meeder.biz Open in urlscan Pro
2606:4700:3032::ac43:d9d4 Public Scan

Back to summary

URL:
https://meeder.biz/
Submission: On January 15 via api (January 15th 2024, 5:11:41 pm UTC) from US — Scanned from US

Form analysis
5 forms found in the DOM

GET https://meeder.biz/

<form role="search" method="get" class="search-form" action="https://meeder.biz/">
  <label>
    <span class="screen-reader-text">Search for:</span>
    <input type="search" class="search-field" placeholder="Search …" value="" name="s">
  </label>
  <input type="submit" class="search-submit" value="Search">
</form>

POST https://subscribe.wordpress.com

<form action="https://subscribe.wordpress.com" method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" data-blog="84556689" data-post_access_level="everybody" id="subscribe-blog">
  <p>Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.</p>
  <p id="subscribe-email">
    <label id="subscribe-field-label" for="subscribe-field" class="screen-reader-text"> Email Address: </label>
    <input type="email" name="email" style="width: 95%; padding: 1px 10px" placeholder="Email Address" value="" id="subscribe-field" required="">
  </p>
  <p id="subscribe-submit">
    <input type="hidden" name="action" value="subscribe">
    <input type="hidden" name="blog_id" value="84556689">
    <input type="hidden" name="source" value="https://meeder.biz/">
    <input type="hidden" name="sub-type" value="widget">
    <input type="hidden" name="redirect_fragment" value="subscribe-blog">
    <input type="hidden" id="_wpnonce" name="_wpnonce" value="57549fe522"> <button type="submit" class="wp-block-button__link"> Follow </button>
  </p>
</form>

GET https://meeder.biz/

<form role="search" method="get" class="search-form" action="https://meeder.biz/">
  <label>
    <span class="screen-reader-text">Search for:</span>
    <input type="search" class="search-field" placeholder="Search …" value="" name="s">
  </label>
  <input type="submit" class="search-submit" value="Search">
</form>

POST https://subscribe.wordpress.com

<form method="post" action="https://subscribe.wordpress.com" accept-charset="utf-8" style="display: none;">
  <div class="actnbr-follow-count">Join 2,987 other subscribers</div>
  <div>
    <input type="email" name="email" placeholder="Enter your email address" class="actnbr-email-field" aria-label="Enter your email address">
  </div>
  <input type="hidden" name="action" value="subscribe">
  <input type="hidden" name="blog_id" value="84556689">
  <input type="hidden" name="source" value="https://meeder.biz/">
  <input type="hidden" name="sub-type" value="actionbar-follow">
  <input type="hidden" id="_wpnonce" name="_wpnonce" value="57549fe522">
  <div class="actnbr-button-wrap">
    <button type="submit" value="Sign me up"> Sign me up </button>
  </div>
</form>

<form id="jp-carousel-comment-form">
  <label for="jp-carousel-comment-form-comment-field" class="screen-reader-text">Write a Comment...</label>
  <textarea name="comment" class="jp-carousel-comment-form-field jp-carousel-comment-form-textarea" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-comment-field" placeholder="Write a Comment..."></textarea>
  <div id="jp-carousel-comment-form-submit-and-info-wrapper">
    <div id="jp-carousel-comment-form-commenting-as">
      <fieldset>
        <label for="jp-carousel-comment-form-email-field">Email</label>
        <input type="text" name="email" class="jp-carousel-comment-form-field jp-carousel-comment-form-text-field" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-email-field">
      </fieldset>
      <fieldset>
        <label for="jp-carousel-comment-form-author-field">Name</label>
        <input type="text" name="author" class="jp-carousel-comment-form-field jp-carousel-comment-form-text-field" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-author-field">
      </fieldset>
      <fieldset>
        <label for="jp-carousel-comment-form-url-field">Website</label>
        <input type="text" name="url" class="jp-carousel-comment-form-field jp-carousel-comment-form-text-field" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-url-field">
      </fieldset>
    </div>
    <input type="submit" name="submit" class="jp-carousel-comment-form-button" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-button-submit" value="Post Comment">
  </div>
</form>

Text Content

LINDA'S BOOK BAG

LOVING BOOKS AND READING

WIDGETS

LOOKING FOR A BLOG POST? SEARCH BELOW

Search for:

FOLLOW BLOG VIA EMAIL

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new
posts by email.

Email Address:

REEDSY TOP 100 BOOK REVIEW BLOGS 2019

BEST OVERALL BLOG ANNUAL BLOGGERS BASH AWARDS 2018

RNA INDUSTRY AWARDS MEDIA/BLOG STAR 2017

BEST BOOK REVIEW BLOG

NOMINATED FOR BEST BOOK REVIEW BLOG 2017

REVIEW POLICY

I am currently unable to accept new books for review.

CONTACT ME ON TWITTER @LINDAHILL50HILL OR EMAIL LINDAHILL50@ME.COM FOR BOOK
RELATED MESSAGES

RECENT POSTS

* Cover Reveal: Somebody I Used to Love by Eve Aisworth
* An Extract from Hunter’s Christmas by Val Penny
* All My Wild Mothers by Victoria Bennett
* When Grandma Burnt Her Bra by Samantha Tidy and Aśka
* The Skint Cook by Ian Bursnall

NETGALLEY ADVOCATE

NETGALLEY

GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATIONS

Linda’s Book Bag readers should note that they may unsubscribe at any point from
following the blog. I do not share personal information with third-parties and
WordPress does not allow me access to your email addresses in order to protect
your privacy. I do not store information about your visit to this blog other
than to analyze content performance through the use of cookies, which you can
turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser’s settings. I am not
responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web
sites or media without my permission.

Search for:

COVER REVEAL: SOMEBODY I USED TO LOVE BY EVE AISWORTH

January 15, 2024lindasbookbag Leave a comment

I’ve always heard such wonderful things about Eve Ainsworth’s writing but have
never actually featured her on Linda’s Book Bag. It’s my pleasure today to join
in with the cover reveal for her latest book Somebody I Used to Love. My thanks
to Rachel of with Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate in
this cover reveal.

Coming from Canelo on 27th June 2024, Somebody I Used to Love is available for
pre-order here.

SOMEBODY I USED TO LOVE

Lost memories. Lost loves. Can they find their way back to each other?

When Will wakes up after a car accident, he’s lost three years of memory. All he
wants is his girlfriend and childhood sweetheart, Gem, beside him. Instead,
nothing is as he remembers.

Gem has finally moved on from hers and Will’s break-up. With a new life and
boyfriend, the last thing she expects is a call to say Will needs her – the man
who nearly destroyed her.

As Will recovers, he is determined to prove to Gem that he is the man he once
was. But by unlocking the secrets of his past, will he be able to piece together
what caused him to change so dramatically? And, faced with the choice, will Gem
continue with the safe new life she has built for herself, or will she go back
to the man she used to love?

Heartbreaking and twisty, perfect for fans of Dani Atkins, Jojo Moyes and
Colleen Hoover.

****

Doesn’t that sound fabulous? I’m so looking forward to reading Somebody I Used
to Love. Don’t forget to pre-order here.

ABOUT EVE AINSWORTH

Eve Ainsworth is a public speaker, creative workshop coordinator and
award-winning author who draws from her extensive work with teenagers managing
emotional and behavioural issues to write authentic, honest and real novels for
young people and adults. Eve’s adult debut, Duckling, was published by Penguin
Random House in 2022. She has had short stories published in magazines such as
Writers’ Forum and Prima and articles posted online for The Guardian, Metro and
BookTrust. Eve is also a champion for working class voices, has set up the
Working Class Writers Network and is an experienced mentor.

For further information, follow Eve on Twitter/X @EveAinsworth and find her on
Instagram and Facebook.

AN EXTRACT FROM HUNTER’S CHRISTMAS BY VAL PENNY

January 14, 2024lindasbookbag Leave a comment

Val Penny is always a welcome visitor to Linda’s Book Bag and you’ll find the
previous occasions Val has appeared here. Today, we’re sharing an extract from
Val’s latest book, Hunter’s Christmas which is a collection of short stories.
I’m only sorry I wasn’t able to read for review this time.

Hunter’s Christmas was published by Spellbound on 15th December 2023 and is
available for purchase here.

HUNTER’S CHRISTMAS

DI Hunter Wilson is looking forward to spending a holiday in India with his
girlfriend Dr Meera Sharma, away from the cold, wet winter of Edinburgh. He
looks to share his happiness with others when he is attacked by Santa Claus, he
says.

