The Hand, The Eye and The Heart Music

Welcome to my stop on The Hand, The Eye and The Heart blog tour! Yes, it's me and am back to doing something I haven't done in quite some time: putting music to the book I was reading. And it was such a joy to do! 

When asked by John at Walker if I wanted to be involved in this tour, I jumped at the chance! So, thank you John for asking me to be involved. 

For those unsure of what The Hand, The Eye and The Heart, it's a reimagining of Mulan in a fantasy world. Ok, I was using that to grab your attention, but OH, this book is much more than that! Zhilan was born a girl. Despite the rare gift of illusions, she is destined to live her life in the confines of what is expected for a women. But when a civil war breaks out in her empire, one man from every family is called to fight. With her father being disabled from the battlefield of his youth, Zhilan is desperate to save him and takes his place, becoming a boy called Zhi to survive army training. But that’s the first challenge as love and betrayal can be two sides of the same coin and soon, the weight of the country is on Zhi’s shoulders. But to win, they have to decide where their heart truly lies as, sometimes, the greatest battle is to be who you are… 

I told you there was more to it than my awful elevator pitch. Anyway, as part of the tour, I was asked to create a playlist via Spotify. Now, I love reading to music and the playlist below has a nice mix of songs I listened to while reading and a few others that I went "This is perfect!" and added on to give it a good mix. But, this is subjective and because these are my music choices doesn't mean they will be yours and I would love to hear your playlists for this book, as well as everyone at Walker and Zoë herself. 

Before I throw my music at you, I want to thank Zoë and if you want to check her out, go say hi to her on her website - zoemarriott.com - or via her Twitter at @ZMarriott. And if you want more info about the book, check out Walker Books or Book Depository. (Special thanks to Luna at Luna's Little Library for going through my playlist and making some suggestions on placement and a few other songs she thought might be good for playlist.

Now, ONTO THE MUSIC!

#GollanczPreview2019

Last week, the day before I had to get up SUPER early for a mini weekend-break, I was kindly invited to Gollancz with a bunch of other bloggers, booksellers and bookish people to see a preview of Gollancz upcoming titles, plus a handful of others from Gollancz sister imprints such as Trapeze, Orion and a few others.

Now, I have to be honest, there is no way I can write a small thing about every single one of these titles. There was, to my appalling note taking hand-writing, over 20 titles. OVER 20 TITLES!!! And I think if I sat down and wrote them down, you all would be bored stiff and go “You want to talk about this? Seriously, Andrew?”. Plus, some of these titles are hugely well known. For example, the first adult fantasy novel, Angel Mage, by Garth Nix (WHO I LOVE SO OF COURSE, I WILL BE READING, AND IF YOU HAVEN’T READ HIS OLD KINGDOM SERIES, I WOULD BE UPSET! Go read Sabriel as it is wonderful) or Leigh Bardugo’s first adult fantasy, Ninth House (I mean, does she really need an introduction? I haven’t read her Grieshaverse and even I know about her and am super curious on this one!). So yeah, gonna be buying these! 

I can easily talk about Victoria Aveyard’s Broken Kingdom, a collection of novellas set in her Red Queen world (I might try to read this series again… maybe…) or talk about Stephen Chbosky’s Imaginary Friend, his first novel in 20 years after his hugely successful Perks of Being A Wallflower. Or maybe the sequel to Branden Sanderson’s Skywards, Starsight. Or The Sky Weaver, Kristen Ciccarelli’s third book to be set in the Last Namsara world, known as Iskari. 

My point is there is so much I can talk about and trust me, I have video and photos to share on my Instagram and Twitter so they are about! 

But let’s chat about some other titles that catch my eye that could be seen as flying under the radar, And believe, there is a few I REALLY want to talk about.

So, in no order, let’s get this book party started!

Brexit: What The Hell Is Going On?

I went on holiday a few days ago and, within those days, the news on Brexit has completely hit the fan. And as I’m trying to play catch up via reading news, listening to podcasts and looking all over social media to understand what the heck is happening? 

Now, like I said on multiply times, I don’t do non-book related blog posts that often so forgive me. You have my blessing to jump this post as, I promise, normal service will resume with books, books, books! 

So, what is going on? 

Answer: *shrugs* 

I kid you not. I’m the main person at where I work who keeps up with this stuff and even I’m confused as heck. Now, before I go on, I am not an expert on this VERY CONFUSING and VERY COMPLEX issue so I beg your forgiveness if I make mistakes.

Book Review - The Hand, The Eye and The Heart

• Title And Author: The Hand, The Eye and The Heart by Zoë Marriott
• Publisher: Walker Book
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Physical
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review/reaction
• Length: 448 Pages

Backstory time. A few years back, I was at Walker Books HQ at a blogger event to celebrate the cover reveal to the final book in Zoë Marriott’s urban fantasy trilogy, The Name of the Blade, Frail Human Heart. At the event, Zoë mentioned an idea for a novel she was researching. When she was chatting about it, myself and a few book bloggers got hugely excited and went “You have to write this!” then looking at her editor and people at Walker, going “You’re going to buy this, right?”

And this is the book in question. So, you have no idea how excited I have been for this book… 

No pressure, Zoë. 

Zhilan was born a girl. Despite the rare gift of illusions known as banner-breaking, she is destined to live her life in the confines of what is expected for a women. But when a civil war breaks out in her empire, one man from every family is called to fight. With her father being disabled from the battlefield of his youth, Zhilan is desperate to save him and takes his place, becoming a boy called Zhi to survive army training. But that’s the first challenge as love and betrayal can be two sides of the same coin and soon, the weight of the country is on Zhi’s shoulders. But to win, they have to decide where their heart truly lies as, sometimes, the greatest battle is to be who you are… 

So… what do I think of this?

