From one of the most imaginative writers of her generation comes an extraordinary vision of the future.
Ven was once a holy man, a keeper of ancient archives. It was his duty to interpret archaic texts, sorting useful knowledge from the heretical ideas of the Burning Age – a time of excess and climate disaster. For in Ven’s world, such material must be closely guarded, so that the ills that led to that cataclysmic era can never be repeated.
But when the revolutionary Brotherhood approaches Ven, pressuring him to translate stolen writings that threaten everything he once held dear, his life will be turned upside down. Torn between friendship and faith, Ven must decide how far he’s willing to go to save this new world, and how much he is willing to lose.
Notes from the Burning Age is the remarkable and captivating new novel from the award-winning Claire North that puts dystopian fiction in a whole new light.
My thoughts: this was a really interesting take on the post-apocalyptic novel. After the destruction humanity wrought, people have found new ways to live, new beliefs to follow. Ven was a monk, trained to decipher the left behind clues of a vanished world. But some of those clues are dangerous.
Conflicting beliefs bring war and Ven is sent to spy on the kingmaker and power behind the throne. There’s a leak, can he find it?
The only thing that grated a tiny bit was the place names – Vien instead of Vienna, for example. I can’t imagine future generations not knowing the names of places – if not from maps, then passed down.
I also didn’t fully understand what the kakuy were – they’re described as giant creatures, but it’s not entirely clear what they are and why they appeared. But maybe that’s to make us as foolish as the people and even the Temple in their ignorance.
I was completely invested in Ven’s adventures and his work hunting for the mole – I missed the clues completely. A truly fascinating, intelligent read.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Tess needs a break! Under appreciated at home, overlooked at work and now her beloved dog Bella has died. Tess has simply had enough! So in a spur of the moment act, Tess books a holiday of a lifetime for her, her two grown up kids and useless husband Dave. Maybe they can use the break to reconnect with each other? But when the kids refuse to go, and Dave breaks his leg, Tess’s dream holiday looks seriously in doubt. And then there’s River Romero, the glamourous LA screen writer who is supposed to be house-sitting for Tess whilst she’s away…. Everything about River sounds so much more exciting than Tess’s boring life in Stratford Upon Avon. From her beautiful LA condo and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Tess wonders whether a bit of River’s LA life might be exactly what she needs? So when River suggests a house swap, Tess jumps at the chance! With Dave happily ensconced in the summer house at the bottom of the garden, the kids not needing mum anymore, Tess packs her bags and heads off for the adventure of a lifetime. But real life isn’t like the movies, and when Tess arrives in LA, things aren’t exactly as they seem. Will Tess find what’s she’s looking for or is getting away from it all isn’t all perhaps not all it’s cracked up to be? Amazon
Carmen Reid is the bestselling author of numerous woman’s fiction titles including the Personal Shopper series starring Annie Valentine. After taking a break from writing she is back, introducing her hallmark feisty women characters to a new generation of readers. Her first title for Boldwood will be published in July 2021. She lives in Glasgow with her husband and children.
My thoughts: this was a lovely, heartwarming book about adventure, reassessing your life and doing what’s best for you, even if that is egging a parking restriction sign!
Tess and River swap homes for six weeks one summer and both get a lot more from it than they anticipated. Tess is feeling stuck in a rut, in her job, her marriage, her relationship with her kids, even her haircut and her time in LA lets her decide whether she wants things to change. River meanwhile is writing a teenagers do Shakespeare adaptation for film, and Tess’ home not far from the Bard’s birthplace, is somewhere she hopes to be inspired and refreshed.
I loved Tess, I loved her carpe diem attitude once she arrives in LA, her determination not to let anything, River’s gross apartment and unexpected dogs, the closed pool, her too heavy clothing, nothing at all, stop her. She was marvellous. We should all be more Tess. I liked River, and Dave (Tess’ husband) too, they were strongly written, funny people. Their garden party disaster made me laugh, sometimes we leave people in our pasts for good reasons. I felt for Alex, having spent a long time living with depression I really empathised with his struggles and wanted to give him a hug. I think I need a sequel so I know that he, and everyone else, is OK. And that Tess gets a new canine pal too.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
DCI Hannah Scarlett is an acknowledged expert in solving cold cases, but she is struggling under the weight of bureaucracy when Ramona Smith’s disappearance from Bowness more than twenty years ago crosses her desk. The prime suspect was charged but found not guilty. Now the case comes back into the public eye as the result of a shocking tragedy on the Crooked Shore, the fount of dark legends in the south of the Lake District. Tensions mount in the summer heat as a ruthless killer who has already got away with one murder plans further appalling crimes. Hannah finds herself racing against the clock as she strives to solve the mysteries and save innocent lives.
