#Blogtour Watching the Wheels by Stephen Anthony Brotherton

 It’s a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Watching the Wheels by Stephen Anthony Brotherton.

About the Author

Stephen Anthony Brotherton now lives in Shropshire but grew up in the West Midlands. A social worker for nearly thirty years, he currently works for the NHS and is a member of the Bridgnorth Writers’ Group and the Shrewsbury Writers’ Lab. His first book, Fractures, Dreams and Second Chances, was released by the Book Guild in 2021. Watching the Wheels is his first collection of short stories.

About the book

A collection of short stories – a killer created from abuse, a teenager in search of answers from his older brother who committed suicide ten years earlier, a woman trapped in a persistent vegetative state, a ghost hunter afraid of ghosts, a bullied police officer, a man in a care home wanting a great adventure, and other fractured human beings looking for answers, trying to survive. What would you do in their place?

Review

This is novella length with a variety of short stories to tempt all kinds of readers.

The stories are gritty, sometimes crude, but designed to capture the moments in life that remain hidden or are overlooked. The short interactions, the briefest of moments that stay with us because they are poignant – they can mean the difference between one or the other taken.

Tales of guilt, questioning choices made, accepting lives lived and coming to terms with the invisibility of age. Each story will evoke a different reaction depending on the reader. I think the first one is a perfect example of that – I can imagine small joys sought will be seen as something slightly salacious.

The stories that speak directly to the vulnerability of age and the lack of support and understanding people in care homes tend to receive, especially when it comes to friends and family who suddenly act as if they can’t make a connection between the person they knew and the person in front of them now.

It’s a read that will give food for thought.

Buy Watching the Wheels at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher‏: ‎The Book Guild pub date 23 Feb. 2023. Buy at Amazon com

#Blogtour After Dad by Claire Shiells

It’s my turn on the Blogtour After Dad by Claire Shiells.

After the Author

Claire Shiells grew up in rural Northern Ireland during the Troubles where she had the best of times and the worst of times. She calls herself Northern Irish except on St Patrick’s Day when she is inexplicably full on Top-Of-The-Morning-To-You Irish. Claire now lives in London and in her last life (before the longest maternity leave ever) was a journalist and magazine editor. After Dad is inspired by a true event and is her first novel. Follow @claireshiells on Twitter

About the book

A bittersweet love story exploring why good people sometimes do bad things… – Millie Malone, a spirited, thirty-something journalist returns home to Northern Ireland after a life-changing decision leaves her London life in ruins.

A family reunion soon unravels, opening old wounds and igniting new grievances regarding the murder of her father by the IRA decades earlier. Retreating to the family cottage in Donegal, Millie soon meets Finn McFall, a fisherman originally from west Belfast, who loves to paint and recite Irish poetry.

In the new modern Ireland, Millie believes religion is no longer a barrier for love. But she soon finds home is a place still struggling with a fragile peace and simmering sectarianism.

As events unfold, Millie is forced to decide between love and loyalty, eventually having to ask herself the ultimate question: can love really conquer all?

Review

If anything, this story lays bare the fragile hold on the anger, resentment, passion and in general the multitude of complex emotions framed in a tumultuous history, that exists even now in 21st century Ireland. I think in that sense Millie is overly optimistic. Old grievances die hard and there is such a thing as generational trauma.

The trauma she herself has experienced is a little bit like a bomb thrown into the midst of a family, and the shockwaves reverberate decades after. Violent death always leaves scars and living under the umbrella of constant threat of harm or death influences people in a way that is personal to them. No one experience is the same.

In a way I also think the ending of this book speaks to exactly that fragility, and the fact some people are unable to move beyond what they prioritise as more important than more menial things, such as relationships and family. Recognising that is a coming-of-age moment and includes the ability to move as one, as opposed to moving as an entity of a greater idea, ideology or even sense of identity.

I want to give credit to the sub-plot, which in the grand scheme of the story may appear minor but is poignant in its own way. Perhaps because the author addresses a controversial issue, and for a moment there I thought it was going to go a bit right field, in a way that shines a light on how difficult it is for women to make certain decisions and how the world gaslights them by saying it is a lightweight and inconsequential one made out of convenience. Just want to point out that the why is irrelevant, as is the way each individual feels about said choice. None of your business or my business for that matter.

This is a poignant and heartfelt read; I hope to read more by this author in the future.

