Book Review: A Rosa for Russell by Pamela Ackerson

 

Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: A Rosa for Russell

Subtitle:

Author: Pamela Ackerson

Genre: Historical Romance

Part of a series? No

Order in series:

Best read after earlier books in series?

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53502934-a-rosa-for-russell

Overall score:

I scored this book 4.5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

We meet Rosa, a nurse in a prison camp during a war between confederates and unionists. Russell is a Scotsman imprisoned in the camp. Despite their differences, Rosa falls for the cheeky prisoner who helps his fellow prisoners by getting into the hospital with injuries and bringing medical potions back with him. Once the war is over, will Russell leave or stay behind?

What I liked about the book:

A gentle love story against the odds. This is a short but full read.

What I didn’t like about the book:

There was nothing to dislike.

My favourite bits in the book:

The book is enjoyable in its entirety.

My least favourite bits in the book:

I enjoyed the entire book.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

This is the first book I’ve read by this author.

What books could this be compared to and why?

This can be compared to other books where opposites attract.

Recommendation:

In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Yes
Adult	Yes

 

If you like to read historical romance, this book may be the book for you.

I’m certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Welcome to Hell on Earth, boys.

 

Andersonville POW camp...

 

He was a Union soldier. She was a Confederate nurse. When Rosa looked into his eyes, she saw pure determination.  He was a fighter and wouldn't let anything keep him down. Rosa could take a few lessons from him.

 

Trapped in desire and drowning in need;

to fall in love with the enemy, there might as well be a mountain between them.

 

Grab your copy today.

About the Author:

International bestsellng author, and time traveling adventurer, Pamela Ackerson was born and raised in Newport, RI where history is a way of life, She lives on the Space Coast of Florida where everyone is encouraged to reach for the stars! She's hop, skip, and jump from Disney World her favorite place for fun-filled imagination and fantasy.

 

For the next few weeks, every Thursday and Friday I will be offering a different ebook FREE on Amazon. www.amazon.com/Pamela-Ackerson/e/B00Q...

Book Review: Nadeem's Journey by Sherine Anniruth

 

Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: Nadeem’s Journey

Subtitle: A Heart Wrenching Story of a Loving Mother Losing Her Son to Cancer

Author: Sherine Anniruth

Genre: Memoir

Part of a series? No

Order in series:

Best read after earlier books in series?

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45833683-nadeem-s-journey

Overall score:

I scored this book 4.5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

In this book, Sherine Anniruth relates the journey her son, and her family went through following the heart-breaking cancer diagnosis. The exact type of cancer he suffered from was initially uncertain and eventually determined as peritoneal mesothelioma. Despite the ruthlessness of the disease, Nadeem remained positive and a pillar of strength. Sherine too maintained her strength throughout.

What I liked about the book:

This is an emotional and life-affirming read.

What I didn’t like about the book:

There was nothing to dislike.

My favourite bits in the book:

The book is enjoyable in its entirety.

My least favourite bits in the book:

The obvious and inescapable outcome of the book.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

This is the only book by this author I’m aware of.

What books could this be compared to and why?

This is a memoir as others in this genre relating the illness of a loved one and subsequent death.

Recommendation:

In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Yes
Adult	Yes

 

If you like to read about courage in the face of adversity, this book may be the book for you.

I’m certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Nadeem’s Journey by Sherine Anniruth is the soulful and bittersweet story of a mother who loses her son.

 

Nadeem was just 25 years old when he died from cancer, but his mother’s determination for his memory to live forever is beautiful and raw. Reading this book really shows what a mother’s love can be, and being a mother myself, I understand how every little memory, laugh, joke, and good time that you had with your child can push you through the day.

 

Sherine is a very strong woman while going through the loss of her precious son. This story absolutely captures Nadeem’s spirit, he was a fun loving and precocious boy who adored his mom, and he turned into a hardworking man that still had his mom by his side.

 

This book will captivate you and wrench your heart. You’ll definitely need to grab some tissues as you read the tender accounts of Sherine’s life with Nadeem, and his last breaths.

 

Interspersed with pictures of Nadeem and his family, you’ll definitely get an idea of how much love was in this family, and how much light he cast on the world.

About the Author:

Sherine is living in Perth Western Australia and emigrated from South Africa .She is a dedicated mum of 3 and works as a Registered nurse.Sherine has written her first book about her eldest son who lost his battle with cancer, followed by The Ultimate Love which describes her journey through grief.

Book Review: Madame Fiocca by Suzy Henderson

 

Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: Madame Fiocca

Subtitle: The Remarkable True WWII Story of Nancy Wake

Author: Suzy Henderson

Genre: Historical Action

Part of a series? No

Order in series:

Best read after earlier books in series?

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48552830-madame-fiocca

Overall score:

I scored this book 4.5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. Although I enjoyed “The Beauty Shop” better, this book is another well-written and action-packed novel.

We meet Nancy Wake as she moves from her native Australia to America, England and eventually France. In France she finds a home, working as a journalist. The story starts just before the second World War and continues through the war. Nancy meets the love of her life, Henri Fiocca and they marry. However, Nancy can’t stand by and do nothing when she notices innocent people being persecuted and eventually needs to escape herself.

Nothing can stop her from returning to the war effort and her beloved Henri.

What I liked about the book:

The book was action-packed and again based on real-life.

What I didn’t like about the book:

There was nothing to dislike.

My favourite bits in the book:

The book is brilliant in its entirety.

My least favourite bits in the book:

It’s difficult to tell you without giving away too much from the story.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

This author has written another book, also around the second World War, “The Beauty Shop”, which is also worth a read.

What books could this be compared to and why?

This book and the previous one are a fabulous mix of fiction interlaced with a big dose of actual history. It fits in well with other books that do the same.

Recommendation:

In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Yes
Adult	Yes

 

If you like romantic war stories based on actual events, this book may be the book for you.

I’m certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

A gripping tale of love and espionage in Occupied France, based on true events.

 

February 1933: When her aunt gifts her two hundred pounds, twenty-year-old Nancy Wake embarks on a world cruise. Afterwards, she becomes a journalist and finds work in Paris. The city is glamorous, brimming with journalists, artists, and refugees.

 

While travelling across Europe on assignments, she catches the eye of wealthy industrialist Henri Fiocca, and destiny intervenes.

 

But as clouds of war swarm over Europe, German troops are on the march. Horrified when she witnesses Nazis whipping Jews on Vienna’s streets, Nancy vows to stop them if she ever has the chance.

 

When Paris falls, an encounter with a British officer draws her into the heart of an escape network. Soon she is caught in a deadly game of espionage.

 

As the iron fist of the enemy tightens, Nancy and Henri face a heart-breaking decision.

 

What happens when doing right is the road to ruin?

 

A must-read gripping adventure based on the true story of Nancy Wake, Gestapo’s most wanted in World War Two France.

About the Author:

The Beauty Shop, my debut novel, was awarded the B.R.A.G. Medallion. It is based on the true story of Sir Archibald McIndoe and the Guinea Pig Club - an exclusive club for RAF pilots and airmen who required plastic surgery as a result of their war injuries and were under the care of this enigmatic New Zealander and pioneering plastic surgeon.

 

My second novel, Madame Fiocca, was released in 2019. Based on a true story, this gripping adventure follows the tempestuous life of Nancy Wake before and during the Second World War.

Spitfire, a short story, was released in 2020 and is set during WW2.

 

To receive all my latest book news, do join the mailing list here: https://suzyhendersonauthor.com/sign-up/

 

I live with my family on the edge of the Lake District, an area that has always inspired me. After a career in healthcare, I studied creative writing and English at The Open University and fell in love with writing. Armed with a pen, a love of reading and a growing obsession with military and aviation history, I slipped seamlessly into writing historical fiction.

 

Please do catch up with me on social media here:

https://twitter.com/Suzy_Henderson

https://www.facebook.com/SuzyHenderso...

Book Review: Run, Amy, Run by Elizabeth Grimes Brown

 

Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: Run, Amy, Run!

Subtitle:

Author: Elizabeth Grimes Brown

Genre: Young Adult

Part of a series? No

Order in series:

Best read after earlier books in series?

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25564798-run-amy-run

Overall score:

I scored this book 4/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

This book tells the harrowing tale of a young abused girl. When her mother sinks into a deep postnatal depression and Amy is left alone at home with her abuser, she has no other choice than to run. While she attempts to find her father in London, she becomes one of the many homeless teenagers and falls into the hands of Clive. Further abuse follows. But will she be able to turn her life around with the help of a young mother?

What I liked about the book:

The genuine feeling this could happen to a young girl like Amy.

What I didn’t like about the book:

The feeling this may happen to so many of the street children.

My favourite bits in the book:

How Amy finds a good friend who wants to help her but she also helps him.

My least favourite bits in the book:

Difficult to say. There was one bit that feels like actual fiction. No disturbance of a burial site like the one mentioned in the book.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I enjoyed this one too.

What books could this be compared to and why?

It’s difficult to know what book to compare this to. The book made me wonder if the author had personal experience of the subject due to the authentic feel to the book.

Recommendation:

In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Yes
Adult	Yes

 

If you like your books dark and action-packed, this book may be the book for you. However, if you have a history of abuse, this book may bring flashbacks to your past.

I’m certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Following a serious incident at her home, fourteen year-old, privately educated Amy Harrington, finds herself fleeing the privilaged life for an unknown, dangerous future on the streets of London.

Meetings with various characters help teach her to survive street life. Some are genuine encounters, people who want to help, while others see her as the vulnerable, young victim she is.

Learning to beg and steal are just some of the new challengers; however, she is to experience much worse that sneaking a carton of milk to stem the hunger pangs, or rattling a cup at a tube station; because when she thinks she has sunk to the bottom, Amy is yet to find herself about to face the abyss.

While enduring the worst horrors of her young life, can an unusual offer from a stranger set her back on recovery?

About the Author:

Book Review: A Call for Brighter Days by Nupur Chowdhury

 

Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: A Call for Brighter Days

Subtitle: (The Aeriel Chronicles #2)

Author: Nupur Chowdhury

Genre: Urban Fantasy Thriller

Part of a series? Yes

Order in series: 2

Best read after earlier books in series? Yes

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57954227-a-call-for-brighter-days

Overall score:

I scored this book 5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

This is the second book in the Aerial Chronicles. As I read the first book in the series quite some time ago, I read that one first to refresh my memory, and I was glad I did.

Just like the first book in the series, this is a great book. We meet up with Ashwin, aka Schwaan, and Ruban again. The unlikely team of Aerial and human work together to defeat the Exiled Aerials on earth and stop the Feather Mafia. And, of course, Ruban’s partner in the IAW knows nothing of Ashwin’s real identity. A real mixture of the fight of good against bad, action-packed and intrigue. I loved the second book as much as the first.

What I liked about the book:

There was a great mixture of action, intrigue, love, and friendship. And the lesson not to judge a book by its cover was included for free.

What I didn’t like about the book:

I really loved the book. There was nothing to dislike.

My favourite bits in the book:

How friends never give up on each other.

My least favourite bits in the book:

The fact the book ended. I would love to find out what’s next in store for Ruban, Ashwin and their friends.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

This is the second book in the series and I feel there will be more to follow.

What books could this be compared to and why?

This fantasy novel is comparable to other books in this genre.

Recommendation:

In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Yes
Adult	Yes

 

If you like your books full of action and with a hint of the paranormal, this book may be the book for you.

I’m certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Tauheen is dead, and her followers have scattered. Some of them are now helping the vicious and deadly feather mafia hunt down their own kind.

 

Aeriels are being branded and killed, their wings hacked off and sold to the highest bidder on the black market.

 

But after a clash between the Aeriels and the mafia leaves hundreds of civilians dead, Ruban and his team must find a way to deal with this new, unfamiliar threat.

 

That might have been easier, if Ashwin wasn’t keeping secrets of his own – alternatingly fighting the mafia and protecting them.

 

As the bodies pile up and the line between ally and enemy gets further blurred, Ruban must make choices and sacrifices that will shape the lives of those he loves, as well as the world around them.

About the Author:

Nupur Chowdhury is the author of The Aeriel Chronicles and The Brightest Trilogy. Apart from novels, she enjoys writing poetry and the occasional short story. She was four when she started writing. Now, over 20 years later, it’s more an addiction than a hobby.

 

Nupur likes coffee, street food, fanfiction, and sleep. She dislikes yogurt, slow internet, unnecessary cliffhangers, and being woken up in the morning.

 

You can find her on Wattpad, Facebook, and Amazon. And if you can’t, it’s probably because she’s busy sleeping.

 

For the latest bookish news, offers, and updates, you can join her mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/gHkO2j

Book Review: Following Shadows by C.R. Eede

 

Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: Following Shadows

Subtitle:

Author: C.R Eede

Genre: Poetry

Part of a series?

Order in series:

Best read after earlier books in series?

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57923960-following-shadows

Overall score:

I scored this book 5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

This is not a book for the faint-hearted. It is a book that gives you the raw emotional feelings of someone who has gone through the depths of depression. Fortunately, she has come out at the other end of it.

The book made me want to wrap up the author in my arms to keep her safe and secure. Worried about her wellbeing and safety. If you are strong enough to read the raw desperation of depression, this is a book to recommend. If you struggle with suicidal thoughts yourself, perhaps it will help, but there is also a chance it will push you over the edge.

The book certainly makes depression more accessible to the masses.

What I liked about the book:

The honesty of the author.

What I didn’t like about the book:

The fact the author had to go through those. It made me so angry to find discrimination is still so very ingrained in society and causing so much pain, depression and risk of loss of life. Be kind to everyone, including yourself.

