

There are a cocktail mix of other characters, her family (including her passed on mother who "visits"), gnomes, humans and a leprechaun (Sam Shamrock). All the characters work very well together and when they're having a coffee or a drink (or ten), you can't help thinking how much fun it'd be to join in with the group. 

The four mysteries themselves are all interesting in their own way and are well thought out and some are even intertwined. I was going to try and say which mystery I liked the most, but as I came to write this I can't decide! Maybe the last one, only because it was the last one I read and so clearest in my mind! 

Pumpkintown Perils is a lot of fun and a very quick read, so if you're a fan of cozy mysteries definitely pick it up. 

I gave this book 4 stars

I started this book on the 7th of September 2016 and finished it on the 12th of September 2016.

Pumpkintown Perils: Volume 1 - synopsis

Deep in the Jagged Wood enchanted forest, wild witch Wanda Tempest owns a magic supply shop, practices witchcraft, drinks too much, dances and frequently falls prey to a weakness for attractive men. She also happens to be a promising, if only part-time, Private Investigator. She’s talented, beautiful and has earned the respect and admiration of the equally talented, though far less striking, Police Inspector Sam Shamrock, an overweight leprechaun. He’s crazy about her… she’s crazy about her cat food refusing whiskered companion, Jinxy.

Join this formidable, if mismatched, crime-solving duo, as they tackle mysteries ranging from the scandalous to the outright strange. Talking trees, evil gnomes, murderous wood trolls and homicidal humans will keep Wanda and Sam fighting for justice, and their very lives.

Troublesome twin sisters, a crazy great-aunt, a kiss that shouldn’t have happened and a spoiled Siberian cat with a smart mouth all guarantee that Wanda’s life remains full of surprises. As long as Sam doesn't drink too many Irish Coffees everything usually works out.

Everyday Monsters - Ellie Robbins

I was very lucky to receive an e-book copy of Everyday Monsters direct from the author Ellie Robbins.

Everyday Monsters follows Taylor, a homeless girl who earns money by participating in a fight club, when one night everything changes.

This book had me hooked right from the beginning, Taylor is such an interesting character and the story really got going right from page one. I loved the opening which consisted of a flash back to when Taylor was a little girl and she first started seeing things that couldn't be real...or could they? It was very intense.

Taylor meets Evan on a night where everything seems to be going wrong and people actually seem to want to kill her. He offers to take her away from living on the streets and all the bad stuff happening to go and live at a special school which takes on and looks after teenagers with talents.

The first part of the story reminded me a bit of X-Men and Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters, in the fact there is a school for children with talents (or powers) and other parallels but wrapped up in an awesome YA package.

The writing is well done and the characters are all well fleshed out. I really liked Yumiko and Gabriel, but Evan I couldn't make my mind up on. One of my favourite characters is 100% Chester, but I don't want to say anything too much about him as he's a very nice surprise.

Everyday Monsters is a very well put together origin story with just enough action to show off the start of Taylor's powers and as a good set up for a good series of books following this first one. I for one will definitely be waiting eagerly for the next book to see what happens next and to see how Taylor's powers fully come to light, especially regarding one aspect of them which I won't spoil.

I gave this book 5 stars and would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA.

Everyday Monsters is currently available to vote for on Kindle Scout, so if you like the sound of it from this review, or enjoy the sample on the Kindle Scout page, give it a nomination! There's currently (at time of publishing this post) 5 days left to vote. The link to check it out is HERE.

Everyday Monsters synopsis

Living shadows are only the beginning.

15 year old Taylor Brock is homeless, and she likes it that way. So when Evan, a boy who controls fire, tells her that she has super powers too, she's skeptical. Evan takes her to The Flagship, a haunted hotel turned boarding school with classes covering everything from math, magic and self-defense (super-powered, of course). When Taylor's friend goes missing and the school's administration turns a blind eye, she has to decide - will she help find her friend or go back to the streets?

Time For A Short Story by Julia Roberts Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour for Time For A Short Story by Julia Roberts, which was published by Ripped Books on the 12th of September and is available HERE for download on Kindle. 

Time For A Short Story synopsis

Eloise is still coming to terms with the death of her mother two years previously when she takes a job as a waitress in a tearoom while she is home from university to spend the summer in Guernsey. There she meets regular customer, Josephine, whose hobby is writing short stories. 

English student, Eloise, offers to read some of the stories and is surprised by how good they are. She organises a special ninetieth birthday treat for Josephine but when the elderly lady doesn't show up for her usual Wednesday morning elevenses, Eloise gets a feeling that something is terribly wrong. 
Where is Josephine? And will she ever find out about Eloise's extraordinary act of kindness?

My Review

I have only very recently started reading short stories and I have to say that I am so glad that I have or I might have missed out on this absolute gem of a story. 

Time For A Short Story took me around half an hour to read and it was absolutely wonderful. It made me feel joy through the discovery of new friendships and I'm not afraid to admit that I shed a tear through worry at one point. The story is heartfelt and poignant and incredibly well written. 

The characters are all really well developed for a short story and you really get a sense of who each of the people really are. Each personality stands alone and you really feel for everyone, especially Josephine. Josephine is a wonderful example of seizing the day and following your dreams no matter your age, I really hope I'm as awesome as her when I'm 90! Eloise also stands out as a shining example of how kind and thoughtful youth can be even when they've had a tough time of it themselves. 

I really enjoyed this story and I thoroughly recommend it to everyone. Julia Roberts writing is beautiful and so easy to read. I was sad when the story came to an end as I wanted to see what happened next in everyone's lives, though this is a perfect snap shot of one summer involving a few lovely people. It proves that friendship can transcend a difference in ages.  

I give Time For A Short Story a big 5 stars and I would 100% recommend a read! 

Don't forget to have a look at the rest of the blog tour at the following places:

To check out Julia's other books, click on the links below:

Life's A Beach And Then...

If He Really Loved Me

and her latest novel It's Never Too Late To Say...

Panterra:The Machinist - Gary L Ward

I was lucky enough to receive an e-book copy of Panterra: The Machinist direct from the author Gary L. Ward in exchange for an honest review. 

Panterra follows Arlington Moore, one of the scattered crew from RTS Selkirk. Their ship crash landed and to save resources, the ship spreads the crew across the land where they crash. We start the story four years after the crash with Arlington living in a community of cat like humanoids, he has recovered from the crash and has helped the community with technology and has been accepted as one of their own. 

Panterra is excellently written, the world building is some of the best I've read recently and I really felt that the author shows rather than tells, which is definitely a bonus in fantasy where you can get bogged down in the details. I also think that the characterisation is very well done and each character is very clearly defined with their own traits and personality.

The story is well paced and well thought out. I'm trying to not spoil anything from the story as I really feel this book needs to be read to be appreciated as the synopsis does not do it justice. 

The only thing that I struggled with in the book was the internal dialogue (Arlington accidently created an AI called Alex who moved from the ships "brain" to the chip in Arlington) as it was not always very clear who was actually talking so some scenes became slightly confused for me and I had to read them more than once. It didn't take away the enjoyment of the story, but it did make reading it frustrating at times. 

Overall an excellent book and one I will be recommending. 

I started this book on the 29th of August 2016 and finished it on the 7th of September 2016

I gave this book 4 stars