Book Review: From My Cold Dead Hands by Hilly Barmby

 Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: From My Cold Dead Hands

Subtitle:

Author: Hilly Barmby

Genre: Women’s Fiction/Psychological Thriller

Part of a series?

Order in series:

Best read after earlier books in series?

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61370738-from-my-cold-dead-hands

Overall score:

I scored this book 5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

Waking up in an Atlanta hospital following a serious car accident resulting in a head injury, she doesn’t know who she is. You doesn’t remember her name or her family. Slowly memories return, but they don’t appear to be her own. When a body is found and attacks are made on her life, the mystery increases.

What I liked about the book:

It was action-filled, full of intrigue, with a twist towards the end.

What I didn’t like about the book:

I enjoyed the entire book.

My favourite bits in the book:

The book was very enjoyable.

My least favourite bits in the book:

There weren’t any.

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

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

What books could this be compared to and why?

This is a psychological thriller.

Recommendation:

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

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Possibly
Adult	Yes

 

If you like psychological thrillers, this may be the book for you.

I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Little by little, an amnesiac pieces together the truth about her Southern family, her old life, and a friend’s murder, in this engrossing novel of suspense.

 

Waking up with amnesia in an Atlanta hospital, Cassie Barber-Davenport goes home to a life she doesn’t recognize. She gradually learns that her associations with neo-Confederates and white supremacists have left her estranged from her husband and alienated from her children. Cassie no longer wants to embrace these views—but breaking away from that world and from her wealthy Southern family is not so simple.

 

Meanwhile, she still suffers confusion and disorientation—experiencing nightmares about an unknown Englishman; hearing from her friend Marcie that she apparently had been having an affair; being dismissed by the police after she’s awakened by a frightening phone call.

 

Then a body is found—and a series of revelations brings Cassie’s past into shocking clarity . . .

About the Author:

At the age of seventeen, having been told by her English Literature teacher to sit on her hands in lessons, as she spoke more eloquently with them than actual words, Hilly decided to prove her wrong. It started with a bout of terrible poetry and has finally culminated in the publication of her first novel. She is also a painter and ceramicist, and has a lady-shed in the middle of an organic fruit farm on a mountainside in southern Spain. She lives with her musician partner and two rescue dogs.

Book Review: Honor in Concord by Cathryn McIntyre

 Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: Honor in Concord

Subtitle: Seeking Spirit in Literary Concord

Author: Cathryn McIntyre

Genre: Memoirs

Part of a series?

Order in series:

Best read after earlier books in series?

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61302752-honor-in-concord

Overall score:

I scored this book 4/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

This is a memoir of sorts. Confusing in places and interesting in others. We follow different characters at different times in history and the present. It’s a nice read.

What I liked about the book:

The different stories throughout the books.

What I didn’t like about the book:

That it sometimes confused me a little.

My favourite bits in the book:

The book was enjoyable.

My least favourite bits in the book:

The confusing bits.

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

This author has written a another memoir.

What books could this be compared to and why?

It’s difficult to compare this book to any others as I haven’t read any like this one before.

Recommendation:

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

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Maybe
Adult	Yes

 

If you like your books filled with details about literary history, hints of the paranormal and clairvoyance, this may be the book for you.

Book Description by Author:

In Honor in Concord, Cathryn McIntyre tells the story of the first year she lived in the historic town of Concord, Massachusetts in an antique home she calls "Quiet House" on a street named for Henry David Thoreau. One day she sets out to record the images of Concord's past that are always on her mind and what results is a fictional story told within the pages of memoir in which the writers of mid-19th century Concord (i.e., Hawthorne, Emerson, Thoreau, Fuller and Alcott) are living new lives in Concord in present day.

 

Honor in Concord is set at all the historic locations in Concord, including The Old Manse, The Emerson's Home, Orchard House, The Wayside and Walden Pond and there are short vignettes throughout the story that open up like windows into Concord's literary past. One moment we see Julie watching her young daughter performing at her dance recital and the next we see her as Sophia Hawthorne walking in the yard of the Wayside as her children run about in play and her husband, Nathaniel looks on. One moment we see Sarah having a flirtatious lunch with Richard at the West Street Grill in Boston, the place where the Hawthornes once wed, and then we see Sarah walking across the same floor where she had stood as Margaret Fuller conducting her "conversations" about the conditions faced by the women of her day.

 

Richard and Julie Hazzard are happily married but one day Richard wakes up feeling bored. On the train into Boston, he meets Sarah and what begins as an innocent flirtation soon becomes the catalyst that prompts Richard's self-reflection. Will he risk losing all that he has to break the monotony of his life and satisfy his desire for Sarah? Not if his friend, Ed, has anything to say about it. Ed lives a life of honor and Richard admires that, but he doesn't believe he can live up to the code that Ed lives by. Julie is an artist who has set her art aside and devoted herself fully to Richard and their children. Now she wonders if in doing so a part of herself has been lost. She envies her friend, Emma, who in her past life as schoolteacher, Martha Hunt chose to drown herself in the river in Concord rather than live her life in the way Julie does now.

