#Blogtour Hell Hath No Fury by Geoff Major

 It’s my turn on the BlogTour Hell Hath No Fury by Geoff Major.

About the Author

This is Geoff Major’s second book. His first – Deadline – was published in 2020. Writing is his hobby, which he fits in-between full-time work, family, and completing unusual fundraising challenges. For more information, visit geoffmajor.info. He lives in Yorkshire, with his wife and their dog. Follow @GradusPrimus on Twitter, @primusgradus on Instagram 

About the book

They changed her life forever. Did they really think they could get away with it? – Evie Perry was a high-class escort whose way of life was abruptly and cruelly shattered by two drunken men. Stella Kendrick’s husband committed suicide and left her with a legal battle and a debt of £6m, but he leaves her a message with the names of three men on it. Daniella Maddox is a world-class barrister, assigned to an indefensible case for a corrupt client, but one she must win to save her own life. 

Unbeknownst to them, fate has woven their lives into a twisted web.

Detective Sergeant Alan Armitage is mystified when he attends the scene of a triple murder, but he is very quickly joined in his hunt for the killer by Detective Sergeant Steve Denton from The Met, and Detective Sergeant Bob Williams from North Yorkshire CID. 

Along with Detective Constable Rachael Jones, they have to uncover who the murderer is and why they are killing people across the country. Their task is made even more difficult because a criminal known to most simply as The Broker gets closer to banking millions every time his team commits another murder.

Review

With three very different women, scenarios and eventually chains of crimes, it’s hard to see what they could possibly have in common. Money, power – secrets? It’s a fast paced often brutal tale that often reminds the reader just how unsavoury the world can be.

It was interesting how the author didn’t really feel the need to present the reader with any sympathetic characters. They all range somewhere from sorta okay to completely irredeemable, even the collateral damage and victim aren’t the kind of characters you feel empathy for. The exception might be the police officers who have to work together to solve the crimes, but first they have to recognise where some of the crimes might have a connection.  

Perhaps a reminder that there is no such thing as lily white and that we all have secrets. The perfect exterior everyone presents to the world can easily hide the crumbling interior. The story also serves as a reminder that there are plenty in society who believe others are expendable and only exist to fulfil their needs and wants.

It’s a story about betrayal, revenge, power and greed. Death and destruction are strong motivators when the roots of anger and need for vengeance have become part of the fabric of your being.

Buy Hell Hath No Fury at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Grosvenor House Publishing, pub date 19 Jan. 2023. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Oscar of the Bismarck by Frances Y. Evan

 It’s my turn on the Blogtour Oscar of the Bismarck by Frances Y. Evan.

About the Author

England was Frances’s childhood home.  She emigrated to the United States with her family as a teenager many years ago.  Although she loves America, a part of her heart always remains in the country of her birth.  

Frances has been a storyteller for as long as she can remember with her first audience consisting of neighbourhood playmates sitting on the curb listening to her tall tales. More recently, she has  written and told or performed her nautical themed stories for school children visiting on field trips at a local seaport association where she worked.  

She has visited numerous organizations, upon request, to speak about The Forgotten Flag, her first published work, and continues to visit classrooms at local schools to meet students who have read the book as part of their American History curriculum.

Frances worked for twelve years at Staples High School in Connecticut in the English and Social Studies Departments which provided the perfect environment to inspire her love of history and writing.  She has self-published several books, The Brass Bell, The Curse of the Shark’s Tooth, and Oscar of the Bismarck which are young adult stories, as well as St. Katherine’s Dock: Target Tower Bridge adult historical fiction.   While working at the school, she prepared presentations for teachers to enhance their curriculum and subject matter when it pertained to British history.  These have included the Elizabethan Era to better understand the time of Shakespeare, the Victorian Era to portray the time of Charles Dickens, and World War II – the British Homefront.  

When her mother passed away several years ago, she decided that her story must be told. Vera’s Story: Hidden Scars of War tells the tale of a not so ordinary, ordinary woman whose memories of war were never far below the surface. Follow @FrancesEvan7 on Twitter or @frany51 on Instagram

About the book

Oscar the cat served on the German warship, Bismarck, as well as several British ships during World War II.