Buy After Dad at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: ‎The Book Guild; pub date 28 Sept. 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Recursion by David J Harrison

It’s my turn on the BlogTour Recursion by David J Harrison.

‘The persistent drumbeat of pervading horror infiltrates the Lake District in David J Harrison’s thoughtful thriller full of mystery and intrigue.’

About the Author

David J Harrison only realised that Lord of the Rings had been read out to him as a sleeping child when as a teenager he sought an explanation for its familiarity. On a more conscious level, he was brought up on a diet of classic science fiction and fantasy, most notably the stories of Robert E Howard, Lin Carter and L. Sprague de Camp.

Little wonder that he chose psychology as his degree subject. He works in biotechnology, specialising in medical devices and is excited to have contributed towards several important new medicines. He lives in Cambridge with his wife and children who he stops reading to when they fall asleep. David says, “My inspiration was to explore memory, personality, and the effects of time on the human mind. I was influenced by the works of the psychologist Carl Jung whilst painting a picture of a return to the Lake District, the place of my fondly remembered childhood. The dark lens of adulthood changes things and irretrievably subverts the happiest of memories, and I use the emotional tensions of everyday life to fuel my writing.”

If you love works by Haruki Murakami and Steven King, you’ll love Recursion by David J Harrison.

Follow @Harrison55 on Twitter, Visit davidjharrisonauthor.com

About the book

Everything that is going to happen already has. – During a disruption in the timeline of a sleepy Lake District village the erratic and strung-out artist Haruki Kensagi cannot help but feel that he’s been here before, either in his past, or in his future. Haruki, struggling with both his painting and his mental health, disappears. His long-suffering wife Jane Kensagi, herself a brilliant musician, interrupts her career to look for him unaware that a malignant and ageless entity awaits them both under the dark fells of the Lake District.

The estranged couple become caught up in a dangerously recursive series of events surrounding a dormant cosmic force. They encounter a cabal of enigmatic characters who may hinder or help in equal measure. And over all this madness, the monstrous but charismatic Captain presides; part faith-healer, part cult-leader, all saviour. Haruki and Jane are taken to the limits of sanity and beyond in their attempt to escape from the evil that has been unleashed.

Review

The story of Haruki Kensagi wanders in time in a way that makes it harder to discern what past, present and future are, where they are and by whom they are being experienced at any given time. Haruki feels as if déjà vu has become a constant voice in his inner ear. 

It begins with the following of orders without question, regardless of possible consequence. Gut instinct is eradicated by higher powers of persuasion and evil intent, and perhaps it ends in exactly the same way?

What’s at the core of the horror and the premise – the conundrum of whether the alien presence is evil or does the external presence just exaggerate the evil in mankind? Is the concept of an alien being inserting itself and seeping into the very fabric of people merely a projection of base nature. Is it easier to live with the idea of other than confront the reality of our actions. The megalomania and ego that drives cult structure and behaviour. Or is it all of the above and something evil this way comes?

It’s an interesting combination of horror, speculative and sci-fi fiction, perhaps more so because the author navigates all of the different genre elements without any of them overshadowing the other ones.

Buy Recursion at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎The Book Guild Ltd; pub date 28 Oct. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Blind Eye by Anna M. Holmes

 It’s my turn on the BlogTour Blind Eye by Anna M. Holmes.

About the Author

Anna M Holmes is originally from New Zealand and lives in South-West London with her partner. She holds a BA in English, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and an MA in Dance Studies. She began writing fifteen years ago, has shown work at the Marbella International Film Festival and her screenplay version of Blind Eye was joint winner of Green Stories screenplay competition in 2020. She released her debut adventure novel Wayward Voyage in April 2021, inspired by the famous female pirate Anne Bonny. Follow @AnnaMHolmes_ on Twitter, Visit annamholmes.com

About the book

Set in the Indonesian rainforest, Blind Eye is a fast-paced political environmental thriller exploring moral predicaments and personal choices.

Ben is an economist whose life is falling to pieces. The last thing he needs right now is to compile a report for the government on sustainable exportation of timber from Indonesia. But he has got to keep the pennies rolling in. 

Everyone seems to have an angle. The Government want trade, the businessmen want low-cost products, the environmentalists want to maintain endangered habitats and one young woman, Yulia, is determined to protect communities. Ben rushes through the report, but then tragedy hits. A community is shattered, and Ben realises, there is no staying neutral. He has a part to play in the global picture.