My thoughts: this was interesting, cold cases are obviously a bit harder to solve when suspects, witnesses and evidence aren’t available.
Added to that are complications in Hannah’s personal life and a strange man who insists a murder is about to happen.
I liked Hannah, she’s pretty sensible and doesn’t just go for the most obvious answers, she carefully works through the evidence and solves the case – though it’s not as straightforward as it seems.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Carlo Gesualdo, prince, composer and murderer has his wife and her lover killed in Naples in 1590. The wife’s maidservant,Laura Scala, witnesses the events and vowes to avenge her mistress. The princess, Donna Maria d’Avalos, rescued Laura in Sicily after she had been raped at the age of thirteen. Laura devotes her life to her saviour and after the murders she spends years of her life trying to be revenged on the musical prince. The scene moves from Sicily to Naples and Venice, back to Naples and finally to the New World. Laura believes she is carrying a curse. Everyone she becomes involved with appears to suffers misfortune and death. A Jewish girl in the Venetian ghetto is kidnapped and sold into the Sultan’s harem, Laura’s daughter is placed in an orphanage without her knowledge, the artist Caravaggio uses Laura as a model and meets a tragic end. Three beautiful pearls given to Laura by her mistress play a part in the story. Is Laura really cursed – or is it her connection with the murderous prince who dabbles in the occult? A gypsy woman is burned at the stake, a Venetian gondolier meets a mysterious fate and Laura becomes a skilled herbalist and poisoner by default before the story ends in the New World. The background to these events is the strange and compelling music of Gesualdo.
Frances Kempton is a reclusive writer fleeing from the clutches of Jane Austen. She has an obsession with Italy. This is the first book in an Italian trilogy.
My thoughts: based on real historical figures, this gives maidservant Laura a story and a voice. After her mistress is brutally murdered she flees the palace and so a series of tragic events unfolds as she pledges revenge on the prince.
Most history books focus on events and usually on men, and even more so on wealthy and important men, so it’s always good to hear a woman, and in this case a woman at the bottom of society’s ladder, speak out. Laura Scala was a real person, but being a servant, literally nothing is known about her beyond her name and place in Gesualdo’s household.
The fictional Laura is brave and resilient but her desire for revenge drives her to do terrible things and she believes herself to be cursed. She struggles to find a place for herself, and every time she thinks she has found happiness – a lovely husband, a good job, a baby – it is ripped away from her in terrible ways. She pursues Gesualdo across Italy, but never finds the courage to actually take her revenge until it’s almost too late. Moving, tragic but ultimately redemptive.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
The ace photographer and the supermodel, they should have been a match made in heaven. Instead, they fought like the demons of hell.
Complicated, surly, and sexy, Manav Apte was probably the only photographer who resented his muse. From the day he’d seen her, there had been no other. Unfortunately, she was the one woman he could never have.
Passionate, talented, and gorgeous, Diana Severes refused to give the temperamental ass behind the camera the satisfaction of knowing he got under her skin. It was, however, impossible not to notice him or his glowering disapproval that trailed her everywhere she went.
Their dislike and distrust of each other is legendary in the fashion industry and yet, the sparks that fly when they come together for work are enough to light the sets on fire.
Will the Golden Girl of India’s fashion scene be able to see beyond his hatred to the love he’s desperately trying to mask? And will the country’s most talented photographer realise that his true talent lies not in what he views through his lens but what he sees through the filter of his heart?
About the Author:
Shilpa Suraj wears many hats – corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.
An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.
Wow! If you thought the first book was adorable, check out the cover of The Littlest Dinosaur Finds a Home!
The Littlest Dinosaur Finds a Home
Expected Publication Date: September 1st, 2021
Genre: Kids/ Children’s Books
The Littlest Dinosaur is off on a new adventure. It’s time for bed, and the newborn dino has nowhere to lay down his sleepy head. Luckily, he’s got Ty The Tyrannosaur to show him the meaning of family and help him find a place to call home.
Coming Soon!
The Littlest Dinosaur (Book #1)
Publication Date: November 2nd, 2020
Genre: Children’s Literature
Illustrator: Tessa Verplancke
Ty, The Tyrannosaur just wants to make a new friend.