When the new battleship Bismarck is built, launched and commissioned, Oscar is there to witness it all. He is soon accepted by the crew and becomes the ship’s mascot as they embark on their mission.

Narrated from Oscar the cat’s point of view, he describes life at sea, the battles and the fate of his shipmates, as well as his own personal challenge to outwit, hunt and capture an elusive, sneaky, grey cat with little black ears! A wonderfully emotional and uplifting story, told from a very different perspective!

Review

Oscar certainly enjoys the leisurely life, the odd snack, naps in the sunshine, and paying close attention to his surroundings – it’s not really a hard life for this particular cat. He inadvertently becomes part of history, part of war, and part of battle.

This was the first time I had heard of this particular story. I would say it’s somewhere between historical myth and a glimmer of hope that became a legend. It’s also exactly the kind of thing a cat would do, which makes hearing it in his own words even more entertaining.

It’s does have an amusing element to it, despite the fact the historical events should be regarded with the serious note it deserves. The story perhaps also serves as a reminder that the young men on all sides were caught up in a war not of their making, and many of them lost their lives. The survivors lived with the trauma.

It’s a read for both younger and older readers, and will probably make readers curious about other stories that give the sense of some hope and small joys in the midst of such chaos and violence.

Buy Oscar of the Bismarck at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : ‎Blossom Spring Publishing, pub date 9 Dec. 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Ragman by J.G. Faherty

 It’s my turn on the BlogTour Ragman by J.G. Faherty.

About the Author

A life-long resident of New York’s haunted Hudson Valley, JG Faherty has been a finalist for both the Bram Stoker Award® (The Cure, Ghosts of Coronado Bay) and ITW Thriller Award (The Burning Time), and he is the author of 8 novels, 11 novellas, and more than 75 short stories. He writes adult and YA horror, science fiction, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. He grew up enthralled with the horror movies and books of the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, and as a child his favourite playground was a 17th-century cemetery. Which explains a lot. Follow @jgfaherty on Twitter, @jgfaherty/ on Instagram or visit jgfaherty.com

About the book

If you love a great horror tale with ancient mummies, a deluded priest and two oddball cops, then you’re in for a treat…

In 1882, a group of British soldiers plunder an Egyptian temple and kill the high priest. The priest vows revenge, and is finally revived in the present day. 

He finds the great-grandson of the man who killed him, but they form an uneasy partnership to get back all the stolen artefacts and send all the descendants of the other soldiers to the Underworld. 

Two police officers, former partners who had a falling out, must put aside their differences as they go from trying to solve gruesome, unexplained murders to risking their lives to stop the supernatural mummy the priest has called forth.

Review

Probably should think twice about crossing a priest, they can get a bit cross, especially when it comes to stealing from the church. They can wreak havoc over generations. Kill and create killers to do their dirty work – all in the name of the gods they serve.

Is it just me or is there something extra creepy about calling this book Ragman? Probably is just me, but it gives it another layer than just reading about an awakened ancient mummy, which is more than enough to creep anyone out. 

Old school horror comes a calling with a modern angle, but a very much typical grudge bearing enemy who is willing to wait a very long time to get their revenge. If not the man he seeks, then a direct relative will do. It’s certainly been a while since a mummy took centre stage in a modern day horror tale.

I do wonder if the read will be slightly different for those of us who grew up with monster movies, features that have a tongue-in-cheek feel about them. The fun with the scare.

Buy Ragman at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Flame Tree Press, pub date 10 Jan. 2023. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Flame Tree Press.

#Blogtour First Degree Murder by M.J. Weatherall

It’s my turn on the Blogtour First Degree Murder by M. J. Weatherall.

About the Author 

M. J. Weatherall is one of those people who loves writing but always struggles to write about herself. She always feel like she’s bragging (which in and of itself sounds like a brag according to her). 

She is a young author from Sheffield who moved to the Lake District to get her BSc (Hons) degree in Outdoor Adventure and Environment. More recently she has qualified as a primary school teacher and is now fulfilling her calling as an educator. 