Review

I think Holmes captures the nature of the beast when it comes to Linda in her role as the staunch activist. They are often so blinkered in their views that they are unable to see the world beyond that. They come off as arrogant and entitled, and for the majority the over-exaggeration overshadows the truth they are trying to communicate to others. Result: everyone shuts down and stops listening.

It makes them not very likeable characters – I can think of a few that fit the same description when it comes to Extinction Rebellion or their offshoot protesting for the insulation of homes in the UK. Perfect example of a valid point or cause being lost in the entitled attitude of privileged activists, who are only causing harm to the very people they are allegedly supposed to be helping – and I say the word help with irony. 

The situation Ben is confronted with is quite similar. The destruction of habitat and species to create  non-essential items. There is no thought to the end result, because in the end only money and profit talk.

I really enjoyed Wayward Voyage by Holmes. This is a completely different read, more of a conservation thriller with a strong drive towards environmental crime. Very much a topic that is in the mouths of everyone from politicians to pupils in school. A reminder of the food chain and the destruction of our ecosystem, which translates into a direct threat of said chain and our survival.

Buy Blind Eye at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎The Book Guild; pub date 22 Sept. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Feeding the Gods by Elizabeth Harrison

It’s my turn on the BlogTour Feeding the Gods by Elizabeth Harrison – ‘Female writing duo ‘Elizabeth Harrison’ releases a powerful thriller that addresses the issues women face through life and the readiness of the drug companies to provide a pill for every problem’

About the Author

Elizabeth Harrison is the pen name of Denise Harrison (Dee) and Elizabeth Buxton (Liz), two friends, writing together. Feeding the Gods is set principally in South Manchester and Cheshire, which is the area where the authors grew up, married, and had their children. Liz decided to make her career on the high seas, crewing the Atlantic, and living aboard a yacht sailing the Mediterranean, whilst Dee was involved in the start-up and development of two successful software companies. Follow @eh_author on Twitter,

About the book

Roberta, Rosie, Sandra and Linda meet at college in the 70s and remain constant friends, despite life’s up and downs. The sudden death of one of the friends leads the others to suspect that a slimming drug she had been taking was perhaps to blame. Was this a wonder drug or a threat to life? 

The friends start to uncover long held secrets and betrayals – both personal and professional, but the pharmaceutical industry is not yet finished with them. Feeding the Gods is a thriller that addresses friendships, the different roles a woman must take on through life and the power of the drug giants.

Review

This begins with death and ends with death, the first is one of a group of friends and the second addresses how we deal with the topic of death. A group of female friends  navigate the pitfalls of a patriarchal society and decades that boast of freedoms, but in reality just contain more dangers and restrictions. Whilst a small minority appear to be living the life every woman dreams of, the majority are still stuck in the hamster wheel.

The Svelta story resonated with me. In the 70s and 80s slimming drugs were keeping the majority of women stick-thin. Over the counter, easy to access and often sold in the aisle right next to muscle protein for body builders. Just one thing though – more or less pure amphetamines.

Although the first Amphetamine epidemic tends to cited only up to the early 70s, the truth is the first wave continued on much longer. The body image mania was quickly replaced by physical addiction, although it’s fair to say the majority would have been unaware at first of why. Slimming pills – speed.

The second sub-plot that resonated with me was the euthanasia element and the difference in the way modern affluent countries take care of their elderly.

There is a lot going on in this story, perhaps too many sub-plots being pulled in different directions, which means not all of them get the attention or depth they possibly deserve. The writing duo wants to do due diligence when it comes to giving a voice to women, and drawing back the veil of some very popular myths of certain decades. It’s a political, social and domestic thriller.

Buy Feeding the Gods at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎The Book Guild pub date 24 Mar. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogBlitz One Last Shot by Stephen Anthony Brotherton

Today it’s my turn on the Blog Blitz One Last Shot by Stephen Anthony Brotherton.

About the Author

I was born in Walsall, grew up in the West Midlands and now live in Telford with my two cats, Boris and Tai.

After working in the health and social care sector for over thirty years, I have now written the trilogy that has been rooted in my head for most of my life.

The Shots trilogy is based on a first love relationship I had as a teenager. It tells the story of Freddie and Jo-Jo, who are reunited in a coffee shop three decades after the end of their teenage romance. How they originally met, why they parted, what happens in their lives apart, and what happens when they reunite is all told through a series of first person vignettes.

Getting these stories down on paper has been a cathartic process. I hope you enjoy them.

Follow @FreddieJoJo1 on Twitter, on Instagram, on Amazon, Buy One Last Shot

About the book

Can first love ever be reignited?

One Last Shot concludes the trilogy of Freddie and Jo-Jo, which has moved through time in a series of flashbacks, showing how the couple fell in love as teenagers, why they drifted apart, what happened in their lives away from each other, and what happens when they meet up again over three decades later. At the end of the second book, An Extra Shot, Jo-Jo tells Freddie about her dark secret. Confused, vulnerable and in a state of shock, he says he needs time to think about what to do next. Jo-Jo’s right to be worried. Freddie doesn’t react well…

Review

This is the last book in the trilogy – the story of Freddie and Jo-Jo. I wouldn’t say it’s necessary to read the others per se, because this can be read as a standalone novella, but if you want the entire gist of their story I would advise reading Another Shot and An Extra Shot too.

In the account of their relationship this book deals with the fallout of a dark secret Jo-Jo decides to reveal to Freddie, which has unexpected consequences for both of them.

Taking into account that the author says this is semi-autobiographical I hope the reactions to Freddie and his attempt to deal with his pain aren’t based on real conversations, because they are uninformed, insensitive and ignorant.

Lack of understanding is the last thing Freddie needs when his emotional turmoil drives him to most extreme thing he can think of. Pull yourself together – get over it – it will be fine – those just aren’t the right things to say or the best way to deal with him. Find more informed help, and if you read this and are in a similar situation or are having thoughts like Freddie this absolutely isn’t the response you should expect or deserve.

I found the bouncing back and forth into different timelines and experiencing the memories of Freddie and Jo-Jo a little disjointed in a sense that it was often difficult to comprehend the connection the author was trying to make from one memory or experience to the other, and how it related to the present.

It’s very much as Brotherton says himself, a cathartic process. A rush or waterfall of emotions being pushed forth into the atmosphere.

Buy One Last Shot at Amazon Uk. Publisher: Book Guild Publishing Ltd; pub date 28 Feb. 2020. Buy at Amazon com. At Waterstones. At Blackwells.

#BlogTour Blood on His Hands by Ian MacFadyen

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour Blood On His Hands by Ian McFadyen.

Enter the Giveaway below to Win 5 x Paperback copies of Blood on His Hands (UK Only)

About the Author

Ian McFadyen lives in Bishops Stortford, Herts and has published seven books in the Carmichael series so far. McFadyen has built up a strong following and is particularly well supported by library borrowers – being positioned in the top 10% of most loaned authors in the last few years. Favourably mentioned alongside Wilkie Collins and Colin Dexter, McFadyen’s titles are all available in paperback and on kindle.

Follow @IanMcFadyen1 on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Facebook, Visit ianmcfadyen.webs.com,  Buy Blood on His Hands

About the book

When a stranger enters DI Carmichael’s local church, with blood on his hands claiming to have committed a murder, Carmichael and his team are quickly summoned.

And when the man disappears, as mysteriously as he arrived, with few clues to his identity, where he came from and where he went, Carmichael quickly realises that all may not be as it seems. The conundrum becomes even more puzzling when, in less than 24 hours, a corpse is discovered in the boot of a Bentley car down a quiet country lane.

As the body count rises Carmichael and his team remain confounded as to who is behind the murders and what motive they have for taking so many lives. In this, the eighth gripping murder mystery from the pen of Ian McFadyen, the author once again captivates the reader with an array of beguiling characters tightly woven within an intriguing, skilfully scripted plot.

It will keep you guessing right until the end…

Review

A stranger walks into a church looking like he is in the middle of some sort of bizarre religious hallucination. Instead he tells the local Reverend that the blood on his hands is due to the fact he committed a murder. By the time Barney has called the police the man has vanished. Carmichael and his team are confused but on the case.

Simultaneously Carmichael’s daughter Natalie has been skipping school, which comes to light when the school finally informs her parents. She is the victim of vicious bullies. I have to say whilst this storyline is one that needs more light shed on it, due to the extremely high number of children suffering at the hands of bullies, there were parts of the dialogue I din’t agree with. Her mother is very sanctimonious when it comes the bullies reasons.

This is the eighth book in the DI Carmichael series. It’s a police procedural crime read with a close knit team and family feel to it.

McFadyen creates smaller subplots, which don’t appear to be connected other than through the characters, but ultimately brings all of them together and to a conclusion in the end.

He also has a very specific style, which is very drawn out and laid back. The minutiae of the story can make it seem too long, however I can’t fault the ideas or structure, just perhaps the fact editing could make it more concise. Again, this style could be a cup of tea kind of thing.

Based on the way it ends readers can expect to read more about Carmichael, his team and his family. He has secrets that could ruin his idyllic comfortable life. i wonder what they could be?

Buy Blood On His Hands at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Book Guild Publishing Ltd; pub date 28 Nov. 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Book Guild. Waterstones. Foyles. Blackwells. WHSmith. Book Depository.

Enter the Giveaway to Win 5 x Paperback copies of Blood on His Hands (UK Only)

Click Here to Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

#BlogTour The Oath by Michael L. Lewis

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour The Oath by Michael L. Lewis.

Enter the Giveaway below to Win 3 x Paperback copies of The Oath by Michael L. Lewis (UK Only)About the Author

Michael L. Lewis was born and raised in England. After preparatory school in London, he was educated at Stowe School, Buckingham. Michael now lives in Los Angeles, California, has a law degree, and writes full-time. He was on the Board of Trustees for several schools and has been a member of the same book club for twenty-five years.

Follow Michael L. Lewis on Facebook, on Amazon, Buy The Oath

About the book

Three Juniors – A Blood Oath – A Deadly Outcome

1955. The polished veneer of a boys’ boarding school in Northern England masks a cadre of wickedness. Seniors viciously torment any junior they deem unfit. Jonathan Simon, in his first term is warned that there are three monsters in his dorm; seniors Flicker, Sleeth and Tunk, and that the code of conduct mandates no snitching.

Simon befriends two other juniors; pixie-faced Ian Gracey and witty, grossly overweight Arthur Crown. During a cross-country run, the three friends take a short cut and stumble into the cadet rifle range. Corps Sergeant Sleeth puts them through a degrading punishment using human excrement. The three juniors swear a blood oath never to allow another bully to abuse them.

Will this oath be their downfall, or will they make it through the school year? Snitching could have serious consequences but keeping silent will break their blood oath.

As Simon, Gracey and Crown try to survive this perilous journey, the constant threat of harm brings their friendship ever closer…

Review

Boarding schools are very much part of the educational path of the upper class and the wealthy. It’s the norm to send off children, especially boys, to learning institutes. I think tradition, peer pressure and shoving the responsibility from nanny to boarding school has become so ingrained in certain social groups and countries that considering an alternative doesn’t even factor into their decision.

Leaving aside how academically successful a boarding school can be, the emotional damage caused by separation, bullying and the often predator like proclivity of sexual activity in these institutes is probably immeasurable.

Lewis plots the story around all of these negative aspects of being shipped off to school. His characters mirror both sides of the coin. The bullies who rule the roost and the damaged victims they leave in their wake.

The lines are drawn in the sand soon after the new school year starts when the youngest newbies become targets for the older bullies. The younger boys are determined not to let them get away with their usual crimes. The small groups become entwined in a dangerous war of revenge and a fight for survival.

It’s a contemporary thriller, a fast-paced and uncomfortable read at times. It fits into the YA and adult genre. The writing leans more towards simplicity and only skims the first layers in terms of depth. Saying that, the style lends itself to a bigger audience in terms of both younger and older readers.

Buy The Oath at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Book Guild Publishing pub date 1 Mar. 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Book Guild. Buy at Book Depository. Foyles. WHSmith. Waterstones. Blackwells.

Enter the Giveaway below to Win 3 x Paperback copies of The Oath by Michael L. Lewis (UK Only)

Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.*

#BlogTour Life’s a Banquet by Robin Bennett

Today it’s my turn and also one of the last stops on the BlogTour Life’s a Banquet by Robin Bennett. It’s a journey through the life of Robin Bennett, who doesn’t mind sharing his deepest thoughts, closest relationships and most vulnerable moments along the way.

About the Author

Robin Bennett lives in Henley on Thames, Oxon. He is an author and entrepreneur who has written several books for children and books on the swashbuckling world of business. His documentary, Fantastic Britain, about the British obsession with magic and folklore, won best foreign feature at the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards.

Robin says, “When the world seems to be precarious and cruel, remember that the game is to never give up – there’s everything to play for, and it will all be OK.”

About the book

If life gives you lemons, add gin.