His team swing into action to catch his attackers but then receive information
about an elf found dead in a car park and a car stolen by Mrs Claus.

Are the crimes by these Christmas characters connected?

Can Hunter’s team restore peace and good will to Christmas?

Hunter’s Christmas and Other Stories includes tales about DI Hunter Wilson and
DS Jane Renwick along with those about new and different characters in this
gripping collection of short stories especially for crime fiction readers.

AN EXTRACT FROM HUNTER’S CHRISTMAS

Tim and Bear marched along the hospital corridor to Hunter’s ward. They made an
interesting duo; one tall with fair hair and broad shoulders, dressed in relaxed
but expensive designer clothes, the other tall and black with equally wide
shoulders and a more formal smart suit. When they arrived at Hunter’s bedside,
Meera Sharma had just risen to leave.

“Hi guys, I’ve told Meera she mustn’t disappoint her family by staying here with
me. Tell her. I’ll be fine. There’s nothing anybody can do until I get out of
here, and it looks like that might be a couple of weeks. They haven’t even
operated on my wrist yet. It was too swollen.”

Meera looked at Tim. “Look after him for me.”

“I will.”

She looked sternly at Bear. “Don’t let him do anything stupid.”

“Why do I always get the difficult jobs?”

The men grinned at Meera.

“Enjoy your holiday, darling and send my love to each member of your crazy
family,” Hunter said.

“What do you mean they’re crazy? They didn’t get beaten up by Santa Claus.”
Meera kissed Hunter and left the ward.

“You are a lucky man, boss. What does she see in you?”

Hunter looked at his foot which was raised to keep his leg straight. “You’re
right Tim, I’ve been too scared to ask her, especially right now.” He smiled.
“Pull up a chair and tell me what you know.”

“No boss, you’re meant to tell us if you’ve remembered anything else,” Bear
said. “Would you recognise the men if you saw them again?”

“No chance, they were all dressed up and wore fake white beards.” Hunter paused.
There can’t be that many stores near the city centre hiring Santas can there?”

“Forty-seven Santas hired in the area, and ninety-six elves but only three
stores hired three Santas to provide cover in shifts. Uniforms are going to
interview the relevant store managers.”

“Elves!” Hunter exclaimed. “One of the Santas, the tallest one, said they’d had
they’re tips stolen by an elf. He said he’d like to kill him.” Hunter moved and
then grimaced in pain.

“That’s interesting, because a guy dressed as an elf has been found dead in
Castle Terrace car park,” Tim said.

“And Mrs Claus stole a car from Thomson’s Top Cars,” said Bear.

“Look, I can’t do anything about this here, but there’s something strange with
all this. Could you find the connection for me? There must be one.”

“Must be one what, Hunter?” Ailsa Myerscough asked as she walked in. “Don’t get
him too excited, Tim. I’m going to operate on that wrist later.” She smiled at
Tim and Bear. “Staff nurse Jessica will be along to take you for premeds and so
on shortly Hunter. Is there anything you want to ask?”

“Will I die?”

“It’s always a risk, but probably not. As I said, boys, no excitement.” Then, as
quietly as she had arrived, Ailsa left to carry on with her work.

“If there’s nothing else you can tell us, we’re off to see Jamie and Frankie at
Thomson’s Top Cars,” Bear said. “We’ll do our best to find out what’s going on.”

“I don’t want your best. I just want you to solve these crimes. There’s too much
Christmas in them for my liking.”

ABOUT VAL PENNY

Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from
Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress,
banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her
childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store.

Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short
stories, nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound
Books Ltd.

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of
whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.

For more information about Val, visit her website or blog. You’ll find Val
on Goodreads, Twitter/X @valeriepenny, and Facebook.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

ALL MY WILD MOTHERS BY VICTORIA BENNETT

January 11, 2024lindasbookbag Leave a comment

My enormous thanks to Victoria Bennett for arranging for All My Wild Mothers to
be sent to me well over a year ago. With the paperback publication looming I
thought it really was time I got round to reading All My Wild Mothers and
sharing my review! I’m delighted to do that today.

All My Wild Mothers is out from Two Roads in paperback on 1st February 2024 and
is available for purchase through the links here.

ALL MY WILD MOTHERS

An intimate memoir of motherhood, herbal folklore All My Wild Mothers is more
than just a memoir. It’s a handbook on survival, and a testimony to radical
hope.

At seven months pregnant, Victoria Bennett learns her sister has died in a
canoeing accident. In that moment, her life changes.

Five years later, and struggling with the demands of motherhood, grief and
full-time care, Victoria and her family move to a new social housing estate in
rural Cumbria. Here, in the rubble of a former industrial site, she and her
young son begin to grow a wild apothecary garden: daisy, for resilience;
dandelion, for strength against adversity; sow thistle, to lift melancholy; and
borage, to bring hope in dark and difficult times.

Stone by stone, seed by seed, they discover that sometimes life grows, not in
spite what is broken, but because of it.

All My Wild Mothers is a profound exploration of grief, identity, and
rediscovery; a testament that life and love persists, even when we think all is
lost.

MY REVIEW OF ALL MY WILD MOTHERS

A memoir of plants and grief.

All My Wild Mothers is an astounding book. It’s as unlike a conventional memoir
as can be possible and yet it provides the most perfect insight into the life
and character of Victoria Bennett.

The prose is simply beautiful. Weaving the past into a clear chronology as
Victoria Bennett and her son create a wasteland garden, All My Wild Mothers is
rich with detail, technicolour in vivid description and yet equally pared down
and concise so that simple sentences convey the deepest emotions. Every sense is
here between the pages of All My Wild Mothers, but somehow there isn’t a jarring
note or an extraneous syllable to snag the profound and sensitive writing. It is
as if Victoria Bennett has laid herself bare with exquisite skill and honesty.

All My Wild Mothers might initially be an intimate and affecting exploration of
Victoria Bennett’s personal grief over lost children and her sister’s accidental
death, and later, her mother’s passing, but it also has a universal quality too.
The wonderful drawings, the botanical references and the iterative metaphor of
the ability of both nature and humankind to rewild and regenerate all add up
into a book that is felt every bit as much as it is read.

Consequently, as well as raw grief there are so many identifiable and relatable
situations and emotions here, from frustration to anger but equally there is
hope, and deep, deep love – especially in the author’s relationship with her
son. As a result All My wild Mothers gives the reader permission to identify and
accept their own feelings and to understand themselves better even as they
understand the author completely.

To any one of us who has lived, or grieved, or planted a seed or admired the
tenacity of weeds, All My Wild Mothers is a siren call of hope. Reading it gives
a sense of belonging, an understanding not only of the adaptability and
resilience of Nature, but of human nature. Whatever the wastelands of our past,
our relationships and the difficulties of our present situations, through
sharing her story Victoria Bennett shows we can not just survive, but that, like
a small lost seed, we can thrive.

I thought All My Wild Mothers was a wonderful book.

ABOUT VICTORIA BENNETT

Victoria Bennett was born in Oxfordshire in 1971. A poet and author, her writing
has previously received a Northern Debut Award, a Northern Promise Award, the
Andrew Waterhouse Award, and has been longlisted for the Penguin WriteNow
programme and the inaugural Nan Shepherd Prize for under-represented voices. She
founded Wild Women Press in 1999 to support rural women writers in her
community, and since 2018 has curated the global Wild Woman Web project, an
inclusive online space focusing on nature, connection, and creativity. When not
juggling writing, full-time care, and genetic illness, she can be found where
the wild weeds grow. All My Wild Mothers is her debut memoir.

For further information, visit Victoria’s website, follow her on Twitter/X
@VikBeeWyld and find Victoria on Instagram and Facebook.

WHEN GRANDMA BURNT HER BRA BY SAMANTHA TIDY AND AŚKA

January 10, 2024lindasbookbag 2 Comments

My enormous thanks to Kirsten Knight at Exisle Publishing for bringing a huge
smile to my face when she sent me the children’s book When Grandma Burnt Her Bra
by Samantha Tidy and Aśka. I had meant to review some while ago but life got the
better of me. However, it’s my pleasure to share my review today.

Published by EK Books on 23rd October 2023, When Grandma Burnt Her Bra is
available for purchase here.

WHEN GRANDMA BURNT HER BRA

When Grandma Burnt Her Bra uses humour to tell the story of feminism and women’s
rights, exploring how, throughout history, both men and women have broken down
barriers. The illustrations help convey, carefully and quirkily, the complex
message that things were not always equal — and that they are not yet equal —
which means that each generation faces the continued fight for equality. The
call to action is to carry the flame forward. And best of all, this book has
dinosaurs!

MY REVIEW OF WHEN GRANDMA BURNT HER BRA

Maggie’s grandma has a story to tell!

What a fantastic book! In common with other EK children’s books I’ve read the
physical attributes are so pleasing, with a really strong cover that would make
When Grandma Burnt Her Bra durable in any setting, be that home or school.
There’s real attention to detail in the end papers giving a sensation of quality
and I love the fact that there are teaching resources available to support the
book on the EK website.

Indeed, When Grandma Burnt Her Bra would be brilliant for classroom use in
primary education. The story has a female protagonist appealing to girls and the
use of actual dinosaurs as a metaphor for attitudes will draw in boys too. The
story would be brilliant for discussion work about equality – and perhaps even
afford the opportunity to discuss identity with children not identifying as
either male or female, as it challenges stereotypes strongly and effectively.
Similarly, I could see research into female emancipation and voting with
slightly older children.

There’s a smashing balance of text to image so that When Grandma Burnt Her Bra
would be super for whole class sharing as well as for young independent readers.
That said, there’s some new vocabulary to develop understanding and lexicon too.

With feminism, ambition and equality as major themes, When Grandma Burnt Her Bra
might sound overly political and inappropriate for young readers. Not a bit of
it. The text and illustrations are peppered with jokes and humour and there’s a
real sense of family so that children can consider their place in the world in a
fun and engaging manner.

I thought When Grandma Burnt Her Bra was smashing. It’s funny and entertaining
for readers of all ages and I thoroughly recommend it.

ABOUT SAMANTHA TIDY

Samantha Tidy is a writer of fiction and non-fiction for both children and
adults. She seeks out stories that cultivate connection and resilience and that
help build community. She believes strongly that books can help us imagine a
better world for the next generation to inherit. She is passionate about
libraries, sustainable stewardship of our planet and using hope, action and
compassion to regenerate our future. Samantha’s previous titles include The Day
We Built the Bridge (Midnight Sun Publishing, 2019) and Cloudspotting (Windy
Hollow Books, 2023) among others.

For further information, visit Sam’s website or find her on Instagram and
Facebook.

ABOUT AŚKA

Aśka is an award‐winning visual storyteller, comics maker and science
communicator. As a hugely engaging and popular presenter, Aśka is passionate
about visual literacy. She has published more than ten books and graphic novels
and is a recipient of several grants and fellowships.

Aśka’s illustrations are featured in previous EK Books titles My Storee, The
Incurable Imagination and This is NOT a Book!

For further information, visit Aśka’s website and find her on Instagram and
Facebook.

THE SKINT COOK BY IAN BURSNALL

January 9, 2024lindasbookbag 2 Comments

My grateful thanks to Komal Patel at Harper Collins for sending me a copy of The
Skint Cook by Ian Bursnall in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to
share that review today.

The Skint Cook will be published by Harper Collins on 18th January 2024 and is
available for pre-order through the links here.

THE SKINT COOK

Top nosh, less dosh: over 80 affordably delicious recipes you will love

* Use up leftovers
* Knock out showstoppers
* Have cash to spare

From Friday night fake-aways to succulent Sunday roasts, The Skint Cook is all
about feel-good food made with ingredients that are accessible at prices that
are affordable.

There’s updates on classics, flavour combos to die for and new recipes that are
about to become your go-to staples – alongside a showcase of thrifty tips and
tricks that are ingeniously simple and incredibly effective.

Whether it’s swapping butter for margarine or turning leftover doughnuts into
the bread pudding of your dreams, The Skint Cook shows you how to get
resourceful and make your cooking affordably delicious.

MY REVIEW OF THE SKINT COOK

A collection of inexpensive recipes.

If I have one tiny quibble about The Skint Cook, it would be that, in common
with just about every cook book I own, I’d like a little greater consistency in
the number of people each recipe serves. Some recipes are for two, some for 2-3,
some for four and so on. I think new cooks for whom The Skint Cook would be a
fabulous starter book might benefit from all the recipes serving two with advice
on how to increase the ingredients for more diners.

That aside, from Ian Bursnall’s potted life history in the introduction
throughout the rest of The Skint Cook there is a straightforward, pragmatic
approach that means this is a cook book accessible to all. With opening sections
on store cupboard basics and essential kitchen equipment or tips for getting
children involved with cooking, and an ending giving conversion charts and oven
timings, The Skint Cook would make a perfect handbook for a student going to
university or someone setting up home for the first time. I really liked the
sample menus too. The handwritten section headings and Ian’s scrawled notes all
add to the authenticity of the book.

The six sections of recipes are based on readily accessible ingredients and
techniques that are clearly explained and easy to follow. Most ingredients are
at the more economical end of the scale although some splash out a bit and there
are some twists that add an extra dimension to traditional recipes. Quite
honestly, it would never have occurred to me to add balsamic vinegar to a
crumble!

I thoroughly enjoyed the way the majority of the recipes are accompanied by
mouth watering photographs and many of the entries have little insights into Ian
Bursnall’s childhood or family life so that this is partly a biography as well
as a cookery book. Another real strength in The Skint Cook for me was the sense
of community, family and friendship underpinning the recipe choices. These are
dishes that can be made easily but can be used to feed guests in a very pleasing
manner.

Whilst anyone with a good knowledge of basic cooking won’t find any challenging
recipes or particularly difficult techniques, The Skint Cook gives an
entertaining grounding in economical, tasty and nutritious meals that will make
catering for an individual, a couple or a family a pleasure. If you’ve someone
in the family just starting out on a cooking adventure The Skint Cook is a
cracking place for that journey to begin.

ABOUT IAN BURSNALL

Hailing from Leicester, Ian Bursnall – aka The Skint Roofer – competed in Jamie
Oliver’s ‘Great Cookbook Challenge’ in 2022, where he won the judges over with
his inventive twists on crowd-pleasing, budget-friendly recipes for all the
family, such as ‘Pimped-up pigs in Blankets’ and ‘Donna’s Spuds: Roasties with
Stilton’. Ever since his mum taught him to cook at 16, Ian’s passion has been to
make cooking accessible, helping and encouraging people to understand flavours
and feel confident in the kitchen.

For more information, find Ian on Instagram.

THE GLASS WOMAN BY ALICE MCILROY

January 5, 2024lindasbookbag 7 Comments

My enormous thanks to publicist Ruth Killick for inviting me to participate in
the blog tour for The Glass Woman by Alice McIlroy. I’m delighted to share my
review today.

The Glass Woman was published by Datura on 2nd January 2024 and is available for
purchase here.

THE GLASS WOMAN

When you wake up without your memories, who can you really trust?

Iris Henderson wakes up in a hospital bed alone, with no memory of why or how
she got there. Moments later, she is introduced to her husband Marcus, a man she
does not even recognise. And things only get stranger from there.

Iris is told that she volunteered to be the first test-subject for a
ground-breaking AI therapy, and that she is the pioneering scientist behind the
experimental treatment.

Whilst everyone warns her to leave it alone, a confused Iris continually
scratches beneath the surface of her seemingly happy marriage and successful
career, setting a catastrophic chain of events in motion.

Secrets will be revealed that have the capacity to destroy her whole life, but
Iris can’t stop digging…

MY REVIEW OF THE GLASS WOMAN

Iris is in hospital with no memories.

Before my proper review of The Glass Woman, I feel compelled to comment on how
the book is written as much as on what is written. Alice McIroy employs a
fantastic style. Her writing is intelligent and nuanced, balanced with perfect
poise between beautiful description that is visual and appealing, and stark,
concise, taut prose that heightens tension. This sensation is enhanced by
realistic speech, wonderful variety of sentence structure and length, and a
meticulous vocabulary that is utterly convincing. All these elements combine so
that The Glass Woman is edgy, sophisticated in style and heart-thumping to read.
There’s also a physical and psychological claustrophobia as Iris finds herself
in hospital, and then back home with Marcus, enhanced by the reduced number of
characters in Iris’s life.