Pick My Next Read's Back

You might be aware via my tweets and my other social media platforms that I am going to do a bunch of "Pick My Next Read" polls over the next few weeks - possibly up till Easter or early May - I haven't decided for how long. So, consider this my OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!!  

Basically, this will be me doing a mix of polls of what book or ebook I should read next. This will range from two to four choices, depending on the social media platform and how they do polls. I am still trying to figure that bit out. 

But I wanted to give you all a heads up about how am going to do it. So, I know I can do polls via Twitter (@PewterWolf), Instagram (@pewterwolf via Stories), Facebook (The Pewter Wolf) and I think I can do a poll on my Goodreads (goodreads.com/PewterWolf). 

But I might be doing silly, random "Pick My Next Read". Via my Other Half. And maybe my cat. 

Oh yes, you heard me. I might be letting my cat, Bagheera, pick my next read. And you can thank/blame Justine from I Should Read That for this idea. Actually, let me get the YouTube video up! 

I love this idea and feel this will be weird and fun! Hence why I decided to add this into one of my Next Reads. I'm just giving you all a heads-up that my next few reads are in YOUR HANDS so keep your eyes peeled on my social for my next poll! ... once I've finished current, last minute add on read of Becky Chamber's A Closed and Common Orbit (and heavens knows when will finish current audiobook of Priory of the Orange Tree!)... 

eBook Review - The Mysterious Affair at Styles

• Title And Author: The Mysterious Affair At Styles by Agatha Christie
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: eBook
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought
• Length: 288 pages

As you guys know, last year I rediscovered Agatha Christie. I read Mysterious Mr Quin and Appointment with Death, audiobooked And Then There Were None and The Murder of Roger Ackroydd and read Sophie Hannah’s take of Poirot with The Mystery of the Three Quarters. 

And this year, I decided I wanted to read a few more Christie mysteries. I don’t have any real plan of what books I was planning to read. Whatever I could get my hands on cheaply, but I knew I wanted to read 4 Christies and maybe one more Sophie Hannah’s Poirot. 

So, when The Mysterious Affair At Styles came up on my kindle for 99p, I jumped at it. Agatha Christie’s debut novel and her first outing with Poirot was too good to miss. Plus, I didn’t know the story that well compared to her more well-known titles such as Murder on the Orient Express. 

After the Great War, Captain Arthur Hastings is invited to Styles in Essex to help him recover from his injuries he received from the War. It’s the last place he would expect to discover a murder. But when his hostess dies, her body spasming in her bed, anyone in the house could be killer. But Hasting is very lucky as, in the village, a small group of Belgian refugees lives, and one of them is a former detective. A detective who is growing bored of retirement… 

So, what do I think of Poirot’s first outing?

The Bitter Edge Of An Extract

EXTRACT ALERT! I am on a blog tour and I have an extract. But wait, I hear you cry. It's crime. And adult!

Yeah... As I said at the beginning of the year, I am going to try and branch out in genres.

Anyway, the extract I am about to show you is from the fourth DI Kelly Porter (the first being . Bitter Edge starts with a teenage girl throwing herself off a cliff. Ruled as suicide, DI Kelly Porter shouldn't be left asking why. But when her team converge at the girl's school, a darker story begins to unfold. A story that begins Kelly face to face with an old foe, a foe determined to take back what is rightfully his - no matter the cost.

There is more, but am going to leave it there, as I want this and the extract to wet your crime reading appetite! But before I hand you over to the extract, some thank you and links. My thanks goes to Ellie at Canelo for asking if I want to be involved in this tour! Now, if you want to say hi or ask Rachel Lynch, the author, some questions, pop over to her twitter - @r_lynchcrime. Or, if you want more info on the book, you can check out Canelo's website!

Now, OVER TO THE EXTRACT!!!

Book Review - Joe Quinn's Poltergeist

• Title And Author: Joe Quinn’s Poltergeist by David Almond & Illustrated by Dave McKean
• Publisher: Walker Books 
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Physical 
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review/reaction
• Length: 80 Pages

Ok, I asked for this when Johnny at Walker emailed because it’s illustrated by Dave McKean. I don’t know much of his illustration work, but I loved what he did in the movie, MirrorMask (imagine Alice in Wonderland but on drugs and with a script written by Neil Gaiman [which it was, FYI]) so when I saw this, I went “Yes! An it’s kinda like a graphic novel (it’s not) and I want to read outside my comfort zone”. Plus, I knew the name David Almond but never read him so I thought this would be a good introduction. 

Joe Quinn is telling everyone about the poltergeist that is in his house. And no one believe’s him. No one, that is, expect Davie. Davie can’t help but feel that there’s something there and see random objects flying through the air. But there’s something more… memories of his sister and a feeling deep down that maybe, just maybe, ghosts exists… 

So, what’s my gut reaction to this?

Book Review - PROUD

• Title And Author: PROUD - Compiled by Juno Dawson
• Publisher: Stripes 
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Physical 
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review/reaction
• Length: 352 Pages

This has been one of those books that as soon as I heard of it, I knew I was going to read it. It might not be straight away as my To Be Read pile is getting out of control. But I need I wanted to have my hands on a copy. 

And I thought I did when I was approved for an eProof copy via NetGalley. Alas, the file didn’t like my Kindle. So I held fire. Then this came through my front door with rainbow shoelaces (awesome!). But I held fire on reading it as I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to read this. I was in a murdery mood, reading wise. But after going to the Stripes Blogger Event, I sat down and started to slowly work my way through the collection. 

PROUD is an anthology of stories, poetry and illustrations from the top LGBTQIA+ authors, illustartors and fresh talent, each giving their own reaction to the theme of Pride. 

There isn’t much else I can say. So, thoughts on this are thus…