Life’s a Banquet is the unofficial but essential ‘guide book’ to negotiating your way through life – through education, family life and business, to relationships, marriage, failure and rejection.

Aged 21, Robin Bennett was set to become a cavalry officer and aged 21 and a half, he found himself working as an assistant grave digger in South London – wondering where it had all gone wrong.

Determined to succeed, he went on and founded The Bennett Group, aged 23, and since then has gone on to start and run over a dozen successful businesses in a variety of areas from dog-sitting to cigars, translation to home tuition. In 2003, Robin was recognised in Who’s Who as one of the UK’s most successful business initiators. Catapulting readers through his colourful life and career, Robin Bennett’s memoir is an inspiring tale.

Review

There were quite a few parallels between my childhood and his. Some of those come from being similar ages in certain decades or being old enough to remember certain events that left an imprint on the nation and the people. I lived not far from Reading, in Finchampstead near Wokingham, for a few years early/mid seventies till the end of 78, and was also the child of a military family. A lot of his childhood stories resonated with me.

For me this was less of a memoir and more of let’s chat about life in general over a nice glass of wine. That’s exactly the way Bennett has written it, so the reader feels like a confidante throughout the read. I actually enjoyed that approach, along with the humour and ability he has to laugh at himself and see the positive in the negative. It gives the whole book a good vibe, regardless of the topic.

The other thing that stood out for me was the fact that although he has achieved many extraordinary things in life and business, he more or less had an ordinary life. What he leaves readers with is the thought that you can almost always make something even if it’s barely out of nothing, and that the way we perceive our lives and situations is often in direct relation to what we achieve in life.

It’s a journey through the life of Robin Bennett, who doesn’t mind sharing his deepest thoughts, closest relationships and most vulnerable moments along the way.

Buy Life’s a Banquet at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Book Guild Publishing Ltd; pub date 28 Aug. 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

Today is Paperback Publication Day for Appetite for Risk by Jack Leavers

It’s Launch weekend for Appetite for Risk by Jack Leavers! Today is Paperback Publication Day for this fast-paced riveting action thriller.

Follow @jackleavers on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit jackleavers.com, Buy Appetite for Risk

About the book

A fast-paced action thriller inspired by real events in the aftermath of the Iraq War.

With Saddam Hussein deposed and an entire country in need of rebuilding, former Royal Marine John Pierce hears the siren call of adventure and opportunity. His fledgling UK business is struggling to support his young family and he has connections in the Iraqi capital – fate seems to point one way.

In early 2004, Pierce rolls the dice when he jumps into a taxi in Jordan and heads for the turmoil of postwar Baghdad to grab a share of the reconstruction gold rush. But when Iraq spirals into the hell of a full-blown insurgency, he must rely on his wits and his local friends if he’s to evade the rampant bloodshed.

As the action rolls across the blood-stained Iraqi landscape and embraces London’s seedy underbelly, Pierce tangles with the authorities at home and finds himself thrust into the heart of British and American covert operations against Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Having set out with little more than ambitious goals and an appetite for risk, can a determined ex-bootneck survive the mounting chaos unscathed and succeed in hitting the jackpot?Review

I think I was somewhere between fascinated and thrown off by the way John has whole conversations with himself inside his head during the majority of the story. It’s written in a constantly flowing and updating journalistic report kind of way, and appears to be an ongoing thought process.

At first John appears to be a man with no threads or connections. The perfect person to move between all parties without inviting too much interest or attracting any for that matter. Not a spy, a silent asset or a company man. He is just someone who will use his expertise and excellent gut instinct to navigate dangerous situations for people who would rather remain hidden.

It’s very much a Jack Reacher kind of read, but with a more grounded family guy, who unfortunately appears to have a voracious appetite for dangerous situations. He is always smack bang in the middle of the action.

What Leavers does spectacularly well is to capture the tension between foreigners and the native inhabitants of Iraq. He doesn’t sugar-coat the volatility, the mistrust or the disdain towards foreign nationals. He straight up gives it to the reader in a brusque manner. Look, this is what happens when the dissidents capture you. Your life has no meaning to them other than honour for relieving the world of an infidel.

It’s a fast-paced riveting action thriller. The main character has a certain charm, which is directly linked to his need for speed and adventure.

Buy Appetite for Risk at Amazon Uk – Paperback – Kindle or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Book Guild Publishing Ltd; Paperback pub date 28 July 2019. Buy at Amazon com – Paperback – Kindle, Buy at Barnes&Noble.