Sadly, the other dinosaurs are all afraid of his sharp teeth! So Ty must go on an adventure to find a dinosaur brave enough to be friends with a Tyrannosaur.
Bryce Rafflewas the lead writer for the video game studio Ironclad Games. He also writes stories for young adults and designs book covers.
Steven Kothlow is making his debut as a children’s book writer. He hopes to tell many more stories that help spread a message of diversity and inclusion especially in children’s literature.
Tessa Verplancke is a sound designer by day and an illustrator by night. She lives to tell stories through as many mediums as possible.
I read this incredible book what feels like a million years ago in June 2020 and sent my copy to my Grandad, a big thriller fan, to enjoy in lockdown, you can read my thoughts on this book from way back then here.
It’s a powerful story of crime, punishment, love and redemption set in coastal California – and one that Whitaker credits as saving his life after being brutally mugged and stabbed as a teenager (he tells the story here).
Chris Whitaker said: ‘I began writing this book as a form of therapy after being mugged and stabbed. Without doubt this story saved my life, so to win this award feels like the most wonderful, dreamlike end to a journey that has been twenty years in the making. I have read the shortlisted books, so know with some certainty that I’m not a worthy winner, but I am a grateful one, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop smiling now.”
Whitaker has clinched the title on his very first nomination after being chosen by a public vote, the prize Academy and a panel of expert judges, receiving £3,000 and an engraved oak beer cask, hand-carved by one of Britain’s last coopers from Theakstons Brewery.
An unprecedented decision has been taken to recognise Northern Irish author Brian McGilloway’s exceptional political thriller The Last Crossingas Highly Commended. McGilloway will also receive a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by Theakston Old Peculier for his novel which explores The Troubles from the perspective of former operatives who like to think they have moved on.
Executive director of T&R Theakston, Simon Theakston, said: “The contest for this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award has been fiercely fought – a reflection of the outstanding quality of all the longlisted and shortlisted crime fiction published within the last year. I offer Chris Whitaker my hearty congratulations for clinching the title on his first ever nomination for his powerful and insightful We Begin at the End.”
Gary Jones, Express Editor-in-Chief, said: “It’s a great pleasure to be associated with the world’s most famous celebration of crime writing and we’re thrilled the Theakston Old Peculier Festival is back this year in the flesh and better than ever. Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors for crime book of the year and especially to winner Chris Whitaker.”
Special presentations were also made to Ian Rankin OBE and Mark Billingham, the winners of the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award for 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Simon Theakston added:“It was an absolute pleasure to award crime fiction legends Ian Rankin and Mark Billingham with the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award 2021 and 2020 respectively. They are two titans of crime fiction and richly deserving of this latest recognition of their mastery of the genre.”
Ian Rankin OBE, recipient of Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award 2021, said: “It’s such a privilege and an honour to receive this award, and especially to be in Harrogate to receive it in person. I’ve been a published writer for over thirty years but this past year has been uniquely challenging – for writers, readers and booksellers. It’s heartening to see the Theakston Festival rise like a phoenix. Books continue to provide us with that wonderful mix of food for thought and escapism. I couldn’t be prouder to be a crime writer.”
Mark Billingham, recipient of Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award 2020, said: “It goes without saying that – presuming it’s not some sort of administrative error – this is an enormous honour. I’m as gobsmacked as I am grateful to be joining a list containing the likes of Ruth Rendell, PD James and Lee Child and while there are many individuals to whom I’m hugely indebted, first and foremost I want to say ‘thank you’ to the readers. Without them, there’s no point to any of it.”
This year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival continues until Sunday at the Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate. Special Guests this year include Mark Billingham, Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths, Mick Herron, Clare Mackintosh, Val Mcdermid and Richard Osman, curated by Festival Programming Chair Ian Rankin OBE.
The award is run by Harrogate International Festivals sponsored by T&R Theakston Ltd, in partnership with WHSmith and the Express, and is open to full length crime novels published in paperback 1 May 2020 to 30 April 2021 by UK and Irish authors. The longlist was selected by an academy of crime writing authors, agents, editors, reviewers, members of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival Programming Committee, and representatives from T&R Theakston Ltd, the Express, and WHSmith.
**this post was created using material provided by a press release and is not necessarily representative of the opinions of ramblingmads.com**
The start of a gripping new crime thriller series introducing Intelligence officer Sophie Racine and featuring ex-SAS officer Aidan Snow!
A TRAITOR WHO CAN’T BE CAUGHT French Intelligence officer Sophie Racine is tasked with travelling into the heart of a warzone in Ukraine. Her mission is to assassinate a Russian spy who took the French secret service apart piece by piece and gave their secrets to the Kremlin.
A PRISONER WHO CAN’T BE KILLED Ex-SAS trooper and MI6 Officer Aidan Snow is also in Ukraine. Sent by British Intelligence, he must extract an innocent citizen caught up in the conflict in rebel-controlled Donetsk.
A WAR THAT CAN’T BE WON When their missions collide, Snow and Racine find themselves outgunned and outnumbered. Even if they make it out of the warzone alive, danger won’t be far behind…
My thoughts: this was a really fast paced, adrenaline pumped ride across an occupied part of Ukraine to remove a traitor and rescue a civilian caught up in the terrorist camp.
Racine is the DSGE’s best assassin and this is her most dangerous assignment yet. Pursuing a defector to Russia, who cost agents their lives, she’s determined not to fail, even with the odds stacked against her. She teams up with MI6’s Aidan Shaw, on the search for kidnapped British medical student Mohammed Iqbal. Both of their targets are in the same place, so it makes sense to join forces, there’s only two of them after all.
Racine is a difficult character to like, she’s tough and doesn’t let anyone in, a must for her job, but her back story reveals the more vulnerable person within. This mission has a personal angle. Shaw is a bit more straightforward, while we don’t learn a lot about him, he’s less guarded and more easy going – even when facing off with angry gun toting soldiers.
If you like your thrillers with lots of bullets, car chases, bemused civilians and spies galore, then this is definitely for you. Action, and a little humour, all the way. Perfect summer sunshine reading for thrill seekers.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Grace, Meg and Daphne, all in their seventies, are minding their own business while enjoying a cup of tea in a café, when seventeen-year-old Nina stumbles in. She’s clearly distraught and running from someone, so the three women think nothing of hiding her when a suspicious-looking man starts asking if they’ve seen her.
Once alone, Nina tells the women a little of what she’s running from. The need to protect her is immediate, and Grace, Meg and Daphne vow to do just this. But how? They soon realise there really is only one answer: murder.
And so begins the tale of the three most unlikely murderers-in-the-making, and may hell protect anyone who underestimates them.
My thoughts: this was very entertaining, as three old ladies decide to carry out a murder and rescue two young women in the process.
What’s happened to Nina and Ronnie is horrific, and gets very dark, so contrasting it with the humour of three women with no idea about the criminal underworld planning a hit helps. But Grace, Daphne and Meg have been through a lot in their 70 plus years, some of it dark too, and it has given them all a source of inner strength and determination to rescue Nina and Ronnie from their own nightmare.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Ruabon Nadarl is just another low-ranking member of the scan crew, slaving away for the UFS which “liberated” his homeworld. To help pass the time during long shifts he builds secret personalities into the robots he controls. Despite his ingenuity, the UFS offers few opportunities for a better life. Then Ruabon detects an intruder on the surface of a vital communications tower. He could just report it and let the deadly UFS commandos take over, while Ruabon returns to obscurity. Or he could break UFS laws and try to capture the intruder himself. For the UFS, only the outcome matters, not the method. If his custom-programmed drones can save the day, he’ll be a hero. And if he fails, he’ll be dead. Buy
Karl Drinkwater writes thrilling SF, suspenseful horror, and contemporary literary fiction. Whichever you pick you’ll find interesting and authentic characters, clever and compelling plots, and believable worlds. Karl has lived in many places but now calls Scotland his home. He’s an ex-librarian with degrees in English, Classics, and Information Science. He also studied astrophysics for a year at university, surprising himself by winning a prize for “Outstanding Performance”. When he isn’t writing he loves guitars, exercise, computer and board games, nature, and vegan cake. Not necessarily in that order.
My thoughts: this was interesting in that it both filled in a gap in one of the Lost Solace books, Chasing Solace, but also showed you the flip side to those events. What Ruabon does that day with the drones he’s been tinkering with isn’t huge in the grand scheme of things, but to him, in that moment, it is everything. He’s so bored of his job, of the UFS, that even breaking all the rules doesn’t bother him.
If you’ve read the previous books and short stories, you’ll know what’s happening, what Opal and Athene are up to, and why UFS are so keen to catch them. This can be read as a standalone but it makes a lot more sense tied into the whole.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 