 

The themes of love, trust, freedom, devotion, history, ghosts and reincarnation are there in the memoir as well, as McIntyre also struggles with her desire for freedom and her inability to trust her instincts that have led her to Concord and to a destiny that hadn't yet been fully revealed.

About the Author:

Cathryn McIntyre is the author of two memoirs, Honor in Concord and The Thoreau Whisperer, about her experience living in the historic town of Concord, Massachusetts. She is also a natural psychic and clairvoyant, an astrologer, a UFO experiencer, a shared death experiencer, and an occasional ghost investigator.

 

One of her ghost investigations was written about by author, Greg Latimer in his book Ghosts of the Boothbay Region. Ronny LeBlanc, one of the stars of the Travel Channel's Expedition Bigfoot, included an interview with McIntyre in the latest of his Monsterland series of books. In that interview she talks about her UFO experiences and impressions of Bigfoot. McIntyre also did a candid interview with Paranormal Underground Magazine in which she discussed a lifetime of paranormal and supernatural experiences. It can be read on her website: www.theconcordwriter.com

 

In 2006, following an after-death visit from her mentor, who was an eminent Thoreau scholar, McIntyre found herself connecting psychically with the spirit of Henry David Thoreau. She writes about that experience in her book, The Thoreau Whisperer, but it is in Honor in Concord where the story of her life in Concord begins.

Book Review: Ullandale by Liz Martinson

 Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: Ullandale

Subtitle:

Author: Liz Martinson

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Part of a series? No

Order in series:

Best read after earlier books in series?

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42933732-ullandale

Overall score:

I scored this book 5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

Kate applies for her ideal job only to find she’ll be working for the aristocracy. And, she doesn’t gel well with aristocrats. When she accepts the job, she loves it and the bonus is she never meets her boss. But things may not quite be as they seem.

What I liked about the book:

The book is full of romance, with beautiful settings described and impossible to put down.

What I didn’t like about the book:

There was nothing to dislike.

My favourite bits in the book:

I enjoyed the entire book.

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 first book I’ve read by this author and I will probably try out some others by this author too.

What books could this be compared to and why?

This is a romantic novel that’s well worth a read.

Recommendation:

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

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Maybe
Adult	Yes

 

If you like contemporary romance, this book may be the book for you.

I look forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Returning from abroad, Kate finds her dream job at an upmarket Scottish castle hotel. She silences her inner voice of doubt regarding the owner of the hotel, the Earl of Ullandale. Kate has learned not to like or trust those who live lives of privilege and entitlement.

 

Prepared to concentrate solely on her work, Kate’s plans are almost immediately thrown into turmoil when she meets Euan, the good-looking factor of the estate, and finds herself deeply attracted to him, almost against her will.

 

The charismatic Euan, tall and lean, jean-clad with wind-swept and tousled hair, seems to be everywhere, offering help and advice, and working all hours at any job which need doing. He sees Kate and instantly knows without doubt that she is his future.

 

But mystery surrounds his relationship with Liz, the daughter of the late Earl of Ullandale. And mystery surrounds the whereabouts of the new Earl.

 

Will Kate finally accept Euan’s love, despite the constant presence of Liz in his life, and will she change her opinion about the mysterious Earl, in this entrancing, exciting and romantic novel, which takes us through her first year at Ullandale? Start reading now to find the answers!

About the Author:

Liz Martinson is the award-winning author of four novels, all of which have a romantic theme, but which also contain many of life's issues woven through the hero and heroine's story.

 

Belonging is published by Next Chapter and Ullandale has recently been revised and re-issued by Next Chapter, with Counterpoint and Takeover to follow.

 

Ullandale has received a Chill With A Book Premier Readers Award, and Counterpoint and Takeover a Chill With Book Readers Award.

 

Liz is writing a fifth novel and is also part-way through writing a historical novel which is, she admits, a new venture.

 

She uses research and her own experiences in travel, the countryside, hill-walking and kayaking to fuel her writing.

 

In her spare time, Liz enjoys a wide range of activities which include cycling, reading and taking photographs, as well as cooking and music.

 

Having completed a Creative Writing course at the University of Lancaster, Liz finished with a Distinction, and in the past has also been a runner-up in the Good Housekeeping Short Story competition.

 

She hopes you enjoy reading her books, and if you feel you can leave a comment and rating, that would be great. Feedback is always valuable.

 

Her website is currently under maintenance but the link will be here soon, and Liz can also be reached on Twitter - @lizmartinson3 and be contacted by email - lizmartinson3@gmail.com

 

She's always happy to respond to queries.

Book Review: Stone Heart by Peter Merrigan

 Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: Stone Heart

Subtitle: An Epic Tale of Love and War in Celtic Ireland (The Ailigh Wars Saga Book 1)

Author: Peter J Merrigan

Genre: Fiction, Saga, Historical fiction

Part of a series? Yes

Order in series: 1

Best read after earlier books in series?

