Raven Storm is book 3 in the Fire Walker series, a series I have loved since the first book Raven Tower.
Blurb
Fear walks with those in power.
Divided, the land of Chem hangs in the balance. In the west the Ravens seek to bring safety to women, and an end to slavery. In the east the remaining covens cling to their power, refusing to give up their way of life to foreign invaders. Across both lands the priests whisper and plot, their gods a shadowy threat hanging over them all. To protect their young family, Kesta and Jorrun have made their home in the Raven Tower of Elden. Unable to abandon their responsibility or friends, they remain embroiled in the fight to the north. Whilst peace and friendship blossom between the Fulmers, Borrows and Elden, the arrival of strangers turns the court of Taurmaline upside down.
The history of the Fire-walkers is about to catch up with them, and the Fire-spirit’s truth will be revealed.
My Mini Review (as previously shared on Goodreads)
I’m so happy I discovered this wonderful fantasy series. The cast of characters continues to grow and I find myself caring about them all. The world building is executed with great skill and I loved the magical battles. The enemies Kesta and Jorrun face are even more deadly than in the previous books and kept me turning the pages desperate to find out what happened next. As always it was full of surprises, I cannot wait to see what happens in book Four!
An amazing fantasy story that has many familiar tropes from the genre but with new twists you won’t see coming.
Blurb
On a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire’s enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name ‘The Sword of Kaigen.’
Born into Kusanagi’s legendary Matsuda family, fourteen-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: to master his family’s fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigen’s alleged age of peace, Mamoru realizes that he might not have much time to become the fighter he was bred to be. Worse, the empire he was bred to defend may stand on a foundation of lies.
Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married into the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her growing son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of an impending invasion looming across the sea, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface.
When the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart before the true enemies even reach their shores?
A rich elemental magic system and deep world-building make this martial fantasy perfect for fans of R.F. Kuang, Brandon Sanderson, Leigh Bardugo, and Lian Hearn.
My Mini Review
I loved this book. It may have taken me quite a few pages to really get into the story, but once I was in, there was no going back. The story is relentless. It tore my heart out but I couldn’t stop reading.
I loved the different feel this book had. The mix of fantasy in an Asian inspired world with modern day technology was so well done. The action was intense, the emotions it inspired were heart-wrenching, and the world building and magic systems were both immersive and awe-inspiring! I might even go so far as to say this book is a masterpiece in the fantasy genre.
Although a standalone, I feel the author has left the world open for more stories and I really hope they pick up this world again.
Check it out on Amazon for only 99p at the moment! Worth every penny.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance
I received a copy of A Home in the Sun through Netgalley and I have to say you can’t go wrong with a Sue Moorcroft book!
Blurb
A gorgeous summer read about new beginnings from the Sunday Times bestseller.
Home is where the heart is…but what if your heart is broken?
When Judith loses her partner, she loses her life in Malta too – including the beautiful view from her sun-warmed balcony of the sparkling blue waters of Sliema Creek.
Back in England, Judith finds a spare room in her sister’s house where she grew up – but with it comes a whole host of family dramas.
Nursing a broken heart, Judith knows she must find happiness again – and rebuild her life on her own terms. Could an island in the sun be the answer she is looking for?
My mini review
I was quickly hooked by this wonderful romance and loved the characters. A Home in the Sun was a down to earth, emotional read, but in no way depressing. I enjoyed every moment of the world Sue Moorcroft created. She is one of my go to authors if I want an absorbing story that touches the heartstrings and won’t let you go until you’ve read the last page. A top romance author and a top romance book!
So I didn’t set myself a huge target this year, but I didn’t expect to have completed it by August either. That makes me very happy.
Some people might read 20 books in a few months but I’m still pleased with this figure and hope to read quite a few more books by the end of the year.
Netgalley has been responsible for quite a few of my recent reads and I have 4 more accepted requests lined up that I will post about later.
Here is my list and links to reviews or a brief summary of my feelings for the books.
Netgalley Reads
The Hotel at Honeymoon Station – Tilly Tennant. An enjoyable and gentle romance. My 4 star Review
Chasing the Italian Dream – Jo Thomas. Brilliant summer read, I still miss the characters. My 4.5 star review
The River Between Us – Liz Fenwick. Enjoyable dual timeline though maybe not Liz Fenwick’s best work. My 4 starReview
Waste Not. Want Not – Lilac Mills. A surprising and enjoyable romance. My 5 starReview
Under the Italian Sun – Sue Moorcroft. I loved this hot romance right from the first page (not just hot because of the weather!) My 5 star review.
Writing Resourses
200 boosts for Indie Authors – Rayne Hall. A great book of tips to work through to improve your books and author career. Better for those starting out I think. 4 star
Save the cat! Writes a Novel – Jessica Brody. Very interesting way of looking at writing which I hope to try out on a new WIP very soon. 4.5 star.
Romance your brand – Zoe York. Helpful guide that makes you rethink how you should be writing a series. 4 stars
Romance books
An Island Christmas – Jenny Colgan. Enjoyable and emotional read.
Summer Kisses at Mermaid Point – Sarah Bennett. Enjoyable and heartwarming. Looking forward to revisiting soon.
The Tanglewood Teashop – Lilac Mills. Loved it so much I bought the next books straight away. Can’t wait to dive in again.
Unpredictable Consequences of Love – Jill Mansell. Loved this book and thought about the characters long after I finished it. My review
Winter Beneath The Stars – Jo Thomas. Despite a shaky start for me I ended up loving the characters and the location was wonderful. See my review.
Christmas Wishes – Sue Moorcroft. A heart-warming Christmas read I absolutely fell in love with. My big fat 5 star review.
(I started Christmas Wishes at the end of 2020 and finished it in early 2021. I considered it one of my fav reads of 2020 but it could also be a contender for the best of 2021 reads too!)
Fantasy
Raven Storm (book 3) – Emma Miles. My only fantasy read so far this year (shocking)!
I loved this third book just as much as the first 2. Emma Miles is such an accomplished fantasy writer and I love the world and characters she has created in this series. I must review this book and get on with reading book 4 which came out a few months ago. My Review of the series so far (books 1 and 2)
Other Reads
Beginning of The End – GJ Stevens. Gripping with non-stop action and a surprising twist end. My 5 star review.
Capital Action – GJ Stevens. Entertaining thriller of a read. My 5 star review.
Wolf Hollow – Lauren Wolk. Very emotional, evocative and immersive 5 star mid-grade read.
The Circling Sky – Neil Ansell. This cover is beautiful and I love the title which reminds me of the Pink Floyd song ‘Learning to Fly’. I love the New Forest and this book helped to transport me back there. I’m grateful a fellow reviewer sent me her ARC copy once she’d finished reading it – thanks Hannah at Echoes in an Empty Room. This is a relaxing 4 star read.
My only DNF
Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte. I just couldn’t get on with this classic. I got half way through but I just didn’t care enough to keep reading. More of a frustrating read than entertaining for me.
The whole reason I decided to read this was because a character in my new romance series is an English Literature Professor and he said Wuthering Heights is one of his favourite reads. Having attempted to read in myself, I’m going to have to have a chat with him as to why he chose it!
What are your views on this classic or classics in general? I just can’t seem to get on with them.
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It has been great to escape into books this year and I have enjoyed being forced to start reviewing again mainly due to my Netgalley reads. There are some books here I would still like to review, especially by indie authors as I know how important it is to get those precious reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
I’ll be back soon with a list of the books I want to read during the rest of the year including the books I still have outstanding on Netgalley.
What are your reading plans and how close are you to completing your 2021 Goodreads Challenge?
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P.S.
Talking of reviewing books, my Goodreads, Amazon and Audible book pages seem to have hit a bit of a slump. If you have read any of my books would you consider helping me out by posting a quick review? I love to read your thoughts and even a short review will really make my day. Thanks very much.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance
Many of the authors who have reached the second round in this year’s BBNYA contest, which includes The Lost Sentinel, are reducing their books to just 99p for a week long sale.
I received an ARC via Netgalley and enjoyed this book so much.
Blurb
A summer escape she’ll never forget . . .
Lucia has worked hard as a lawyer in Wales, aiming for a big promotion she hopes will shortly come her way. Finally taking a well-earned break at her grandparents’ house in southern Italy, the sunshine, lemon trees and her nonna’s mouth-watering cooking make her instantly feel at home.
But she’s shocked to learn that her grandfather is retiring from the beloved family pizzeria and will need to sell. Lucia can’t bear the thought of the place changing hands – especially when she discovers her not-quite-ex-husband Giacomo wants to take it over!
Then bad news from home forces Lucia to re-evaluate what she wants from life. Is this her chance to carry on the family tradition and finally follow her dreams?
My Review
I enjoyed this book from the very first page and spent many nights staying up too late reading it. The location comes alive and as always the descriptions of food and wine are perfect and make you long to share in the whole pizzeria experience (especially as I’ve eaten out once in almost a year and a half!).
The main characters in this book have their flaws – Lucia is very single-minded and can’t see what’s truly going on around her and her ex, Giacomo, shuts up and retreats when faced with problems instead of stating how he feels. At times this would irritate me, but I think that’s because it was obvious they were meant to be together and I just wanted that happy ever after moment for them to come asap.
The cast of characters were like good friends, especially Nonna and Nonno, and I shall miss reading about them.
This book is the perfect way to escape for a few hours, who can resist a romantic retreat to Italy?
You can pick up your copy now for just 99p ebook onAmazon
I have loved all of Jo Thomas’ books so far. Here are some more of my reviews if you need any persuading to give this author a try.
I received an ARC of The River Between Us via Netgalley. It is due for publication next month – 10th June 2021.
Following the breakdown of her marriage, Theo has bought a tumbledown cottage on the banks of the river Tamar which divides Cornwall and Devon. The peace and tranquillity of Boatman’s Cottage, nestled by the water, is just what she needs to heal.
Yet soon after her arrival, Theo discovers a stash of hidden letters tied with a ribbon, untouched for more than a century. The letters – sent from the battlefields of France during WW1 – tell of a young servant from the nearby manor house, Abbotswood, and his love for a woman he was destined to lose.
As she begins to bring Boatman’s Cottage and its gardens back to life, Theo pieces together a story of star-crossed lovers played out against the river, while finding her own new path to happiness.
The River Between Us beautifully explores the mystery and secrets of a long-forgotten love affair, and will be loved by fans of Kate Morton.
My Review
I’ve read a few of Liz Fenwick’s books and enjoy her style of storytelling. I really liked how The River Between Us is split between modern day and goes back to a historical love affair set around the time of WW1. Reading the book it often felt as much a mystery as a romance. Both timelines are captured beautifully on the page. I found myself drawn to the modern day heroine, Theo, and the characters from the past. It was so interesting to unravel the story and see how people and events have some bearing on Theo’s life.
At times it did feel strange that the love element was firmly in the past. However, Theo has plenty going on in her life including a horrible ex and a mystery love affair in her own distant past.
This was a very enjoyable read. I recommend this book to those who’ve enjoyed Liz Fenwick’s unique storytelling style of mixing past and present, and those who love to unravel a mystery or two alongside their romance.
I’m running a twitter opinion poll this week all about the location of novels and if they have an impact on whether you buy / read a book or not.
I’m interested because The Mermaid Hotel Romance Series is set in the fictional seaside town of Lowenporth in England. I’m using a particular county for inspiration, but so far I have avoided mentioning it in the books. It seems like a cliché to use the same locations as so many other novels, but I don’t want to put off readers who expect to know where stories are set. I also wonder if I could be missing out on a market of readers who are drawn to read anything set in a particular county.
This is where you can help me by sharing your opinion in the poll, commenting on this post and sharing this to get as much exposure as possible. Or even email me if you don’t use other forms of social media.
Today’s Book Spotlight is for ‘A Distant Summer’ by Deborah Martin – contemporary fiction / women’s fiction.
Published 22 February 2021.
Note from the author
“Writing the book gave me a chance to think back about my childhood growing in Midwest USA. We all have those moments of wondering ‘what would have happened if….’ and that was the starting point for my story. I wanted to look at how reliving those memories can affect us and I also wanted to explore the idea that our perception of our past lives may not be as accurate as we think.”
‘…an evocative account of a woman’s life, from girlhood with all it’s anxieties, hopes and dreams to her adult life and it’s daily challenges. The past discovered through letters is a good device and seamlessly takes us from present day to that ‘distant summer’. Highlighted political and world events act as a back drop to the times. All contribute to an easy but satisfying read.’ Amazon Reviewer
‘A brilliant read. Written so well that you could easily picture the people and the lives they lived…’ Amazon Reviewer
Blurb
The discovery of letters from a pen pal 50 years ago pushes Elizabeth to review a past which was mostly forgotten. Against the backdrop of the tumultuous year of social unrest and politics in 1968, she was a teenager at risk of being in love with someone she had never met. Her family was in danger from the encroachment of the Vietnam war and its own internal battles. It’s a quiet farming area of Indiana where nothing seems to happen, but an accident causes a rift through the family and Elizabeth’s uncle is expunged from its history by the strict Methodist patriarch, Grandpa Ernest. Now settled in suburban Virginia with her husband and about to become a grandmother, Elizabeth is helping to clear out the family home after her father’s death. Looking back, she is taken over by a restlessness to know whether a life with the boy from the letters would have been a better path than the one she took. She yearns to discover what happened to him and to locate another childhood friend. In her quest to find them, she catches glimpses of an alternative narrative to that distant summer.
The book has just gone live on Reedsy Discovery. Check out this great review of A Distant Summer and don’t forget to upvote it.
‘This is a riveting contemporary fiction that draws you in from the first page through the last.‘– Gail Kaufman Reedsy Reviewer
About the author
Deborah Martin has drawn the setting for her debut novel, A Distant Summer, from her origins in MidWest America. Her recollections of life in a farming community feed into the characters of the story.
She’s an example of how life can take unexpected directions as she surprised herself in living most of her adult life in the UK after moving there to marry an Englishman.
Wanting to write a novel since her teens, she has taken a wandering path through a variety of jobs and hobbies before accomplishing that goal, but now hopes the next book will not take as long.
To Buy Links
A Distant Summer is available as an ebook and paperback on Amazon UKAmazon US
I was surprised how much I loved this story, though seeing as it’s a Lilac Mills book I should have known it would be good!
Blurb
George can’t throw anything away. But he’s in danger of throwing away this opportunity to be loved…
George Nightingale is a hoarder with a house full of junk. For years he’s kept it a secret, rarely leaving his house and keeping social interactions to a minimum, but his carefully balanced system is now under threat…
Nessa Millbrook can’t wait to get settled into her new home in quaint, rural Applewell. Everyone in the village is so friendly – except her neighbour, George, who wants nothing to do with her. But Nessa isn’t one to back down from a challenge and she’s determined to win George over.
The years have taught George to shield his heart and trust no one. Yet Nessa keeps reaching out to him – does he have the courage to take a chance, and reach back?
My review
I really enjoyed Waste Not, Want Not in Applewell. It’s refreshing to read a story where the main characters are older and proves love and lust is not just for the young. I wasn’t sure how well a book whose hero is a reclusive hoarder would work, but I was happily surprised by the story and my depth of feelings towards these two lonely people.
Both George and Nessa are well-rounded and believable main characters and their kept me turning the pages. There were plenty of emotional and heart-warming moments and the ending was perfect.
The supporting cast of Applewell village are a friendly bunch and, as this is the first book in the Applewell Village Series, I’m looking forward to many more stories set there. Lilac Mills is right up there as one of my favourite romance authors.
A special mention for Sylvia the cat – she always managed to bring a smile to my face. I do love it when a character has a furry friend.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this advance review copy.
The book is available for pre-order now on Amazon etc. Publication date 6th May 2021.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance
Books, games, music, and life — filtered through the mind of a writer, drummer, and philosopher who thinks too deeply about all of it. If it moves something in your chest, I'm interested.
![A Distant Summer by [Deborah Martin]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41p3fvLeEoL.jpg)
Suzanne Rogerson Author 