Now, I’m trying not to accept too much new material for Linda’s Book Bag at the moment, but when I heard that Tara Pontier, author of Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination children’s book is only six herself I couldn’t resist featuring it. My enormous thanks to Tara’s Mum Ciara for sending me a copy in return for an honest review.

Published on 10th April 2021, Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination is available for purchase here and from Little Book Writer.

Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination

This book was written by a six year old girl called Tara.

One day she asked her Mum if she could write a book. She began by narrating a story, then drawing pictures and writing. Using her imagination, she tells a story of a fantasy day in the life of a dream princess.

This book is written in simple English that is easy to understand and read. Includes a mini workbook with decoratively framed pages to inspire all the little writers out there, so that the child can write, draw and narrate their own story at the end. It is ideal for children who are learning to read and would have an interest in creating their own stories.

Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination will help encourage parents, grandparents, caregivers and teachers to unlock the powerful imagination of a child. You can be amazed by the wonderful stories they come up with. It should be a beautiful memory to cherish. The idea of the book is that it can be a keepsake to treasure. Hopefully it can ignite a spark for writing and narrating within children. Enjoy the experience and keep the memory safe in this little book.

Stay tuned for more in the series of Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination!

My Review of Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination

Who can resist a book written by a six year old? Not me!

Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination is a lovely story for young children. The clear, accessible and large font with a perfect balance of white space against vibrant pictures means that Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination can be enjoyed by early readers independently, as well as with adults sharing the story with them.

The story itself is perfect for young children, told as it is by Tara Pontier’s six year old voice, so that friends, racing together, having dinner and a picnic and eating chocolate cake, are all elements that children can recognise, making them part of the story telling experience too. The one day time frame works brilliantly as Princess Tara wakes up, goes to school, plays with her friends and goes back to bed because it is well within the experience of the target audience. I think children will love these recognisable elements that can then act as a catalyst for their own writing.

However, there’s more to Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination than a simple story. Great thought has gone into the encouragement of a child’s imagination. After enjoying Princess Tara’s adventures with her friends, children have the opportunity to be creative in the second half of the book which is dedicated to prettily bordered blank and lined pages where children can write their own stories and draw their own illustrations. This means that Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination can become part of a child’s history and a family keepsake to enjoy for years to come – possibly being shared with a child’s own children in the future.

As well as developing literacy, through the simple sentences using the connective ‘and’ which models early writing, there’s opportunity for numeracy too, perhaps counting the beautiful butterflies that adorn the page corners. I think in another story it would be even better to have some children of different ethnicities in the images too so that Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination is completely inclusive.

Princess Tara’s Amazing Imagination is a smashing concept, an accessible story and a real catalyst for creativity. I thought it was great.

About Tara Pontier

Tara Pontier is 6 years old. She decided to write a book one day and so it began! She narrates and illustrates her own stories and writes them down in her journal. It is a wonderful use of imagination, hence the name of the book. This is her first book of many more to come. Stay tuned for more Princess Tara and her Amazing Imagination books!

I was so amazed by my daughters imagination that I was compelled to encourage other parents to get their children drawing and narrating. If they are at the age where they can write, it is a wonderful thing to encourage. 

– Tara’s Mum, Ciara.

This book is inspiring young children to unlock the powers of their own imagination and also to help parents encourage drawing, narrating and writing.

A child’s imagination is a beautiful discovery and this book is a sentimental keepsake for parents and children to enjoy together. Let’s harness that creativity!

There’s more about Tara, her books and other activities on the website LittleBookWriter, Facebook and Instagram.

One of the aspects of blogging I enjoy the most is being in at the start of a book’s journey. Today is no exception as HR Mason stays in with me to chat all about her latest book on publication day. Let’s find out more:

Staying in with HR Mason

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Heidi and thank you for staying in with me. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I have brought along Daughters of the Sea, my Supernatural Suspense novel. I have chosen it because it is releasing today May 22, 2021, and I am so excited for it to be in the hands of readers.

Happy Daughters of the Sea publication day Heidi. Tell me, what can we expect from an evening in with Daughters of the Sea?

When you pick up a copy of Daughters of the Sea, you’re really embarking upon a journey. The story will take you across the sea, from the old world to the new, and explore the roots of family history and how those who come before us help to forge our paths. With equal parts mystery and suspense, readers will be turning the pages well into the night!

This sounds wonderful. I think we’d all like to be embarking on a journey right now and perhaps Daughters of the Sea can provide some much needed escapism.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

Along with Daughters of the Sea, I have brought a family tree, because so much of the book deals with finding the past and where we come from. I’ve also brought along some herbs and tonics, as the women in the story are gifted in those areas. I’ve brought along an Ansuz Rune symbol, because the book has a Norwegian bent. In Norse mythology the Ansuz Rune is seen as a communication of the divine. I’ve also brought along a very old leather-bound book that may or may not be a svarteboken, or grimoire.

Lastly, I’ve brought along a photo of myself visiting the house that was the inspiration for Everwine Manor.

What an atmospheric image! Those items have just added to the mysterious appeal of Daughters of the Sea Heidi. It sounds fabulous. Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about the book. Enjoy your publication day.

Daughters of the Sea

Hope for a new life clashes with old secrets when the past and present collide.

A family tree steeped in mystery. A new town filled with old secrets. One woman is determined to uncover the truth about her past, but Everwine Manor won’t easily give up the truth.

Runa Brandon is naïve and uncertain, and she has been taken advantage of more than once. After disentangling herself from an abusive relationship, Runa begins a new life in Departure Cove, Oregon. Her mother, Asta, believes Departure Cove holds too many secrets that are better left buried, including the identity of Runa’s father.

When Runa arrives in Departure Cove, strange things begin to happen. She experiences frightening visions, disturbing dreams, and unexplained physical changes. Then Runa meets Chase Everwine, a wealthy, mysterious man who pursues Runa with a passion that sweeps her off her feet.

Runa falls hard for Chase, in spite of Asta’s warnings that his family cannot be trusted. Secrets and puzzles follow in Chase’s wake, and when Runa sees his family’s estate, Everwine Manor, she feels drawn to it. She doesn’t understand why the house calls to her but is compelled to find out.

What Runa doesn’t know is that she is part of a long line of women who are blessed with inexplicable gifts and drawn to the power of the sea. As Runa uncovers the astounding secrets of her family tree, she also comes to realize there is more to her husband than meets the eye.

Daughters of the Sea is published today 22nd May 2021 by Tangled Tree and is available for purchase on Amazon US, Amazon UK:  Amazon CA, Amazon AU, Kobo, Nook and Apple.

About HR Mason

H.R. Mason is an Ohio girl transplanted into the Pacific Northwest. She is a people watching introvert who can be found hiding out in the nearest corner. When not writing, she loves rainy days at the beach, old houses and antiques, researching family history, reading, and getting lost inside her own thoughts. She is a lover of caffeine and a hopeless romantic at heart. A multi-published author in the Romance genre, she moved into new writing territory in 2019 when she crossed genres. Nothing Hidden Ever Stays, her debut Gothic Suspense novel, became an Amazon bestseller. It was the Winner of the American Fiction Award and a Finalist in the Best Book Awards.

You can find HR Mason on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @heidireneemason. You can also visit her website for further information.

It’s an absolute delight to welcome William Shaw to Linda’s Book Bag to stay in with me today because I’m so looking forward to meeting William in real life for the Deepings Literary Festival in 2022. I’ve also been lucky enough to take part in one of William’s reading party events that you can find out about here. These are such good fun and there are lots of new reading parties coming up so do take a look here for the latest ones.

William writes the DS Alexandra Cupidi series of thrillers and his latest book has just been released. My thanks to Elizabeth Masters at Quercus for arranging for me to stay in virtually with William today so that I can find out more.

Staying in with William Shaw

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag William and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Thank you! Staying in has become a bit of a way of life since March 2020. I’m getting used to it.

I think we all are William. This week’s easing of restrictions feels weird!

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought along my new book, The Trawlerman. It’s just out in hardback so I’m keen to show it around. It’s the fourth in a police series set in Dungeness, which, if you haven’t been there, is a really extraordinary place. It’s a giant shingle headland – the largest in the world – created by the currents of the channel. It feels like a very precarious place. On it, in a mixture of fairly ramshackle cabins and houses, live a strange and wonderful collection of artists and eccentrics – people who have gone there because they feel something in common with this place – and I’ve added a a policewoman to the mix.

I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t been to Dungeness or read the series yet William but I have heard magnificent things about the first three books and have Salt Lane, Deadlands, Grave’s End and The Trawlerman all on my TBR.

So, what can we expect from an evening in with The Trawlerman.

The series features a woman detective, Alexandra Cupidi and her teenage daughter, Zoë.

I loved hearing how Cupidi got her name the other evening William!

We’ve reached the fourth book and by now Alex has had a few chunks knocked out of her. I started thinking, what if she has PTSD? It’s a major real-life issue for serving officers who might not have been through half the stuff I’ve put Alex through. I’m aware there have been a few books written where a detective has PTSD counselling and it’s usually the meme of tough detective being cynical about the value of talking therapy. When I spoke to a pal who has served in a serious crime unit who’d been through that it seemed like the real story was totally different. This officer told me that the counselling was one of the best things that had ever happened to her. And I started to think, what about a book where counselling is good, and where by Alex understanding her mental scars she actually becomes a better detective? So I started reading about the neuroscience of PTSD and it’s totally fascinating. We’ve learned so much recently about how the brain functions, and how trauma affects us.

Wow. That sounds a fascinating premise for writing. You’re absolutely right; so many detectives have that cynicism. I think we live in a world where we need to explore other approaches. This has made me want to catch up with the series even more quickly.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I have brought along a delicious fresh Dover sole and a dry white wine. The Dover sole has been caught by a Folkestone trawler man called Luke who helped me with research for the book by taking me out on his trawler, The Valentine. The book is also about a man who disappeared at sea mysteriously. I learned a lot about fishing from him, and about how you can lose a man over the back of a boat.

What? You can’t just stop there. Hang on. You serve up the fish and wine and I’ll tell Linda’s Book Bag readers a bit more about The Trawlerman, but then you’ll need to tell me more…

Thanks so much for staying in with me today William. It’s been wonderful hearing more about The Trawlerman.

The Trawlerman

THE STUNNING FOURTH BOOK IN THE DS ALEXANDRA CUPIDI INVESTIGATIONS FROM ONE OF CRIME FICTION’S FINEST WRITERS

A DOUBLE MURDER

The naked corpses of Aylmer and Mary Younis are discovered in their home. The only clues are a note written in blood and an eerie report of two spectral figures departing the crime scene. Officer Jill Ferriter is charged with investigating the murders while her colleague Alex Cupidi is on leave, recovering from post-traumatic stress.

AN ELABORATE SCAM

The dead couple had made investments in a green reforestry scheme in Guatemala, resulting in the loss of all their savings. What is more disturbing is that Cupidi and Ferriter’s disgraced former colleague and friend Bill South is also on the list of investors and the Younis’s were not the only losers.

AN UNLIKELY KILLER

Despite being in counselling and receiving official warnings to stay away from police work Cupidi finds herself dragged into the case and begins to trawl among the secrets and lies that are held in the fishing community of Folkestone. Desperate to exonerate South she finds herself murderously compromised when personal relationships cloud her judgement.

Pacey, intense and riddled with surprising twists, The Trawlermanshows that deceit can be found in the most unlikely places. The brooding waters of the Kent coastline offer an ominous backdrop for this lively page-turner of corruption, mental health and the complexities of human connection.

Published by Quercus on 13th May 2021, The Trawlerman is available through these links.

About William Shaw

William Shaw has been shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger, longlisted for the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year and nominated for a Barry Award. A regular at festivals, he organises panel talks and CWA events across the south east. His books include the acclaimed Breen & Tozer crime series set in sixties London, the newest series featuring DS Alexandra Cupidi, and the standalone bestseller The Birdwatcher. He worked as a journalist for over twenty years and lives in Brighton.

For more information visit William’s website, follow him on Twitter @william1shaw and Instagram or find him on Facebook. And don’t forget the Reading Parties!

Robert Crouch is one of the loveliest authors I know so that when he told me he’d another Kent Fisher mystery coming out I knew I had to break my current self-imposed blog tour ban and participate. The latest book, No Going Back, number 7 in the series, is released today and I am delighted to share an extract with you.

There are lots of other Kent Fisher posts on Linda’s Book Bag:

You’ll find my review of No Love Lost here.

There’s a guest post from Rob about daring to be different when No Mercy, was published. You can read that post here.

Robert featured again when No More Lies was released, in a post you can see here.

I ‘stayed in’ with Rob in a post you can read here, and he’s been kind enough to provide a guest post (here) shortly after his Fisher’s Fables was released and another here to celebrate No Bodies.

No Going Back is available for purchase here.

No Going Back

What you don’t do will torment you.

When journalist Harry Lawson is pulled from a private swimming pool, his drowning looks like a tragic accident, but for one small detail – he knew someone was going to kill him.

The three text messages he fired off to an old flame the night before confirm he’s a troubled man. But former friend and sleuth, Kent Fisher, believes the messages hint at something deeper and more sinister – an investigation that cost Harry his life.

When a second reporter dies, it’s clear there’s a killer with unfinished business. As Kent inches towards a breakthrough he clashes with close friend Detective Inspector Ashley Goodman. She instructs him to stop investigating, knowing full well he won’t.

For Kent there’s no going back. He has to finish what he started, even though he risks losing a friend, and maybe his own life.

In the seventh murder mystery of the series, Kent Fisher digs deep to complete an investigation that’s far removed from the one he started.

An Extract from No Going Back

One

“Harry Lawson’s dead.”

I’m not sure why Sarah’s telling me as Harry and I fell out over ten years ago.

“The police were waiting for me when I returned home.” She folds her arms across her baggy sweater and stares at me, as if it’s my fault. “I’ve been out all night on an emergency call.”

That explains the smells of cattle shed and Jeyes fluid, and why she’s on my doorstep at seven fifteen on Sunday morning. Her jeans and wellingtons are speckled with muck and straw, suggesting she drove straight here after talking to the police.

“They want me to formally identify the body.”

Is that why she’s here? Does she want me to go to the morgue with her? I can’t think why. She’s a veterinary surgeon. She’s seen and operated on enough sick and injured animals in her time.

Maybe she wants me to identify Harry.

“Harry had my business card in his wallet,” she says, sounding put out. “They asked me about my relationship to him. They asked about relatives, someone close they could contact.” She sweeps back her auburn hair, revealing grey roots. “Did he tell you he grew up in a home after his parents overdosed on heroin?”

Harry told me his parents were kidnapped and executed during a conflict in the Middle East in the 1970s. It inspired him to follow in their footsteps and become an investigative journalist.

I’m not sure writing kiss and tell stories about celebrities quite hits the mark.

“Did the police say how he died?”

“They said investigations were ongoing.” She glances at her chunky wristwatch, but shows no sign of leaving. “I thought you should know. You and Harry were close once.”

I remember the night Harry silenced everyone in the saloon bar of the Red Lion with a drunken outburst. He’d been out of sorts for days, making sarcastic jibes, taunting and provoking me. When Sarah intervened, he pushed her away, accusing her of always taking my side. When I tried to calm him, he thrust me against a wall, pressing his face close to mine.

“Thanks for destroying everything that’s good in my life,” he said.

Then he crashed out of the pub. The following morning he left for London.

We haven’t seen each other or spoken since that night.

“Did you tell the police about the argument in the Red Lion?” I ask.

She gives me a cheeky smile – the one that says she’s misbehaved. “There’s a lot of things I haven’t told them.”

***

And that’s what I love about Robert Crouch’s writing. There’s mystery and a dash of romantic entanglement but most of all, there are real, vivid people!

About Robert Crouch

Robert Crouch is the author of the Kent Fisher murder mystery series. Set in today’s world, the books pay homage to the traditional murder mystery and classic whodunit.

Based on his career as an environmental health officer, Kent Fisher is a different kind of detective, described as ‘unique in crime fiction’ by one reviewer.

Having left environmental health, Robert now writes full time from his home on the East Sussex coast. He loves walking on the South Downs with his wife, Carol, and their Westie, Harvey, reading crime fiction and photography.

You can find out more on Robert’s website, by following him on Twitter @robertcrouchuk or by finding him on Instagram and  Facebook.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

I thoroughly enjoyed two very different, but equally impressive, children’s books by Julia Stebbing – The Lost Smile and Remarkable Women in Verse that I reviewed here – so that when Julia asked me if I’d review When Moggie Met Froggie I simply had to agree. My thanks to Julia for sending me a copy of When Moggie Met Froggie in return for an honest review.

Published on 2nd April 2021, When Moggie Met Froggie is available for purchase here.

When Moggie Met Froggie

A scruffy cat goes… in search of mice to eat, a scrummy, yummy, tasty treat… Instead, he meets a very outspoken, rather feisty, frog.

Find out what happens when Moggie works up the courage to confront the frog, only to end up completely humiliated.

When Moggie Met Froggie is about moving past first perceptions and finding the good in the heart of a person. It tells a tale of building a good friendship after a disagreement and the possibility of finding a friend wherever you roam. This book is charming, delightfully illustrated and written in rhyming verse. It will bring parents and children together for a whirlwind of fun and laughter.

My Review of When Moggie Met Froggie

A scruffy cat makes an unusual friend.

When Moggie Met Froggie is a smashing book to share with young children either at home or in the classroom.

Well written in rhyming verse, When Moggie Met Froggie exemplifies various forms of rhyme, from sight to homophones, so that the story models good spelling and vocabulary, enriching the learning experience. This is enhanced by more challenging words that young children may not necessarily know, like ‘admission’, but that are easily understood in the context so that children can increase their vocabulary as they are entertained. I liked the fact that direct speech in When Moggie Met Froggie is properly punctuated even though many target age children may not have reached that level of writing yet, because it is never too early to exemplify good practice.

When Moggie Met Froggie is a charming children’s book with a powerful message that violence isn’t the answer and just because we may look very different that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. Exemplifying the fact that disputes can be settled amicably, it also touches on hygiene so that children can learn that keeping clean and fresh smelling is helpful! They’ll also come to realise that pets are a responsibility because the reason Moggie is as scruffy and dirty as he is, is because the family he lived with moved away and left him behind.

With themes of friendship, belonging and difference at its heart, When Moggie Met Froggie can be enjoyed as a straightforward narrative with, and for, young children, but it has huge potential for classroom use too. I thought it was great.

About Julia Stebbing

Julia has always lived in north London and was brought up in Stanmore. Opposite her house were only fields and the local school was a mere 5-minute walk. The spinney nearby provided opportunities for jumping a stream, picking blackberries, and hiding in the woods. Switch to three children later, husband David, and seven grandchildren – 3 girls and 4 boys. She used to write song lyrics and now loves writing children’s stories, especially in rhyming verse. S

he has published two books, The Lost Smile, a picture book which is the first in a series of The Fabulous Five. Remarkable Women in Verse tells the story of Rosa Parks, Helen Keller and her governess Anne Sullivan, and also Florence Nightingale.

Find out more on Sticky Bun’s website here and on Facebook. You’ll occasionally find Julia on Twitter @stickybunpub and Instagram too.

My enormous thanks to the lovely team at Bookends for sending me a copy of The Secret Bridesmaid by Katy Birchall and to Jenny Platt at Hodder for inviting me to participate in this blog tour. I’m delighted to share my review of The Secret Bridesmaid today.

The Secret Bridesmaid was published by Hodder on 13th May and is available for purchase through these links.

The Secret Bridesmaid

Sophie Breeze is a brilliant bridesmaid. So brilliant, in fact, that she’s made it her full-time job.

As a professional bridesmaid, Sophie is secretly hired by brides to be their right-hand woman, ensuring their big day goes off without a hitch. From wrangling rowdy hen dos to navigating last minute portaloo cancellations, there’s no problem she can’t solve.

So when she’s employed by an actual Marchioness to help plan the society wedding of the year, it should be a chance for Sophie to prove just how talented she is.

Of course, it’s not ideal that the bride, Cordelia, is rude, difficult and determined to make Sophie’s life a nightmare. It’s also a bit inconvenient when Sophie finds herself drawn to Cordelia’s posh older brother, who is absolutely off limits. And when a rival society wedding is announced, things get even more complicated . . .

Can Sophie pull off the biggest challenge of her career, follow her heart and maintain her reputation – all while keeping her true identity hidden?

My Review of The Secret Bridesmaid

Sophie Breeze has her most challenging assignment yet!

My goodness I enjoyed Katy Birchall’s The Secret Bridesmaid. It was fun, innovative, entertaining and sheer escapism. Just at the very moment when the world felt as if there would never be another wedding, social event or party again, The Secret Bridesmaid afforded me the opportunity to enjoy them through Sophie’s work and I enjoyed every moment.

I thought the structure of The Secret Bridesmaid was excellent. Although this is a romantic comedy, there is depth to the narrative and Katy Birchall has a deft touch at lightening the more serious moments through texts, emails and WhatsApp group messages so that there’s a realism and humour running through the story. I laughed aloud several times and felt a tear in my eye at others. I loved the way the plot sped along, keeping my attention absolutely throughout.

The characterisation works brilliantly. I had initially feared Cordelia might be irredeemable, but the Shakespearean connotation of her name, that her words might belie an honest and loyal individual, was wonderfully explored and led me to understand her and to want her to be happy. Indeed, I was more rapt by her relationship with Sophie than I was in any of the romantic relationships, although I thoroughly enjoyed them too. In The Secret Bridesmaid, Katy Birchall shows a real understanding of what makes us behave as we do.

Aside from excellent entertainment and vivid and engaging characters, however, are some surprisingly weighty and though-provoking themes that make Katy Birchall’s writing all the more attractive. The Secret Bridesmaid considers loyalty, betrayal and trust, friendship, relationships and family, professionalism, celebrity and manipulation in several different ways so that I was completely engaged with the narrative.

I fear my review hasn’t truly conveyed what a smashing read this is, but I don’t want to spoil this super book for others by revealing too much. Katy Birchall has written a cracker of a story in The Secret Bridesmaid that deserves to be packed into every beach bag and suitcase because it would be a perfect holiday read. And if we can’t get away or attend a wedding this summer, The Secret Bridesmaid is the next best thing. It is completely immersive entertainment and I finished The Secret Bridesmaid feeling happy and uplifted. What could be better?

About Katy Birchall

Katy is the author of several young adult novels including The It Girl series, the Hotel Royale series and Morgan Charmley: Teen Witch. She is the co-author of the middle grade Lightning Girl series and Star Switch with Alesha Dixon, and the Find the Girl teen series with YouTube stars Lucy and Lydia Connell. Katy was proud to be the author of a retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma for the Awesomely Austen series, a collection of Austen’s novels retold for younger readers. She has also written a non-fiction book, How to be a Princess: Real-Life Fairy Tales for Modern Heroines. Katy lives in London with her partner, Ben, and her rescue dog, Bono. The Secret Bridesmaid is her first adult novel.

For further information, follow Katy on Twitter @KatyBirchall and visit her website. You’ll also find Katy on Instagram.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

Recently Hannah Bright at Midas PR got in touch to see if I would be interested in reviewing one of the 2021 Reading Agency Quick Reads in support of the 15th Anniversary of the scheme. Obviously, I was more than interested and I am delighted to share my review of The Motive by Khurrum Rahman today. Before I do that, however, let me tell you a little bit about Quick Reads.

One in six adults in the UK – approximately 9 million people – find reading difficult, and one in three people do not regularly read for pleasure. Quick Reads, which celebrates its 15^th anniversary this year, plays a vital role in addressing these shocking statistics by inspiring emergent readers, as well as those with little time or who have fallen out of the reading habit, with entertaining and accessible writing from the very best contemporary authors.

This year’s short books include:

– a dark domestic thriller from British Book Award winner Louise Candlish (The Skylight), who thanks reading for setting her on the right path when she was ‘young and adrift’

– an uplifting romance by the much-loved Katie Fforde (Saving the Day), who never thought she would be able to be an author because of her struggle with dyslexia

– the holiday from hell for Detective Roy Grace courtesy of long-time literacy campaigner and crime fiction maestro Peter James (Wish You Were Dead)

– a specially abridged version of the feminist manifesto (How to Be a Woman) by Caitlin Moran: ‘everyone deserves to have the concept of female equality in a book they can turn to as a chatty friend.’

– an introduction to Khurrum Rahman’s dope dealer Javid Qasim (The Motive), who previously found the idea of reading a book overwhelming and so started reading late in life, to find ‘joy, comfort and an escape’

– Oyinkan Braithwaite’s follow-up to her Booker nominated debut sensation My Sister, the Serial Killer – a family drama set in lockdown Lagos (The Baby is Mine)

About The Reading Agency and Quick Reads

The Reading Agency is a national charity that tackles life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading. We work closely with partners to develop and deliver programmes for people of all ages and backgrounds. The Reading Agency is funded by Arts Council England.

Quick Reads, a programme by The Reading Agency, aims to bring the pleasures and benefits of reading to everyone, including the one in three adults in the UK who do not regularly read for pleasure, and the one in six adults in the UK who find reading difficult. The scheme changes lives and plays a vital role in addressing the national crisis around adult literacy in the UK. Each year, Quick Reads commissioning editor Fanny Blake works with UK publishers to commission high profile authors to write short, engaging books that are specifically designed to be easy to read. Since 2006, over 5 million books have been distributed through the initiative, 5 million library loans (PLR) have been registered and through outreach work hundreds of thousands of new readers each year have been introduced to the joys and benefits of reading.

From 2020 – 2022, the initiative is supported by a philanthropic gift from bestselling author Jojo Moyes. This year, for every book bought until 31 July 2021, another copy will be gifted to help someone discover the joy of reading. ‘Buy one, gift one’ will see thousands of free books given to organisations across the UK to reach less confident readers and those with limited access to books – bring the joy and transformative benefits of reading to new audiences.

All of the Quick Reads are available for purchase in all the usual places at just £1.

The Motive

A Jay Qasim short story and prequel to EAST OF HOUNSLOW written for Quick Reads 2021

Business has been slow for Hounslow’s small time dope-dealer, Jay Qasim. A student house party means quick easy cash but it also means breaking his own rules. But desperate times lead him there – and Jay finds himself in the middle of a crime scene.

Idris Zaidi, a Police Constable and Jay’s best friend, is having a quiet night when he gets a call out following a noise complaint at a house party. Fed up with the lack of excitement in his job, he visits the scene and quickly realises that people are in danger after a stabbing.

Someone will stop at nothing to get revenge . . .

My Review of The Motive

Jay’s evening will be more exciting than he anticipated.

Before commenting on the narrative of The Motive, I must comment on the perfect font and text size in the book. It is accessible to more reluctant readers, including those who have difficulty in reading.

The Motive starts off in a seemingly innocuous manner with Conrad and Sahira chatting together and builds throughout into an exciting and fast paced drama that would make a fabulous television story. In around 110 pages, Khurrum Rahman packs a huge punch; both literally in the story and metaphorically in reader enjoyment. Whilst the scenario and plot are very much outside my own experience, I loved the way drug dealing, violence, racism and corruption are woven in to the story because I think these are topics young men in particular can relate to, making the Quick Read purpose of the book completely fulfilled. However, that isn’t to say The Motive isn’t a captivating and heart racing story for those of us who love to read – it is!

The characterisation is compelling. Khurrum Rahman made me back Jay all the way even though his actions are not entirely legal. Now I have been introduced to him, and to Idris, I really want to know what other adventures and experiences they will have because I feel I have only just begun to know them and they have a depth I want to uncover. Consequently, The Motive is a tantalising read as well as an engaging one.

I also thought the frequent use of expletives actually worked really well. The direct speech is natural so that the characters feel real and vivid to the reader. Indeed, the brilliance of The Motive is that Khurrum Rahman doesn’t patronise his readers or present difficult issues like interracial relationships in an idealised way. Rather, the real-life issues of society are played out on the page in an authentic manner. This is a story that is eye opening and thought provoking as well as hugely entertaining.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Motive and think it is a great addition to the Quick Reads series. It’s cracking crime fiction for all readers.

About Khurrum Rahman

Born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1975, Khurrum moved to England when he was one. He is a west London boy and now lives in Berkshire with his wife and two sons. Khurrum is currently working as a Senior IT Officer but his real love is writing. His first two books in the Jay Qasim series, East of Hounslow and Homegrown Hero, have been shortlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year and CWA John Creasey Debut Dagger.

You can follow Khurrum on Twitter @KhurrumRahman and Instagram for more information.

Some books deserve to be shouted about and I was devastated not to have time to fit in reading Susan Mihalic’s debut Dark Horses because it sounds like a very moving and compelling story.  However, I’m thrilled that Susan has agreed to stay in with me to tell me more about her book. Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Susan Mihalic

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Susan and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

It’s my pleasure. Thank you for inviting me.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought along Dark Horses, my debut novel, published just this year by Welbeck Publishing Group in the UK and Scout Press, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, in the US. Although I’m working on another novel, this one is hot off the press, as they say.

How exciting to be out on both sides of the pond at once. Congratulations on your debut. What can we expect from an evening in with Dark Horses?

Dark Horses is a page-turner. Set against the backdrop of the equestrian sport of three-day eventing, it follows 15-year-old equestrian prodigy Roan Montgomery, but it’s more than a “horse girl” book.

Oh. Tell me more.

Roan juggles her Olympic ambitions with a terrible home life. Her self-absorbed mother is addicted to prescription drugs and alcohol, which is traumatic enough, but her father, who is also her trainer and coach and an Olympic champion himself, has been sexually abusing her since she was six. Despite Roan’s age, Dark Horses was written for an adult audience. I chose to portray the abuse explicitly, because I wanted the reader to experience, as closely as possible, what Roan experiences. I wanted readers to understand first-hand the choices she makes.

Dark Horses sounds very dramatic and all too resonant in today’s world Susan. I think it seems like a very important book.

So, what else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought my horse, an American Warmblood gelding named Goldmark.

My goodness Goldmark is handsome. How long have you had him?

I leased him for a few years before buying him last spring. Since then, I’ve ridden almost every day. Goldmark is to me what Roan’s horse Jasper is to her. He’s funny, smart, and well-trained, and he makes me a better rider. He’s trained in dressage, but he’s also a great trail horse. I think trail-riding is his favourite discipline. Both of us love riding out from the barn and getting on the trail, much as Roan loves riding out on Jasper—although she and Jasper live in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the eastern part of the US and we live in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southern end of the Rocky Mountains, in the American Southwest.

Trail riding sounds the perfect antidote to the experiences Roan has Susan. Thank you so much for brining Goldmark along and for telling me all about Dark Horses. Dark Horses is on my TBR pile and I hope to get to it very soon as I think I’ll find it a disturbing and compelling book. 

Dark Horses

As selected by Jodi Picoult for #TeamWorkTuesdays

‘A heart-pounding, can’t-take-your-eyes-off-it debut’ O, The Oprah Magazine

‘[A] sweeping and raw story of courage, resilience, and clear-eyed grace [that] will never leave me’ Sara Gruen, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A dark, compelling story about one girl’s fierce struggle to reclaim her life from her abusive father. Perfect for fans of My Dark Vanessa and Room.

Fifteen-year-old equestrian prodigy Roan Montgomery has only ever known two worlds: inside the riding arena, and out.

Both are ruled over by her father, who demands strict obedience in all aspects of her life. However, the warped power dynamic of coach and rider extends far beyond the stables, and Roan’s relationship with her father has long been incestuous.

A ruthless ambition for the Olympics allows her to compartmentalise this dark aspect of her life, until she meets Will Howard, a boy her age, who brings everything into focus.

Dark horses is available for purchase in the US through these links and in the UK in all the usual places including here.

About Susan Mihalic

Susan Mihalic is a writer who lives in Taos, New Mexico. She has worked as an editor for a major publishing house and as a freelance writer. She has also taught therapeutic horseback riding. Dark Horses is her debut novel.

You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @SusanMihalic. (https://twitter.com/SusanMihalic).

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Under the Italian Sun

The number one bestseller is back with an uplifting, escapist read that will brighten the gloomiest day!

A warm, sun-baked terrace.

The rustle of verdant green vines.

The sun slowly dipping behind the Umbrian mountains.

And the chink of wine glasses as the first cork of the evening is popped…

Welcome to Italy. A place that holds the answer to Zia-Lucia Costa Chalmers’ many questions. Not least, how she ended up with such a mouthful of a name.

When Zia discovers that her mother wasn’t who she thought she was, she realises the time has come to search out the Italian family she’s never known.

However, as she delves into the secrets of her past, she doesn’t bargain on having to think about her future too. But with local vineyard owner, Piero, living next door, Zia knows she has a serious distraction who may prove difficult to ignore…

This summer, join Zia as she sets out to uncover her past. But can she find the future she’s always dreamed of along the way?

My Review of Under the Italian Sun

Zia is looking for answers.

Under the Italian Sun is Sue Moorcroft at her most sublime. I loved every word and found this was one of those books I was desperate to finish because I wanted to know how it would end, whilst simultaneously not wanting to finish it because I was enjoying it so much.

The plot of Under the Italian Sun romps along and has just as many twists and turns as any thriller. It opens in dramatic fashion and doesn’t let up, sweeping the reader along in the narrative. There’s brilliantly (and often sexily) depicted romance, but there’s mystery and drama too so that Under the Italian Sun is an absolute cracker of a read. I think what makes it so successful is that Sue Moorcroft researches her novels so thoroughly – this time with wine growing and property ownership forming the foundation of her writing – so that the reader feels they are in authoritative and safe hands and can relax into being royally entertained. Indeed, I think this might be one of this author’s most well-crafted books. I was never entirely sure how Under the Italian Sun might end, even if I was expecting a happy resolution from the genre, and I found Sue Moorcroft’s story-telling utterly compelling and engaging. I was surprisingly emotionally invested in the story and shed a tear or two along the way because I was so captivated.

The characters are brilliantly crafted. There’s a real sense of Italian-ness about them with such a range of people and personalities that there is a character for any reader to identify with. Although Under the Italian Sun is very much Zia’s story and I loved and admired her from the very first page, I found the more minor character of Brendon totally fascinating. He is a lurking menace throughout so that whilst Under the Italian Sun is a light-hearted summer read, Brendon adds a depth and counterpoint that I thought was brilliant. As you might imagine, with a Sue Moorcroft hero, I was rather in love with Piero because he is so warmly and vividly depicted.

However, brilliant plots and compelling characters aside, what is so utterly wonderful about Under the Italian Sun is the sense of place. All of the senses are provided for so that descriptions place the reader right in Italy without them having to leave their armchair. Most successful is the sense of taste. In fact, reading Under the Italian Sun is a dangerous occupation for anyone trying to lose weight. The food is so evocatively depicted I found myself craving the items Sue Moorcroft describes. Add in smatterings of fully accessible Italian language and reading this story is akin to taking a holiday.

Alongside all of this wonderfully crafted narrative are some weighty themes so that whilst Under the Italian Sun can be read for sheer entertainment, there’s plenty to think about should readers want to. Themes of friendship and loyalty, identity and belonging, family and friendship, trust and betrayal, independence and control, amongst others create layer upon layer of added interested that I thought was fantastic.

Utterly captivating from the first moment, Under the Italian Sun is a must read and Sue Moorcroft writing at her very best. I loved it and it is my favourite of this author’s books to date. I cannot recommend Under the Italian Sun highly enough.

About Sue Moorcroft

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author and has reached the number one spot on Kindle UK. She’s won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Romantic Novel Award, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award and the Katie Fforde Bursary. Published by HarperCollins in the UK, US and Canada and by other publishers around the world.

You can follow Sue on Twitter @SueMoorcroft, find her on Instagram and Facebook and visit her website.

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I get offered all manner of books for review and feature here on Linda’s Book Bag, and sadly I have to refuse most simply because there are only 24 hours in a day! However, when Jonathan Straight FRSA got in touch about his book Vegans in Iceland I was so intrigued by the title and the fact that sales go towards supporting the work of Sea Shepherd in Iceland that I had to accept it in return for an honest review. I was meant to be away this week and not blogging but events have conspired against me so I thought I’d return to a country I loved visiting and I’m delighted to share my review of Vegans in Iceland today.

Vegans in Iceland is available for purchase here. and on ArtBukz.

Vegans in Iceland

Are there vegans in Iceland?

Photographer Jonathan Straight hoped to find out when he visited the volcanic island. This collection of portraits documents a remarkable and thriving community; each person’s journey is different but reaches the same conclusion. From a pioneering chef to a footballer, from a former sex worker to an octogenarian, this book gives a sensitive insight into their world.

As they say in Icelandic, njóttu!

My Review of Vegans in Iceland

A series of photographs and biographies of vegans in Iceland!

Before my review proper, I must comment on the physical properties of this non-fiction hardbacked book, Vegans in Iceland is beautifully produced. The weighty hard backed cover provides long lasting durability and the smooth, thick, glossy pages give a sensation of exquisite quality as they are turned. Contrast the stark black and white photography against the white space surrounding the clear and engaging text and this is a book to savour. I love the fact that its sales help support environmental work in the seas around Iceland too.

Vegans in Iceland is a dramatic, compelling and compassionate portrayal of the vegan community in Iceland who frequently find themselves at the margins of society because of their eating preferences. I had no idea, for example, that some restaurants are afraid to list vegan dishes for fear of reprisal and I’d never previously heard of the Cube of Truth. Although the focus is on people, Jonathan Straight provides a fascinating insight into the country too. His portraits cover Icelandic elements ranging across a wide range of subjects from football to weightlifting, sex work to television and grief to protest, so that the book provides a multi-layered insight into a relatively unknown country.

However, it is the people who make Vegans in Iceland such an interesting book. Artistic photographs show them at their best and provide an intimate understanding of who they are as individuals. Here we have a wide range of creative, passionate individuals sensitively portrayed by Jonathan Straight. I found Alda the most affecting because they are furthest from my own experience.  I liked the fact that the portraits are slightly more weighted towards women too with more women than men featured because I felt this gave a voice to those not usually associated with the Icelandic persona. The text accompanying the excellently composed photographs works so well because it is simply factual. These are pen portraits provided without judgement or authorial comments so that readers can make up their own minds and respond individually to the people presented in Vegans in Iceland.

Vegans in Iceland is never going to be a mainstream book, but it is intriguing, high quality and fascinating. It’s important too because it raises awareness of vegan issues without preaching or patronising, so that it is thought-provoking. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and viewing it and it has certainly made me consider some of my own food preferences and practices.

About Jonathan Straight

Dr Jonathan Straight is a British writer and photographer based in Yorkshire. He specialises in documentary, portrait and street genres, generally working in black and white. He had no formal training in photography, rather learning at the knee of his late father who was a keen and talented amateur. Receiving a 35mm camera for his 10th birthday and carefully watching his father at work in a home darkroom gave him sufficient grounding to go on and make his own work.

Having enjoyed a successful career as an entrepreneur, he now continues to work on various photographic projects as well as being involved in different businesses and charities.

He was shortlisted for Portrait of Britain 2019, has had photographs published in various places and has held several exhibitions of his work.

In 2018, he published Blood, Sweat, Tears and Helicopters, a documentary study of the Israeli ambulance service. This followed two weeks embedded with different ambulance crews around the Country, and successfully demonstrated the diversity of the organisation and the population it serves.

In 2020, he published Vegans in Iceland, a series of portraits of members of the Icelandic vegan community interspersed with images of Icelandic vegan food and associated messaging. His initial visit to Iceland was inspired by the work of writer Hallgrímur Helgason.

For more information, follow Jonathan on Twitter @planetstraight, visit his website and find him on Facebook and Instagram.