My favourite bits in the book:

Where the process of writing the book led to seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. A realisation that life is worth living after all.

My least favourite bits in the book:

There was nothing to dislike about the book.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

I believe the author has written another book. This is the first I have read.

What books could this be compared to and why?

I’m not sure there is any book quite like this one. It’s honest, raw, and also with hope for a future.

Recommendation:

In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Maybe
Adult	Yes

 

If you like honesty and poetry, this book may be the book for you.

I’m certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Following Shadows trails my personal experiences with depression through a series of relatable and raw poetic reads written to help those who suffer from depression and those who want to understand it better. This book aims to spread more awareness of just how mind-numbing depression can be and to better educate the vulnerable side of the hidden illness. It is here to offer a comfort blanket to those who feel they may be alone in the internal battle that no one else can see and provide a visualisation of what depression is genuinely like to those who have never had to experience it.

About the Author:

 

 

Book Review: Traitors Beyond Insanity by M.M. Justine

 

Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: Traitors Beyond Insanity

Subtitle: (Traitors Trilogy #3)

Author: M.M. Justine

Genre: Crime/Mystery/Suspense

Part of a series? Yes

Order in series: 3

Best read after earlier books in series? Yes

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44080220-traitors-beyond-insanity

Overall score:

I scored this book 5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

The heroine from the first two books, Martina, continues her fight against Citaraph and the evil they wish to spread. Where she already needed to send her son Joachim to stay with her brother in America to avoid him being injected with Life Vaccine, she now needs to keep her newborn son safe. Despite the danger it brings her, Martina refuses to give up. Instead, she continues to fight to save the human race.

What I liked about the book:

Just like the first two books in the series, I loved the entire book and wonder if any further books will follow. It is an action-packed, pageturning series.

What I didn’t like about the book:

There was nothing to dislike about the book.

My favourite bits in the book:

The never give up attitude of the heroes of the book.

My least favourite bits in the book:

There was nothing to dislike about the book.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

This is the third book in the series and I am sad this is the last in the trilogy. Perhaps the author will rethink and create some further books with these wonderful characters.

What books could this be compared to and why?

This series ranks up high with other suspense and thriller novels.

Recommendation:

In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Yes
Adult	Yes

 

If you like your books dark, action-filled and full of intrigue, this novel may be the book for you.

I’m certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Althonat Global’s, CEO, Dr Martina Strömstedt Edgren discovers a group of corrupt politicians and businessmen have hired a mad scientist to perform grotesque and inhumane experiments on unwilling human test subjects in a bid to push for new controversial regulations in the national healthcare system. At the onset of the controversy, Martina staked her life to save humanity. The battle turns personal, threatening her family.

 

As these foes continue to harass and spy on Martina, she does the same to them, steadily collecting the evidence she needs to expose their misdeeds, including corporate espionage, illegal experimentation, human trafficking and even murder.

 

She discovers a troubling link between a member of the group and her late father. The link leads her to China in a frightful bid to take control of a rival company. In China, the pharmaceutical war turns vicious. Martina is kidnapped.

 

Will Martina save herself? Find out in Traitors Beyond Insanity.

About the Author:

 

 

Book Review: The Algarve Hotel by Charlie Wood

 

Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: The Algarve Hotel

Subtitle: The Return of the Memorabilia Man

Author: Charlie Wood

Genre: Crime Fiction

Part of a series? Yes

Order in series: 2

Best read after earlier books in series? Yes, but can be read as stand-alone

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56402447-the-algarve-hotel

Overall score:

I scored this book 3/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

This book is a good sequel to The Memorabilia Man, the first book in the series. Again, we meet Mike and his brother Dave as they continue their work in the decorating business. They also look into reforming their band from years ago. More intrigue and danger follow them while they work on the interior design for a hotel to be built in the Algarve.

What I liked about the book:

The book continues as the first in this series. It’s action-packed and difficult to put down.

What I didn’t like about the book:

The book was enjoyable in its entirety despite the odd grammatical error.

My favourite bits in the book:

How we are left to decide for ourselves whether the baddies are really baddies.

My least favourite bits in the book:

The book was enjoyable in its entirety.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

This is the second book in the series. More may follow.

What books could this be compared to and why?

It is difficult to compare this book to any other than the first in the series.

Recommendation:

In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Possibly
Adult	Yes

 

If you like action and crime stories, this book may be the book for you.

I’m certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Mike Bradley is trying to get his life back by taking his family on holiday. Things are seldom as they appear and events quickly change when he meets up with an old accomplice.

About the Author: