Spare & Found Parts                                                                                            by Sarah Maria Griffin 

What did I love about Spare & Found Parts? Let me count the ways...

Nell 
Nell is an incredible protagonist. She is beautiful, she is strong and in the face of fear and ignorance she shines so brightly. From the first page her emotions became my emotions. She grabbed me by the hand and didn't just pull me into her story but made my heart beat in time with hers. I saw Black Water City through her eyes and it was honest and terrifying. She made me care. 

Nell may seem lost, she is an outsider, she is in her mother's shadow, terrified of her father and grandmother's reactions to her choices, eclipsed by her vivacious best friend Ruby, tentative in rebuffing Oliver's advances but... BUT she is in truth an incredibly strong young woman. Despite the world she lives in, despite the expectations of the people around her, despite the constant onslaught of assumption and demands from Oliver, she rises above it all and shows herself and everyone around her that she is Nell, and being her amazing, unique self is all that she needs to be.

The writing
This story is so beautifully written. It's lyrical. The words dance across the page and into your heart. It's honest. Nell isn't perfect and sometimes reacted in ways that made me flinch, but that's the truth of humanity. We aren't perfect. We make mistakes. We hurt and lash out. We simply are. None of the ugliness is hidden, but is instead a piece of the puzzle, a fragment of what makes us who we are. The writing is enchanting and undeniably brilliant.

The setting
Nell's world is a post apocalyptic one. The city she lives in, Black Water City, has been devastated by an epidemic. Survivors are all missing parts. Her father creates biomechanical limbs that everyone uses. The stark, brutal picture painted of a society living in fear of the past, where everyone has to prove their worth, where suspicion and foreboding are rife is harrowing and yet the perfect backdrop for this story.

Character development
Nell took me through every range of emotions as she went from lost to soaring.
Oliver, oh Oliver, despite my loathing for his obsession with Nell, he remained a constant throughout. Even when he was terrified by Nell's choices, he remained on her side, on the city's side, on the side of truth... and maybe, slightly redeemed himself in the end??? 
Ruby, the confident, vivacious best friend who struggled to see Nell's true self, but undoubtedly loved her throughout. 
Her grandmother, lost in the past, in tradition, in the done thing, but who is formidable and true. 
The parents, Julian and Cora, obsessed, lost in their own glory... 
Io, a mechanical man, a computer brought to life, with emotions, the capacity to think for himself and the ability to make the reader love him. 
All the characters have their part to play, their piece of the puzzle that fits into Nell's life and their performances are perfect. 

Spare & Found Parts is an unusual story, but one that I fell in love with straight away.  A wonderful, terrifying, exciting, captivating book whose main character will stay with me forever. My words cannot possible do this story justice, please read it for yourself

Thank you to Titan Books for sending me this glorious book. 

                           Christmas at Woolworths Blog Tour

I am delighted to be involved in the Christmas at Woolworths blog tour and very excited to say that by reading my review copy in the staff room at work, two colleagues have already said that they are ordering copies for family as Christmas presents!

                                                                         Summary:

Even though there was a war on, the Woolworths girls brought Christmas cheer to their customers.

Best friends Sarah, Maisie and Freda are brought together by their jobs at Woolworths. With their loved ones away on the front line, their bonds of friendship strengthen each day. Betty Billington is the manager at Woolworths, and a rock for the girls, having given up on love . . . Until a mysterious stranger turns up one day – could he reignite a spark in Betty?

As the year draws to a close, and Christmas approaches, the girls must rely on each other to navigate the dark days that lie ahead . . .

With so much change, can their friendship survive?

                                                                         Review:

Christmas at Woolworths is the second book in the series, not having read the first one didn't affect my enjoyment of the book in the least.

The characters all come to life right from the beginning and I cared about their stories, their safety and their friendships. Freda is so feisty and REAL! She is my favourite character and the one I identified with. Each character is very different, and brings their distinctive personality to the story. And the supporting cast are incredibly strong too!

The work women did during WWII was incredible, and beautifully illustrated in this tale. Touched upon is the effect the brutality of the war had on the soldiers on the front line, but this is mainly a story of survival, of honesty, of refusing to be beaten and of taking care of those around you.

A wonderful, heartwarming book that will make you shed a tear but ultimately make you smile and restore your faith in humanity.

I am looking forward to reading The Woolworth Girls and Wartime at Woolworths ( which is published April 2018 )

                                                           Information about the Book

                                                        Title: Christmas at Woolworths
                                                             Author: Elaine Everest                                                                                                                               Genre: Historical Saga
                                                            Publisher: Pan Macmillan
                                                                Format: Paperback
                                                     Release Date: 2nd November 2017

goodreads link

amazon link

                                                               Author Information


Elaine Everest, author of Bestselling novel The Woolworths Girls and The Butlins Girls was born and brought up in North West Kent, where many of her books are set. She has been a freelance writer for twenty years and has written widely for women's magazines and national newspapers, with both short stories and features. Her non-fiction books for dog owners have been very popular and led to broadcasting on radio about our four legged friends. Elaine has been heard discussing many topics on radio from canine subjects to living with a husband under her feet when redundancy looms.


When she isn't writing, Elaine runs The Write Place creative writing school at The Howard Venue in Hextable, Kent and has a long list of published students.


Elaine lives with her husband, Michael, and their Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Henry, in Swanley, Kent and is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Crime Writers Association, The Society of Women Writers & Journalists and The Society of Authors as well as Slimming World where she can been sitting in the naughty corner.

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Introducing: Have It, Haven't Read It Yet Tote Bag



More info and buying link

Faye Rogers ( super awesome person who I adore ) has launched something very exciting!
Check out the amazing tote bag pictured above! 
These are available until 29th October 2017.
After that date, this bag will no longer be available to purchase meaning this bag will be totally exclusive!

However, the bag also has not yet been created. Because I want to make sure that this will work and not fail, I will only be creating this bag if I reach a minimum number of sales. So if you’re REALLY excited for this bag and want to make sure that you get one, make sure to spread the news that it’s available to buy!

So while the button below does say “Buy Now”, what you’re actually doing is pre-ordering the bag. It will then be sent to your address after the 29th October 2017.

You will get a FULL REFUND if the bag does not get made.

I will also let you know if we’re nearing the date and we’re close but not quite at minimum. I will also advise you as soon as the bag is definitely, 100% going to be made!

More info and buying link

                                   Stories for Homes volume 2
                                                  Blog Tour 

Today is my stop on the Stories for  Homes Volume 2 Blog Tour! A fantastic compilation of short stories that are not only a brilliant read, but also are helping to raise money for a worthy cause.

                       Published and unpublished writers come together to create an anthology 
                                                of stories about what ‘home’ means.

55 writers are included in a second charity anthology that brings issues around housing, poverty and crisis to life through the power of storytelling. Volume One of the Stories for Homes Project raised over £3K for housing charity Shelter and raised awareness of housing issues. Volume Two of the anthology includes stories, poems and flash fiction and again all proceeds will be donated to the charity.

                                                                  Review

What does home mean to you? Is it a place or is it the people you are with? What if you didn't have a home or it was taken from you? This collection of stories will entertain, will make you think and a few will make you cry.
So please, purchase a copy, enjoy the stories and help to give shelter to those in need.

I thought I would share a few of my favourite stories from the book.

Maude's Bungalow - A story of an elderly woman who is a hoarder. When the council come to clear her home they find a surprise!

How Wonderful You Are -  A husband revisits some wonderful places full of precious memories.

Straw Houses - This is a genius twist on the tale of the Three Little Pigs.

Day 89 - You'll need a box of tissues when you read this one, a beautifully written and painfully honest glimpse into the life of a refugee.

It Was Only A Patch On The Wall - The vicious cycle of poverty and the heartbreak it causes.

The Tablecloth - A poignant story of abandonment, foster care and triumph.

And my absolute favourite
Safi - a heartwarming story of a young refugee who faces the unforgiving world around him with courage and hope.

Information about the Book
Name: Stories for Homes volume 2
Release Date: 28th September 2017
In Support of: Shelter Charity
In Response to: Grenfell Tower
Format: Ebook
http://storiesforhomes.wordpress.com

Amazon

                                                            Praise for the Book

     Emma Darwin, author of The Mathematics of Love, commented on the quality of writing in the anthology as: “A cornucopia of witty, tragic, elegant, raw, heart-warming and terrifying stories that take the idea of Home, play with it as only truly talented writers can, and all to help those who have no home at all."


    Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat, said: “Stories give our imaginations a home. It's good to see them helping to give people shelter in the real world, too...” reflecting the connection between the immediacy of housing crisis and the stories people tell about their lives around and within it.


    Sally Swingewood, who also edited the collections, commented: “The Stories for Homes collections would not be possible without the generosity of a huge number of volunteers. By working together we have produced a book which will not only delight but also help address one of the biggest humanitarian crises facing modern society. In a world where migration, identity and belonging are in the news daily we have a duty to help everyone have a home in which they feel safe and settled. Stories for Homes is one way we can be part of the solution”

                             The Salvation Project 
                                 by Steward Ross

Check out this awesome cover folks!!! 

The Salvation Project (The Soterion Mission #3) is published on June 20th 2017 by Blean Books and I for one can't wait to get my hands on a copy!! 

Summary:
Humanity’s hope of salvation lies within a single laptop…


A mutation in human DNA means no one lives beyond nineteen. Scientists working to reverse this pandemic died before their Salvation Project was complete, leaving behind the results of their research in a sealed vault – the Soterion.


122 years have passed. The civilisation of the ‘Long Dead’ is almost forgotten, the Soterion has been burned to ashes, and communities of Constants are tormented by brutal tribes of Zeds. Cyrus, Miouda and Sammy flee their burning city with a laptop rescued from the inferno. They believe it contains the key to the Salvation Project. But its batteries are dead, there is no electricity to power it, and murderous Zeds will stop at nothing to get it back…

goodreads

Information about the Book

Title: The Salvation Project (The Soterion Mission #3)
Author: Stewart Ross
http://www.stewartross.com/
Twitter
Release Date: 20th June 2017
Genre: Dystopian YA
Publisher: Blean Books
Format: Paperback

                                       Dreaming of Venice 

                                              by T.A.Williams

Today is my stop on the Dreaming of Venice blog tour and it is my pleasure to tell you about a wonderful, romantic story that will melt your heart. 

                                                                      Summary
Find love, friendship and prosecco – in the magical city of Venice.

Life is tough for Penny. A dead end job in a London café, a boyfriend in Australia (what could go wrong?) and an art career going nowhere. But then Penny is approached with an extraordinary proposition.

It isn’t going to be easy but, if she can pull it off, she will turn her life around and at long last see the fulfilment of her dream – to visit Venice. And, just maybe, find true happiness with the handsome man of her dreams.

But can dreams come true?

                                                                      My Review

This is the first T.A Williams book I have read, and it won't be my last. It was such a lovely read! The main character Penny is so incredibly likeable, I found myself rooting for her from the word go.

The gorgeous descriptions of Venice heightened my desire to visit the beautiful city, although I do feel like I've managed a brief visit with Penny.  I loved her friendships with Olivia, Caroline and Jimmy. and the romance?... be still my beating heart! 

What I really enjoyed about Dreaming of Venice is how charming it was, how quickly it captivated me and how it made me desperate to know what would happen next. 

A fantastic read, one to make you smile and swoon! 

Information about the Book

Title: Dreaming of Venice
Author: T. A. Williams
Release Date: 24th April 2017
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Canelo

Format: Ebook 

Goodreads

Amazon

                                                             Author Information


My name is Trevor Williams. I write under the androgynous name T A Williams because 65% of books are read by women. In my first book, "Dirty Minds" one of the (female) characters suggests the imbalance is due to the fact that men spend too much time getting drunk and watching football. I couldn't possibly comment. Ask my wife...
My background, before taking up writing full time, was in teaching and I was principal of a big English language school for many years. This involved me in travelling all over the world and my love of foreign parts is easy to find in my books. I speak a few languages and my Italian wife and I still speak Italian together.
I've written all sorts: thrillers, historical novels, short stories and now I'm enjoying myself hugely writing humour and romance. My most recent books are the What happens… series. What happens in Tuscany reached #1 in the Amazon.uk Romantic Comedy chart and What Happens on the Beach, the last in the series, came out in July. Chasing Shadows is still romance, but with the added spice of a liberal helping of medieval history, one of my pet hobbies. I do a lot of cycling and I rode all the way to Santiago de Compostela on a bike a few years back. This provided both the inspiration and the background research for Chasing Shadows.
I’m originally from Exeter, and I’ve lived all over Europe, but now I live in a little village in sleepy Devon, tucked away down here in south west England. I love the place.

                             Greatest Hits by Laura Barnett 

Greatest Hits is a biography of the fictional singer songwriter Cass Wheeler, it charts her highs and lows and through the lyrics of her songs, takes the reader on the journey that has been her life so far.

Laura Barnett is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors. Her debut novel The Versions of Us was a superb masterpiece, so when I was sent an arc of Greatest Hits I was both extremely excited, and a little nervous. Eva ( The Versions of Us ) is one of my favourite fictional characters, she made me love her from the first page, and with every chapter of her story I cared more and more, could Cass ( Greatest Hits ) do the same? 


Cass Wheeler - a British singer-songwriter, hugely successful since the early 70s, whose sudden disappearance from the music world three decades later has been the subject of intense speculation among her fans - is in the studio that adjoins her home, taking a journey back into her past. Her task is to choose sixteen songs from among the hundreds she has written since her early teens, for a uniquely personal Greatest Hits record, describing the arc of her life through song.

It has been over a decade since Cass last put out an album; ten years since a tragedy catapulted her into a breakdown. In the course of this one day - both ordinary and extraordinary - each song Cass plays sets off a chain of memories, leading us deep into her past, and into the creative impulse that has underpinned her work.

This is the story of a life - the highs and lows, love and separation, success and failure. Of what it is to live a fulfilled life, and how to make peace with our mistakes.

I was wrong to be worried, Cass jumped off the page, grabbed me by the hand and pulled me heart and soul into her story. I laughed, cringed, gasped in both awe and horror and cried my eyes out. I had a VERY embarrassing moment when I burst into tears whilst reading in the staff room of a school. Trust me to come across the most heartbreaking moment of the entire story when I was in public! 

Each chapter begins with one of Cass' songs and as it plays an avalanche of memories flood Cass' mind. We follow Cass through the years, from restless and creative child to rebellious teenager. From young, talented and in love to successful artist and survivor. Each stage of her life, each chapter of memories exposing the deepest thoughts, hopes, dreams and fears of the person behind the celebrity. 

Certain aspects of the story touched me deeply, her daughter's story especially was a little too close to home and the emotions were overwhelming. And akin to catharsis in a Greek tragedy, my time with Cass took me on an emotionally charged journey, one that ended with me smiling, feeling renewed, faith in humanity and life restored.

Laura Barnett has collaborated with singer songwriter Kathryn Williams on the lyrics and I cannot wait to hear the melodies that accompany the verses of Cass' life and ( insert a loud and giddy squeeeeeee ) there will be a collaborative tour, author and singer, that as you can probably guess, I am incredibly excited about it! 

I absolutely adored Greatest Hits. Sublime storytelling that will shatter your heart. A gloriously wonderful book! 

Greatest Hits
author: Laura Barnett
publisher: W & N
publication date: June 15th 2017
isbn: 9781474600200
Goodreads
Waterstones
WHSmith


I received a copy of Greatest Hits in exchange for an honest review.