I found Iris a character who held my attention from the very beginning. She’s a
wonderful example of imperfect humanity and the importance of retaining that
imperfection. As Alice McIroy examines the concept of memory and its place in
identity alongside the potential impact of AI and medicinal advance, the more
terrifying the story becomes through Iris’s experiences. Iris truly is a glass
woman who might just shatter emotionally or physically at any moment. I thought
the changing pronoun from I to you as Iris is shown long lost memories was a
stroke of genius because it illustrated the unreliability of memory and
distanced the present Iris from her pre Ariel past self.

The plot of The Glass Woman simply races along. Short chapters that drip feed
information to the reader in much the same way Iris is given details add pace
and drama so that this becomes a narrative that is impossible to put down. I
felt completely ensnared by Alice McIlroy’s story. It’s impossible to say too
much about what happens as this will spoil the story for others, but if I say I
had been unable to concentrate on reading for a while and found myself riveted
by The Glass Woman, you’ll have an idea!

Part science-fiction, part horror, part drama and part psychological thriller
The Glass Woman is a story that defies categorisation. Its themes resonate with
dilemma, with thought-provoking consideration of the morality of medical advance
in the world, and with compelling consideration of the self and how we define
ourselves not just to others, but to ourselves too.

All these aspects make The Glass Woman unsettling, darkly realistic, chilling
and disturbingly plausible. The Glass Woman is a book that I read with an all
pervading sensation of barely suppressed terror and rage as I learned about what
had happened in Iris’s life. The story lingers long after it’s been read,
challenging the reader’s own perceptions of morality and of what they’ve just
read. In short, I thought The Glass Woman was an absolute triumph and possibly
one of the best books you’ll read this year!

ABOUT ALICE MCIROY

Alice McIlroy was born in London. She graduated in English and has a
post-graduate in Law. She completed Faber Academy’s novel-writing programme and
has taught English in state schools in London and Milan. She has taught English
in state schools in London and Milan. Her writing has been longlisted for the
Stylist Prize for Feminist Fiction and Grindstone International Novel Prize. The
Glass Woman is her debut novel.

For further information, follow Alice on Twitter/X @alice_mcilroy, find her on
Instagram and Facebook or visit her website.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

THE PARIS AFFAIR BY ANTON DU BEKE

January 4, 2024lindasbookbag 9 Comments

My huge thanks to the lovely publicists at Orion for sending me a copy of The
Paris Affair by Anton du Beke in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to
share that review today.

(And I might just be stalking Anton to sign my copy on a cruise trip later in
the spring!)

Already available in other formats, The Paris Affair will be released in
paperback on 1st February 2024 and is available for pre-order through the links
here.

THE PARIS AFFAIR

March 1941. As the war rages on, the Buckingham Hotel has become a microcosm of
the world. Its ballroom and restaurant are peopled with exiled royal families,
politicians and dignitaries, but the beating heart of the Buckingham remains its
hardworking, talented staff.

With the heroic Raymond de Guise away fighting in North Africa, his beloved wife
Nancy must balance her new position in life- as Head of Housekeeping at the
Buckingham, but also as a new mother to their child.

And all the while, mysterious new figures are beginning to take centre stage: a
secretive new bandleader from across the Atlantic, an unknown thief pilfering
luxury goods from the Buckingham’s larders, and a charismatic ghost from
Raymond’s past, stirring up old memories from his time on the circuit in 1920s
Paris.

As tensions flare and dark secrets rise to the surface, it’s all the Buckingham
staff can do to retain their trademark elegance and poise…

MY REVIEW OF THE PARIS AFFAIR

The Buckingham Hotel is surviving the war.

Not having read the previous books in this series it took me a while to
familiarise myself with the various characters in The Paris Affair, their
circumstances and their relationships with one another. If I’m brutally honest I
was unsure if I would actually enjoy the story because there seemed so many
people to meet.

I needn’t have worried. The plot is certainly multi-faceted and layered with a
large cast of characters that initially felt daunting, but with every page
turned I was drawn into the narrative and by the end of The Paris Affair I found
it had had quite an emotional impact, particularly because of Raymond and Annie.
Annie is an important character in introducing light relief and humour as well
as anxiety and realism. However, it was Nancy who felt most relatable to me,
because she is a woman doing her best in adverse circumstances with a
universality to her character I found pragmatic, endearing and relatable.

There’s so much to absorb the reader, with real events and people introduced
into Anton du Beke’s story to give it a feeling of authenticity, and the
excitement and danger build convincingly throughout so that the denouement made
my heart beat rather faster. There are some profound themes in The Paris Affair
as well as an entertaining plot. National security, war, betrayal, duty,
organised crime, identity and so on all swirl through the pages making for an
intriguing read.

That said, with famous faces, glamorous evenings and a hedonistic atmosphere in
the Buckingham ballroom presented so clearly through evocative and vivid
descriptions, what works so well here is the prosaic, the ordinary. In The Paris
Affair Anton du Beke explores how good people can do bad things but for positive
reasons, and how family, friendship, support and loyalty can drive people apart
as well as bring them together, so that there is much to ponder whilst enjoying
the story. I loved the concept that whilst war rages and dreadful things are
happening in the world, there are small comforts to be had at home. This is a
message not just balancing the events in this narrative, but one much needed in
today’s real world.

I thought the dance and musical aspects were wonderful, and very much what I
would expect from this author, creating a sense of golden age glamour that is
incredibly vivid. Having begun The Paris Affair slightly bewildered and a bit
daunted by all the characters, I finished this smashing read feeling hugely
engaged and entertained and believing it is crying out for a Sunday night
television series. Now, having so enjoyed this story, all I need to do is read
the other books in the series because I want to know more about the warm,
realistic folk of the Buckingham Hotel.

ABOUT ANTON DU BEKE

Anton Du Beke – the King of Ballroom, ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ royalty, and
household name – is one of this generation’s all-round entertainers. In 2018, he
realised his boyhood ambition and published the first in a series of bestselling
novels set in the 1930s world of the exclusive Mayfair hotel, The Buckingham.

A consummate storyteller adept at captivating audiences, he is now captivating
readers as he whisks them away to worlds of dance, intrigue, high society and
scandal… bringing the golden age of dance to life, page by page.

As Strictly’s longest running professional dancer, and now Judge, Anton is the
perfect author to lead the reader to the dancefloor as never before.

For further information, visit Anton’s website, and find him on Twitter/X
@TheAntonDuBeke and Facebook. You’ll also find Anton on Instagram.

THE MEMORY LIBRARY BY KATE STOREY

January 3, 2024lindasbookbag 4 Comments

It was my very great pleasure to meet Kate Storey just under a year ago at a
bookish event so when Becky Hunter sent me a surprise copy of her debut in this
genre, The Memory Library, I was delighted. I know it’s way too early, but I
couldn’t wait any longer to shout about this book and it’s my absolute pleasure
to share my review of The Memory Library today.

Published by Harper Collins’ imprint Avon on 1st February 2024, The Memory
Library is available for pre-order through the links here.

THE MEMORY LIBRARY

For forty-two years, Sally Harrison has been building a library.

Each year, on her daughter’s birthday, she adds a new book to her shelves – with
a note in the front dedicated to her own greatest work.

But Ella – Sally’s only child – fled to Australia twenty-one years ago after a
heated exchange, and never looked back. And though Sally still dutifully adds a
new paperback to the shelves every time the clock strikes midnight on July 11th,
her hopes of her daughter ever thumbing through the pages are starting to
dwindle.

Then disaster strikes and Ella is forced to return to the home she once knew.

She is soon to discover that when one chapter ends, another will soon follow.

All you have to do is turn the page…

Journey through the pages of this heartwarming novel, where hope, friendship and
second chances are written in the margins. Perfect for book lovers everywhere
and fans of Sally Page’s The Keeper of Stories.

My Review of The Memory Library

Ella’s mother has had a fall.

Now, if you’re thinking of reading The Memory Library without a box of tissues
close by, think again. Let me tell you, you’re going to need a boxful. This is a
glorious story of the dynamics between Ella and her mother Sally, with a hint of
mystery running through as we discover just why their relationship fractured in
the first place.

Because much of The Memory Library revolves around the relationship between
Sally and Ella there is an intense intimacy that heightens the impact on the
reader. So many aspects of family relationships resonate with the reader, making
this an almost visceral reading experience. What works so profoundly is the way
Ella develops over the story. Whilst Sally’s life is undergoing the major change
precipitating the accident that brings Ella home from Australia, she remains
ironically constant like a kind of lode star. As a result, it is Ella who,
always wanting to be Queen of the World, unyieldingly thinks she knows
everything there is to know about Sally, and consequently it is Ella who finds
herself in the greatest state of flux, change and self-awareness. The balance
created by Kate Storey is simply wonderful as both women are gradually revealed
to the reader and to one another in a convincing, relatable and affecting way.

