The Rose Code by Kate Quinn @KateQuinnAuthor @HarperCollinsUK @RandomTTours #HistFic #bookreview

The Rose Code written by Kate Quinn, publisher Harper Collins, is available NOW in ebook, hardcover, audio CD and audiobook format.

Book Blurb

The brand-new novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Huntress and
Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick The Alice Network

1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire.
 
Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.
 
Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, working to translate decoded enemy secrets. Self-made Mab masters the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and the poverty of her East-End London upbringing. And shy local girl Beth is the outsider who trains as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.
 
1947, London.
 
Seven years after they first meet, on the eve of the royal wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, disaster threatens. Osla, Mab and Beth are estranged, their friendship torn apart by secrets and betrayal. Yet now they must race against the clock to crack one final code together, before it’s too late, for them and for their country.

To buy links:

ebook: https://amzn.to/3m2JK13

Hardcover: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn | Waterstones

The Rose Code: Kate Quinn: 9780008455842: hive.co.uk

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Kate Quinn’s latest historical novel: The Rose Code.

The Rose Code is my first read by author Kate Quinn. From the intensive research the author made to the detailed descriptions of the era and to the myriad of characters I appreciated every single step the author took to create this wonderful book. A book that is based on the real day to day life of workers at Bletchley Park during WWII. There are moments in the story that I felt like I was reading a true account of the lives and loves surrounding the people of Bletchley Park, it did feel like a memoir as it was so atmospheric. My husband witnessed my verbal gasps of admiration for this novel many a time especially as the intensity grew my eagerness to reach a conclusion was paramount!

The Rose Code is a story of three very different young women who found themselves signing an oath of secrecy as they commenced working for the government in the non descript huts at Bletchley Park. No training was given as they were all stepping into unknown territory and they learned as they worked their minds through codes, sequences, wires until they clicked into place revealing secret strategic information from the enemy. These codes could take weeks and even months to break but the workers were so committed to the task their whole lives soon revolved around Bletchley Park. A community of unique, sometimes reclusive, highly intelligent individuals all working together to form a team of silent, invisible workers helping with the war effort.

“Being clever doesn’t exempt me from danger.”

As the war progressed life intensified for our three friends but when a night like no other turns to questions of trust, inquisition and betrayal the lives of these women will never be the same again.

The story travels back and forth to their time at Bletchley Park and to 1947 to the forthcoming marriage of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip. 1947 is also just over 3 years since the girls last saw and spoke to each other. When one of them out of the blue breaks their silence the other two questions whether they can step back into a time that consumed their lives.

As the story picks up pace the reader is left on tenterhooks with a time limit in place for the mystery to be solved and for one of the friends life to be saved.

Kate Quinn has given us a glimpse into another world and to a different side to WWII, these remarkable invisible heroes with their team effort were to save many lives. The author treated the reader to a roller coaster of emotions and I struggled to contain my feelings a time or two. Life during conflict is hard, cruel and so unjust but love still found a way into people’s hearts. A historical fiction that had it all drama, intrigue, tragedy, danger and romance.

About the Author

Kate Quinn is a native of southern California. She attended Boston University, where she
earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. A lifelong history buff, she has
written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance
detailing the early years of the infamous Borgia clan. All have been translated into multiple
languages. She and her husband now live in Maryland with two black dogs named Caesar
and Calpurnia.

Website: Kate Quinn – Author of Historical Fiction

Twitter: @KateQuinnAuthor

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The Warrior’s Innocent Captive by Ella Matthews @ellamattauthor @MillsandBoon @rararesources #HistoricalRomance #bookreview #blogblitz

The Warrior’s Innocent Captive written by Ella Matthews, publisher Mills & Boon, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

Book Blurb

An impossible choice:

His family or love

As steward to the Earl of Borwyn, Erik Ward had only admired sheltered noblewoman Linota Leofric from afar – until he has to escort her on a dangerous journey. When she’s kidnapped, he rescues the courageous beauty, revelling in finally having her in his arms. But Erik has a secret plan to reunite his family – now he’s forced to choose between that and his growing feelings for Linota…

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Warriors-Innocent-Captive-Historical-Leofric-ebook/dp/B08HPGSM19

US – https://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Innocent-Captive-Historical-Leofric-ebook/dp/B08HPGSM19

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I am so pleased to be involved in the blog blitz celebrating and promoting the launch of book three in The House of Leofric trilogy. I really enjoyed returning to Medieval England and to a world of castles, noblemen, warriors and wars of land and propriety. You can find my review for Book Two in the series here Under the Warrior’s Protection by Ella Matthews @ellamattauthor @MillsandBoon @rararesources #blogtour #bookreview #historicalromance | kraftireader (wordpress.com)

Book Three, The Warrior’s Innocent Captive, focuses on the younger Leofric sibling, Linota, a young woman along with her older sister that was badly treated most of their lives. Now free of the confines of home the girls are on their way to live with their older brother and his new wife.

Erik Ward is one of the warriors that has been tasked to escort the sisters on their arduous journey to their new home. Erik can’t ignore the beauty of Linota and understands with his upbringing he can only be friends with this young woman but this does not stop him desiring of more.

When Linota’s life is put in danger Erik races to her rescue but finds himself faced with a dilemma of the heart with a glimmer of hope from his past causing him to betray what he now holds dear. Can Erik keep both his past and present safe from any danger?

The Warrior’s Innocent Captive can easily be read as a standalone novel but it was interesting to learn of Linota’s journey to freedom and happiness. I would therefore, highly recommend reading all the books in the series to fully appreciate the history with the continuing storyline and characters.

Ella Matthews has created a gorgeous medieval romance that is filled with danger, lessons from the past and passions of the heart.

Author Bio – Ella Matthews lives and works in beautiful South Wales. When not thinking about handsome heroes she can be found walking along the coast with her husband and their two children (probably still thinking about heroes but at least pretending to be interested in everyone else).

Social Media Links –

Twitter: @ellamattauthor

Website: www.ellamatthews.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/ella.matthews.524381

The Spirit of the Horse by Pam Billinge @pam_billinge @Blackbird_Bks #blogtour #bookreview #equine #therapy

The Spirit of the Horse written by Pam Billinge, publisher Blackbird Digital Books, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

Book Blurb

When Pam follows her dream to a farmhouse with five acres in northern France, she is able to live alongside her horses for the first time. Here, in the heart of nature, deeper insights are revealed into the healing connection between horse and human and the incredible power of presence to transform. Might it be that learning to honour and communicate with another species helps us to reframe the way we perceive each other, as well as how we might see ourselves? A pioneer in embodied horse-led therapy and leadership development, Pam’s story is interwoven with those of inspiring individuals and groups she has supported: from people experiencing relationship breakdown to large organisations looking for culture change; from the bereaved or lonely to the confused wishing to explore what next. Steeped in simple wisdom, the stories offer the reader a pragmatic, mindful template for personal transformation. ‘It is with grace that horses lead us gently to a place where forgiveness is possible and self-compassion takes the place of contempt. They draw us into a non-linear dimension where we can sink into the infinity of the moment and know deep peace and harmony.’ – Pam Billinge

To buy links

The paperback is £9.99 and available to order from Waterstones, all good bookshops and the usual online platforms. smarturl.it/spiritwaterstones

The ebook is £3.99 and available on:

Amazon  smarturl.it/spirithorse

iBooks  https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1550335216 [US link..]

Kobo  https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-spirit-of-the-horse

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Pam Billinge latest book: The Spirit of the Horse.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I was approached to read Pam Billinge The Spirit of the Horse. I’m not a lover of horses in general but I appreciate their beauty. However, this is not a book about horses, far from it. It’s a book that opens your eyes, heart and mind giving us the insight of recognition why people react with situations, themselves and to others. Also it’s about how animals pick up on our emotions and how they can change feelings and atmospheres around us.

As an animal lover I understand how having a pet in your life can bring lightness, companionship and contentment. What Pam Billinge shows us is that there is an animal that can do all this and more and that is the horse. A humble animal that for centuries was used as a tool to move objects and transport people but now Pam with her expertise and patience brings to light a remarkable quality of the horse.

The Spirit of the Horse is a memoir of Pam’s plight to have her own equine centre for not only herself to appreciate these wonderful creatures but a centre to invite others to learn from the horses spirit and intelligence. This book journeys through years of struggle for the author to achieve her goal and she also talks through many and varied case files as a therapist she has witnessed.

I found myself thoroughly enraptured by this book and know I will pick it up often and re-read through a few cases when I feel my heart and mind needs a lift.

Pam Billinge has written an insightful, inspiriting, comforting and hopeful book.

I’d like to thank the publishers for bringing this book to my attention.

About the Author

Pam Billinge is a therapist, coach and author who specialises
in embodied horse-led learning. This unique approach relies
entirely on the emergent relational process between horse
and human. At her bases in the UK and in France, Pam
supports people of all nationalities, ages and walks of life with
their personal and professional development. Through her
workshops and her writing Pam wishes to share the healing
wisdom of horses whilst advancing the cause of this
sometimes much-misunderstood species. She hopes also
through her work to reconnect us with the natural world from
which we are too often separated.
.
Website: Pam Billinge- Be the person you want to be – Horse-led coaching, therapy, retreats and practitioner development

Twitter: @pam_billinge

Facebook: The Spell of the Horse | Facebook

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A Mother Forever by Elaine Everest @ElaineEverest @ed_pr @panmacmillan #bookreview #familysaga #amotherforever

A Mother Forever written by Elaine Everest, publisher Pan, is available NOW in ebook, hardcover, audiobook and now paperback format.

Book Blurb

1905: Ruby Caselton may only be twenty-five years old but she already has the weight of the world on her shoulders. Heavily pregnant with her second child, penniless and exhausted, she is moving her family into a new home. The Caseltons left their last place when they couldn’t pay the rent, but Ruby’s husband Eddie has promised this will be a fresh start for them all. And Ruby desperately hopes that this time he will keep his word.

With five-year-old George at her feet and her mother having a cross word for everyone and everything, life is never dull at number thirteen Alexandra Road. It doesn’t take long before Eddie loses another job and once again hits the bottle. It’s up to Ruby to hold them all together, through thick and thin. She remembers the kind, caring man Eddie once was and just can’t give up on him entirely. What she doesn’t know is that Eddie has a secret, one so dark that he can’t bear to tell even Ruby . . .

Through Ruby’s grit and determination, she keeps food on the table and finds herself a community of neighbours on Alexandra Road. Stella, the matriarch from across the way, soon becomes a friend and confidante. She even dreams that Ruby will ditch the useless Eddie and take up with her eldest son, Frank. But when war breaks out in 1914, the heartbreaks and losses that follow will fracture their community, driving both Stella and Ruby to breaking point. Will their men ever return to them?

To buy links:

ebook: https://amzn.to/3en3GK5

Waterstones: A Mother Forever by Elaine Everest | Waterstones

Hive: A Mother Forever: Elaine Everest: 9781529015966: hive.co.uk

REVIEW

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I adored this story by Elaine Everest, no matter what tragic historical events are thrown into the author’s storylines she still manages to instil a lovely warmth and cosiness for the reader’s experience.

If you’ve fell in love with Elaine Everest’s The Woolworth Girls series you will know of Ruby Caselton the stalwart figure of Alexandra Road. A Mother Forever is Ruby’s story set a couple of decades before she became a grandmother, friend and confidante to many in Erith.

It’s 1905 and young Ruby hasn’t had it easy so far in life, she fell hopelessly in love with Eddie Caselton and now has a 5 year old boy, George, with another baby on the way. Hoping this is her last move of many as Ruby moves into Alexandra Road but life soon takes a tragic turn or two and Ruby learns who she can rely on. The last few years married to Eddie has proved challenging at times and they have had to flee the rent man often and her husband has gone back on his promises. The new start on Alexandra Road sends many obstacles for this young couple. Torn between the love of a once good man Ruby is left with a battered heart and struggling to keep life as normal as possible for her young family.

As the years go by the uncertainty of war looms and the menfolk are volunteering in their droves for the frontline leaving family, friends and love ones at a loss and anxious for their safety. There is a role reversal between the men and women as jobs at home need to be fulfilled.

Elaine Everest has given us another wornderful family saga that can easily be read as a standalone but if you have read her previous work you will love this prequel and glimpse into Ruby’s life. I particularly enjoyed how the author incorporated so many historical events into the storying bringing to life an era that we have only read about. There was also a real sense of time and place and the emotional atmosphere felt very poignant. I also appreciated catching sight of characters that Ruby met briefly in her twenties and thirties that later on were to play a prominent role in her life.

Ruby’s is a beautiful, tragic love story with Eddie. At times you couldn’t bear the heartache and anguish she endured but at others it was just so wonderfully romantic that they were like your ‘Hollywood-esque’ tragic couple that had so many wrong junctions in life but the roads always went back to them.

Family saga at it’s best.

About the Author

Elaine Everest is from North West Kent and she grew up listening to stories of the war years in her home town of Erith, which features in her bestselling Woolworths Girls series. A former journalist, and author of nonfiction books for dog owners, Elaine has written over sixty short stories for the women’s magazine market.
When she isn’t writing, Elaine runs The Write Place creative writing school in Hextable, Kent. She lives with her husband, Michael and sheepdog Henry. You can find out more about Elaine on Twitter @ElaineEverest or Facebook /elaine.everest

What the World Needs Now: Bees by Cheryl Rosebush @cherylrosebush @freshly_press @lovebooksgroup #lovebookstours

What the World Needs Now: Bees written and self-published by Cheryl Rosebush, illustrated by Zuzana Svobodova, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

Book Blurb 

Inside the sprawling forests of Ontario, Canada lives a  friendly black bear named Melly. One of Melly’s favourite  things to do is EAT! And many of the delicious fruits she  snacks on wouldn’t grow without the help of some very  important little forest creatures. 

What the World Needs Now: Bees! explores the vital role  busy, busy bees play in helping plants to grow the food  people and animals love to eat.

Purchase Link: Environmental Kids – UK

Note from the Author:

As you might have seen on IG, our UK Shopify online store is now open for business: www.Environmentalkids.co.uk.  We are really proud of our set up in the UK. All books in the series are printed in and shipped from the UK, which means we can pass along shipping savings to the customer, and the books have the lowest carbon footprint possible.

100% recycled paper, biodegradable lamination, vegetable-based inks and carbon-balanced printing we use, and now more than ever, these are books you can feel REALLY good about buying.

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I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Chery Rosebush latest novel: What the World Needs Now: Bees. This is my first introduction to the work of both the author, Cheryl Rosebush and the artist, Zuzana Svobodova and I can honestly say my eyes, mind and heart have been opened to the beauty of the words and images and I will definitely be purchasing all the books in the What the World Needs Now series.

A delightful picture book with an important message. Author Cheryl Rosebush has written a lovely, very child friendly informative story about the importance of bees. Paired with the enchanting illustrations of artist Zuzana Svobodova I can totally imagine that What the World Needs Now: Bees becoming a firm favourite for reading time. With a few activities included in the storyline this little book could become a great starting point for a classroom discussion on plants, pollination and food sources for all living creatures on planet earth.

I also appreciated learning about the different species of bees at the end of the story.

Overall this book is bright, eye catching with it’s charming illustrations and very thought provoking for young minds to easily understand a little creature that has such a huge responsibility.

About the Author

I was born and raised in Southern Ontario, Canada in the cities of Burlington and St. Catharines. Long before the internet and mobile phones (now I’m aging myself!), my childhood was spent in forests and parks, on bike rides, and playing hide and seek until the streetlights came on. My family did comical Griswold-style road trips in wood-paneled station wagons. We spent summers swimming in friends’ backyards. These are my very fortunate roots.

I knew from an early age that my destiny would take me far from Southern Ontario. I graduated high school and moved to Montreal to study international politics at McGill University. The subject fascinated me, but as graduation approached, I realized I didn’t know what I wanted to do with a degree in international politics. I didn’t want to become a lawyer. I didn’t want to become a politician or civil servant. The media industry, on the other hand, intrigued me. 

The West Coast of Canada also intrigued me. So, after graduating McGill, I packed up again, moved to Vancouver and took the first media job I could get at a local Top 40 radio station (Z.95.3) in Vancouver. Best job. Great bosses. I learned so much. But after a couple of years there, the winds of change came calling again. 

September 11, 2001. In a heartbeat, Z95.3 went from playing Britney Spears to reporting up-to-the-minute information on the local, national and international fallout of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. In that moment, I knew I had found my calling. I wanted to do something that was needed on a good day, and needed even more on a bad day. I wanted to become a full-time journalist. 

So, I packed my bags again (a running theme in my life), and moved to Ottawa, Ontario to do my Masters of Journalism. Another incredible two years culminated in me getting a research internship with the Canadian Broadcast Corporation (CBC) in London, England. That position helped me land back in Montreal for a second chapter there as local news reporter for the CBC. While I was there, I wore just about every hat you could in CBC’s radio and TV newsrooms. Depending on the day, I was a researcher, producer, reporter, or online writer. I even filled in for the weather reports every once in a while.

https://www.cherylrosebush.com/

Twitter: @cherylrosebush

Instagram: @environmentalkidsbooks

Mrs Boots Goes to War by Deborah Carr @DebsCarr #bookreview #historicalfiction @0neMoreChapter

Mrs Boots Goes to War written by Deborah Carr, publisher One More Chapter, is available NOW in ebook format. The paperback is due out in May.

Book Blurb

The world is at war and her country needs her

When Florence’s son, John, announces that he has enlisted, she is horrified but determined to hold her family together during the oncoming hardships they are to face.

Men are returning to England wounded, with many more not returning at all, families are struggling, and Florence’s ‘Dear Girls’ are risking their lives in new and dangerous jobs. Florence might be older now, but she has no intention of sitting back on her laurels while others fight for King and Country. She knows what needs to be done…

Purchase link: https://amzn.to/3kMGDcC

REVIEW

Mrs Boots Goes to War is Book 3 in a trilogy based on the true story of the woman behind the Boots empire. A wife and now mother giving support to her husband, Jesse Boot, the owner of the stalwart high street pharmaceutical company Boots. I first became captivated by this story almost a year ago with Book One, Mrs Boots, you can find my review here https://kraftireader.wordpress.com/2020/03/23/mrs-boots-by-deborah-carr-debscarr-bookreview-historicalfiction-0nemorechapter/ and the story continued with Book Two, Mrs Boots of Pelham Street, you can find my review here https://kraftireader.wordpress.com/2020/05/18/mrs-boots-of-pelham-street-by-deborah-carr-debscarr-bookreview-historicalfiction-0nemorechapter/. I would highly recommend reading the books in order to fully appreciate the history of the characters and storyline.

Once again Deborah Carr has taken me back in time to just before WWI, a time when Florence and Jesse Boot were enjoying the success of their company with expanding factories and shops throughout the country. Their three children had grown and were making their own marks on the world. However, as the uncertainty of war approached life for many would never be the same. This included Florence and Jesse whose own children felt compelled to help with the war effort leaving an anxiety that no parent should ever have to face. The Boots company too was everchanging during the war with staff too wanting to leave and join up and many of the female workers were also leaving to work in the ammunitions factories. Both Florence and Jesse desperately wanted Boots the company to have a big impact of helping with the war effort and the couple never gave up with the ideas and innovations to offering lifesaving medical equipment and drugs to those on the frontline. They also never forgot about those families, friends and loved ones left behind and had a huge compassion to bringing comfort as and when needed. As time went on the plight of wounded soldiers returning to Britain without employment was another of the couples concerns.

The ongoing challenges Florence Boot faced both personally and professionally were enough to bring anyone down but Florence never gave up and her ethos throughout her life was inspirational.

Deborah Carr managed to capture the emotional trauma of life during conflict, at times I was filled with anguish and sorrow and the dread of the Telegram Boy was evident. However, this is not a story full of doom and gloom this is a story bringing to light a remarkable woman who refused to let others dispel her dreams of a better life for all. I was captivated and invested in the love story behind Florence and Jesse Boot but I was also immersed to the historical aspect of the storyline. I’m sad to come to the end of the trilogy I’d like to thank Deborah Carr for bringing Mrs Boot to life and giving me a thirst to learn more about the people behind this iconic empire that is Boots. Poignant, emotive and inspiring.

About the Author

USA TODAY best-selling author of The Poppy Field
Publisher: HarperCollins, One More Chapter
Deborah Carr lives on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands with her husband and three rescue dogs. She was described as ‘One to Watch’ by Good Housekeeping magazine for her debut historical romance, Broken Faces. Her book The Poppy Field, published by HarperCollins’ One More Chapter imprint to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War, was a USA TODAY best-seller.
The first book in her new Mrs Boots series, Mrs Boots, Book 1 is out on 27 March 2020 with Book 2, Mrs Boots of Pelham Street, being published in May.
Deborah is one third of The Blonde Plotters and Co-Founder of multi-award-winning tech start-up MyVLF.com – the first global virtual literary festival venue platform developed to connect readers and authors.

Follow Deborah:
Website: http://www.deborahcarr.org
Twitter: @DebsCarr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeborahCarrAuthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/deborahcarr/