M. J. loves climbing, kayaking and spending all her spare time in nature. A lifelong bookworm, she takes pride in growing her book knowledge (an asset to any pub quiz team to be sure!). She likes to think that she’s a fun person to be around…at the very least, her cat seems to think so. Follow @mj_weatherall on Twitter or @mj.weatherall/ on Instagram

About the book

From the author of Silent Is The Crown! 

Matty Darcy is a Criminology and Psychology student in the quaint university village of Ambleside. She has survived the normal dramas of student life such as shared living, assignments, heartbreak and friendships. But this year takes the drama to a whole new level when her fellow students start mysteriously dying.

Matty takes it upon herself to catch the killer with the help of local Police Officer, and heartthrob, P.C Nicholas Wilde and her ex-boyfriend Dean. It is a race against the clock to work out who’s killing students, and why.

Matty soon finds out more than she has bargained for… enough to make her the next target!

Review

The future is ambitious and bright, even if life as a student can be both frustrating and fun all at the same time. What Matty doesn’t expect is for her slightly chaotic life, which is also pulsing with opportunity and potential, to be turned upside down when students start dropping like flies.

It’s a novella length read. It felt a little like a YA meets non-slaughter and more sleuthing Scream scenario. The main character evolves as the story progresses – in both deduction skills and her ability to deduce human actions and traits.

Come on Matty, yes it’s a release and it certainly helps to move the story along, but my goodness leaving handwritten accounts for just anyone to find – that’s a bit of a liability isn’t it? Just saying. If this is going to be a regular occurrence then perhaps work on keeping things in the mind databank.

It’s a story that has the potential to be a series, with a a focus on the young adult market or with a set of characters that grows with the mysteries. 

Buy First Degree Murder at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Blossom Spring Publishing, pub date 23 Nov. 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Urbanboys: Discovery of the Five Senses

 It’s my turn on the BlogTour The Urbanboys: Discovery of the Five Senses by K.N. Smith.

About the Author

K.N. Smith, winner of the “Best of” in the category of “Outstanding Young Adult Novel” at the Jessie Redmon Fauset Book Awards, a Readers’ Favourite “Gold Medal” honoree for “Young Adult – Mystery”, and the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards “1st Place Honoree” for “New Author: Fiction and Science Fiction/Fantasy”, is an author and advocate of literacy and arts programs throughout the world. 

Her lyrical flair sweeps across pages that twist and grind through action-adventure and urban fantasy in edge-of-your-seat narratives. K.N. has over twenty-five years’ experience in communications and creative design as an award-winning consultant. Reading is still her foremost hobby. 

She inspires people of all ages to reach their highest potential in their creative, educational, and life pursuits. Visit K.N. Smith at knsmith.com, follow @knsmith_author on Instagram

About the book

Welcome or unwelcome. Fate has arrived. – A suspenseful incident in a forbidden preserve heightens the senses of five friends. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell become super-gifts that forever change the world. But furious battles confront the boys as they try to understand their sensory super powers in a race to save mankind. With light beings and mysterious strangers complicating their plight, will the boys defeat the evil Druth before it’s too late? Get prepared for the twisting and grinding of this award-winning, action-adventure story — an edge-of-your-seat narrative for young and mature readers alike.

Review

Is it fate or destiny, really? When you consciously or subconsciously work towards a certain outcome or goal the questions turns to whether it is a self-fulfilling prophecy instead. Is it fate or is it just what certain people have already decided, hence working towards that outcome. More importantly when you receive a power that can change the world is it not true that eventually power corrupts? Isn’t it true that sometimes there is only a thin line between good and evil?

It’s YA, but I would put it on the older age range instead of the younger. Not that the violence is gory or over the top, there is however an element that takes it to the next level. In particular the first chapters between two of the young men goes from competitive to vicious in a few moments. It’s the description of the scenes between the two of them that elevates the violence to a level of more than survival and rather power and pleasure at the results of their actions.

I think the flowery and overly descriptive prose was less suited to the genre and story. I can imagine it being just right for a venture into something more in keeping with the artistic way the words are woven. It’s a bit like two ideas colliding and not being quite comfortable with each other. The reader is distracted by one while trying to filter the story through the aforementioned.

It’s an ambitious and creative premise with plenty of areas to develop the story and the characters further. Dystopian allows for a reimagining of the old and to push forward boldly into the new and unknown.

