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Tag: sheffield

ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – Women of Steel by Michelle Rawlins

Posted on 28th September 2020 By Nicola

I’m so happy to be sharing my thoughts on Women of Steel by Michelle Rawlins today. I enjoyed this book so much. My thanks to […]

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New review: The Pretenders by Agatha Zaza. Publish

New review: The Pretenders by Agatha Zaza. Published by Agora in ebook on 5th November and paperback on 3rd December.
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The Pretenders is a completely character-driven story about three couples. As the book begins Edmund is smashing up a wooden structure in the garden whilst Ovidia looks on. Immediately it brings forth many questions about why he is doing it, why she is looking on, why she’s not shocked by his behaviour.
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On their way to Edmund’s house are his brother, Jasper and his fiancée, Holly, and friends John and Anne. There’s a sense of foreboding about this visit that is totally built up by the author’s writing. I really felt like it was not a good idea! The fact that the door is slightly ajar when they get there added to this.
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The characterisations are strong in the book, as they needed to be. Ovidia was my favourite character. She’s such a complex person, so full of layers, and so very intriguing, but the others are also well-drawn. What is really clever is how Agatha Zaza executes a number of very slow reveals over the course of the book, dropping surprises in all the time with the aid of flashbacks and also through the conversations between the friends. I didn’t see any of it coming at all.
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Don’t go into The Pretenders expecting a fast-paced read. This is very much the slow-burner. It’s set over the course of one day and I kind of felt like I was sat there with the characters, getting to know them and chewing the cud with them. It’s a well-written domestic drama full of secrets and lies.
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Thank you to the publishers for the proof copy of the book.
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#bookreview #bookreviewer #ThePretenders #AgathaZaza #bookblogger #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #instareads #instabooks #lovereading #lovebooks #booklove #booklover #domesticfiction #domesticdrama #shortbookandscribes

Thank you Wildfire Books for this lovely surprise.

Thank you Wildfire Books for this lovely surprise. #WhiteIvy by @susieyyang sounds like a fabulous read.

#BookPost

Thank you Rosie @panmacmillan for this lovely surp

Thank you Rosie @panmacmillan for this lovely surprise. #TheFourWinds by @kristinhannahauthor sounds like a heartbreaker.

#BookPost

Thank you @michaeljbooks for this epic package con

Thank you @michaeljbooks for this epic package containing not only #TheBurningGirls by the fabulous @cjtudorauthor but also treats galore! My 6 year old has already laid claim to most of them🙄 Really excited about the book and he's definitely not having that 😉

#BookPost

Thank you @hideawayfall for sending 337 by M. Jona

Thank you @hideawayfall for sending 337 by M. Jonathan Lee. I'm so intrigued by this book with two beginnings. ' In a story like this, nothing is as it seems.'

#BookPost

New review: Love, Prescribed by Laura Buckley. Out

New review: Love, Prescribed by Laura Buckley. Out now.
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They often say to write what you know and that’s exactly what Laura Buckley has done. She’s taken her own knowledge as a pharmacist and used it to great effect in this book. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a pharmacist in a novel before and it’s really refreshing to see.
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Rosie is our main character. She lives with her two best friends, Emily and Jess, and is happy and very busy in her work. But she’s looking for love, not just for her long-term future but also because a university reunion is looming and she doesn’t have a date! I loved Rosie for her kindness and her reserve, and for just having no idea how lovely she is. There’s a wonderful camaraderie between Rosie and her colleagues at work, Josie and Nora, as well and I thought Buckley portrayed friendships really well in this story.
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The chapters are told alternately by Rosie and Mike, Emily’s brother who is staying with them temporarily. Rosie remembers Mike from college and there are definitely sparks flying between them now. I really liked this way of telling the story from both points of view, giving an insight into how each views the other. But what I really really loved was the sexual tension between them and the delicious will they/won’t they build up. I was totally on board for that!
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Love, Prescribed is a light-hearted read and a total pleasure. I read it within a day as it’s such an easy read and also I wanted to know what was going to happen. This is one for romance lovers who like a touch of heat in their love stories. I thought it was a really lovely read. Oh, and just a word about the cover – isn’t it gorgeous?
❤️💊
Thank you to the author for the review copy of the book.
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#bookreview #bookreviewer #LovePrescribed #LauraBuckley #bookblogger #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #instareads #instabooks #lovereading #lovebooks #booklove #booklover #shortbookandscribes

Guest Post and Giveaway - The Blue Bench Over on

Guest Post and Giveaway - The Blue Bench

Over on my blog today (link in bio) I have the second in a series of three guest posts by Paul Marriner, author of The Blue Bench. The novel is set in 1920 during the aftermath of the First World War. 11th November this year will see the centenary of the interment of The Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, a hugely influential cultural event which is also a focal point for The Blue Bench.

In this post Paul asks how important themes are in novels and I hope you enjoy finding out a bit more about it. The first three images in the photo are from the post.

There's a fabulous #giveaway too with prizes including signed copies of the book, puzzles, mugs and mousemats - see fourth image in the photo. The Gleam entry box is on the blog post and it's really easy to enter just by clicking on each individual entry option. Good luck!
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#guestpost #bookblogger #thebluebench #paulmarriner #competition #warfiction #worldwaronefiction #historicalfiction #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #instareads #instabooks #lovereading #lovebooks #booklove #booklover #shortbookandscribes

New review: Kiss Myself Goodbye by Ferdinand Mount

New review: Kiss Myself Goodbye by Ferdinand Mount. Published by Bloomsbury on 29th October.
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A few things drew me to this book. First of all it was the intrigue behind the author’s Aunt Munca, not just the fact that she used the name of a Beatrix Potter mouse but also the fact she was quite a mysterious figure for him. He grew up spending quite a lot of time around her but never really felt that he knew her fully.
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The second thing was the mention of Sheffield and there is a fabulous lengthy chapter in the book about my home city in the late 19th and early 20th century. I’m sure any reader would agree that there is something extra special about reading about a place you know well.
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And then there’s that gorgeous cover with the image of a glamorous looking man and woman lightly holding hands. I was desperate to know their story.
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Kiss Myself Goodbye is Ferdinand Mount’s account of his aunt’s life. A shadowy character, edging around questions she doesn’t want to provide true answers to, he manages to discover endless amazing things about her life both up until the point she is a part of his life and beyond. And it truly is fascinating. The whole thing had my jaw dropping on many occasions, and sometimes nodding along sagely as previously unknown or seemingly unconnected pieces of information all slotted into place.
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I particularly enjoyed Mount’s journey of discovery through genealogy research, the way he found out so much from birth, marriage and death certificates. He has a difficult job as Munca didn’t seem to tell the truth about herself so every single detail is hard won.
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Kiss Myself Goodbye is the name of a song the author remembers from a trip to a nightclub with his Aunt Munca but it’s also remarkably fitting as Munca spent her lifetime kissing her real self goodbye and reinventing herself. They often say the truth is stranger than fiction and that’s definitely true of Munca’s life.
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I found this to be an engrossing story of a woman with more layers than an onion and a social history read packed with informational gems.
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Thank you to the publishers for the proof copy of the book.

Thank you @welbeckpublish for #ThePrank by @lv_mat

Thank you @welbeckpublish for #ThePrank by @lv_matthews_author. How far is too far? I'm looking forward to finding out. Published March 2021.

#BookPost

Thank you @harvillsecker for #OneByOne by @ruthwar

Thank you @harvillsecker for #OneByOne by @ruthwarewriter. It sounds snowy and tense and exciting. Can't wait to read it. Out 12th November.

#BookPost

New review: The Illustrated Child by Polly Crosby.

New review: The Illustrated Child by Polly Crosby. Published in hardback and ebook on 29th October.
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I’ve seen other reviewers say they weren’t quite sure what to expect when they picked up The Illustrated Child and I was the same. It definitely wasn’t what I was anticipating.
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Romilly is only a young girl as the story begins, living with her father in a rundown house called Braër. Her father, Tobias, writes and illustrates a series of books with Romilly as the main character, along with her cat, Monty. He’s a man of huge talent and he creates a magical world for a child to live in, but he’s also a difficult man, and they live a most unconventional life together.
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The book takes us through Romilly’s life until she is a teenager and through many ups and downs, highs and lows. It’s a tough book to read at times, as there is a fine line between the magic created by Tobias and child neglect. The reader can see what is happening but Romilly, as the protagonist, cannot.
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I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded as Romilly found out some truths about her family and the people who loved her. Polly Crosby is a masterful plotter and a beautiful writer and she has written a very special debut novel with The Illustrated Child. However, I would say that it’s a lot darker than I anticipated with some scenes that had me feeling quite uncomfortable, and it’s quite possible it was just a bit too dark for me personally. It also has an otherworldly feel to it that again is rather out of my comfort zone and so certain aspects of the story didn’t quite work for me. Where I was expecting a childhood of countryside romps and treasure hunts, the reality is a sad story of ill-health and lack of care.
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This book won’t be for everyone and I would say definitely don’t go into it unless you are prepared for a quite bleak story with some ominous undertones. But if you want to read a story that is like a treasure hunt in itself, a coming of age story that is meticulously executed and at times disturbing, then The Illustrated Child is the perfect choice.
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Thank you to the publishers for the gorgeous proof copy of the book.

Celebrating a blogiversary today 🥳🎉🍾 It's

Celebrating a blogiversary today 🥳🎉🍾
It's four years since Short Book and Scribes was born. I've loved every minute of it and have read some truly amazing books. Here's to the next 4 years.
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#bookblogger #bookstagrammer #booklover #booklove #bookblog #lovereading #lovebooks #shortbookandscribes

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Today Week Month All

ShortBookandScribes #GuestPost by Paul Marriner, Author of The Blue Bench - 'Background to the Novel' + fantastic #giveaway
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - Space Hopper by Helen Fisher #JumpWithMe
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - Love, Prescribed by Laura Buckley
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
ShortBookandScribes #GuestPost by Paul Marriner, Author of The Blue Bench - 'How Important Are Themes in Novels?' + amazing #giveaway

ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – The Pretenders by Agatha Zaza #BlogTour #ThePretenders
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – Love, Prescribed by Laura Buckley
ShortBookandScribes #GuestPost by Paul Marriner, Author of The Blue Bench – ‘How Important Are Themes in Novels?’ + amazing #giveaway
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – Kiss Myself Goodbye by Ferdinand Mount
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – The Illustrated Child by Polly Crosby

Today Week Month All

ShortBookandScribes #GuestPost by Paul Marriner, Author of The Blue Bench - 'Background to the Novel' + fantastic #giveaway
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - Escape to the French Farmhouse by Jo Thomas
ShortBookandScribes #GuestPost by Paul Marriner, Author of The Blue Bench - 'How Important Are Themes in Novels?' + amazing #giveaway
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - Blackpool Sisters by Maggie Mason

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