Writing and reviews with an environmental, science fiction, and fantasy touch
Alexandria (#19) and Nemesis (#20) wrap up the fabulous crime series set in Rome (and other Roman territories) starring Marcus Didius Falco. Falco is an agreeable cove, with a murky past and one of the best female protagonists around as
Fluency has been in my Kindle for at least two years. It’s one of those I got on a freebie, and kept meaning to read and review. Well, it’s finally off my TBR (and ticked off my reading challenge list).
Ivon releases this week, and I would like to thank the RedDoor Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. The blurb intrigued me! Ivon by Michael Aylwin The year is 2144, and the world is powered by sport – politically and practically.
The Stranger Diaries is not a Ruth Galloway novel. It’s not even a Stephens & Mephisto novel. It’s a new stand alone from Elly Griffiths, out on 1st November, and I’m very grateful to Net-galley and Quercus books for the
Castle Hangnail is the GMGR Book of the Month selection for October, Halloween month. I’m very grateful to the Amazon resellers for getting a copy to me in time. It arrived around 12, I started it at 3.30, and finished
Witch Week caught my eye as I was browsing the mobile library shelves. The GMGR and other book of the month choices eluded me, so I hunted for something else that fell into the categories MG and suitable for Halloween
Bloody Brilliant Women was released on Thursday. I received a pre-release copy from the publishers 4th Estate and William Collins, via NetGalley. The full title is Bloody Brilliant Women: The Pioneers, Revolutionaries and Geniuses Your History Teacher Forgot to Mention. This does
Forged in Blood is the finale of the Emperor’s Edge series featuring Amaranthe and her gang of outlaws who are fighting to free the Emperor from the people who would overthrow him. The assassin Sicarius is one of the gang,
After Zero was published on 1st September. I got a pre-release copy from the publishers via Net-galley on August 31st. Had I not have been in the middle of something else, I might have got this review out by the
The Jewel of Peru is book one of an intended MG series by Sharon Skretting, entitled The Ultimate Treasure Chest. I’ve taken the liberty of detaching it from its series name to fit in my Alphabet Soup reading challenge for
Flavia Alba is the second series by Lindsey Davis, set in Ancient Rome, but later than her first. It’s later by a generation; Flavia Alba is the adopted daughter of the protagonist of the first series, Marcus Didius Falco. I’ve
The Way of All Flesh turns out to be a Scottish Gothic murder mystery. I received it from Net-galley as an advance review copy. I say ‘turns out to be’ because I found the blurb intriguing, which is why I
The Mystery of Three Quarters is a new Hercule Poirot Mystery from Sophie Hannah, published on 23rd August. I’m very grateful to the publishers HarperCollins (HarperFiction) and to Net-Galley for a pre-release review copy. As you know I’ve already read
Ringworld was a chosen book for July for the Space Opera Goodreads group. I feel I should be reading and reviewing more science fiction, but I have to be careful it doesn’t mess with my own writing ideas. This copy
This weekend only: Willoughby the Narrator is on sale at 99 c everywhere, thanks to Patty’s SF/F Promos! Check out all the books in this promo on Patty’s link here… And now for Wildcatter, a book of the month for
The Survival Game came into my life via an email from Net-Galley. I am very grateful to the publishers for letting me read an ARC (a very well formatted ARC, too). This completely lived up to my expectations. In fact,
Behind the Beautiful Forevers is my bookclub book for July. I’m not sure I’m going to complete it before Monday’s meeting, as I have another book to get feedback ready before the month end. But I am three-quarters through as
The Secret Horses of Briar Hill was the June Book of the Month for the GMGR Goodreads Group. I’d set the theme of ‘horses’ and there was a good set of nominations, from Black Beauty right the way through to
A Brief History of Time is widely cited as the most bought but unread book in the world. I suspect that’s an exaggeration. However, I can announce that the number who have it unopened on their shelves has decreased by
Saffron grows in exotic eastern countries, or so I thought. Our bookclub read for the month suggested it grows perfectly well in Cornwall. This sounds like an excuse to link my usual Saturday Book Review post with a random act
Old Baggage is my book review this week, and I’m still working out how to link in the #30DaysWild aspect. You’ll find out how I did after you’ve read the review! Thank you to Net-Galley and the publisher who provided a
Dreamwood is my book review for today. This fantasy adventure for middle grade readers takes place around the north-west coast of a settler-era America. What’s so #30DaysWild about that? Well, with all the things going on with the trees, I thought
Shadows from the Past is an MG historical time travel mystery suspense adventure series by Wendy Leighton-Porter. Wendy has won several awards in the last year. These are thoroughly deserved, as it’s an excellent series, which gives you a real
Elly Griffiths published her tenth Ruth Galloway book in February. Despite having pre-ordered the paperback version from Amazon (due out in July), I got an ARC from NetGalley, and then wondered whether I was doing the right thing, since I
All is not lost when it comes to my To Be Read list on Goodreads. I told you in March I’d added another StoryBundle this year, with books I really really want to read. Since then I’ve had even more