tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76417319975048601742024-03-15T07:00:32.650+00:00The Pewter Wolf ReadsOne Man. One Blog. One Never-Ending TBR... Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.comBlogger2031125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-64773468181574366142024-03-15T07:00:00.015+00:002024-03-15T07:00:00.137+00:00The Glutton - Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhX2mNatqjZ7LTVqe2VRnx2mi98YgxPu-RTMpNvTmzUC7LHZ_25kkwXDkOQ-egOEpK03OSljUnPDf8hLX045NtB5fp3d0pJf3tyMgoXpQCRAVItvv3P_YjDRFTtyJBhErohm7IEoBrW1-uZwugJVuzp-hLEfP3bHm1TaBMdkEEWaudXgGJMDU-7u7XMQ/s580/image001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhX2mNatqjZ7LTVqe2VRnx2mi98YgxPu-RTMpNvTmzUC7LHZ_25kkwXDkOQ-egOEpK03OSljUnPDf8hLX045NtB5fp3d0pJf3tyMgoXpQCRAVItvv3P_YjDRFTtyJBhErohm7IEoBrW1-uZwugJVuzp-hLEfP3bHm1TaBMdkEEWaudXgGJMDU-7u7XMQ/s320/image001.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>To celebrate the longlist for this year’s Dylan Thomas Prize (and the shortlist to be announced on Thursday 21st March), a bunch of book bloggers were asked very kindly if they fancied read one of the books on the longlist. One of them was me and it was a mystery which book I was going to get to read as I wanted it to be a surprise. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize is an award gifted annually and is opened to published writers in the English language under the age of forty. Let me put the link to <a href="https://www.swansea.ac.uk/dylan-thomas-prize/" target="_blank">Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize here</a> so you can read more details at your leisure. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, like I said earlier, it was surprise which book from the longlist I was going to get for review and, I will be honest, the title that was sent to me was one of titles I didn’t want. But, I knew whatever title I was going to receive, I was going to start reading that very day as I do always like a challenge and to try something new. </div><div><br /></div><div>The book in question: <i>The Glutton</i> by A.K. Blakemore. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-eu.bookshop.org/images/9781783789191.jpg?height=500&v=v4" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="323" height="400" src="https://images-eu.bookshop.org/images/9781783789191.jpg?height=500&v=v4" width="259" /></a></div>Title and Author: </b><i>The Glutton</i> by A.K. Blakemore</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>Granta Books</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Gifted by PR company, Midas Campaigns, in exchange for an honest review/reaction</div><div><b>Buy From (Affiliate): <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781783789191" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Inspired by the French showman and solider <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarrare" target="_blank">Tarare</a> (sometimes spelt Tarar) who lived from 1772 to 1798, we start the book with Sister Perpetue who is caring for a frail, dying man. A man who is once famed for having a ferocious appetite, the man who was once called the Great Tarare, The Glutton of Lyon. A man rumoured to have eaten a child. </div><div><br /></div><div>As this man tells his story, we see him from his humble beginnings and, as unrest slowly begins to grip France, a violent act leaves Tarare left for dead and his hunger awaken…</div><div><br /><span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div>The main reason why I was so hesitant over wanting to read this is because this feels very literary fiction, a genre that I sadly don’t get on with. I always like to try but reading <i>The Glutton</i> has sadly confirmed it for me and this might be my last outing in this genre. </div><div><br /></div><div>Because literary fiction isn’t my go-to genre and this is historical fiction, a genre that can be very hit and miss with me, how did <i>The Glutton </i>feel with me? </div><div><br /></div><div>It’s a bit of a mixed bag. While I found the idea of Tarare and his life really interesting, but I found the pace and the writing a tad slow and stilted. The story didn’t flow the way in the way I hoped and the writing, though at time beautiful and very flowery, did slow the plot down. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, I know this is a personal taste issue. Literary fiction doesn’t work for me so I can’t truly give you an honest review as this book had a huge fight on its hand to make me like it. But I know many people who really enjoyed this because of the writing, the characters and the dark psychology of France as it enters the French Revolution. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am really intrigued on your thoughts, dear reader, if you have read or audiobook this title and if you liked <i>The Glutton. </i>I will be hugely intrigued to see if this will be in the shortlist when it will be announced later this month… </div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-38644459298369090982024-03-10T07:00:00.081+00:002024-03-10T07:00:00.248+00:00Let’s Lie and Play Mafia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzSWITTKRdTBTfMWSU-9PaxeEp59bgurp_B_H7iLTUzBGtSI5BAe4ylNxPZx58phbgDhvaWGN7EqbF2YfMwo2EVKOWm0i0A4LKIqB2M-pHWyQU_8rWR1Eg92wlizjvw0I2EZOyZEpokw53dpLw7vf6Z1F22AMJVp8vuD466lJNJXCPUbjvyqAAvsvDj8/s1200/Lie%20or%20Die%20Blog%20Tour%20FB.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzSWITTKRdTBTfMWSU-9PaxeEp59bgurp_B_H7iLTUzBGtSI5BAe4ylNxPZx58phbgDhvaWGN7EqbF2YfMwo2EVKOWm0i0A4LKIqB2M-pHWyQU_8rWR1Eg92wlizjvw0I2EZOyZEpokw53dpLw7vf6Z1F22AMJVp8vuD466lJNJXCPUbjvyqAAvsvDj8/w480-h250/Lie%20or%20Die%20Blog%20Tour%20FB.png" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div>You guys know I am a huge fans of the BBC show <i>The Traitors</i>, right? Same with the movies <i>Knives Out </i>and <i>Glass Onion</i>? So, the idea of these two being mashed together in a book excites me hugely. You can see where this is going, right? When the lovely people at Firefly Press asked if I wanted to be involved in a blog tour to celebrate the release of <i>Lie Or Die</i> by A.J. Clack, I knew I had to jump on it. <div><br /></div><div>Before I go any further, let me tell you about <i>Lie Or Die. </i>Kass is tricked by her best mate to get involved in a new TV reality show. Imagine <i>Big Brother</i> meets <i>The Traitors</i> and you get the idea. Ten contestants, one studio, forty four remote cameras. But when contestants start dying (for real), Kass and her fellow contestants are no longer fighting to win the game, but gifting for survival. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am thrilled that A.J. Clack has written a small guest post for this tour (and for this tiny little blog) about the game that inspired their debut: Mafia (sometimes is called Werewolf). I have never heard of this so quick Google/<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_(party_game)" target="_blank">Wiki search</a> for me, but I bet you guys know the game. If not, am going to pop a YouTube video below so you can watch…</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NFWWV000sTw" width="320" youtube-src-id="NFWWV000sTw"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dd2sOmZUBmM" width="320" youtube-src-id="dd2sOmZUBmM"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Now we are all on the same page, I can hand over to A.J. Clack and their tips on playing Mafia/Werewolf. But before I do, I want to say a huge thank you to A.J. for writing this guest post and to Graeme at Firefly for emailing me and chatting about <i>Lie Or Die</i>. And if you’re curious over the book, you can check out either <a href="https://fireflypress.co.uk/books/lie-or-die/" target="_blank">Firefly Press’s website</a> or via <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781915444417" target="_blank">Bookshop.org (Affiliate Link)</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>With that out of the way, let’s lie, cheat and murder… <span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"><u>Top tips for playing Mafia</u><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><i><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">Mafia</span></i><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">, the original party game (also known as <i>Werewolf</i>) is a game of truth, lies and a LOT of bluffing. I’ve spent a lot of time playing this game with my friends over the years and have always loved the concept – it never gets boring, each game brings a new set of challenges and experiences. I got to thinking what would happen if such a game was taken to the extreme and what a great murder mystery game that would make – so when I came to writing my YA thriller <i>Lie or Die</i>, <i>Mafia</i> the party game, became my inspiration. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">Here are some of my top tips for playing <i>Mafia</i> and staying alive. I hope you enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">1 – Pace yourself. Don’t go out all guns blazing in the first round. If you’re an innocent citizen then take your time, listen to the conversations around you and don’t jump in and make too many accusations – being too vocal will put a target on your back. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">2 – Watch what you are wearing and keep still. In the first round especially, no one has any clue who is Mafia or innocent Citizens so the slightest rustle or movement during the first nighttime round can very easily explode into an accusation of Mafia. Why else would your arm/head/knee have moved in the nighttime unless you were raising your head and looking to see who to murder? I have been murdered many times for an ill-timed nose scratch or an impatient fidget – keep still! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">3 – Try not to look guilty – easier said than done. I am one of those people who always look guilty even when I have nothing to hide! When asked the question ‘Are you Mafia’ try to maintain eye contact and a calm persona. Don’t over explain, just deny and move on. Conversely if you are Mafia don’t try to convince everyone that you are a Citizen in the first round – ‘<i>he who protests too much’</i> is a saying to heed in this game.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">4 - Don’t make jokes or try to be too clever. I have been in many games in which someone has decided to be funny and admit to being Mafia even when they are a Citizen – don’t do this! This is not the kind of game to be making identity jokes – you will not last the accusation round and have to spend the remainder of the game watching and contemplating your one moment of comic idiocy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">5 – The most important rule of all for playing <i>Mafia</i> – it doesn’t matter how long you have known your fellow players; it doesn’t matter whether you are family, best friends, partners or complete strangers. The main thing to remember is that anything goes, lies are the new truth and no matter who you are playing with, no matter how convincing they may be…TRUST NO ONE!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-17160047583710905382024-03-08T07:00:00.029+00:002024-03-08T07:00:00.349+00:00Mini Catch-Up<div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, the joy of blogger’s guilt. Been blogging for over 14 years (flipping heck, feeling old in book blogosphere! Hey Siri, play something young as I AM YOUNG, DAMNIT!) and, after a period of time, if you’re not blogging, you feel guilty for not blogging and chat about reads past, present and future. <br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Plus, been going through a bit of a blogging/real life slowdown. Nothing wrong with that, but let me touch base with you as you guys know I haven’t vanished off the face of the earth with me blogging and reading (though if you follow me on my socials, you know I am very active). <br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-eu.bookshop.org/images/9780007527571.jpg?height=500&v=v4-bf3dbc2e2316b2d1039470dd00000000" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="325" height="400" src="https://images-eu.bookshop.org/images/9780007527571.jpg?height=500&v=v4-bf3dbc2e2316b2d1039470dd00000000" width="260" /></a></div>The main audiobook I listened to since we last chatted was <span style="font-style: italic;">Evil Under the Sun</span> by Agatha Christie (<a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780007527571" target="_blank">affiliate link to bookshop.org is here</a>). It seems that I might be considering doing an Agatha Christie a month or an Golden Age Mystery a month as I seem to have a load of these on my To Be Read lists (either on my physical shelves, my e-reader shelves or on my radar to investigate at a later date). Now, this seems to be one of the faves of the Poirot fans as it ticks all the boxes: a closed circle mystery of suspect on an holiday island off the coast, a messy love triangle (of sorts) and Poirot at his finest. I can see why fans of Agatha Christie rate this so highly. There is elements that are stuck in its time (the sexism at the end of the book where a successful businesswoman is told to quit her business so she can marry and be a good little wife left a sour taste in the mouth) and the case hinging on a lot of chance/luck…</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Am I going to do another Christie this month? Yes, I think I am. I am leaning over between 3 titles (maybe a poll is needed on my socials?) and i am eyeing my British Library Crime Classics (I have one I am desperate to read but saving that for nearer the General Election as the murder is set at the Houses of Parliament). Would you guys like to know the British Library Crime Classics on my TBR? I am very tempted to blog them as they are a weird little mix…</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-eu.bookshop.org/images/9781510104280.jpg?height=500&v=v4-1147a9ec22aca41a3f56217cc4589880" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="325" height="400" src="https://images-eu.bookshop.org/images/9781510104280.jpg?height=500&v=v4-1147a9ec22aca41a3f56217cc4589880" width="260" /></a></div>Because I was having a bit of a DNFing blitz, I wanted to read something comforting but I wasn’t in the mood to reread (something I do want to do this year as I did NO REREADING last year. At ALL! I have three books I want to try and reread this year so hopefully, will attack them before the year is out). So, I dived into Mary Norton’s <span style="font-style: italic;">Bedknobs and Broomsticks </span></span>(<a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781510104280" target="_blank">affiliate link to bookshop.org is here</a>)<span style="font-family: inherit;">. This is a bind up of two stories (</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">The Magic Bedknob</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">Bonfires and Broomsticks</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">), which acts as the inspiration to the Disney movie, starring Angela Lansbury (I adore this movie. Yes, it’s trying too hard to be catch the success of </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">Mary Poppins</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">). And it was a delightfully cosy read but oh my, SO DIFFERENT from the movie. Yes, I knew going into this that the books were inspiration for the movie so there will be huge changes, but I was shocked on how different the two medias were and how dark the book got compared to the movie (yes, the movie is set during the Second World War, but we saw no one die. In the book, we saw someone get nearly burnt at the stake for being a witch).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />But it was a nice read. Something I desperately needed as I go into reading some non-fiction (<span style="font-style: italic;">Rough Justice</span> by Her Honour Wendy Joseph KC) and some literary/historical fiction (<span style="font-style: italic;">The Glutton</span> by A…). Don’t worry, normal reading (and I use the term “normal” loosely) will return as I suspect that once these are done, I will be attacking my NetGalley backlog of audiobooks and eProofs (sorry in advance).</span></div>
Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-18637268029967463462024-02-21T07:00:00.007+00:002024-02-21T07:00:00.135+00:00eProof Review - The Mystery Guest <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4WYdBNIQmspTAXYSgjjgCAzOdPto38bRhykQ4ZdoS-yjl-RjNXgGlSqYUPPmRMCVrAil4tO6fdhCmG2LIRXWe2tZMe1d6jPjAPx6TvQlAuMtZ46rlb138P63xYx1dEY8l6UzuegSz7ZlTdhNnB_M2-Np2mfVFyeRM0AOCmzBm2fhqLHtg9Ty_4bPU38/s500/IMG_5702.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4WYdBNIQmspTAXYSgjjgCAzOdPto38bRhykQ4ZdoS-yjl-RjNXgGlSqYUPPmRMCVrAil4tO6fdhCmG2LIRXWe2tZMe1d6jPjAPx6TvQlAuMtZ46rlb138P63xYx1dEY8l6UzuegSz7ZlTdhNnB_M2-Np2mfVFyeRM0AOCmzBm2fhqLHtg9Ty_4bPU38/s320/IMG_5702.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Oh boy, where do I start with <i>The</i> <i>Mystery Guest</i>? I liked the first outing with Molly, The Maid, but when I discovered that there was going to be a sequel, I was very hesitant over the announcement. To me, <i>The Maid</i> felt really good and fairly solid as a stand-alone and, because of this, I couldn’t see how the sequel would work.<div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author: </b><i>The Mystery Guest</i> by Nita Prose</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>HarperCollins</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review/reaction</div><div><b>Buy From (Affiliate): <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780008435776" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></b></div><div><br /><div>Set around four years after the events of <i>The Maid</i>, Molly is now Head Maid at the Regency Hotel and the hotel is about to open its new Tearoom with a reclusive author doing a press conference. But when the author falls dead before he could announce his news, Molly finds her trying to figure out what is happening at the hotel.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Like with <i>The Maid</i>, this is a fun, easy read and I whizzed through.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, this didn’t reach the heights of the Molly’s first outing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, I know I am in the minority here. But as I read this, I kept thinking to myself “This feels unnecessary” and I could never get away from that feeling.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, <i>The Mystery Guest</i> never felt like a sequel to T<i>he Maid</i>. Yes, there is a four year gap between <i>The Maid</i> and <i>The Mystery Guest</i> and the characters have grown and changed (I liked how people get Molly and respect her now unlike in the first), but it didn’t feel like the same author wrote both books.</div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe it was because we had two dual timelines happening in this and it leans more into the cosy murder mystery aspect while away from the biting dark humour of the first, but there was a disconnect between the two books.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like I said earlier, I know I am in the minority and that really bums me out as I like Molly, but I don’t think I will be picking up her third outing (at the moment, this seems to be a rumour, nothing confirmed). </div></div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-82136133393031001222024-02-15T07:00:00.001+00:002024-02-15T07:00:00.131+00:00Book Review - The Fury<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyS5-FkYWQbMMN-ZO6sNMV_WYhKCZj_am9m-v7S9lmmIkEIXG44161S9YcM8rAEJnwGkD62dD9pD2fDtYS3ii-EF22MNV72JkscC6NdeNqYZR4ZehNGB7BBVU6TmUll4yelboNKaFSAZdUNa48PRgwcQvmSSSlIbDbyy367sN0XVnHwtMGByvkJeHPVQ/s1000/IMG_5795.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="649" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyS5-FkYWQbMMN-ZO6sNMV_WYhKCZj_am9m-v7S9lmmIkEIXG44161S9YcM8rAEJnwGkD62dD9pD2fDtYS3ii-EF22MNV72JkscC6NdeNqYZR4ZehNGB7BBVU6TmUll4yelboNKaFSAZdUNa48PRgwcQvmSSSlIbDbyy367sN0XVnHwtMGByvkJeHPVQ/s320/IMG_5795.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div>Like I said in my previous post this week (<a href="https://thepewterwolf.blogspot.com/2024/02/audiobook-review-spy-coast.html" target="_blank"><i>The Spy Coast</i> by Tess Gerritsen</a>), I bought this after a job interview as a treat to self. I thought I did really well in the interview (I get really nervous in interviews) and went into Foyles and got a signed copy. Now, I wouldn’t have picked this up if it wasn’t for an interview did on a podcast I listen to call <i><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/all-about-agatha-christie/id1155061645?i=1000642290060" target="_blank">All About Agatha</a>, </i>and I was so intrigued by one or two of the details, I knew I would have to buy it. <div><br /></div><div>I, sadly, didn’t the job, in case you were wondering. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author: </b><i>The Fury</i> by Alex Michaelides</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>Michael Joseph</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Bought</div><div><b>Buy From (Affiliate): <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780241575536" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Seven guests go to a private Greek island. One of them being the former movie star, Lana Ferrar. Here, she hopes that she and her guests can unwind and enjoy themselves. </div><div><br /></div><div>But when the island gets suddenly cut off by violent winds, something awful happens. One of them is murdered and one of them is the killer… <span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div>We’ve all read this before: a locked room mystery where our characters are trapped on an island with a killer and no way to escape, the most famous being <i>And Then There Were None </i>and <i>Evil Under The Sun</i>, both by Agatha Christie. And it’s <i>Evil Under the Sun </i>I kept coming back to in my head while I was reading this. <i>Evil Under The Sun</i> being told by an unreliable narrator (no spoiler, the narrator tell us of this within the first chapter). </div><div><br /></div><div>But Andrew, I hear you cry, you’ve never read <i>Evil Under the Sun</i>. Oh, I know and I have requested the audiobook of this (read by David Suchet) from my local library and will be listening to it as soon as I can. </div><div><br /></div><div>So yes, <i>Evil Under the Sun </i>with an unreliable narrator and told in a casual non-linear style. And by that, I mean it’s as if our narrator is talking to you over a drink and he’s telling you the story, only to hold details back till the right moment, backtracking at certain points, adding details, imagining situations going one way only to go “That’s how it should have happen. It actually went like this” and going on tandems. In other words, it takes its time and doesn’t get to the point. It’s almost as if the reader is humouring the narrator with his flights of fancy, even though we’re told we should know who the killer is because it was reported so widely in the media. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYPTccnRI7XIguLWSIQyYqtpRMTi9HvN2kPvM0toiDDG713VSX_Iw0UQsny2G2mZsLIBFz-DbFN4ARKKWd8rTF7e7CwsxkbxSvyMNPaA3m5QnT6gI24iN0_nfKuR1eNq1w1W9NjIxn2foYsQ7IjEKX2FraZyV4lEQgoNCel30CtznsrHIq7iUb2BxqkU/s500/IMG_5803.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYPTccnRI7XIguLWSIQyYqtpRMTi9HvN2kPvM0toiDDG713VSX_Iw0UQsny2G2mZsLIBFz-DbFN4ARKKWd8rTF7e7CwsxkbxSvyMNPaA3m5QnT6gI24iN0_nfKuR1eNq1w1W9NjIxn2foYsQ7IjEKX2FraZyV4lEQgoNCel30CtznsrHIq7iUb2BxqkU/w200-h200/IMG_5803.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Our narrator, Elliot, was one of the seven on the island and, like I said, he is unreliable (a bit like the narrator in <i>Endless Night</i>, another Agatha Christie novel). But what makes his narrating so interesting is, yes, it is a whodunnit but it’s also a whydunnit and as the story progresses, we begin to see hints of something much darker and twisted with all the characters…</div><div><br /></div><div>I am going to admit I did suspect the ending, but it was a good way through the book, but even though, I didn’t see the conclusion till it was far too late. </div><div><br /></div><div>The narration isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but I had a blast reading this and I am researching Alex Michaelides previous books, <i>The Silent Patient</i> and <i>The Maidens</i>, and seeing if I can try and read one of them in the future (I have a sneaky feeling that there are tiny Easter eggs linking to both these books that will give Michaelides fans a kick)…</div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-35467032318355753792024-02-13T07:00:00.005+00:002024-02-13T07:00:00.144+00:00Audiobook Review - The Spy Coast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wDLGQ69Z19g7jjO3OgS9nzilexefLHgz0jyNy-UpYanCcFatx5L8iIjXF7nR7NOB9j4-1izNobYr3-YpSL8YeNl3fyxSgzqoxg7nzpi_uHfib_Jfx8MFOeARqMtBTaaDOIAKg2SLcVXnbA271imOYBG9Nh71K90BkFzRf_hWCp0imxgDXR_tY_5bmSY/s500/IMG_5701.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wDLGQ69Z19g7jjO3OgS9nzilexefLHgz0jyNy-UpYanCcFatx5L8iIjXF7nR7NOB9j4-1izNobYr3-YpSL8YeNl3fyxSgzqoxg7nzpi_uHfib_Jfx8MFOeARqMtBTaaDOIAKg2SLcVXnbA271imOYBG9Nh71K90BkFzRf_hWCp0imxgDXR_tY_5bmSY/s320/IMG_5701.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Normally, I usually like a post up on here once a week. Otherwise, the blogger anxiety kicks in and I feel like I have failed as a book blogger (even though, compared to other cooler blogosphere [on booksagram, booktube or booktok and other places], my little corner of the Internet is tiny!) and I know I shouldn’t worry so much, but I do. I should practice what I preach over doing this your way and no one else. <div><br /></div><div>Anyway, no blog posts last week and two this week. One audiobook that I preordered and one physical that I treated self to after I did a job interview that I thought I did really well (I didn’t get the job so can’t of gone that well). Now, getting sidetracked so let me get the details of this preordered audiobook up and then we can have a chat. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author: </b><i>The Spy Coast</i> by Tess Gerritsen</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>Penguin</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Bought</div><div><b>Buy From (Affiliate):</b> <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780857505194" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The first in the Martini Club series, <i>The Spy Coast</i> follows Maggie Bird in Purity, Maine. She’s a nice neighbour, loves her chickens and is a good shot with a gun. She, also, doesn’t talk about her past. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, when an unidentified body is dumped on her drive while she was at “book club”, Maggie realises that the past is coming for her. </div><div><br /></div><div>She and her fellow book club members (former spies for US government) must find out what is going on and why quickly is Maggie wants to keep her new, peaceful life. But the past is a tricky thing and Maggie’s past might get her killed…<span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div>You probably know that Tess Gerritsen is one of the first crime/thriller authors I read when I was stepping into the genre and she’s one of the only first for those earlier days that I have stuck with, returning every now and again as most of her titles intrigue me and I always seem to have a good time with her plots and characters (even if the book doesn’t work for me - <i>Shape of Night</i> for example). </div><div><br /></div><div>So, when I first discovered she was writing a new series about former spies, I was very intrigued and excited. So much as, I preordered the audiobook and started listening to it within a few days of release, not sure what to expect. </div><div><br /></div><div>What surprised me was that this, while being more of a thriller, feels very cosy crime-like and reminded me strongly of <i>The Thursday Murder Club</i> by Richard Osman (and yes, I do need to audiobook the latest instalment which I will do soon. Just not sure when). Can’t put my finger on why I made this connection as, while Richard Osman’s books are more on the side of cosy, The Martini Club seems to have an edge to it. Plus, the characters don’t stay in one place - we have a whistle stop tour of Malta, London, Bangkok, Italy and Istanbul. </div><div><br /></div><div>I like how Maggie and Purity’s head cop, Jo Thibodeau, felt flesh out and they were perfect foils for each other. The other members of the Martini Club did feel a tad flat, but as this is a series, I suspect that each book will focus on a different member, which should give them the chance to become more fleshed out. </div><div><br /></div><div>I listened to the audiobook and if you are going to do that, there is one thing I need to warn you about. The British accents. My goodness, the British accents in this audiobook were so bad! When I first heard it, I gagged on my drink and started laughing. You do get use to it and, at times when character’s voices sound similar, you knew which character spoke with that dodgy British accent. </div><div><br /></div><div>Barring minor niggles, I did have fun with this and I am going to preorder the second in the series, <i>The Summer Guests, </i>when I get my next Audible credit… </div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-31033982012057583912024-02-02T07:00:00.001+00:002024-02-02T07:00:00.139+00:00One Last Song Extract<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrK2HgQn00X-h647udvD2eyhsEy7KgI-T9h6jCkXBqzoMBGNutx0MMEc-nA9rZKo4JptXwbjZjqLgLF93ut5sCjTX0-Yqo6KtxI760hSLaeT3VlQ5lS8lfsS7y_0pEkgYBYDJesrKjMZMMXM9KQyhwEqGLi6kq7gmg9cjclY_Fz7STMzqHU-941xToew/s2339/One%20Last%20Song%20Cover%203.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2339" data-original-width="1524" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrK2HgQn00X-h647udvD2eyhsEy7KgI-T9h6jCkXBqzoMBGNutx0MMEc-nA9rZKo4JptXwbjZjqLgLF93ut5sCjTX0-Yqo6KtxI760hSLaeT3VlQ5lS8lfsS7y_0pEkgYBYDJesrKjMZMMXM9KQyhwEqGLi6kq7gmg9cjclY_Fz7STMzqHU-941xToew/s320/One%20Last%20Song%20Cover%203.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div></span>I have an extract for you, with thanks for the lovely people at Inkandescent, that should get the weekend off on the right foot! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>One Last Song</i> by Nathan Evan is a queer novella about Jim and Joan, two gentlemen in a care home and what happens when Joan arrives, a whirlwind that triggers Jim. The battle is on, but under both their armour plating, both are hiding sides of themselves…</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">I’m not going to go too in-depth over this as I have plans to read this myself and I want to know as little as possible. It sounds like something that will tickle me pink (no pun intend) and I might plan someone on Instagram when I do start reading it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">Before I go any further, I want to thank Justin at Inkandescent for emailing me and asking if I wanted to share this book (and sorry for not being able to come to the book launch yesterday! Oh, the joys of being unemployed!). And, if you want to know more info about the book, you can go and check out either <a href="https://www.inkandescent.co.uk/one-last-song" target="_blank">Inkandescent.co.uk</a> or <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781912620289" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a> (this is an affiliate link, FYI). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">Are we ready? LET’S GO!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 19.200001px; margin: 0cm 48.4pt 0.0001pt 1cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: middle;"><br /><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Joan<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Well, get her! </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Hair to shoulder, legs forever, precipitous platforms and a placard proclaiming <i>Gay Liberation. <o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Of course, my hair was hennaed. Can’t tell from this picture. Black and white. Grey really, beneath the patina of soot. I give it a wipe, take a better look. And what a looker I was. Not that I could see it then.<i> </i>That jawline, that denim—looks like it’s been painted on. Must’ve been, what… seventy-one? No. Seventy-two. The first London Pride demonstration. When it <i>was </i>still a demonstration. When I was still a young man. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The honk of a horn disturbs my contemplation; these old eyes take their time adjusting: my long distance is shocking. Fortunately, this room is not a large one, and I have never been a size-queen. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">‘He’s here!’ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Gladys—née Gareth—steps into focus, buttoning a salmon-pink blazer. ‘I’m going down.’ Not the first time she’s used that line, I’m certain. ‘Now, put that photograph back where it came from.’ Gladys has always liked to take control of a situation. Except in the bedroom. ‘And do make sure you’ve got everything—there’s no coming back if you forget something this time, Joan.’<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">She swooshes her scarf over shoulder, as if exiting some antique drawing room drama; I pull my face up as she pulls <br />the door shut, then put the photo back in the box where I <br />found it. She’s right, of course; I am forgetful these days. I’ve been known to leave the house without my keys, my dignity. And poor Gladys has picked up the pieces. So I shouldn’t bitch—she’s my last friend left. More cocks up her than she’s had hot dinners, but somehow it never got her. It got all the others.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Oh dear</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">. I promised <i>no tears</i>. But it’s overwhelming, all of a sudden, all alone in this room. A room that’s been home half a lifetime—like me, long past its prime. Almost forty years, I have lived alongside this furniture. And the scenes it has seen!<i> </i>The men! The conflagrations. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Well, that was it for the housing association. <i>Dozy mare—dosing off whilst partaking of marijuana nightcap. </i>Caught one of the throws and up it went in smoke. I came to, thinking I was in Heaven, dry-ice swirling, and lay, waiting, for ‘Disco Inferno’ to kick in. But no, my clubbing days are done; it was only the neighbours calling 999 that saved this old gammon. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">So now it’s been deemed I require around the clock attention. Previously there was a sporadic succession of thin-lipped women trained by Stalin. Making certain I was eating properly. Tying my shoelaces. Authority is never something to which I’ve responded positively—tell me to do anything, and I shall likely take an equal and opposite course of action. Got me thrown out of home at fifteen. It’s getting me thrown out again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">There’s the stairs. Footsteps, two pairs. Better pull myself together. As I always have done. When Michael died. And Martin. When I got arrested that time. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">My slacks are cerulean, belt and braces tightened. My shirt, cerise chiffon—could use an iron. So too this saggy skin. I put on the best face I can, cap it with my bestest yolk-yellow bonnet. My appearance arrests in-track the disappointingly portly gentleman for whom Gladys holds the door open. I assay a curtsey as I greet him. ‘And you must be the porter, I presume?’ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">If he has a name, he doesn’t give one. Probably just as well as I would only have forgotten it by the time he’d taken one box and returned for the next. There are quite a number of them, piled and packed with what remains of my earthly possessions. They’ve been somewhat strict about volume and contents. Regulations I took some satisfaction in flouting. The inferno, though, has made editing easier. <i>My name is Joan, and I am a hoarder</i>. Comes from a childhood of going without, <i>my dear</i>. Imagine—seven of us in one rented accommodation! And this is before London’s East End became glittering. Now it’s all organic whatnots and shoes with no socks. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Thankfully, my footwear withstood the fiery flames—I favour a sensible flat, these days. Also withstanding, my prize possession—the record collection, sitting ready-to-porter. I can’t help thinking they might have sent someone dishier for my big closing number. Donkey-featured and -footed, he trudges in and out, out and in—Gladys flapping around him like she’s conducting. Likes to feel useful since she took the retirement, even offers to lift something. He fortuitously declines. At our great age, exertion must be undertaken with precaution. Pull something and you’ll be pushing up the daisies in no time. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Though Gladys is but a chicken—been a good decade since I took the retirement. ‘All ready, Joan?’<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And then there was one. One old bag to be taken down. <i>No, thank you, I do not need a hand.</i> I shall take this curtain alone. Though I may take some time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The building is even more ancient than I am—crumbling cornicing, busted banisters and, of course, no elevator. I swear they’ve added a stair for every year I’ve been here, and by the time I reach the bottom, I’m rasping like I climbed a mountain. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I rally and sally into Notting Hill sunshine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">It’s not always been home to the starlets and oligarchs; I blame Julia Roberts. When I moved in, W11 was one of the less desirable postcodes in town; then came that dreadful film. I expect the council will sell the flat for a tidy profit. Line their Tory pockets. No wonder they want me out of it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> On the street, Gladys is hand-wringing and a minibus is awaiting. <i>Well, they might have sent the limousine.</i> My boxes are all waiting within, and Mister Porter is huffing and puffing with his access ramp down. <i>I don’t think so, darling.</i> This queen ain’t going in the back of no bus yet:<i> </i>I opt for the passenger seat. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">It’s somewhat further off the ground than I’d imagined. And it is something of a struggle to get the seatbelt fastened. But Gladys, dearest Gladys, comes to my assistance—lets her hand rest on mine a moment too long. I know something is coming. ‘Now, John…’<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">She cannot have called me by that name since about 1971; we were all feminising ourselves back then. Gareth became Gladys, John became Joan; we began experimenting with make-up and clothing. Most men moved on as glam gave way to disco then punk but, for me, it became a mission—my name and my appearance a card thrust into the world’s hand, proclaiming revolution. I was not <i>neither one thing nor the other thing</i>—I was <i>everything </i>at the same time. I was a man who chose to take a woman’s name. I was a man who chose to wear both masculine and feminine clothing, finding ludicrous the very notion that cloth cut and stitched in a certain fashion could somehow be ‘gendered’. It was <i>my</i> clothing, if I was wearing it. It was <i>my</i> name, if I was using it. That Gladys has chosen to name-peel—as only she has the privilege to do—can only signal she’s about to get real. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbp8H2hYnNOXkenzXbpDlCmjwK-37BreydaRhYGRtvhomuU1ltBtOv5OJkUnTBI5qVQ0tBfHtXLRfIAUloq7zu_iKTWcEzTjxV7__ZCDA4sSeRx5_uu_IOeNpZ6YoDSOqNwl53O4YnKYwuAqzB6hsKf5mI5MFdf_5UuFRa3kNs-hemAxdGTGSkRsRjtns/s5760/214A9079.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5760" data-original-width="3840" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbp8H2hYnNOXkenzXbpDlCmjwK-37BreydaRhYGRtvhomuU1ltBtOv5OJkUnTBI5qVQ0tBfHtXLRfIAUloq7zu_iKTWcEzTjxV7__ZCDA4sSeRx5_uu_IOeNpZ6YoDSOqNwl53O4YnKYwuAqzB6hsKf5mI5MFdf_5UuFRa3kNs-hemAxdGTGSkRsRjtns/w133-h200/214A9079.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div>‘Do <i>try</i> to get on.’ The eyebrows arch in formation: I have form when it comes to neighbourly vexation. With a purse of the lips, I signal I too have been vexed; Mister Porter-cum-Driver signals impatience by starting his engine. Gladys’ head is shaking. ‘I’ll come see you soon.’ She seals my fate with a slam, stands weeping and waving on the pavement. <o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">As the bus pulls off, I do not look back, lest I be turned into a pillar of salt. They might also have put more thought into my exit music. Mozart. Or Wagner, perhaps. Mister Driver is playing some nondescript thump-tchk thump-tchk. And just at this moment, I can’t find the strength to ask him to change it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">In these sorts of situations, there’s one thing that always makes me feel better. I flip down the overhead mirror. <i>Oh dear.</i> That mascara’s not as waterproof as the packaging promised. I have a damage-limitation dab at the corner of each eyelid, notice the nail polish is already chipped. <i>Oh dear, oh dear.</i> I reach into the handbag on my lap, pull out my <i>Rouge Allure. </i>Roll it up like a dog-dick.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Knuckles go white on the gear stick.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 20.05pt 0.0001pt 21.3pt; text-indent: 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I’ve always enjoyed a <i>scene</i>. Making up on the bus. Making a fuss. As I make the pout, lips reddened, I catch the driver’s reflection in the rear-view mirror, staring. Let <i>Operation Shock and Awe</i> begin.</span></p></div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-541589535583912022024-01-31T07:30:00.009+00:002024-01-31T07:30:00.151+00:00Book Review - Goddess Crown<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcb8qfL3GXplHMGsYQrtPuuT9PggHjQOInIl-nDA4-6-oL9MOxG2ZFCgKvtxeIcH77j5nW1vQXknYXRPVTD-j82QjPJPomJ2E25Ya7pO_SfCRzmzWmxUp9S5vQymo47D_G_UlsMiO3pYkDwG0GD0Br9FDv0moEuNTcazLzdHKCef7xxEMjhCKb8keG6Y/s648/IMG_5724.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="422" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcb8qfL3GXplHMGsYQrtPuuT9PggHjQOInIl-nDA4-6-oL9MOxG2ZFCgKvtxeIcH77j5nW1vQXknYXRPVTD-j82QjPJPomJ2E25Ya7pO_SfCRzmzWmxUp9S5vQymo47D_G_UlsMiO3pYkDwG0GD0Br9FDv0moEuNTcazLzdHKCef7xxEMjhCKb8keG6Y/s320/IMG_5724.jpeg" width="208" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">You know that feeling when you randomly discover a book and you go “I need to read this as soon as I can”? It’s almost a physical reaction. Well, that was me when I first heard of <span style="font-style: italic;">Goddess Crown</span> by Shade Lapite. It just ticked all the boxes for me: a standalone fantasy with deep inspiration of Nigerian mythology. And as soon as I got an Advance Reader Proof copy front the publisher, I practically dropped what I was reading and started this. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Title and Author: </b><i>Goddess Crown </i>by Shade Lapite</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publisher: </b>Walker Books</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Gifted by UK publisher in exchange for an honest review/reaction</span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Buy From (Affiliate): <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781529503715" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kalothia has grown up in the shadow of the her kingdom, hidden away after her parents were outed as enemies of the king. But when assassins attack her home and kill her guardians on her sixteenth birthday, Kalothia is forced to flee and finds herself in the king’s court.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">But the king’s court is no safer. Men think they are entitled and someone is plotting against her. How far will Kalothia be willing to go to keep herself and the kingdom safe?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like I told you right on the top, when I first became aware of this, I got very excited. I mean, LOOK AT THAT COVER! And I had high hopes for this. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />And, honestly? I feel let down by my excitement.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I mean, there’s nothing wrong with this. The writing is good, the characters are ok, the story is good. Everything works. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">But it all feels a little meh, and I can’t help feeling that if this was a duology, <i>Goddess Crown</i> would have been better. It would have allowed the story is breathe, the characters and relationships to grown naturally and made us care for them. Same with the world building, which is something I wanted more of, and the themes that this book wanted to tackle. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Also, it would have helped with pacing. The pacing felt all over the place (even though it does take place within two/three weeks so the story did move at pace) - slow at the start (even though events happen that mean it shouldn’t) and breakneck fast at the end (it felt almost rushed and, if the story and relationship took time to grow and allowed readers to care, the stakes would have felt higher).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Also, the feminism elements felt very heavy handed at times. Not that it’s a bad thing, but there are YA/teen books out there that have tackled sexism, misogyny and feminism with more subtlety and with layers. Compared to those, <i>Goddess Crown</i> does feel at times that it’s hitting you round the head</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />This book wasn’t bad (I am very intrigued over what Shade writes next!), but I had such high hopes for this and it let me down, affecting my enjoyment. I do think this would be perfect for younger YA readers, though, so I will be pushing this on my socials…</span></div>
Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-15289656998871977272024-01-27T07:30:00.134+00:002024-01-28T17:00:30.289+00:00Audiobook Blog Tour - We Play Games<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloXohTOy8EF078DyFMa7Slfu-sWdO5Q9b32B3ycbSlBpTIi62Ana3BfGDEgp7qrfhDAu5oOFPlbcLF-PmuXFPWV-oC5CxOw9UiJ6xt7QbUFsUwdrBIhcxR5z0hXtX6Zr-I9_XgnrYRqmH0hufn7o6Rh7lQBhhNW_EsQiyU0CFSz1v96vdq8MGHubMY34/s1600/We%20Play%20Games.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloXohTOy8EF078DyFMa7Slfu-sWdO5Q9b32B3ycbSlBpTIi62Ana3BfGDEgp7qrfhDAu5oOFPlbcLF-PmuXFPWV-oC5CxOw9UiJ6xt7QbUFsUwdrBIhcxR5z0hXtX6Zr-I9_XgnrYRqmH0hufn7o6Rh7lQBhhNW_EsQiyU0CFSz1v96vdq8MGHubMY34/w400-h225/We%20Play%20Games.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />My first blog tour of 2024! Feels like I’ve not done one of these in a while, and we start with a domestic thriller with a twist. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Title and Author: </b><i>We Play Games </i>by Sarah A Denzil</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Publisher: </b>Audible</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Bought, Gifted or Borrowed: </b>Gifted by Midas Campaigns on behalf of Audible for review in exchange for an honest review/reaction. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Listen from (Non-Affiliate): </b><a href="https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/We-Play-Games-Audiobook/B0CQ5BNFTT?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp" target="_blank">Audible</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ben and Effie have moved to the beautiful yet exclusive Ivy Oaks and they look like there are the perfect couple. Beautiful, wealthy, friendly. But behind the smiles, both Ben and Effie are dark hearted and like to play games. Games that will hurt other people and rip communities apart. And Ivy Oaks seems like the perfect place to do one of their games. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The couple has two rules: no lies, no ties. But Ben has broken these rules and Effie is beginning to realise that. Soon, not only are the pair scheme and manipulate the people around them, but they are doing it to each other. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For this game is their final. Losing isn’t an option for either of them. Let the games begin…</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>I am going to be honest with you. When I started this, I wasn’t sure which way I was going to go with this. The main reason is that both our leads, Ben and Effie, are so unlikeable. That’s the point - they are not nice people. They enjoy hurting people and causing trouble in exchange for money, sex and (most of all) power. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Plus, I wasn’t exactly a fan of the first hour or so of this story. The pace was slower than I was expecting and we (the listeners) were going told all the time by Ben and Effie how smart they were and that they are bad people ALL THE TIME. Show us that these are despicable people, don’t tell us. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>However, around the two hour mark, something changed and you realise that the slow pace at the start was to ease you in. Yes, it’s start with petty suburban politics and the couple just wanting to cause trouble within the community and within a marriage to lure you in and the pace gets up and runs.It turns to a cat and mouse game between the couple and the rest of the community as it’s revealed how dangerous one half of the couple truly is. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iXunmjJwnYYpX4vDbmGBAmqvcXlvPDhDfgE_YjNOvjYPoD4u-ZfcmrcIOQjOTjeza-AgLPB5KjZwwnqevDA9agiEVsSCqMs42TN1yJHIBbgZ2VSr4wA5Vcx0Bm-Tci2bBTddIAjATPdIjDmdZuUX42nJNBEIuloFhyVXRbPkhpM_KS66y-5-EjPP_Vk/s500/IMG_0007.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iXunmjJwnYYpX4vDbmGBAmqvcXlvPDhDfgE_YjNOvjYPoD4u-ZfcmrcIOQjOTjeza-AgLPB5KjZwwnqevDA9agiEVsSCqMs42TN1yJHIBbgZ2VSr4wA5Vcx0Bm-Tci2bBTddIAjATPdIjDmdZuUX42nJNBEIuloFhyVXRbPkhpM_KS66y-5-EjPP_Vk/s320/IMG_0007.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>You know what this story reminded me of: another domestic thriller that I audiobook last year. <a href="https://thepewterwolf.blogspot.com/2023/02/audiobook-review-doctors-wife.html" target="_blank"><i>The Doctor’s Wife</i> by Daniel Hurst</a>. It has the same elements - a marriage that looks perfect from the outside, a partner lying and thinking they are smarter than their other half when we, the readers, know that this isn’t the case and the consequences of this isn’t going to end well… </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>As you can expect, this domestic thriller does touch on dark subjects - blackmail, threats of revenge porn, invasion of privacy, finance - but the biggest that this story tackles is coercive control and how subtle it begins and slowly, over times, gets bigger and more dangerous. If you want more information or are affected, please go to <a href="https://refuge.org.uk/" target="_blank">Refuge</a>, <a href="https://mensadviceline.org.uk/" target="_blank">Respect</a>, <a href="https://galop.org.uk/" target="_blank">Galop</a> or <a href="https://www.samaritans.org/" target="_blank">Samaritans</a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With a fabulous acting cast (Billie Piper, Dan Stevens, Shane Zaza, Avita Jay, Felicity Duncan, David Holt and Sarah Whitehouse), I did enjoy this dark, twisty thriller (once I got over the slow start). This isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea as you have to suspend your belief on a few occasions, but if you want a twisty domestic thriller with unlikeable characters, this might work for you. </div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-51853055464827704962024-01-25T17:00:00.001+00:002024-01-25T17:00:00.132+00:00eProof Review - Ink Blood Sister Scribe <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYI0ztR__MnzDvJu6wg82k-InmaFyOVOVDJuDmU7gNtOiFhiCDUlOYMWg_87rKg5hrtX0eERl8I5Fypit2DKhGNvfIMIQi4O8pKsyLx3UMxZ0xKJuZI9Ti1ViVaKCDIeQdNw69kPPHOxX1I5CY0R7yVyDHAQA1QOAw9AylEQ_iZ6ubtLe5K_P_KlOGCZk/s500/IMG_5698.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYI0ztR__MnzDvJu6wg82k-InmaFyOVOVDJuDmU7gNtOiFhiCDUlOYMWg_87rKg5hrtX0eERl8I5Fypit2DKhGNvfIMIQi4O8pKsyLx3UMxZ0xKJuZI9Ti1ViVaKCDIeQdNw69kPPHOxX1I5CY0R7yVyDHAQA1QOAw9AylEQ_iZ6ubtLe5K_P_KlOGCZk/s320/IMG_5698.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>One of my bookish resolution of 2024 is to try and get my eProof backlog under control. I do have a lot of books and audiobooks gifted to me very kindly by publishers and authors, and I would like to try and tackle this backlog.<div><br /></div><div>One of the titles that have been on my backlog radar is <i>Ink Blood Sister Scribe</i> by Emma Törzs, It’s one of those titles that tickled my fancy for quite a while, but, for one reason or another, I’ve kept putting it off. But, with everything that has happened to my reading over the past few months, I decided to audiobook this from my local library and hope I will fly through it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author:</b> <i>Ink Blood Sister Scribe</i> by Emma Törzs</div><div><b>Publisher:</b> Penguin</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted:</b> eProof gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction & library audiobook.</div><div><b>Buy from (Affiliate): </b><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781529136357" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></div><div><br /></div><div>In this fantasy thriller debut, we follow estranged sisters Joanna and Esther. Joanna lives alone in Vermont, the sole protector of a collection of rare magical books. One of these books killed their father.</div><div><br /></div><div>Esther moves every few months. Different country, different jobs, staying no longer than a year, desperate to avoid the magic that her father and stepmother warned her about. But she’s found love on a research base in Antarctica and she wants to stay… then she discovers blood on the mirrors and she knows someone on the base is using blood magic and they are coming after her and her sister’s collection.</div><div><br /></div><div>Esther and Joanna are in danger. But from who and where? And how is this connected to a young man in London who's uncle won’t let him out of his sight?<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>I am going to be honest. I probably shouldn’t read/audiobook this while I am in the reading funk, but if I didn’t audiobook this or one of my many audiobook TBR (both bought and gifted), I would be going down a podcast rabbit-hole and I fear for my partner’s mental health if he comes home from work and all I listened to was true crime podcasts…</div><div><br /></div><div>But I went into this audiobook (narrated by Saskia Maarleveld) not knowing much about it or reading other people’s reaction. I am going to admit that, while I do like Saskia Maarleveld’s reading, I did fasten my listening to 1.25 speed as she does take long pauses and, after a while, it did begin to grate on me.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLPIyPWB1KW9PW0gkuAkx1sN5E_6HFUiJvOhRa-zJKU4hAscC93l-WqYohoBYC8pRspExbmtddDNLhORKZaHchNl4C3a3vLus-zOZlDEQpbVQ6VChzSljEYaqxtFCVal-KDnmXe8DC_j0tIDdzIJmuMiguXIjiddi4DGqC3ys1YPL9olgx5rVfb4MGDs/s2000/IMG_0013.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLPIyPWB1KW9PW0gkuAkx1sN5E_6HFUiJvOhRa-zJKU4hAscC93l-WqYohoBYC8pRspExbmtddDNLhORKZaHchNl4C3a3vLus-zOZlDEQpbVQ6VChzSljEYaqxtFCVal-KDnmXe8DC_j0tIDdzIJmuMiguXIjiddi4DGqC3ys1YPL9olgx5rVfb4MGDs/w150-h200/IMG_0013.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>Now, the book. I am going to split this into two. The first half (between 25% to 50%) is slow in pacing for my taste. Now, I completely get why now that I have finished the book: it was giving us chance to sink into this dark magic world that is grounded in ours and allowed our characters time to breathe and us to get to know them. But you know me, I like my thrillers to hit that ground running.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, once the world and characters are set up, the pacing picks up and it becomes unputdownable and became a fantasy thriller that gave me A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness vibes. It was dark and grown-up read.</div><div><br /></div><div>Barring the slow start, this is a strong, solid debut and I can’t wait to see what this author is going to write next. I am a little annoyed that it’s taken this long to get round to this!</div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-58508105876370248392024-01-12T07:30:00.029+00:002024-01-19T14:36:45.710+00:00Audiobook Review - Lord Edgware Dies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrraQcnDzQMYwPreC9MWki2WvMClxqpEQHubDAglS-ycD3GZI_dbmkNjnwinP9o3J_vNg7Y3EoRM7T9bgdODnux0JzOw8Q8obf7NuR9tEX3KadMc6fytio3G8Gg3523RZnM65yiaR2wrLaT0ahPWxGiZJUIMRH5bQh-N7p9EUSUQLULOOo2zK88uz9BfI/s500/IMG_5624.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrraQcnDzQMYwPreC9MWki2WvMClxqpEQHubDAglS-ycD3GZI_dbmkNjnwinP9o3J_vNg7Y3EoRM7T9bgdODnux0JzOw8Q8obf7NuR9tEX3KadMc6fytio3G8Gg3523RZnM65yiaR2wrLaT0ahPWxGiZJUIMRH5bQh-N7p9EUSUQLULOOo2zK88uz9BfI/s320/IMG_5624.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Because of the events of the last few months with my employment and, because of this, falling into a bit of a reading/audiobook slump, I had no plans to do a library audiobook for a while. I am desperate to get my TBR piles of books/audiobooks publishers have kindly gifted me (in exchange for an honest review/reaction) under some control (remember last April when my Amazon was hacked/deleted and all my proofs were wiped off my kindle? I am still affected by that!). <div><br /></div><div>But I couldn’t bring myself to start audiobooking one of my many audiobooks that I have got from publishers or bought myself. I just wasn’t in that headspace. I needed something short, something I can listen to really quickly and that would kick me out of my audiobook slump. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then this became available on my library’s audiobook app. And who doesn’t love a classic murder mystery? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author: </b><i>Lord Edgware Dies</i> by Agatha Christie</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>HarperCollins</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Borrowed via library’s audiobook app</div><div><b>Buy from (Affiliate):</b> <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780008164850" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></div><div><br /></div><div>In Poirot’s ninth outing, after seeing an impressionist performance of Carlotta Adams, Poirot is approached by the actress Jane Wilkinson. She is currently married to Lord Edgware and, according to her, he will not give her a divorce and asks Poirot for help. Though Poirot doesn’t get involved, he agrees and visits Lord Edgware where he discovers that Lord Edgware is happy to give a divorce and wrote a letter to let Jane know. </div><div><br /></div><div>Poirot tells Jane Wilkinson and she is thrilled over the news, and Poirot thinks that is that. Except the following day, Poirot discovers that Lord Edgware has been murdered. Stabbed at the base of the skull, and witnesses say that they saw Jane Wilkinson at the family home at the time of the murder. But that can’t be possible as she had been at a party and there are twelve witnesses that can testify to that. </div><div><br /></div><div>Is it possible for a woman to be in two places at once? Who murdered Lord Edgware? How is it connected to a drugs overdose of Carlotta Adams? And how did a chance remark from a stranger help Poirot come to the truth?<span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div><span>Like I said earlier, I had no plans to audiobook this or any other library books for leisure as I have so many audiobooks to listen to via purchases or for review. But decided on impulse to listen to this was wonderful as it helped with my slump. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>I am going to admit that Hugh Fraser’s narration is a delight. I think it helps that this was Poirot story told from Captain Hasting’s point of view and seeing as Hugh Fraser was Hastings in the ITV adaption of the Poirot stories (and I grew up with this series), it made perfect sense. I am aware that David Suchet has narrated some Poirot audiobooks and I am intrigued to see what they will be like (I have my eye on one or two titles, plus I have plans to relisten to a few later this year as I would like to do a month of Golden Age Crime reading). </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>But the case. I am going to admit that I guessed who the killer was very quickly (not sure if I was aware of it from something deep in the past or not), but I wanted to know how it was done. That was what got me stumped so I feel like this was more of a howdunnit rather than a whodunnit. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div>As someone who does like reading crime novels, this was right up my street and eased me back into this world of Christie as I did try a Poirot sometime last year (<i>Peril at End House</i>) and I rage-quit it as I found it so dull and slow. I seem to have a very hit/miss relationship with Christie - some books I devour and others just drag. </div><div><br /></div><div>I see why this is most Poirot’s fans favourite story. It’s a twisted plot with a satisfying ending. Oh yes, I think I’m going to try Poirot again later this year… </div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-47432951141413008962024-01-09T07:00:00.058+00:002024-01-09T07:00:00.136+00:00eProof Review - The Butcher Of The Forest<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWZwMBuW7zfng0I6AcF-Z3A0qRTFPeEOSb30hB83Bs2QQdHVWV3TMoKuVcV9jOj9SxqGFSBZm4yr_IpjOOPrE7RR96hA_Uj0MPqRGcIkx3r_HncHJFGcN1X_60LAZW88vqyDxiZgF_HEFidxOSa8h3oCk2ckLSEkr6Z0KROc8RkOA8vPMdsTG9XRCa6w/s1500/IMG_5641.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="984" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWZwMBuW7zfng0I6AcF-Z3A0qRTFPeEOSb30hB83Bs2QQdHVWV3TMoKuVcV9jOj9SxqGFSBZm4yr_IpjOOPrE7RR96hA_Uj0MPqRGcIkx3r_HncHJFGcN1X_60LAZW88vqyDxiZgF_HEFidxOSa8h3oCk2ckLSEkr6Z0KROc8RkOA8vPMdsTG9XRCa6w/s320/IMG_5641.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div>Happy First Read of 2024! Fingers crossed all your have been fun and great. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mine? Not so much. You’ll see why in the moment in gif form and for that, I do apologise. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, let me get all the details for you and we can get this party started!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author:</b><i> The Butcher Of The Forest </i>by Premee Mohamed</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>Titan Books</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction.</div><div><b>Buy from (Affiliate):</b> <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781803368726" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>In the dark, fairytale-like novella, a ruthless Tyrant forces an ordinary woman into an enchanted forest to retrieve his two missing children. The enchanted forest is full of dark things and won’t let the heirs go easily. And the woman isn’t as ordinary as she’s the only person known to have gone into the forest and to have come out again, all to save a child. </div><div><br /></div><div>If the woman fails, all she lives will be destroyed. So, she must step carefully as one misstep could be the end of everything…<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><b><br /></b>I had such high hopes that my first read of 2024 will knock it out of the park. I fell in the love with the cover and the little I read from the NetGalley blurb made me hopefully.</div><div> <br />Alas, it didn’t work for me. So much so that, looking back, I’m surprised I didn’t quit when I realised that this wasn’t the story I was hoping it was. </div><div><br />Let me make something clear: this is just my opinion and I am thrilled that so many other readers enjoy the story and the writing style. If it works for me, wonderful. But I didn’t. In fact, every time I read it within the first 60%, I kept nodding off. Not sure if it was because I was tired or because of the writing. Oh yes, it’s Gif-time!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNnJhbGxwcG50bjgxZ2wxMHZ0M20zMHh0dHlscGdqYWc0OXV5N3d4YiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/l378AEZceMwWboAQE/giphy-downsized-large.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="600" height="219" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNnJhbGxwcG50bjgxZ2wxMHZ0M20zMHh0dHlscGdqYWc0OXV5N3d4YiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/l378AEZceMwWboAQE/giphy-downsized-large.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>For me, the writing was very descriptive but, at the same time, not very. I would have to go back a few pages to check if I missed a description for a new character or creature when they appear. At times, it felt like the story was getting drowned out by the description which, for the most part, didn’t push the story forward. And we must remember, this is a novella and novellas only have a limited amount of pages as every word matters.</div><div> <br />As the story, it was ok. But it took a long time before I felt a connection or excitement with the pacing and the characters and, by then, it was too late. I didn’t care and I was just reading this as I wanted it to be done.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly, this wasn’t for me (which is annoying). But I know it will hit that sweet spot with some of you so if you’re curious, go for it!</div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-82762539260310357662024-01-05T07:30:00.001+00:002024-01-05T07:30:00.140+00:00Audiobook Review - Mother Daughter Murder Night<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMXk-3fglhfWZ8t56iCpGMis0MO_euRgsOVJT1Z5j0xy3dYQxDo_Rfx_t1nbTKX92fUhNJy2Quo9MR4nRriAs2zyBDYOmdN7AqMIjmeihWO9aBSRopPqjgAo0gqus3zNyfud7FCxh3lVOnpoI84I_0K89SEfv-uIcAVEgVjnotazte5CCvyqyppJNglU/s500/IMG_5501.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMXk-3fglhfWZ8t56iCpGMis0MO_euRgsOVJT1Z5j0xy3dYQxDo_Rfx_t1nbTKX92fUhNJy2Quo9MR4nRriAs2zyBDYOmdN7AqMIjmeihWO9aBSRopPqjgAo0gqus3zNyfud7FCxh3lVOnpoI84I_0K89SEfv-uIcAVEgVjnotazte5CCvyqyppJNglU/s320/IMG_5501.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Let’s start the blogging new year with one of the rare audiobooks I listened to over the December period (I would have listened to more, but I was made redundant and it effected my reading and audiobooking more than I realised). Now, this one I bought and I started this, thinking it would be one thing but it turned into another. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Title and Author:</b> <i>Mother Daughter Murder Night</i> by Nina Simon</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Publisher: </b>HarperCollins</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Audiobook Purchased</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Buy From (Affiliate): </b><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780063315044">uk.bookshop.org</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lana Rubicon is a high-powered businesswoman with lots of be proud of. But when she faints one morning and discovers that she has cancer, Lana is forced to live her with estranged daughter, Beth, and her granddaughter, Jack. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When Beth discovers a body while kayaking one morning, one of the male lead detectives believes she is a prime suspect, much to Lana’s furious. While Beth wants Lana to recover and stay out of it, Lana can’t. She doesn’t trust the Police, even though the female lead detective seems to have a good head on her shoulders. Lana decides to look into the case herself and prove Jack’s innocence - even if that means putting on a wig and leaving the house for the the first time in months. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Soon, all three Rubicon women are looking into the murder. Butt can a murder really bring these three very different women together? And will they catch the killer?<span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>I am going to be honest. I saw this randomly on Instagram and I went “Ooooh” when I listened to the Audible sampler. But what I got was so different to what I was expecting. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>I knew this was going to be a light murder mystery, but this book has its foot very firmly in cosy mystery. But there were times I felt that the book couldn’t decided if it wanted to a literary fiction, looking into the complex relationships between mothers and daughters. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Also, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the pacing - in both the writing and in the audiobook’s narration. With the audiobook narrator, you can up the speed and, once I got to the certain point, I did up the reading speed. With the writing, its biggest fault is at the start. It was very slow and as someone going into this for the murder, I found the domestic insights of the three characters hard going at the start. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>But, once the pacing picked up (around the 35/40% mark), the leads of Lana, Beth and Jack really helped drive the story forward. And yes, this helps the murder mystery as I do like some pacing in my mystery reading. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>If you fancy a cosy read that focuses on family drama and a dash of murder, this might be the read for you. But be aware on the story’s pacing… </span></div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-30065388935902691002024-01-03T07:00:00.005+00:002024-01-03T07:00:00.147+00:00Happy 2024!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXGMl7YniEJ9WuYD6xQ5qop1j1Fa9BnHjeMbxdqy2sBBQLuhpoD0xsACH86JZB2_-wxG8tDByhyphenhyphenGL_3o17_eX-ukaPd2JVwOSPrHj4gqZ7j1sCcEP66-ydg_x33PJp3vckHYFVXuCwE5v-FJeONNpRfFj4bVSoT5j7G_GlTuWxecSaflt9apmOECJCOc/s2048/AE16C338-1D7C-4635-8406-6736C8449816.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXGMl7YniEJ9WuYD6xQ5qop1j1Fa9BnHjeMbxdqy2sBBQLuhpoD0xsACH86JZB2_-wxG8tDByhyphenhyphenGL_3o17_eX-ukaPd2JVwOSPrHj4gqZ7j1sCcEP66-ydg_x33PJp3vckHYFVXuCwE5v-FJeONNpRfFj4bVSoT5j7G_GlTuWxecSaflt9apmOECJCOc/s320/AE16C338-1D7C-4635-8406-6736C8449816.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Hello and happy 2024! How we all feeling so far? Have you enjoyed the festive season and looking forward to this fresh new year? <div><br /></div><div>As you probably noticed, I took December off. It happened by accident. Due to redundancy in November, my reading and my attention span to audiobooks took a hit and, by the time I realised, I went “Well, I usually take a few weeks off over Christmas and New Year, why not start now and return in January…?”</div><div><br /></div><div>So that is what I did. It helped as I decided to tackle so books on my To Be Read list that are a little bigger and longer than my normal reads and pick some titles that have been on my list for FAR TOO LONG!</div><div><br /></div><div>While I await the new series of <i>The Traitors</i> to start tonight (anyone else excited?!), I might as well chat about some (not all) of the books I read over the Christmas period. </div><div><br /></div><div>Most of these are short stories or novellas. Don’t get too excited. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Choice</i> by Jodi Picoult is a 40-odd minute long audiobook, which came from the Wade vs Roe overturning that happened in USA, and the fact that states decided that ban legal abortions, even if the woman was a victim of rape or incest or if the abortion will save the women’s life. In this shorty story, men are beginning to wake up pregnant and women aren’t, and follows a recently broken up couple where, on the morning of getting a huge promotion, James finds out he is pregnant and, because of this, is refused the promotion and Margot, a social worker, is seeing young, desperate teenage boys who are pregnant and are begging for help. help she can’t provide because, if she did, she would be arrested. </div><div><br /></div><div>This turns on the tables on the US Supreme Court overturning Wade vs Roe and, while looking at sexism and why choice is so important. I wish this was longer than 40 minutes as I would love for it to go further, but is hugely timely. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another short novella I read during December was <i>The Invitation</i> by Ajay Chowdhury. Taken place after the events of the third book in the series, <i>The Detective</i>, it follows Kamil Rahman who offers to help his boss, Anjoli, when she receives a strange email entitled <i>Beheading</i>. Claiming it’s an invite to the Tower of London to celebrate the 500 year anniversary since Anne Boleyn’s beheading, the pair go. But when they get there, things take a sinister turn when they discover an old uni friend of Anjoli has been kidnappped and they are against the clock to save her… </div><div><br /></div><div>I have been meaning to read Ajay Chowdhury for YEARS now. Even since the first book in the series, <i>The Waiter</i>, first came out but I never get round to it. So, when I saw this short story and it was free, I jumped on it and devoured in almost one sitting, just like <i>Choice…</i> In 2024, I will be reading <i>The Waiter</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>I read one more short story (an MM romance called <i>Not In It For the Money</i> by Gabbi Grey - which was a nice quick read that I read in less than 20 minutes) and I quit a ebook (that I purchased for free so no guilt) at the 60% mark called <i>1st Shock</i> by Misty Evans and Adrienne Giordano. It wasn’t for me as was a tad too dry for my tastes. </div><div><br /></div><div>I did audiobook and read a few novels over December and I will probably chat to you about one or two in the coming days/week. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, Happy 2024! I hope your reading over the festive period was fun and your 22024 reading will be a delight!!!</div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-53858211737752048302023-11-29T07:00:00.021+00:002023-11-29T07:00:00.150+00:00Redundancy Short Reads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIJSjNImEbFc6rI61xhq5SP8GciQf_-AmJtqi8w2iZjVjrIhqmO8QyuWPWliBo8PSc7Q5M6i2r7oC2rL8fFr5OAzORbNYuc9YCRFBPQLcjMGpgb5ij23IS8vxeIBvdP6DeV5WyAGUUbEdFuuivyoQ8ygQPuP1YeUAif6wdjSHcjprJYvLksUsHsUwY7g/s2048/71D31FE0-959F-4CA1-B6F5-192D6DC53218.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIJSjNImEbFc6rI61xhq5SP8GciQf_-AmJtqi8w2iZjVjrIhqmO8QyuWPWliBo8PSc7Q5M6i2r7oC2rL8fFr5OAzORbNYuc9YCRFBPQLcjMGpgb5ij23IS8vxeIBvdP6DeV5WyAGUUbEdFuuivyoQ8ygQPuP1YeUAif6wdjSHcjprJYvLksUsHsUwY7g/s320/71D31FE0-959F-4CA1-B6F5-192D6DC53218.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>My NetGalley November hasn’t been as big as success as I would have hoped when I first thought of doing this, hence why I might carry this over till I go on my Christmas/New Year blog holiday (I still need to figure out when that will be and for how long? It was going to be for a month, but things have changed as I will explained below). <div><br /></div><div>Reason why? Before I went on my little sunshine/reading holiday, I was suddenly and unexpectedly made redundant. Which was fun (insert heavy sarcasm here). I was made redundant, then went on holiday and then, once I got home, sent next few days trying to find a job. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, as you can expect, while I did blitz some NetGalley proofs reading, there were one or two times when my brain went “Nope. I need something short and achievable!”.</div><div><br /></div><div>The three novellas I did were <i>The Thief</i> by Ruth Rendell, <i>Serpentine</i> by Philip Pullman and <i>The Christmas Guest </i>by Peter Swanson. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Thief </i>by Ruth Rendell was a Quick Reads novella (2003?) which follows Polly who is a liar and a thief. There was her aunt, a girl in her school, a boyfriend who dumped her. But she stopped and is trying to be better for her new boyfriend. But when a man on the plane leaves her scared and humiliated, she takes his suitcase, not knowing that the things will take a dark turn…</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Serpentine </i>by Philip Pullman is set in the <i>His Dark Materials</i> world and is set a year after <i>Lyra’s Oxford. </i>Lyra and her dæmon Pantalaimon have left the events of <i>The Amber Spyglass</i> behind them, though the events still lingers… In this little snapshot of their lives, the pair return to the North, when they discovers somethings aren’t exactly as they first appear…</div><div><br /></div><div>And, finally, <i>The Christmas Guest</i> by Peter Swanson follows Ashley, an American who is happy to be alone at Christmas. One Christmas Day, she is cleaning her apartment and discovers her diary of 30 years ago when she was an Art student in London and she’s invited by her friend, Emma, to stay at her country home for Christmas. But when she arrives, this Christmas isn’t going to be cosy as the little country village is still recovering from the shocking murder of a woman who looks just like Ashley…</div><div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Each of these little novellas were lovely reads and all have pros and cons. <i>The Thief </i>was a dark insight of someone unlikeable unravelling due to her meeting of someone even more unlikable. <i>Serpentine</i> was a lovely return to a world I love with characters I often think about. And <i>The Christmas Guest</i> was a slow Christmas crime where you know something awful is going to happen. </div><div><br /></div><div>But, like I said, all have cons. <i>The Thief’s </i>ending felt very weak, the audiobook editing of <i>The Christmas Guest</i> wasn’t as good as it could have been (we kept getting page turning effect every few seconds when our lead is reading her diary and it is very jarring) and <i>Serpentine</i> was just so short and I wish it was a faction longer. </div><div><br /></div><div>But, like I said earlier, my brain needed short reads to cope in that moment. And I am going to keep reading my NetGalley proofs for the next few weeks and I apologises in advance if it’s very Christmas, as well as attacking some of my physical books and some kindle books I have bought. </div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-62107901813840550782023-11-24T07:00:00.084+00:002023-11-24T07:00:00.165+00:00NetGalley November 2023 - Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9pcKtVQbcpw76M3_UbNY1INivBJP9IoY6NnLSDUM2MN2VfYPkV5KMBaySxdCAtACv_v86OEFIeo6e8adJYf0vp1hVClVxlZ2f5fA0qTdwV9fgMgbVPYZw-BHMk7lPCw61Z5CrPDwERBUULcl7TM7P0RICGxc9tGNlMV_78-S9LlDXH7p8XWy-3GtXEs/s500/IMG_5390.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="323" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9pcKtVQbcpw76M3_UbNY1INivBJP9IoY6NnLSDUM2MN2VfYPkV5KMBaySxdCAtACv_v86OEFIeo6e8adJYf0vp1hVClVxlZ2f5fA0qTdwV9fgMgbVPYZw-BHMk7lPCw61Z5CrPDwERBUULcl7TM7P0RICGxc9tGNlMV_78-S9LlDXH7p8XWy-3GtXEs/s320/IMG_5390.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div>You think, while I was on holiday to a warm climate, I would read warm, sunny reads. Nope. Of course not. You all have been following this blog and most of my social media outlets for how long now? I wanted for something cold, something Christmas, something murder. <div><br /></div><div>And I had an itch to read one. So, imagine my surprise after attempting to read the prologue of <i>Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night</i> that I powered through, even though my brain was going “You should save this for Christmas…” and “You didn’t like the previous outings with Sophie Hannah’s take on Poirot. Why would this time be any different?”</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author: </b><i>Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night</i> by Sophie Hannah</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>HarperCollins</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction</div><div><b>Buy From (Affiliate): <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780008380793" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div>It’s 19th December, and both Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool are planning their Christmas together, when a woman bursts in and begs for their help. This turns out to be Inspector Catchpool’s mother and she insists Poirot and Catchpool come to a Norfolk mansion to solve a murder and prevent another. In the safe haven of a hospital, a well liked man was murdered - hit over the head with a heavy vase - and soon, Arnold Laurier will be going to the same hospital (to the private room next to the murder scene) and his wife is convinced he will be murdered too, though she can’t explain why. </div><div><br /></div><div>Against both their wishes, Poirot and Catchpool go and, if they want to be home by Christmas, they will need to get their little grey cells working quickly to catch the killer and maybe prevent a second murder. </div><div><br /><span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div>Like I said at the start of this post, I have read two other novels in the New Hercule Poirot series written by Sophie Hannah - <i><a href="http://thepewterwolf.blogspot.com/2018/08/ebook-review-mystery-of-three-quarters.html" target="_blank">The Mystery of the Three Quarters</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3395508912" target="_blank">The Killings at Kingfisher Hill</a></i> - and while I did like them, I wasn’t exactly on board either stories. I found <i>The Mystery of the Three Quarters</i> trying too hard to be smart and being overly complex (though I did like the first half of the book) and the <i>Killings at Kingfisher Hill</i>, while better, again was trying too hard. Only this time, it was trying too hard to be an Agatha Christie story. </div><div><br /></div><div>But I found myself really enjoying myself with <i>Silent Night</i>. It reminded me so much of Agatha Christie’s <i>Hercule Poirot’s Christmas</i> (which I will be reading/audiobooking over the Christmas period, me thinks). We have an awful family (especially to each other), a really depressing Christmas, a murder with a close-circle of suspect, a surprising amount of dark humour and Poirot stuck in the middle of a case he doesn’t really want to be involved in, with people he doesn’t want to be with in a place he doesn’t want to be in. </div><div><br /></div><div>You would think that, after the events with the Lee family, he would be avoid working a case so close to Christmas. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think one of the reasons I found myself enjoying this so is Catchpool’s growth as a character over the past few outings I have with him (he’s grown as a detective and, while not an equal to Poirot, he’s not as hapless as the lovely Hastings. Catchpool can hold his own and isn’t afraid to push back with Poirot over his thinkings). Plus, Catchpool’s relationship with his mother was a surprising treat. It’s exasperation and yet, surprisingly funny - these two rubbing each other the wrong way help lift the book, otherwise the story would have been quite dry. </div><div><br /></div><div>And while the case and resolution is quite smart, I’m not totally convinced over one or two elements of it, but I feel more satisfied with this compared to my previous outings with new Poirot. </div><div><br /></div><div>But yes, I did like this outing with Poirot and I think it will scratch that itch for those who want a Christmas murder. </div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-71834321275124303002023-11-23T07:00:00.002+00:002023-11-23T07:00:00.140+00:00NetGalley November 2023 - The Rosewood Hunt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDmpblyHh8AIm4t55MqyxbqIpj7xotmVmz8h-DwhffDhz0rjORv_RTa6iv-LkYPQ-Pd4TbYudyqtx6dEKp4bv_dw5i5r0LaDkcuGS3dWc9MQ4XAdKAryd8tJPRhs9rJ5mLZJ-D2S5Z5rngUVS1IrmkRmqtDrNIEBXbF26wVvaTR1_hkZyypWt-Oj-a8g/s907/IMG_5388.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="596" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDmpblyHh8AIm4t55MqyxbqIpj7xotmVmz8h-DwhffDhz0rjORv_RTa6iv-LkYPQ-Pd4TbYudyqtx6dEKp4bv_dw5i5r0LaDkcuGS3dWc9MQ4XAdKAryd8tJPRhs9rJ5mLZJ-D2S5Z5rngUVS1IrmkRmqtDrNIEBXbF26wVvaTR1_hkZyypWt-Oj-a8g/s320/IMG_5388.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div>Oh, the joy of going away on a well-needed holiday. Time to catch up on some much needed reading, especially for my NetGalley To Be Read List (see why I choose to do NetGalley November now?). Much needed time to escape the huge issues of real life (one was dropped on my head over 24 hours before I got on a plane. So that was fun!)<div><br /></div><div>One of the things I wanted to do this month was tackle some of my older backlist. Did I do that? NOPE! I went for something a little newer (and I have loads of newer titles to tackle). But seeing as I was on holiday, I wanted to tackle some fun, light, fluffy. And after a few other titles that I picked up, read the first few pages and went “Not in the mood”, this came up and I devoured the first few chapters at breakneck speed. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author: </b><i>The Rosewood Hunt </i>by Mackenzie Reed</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>Harper360</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Gifted via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction</div><div><b>Buy From (Affiliate): <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780063287600" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Lily Rosewood has been living with her grandmother for the past year and, over that time, the two have become close. Lily hopes one day to her grandmother with her fashion business. But when Grams suddenly and unexpectedly dies, Lily is in completely shock. And when, at the will reading with her uncle and cousin, she discovered a her grandmother’s quarter of a billion dollar fortune is missing and all three are banned for the estate, Lily doesn’t understand. </div><div><br /></div><div>But Gram loves her little games. So, when Lily receives a letter written in invisible ink, she begins to question why Grams would hid her fortune. And when three random teens come to Lily, all with a letter from Gram, the unlucky four are forced to team up and go on a real life treasure hunt. But treasure hunters are coming for the fortune also, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to get that cash…</div><div><br /><span></span><span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div>When I finished by the pool, my first thought was “Imagine <i>The Inheritance Games </i>by Jennifer Lynn Barnes meets a US teen soap opera like <i>Dynasty</i> and this would be the love child”, and I feel that this description is right. </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Ok, I admit it: I haven’t read <i>The Inheritance Games</i>. I actually rage-quit this around the 35% mark. On paper, it would have been totally up my street but, for some reason, I couldn’t fully get on board with the characters. And while I still felt the same way about several characters (there was one or two characters have are in huge privilege and yet, don’t truly realise that there are people who aren’t that fortunate), I managed to get away from that as I found this a escape read, perfect for what I needed in this moment which was holiday and work-related issues. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, this book isn’t perfect and yes, it’s very frothy soap opera of a mystery (very different from Maureen Johnson’s <i>Truly Devious</i> series or more adult crime-thrillers), but this was fun and perfect reading-by-the-pool with a Long Island Ice Tea…</div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-90952171834789959942023-11-10T07:30:00.001+00:002023-11-10T07:30:00.165+00:00NetGalley November 2023 - The Christmas Appeal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbJdpDSwQ3E_ZykyD5ryRSvocLGETVx0_RaUlynpuQICFG7r8kme_h_8eKesRxWVWo_U6JAWpq59o6gO7GZ834dYeNvjtt5CEufukloe1RHsDzL3GuatErKRTKBeknnfaImC1J8efwwsM6kRDfS0q8AycWKNUPIBqizkxRU8E_-67B2btYC_iVHpKSzw/s1000/IMG_5207.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="651" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbJdpDSwQ3E_ZykyD5ryRSvocLGETVx0_RaUlynpuQICFG7r8kme_h_8eKesRxWVWo_U6JAWpq59o6gO7GZ834dYeNvjtt5CEufukloe1RHsDzL3GuatErKRTKBeknnfaImC1J8efwwsM6kRDfS0q8AycWKNUPIBqizkxRU8E_-67B2btYC_iVHpKSzw/s320/IMG_5207.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div>My first NetGalley November Read! And I’m putting it up now as I will be away from my iPad next week and the NetGalley proofs I am reading/audiobook are a tad chunky so it will take me some time on them. But I wanted to kick this month off properly by attacking one of my most recent - <i>The Christmas Appeal</i> by Janice Hallett. <div><br /></div><div>Actually, this was a Wish Granted on NetGalley. I clicked on this on a whim, not thinking I would have my wish granted. I just liked the sound of it. Hang on, before I go into this, let me give you some details and we can begin. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author: </b><i>The Christmas Appeal</i> by Janice Hallett</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>Viper Books</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction</div><div><b>Buy From (Affiliate): <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781800817357" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div>The Fairway Players of Lower Lockwood are back, getting themselves involved in another murder mystery (haven’t they not learned from Janice Hallett debut, <i>The Appeal</i>?). This time, the cutthroat of amateur dramatics are busy rehearsing for the Christmas panto, Jack and the Beanstalk. Expect, not everyone is feeling the good cheer. The fake smiles and catty, pettiness is out in force. The beanstalk might be full of asbestos and, of course, there’s the matter of the dead Santa… </div><div><br /></div><div>Lawyers Femi and Charlotte are reading the emails, the WhatsApp, the Police reports to find out the truth.</div><div><span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div>I am going to admit it: I haven’t read <i>The Appeal</i>. Though it’s been on my radar since it was first published, I never felt the urge to read it. And when I did try to dip my toe into read another of Janice Hallett’s book, <i>The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels</i>, I quit at their 35% mark as I found it such a slog and I didn’t care for the case nor the main characters. Though I might be tempted to try via audiobook if it ever become available at my library. </div><div><br /></div><div>But when I first of this, I was strangely intrigued as this is a novella so could easily read it within a day (actually, took me a nice long weekend), it’s Christmas and it had a cosy murder mystery feel to it. And I hoped that this might make me intrigued enough to try this author again (maybe with <i>The Appeal</i>). </div><div><br /></div><div>This novella was a little delight. Mainly because it was so funny. I wasn’t sure at the start, but once I started reading the pettiness within the emails and the catty, bitchy backstabbing WhatsApp and texts between the members, I found myself cackling away. It was the humour that made this work for me. Because we all know these people in real life. And the idea of putting their egos to one side for the greater good (raising money for the local church roof) is a ridiculous request… </div><div><br /></div><div>The build-up was lovely, though I do wish the body of the dead Santa would have appeared sooner (that’s a me thing. I always like to hit the ground running in a mystery/thriller) and the clues are so subtle that, while satisfying when revealed, it did feel a little out of the blue. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think this is a lovely warm-up for Christmas and I can imagine fans of the Fairway Players reading this novella over Christmas Day and being annoyed when they have to stop for Christmas dinner, listening to the King’s Speech and watching the Christmas Day Eastenders episode to find out <a href="https://youtu.be/RB762VTsxUI?si=56LQ_CbZ6cMXDEL7" target="_blank">the mystery of The Six</a>…</div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-42745269463458310232023-11-09T07:30:00.035+00:002023-11-09T07:30:00.142+00:00All Hallows Reads - Ghosts From the Library<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLF95lfPTTFXhSDSMK7MGi1v2gnZdsXJn5u3SOlzk-vmj-aET0k_YkYGmKSwWmL91dc1qoWq74mSBGASZ_ZrdyGM69Stk7vAo2dcnG9X8R0Mpk6n4tXJVP-OQO9ojsHwy6RUieWxnian1O1KdUsylqYOlRS23McEyQ0x-8rYL6M4lTxy_mEc4Z9IQ09go/s500/IMG_5168.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLF95lfPTTFXhSDSMK7MGi1v2gnZdsXJn5u3SOlzk-vmj-aET0k_YkYGmKSwWmL91dc1qoWq74mSBGASZ_ZrdyGM69Stk7vAo2dcnG9X8R0Mpk6n4tXJVP-OQO9ojsHwy6RUieWxnian1O1KdUsylqYOlRS23McEyQ0x-8rYL6M4lTxy_mEc4Z9IQ09go/s320/IMG_5168.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>My last All Hallows Reads (I did plan to read and audiobook a lot more, but got completely side-tracked. The two titles that jump out in my mind at time of writing this is <i>Tag, You’re Dead</i> by Kathryn Foxfield and <i>A Taste of Darkness</i> [Edited by Amy McCaw and Maria Kuzniar]). But not meant to be. Instead, we are wrapping up the spooky with Ghosts From the Library.<div><br /></div><div><b>Title: </b>Ghosts From The Library<br /><b>Publisher: </b>Collins Crime Club<br /><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Audiobook borrowed from local library via BorrowBox<br /><b>Buy From (Affiliate): <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780008514846" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div>This anthology is a collection of either unpublished or previously uncollected supernatural short stories written by authors from the Golden Age of Crime. There’s not much more I can say about the collection but the authors involved range from Josephine Tey, Daphne du Maurier, Christianna Brand, M.R James, Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham and Arthur Conan Doyle to name but a few.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Now, like most collections of short stories, some stories will work for you and others won’t. There’s nothing wrong with the stories. It’s just that some stories will strike a chord with you and others won’t. Not biggie.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, let me briefly touch on two stories in this collection that kept me listening to the audiobook way past my bedtime:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>TERROR</i> by Daphne du Maurier is barely 30 minutes long (it might be one of the shortest stories in this collection) while <i>THE WITCH</i> by Christianna Brand is probably the longest (coming in just under two hours) but both are probably my favourite stories. <i>TERROR</i> reminds us of the fear of being a child and waking up in the middle of the night and your young imagination gets the better of you (and that last line is a “WTF” moment) whereas <i>THE WITCH</i> is a slow burn where a newly wed is worried her new husband and his former lover, a witch, is plotting to kill her.</div><div><br /></div><div>Both these stories are very different, but both gripped me.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like I said earlier, this collection is a good mix of supernatural short stories by authors of the Golden Age of Crime, but not every story will set your world on fire.</div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-2577294991365508032023-11-07T07:30:00.055+00:002023-11-07T07:30:00.137+00:00The Disappearance Boy Extract<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkBeEFu05gDCUyMnXQdyEaG4kpajYWA3qAtJcjJg5n1-moBeDDWQSPU3e2MOFmXxJFBIdLxj2-zFF1BqNvv6tmCimDsV1ZOEAnpR53SeANs_LLkwxrpAbYn_hhv7UWQFCxvobomLbVH9E-dagwwbNA1wsMnGOJZ-TJw6kOgF6v6XumPTaRjX0yMD_OiU/s3000/9781912620272.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="1959" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkBeEFu05gDCUyMnXQdyEaG4kpajYWA3qAtJcjJg5n1-moBeDDWQSPU3e2MOFmXxJFBIdLxj2-zFF1BqNvv6tmCimDsV1ZOEAnpR53SeANs_LLkwxrpAbYn_hhv7UWQFCxvobomLbVH9E-dagwwbNA1wsMnGOJZ-TJw6kOgF6v6XumPTaRjX0yMD_OiU/s320/9781912620272.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div>I have an extract for you guys! And, if all goes to plan, I am hoping to get my hands on a copy of this book and be reading it before the end of the year (yes, I have plans for this!)<div><br /></div><div><i>The Disappearance Boy</i> by Neil Bartlett follows Reggie Rainbow, the disappearance boy After having polio as a child and leaving him with a limp, his strong arms and nimble fingers make Reggie perfect for behind the scene theatres where he helps illusionist Mr Brooks’s assistant “disappear”. So when Mr Brooks takes a job down in Brighton, Reggie has to come to. But Brighton is a different world and Reggie finds that the sea air and the life of the Brighton Grand has its own magic. Soon, Reggie begins to wonder about secrets and how long he can keep them for a living… </div><div><br /></div><div>Like I said, I am hoping to read this in the coming week (possible over the Christmas period due to November being NetGalley November) so I am quite excited to hear your thoughts on the extract I am popping below. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, before I hand you over to the extract, I must thank Justin at Inkandescent for letting me share the extract and answering my queries over this title and one other Inkandescent title (publishing early next year so no spoilers!). And I am going to put an affiliate link to this for <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781912620265" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a>, just in case the extract went your appetite, as well as link to <a href="https://www.inkandescent.co.uk/the-disappearance-boy" target="_blank">Inkandescent’s website</a> in case you want more info and want to buy direct. </div><div><br /></div><div>All good? Ok, ONTO THE EXTRACT!!!</div><div><br /><span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-9fa26208-7fff-18a3-737a-b2c999ac9825" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me try this for an opening.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s a boy, standing on a railway track. He’s a little boy—he looks eight or nine years old at the very most—and he’s rather small and slight for his age. He is standing with his hands held straight down by his sides, and his feet are clamped firmly together. Seen from behind, he seems to be staring directly ahead at something, but we shall see in a moment that his eyes are in fact screwed tightly shut. He has oddly muscular shoulders, clumsily cropped hair, and is almost naked; he’s wearing a pair of worn linen underpants—nothing else—and just the one hastily laced-up leather shoe, on his right foot. He’s as brown as a berry, all over. The railway track stretches away in front of him in a long straight line, and its rails are hazed with the mist of a fine English mid-September morning as they disappear into the distance.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As if it had been ruled across a map, this track more or less exactly bisects the brown and over-grazed field it runs through, and immediately beyond the scrubby blackthorn hedge on this field’s southern side, divided from it only by a half-dry ditch of dead reeds, is a beach, a great slow curve of shingle that looks as though it reaches along the shore for at least a mile in both directions, east towards the yellowing cliffs of Seaford and west (behind the boy) towards the mouth of the river at Newhaven. There seems to be no sand at all on this beach—all you can see are black and dark grey flints, going on forever, with barely a pale stone amongst them. Almost exactly halfway along their two-mile curve the stones rise to their highest point, and there on the crest of the shingle is perched a strange and lost-looking collection of white-painted concrete and timber huts, each of them lifted above the stones by a squat brick base. These huts look as if they might be a hospital, or perhaps a school—a sanatorium, even—but it’s hard to say for sure; there are no signs up anywhere, and it looks as if there is no-one about to ask, this morning. All of the windows are shuttered closed, and across the stones beneath them the English Channel stretches away to France as flat and cold as a well-sharpened knife. There are no boats about to give scale to its horizon, and no gulls either. There is hardly any wind, and no waves to speak of. A soft swell lifts and clatters the grey stones right down at the water’s edge—and because the wind is so light, and because there seems to be nobody about, the whole scene is very quiet. Not even the reeds in that half-dried ditch are whispering. It is so quiet, in fact, that you can hear the little boy is not crying.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His chin is up, his shoulders are pushed back as far as they’ll go, and his eyes are as tightly closed as those apparently-abandoned windows (you can see that, now). His mouth is clamped shut too—and now, as if he was getting ready for something, the boy spreads his legs and crosses his fists in the small of his back. Near-naked as he is, he seems to be standing ‘at ease’, sticking his elbows out to the sides and pushing his bony little chest forward as if he were expecting a medal. Or perhaps as if he was trying to meet some dreadful blow half-way—as if his infant breast-bone was the breast-bone of some defiant and easily-smashed little bird, one of those softly-feathered species that explode in the air when the shot or hawk hits them... Whatever he’s doing, his feet are now spread slightly too far apart for comfort, and because of the way he’s standing I’m sure that you can now see what you may not have noticed at first, which is that there is something not quite right about this little boy’s legs. The left one is quite a bit shorter than the right and thin enough to make his foot look several bones too large; the left foot itself is turned markedly inward, as if his ankle had been attached in not quite the right place. He’s holding this left heel—the naked one—a good two inches clear of the weeping tar of the railway sleeper,</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as if he’d just trodden on a nail. The foot is shaking slightly. He still isn’t crying. There still isn’t a train.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And now there is.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And now, the shouting starts.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Mr Bridges, who in the calm, sunlit autumn of 1939 was living alone in the cottage which then stood next to the tracks at Bishopstone Halt (an unmanned concrete platform on the Hastings to Lewes branch line which had recently been constructed in case it should ever be necessary to get troops to the beach in a hurry) has spotted the tiny figure through his kitchen window. Fortunately, Mr Bridges has a clock above his sink, and he doesn’t need to waste any time calculating in order to know that the next train is due past his window in less than three minutes; they run so close that they rattle his china, and their noise divides his solitary day into such regular parcels of time that he always knows when the next one is on its way. He also knows that this particular train isn’t scheduled to slow down or stop. First, he shouts and bangs on his kitchen window; then he wipes his hands on his dishcloth and runs out of his front door, shouting as he goes. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The little boy doesn’t move. He doesn’t even seem to hear.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Mr Bridges runs, the oncoming train is still so far away from the two of them that it doesn’t seem to be moving at all—east of Bishopstone Halt, the track runs dead straight towards Seaford for nearly a mile, and the blurred dot of the engine is barely visible at the vanishing point of the converging rails. It seems to shake slightly, even to </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hover</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the distance, but not to be getting any closer. Mr Bridges knows that this is just an illusion. He knows that pretty soon the rails will begin to sing, the dot to swell, and before you know where you are it will be upon them. That’s why he keeps shouting as he runs, shouting at the top of his voice and cursing his middle-aged legs for not moving as fast as he needs them to in this emergency. The spacing of the tarred sleepers forces him to clip his stride, which makes him swear even more—they are placed exactly just too close together to let him break into a full run, but he knows that if he misses one and hits the clinker then a turned ankle will more than likely bring him down. Best as he can, he half lopes and half hobbles towards the boy—and, of course, straight towards the train. The dot hovers, and shakes, and begins to swell. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And now, right on cue, the rails begin their dreadful song; that strange, silvered, high-pitched music that can seem sinister at the best of times, and which now makes Mr Bridges want to vomit as he hears it change key and grow louder. He sees that the little boy—still thirty sleepers away, and with his legs still locked and spread—can also apparently hear or sense this change of key, because as the train approaches the child stretches his puny arms up and out to make himself into its target, and his angry little fists seem to clench themselves into even tighter balls. The pain is starting to tear at Mr Bridges’ sides now. His breath is drowned out by the rails. And now comes the whistle—</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cut.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And now the boy is in his arms—under him, in fact; pinned down under him in the wet and stinking grass by the side of the track, because some instinct has made this middle-aged man cover the boy’s body with his own as the train flashes by in a thunder of light and dark less than four feet from his head, wheel after wheel, rim on rail, metal on metal, less than four feet away from his wet, astonished and staring face (tears of relief, are they, or is that just sweat?) with his ragged breath still tearing at his chest and the pain in his side so sharp now that he thinks he must have broken a rib. Did he really scoop up and then throw down this intransigent bundle of flesh so hard? And then, when the train has passed, and the rails have spun out their song into its final dying whisper and the dot is getting smaller now and going away in the other direction, around a bend and away into the September haze as it heads for Southease and Beddingham and Lewes—and eventually, Brighton—Mr Bridges gasps his breath back into his aching chest and gathers himself. He gets up, and looks down at the miserable and bare-skinned creature lying half crushed in the broken grass between his feet, and he yanks the child upright with one big strong hand. He’s furious. With the other hand, he starts to slap the child, first on the back of the boy’s knees and then right across his sunburnt face, making a furious attempt to get him to open his eyes, or to speak—or something. Anything. And also to relieve his own feelings, I shouldn’t wonder—yes, that’s it; it is a mixture of shock and anger that is making Mr Bridges treat this little boy, who he doesn’t even know, so badly, making him shout at the boy—making him bend right down so that their two very different faces are almost nose to nose, the red, wet, angry one and the screwed-shut, frightened and frightening one, making Mr Bridges roar right in the little boy’s face between those great rib-tearing breaths of his, shout at him—what the bloody, fucking, what the bloody fucking </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hell</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and what if I hadn’t been in my kitchen, eh? Eh? You little fucking. Well you can speak, can’t you? Fuck.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No waves. No people. No boats. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Empty water.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shuttered windows. Screwed-shut eyes in a burnt-brown face.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No wind.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And still no tears. None.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 48.4pt 0pt 28.35pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.35pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not yet</span></p></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O4y606cAWHo" width="320" youtube-src-id="O4y606cAWHo"></iframe></div></div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-79900011868767268292023-11-06T07:25:00.081+00:002023-11-06T07:25:00.138+00:00Blog Tour - Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYrZIdaM6wQw0AY4Cr0azdD2Z0qEi0MQKcOTE4py-6vRRrS2bLRR_RsmNQz2DBNQ8FsY-61Na7c7fcpLoNVnjdynxG1c7yJze5H7kXlDPSwfw1FhUlK6xZa9_V6afCXabNDNAe-dWVow9559J-L7tYd-peOlfZWejMWenL0uOUqJ4ZvUDwF4OUmv28FQ/s3623/IMG_5221.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3623" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYrZIdaM6wQw0AY4Cr0azdD2Z0qEi0MQKcOTE4py-6vRRrS2bLRR_RsmNQz2DBNQ8FsY-61Na7c7fcpLoNVnjdynxG1c7yJze5H7kXlDPSwfw1FhUlK6xZa9_V6afCXabNDNAe-dWVow9559J-L7tYd-peOlfZWejMWenL0uOUqJ4ZvUDwF4OUmv28FQ/s320/IMG_5221.heic" width="320" /></a></div>As you know, I have been slowly tackling the <i>Witches</i> sub-series within the <i>Discworld</i> series by Terry Pratchett. I have one more to go (<i>Carpe Jugulum</i>) and then I am done. Unless I want to go onto the Tiffany Aching series where Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg pop up (and oh, it is so tempting! I do miss them!)<div><br /></div><div>So, when I was emailed by the lovely Bee from Kaaleidoscopic Tours about <i>Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch</i>, I <i>knew</i> I had to be involved. I’m actually a little surprised at how quickly I replied and went “Yes! This! This sounds perfect!”. And yes, it does clash with my NetGalley November, I know, but I feel that this would be a lovely way to ease self into the world of the Free Wee Men and the Chalk. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author: </b><i>Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch </i>by Rhianna Pratchett and Gabrielle Kent, & Illustrated by Paul Kidby</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>Puffin</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Gifted by Kaleidoscopic Tours as part of review-based blog tour. Gifted in exchange for an honest review/reaction</div><div><b>But From (Affiliate): </b><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780241651995" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Ever wanted to be witch (haven’t we all?)? Even wanted to be a witch in the Discworld? Well, this guide will help you in the right direction. Written by Tiffany Aching (who first appeared in <i>The Wee Free Men </i>and her final outing was in Sir Terry Pratchett’s final Discworld novel, <i>The Shepherd’s Crown</i>) and with “helpful” footnotes from Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Mrs Tick and the Wee Free Man known as Rob Anybody, this will give helpful information about magic, headology, bees, magic cheese, Death, sheep and everything in between.<span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Like I said earlier, I haven’t started the Tiffany Aching series as of yet and mainly dived into this due to my love of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, so was kinda going into this with a vague idea of what this was going to be like but, at the same time, not. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>It was just delightful. There was something quite comforting about reading this and staring over the beautiful illustrations by Paul Kirby (I will pop us below and on Instagram so you can see! They are beautiful!!!) </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div>I do think this is aimed more for the younger readers who adore Tiffany Aching stories (as well as <i>The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents</i>) and should be read after <i>Shepherd’s Crown</i> due to spoilers. Also, there are some footnotes between Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg that, if you read their series and not Tiffany’s, you will see the joke or a line that has been repeated (which is fine with me as I do like that, even while helping Tiffany with “helpful” ideas, they are still bickering with each other). </div><div><br /></div><div>Like I said earlier, there’s something comforting about this guide and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I have read Tiffany Aching’s outings. Maybe I should make that one of my goals next year, huh?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGd83Z_VITPD5h31iwW0rioR8XTLSibmnDJQiIL17Drce2IR3Viv3JOGxjcTzbeUO9beC1PrMgRelYVg8gF3e7HRIMIFSj4GTkzf6VdDdx4RTgd4D89nkrFr2XJrv9_LO6uFAi1oB-MytPjX84htTqle10qo_RyX1eO2Hfi2UzruJm56jrJ0HoUBKs8I/s4032/IMG_5215.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGd83Z_VITPD5h31iwW0rioR8XTLSibmnDJQiIL17Drce2IR3Viv3JOGxjcTzbeUO9beC1PrMgRelYVg8gF3e7HRIMIFSj4GTkzf6VdDdx4RTgd4D89nkrFr2XJrv9_LO6uFAi1oB-MytPjX84htTqle10qo_RyX1eO2Hfi2UzruJm56jrJ0HoUBKs8I/s320/IMG_5215.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xd1rKosUAqRKyLOiGQ100YwcTQlx6kGfzO8t-9cr6WKtVCMlQw7Dob7RyqtHusX0XHZWVnRxZ5S2hdk7lm-7iWBTaSf-suJASD5upjcOrYvZXFIoIGvaxXOaEgXTlRUJMXchs3Y8UEmU6x6CAtrrLvlmE4wNB57PmvZRQTTKA-VJGO34iTuPTk5RSNw/s4032/IMG_5216.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xd1rKosUAqRKyLOiGQ100YwcTQlx6kGfzO8t-9cr6WKtVCMlQw7Dob7RyqtHusX0XHZWVnRxZ5S2hdk7lm-7iWBTaSf-suJASD5upjcOrYvZXFIoIGvaxXOaEgXTlRUJMXchs3Y8UEmU6x6CAtrrLvlmE4wNB57PmvZRQTTKA-VJGO34iTuPTk5RSNw/s320/IMG_5216.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDcS6uds-3y3d6AX3stRwVJQwezkO7hxv21PN8mpROCR92SExT1g8CrEf_AaALwE0mN9NdUcfBrw5nNTX2erFd3S5zockSbFd6YwC_QO2lOTsV4CfF27JP-PhDtQiQiI-MNIlC0nQ7meaqs8GAvx9dw9uhLaSVcOdbFy8RA-4jraTjWQXG_CQPv3BuG4/s3817/IMG_5223.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3817" data-original-width="2858" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDcS6uds-3y3d6AX3stRwVJQwezkO7hxv21PN8mpROCR92SExT1g8CrEf_AaALwE0mN9NdUcfBrw5nNTX2erFd3S5zockSbFd6YwC_QO2lOTsV4CfF27JP-PhDtQiQiI-MNIlC0nQ7meaqs8GAvx9dw9uhLaSVcOdbFy8RA-4jraTjWQXG_CQPv3BuG4/s320/IMG_5223.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLHSBTXiiiy3mapIOOm53ObM9FxsEqLOsrsqDSwJf2XNxOXhqwZYfy3NlGOZFsZLKNIxCXAOTMU1Uyri05efO9zeLomh8-NgaR5ZYSccczgM1LW_DlcMN9c6InMvUmbSDI9ne_8POnpS8KscR7VheAWJnLl6770uPpmwT1Eg64UwU_LEOkz6v2v5EMh4/s3365/IMG_5225.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3365" data-original-width="2523" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLHSBTXiiiy3mapIOOm53ObM9FxsEqLOsrsqDSwJf2XNxOXhqwZYfy3NlGOZFsZLKNIxCXAOTMU1Uyri05efO9zeLomh8-NgaR5ZYSccczgM1LW_DlcMN9c6InMvUmbSDI9ne_8POnpS8KscR7VheAWJnLl6770uPpmwT1Eg64UwU_LEOkz6v2v5EMh4/s320/IMG_5225.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RLUi9WXNcxGW7LPUgqQt-CPU21P-VsAGqbtsGq2AlWZIIbwfTF-hwHXzchTEzV4r2ucVc3-Jx9g5Svy4CT7ECkVxIkPZe4HJgz_2D2c1J3mkyJcaQETlRlf8zjSlYiZvP0feQfVJpMBYPw2h0VQr7X2a5UVdgoROZOGkwDMvpmCpAZ9EtGlWnR83YfY/s4029/IMG_5226.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4029" data-original-width="2211" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RLUi9WXNcxGW7LPUgqQt-CPU21P-VsAGqbtsGq2AlWZIIbwfTF-hwHXzchTEzV4r2ucVc3-Jx9g5Svy4CT7ECkVxIkPZe4HJgz_2D2c1J3mkyJcaQETlRlf8zjSlYiZvP0feQfVJpMBYPw2h0VQr7X2a5UVdgoROZOGkwDMvpmCpAZ9EtGlWnR83YfY/s320/IMG_5226.jpeg" width="176" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvMJUZ3xQaGc5VHd95SbJuMaJ824RuYOJOIbpL-QeeHxeuHezbtDK1D7SdnNPCXi78SMvpYvH9LqkubtEcX0VvOw26Iu4tJcB5-f2ckXwb-qag9oCoQIVr2JL_LMEIKTAcRDzEdCBWZ_wZ7WEaYltLgfzWgIMa5H2r1iiE9WbioTqb2fkFptReKOwSh4/s3231/IMG_5227.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3231" data-original-width="2825" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvMJUZ3xQaGc5VHd95SbJuMaJ824RuYOJOIbpL-QeeHxeuHezbtDK1D7SdnNPCXi78SMvpYvH9LqkubtEcX0VvOw26Iu4tJcB5-f2ckXwb-qag9oCoQIVr2JL_LMEIKTAcRDzEdCBWZ_wZ7WEaYltLgfzWgIMa5H2r1iiE9WbioTqb2fkFptReKOwSh4/s320/IMG_5227.jpeg" width="280" /></a></div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-5669251868681932502023-11-03T07:00:00.048+00:002023-11-03T07:00:00.135+00:00NetGalley November Maybe Audiobook TBRI did warn you that I was thinking of doing this: a NetGalley TBR of some of the audiobooks the lovely publishers/authors/PR companies have gifted to me via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review/reaction. <div><br /></div><div>Now, I have quite a few to power through (too many, if I am going to be complete honest with you all), but there are a few that I would like to attempt to listen to (or just start then rage-quit them. These still count, and I fear I will write a post of my DNFs for your reading pleasure. Sorry in advance). So, while I am in the depths of October, writing this and wondering if I will actually follow through with my reading plans (I am a mood reader, we all know this), let me share a few audiobooks that I have my eye on…</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, not sure if this will be of any use to you but I have put some affiliate links in this post for some ease if any titles catch your eye. I’ll put a * next to the links for openness. Now, the titles on my radar this month…</div><div><br /><span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2J1Ru14xYBsNiBJvDj7f79MVy69PYUmTRDIbeKHjyUS4KrhN25wIvbmgovywJA-bry67UAiINCD3wA4vz1ihzElzFaZetwMbZXAUOMDgciu-YhxMLgNb1Zv-S9KOej6tKfsl5Rnw4nUMXABc_wNY1XG4JO6On6tx4HJ4M96iMaC_LkbVLFUJqQr6lZo/s2048/3144614C-C242-44ED-8C86-E0F4FC21ED13.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2J1Ru14xYBsNiBJvDj7f79MVy69PYUmTRDIbeKHjyUS4KrhN25wIvbmgovywJA-bry67UAiINCD3wA4vz1ihzElzFaZetwMbZXAUOMDgciu-YhxMLgNb1Zv-S9KOej6tKfsl5Rnw4nUMXABc_wNY1XG4JO6On6tx4HJ4M96iMaC_LkbVLFUJqQr6lZo/s320/3144614C-C242-44ED-8C86-E0F4FC21ED13.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781399813884" target="_blank">A Memoir of My Former Self and Other Writings</a></i><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781399813884" target="_blank"> by Hilary Mantel</a>*. I know - we are going literary fiction here. And, many years ago, I really disliked her collection of short stories, <i>The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher</i>, but I am really curious on Hilary’s writing. I have the audiobook of <i>Wolf Hall</i> and I have been curious on that title for YEARS so when I saw this, I wanted to try it out and see how I go. I’m keeping my expectations low as this will be a collection of essays throughout her life so some will be good, others not so much. </div><div><br /></div><div>We are going queer fantasy now and I have two titles here. Very excited to try and binge both of these over the month (or, more likely, to the end of the year). I’m not going to go into too much depth of these, but yes, they are queer. Yes, they are fantasy. And yes, I think they are both classed as New Adult titles so I sense these might be a little be sexy. If neither Ben Anderson’s <i>Heir to Thorn and Flame</i> and <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781788493703" target="_blank">Helen Corcoran’s <i>Daughter of Winter and Twilight</i></a>* don’t tick all three of these boxes, I won’t be a happy bunny. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have a handful of crime audiobooks to review, but the one that I sense I will be leaning towards is <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781408729076" target="_blank">Val McDermid’s <i>Past Lying</i></a>*. I haven’t read any of Val’s work so am going for it as she seems to be one of the modern queens of Crime, and I would love to revisit Scotland in the near future.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I think I will leave this post here as I want to start my binge-reading and audiobooking. And I have a limited time in the next two weeks so I need to get a wiggle on my reading plans! Wish me luck!!!</div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-27154839813670740022023-11-01T07:00:00.033+00:002023-11-01T07:00:00.140+00:00NetGalley November 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://getvectorlogo.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/netgalley-vector-logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="800" height="178" src="https://getvectorlogo.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/netgalley-vector-logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>I decided that I’m going to do this back in the middle of August (same with my All Hallows Reads!), but I’ve decided that it’s time that I get my TBR under control. Mainly my NetGalley TBR (both my eProofs and my audiobooks).<div><br /></div><div>Now, I did this last year (I forgot I did), but for those of you not sure what NetGalley is, NetGalley is a website where publishers can “aimed at the distribution of digital … proofs of books [and audiobooks], some of which have not yet been released” to booksellers, librarians, reviewers, educators and bloggers to help promote the title. So, it’s free? No, because in exchange for this, you must leave a review and promote the title.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, earlier this year, something strange happened my kindle/Amazon account (was it hacked? Did they delete it by accident? Who knows?!) but most of my eProofs from NetGalley that were on my kindle were wiped so I had to start again from scratch. And with NetGalley’s ideal feedback percentage for users being 80% (and mine is at 51% at time of writing), I needed to get self back on track with reading/review. I have been a bit on-the-outs of blogging/review of late so I want to push self into blogging again. <div><div><br /></div><div>I have some titles in mind I want to read/audio this month. I want them to be slightly different from last month’s “spooky” reading, but you know me, I love a good creepy thriller/fantasy. Plus, I don’t exactly stick to my reading plans as I am very much a mood reader. But, like I said, I do have a few titles I would like to attempt to read this month/by the end of the year. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, shall I tease some titles that I would like to try/attempt to read this month…? (Oh, if any titles catch your eye, I have put some affiliate links in this post for some ease. I have put a * next to the links in question. Hope these help!)</div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxZbQtvopejzui6mtFc1YBRGen2-3Rnu3Rpr8KkmHDYvy7fBaCfDPMzItBEUekgG04l5D0SDst6tsBBAR8o5yglaE9nUzXGL39D3zr3xYpug_9tdJRm8ffseWSmDqdWTZONjL7_KEyb6CSGwbmwE3LrHwAI9PVXLEO_0OSPD0G7LgeLyk_lpCiizkiFQ/s1500/IMG_5096.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="975" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxZbQtvopejzui6mtFc1YBRGen2-3Rnu3Rpr8KkmHDYvy7fBaCfDPMzItBEUekgG04l5D0SDst6tsBBAR8o5yglaE9nUzXGL39D3zr3xYpug_9tdJRm8ffseWSmDqdWTZONjL7_KEyb6CSGwbmwE3LrHwAI9PVXLEO_0OSPD0G7LgeLyk_lpCiizkiFQ/w130-h200/IMG_5096.jpeg" width="130" /></a></div>The first shouldn’t come as a huge surprise but <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781529080988" target="_blank"><i>A Power Unbound</i> by Freya Marske</a>*. This is the third and final book in The Last Binding trilogy, starting with <i>A Marvellous Light</i> and continuing with A <i>Restless Truth</i>. And this follows two characters that, as soon as they met in <i>A Restless Truth</i>, I hoped that this final book would follow them. And it’s does – HOORAY! Plus, it ticks most of my reading boxes: fantasy, mystery, romance, queerness! So yes, this is very high on my TBR list for this month! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAu0jPUxEJD5WgDBMdP2pkW1mT2IeefpzRE97YW4hH1HGmnPDQhkYrpEC0IjZ-NsSKyTetHT8PGPo9JmtL4ALhORkwdKhedssK1bICzUsh7v4qZ38W6ekxduLnc_gpPD0wrOl5B6gNA24m8xWHCyL3XlAT8k8AcfTMo2Ok0-3DJZ4cPeZtVBwNU8a2jg/s450/IMG_5098.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="296" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAu0jPUxEJD5WgDBMdP2pkW1mT2IeefpzRE97YW4hH1HGmnPDQhkYrpEC0IjZ-NsSKyTetHT8PGPo9JmtL4ALhORkwdKhedssK1bICzUsh7v4qZ38W6ekxduLnc_gpPD0wrOl5B6gNA24m8xWHCyL3XlAT8k8AcfTMo2Ok0-3DJZ4cPeZtVBwNU8a2jg/w131-h200/IMG_5098.jpeg" width="131" /></a></div>I have a few Christmas mysteries on this list (I know, I should save for next month) but they sound so good and fun. <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781639104512" target="_blank"><i>Stalking Around the Christmas Tree</i> by Jacqueline Frost</a>* is the fourth (I think) book in the <i>Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries</i> and I know I audiobook the first and second last year (they were on Audible Plus - don’t judge me). Christmas, weddings, <i>Nutcracker</i> ballet, murder. Very up my street so this might come at the end of the month (we shall see…)<div><br /></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sXFNxSCMqbq_P1p7AhS1BKcNyygdSd6B2nsXn-ka5GvaZsRQ0fieyoFQ8SblF_dPtgPi_pkRlj5Lm7EIW6Q9N_fl2Zs2mv_fhVKp1jNDYw61_VKHUZ94XRMc0TP4yFhmO-5Jkb2LEfT21rxnvY8FRQtGvKx1CDjMB2T8U5L-aQJUlUd1oCEkPxIZPBA/s500/IMG_5097.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="325" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sXFNxSCMqbq_P1p7AhS1BKcNyygdSd6B2nsXn-ka5GvaZsRQ0fieyoFQ8SblF_dPtgPi_pkRlj5Lm7EIW6Q9N_fl2Zs2mv_fhVKp1jNDYw61_VKHUZ94XRMc0TP4yFhmO-5Jkb2LEfT21rxnvY8FRQtGvKx1CDjMB2T8U5L-aQJUlUd1oCEkPxIZPBA/w130-h200/IMG_5097.jpeg" width="130" /></a></div><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781399707602" target="_blank">Death Of A Lesser God</a></i><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781399707602" target="_blank"> by Vaseem Khan</a>* is on my radar. Mainly because of the cover. So much so, I am actively trying not to find anything out. I know it’s set in 1950s post-colonial India, and it follows a man who has two weeks to live before he faces the gallows. Like I said, I am trying very hard not to know much about this one so I can go into it blind and just enjoy the ride. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHXPjDNgEUJ4ofpzDEQo0FC5hL6jsVGLZ1YieAM2pHtQ9tuRAbDubyyGiNqZOGUKdrNx3-31orn68dQXrpOHUmJu3mhPiglWLhhnD7zlKjbt76CoglefPFymcYCFMtE5Ts6XCANu4r52fvcx_z_Hrplf8b48OEEevP5zbNnM0qJTVgVjP-b4fg0J9zt4/s1000/IMG_5099.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="637" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHXPjDNgEUJ4ofpzDEQo0FC5hL6jsVGLZ1YieAM2pHtQ9tuRAbDubyyGiNqZOGUKdrNx3-31orn68dQXrpOHUmJu3mhPiglWLhhnD7zlKjbt76CoglefPFymcYCFMtE5Ts6XCANu4r52fvcx_z_Hrplf8b48OEEevP5zbNnM0qJTVgVjP-b4fg0J9zt4/w127-h200/IMG_5099.jpeg" width="127" /></a></div>Last title - mainly because it’s a classic. <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781844080878" target="_blank">Daphne du Maurier’s </a><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781844080878" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Birds and Other Stories</a>*<i>. </i>I mean, do I honestly need to say more? </div><div><br /></div><div>Like I said, I’m not going to commit to stone that I will read all four of these, but they are on my radar and if I can read at least one of them, I will be very happy. <br /><br />I do have a few NetGalley audiobooks (again, gifted by lovely publishers/authors/PR companies in exchange for honest review/reaction), so I am going to write a small post on that TBR list in the next few days (and a few titles that I bought in one form but was gifted a little while later via NetGalley so am going to pop on this list as well). </div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-19829911339967628172023-10-28T15:20:00.000+01:002023-10-28T15:22:44.782+01:00All Hallows Read - Wicked Lovely<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTyY1ucyfeY1tBAZziwQar0aauHVqVMGvJddshgSnlLcCyGvNcSW9SfTFjdRc3jASTrujAy6pBM1NytIv4Hxn04PCqxCzesZZgSKOCtGYZRBX80y2TxIfMtwfhEJD66b4coeAjBiH1Ip9Z5SVBlVHg-wOZ3cBMiPo1lI0J6YjNDKHPQU8nGtjQoQMjgM/s1000/IMG_5165.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="660" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTyY1ucyfeY1tBAZziwQar0aauHVqVMGvJddshgSnlLcCyGvNcSW9SfTFjdRc3jASTrujAy6pBM1NytIv4Hxn04PCqxCzesZZgSKOCtGYZRBX80y2TxIfMtwfhEJD66b4coeAjBiH1Ip9Z5SVBlVHg-wOZ3cBMiPo1lI0J6YjNDKHPQU8nGtjQoQMjgM/s320/IMG_5165.jpeg" width="211" /></a></div>I keep saying that I am not a fan of books featuring fairies or the fey, and yet, here I am, reading another book featuring the Fair Folk. I thought that this might be a good read for Halloween for those among us that aren’t the biggest fan of horror. So, here we are. <div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author: </b><i>Wicked Lovely</i> by Melissa Marr</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>HaarperCollins</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Bought</div><div><b>Buy from (Affiliate):</b> <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9780007263073">uk.bookshop.org</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>Aislinn has seen faeries all her life. She hides this secret as she knows what will happen to her if the fae discover this truth. So, she lives by three simple rules: don’t stare at the invisible faeries, don’t speak to an invisible fae and don’t attract their attention.</div><div><br /></div><div>She thought these rules would keep her safe. But now powerful and dangerous faerie are stalking her, including Keenan, who is positive she is important to his and the Summer Court’s survival. But Aislinn isn’t going to give her humanity so easily… but it might already be too late.</div><div><br /><span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div><div>I remember this series from the mid-2000s. It seem to explode on the scene around the same time as the <i>Twilight Saga </i>hype train while every publisher was trying to find the next big thing to ride on Stephenie Meyer’s success. But I didn’t know much about this, expect that the original cover was very weird (I will see if I can find it and put in the post somewhere so you can see). </div><div><br /></div><div>And you can tell that it was written in the 2000 YA. It hits all the YA supernatural romance troupe. It reminds me of an Instagram video of someone gently-poking fun at YA heroines (search for “Lavender Arsenic Avocado Basket” and you’ll see what I mean). There was something nice and easy about reading this and I am tempted to read the sequel, <i>Ink Exchange</i>, if it is ever really cheap on my kindle or if I see it in my local library randomly. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgomrYqJp2Quukt2X_pvb8OqaD6Xl1NSIIuwPL1j9teFeuG4hPWu60FIBO-xG5Mze3oDeIEO-J_7S1ErXRrBvbvD6ho1fBCufm8T9RB2ilfwbmSvc9RwNIfe8SZaI_M9AZE9oYaY_FFFhdAj1V6d9tm4icPSGyO0Kx0eSCKdjsMcHZNaclFX56wiS_mbME/s480/IMG_5167.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgomrYqJp2Quukt2X_pvb8OqaD6Xl1NSIIuwPL1j9teFeuG4hPWu60FIBO-xG5Mze3oDeIEO-J_7S1ErXRrBvbvD6ho1fBCufm8T9RB2ilfwbmSvc9RwNIfe8SZaI_M9AZE9oYaY_FFFhdAj1V6d9tm4icPSGyO0Kx0eSCKdjsMcHZNaclFX56wiS_mbME/s320/IMG_5167.jpeg" width="199" /></a></div>However, it wasn’t the most filling read. Does that sense? It feels like a sunny, beach read rather than a Halloween read. Plus, we have come a long way from the 2000s and the YA fantasy romance off the time. We’ve all read <i>Twilight</i>, <i>Mortal Instruments</i> by Cassandra Clare, <i>Need</i> by Carrie Jones, <i>The Body Finder</i> by Kimberly Derting and <i>Daughter of Smoke and Bone</i> by Laini Taylor and many others from that time and some were strongly written and have survived the test of times and others… not so much. </div><div><br /></div><div>While the writing is solid and I get why many readers hold this series close to their hearts, this isn’t really for me. It’s readable, but bland. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7641731997504860174.post-17053300931064657632023-10-17T07:30:00.046+01:002023-10-17T07:30:00.140+01:00All Hallows Reads - Lords And Ladies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYptq4kEwc9tvmy_cC562bGRO8H6r-vNmqyASMrTjeMD-vjn81aJU9amfd9yfrDZ4Sq92oQ3CdyKiQp1zKrvV8G6IiKs7fD_vpjKs1la0QT3gZoW5h01ATRkHjBXonvr8I3eyoCsxloGZlDIBzUbROSPF6VXQ_AcYzSbpP8F3NDkvCz1pKj2xBxXKewdE/s500/IMG_5012.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYptq4kEwc9tvmy_cC562bGRO8H6r-vNmqyASMrTjeMD-vjn81aJU9amfd9yfrDZ4Sq92oQ3CdyKiQp1zKrvV8G6IiKs7fD_vpjKs1la0QT3gZoW5h01ATRkHjBXonvr8I3eyoCsxloGZlDIBzUbROSPF6VXQ_AcYzSbpP8F3NDkvCz1pKj2xBxXKewdE/s320/IMG_5012.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>What’s Halloween and spooky reading without some witches to cause havoc? And what witches are best suitable for havoc and mischief than the Witches of the Discworld…<div><br /></div><div><b>Title and Author:</b><i> Lords and Ladies </i>by Terry Pratchett</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>Transworld</div><div><b>Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: </b>Audiobook borrowed from local library & BorrowBox app</div><div><b>Buy From (Affiliate):</b> <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1187/9781804990117" target="_blank">uk.bookshop.org</a><br /><div><br /></div><div>After the events of <i><a href="http://thepewterwolf.blogspot.com/2023/08/audiobook-review-witches-aboard.html" target="_blank">Witches Aboard</a></i>, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Margat have returned to Lancre from their holidays and discover that things aren’t quite right. Margat finds herself engaged and to be married to the King at Midsummer, Granny seems distracted lately and the someone has been dancing round the stone Dancers and crop circles have beginning to appear. And last time those happened, the Lords and Ladies came…<span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>I’m going to admit it: I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book. I’m not sure why. I really enjoy Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Margat’s outings (Witches Aboard is, in my opinion, the strongest and possible my fave out of their installs), but each books have moments that don’t quite hit the mark for me. For this, am not sure. </div><div><br /></div><div>I like that Terry Pratchett, through the Witches, attacks other stories and puts them on their heads. With <i>Wyrd Sisters</i>, it was <i>Macbeth</i>. With <i>Witches Aboard</i>, it was fairy tales. With <i>Maskerade</i>, it was <i>Phantom of the Opera</i> and opera/theatre as a whole (Granny and Nanny in the theatre is a weird and utterly wonderful delight) and the only Witch novel I haven’t read/audiobook – <i>Carpe Jugulum</i> – pokes fun at vampire literature. But, for some reason, the Witches tackling another Shakespeare play – <i>A Midsummer’s Night Dream</i> – feel a little much.<div><br /></div><div>Maybe it’s because I audiobooked this so soon after I finished <i>Witches Aboard</i>. But I was going through a reading slump and I wanted to return to these characters. While I’m not the biggest fan of Margat and feel she’s a bit wet in previous outings (though she grew in this book and I like this more confident Margat), I enjoy reading Nanny and Granny. These two make the Witches books work and I love their banter and them as characters, both together and separate (I enjoyed the two of them alone without Margat in <i>Masquerade</i>, but as Nanny says, there ought to be three witches).<div><br /></div><div>I think another reason I wasn’t a fan of <i>Lords and Ladies</i> is, while this book had fun characters, at times it felt too much and there were so many little subplots. There were one or two occasions that I wish the book would get back to the main plot and leave the subplots alone. I knew they would be important or it was there for a reason, but there were times I felt that, if it was in the story, the story wouldn’t have been effect.<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.gollancz.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/hbg-title-9781473200272-449.jpg?w=431" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="431" height="200" src="https://www.gollancz.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/hbg-title-9781473200272-449.jpg?w=431" width="128" /></a></div>Plus, Elves. Ok, I have an odd relationship with fairies and elves in stories. I always found the books I read when I was younger that fairies and elves were cute, nice. Yes, tricksters and you have to be careful what you say to them as they will take you to your word and will try and find loopholes, but there was a level of mischief to them, not malice. It seems to be in the last few years that I have discovered books that tackle elves and fairies in a darker light and tone, and I seem to be slowly enjoy this. Yes, am late to the party, I know. But I like how Terry Pratchett tackles elves in here – comparing them to cats. As a cat owner myself, I completely got the connection and went “Yep, that makes sense!”.<div><br /></div><div>It’s not my favourite Witches of Discworld book, but I don’t dislike it either. Will this affect me finishing off the Witches series and audiobook <i>Carpe Jugulum</i>? No, I think I will tackle it. I might need a little break, but I’m not ready to say goodbye to Granny Weatherwax or Nanny Ogg just yet. And I heard they might cross over into the Tiffany Aching subseries in the Discworld so might keep going. But not yet. I need to recover and get some of my review copies under control first… Maybe I’ll save for Hogswatcch Night…</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Pewter Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771618017168932062noreply@blogger.com0