A wider supporting cast of characters adds humour, a sense of community and
further layers to Sally and Ella’s personalities. Each one of these secondary
people feels absolutely real, as if they could be living next door or could be
encountered in the local library. Even Hadron the cat is as vivid as any human.

The central plot of The Memory Library is essentially simple – a daughter
returns temporarily to take care of her mother following a fall. However, that
belies the absolutely wonderful themes of the story, from prejudice and
acceptance, through friendship, family, marriage and relationships of all kinds,
to a deep and glorious celebration of books and reading. Reading The Memory
Library is not only completely absorbing, but it is a healing, supportive book
for the reader every bit as much as it is the story of Sally and Ella’s
relationship.

I loved everything about The Memory Library. I loved the concept of personal
grief and difficulty hidden behind a public persona. I loved the understanding
of loneliness both for those living alone and within relationships. I loved the
concept that it’s never too late for healing and hope, especially with a little
help from your friends.

Written with humanity and deep emotion, Kate’s Storey’s The Memory Library is
affecting and enlightening. Steeped in love of many kinds with a beautifully
explored need for human connection, and an underpinning theme of books and
literature, this is a story to break your heart and mend it again. I absolutely
adored it!

ABOUT KATE STOREY

Kate Storey started her career teaching English and Drama, and when she had her
family, combined all three to write novels about family drama. Originally from
Yorkshire, she now lives in a London suburb with her husband and two teenage
daughters, so expects there’s plenty more drama to come.

Also writing as Lisa Timoney, you can find out more about Kate by visiting her
website, finding her on Facebook and Instagram or following her on Twitter/X
@LTimoneyWrites.

2023 – MY TOP 30 FAVOURITE READS

December 29, 2023lindasbookbag 16 Comments

2023 has been a year of exceptional reading and looking ahead to the 100 or so
books I already have coming out in 2024 I think that’s going to be a bumper year
too.

It’s always a dilemma whether to blog a round up of my favourite reads as I
always feel concerned for those authors whose books don’t appear on any lists,
or whose books I have and would adore but haven’t quite got round to reading
yet. At the same time I want to thank those writers who’ve brought me personal
reading happiness. As you may know, when I read a book I immediately award an
emotional ‘gut reaction’ mark out of 100 and any book getting 95 or above is a
book of the year for me.

As I don’t think reading should be a competitive sport, I set my Goodreads
challenge to read one book in 2023. Goodreads says I’ve read 138 books this
year, but not all the ones I’ve read are on Goodreads and others I’ve read are
coming out in 2024 so I haven’t put out my reviews yet. I also read several for
My Weekly and The People’s Friend magazines that I haven’t got round to
reviewing on the Linda’s Book Bag as my personal life rather overwhelmed me at
times so sadly they don’t appear here either.

So, with apologies if I’ve read a hardback and the cover has changed for a newer
paperback version, and with additional apologies to all the other wonderful
authors I’ve read, here are the books I enjoyed the most in the order I read
them and if you click on the title you’ll be taken to my review:

WHEN I FIRST HELD YOU BY ANSTEY HARRIS

Silence tore them apart. Can the truth bring them back together?

In 1960s Glasgow, anti-nuclear activists Judith and Jimmy fall in love. But
their future hopes are dashed when their protestors’ squat is raided and many,
including Jimmy, are sent to prison. Pregnant and with no word from Jimmy,
Judith is forced to enter an unmarried mothers’ home, give up their baby and
learn to live with her grief.

More than half a century later, Judith’s Mending Shop restores broken treasures,
just as Judith herself has been bound back together by her late, much-missed
partner, Catherine. But her tranquillity is shattered when Jimmy―so different
and yet somehow the same―reappears, yearning to unpick the painful past.

Realising they each know only half of the other’s story, Jimmy and Judith
finally break the silence that tore apart what might have been their family.
Amid heartbreak and hope, how much can now be mended?

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE BY JO CALLAGHAN

In the Blink of an Eye is coming out with a new cover in paperback on 4th
January.

In the UK, someone is reported missing every 90 seconds.
Just gone. Vanished. In the blink of an eye.

DCS Kat Frank knows all about loss. A widowed single mother, Kat is a cop who
trusts her instincts. Picked to lead a pilot programme that has her paired with
AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock, Kat’s instincts come up
against Lock’s logic. But when the two missing person’s cold cases they are
reviewing suddenly become active, Lock is the only one who can help Kat when the
case gets personal.

AI versus human experience.
Logic versus instinct.
With lives on the line can the pair work together before someone else becomes
another statistic?

In the Blink of an Eye is a dazzling debut from an exciting new voice and asks
us what we think it means to be human.

THE BEST DAYS OF OUR LIVES BY LUCY DIAMOND

When 35-year-old Leni McKenzie is knocked off her bike, her family’s world is
turned upside down.

Leni and her sister Alice were best friends as well as siblings. But did they
know each other as well as Alice thought? In the hope of coming to terms with
her grief, she tries to piece together Leni’s last weeks – but her discoveries
only lead to more questions. And that’s before the surprise reappearance of
someone from the past. Life is certainly getting very complicated …

Meanwhile, the rest of the family seem to be falling apart. Belinda, Alice’s
mum, has developed an unhealthy obsession with a clairvoyant, and Tony, her dad,
is stressed about becoming a father all over again, what with three failed
marriages stacking up behind him.

As for Will, the youngest McKenzie, he’s in denial, having hopped onto a plane
to Thailand days after the funeral. Secretly, he’s tormented by the part he
played in Leni’s death … and the thing about secrets is, they always come out
eventually …

Full of hope and heartache, love and truths, Lucy Diamond’s new novel is the
big-hearted and relatable story of one unforgettable year in the life of the
McKenzies.

A QUIET LIFE BY ETHAN JOELLA

From the author of A Little Hope – a Read with Jenna Bonus Pick – comes another
“heartwarming, character-driven” (Booklist) life-affirming novel about three
individuals whose lives intersect in unforeseen ways.

Set in a close-knit suburb in the grip of winter, A Quiet Life follows three
people grappling with loss and finding a tender wisdom in their grief.

Chuck Ayers used to look forward to nothing so much as his annual trip to Hilton
Head with his wife, Cat – that yearly taste of relaxation they’d become
accustomed to after a lifetime of working and raising two children. Now, just
months after Cat’s death, Chuck finds that he can’t let go of her belongings-
her favourite towel, the sketchbooks in her desk drawer–as he struggles to pack
for a trip he can’t imagine taking without her.

Ella Burke delivers morning newspapers and works at a bridal shop to fill her
days while she anxiously awaits news – any piece of information – about her
missing daughter. Ella adjusts to life in a new apartment and answers every call
on her phone, hoping her daughter will reach out.

After the sudden death of her father, Kirsten Bonato set aside her veterinary
school aspirations, finding comfort in the steady routine of working at an
animal shelter. But as time passes, old dreams and new romantic interests begin
to surface – and Kirsten finds herself at another crossroads.

In this beautiful and profoundly moving novel, three parallel narratives
converge in poignant and unexpected ways, as each character bravely presses
onward, trying to recover something they have lost.

ONE MOMENT BY BECKY HUNTER

One moment in time can change everything…

The day Scarlett dies should have been one of the most important of her life. It
doesn’t feel fair that she’ll never have the chance to fulfil her dreams. And
now, she’s still … here – wherever here is – watching the ripple effect of her
death on the lives of those she loved the most.

Evie cannot contemplate her life without Scarlett, and she certainly cannot
forgive Nate, the man she blames for her best friend’s death. But Nate keeps
popping up when she least expects him to, catapulting Evie’s life in directions
she’d never let herself imagine possible. Ways, perhaps, even those closest to
her had long since given up on.

If you could go back, knowing everything that happens after, everything that
happens because of that one moment in time, would you change the course of
history or would you do it all again?

SO PRETTY BY RONNIE TURNER

Fear blisters through this town like a fever…

When Teddy Colne arrives in the small town of Rye, he believes he will be able
to settle down and leave his past behind him. Little does he know that fear
blisters through the streets like a fever. The locals tell him to stay away from
an establishment known only as Berry & Vincent, that those who rub too closely
to its proprietor risk a bad end.

Despite their warnings, Teddy is desperate to understand why Rye has come to
fear this one man, and to see what really hides behind the doors of his shop.

Ada moved to Rye with her young son to escape a damaged childhood and years of
never fitting in, but she’s lonely, and ostracised by the community. Ada is ripe
for affection and friendship, and everyone knows it.

As old secrets bleed out into this town, so too will a mystery about a family
who vanished fifty years earlier, and a community living on a knife edge.

Teddy looks for answers, thinking he is safe, but some truths are better left
undisturbed, and his past will find him here, just as it has always found him
before. And before long, it will find Ada too.

THIRTY DAYS IN PARIS BY VERONICA HENRY

Because Paris is always a good idea…

Years ago, Juliet left a little piece of her heart in Paris – and now, separated
from her husband and with her children flying the nest, it’s time to get it
back!

So she puts on her best red lipstick, books a cosy attic apartment near
Notre-Dame and takes the next train out of London.

Arriving at the Gare du Nord, the memories come flooding back: bustling street
cafés, cheap wine in candlelit bars and a handsome boy with glittering eyes.

But Juliet has also been keeping a secret for over two decades – and she begins
to realise it’s impossible to move forwards without first looking back.

Something tells her that the next thirty days might just change everything…

EIGHTEEN SECONDS BY LOUISE BEECH

Family is the best thing in your life. And the worst.

My mother once said to me, ‘I wish you could feel the way I do for eighteen
seconds. Just eighteen seconds, so you’d know how awful it is.’

I thought about it. Realised we could all learn from being in another person’s
head for eighteen seconds. Eighteen seconds inside Grandma Roberts’ head as she
sat alone with her evening cup of tea, us girls upstairs in bed. Eighteen
seconds inside one-year-old Colin’s head when he woke up in a foster home
without his family. Eighteen seconds inside the head of a girl waiting for her
bedroom door to open.

Writer, Louise Beech, looks back on the events that led to the day her mother
wrote down her last words, then jumped off the Humber Bridge. She missed
witnessing the horror herself by minutes.

Louise recounts the pain and trauma of her childhood alongside her love for her
siblings with a delicious dark humour and a profound voice of hope for the
future.

JANA’S BRIGHTLY COLOURED SOCKS BY SALLY FETOUH

Cheerful text and whimsical illustrations bring alive this heart-warming story
of kindness and inclusion featuring a character with Down syndrome.

When young Jana receives heaps of beautiful socks from her parents after
learning how to put on socks all by herself, she can’t wait to show her friends
at school. They are always kind and patient with Jana when they play together.
Jana decides to share a pair of her new socks with each and every friend. This
calls for a school sock parade! All of the children had so much fun showing off
their colourful socks together that they gave a very special and huge gift for
their kind and generous friend, Jana, a box of more socks!

Author Sally Fetouh was inspired to write this touching story by her own
daughter who has Down syndrome, feeling it was important for her and other
children like her to be able to see themselves in literature. Two years ago,
after reading a different story about a girl with Down syndrome to her
daughter’s preschool class, Sally says, “The children were so engaged in the
story and asked questions. They were very accepting and loving of their
friend—my daughter. I left with a heart overflowing with emotion and that
inspired me to write my story.”

COMING TO FIND YOU BY JANE CORRY

You can run away from your life.
But you can’t run away from murder.

When her family tragedy is splashed across the newspapers, Nancy decides to
disappear. Her grandmother’s beautiful Regency house in a quiet seaside village
seems like the safest place to hide. But the old house has its own secrets and a
chilling wartime legacy . . .

Now someone knows the truth about the night Nancy’s mother and stepfather were
murdered. Someone knows where to find her. And they have nothing to lose . . .

So what really happened that night? And how far will she go to keep it hidden?

THE OTHER COUPLE BY DIANE JEFFREY

Two couples. A fatal accident. And a decision that changes everything…

Kirsten and Nick are enjoying a weekend away until, on their drive home, they
accidentally run over and kill a man. They should call for help – but they have
too much to lose, and no one can know the real reason they’re here. Instead,
they make a split-second decision to conceal the accident.

Amy and Greg have just celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary. Amy is
expecting a baby, and they couldn’t be happier. So when Greg fails to come home
from a dog walk one weekend, Amy knows the police are wrong to believe he left
of his own accord. Someone must be behind Greg’s disappearance, and Amy won’t
give up until she gets justice – or revenge.

If you had nothing left to lose, how far would you go to find the truth?

The Fall by Louise Jensen

She promised not to tell. They made sure she couldn’t…

At her surprise 40th birthday party, Kate Granger feels like the luckiest woman
in the world but just hours later her fifteen-year-old daughter, Caily, is found
unconscious underneath a bridge when she should have been at school.

Now, Caily lies comatose in her hospital bed, and the police don’t believe it
was an accident. As the investigation progresses, it soon becomes clear that not
everyone in the family was where they claimed to be at the time of her fall.

Caily should be safe in hospital but not everyone wants her to wake up. Someone
is desperate to protect the truth and it isn’t just Caily’s life that is in
danger.

Because some secrets are worth killing for…

WONDERFULLY WIRED BRAINS BY LOUISE GOODING

An informative and inclusive children’s guide to neurodiversity for those not in
the know and to inspire children who are neurodivergent.

Our brains are unique in the way they function, work, and think. Neurodiversity
is still a relatively ‘new’ concept that can be tricky to understand, but this
book is here to help! This inspirational book written by neurodiverse author
Louise Gooding challenges misconceptions and shows how neurodivergent brains
work a little differently.

It is common for neurodiverse people and those with neurological differences to
feel as though they don’t fit in, but their extraordinary differences should be
embraced. Wonderfully Wired Brains teaches children aged 7-9 all about the
awesome abilities that neurodiverse individuals have, introduces them to
advocates who are challenging neurodiversity stereotypes, and most importantly
gives them a safe space to feel accepted.

This informative and educational book for children features:

– Accurate, understandable explanations of diagnoses that impact the brain,
including each area of neurodiversity and what it can or does mean for anyone
with that particular neurological difference.
– A positive, friendly look at neurodiverse brains that debunks myths and
stereotypes.
– Informative, inclusive text is accompanied by colourful, modern illustrations.

The font and colours used have been selected to accommodate a range of
neurodiverse readers. Combining neurodiverse experiences with science, history,
and brain-bursting facts, Wonderfully Wired Brains has something for everyone!

Whether your child is neurodiverse or not, this book will inspire inquisitive
young readers and show them that no two brains function in the same way and that
everyone’s differences should be celebrated. There really is no other book like
it.

THE FASCINATION BY ESSIE FOX

Victorian England. A world of rural fairgrounds and glamorous London theatres. A
world of dark secrets and deadly obsessions…

Twin sisters Keziah and Tilly Lovell are identical in every way, except that
Tilly hasn’t grown a single inch since she was five. Coerced into promoting
their father’s quack elixir as they tour the country fairgrounds, at the age of
fifteen the girls are sold to a mysterious Italian known as ‘Captain’.

Theo is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, Lord Seabrook, a man who has a
dark interest in anatomical freaks and other curiosities … particularly the
human kind. Resenting his grandson for his mother’s death in childbirth, when
Seabrook remarries and a new heir is produced, Theo is forced to leave home
without a penny to his name.

Theo finds employment in Dr Summerwell’s Museum of Anatomy in London, and here
he meets Captain and his theatrical ‘family’ of performers, freaks and outcasts.

But it is Theo’s fascination with Tilly and Keziah that will lead all of them
into a web of deceits, exposing the darkest secrets and threatening everything
they know…

Exploring universal themes of love and loss, the power of redemption and what it
means to be unique, The Fascination is an evocative, glittering and bewitching
gothic novel that brings alive Victorian London – and darkness and deception
that lies beneath…

THE TRUTH HAS ARMS AND LEGS BY ALICE FOWLER

Delve into a world of change and reinvention.

Where relationships are as delicate as turtle eggs, and just as easily smashed.

This poignant short story collection explores the pivotal moments that transform
our lives. Jenny, whose life is defined by small disasters, discovers a bigger,
more generous version of herself. A traveller girl might just win her race and
alter her life’s course. A widow, cut off in a riverside backwater, opens her
heart to a stranger.

In this captivating collection by award-winning writer, Alice Fowler, readers
will be moved by the raw vulnerability of human connection, and the resilience
that allows us to grow and thrive in the face of hardship. In change, Fowler’s
characters find the ability to be truly free.

A SONG OF ME & YOU BY MIKE GAYLE

Helen and Ben parted as heartbroken 18-year-olds and went their very separate
ways.

Twenty years later, mother-of-two-teenagers Helen is still in Manchester, a
part-time primary teacher, stunned by the behaviour of her love-rat husband. In
an old T shirt and scruffy jeans, she feels at the lowest point in her life.

And suddenly, impossibly, Ben is standing on her doorstep. Tired maybe, lonely
even, but clearly still the world-famous, LA-based multi-millionaire rockstar he
has become.

Can you ever go back?

For Helen and Ben, so much has happened in the years between. But just to sit in
the kitchen for a while and talk – that would be nice.

Before the world comes crashing in.

Friendship, love, heartache and hope collide in this unforgettable emotional
journey, from the author of Half A World Away.

THE UNHEARD BY ANNE WORTHINGTON

The Unheard is the powerful and intensely moving debut novel by acclaimed
documentary photographer Anne Worthington. It is a novel about memory, and what
happens to the experiences that are too much for us, but we are unable to leave
behind.

We meet Tom Pullan in 1999 when he has dementia. He lives with his wife, May.
The visitors who come to the house aren’t the people he remembers. He would like
to see the people that remain in his memory. The visitors say they have come to
help but they only seem to cause trouble.

Fifteen years earlier, in 1984, Tom is working in an office amid sweeping
redundancies across the country. His office is told there are going to be cuts
and Tom is convinced he will be one of those who will lose their job. And he is
sure that at the root of this, the person who’s orchestrating these changes is
the prime minister. He watches her every day talking about cuts, all the while
wielding an axe in her hands.

In 1931, Tom’s family walked away from their house leaving everything behind.
They not only lost a home, but his brother has gone, and no one says a word.
Now, he must do what he can to keep his father happy, and his father is never
happy. Tom goes looking for his brother every day. He waits for his brother to
come home because people don’t just disappear. Sometimes, waiting is all you can
do when you can’t make sense of the world.

BAD MEN BY JULIE MAE COHEN

It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to kill them . . .

Saffy has a secret. A secret that she is deeply ashamed of. It’s not the fact
that she’s a serial killer in her free time. In fact, she’s quite proud of that.
After all she’s only killing the bad men. She is making the world a better
place.

No, her secret is far worse than that. Saffy has a messy, inexplicable,
uncontrollable crush. So while she’s busy plotting her next murder, she also has
the much harder task of figuring out how to get a boyfriend.

But if there’s one thing Saffy knows, it’s how to get her man . . .

The Lodgers by Eithne Shortall

One house. Three strangers. A second chance at happiness.

Tessa’s life as an activist and volunteer worker takes a hit after a fall. At
the ripe young age of 69, she’s no longer able to live alone and decides to take
in two lodgers for free.

After the recent death of his brother, Conn is riddled with grief and determined
to make amends. A free room seems too good to be true – until he meets the other
lodger.

Chloe arrives at Tessa’s house to deliver a package and leaves with a room. But
she takes an instant dislike to Conn, who refuses to say where he disappears to
at night.

With everyone so busy keeping their own secrets, the mysterious package is
forgotten. It’s addressed to Tessa’s daughter who’s been missing for 10 years –
and only the contents have the answer to what happened…

ALL OF US ARE BROKEN BY FIONA CUMMINS

The electrifying crime novel featuring DS Saul Anguish from the award winning
author, Fiona Cummins, author of Into the Dark and Rattle.

Every one of them has a dark secret

The Family

After a year they want to forget, the Hardwicke family set out to the Scottish
Highlands for a much needed holiday.

The Crimes

They are about to cross paths with Missy and Fox, a violent and dangerous young
couple hell-bent on infamy, their love story etched in blood and a dark past
which must be uncovered.

The Detective

As the clock ticks down, Detective Saul Anguish is on the hunt to find the
couple before more lives are lost.

The Mother – who will be forced to make an impossible decision.

TINY PIECES OF ENID BY TIM EWINS

Enid isn’t clear about much these days. But she does feel a strong affinity with
Olivia, a regular visitor to her dementia home in a small coastal town. If only
she could put her finger on why.

Their silent partnership intensifies when Enid, hoping to reconnect with her
husband Roy, escapes from the home. With help from an imaginary macaw, she
uncovers some uncomfortable truths about Olivia’s marriage and delves into her
own forgotten past.

A deeply touching story of love, age and companionship, evoking the unnoticed
everyday moments that can mean the world to the people living them, Tim Ewins’
second novel will delight fans of his acclaimed debut, We Are Animals.

FINDING BEAR BY HANNAH GOLD

The unmissable follow-up to the phenomenal bestselling and award-winning The
Last Bear. Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold and perfect for readers 8+

April Wood has returned home from her adventure on Bear Island. But, over a year
later, she can’t stop thinking about Bear.

When April hears that a polar bear has been shot and injured in Svalbard, she’s
convinced it’s her friend and persuades her dad to travel with her to the
northernmost reaches of the Arctic. So begins an unforgettable journey across
frozen tundra and icy glaciers.

But along the way, she discovers much more than she bargained for – a tiny polar
bear cub, desperately in need of her help. In freezing temperatures, April must
navigate the dangerous Arctic terrain and face her deepest fears if she’s to
save him.

Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold, Finding Bear is a stunning story of
survival and a heartwarming tale of love that shows us how hope is born from the
smallest of beginnings.

THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN BY SHARON GOSLING

A novel of second chances and blossoming communities from the author of The
Lighthouse Bookshop.

Budding landscape architect Luisa MacGregor is stuck in a rut – she hates her
boss, she lives with her sister, and she is still mourning the loss of her
husband many years ago. So when she is given the opportunity to take on a parcel
of land in a deprived area, she sees the chance to build a garden that can make
the area bloom.

Arriving in the rundown seaside town of Collaton on the north-west coast of
Cumbria, she realises that her work is going to be cut out for her. But, along
with Cas, a local PE teacher, and Harper, a teen whose life has taken a wrong
turn, she is determined to get the garden up and running.

So when the community comes together and the garden starts to grow, she feels
her luck might have changed. Can she grow good things on this rocky ground? And
might love blossom along the way…?

THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING BY JACKIE FRASER

For fans of The Keeper of Stories, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes and A Thousand
Roads Home, The Beginning of Everything is the story of Jess and Gethin, whose
paths cross in the most unexpected way.

Jess is running, leaving all she knows and everyone she loves behind her, with
just a few treasured belongings in her rucksack. She’s escaping from the pain
and trauma of a bad relationship with a bad man, gone very badly wrong.

Gethin’s kindness and care takes her breath away. They become friends.

But with so much hurt in her past, can Jess learn to love and live again?

THE HARBOUR LIGHTS MYSTERY BY EMYLIA HALL

As The Shell House Detectives try to solve a family mystery, their investigation
runs dangerously close to a murder case. Are the two linked?

It’s December in Cornwall, and Mousehole harbour is illuminated with its famous
Christmas lights. Ally Bright is among the crowd listening to the carol
singers—and then to the piercing screams that rip through the darkness. A body
has been found, brutally murdered and dumped in a fisherman’s boat.

The victim is chef JP Sharpe and there is no shortage of people who might have
wanted him dead. Eager for a new case for The Shell House Detectives, Ally calls
ex-cop Jayden, but he’s keen to leave it to the police—until a letter in
Sharpe’s pocket draws them into a seemingly unconnected family mystery. As they
take on this highly charged mission, the duo can’t help scrutinising the murder
suspects. Who among the close-knit community has reason to kill, and how far
will they go to protect themselves?

As fear spreads, Ally and Jayden need answers—fast. Could the letter offer a
clue to the murder case or will it reveal a terrible truth? And when a new
witness comes to light, Jayden closes in on a desperate killer…but can he warn
Ally in time?

THE BURNOUT BY SOPHIE KINSELLA

Sasha is well and truly over it all: work (all-consuming), friendships (on the
back burner), sex-life (non-existent). Sasha has hit a brick wall (literally).

Armed with good intentions to drink kale smoothies, try yoga and find solitude,
she heads to the Devon resort she loved as a child. But it’s off-season, the
hotel is falling apart and now she has to share the beach with someone else: a
grumpy, stressed-out guy called Finn. How can she commune with nature when he’s
sitting on a rock, watching her? Especially when they don’t agree on burnout
cures. (Sasha: manifesting, wild swimming, secret Mars bars; Finn: drinking
whisky.)

But when curious messages start appearing on the beach, Sasha and Finn are
forced to begin talking – about everything. What’s the mystery? Why are they
both burned out? What exactly is ‘manifesting’, anyway?

They might discover that they have more in common than they think…

CHILD OF THE RUINS BY KATE FURNIVALL

1948, Berlin. World War II has ended and there is supposed to be peace; but
Russian troops have closed all access to the city. Roads, railway lines and
waterways are blocked and two million people are trapped, relying on airlifts of
food, water and medicine to survive. The sharp eyes of the Russian state police
watch everything; no one can be trusted.

Anna and Ingrid are both searching for answers – and revenge – in the messy
aftermath of war. They understand that survival comes only by knowing what to
trade: food; medicine; heirlooms; secrets. Both are living in the shadows of a
city where the line between right and wrong has become dangerously blurred.

But they cannot give up in the search for a lost child …

JOE NUTHIN’S GUIDE TO LIFE BY HELEN FISHER

Joe loves predictability. But his life is about to become a surprising
adventure.

Joe-Nathan likes the two parts of his name separate, just like his dinner and
dessert. Mean Charlie at work sometimes calls him Joe-Nuthin. But Joe is far
from nothing. Joe is a good friend, he’s good at his job, good at making things
and good at following the rules, and he’s learning how to do lots of things by
himself.

Joe’s mother knows there are a million things in life he isn’t prepared for.
While she helps guide him every day, she’s also writing notebooks full of advice
about the things she hasn’t told Joe yet, things he might forget and answers to
questions he hasn’t yet asked.

Following her wisdom – applying it in his own unique way – this next part of
Joe’s life is more of a surprise than he expects. Because he’s about to learn
that remarkable things can happen when you leave your comfort zone, and that you
can do even the hardest things with a little help from your friends.

SATURNALIA BY STEPHANIE FELDMAN

Doors open at 7. The sacrifice is at 9. The dress code is, as usual, black tie.

It’s the winter solstice in a Philadelphia that has been eroded by extreme
weather, economic collapse, and disease-carrying mosquitoes. The Saturnalia
carnival is about to begin – an evening on which nearly everyone, rich or poor,
forgets their troubles for a moment.

For Nina, Saturnalia is simply a cruel reminder of the night that changed
everything for her. It’s now three years since she walked away from the elite
Saturn Club, with its genteel debauchery, arcane pecking order, and winking
interest in alchemy and the occult. Since then, she’s led an isolated life,
eking out a living telling fortunes with her Saturn Club tarot deck.

But when she gets a chance call from Max, her last remaining friend from the
Saturn Club, Nina will put on a dress of blackest black and attend the Club’s
wild solstice masquerade, the biggest party of the year, on a mysterious errand
she can’t say no to.

Before the night is over, she will become the custodian of a horrifying secret –
and the target of a mysterious hunter.

As Nina runs across an alternate Philadelphia balanced on a knife’s edge between
celebration and catastrophe – through parades, worship houses, museums, hidden
mansions, and the place she once called home – she’s forced to confront her past
so she can finally take charge of her own, and perhaps everyone else’s, future.

PEACE ON THE WESTERN FRONT BY MATTIA SIGNORINI

The worst of enemies. The best of friends.

1914. A boy enrols in the army, hoping to find peace in the great adventure of
war. Handed a rifle, he discovers the grim reality: grey days distinguished only
by the ever-present spectre of death. In the midst of horror, he finds close
friendships, love and companionship. In an unexpected act of courage, he changes
the course of history, bringing German and Brits to put down their weapons for a
celebration of peace.

In 1933, a father and son set out for Flanders. The former soldier carries more
of the war with him than his maimed left hand. The British man he met in the
forest of Ypres is a memory passed down from father to son, a story of
friendship across enemy lines, forged by one uniting belief: the need for peace.

****

MY OVERALL FAVOURITE READ OF 2023

If you’ve managed to stay with me so far – well done! But which book from these
was my overall favourite read in 2023?

Ironically, it was the very first book in this blog post – When I First Held You
by Anstey Harris. I loved this one because it combined relationships and history
in a way that felt totally imbued with humanity so that it touched me
completely.

****

Thank you so much once again to all the publishers, authors, blog tour
organisers and publicists who have trusted me with precious books this year.
Thank you also to all those who’ve supported Linda’s Book Bag by sharing posts,
commenting and for taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate every one of
you.

Happy New Year! Here’s to a healthy and successful 2024 for you all – and may
your days be filled with books that bring you as much pleasure as these did for
me.

CREDO BY LUKE STATON

December 28, 2023lindasbookbag 4 Comments

When Luke Staton contacted my to see if I’d like to take a look at his
children’s book Credo, I was not supposed to be accepting anything else for
review. However, I so loved the sound of Credo that I couldn’t resist. My
enormous thanks to Luke for sending me a copy.

I’ve found it hard to concentrate on reading what with one thing and another in
the last few weeks, but Credo was pure joy to read and as many young readers
might be about to spend Christmas book tokens and cash I thought now might be a
good time to share my review.

Published on 31st October 2023 by Bookworm of Retford, Credo is available for
purchase here.

CREDO

Stan is a shy boy with a passion for playing football. He has a burning ambition
to show his ability but lacks the confidence to get involved in new situations.
A magical butterfly becomes Stan’s ‘pocket friend’, his companion and his
newfound confidence.

MY REVIEW OF CREDO

Stan suffers from shyness.

What an utterly charming, helpful and supportive book Credo is. Whilst this is a
children’s book, it is relevant to all ages and is such a lovely read. What
works so brilliantly is that Stan loves football and much of the story revolves
around the sport. There’s an authenticity that comes from Luke Staton’s own life
as a footballer, but importantly, it’s often boys who find articulating their
emotions most difficult and Credo speaks to them in a totally relatable way. My
heart broke at Stan’s observation from the sidelines of school lunchtime
football games and the story put me in mind of many a shy youngster I’ve taught
in the past. There’s a touch of mystery in the story too as we wait to discover
the six inspirational words from Mr Spencer to Fred.

From an educational perspective, I loved the physical qualities of Credo. The
size is just right for a shy reader unobtrusively to slip into a blazer pocket
or school bag. It has a strong and robust cover that will withstand much use in
settings where youngsters are likely to encounter it and the illustrations by
Shaun Clark enhance the story beautifully. I thought the metaphor of a butterfly
– something that can emerge from another form, as well as an image that
represents nervousness with butterflies in our tummies, was wonderful. The use
of monochrome and colour to reflect Stan’s emotions was perfectly attuned to the
text. Speaking of the text, there’s plenty of white space that means the writing
doesn’t daunt a more reluctant reader, but equally the text looks mature on the
page so that it doesn’t patronise readers, whilst at the same time the
vocabulary is accessible. There’s a sense of real care in the production of
Credo.

As Stan emerges as a more confident young man, the story in Credo is engaging
and entertaining. However, it is the themes of friendship, how a kind comment or
action can affect someone else dramatically, how single parent families can be
fantastic and caring as well as a challenge at times, how doing your best and
‘paying it forward’ leads to more than just your own personal success, how all
these aspects combine into an uplifting, heartfelt and encouraging read.

I think Credo is a really lovely book and one that should find a place in any
home or school where a young person is struggling with shyness.

ABOUT LUKE STATON

Former professional footballer Luke Staton is a motivational speaker and coach
dedicated to inspiring young people and to encouraging effective leadership and
management in adults.

For further information, visit Luke’s website and follow him on Twitter/X
@LukeStaton1 or find Luke on Instagram and Facebook.

POSTS NAVIGATION

←
Blog at WordPress.com.

Linda's Book Bag
Blog at WordPress.com.
* Subscribe Subscribed
* Linda's Book Bag

Join 2,987 other subscribers

Sign me up
* Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.

* Privacy
* * Linda's Book Bag
* Customize
* Subscribe Subscribed
* Sign up
* Log in
* Report this content
* View site in Reader
* Manage subscriptions
* Collapse this bar

Loading Comments...

Write a Comment...
Email Name Website

meeder.biz Open in urlscan Pro 2606:4700:3032::ac43:d9d4 Public Scan

Form analysis 5 forms found in the DOM

GET https://meeder.biz/

POST https://subscribe.wordpress.com

GET https://meeder.biz/

POST https://subscribe.wordpress.com

Text Content

meeder.biz Open in urlscan Pro
2606:4700:3032::ac43:d9d4 Public Scan

Form analysis
5 forms found in the DOM