Buy The Urbanboys: Discovery of the Five Senses at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. Publisher ‏: ‎Two Petals Publishing; pub date 29 Sept. 2015. Buy Discovery of Five Senses.

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#Blogtour What Tracy Did Next by T. A. Belshaw

It’s my turn on the Blogtour What Tracy Did Next by T. A. Belshaw.

About the Author

T A Belshaw is from Derbyshire in the United Kingdom where he shares a house with his chatty rescue cat, Mia. He writes for both children and adults. A former miner and computer technician, Trevor studied Advanced Creative Writing at the Open University. He is the author of Tracy’s Hot Mail, Tracy’s Celebrity Hot Mail and the noir, suspense novella, Out of Control. Following the sudden death of his wife in 2015 Trevor took a five-year break from writing, returning during lockdown in 2020, when an injury forced him to take time off work. The result of this new creative burst was the Dual Timeline, Family Saga, Unspoken and the Historical Cosy Crime Whodunnit, Murder at the Mill.

Trevor signed his first contract with Spellbound Books Ltd in April 2021. He signed a further mullti-book contract with them in the spring of 2022.

His short stories have been published in various anthologies including 100 Stories for Haiti, 50 Stories for Pakistan, Another Haircut, Shambelurkling and Other Stories, Deck the Halls, 100 Stories for Queensland and The Cafe Lit anthology 2011, 2012 and 2013. He also has two pieces in Shambelurklers Return. 2014

Trevor is also the author of 15 children’s adventure books written under the name of Trevor Forest. 

His children’s poem, Clicking Gran, was long listed for the Plough prize (children’s section) in 2009 and his short poem, My Mistake, was rated Highly Commended and published in an anthology of the best entries in the Farringdon Poetry Competition.

Trevor’s articles have been published in magazines as diverse as Ireland’s Own, The Best of British and First Edition. Follow @tabelshaw on Twitter, trevorbelshaw.com/

About the book

The gossip machine is back with more juicy titbits as Tracy casts her all-seeing eye over the lives of the people around her.

Tracy is in a quandary. Should she accept Detective Sergeant Neil Hartley’s marriage proposal? Is she truly ready for a life of domesticity while there are so many men she hasn’t met yet, so many places she hasn’t been, so many clothes she hasn’t tried on.

A lover of cloned, market stall fashion and the Primark sales rail, Tracy is still working the promotions circuit under the guidance of her uber-iffy agent, Shayne Slider.

What on earth are Faliraki Flaps? What really happened when Tracy went on holiday with her best friend, Emma? Get an insight into what she got up to in her last year at school as Tracy dips into her personal diaries and lifts the lid on her most intimate secrets. What Tracy Did Next. An eye-opening giggle fest.

Review

This is part of a series of short reads – novella length. The trials and tribulations of Tracy told via old diary entries, emails, and in a very narrator speaking to the audience kind of way. It gives the reader the sense that she is often referring to the audience along for the read.

Tracy and friends are off on holiday – a time of reflection for her, during which she can ponder on the proposal of marriage she has recently received. Sounds simple enough, right? And sensible, right? Well, it’s Tracy for one thing and what happens on holiday is either something you are willing to forget about, regret or  it could possibly change your life. I think all of these things apply to the trip they take.

This is more or less the gateway to the popular smut-read, bordering on certain scenarios, then steering clear of too many details. It’s also very much written from a ‘what I think women think and do’ perspective. A read I would put into New Adult, due to the many sexual references. I found it a bit brash and lewd, but I’m sure there are plenty of readers who will enjoy the titillating experiences of Tracy and her friends.

Buy What Tracy Did Next at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Pub date 3 Nov 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Turkey Shed Gang by Ruth Young

 It’s my turn on the BlogTour The Turkey Shed Gang by Ruth Young.

About the Author

Ruth has been a teacher for a very long time. She loves being in the classroom making learning fun and specialises in teaching reading and spelling.  Now retired, Ruth teaches children with learning difficulties at her home, and it doesn’t matter how old they are, she loves to help!

Ruth has always told stories to the children she teaches. Her book, The Turkey Shed Gang, is for 7–8-year-old independent readers. She also writes for dyslexic children in mind so that they can read a book, maybe with a little help, which is age appropriate for them.

When she’s not teaching, Ruth loves walking in the Surrey Hills where she lives with her husband, who is a retired airline Captain. They take every chance to travel worldwide and it’s on trips away that Ruth comes up with her ideas for her books, always scribbling notes down in her purple notebook which she carries everywhere.

Ruth loves baking bread and cakes and is always in the kitchen with her vast collection of cookery books. She has been interviewed by the BBC three times about writing, environmental issues and her work with dyslexic children, and had an article published in a national magazine for parents. Follow @ruthyoung6 on Instagram or ruth.young.127 on Facebook.

About the book

Joe had a bad day at school. Everything went wrong…

FIRSTLY, he had to read to the class and that was his worst nightmare, reading in front of everyone. THEN, he scored an own goal in football. LATER, after eating three chocolate eclairs at Gran’s house, she tells him about a raid in the bank this morning. The robbers had guns and monster masks! To Joe it sounded exciting, if only he could have been there too!

But his opinion soon changes when he realises the danger his Gran is now faced with. She shows him a bag full of money that she picked up by mistake, thinking it was her shopping after the raid. Joe decides the only thing to do to keep her safe is for them to go on the run. They must go before the police come to arrest her or worse still, the robbers find out she has their money. To add to his problems, Gran wants to take Mr Percival with them, a talking parrot she inherited from a neighbour.

A school boy, his gran and a parrot on the run, what could possibly go wrong?

Review

Joe has it tough. He is ridiculed, laughed at and then he gets a little overeager at a football match. Overall, not a very good day at all, so it’s a relief to take a time out with his Gran – oh and her newly acquired friend called Mr Percival.

Mr Percival is a bit of a wild card – he says the first thing that pops into his little head, often with hilarious results. He does make the perfect getaway companion for the double act of Joe and his Gran though. They are on the run, because that’s what criminals do – they run and hide.

It’s a read I would recommend to advanced readers 8-plus, however I would be mindful of the bullying, discrimination and lack of support the main character receives from his peers at the beginning of the story, and the lack of support from adults who are supposed to be keeping him safe. They are learning moments but could be upsetting to some younger readers. 

Aside from that it is a funny adventure with endearing characters. What’s lovely is the way young Joe is willing to do anything to keep his Gran safe – it becomes an exercise in character and confidence building. Just because you may not be perfect at one thing it doesn’t mean you won’t excel at something else or find a new way to achieve your goals.

Buy The Turkey Shed Gang at Amazon Uk. Publisher: ‎Blossom Spring Publishing pub date 14 July 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Dark Energy by Tom Boles

It’s my turn on the BlogTour Dark Energy by Tom Boles.

About the Author

Tom Boles has discovered more supernovae (exploding stars) than any other person in history. 

Tom is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a past President of The British Astronomical Association. He was awarded the Merlin Medal and the Walter Goodacre Award for his contribution to astronomy. The International Astronomical Union named main-belt asteroid 7648, Tomboles in his honour. 

He has published many scientific papers on supernovae and written numerous articles for popular astronomy magazines. He has made many television appearances ranging from BBC’s Tomorrow’s World to The Sky at Night. During recent years he has given Enrichment Lectures on astronomy aboard Cunard liners, mainly their flagship QM2. 

During these trips he had designed and presented shows using the ship’s onboard planetarium. His experience as an astronomer inspired his novels and help mould his hero, Brad Willis. He published Dark Energy in June 2021 and Shades of White in November of that year. His third book, Murder comes by Limo was published in July 2022. 

He lives in rural Suffolk where he enjoys dark skies free from light pollution. Follow @boles_tom on Twitter, on Instagram @tomboles2021

About the book

Brad Willis is an unlikely investigator, and an even less likely spy. He is a scientist, not a hero, but when it comes to finding technical solutions, there is none better. That’s how MI6 uses him; that’s how he lands himself in trouble.

Members of the scientific community around the world are being systematically murdered, and for no obvious reason. Who is killing them and why?

That is until Willis uncovers a mystery. The largest research facility in the world has made a huge discovery but not reported it. Why not? Why would someone want it hidden?

His travels take him across four nations where he forms liaisons with a Russian General and an oligarch. Can he trust either? If he chooses badly, he is as good as dead. He suspects everyone, so can trust no one…

And will need to risk his life to find out …

Review

Although I think it is fair to say one has to be on one’s toes now and again when it comes to the science, laws of nature and the general use and whereabouts of certain objects and buildings in this story – grey cells shall be used most frequently, I assure you.

It all starts out with a peculiar phone call. Brad isn’t even entirely sure it isn’t a hoax, and yet he believes it enough to warn a colleague, just in case the warning he received is indeed true. Next thing he knows said colleague is nearly killed. 

It’s a fast-paced speculative extravaganza with an astronomer come hero. I bet when he took that unexpected phone call, he didn’t expect to become both the catalyst and instrument of destruction all at the same time. It’s a bit like having a completed puzzle – the knowledge we have – and someone taking a piece of it bit by bit. Everyone wants a piece of it, which is how Brad ends up contending with the likes of foreign and homegrown spies.

If you take the aspect of science and replace it with hidden treasure or archaeology, and cast a very driven astronomer, the result would probably be a very captivating action hero who searches the stars and saves the world at the same time. Sounds like a series I would absolutely read.

Buy Dark Energy at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Island of Dreams by Harry Duffin

It’s my turn on the Blogtour Island of Dreams by Harry Duffin.

About the Author

I am an award-winning British screenwriter, who was on the first writing team of the BBC’s Eastenders and won the Writers’ Guild Award for Best TV serial for Coronation Street. I was Head of Development at Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment Group, producing seven major television series, including ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ starring Richard ‘John Boy’ Thomas, and ‘Twist in the Tale’, featuring William Shatner. I was co-creator of the UK Channel Five teen-cult drama series ‘The Tribe’, which ran for five series. Follow @duffin26 on Twitter or @duffinharry on Instagram, Visit harryduffin.co.uk

About the book

In May 1939, when Professor Carl Mueller, his wife, Esther, and their three children flee Nazi Germany, and find refuge on the paradise island of Cuba, they are all full of hopes and dreams for a safe and happy future.

But those dreams are shattered when Carl and Esther are confronted by a ghost from their past, and old betrayals return to haunt them. The turbulent years of political corruption leading to Batista’s dictatorship, forces the older children to take very different paths to pursue their own dangerous dreams.

And – among the chaos and the conflict that finally leads to Castro’s revolution and victory in 1959, an unlikely love begins to grow – a love that threatens the whole family. Having escaped a war-torn Europe, their Island of Dreams is to tear them apart forever.

Review

Out of the fire and into the frying pan – I expect that’s what the Mueller family felt like when the path to freedom ends up landing them in a political inferno, one that threatens to swallow up dissenters whole.

The older children are already set on different paths by the time the family reaches their new destination. When it comes to ideals, politics and beliefs – even at such a young age core memories have left their mark. Those differences lead to further division as they settle into a life in a new country, which has its own powder keg waiting to implode.

Hans is what I would call a disenchanted idealist, brainwashed to believe he is superior and less inclined to believe he is what the Nazi’s would call tainted. He loses himself in the anger and disappointment he aims towards his own family. A typical teenage response to events that suspend belief and shapes the man he becomes. Anna has fire in her belly, her circumstances open her up to the rebellion of her new home.

The children live under the dysfunctional umbrella of a strained relationship – their parents having made the right choices to save them, but perhaps would have made other decisions about their relationship under less dangerous circumstances. Their problems cast long shadows on their children.

The author only touches slightly on the tenuous grasp on possible safety dangled like carrots before so many innocent victims of the Nazi regime. Imagine believing you have done everything possible to escape persecution, only to be confronted with closed doors and a lack of help from the world, and to be returned to certain death.

It’s an interesting premise, because the surrounding circumstances and trauma take a secondary position in regard to the story. In essence you get the life lived if you managed to escape by a mere fraction of time and a lot of luck, but it also means living with the guilt, whilst simultaneously having to hide the fact you are glad you escaped a destiny written for you by others. I also think it’s very much a story of how each life can leave an impact in a different way and perhaps create paths others will follow – imagine if they hadn’t.

War, trauma, fractured relationships and the way each family unit creates a tentacled system of connections and relationships. It would probably make a great mini tv series.

Buy Island Dreams at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Cumulus Publishing Limited; pub date 1 Dec. 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Forgotten Promise by Paula Greenlees

 It’s a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Forgotten Promise by Paula Greenlees.

About the Author

Paula has lived in various places, including Singapore, where she was based for three years. It was while living in Singapore that the first seeds of her debut novel, Journey to Paradise, developed. The crumbling buildings and the modern high-rises popping up almost overnight seemed to be a metaphor for the social diversity and change in Singapore at that time. However, as a young mother living there, she wondered what it must have been like as a post-war colonial wife living miles away from the familiarity of home. Despite the gloss and glamour of colonial living, women were frequently stuck in unhappy marriages, often unable to follow careers or have the independence to divorce if things went wrong – which they inevitably did. 

Her writing, although set against exotic backgrounds, is set on the cusp of change – the shift from colonial dominance to independence. She likes to dig into a variety of issues and her main protagonist is, in many ways, a metaphor for the political and social events surrounding her at that time. It isn’t always an easy journey, but in the end, success comes her way. 

The Forgotten Promise tells the story of Ella, a young Eurasian woman, whose life is turned upside down by the Japanese occupation of Malaya, and it is through her lens and that of Noor, her cook, that the narrative is revealed.

As for Paula – she has always wanted to be a writer. As a little girl she used to spend hours writing stories and turning them into books, even using flour and water as paste to stick the pages together.  She spent hours writing poetry and plays as a teenager and has always written short stories in her spare time. It is this need to write and a love of reading that led her to take a degree in English and European Thought and Literature, and later a Masters Degree in Creative Writing.

Apart from her writing, Paula hosts a regular author interview on her website. You can find out more about new and existing historical fiction authors, such as Liz Trenow, Frances Quinn and Louise Fein, by hitting the ‘author interview tab.’ 

As a writer, she feels it is important to have a wide range of interests – not only does it adds flavour and layering to prose, but allows it allows time for ideas to mull and to percolate. People watching in cafés is one, long walks is another. And food! Good food is essential to her and she loves to cook using the best ingredients she can find.  As well as a love of travel, she is a keen amateur photographer and her next trip takes her to Cambodia where she is hoping to discover an exciting hook for a new book – you can find out more about her progress there by following her on Instagram.

Paula has a grown up daughter and lives in Warwickshire with her husband and an extremely friendly Labrador. Follow @PGreenlees on Twitter, Visit paulagreenlees.com

About the book

Malaya, 1920: Two girls make a promise in the shadows of the jungle. A promise that life won’t let them easily keep.

Malaya, 1941: Ella is running her late father’s tin mine in the Kledang hills, while Noor works as her cook. When the war that felt so far away suddenly arrives on their doorstep, Ella is torn apart from her family. Her daughter Grace is left in Noor’s care as Japanese soldiers seize the mine.

Ella is forced to make an impossible choice that takes her to England, thousands of miles from home. She is desperate to be reunited with her loved ones. But will the life she returns to be anything like the life she left behind?

Review

We meet Ella as a child, when the first invisible boundaries between herself and her friend become visible to herself and others. Then later as she lives the life of a tin mine owner, her friend now the family cook. The two of them separated by social and class structures. As the story progresses we return to the two, who have had to make extremely difficult choices to ensure their survival as their home and country is invaded during WW2.

Although the title references the bond between two young girls and a promise they make in all innocence, it is also about the way we deal with curveballs in life. Adapt and survive. Making hard decisions, sometimes at the expense of others and often made in the moment.

Despite the fact Ella is Eurasian, she is very much a product of white colonisation and privilege. I think it is frequently evident in her reactions when she returns to Malaya – the lack of understanding of a place and people who have had to adjust to extreme conditions of an oppressed country.

The destruction, pain, torture and war crimes committed by the Japanese during WW2 often take a second place to the atrocities and warfare in Europe during the same period. This opens a small window to some of it, whilst maintaining the essence of the family saga and dynamics. It was a pleasure to read.

Buy The Forgotten Promise at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎ Penguin pub date 1 Sept. 2022. Buy at Amazon com.