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54844376-stone-heart

Overall score:

I scored this book 5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

War is never far away in Celtic Ireland. Soon after his father returns from the war, Áed is called to train to become a soldier while his sister starts training as a Druid. Can he and his friend survive and can they keep the enemy away from their lands?

What I liked about the book:

The book is action-packed and full of suspense, love and heartbreak.

What I didn’t like about the book:

I loved the entire book.

My favourite bits in the book:

I enjoyed the entire book.

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 first book I’ve read by this author and I would like what will happen next.

What books could this be compared to and why?

This is a saga full of suspense.

Recommendation:

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

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Yes
Adult	Yes

 

If you like historical fiction and Irish sagas, this book may be the book for you.

I look forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

"THRILLING, MOVING, AND AN UTTERLY UNEXPECTED ENDING. PURE ENJOYMENT." - International Review of Books

 

"ENTHRALLING. IF YOU ENJOY SHOWS LIKE VIKINGS, YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE STONE HEART." - Readers' Favorite

 

Ireland, 279 BC. A nation at war.

For two boys, it will be grueling. For Ireland . . . it will be bloody.

 

When the first raiding skirmishes of a foreign army are crushed and Ireland mourns her dead, one king knows their newfound peace is destined to fail. As Overking of Ailigh, Keeper of the North, he calls for the boys of his Celtic tribes to train as formidable warriors under his command.

 

For Áed, it begins as a fantastical quest. For Rónán, it helps him escape a cruel chieftain. Together, they must train and grow in strength and might. And when the invading army returns, a nation goes to war, united under one banner.

 

Meanwhile, Áed's sister begins her training as a druid, learning the spiritual ways of the earth. And when the goddess Cáer speaks to her in her dreams, she knows that Ireland's future hangs in the balance.

 

With Áed skilled in close combat, and Rónán blessed with an archer's eye, they fight side by side, champions of the Celts. But death is close. And the tides of war are forever in flux.

 

The Irish Celts know one thing: if the warmongering foreigners aren't defeated, not even the druids can change the course of destiny.

 

STONE FORGED (Book 2) and STONE SOUL (Book 3) are out now!

About the Author:

Peter J Merrigan was born in Northern Ireland and became interested in writing from an early age. He was first published at the age of 17.

 

He went on to study a Bachelor of Arts in Writing at university in London. He has worked in advertising and marketing for almost 20 years and now freelances as a copy writer.

 

Peter returned to Ireland in 2016 where he now lives with his partner.

 

His latest novel, STONE FORGED, is his second venture into historical fiction, following on from STONE HEART, set in ancient Ireland in a time of Celtic warriors.

 

He is now working on the AILIGH WARS SAGA.

Book Review: Once Bitten by James Harper

 Book Review

 

Basic Details:

Book Title: Once Bitten

Subtitle: An Evan Buckley Crime Thriller (Evan Buckley Thrillers Book 17)

Author: James Harper

Genre: Crime, Mystery

Part of a series? Yes

Order in series: 17

Best read after earlier books in series? Possibly

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61867845-once-bitten

Overall score:

I scored this book 5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

Evan is back to solve a mystery. His mentor, Elwood Crow, sees his past rearing its ugly head and asks him to look into a 25-year-old autopsy report. Was this self-defence or murder? And is it really in the past?

What I liked about the book:

The book is action-packed and full of suspense just like the other books in this series.

What I didn’t like about the book:

I loved the entire book.

My favourite bits in the book:

I enjoyed the entire book.

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?

I have read several books in the series and I enjoyed them all. On to the next in the series when that comes out.

What books could this be compared to and why?

This is a mystery full of suspense.

Recommendation:

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

 

Children	No
Young Adult	Possibly
Adult	Yes

 

If you like suspense and mysteries, this book may be the book for you.

I look forward to reading more by this author.

Book Description by Author:

When PI Evan Buckley’s mentor, Elwood Crow, asks a simple favor of him – to review a twenty-year-old autopsy report – there’s only one thing Evan can be sure of: simple is the one thing it won’t be. As he heads off to Cape Ann on the Massachusetts coast Evan soon finds himself on the trail of a female serial killer, and the more he digs, the more two questions align themselves. Why has the connection not been made before? And is Crow’s interest in finding the truth or in saving his own skin?

 

It’s a difficult line Evan is forced to walk when the answers he finds threaten to drive a wedge between himself and Detective Kate Guillory as he struggles with his conscience and she with her duty, a grievous criminal act from their shared past only making things more difficult still, demanding compromise of them both.

 

And as the case draws to a close and Evan unravels twenty years’ of duplicity and obfuscation, one simple mistake leads to unforeseen and disastrous consequences while at the same time teaching him a painful lesson too late – that even those you trust the most will let you down.

About the Author: