BLOG TOUR: The Forest Hideaway - Sharon Gosling

Saskia is building a home for herself out of the ruins of an old castle. Surrounded by forest, hidden away from everyone and everything, the place is special - it’s the only connection she has left to her father and it’s a hard-won chance to escape from her difficult past and create a new future. She’s spent her whole life trying to find a way to make this project work and finding someone to help her realise her dream has been almost impossible.

 

When local builder Owen finally signs up to manage the construction, things get off to a very bad start. But forced to find a way to work together, both realise that first impressions aren’t always the right ones, and when Owen discovers the forest is hiding a secret that could bring work to a halt, he realises he’s much more invested in the project – and Saskia – than he thought . . .

 

What did I think?

The Forest Hideaway by Sharon Gosling is as beautiful inside as out and I absolutely adored it.  It's the perfect autumnal read to leave readers with a lovely warm glow.

Saskia is an architect who is determined to do the impossible: convert a castle ruin, complete with an oak tree growing in the middle of it, into her home.  The local historical society are determined to stop her as they are convinced she is set on destroying the castle and the tree.  They couldn't be more wrong.

The preservation of the castle and the tree really is lovely to see and it made me think of a local beautiful tree that was cruelly chopped down in its prime.  I was surprised and delighted that it does actually get a mention in the book and I was moved to tears by the way that Sharon Gosling refers to it.  It was never 'just a tree' to anyone who loved it.

I loved the characters that are so wonderfully drawn they virtually leap from the pages.  Saskia has a very large heart and her builder Owen starts to see the real Saskia as they work together and get to know each other.  It is so heartwarming to read about Saskia's compassion and kindness, especially when she has faced challenges in her past.  Will she get her happy ever after?

Incredibly heartwarming and wonderfully uplifting, The Forest Hideaway is a beautiful novel that I wholeheartedly recommend.  I loved it so much that I plan to read it again and it's going straight onto my favourites shelf so I can escape to the forest this autumn.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Cabin Fever - Alex Dahl

 

Alone and isolated in a vast Scandinavian forest, a therapist begins to read her client's novel manuscript, only to discover the main character is terrifyingly familiar...

You are her therapist.

Kristina is a successful therapist in central Oslo. She spends her days helping clients navigate their lives with a cool professionalism that has got her to the top.

She is your client.

But when her client Leah, a successful novelist, arrives at her office clearly distressed, begging Kristina to come to her remote cabin in the woods, she feels the balance begin to slip.

But out here in the woods.

When Leah fails to turn up to her next two sessions, Kristina reluctantly heads out into the wilderness to find her.

Nothing is as it seems.

Alone and isolated, Kristina finds Leah's unfinished manuscript, and as she reads she realises the main character is terrifyingly familiar...

What did I think?

Alex Dahl has been on my radar for a while but Cabin Fever is the first book of hers that I have read.  It's very well written with believable characters and intriguing plotlines, both past and present, and I love the slow build up of tension that you only seem to get in Scandi-Noir novels.

Although the cover and title suggest a very claustrophobic read, I would say that Cabin Fever is more of a slow burn.  This isn't a bad thing by any means, it just surprised me that it seemed to take a while for the book to get going.  I found it to be a book of two halves, with the first half being slower-paced scene setting and then the pace ramps up when Kristina actually gets to the cabin.

I think I may have read too many books (if there's such a thing) as I did work out what was going on quite quickly, however, there are past and present plotlines so there were still some surprises in store for me.  I can't really say much about the plot or characters as it will spoil it for others but both the disappearance of Leah and Kristina's past are two excellent hooks that kept me rapidly turning pages.

Dark, disturbing and intriguing, Cabin Fever is a compelling and suspenseful read that builds tension gradually like layers of snow.  This would be a great book to curl up with on a dark winter's night as snowflakes graze your window.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest review and all opinions are my own.

My rating:

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Queen of the Warrior Bees (Natural Forces 1) - Jean Gill

Epic eco-fantasy from the award-winning author of The Troubadours Quartet

One misfit girl and 50,000 bees. Together they must change the world. As the Mages of the Citadel fight amongst themselves and prepare for war against the Forest, Mielitta, a despised servant, has her own battle to face. Bastien and Jannlou, the boys who terrorised her as a child, have grown into their status as Mages and she cannot escape them forever.

In desperation, she flees to the forbidden Forest and its dangerous attractions. Her scent angers thousands of bees and, although she survives their attack, she has changed. A strange bee symbol glows on her thigh and her senses are altered. She learns that her connection with bees enables her to summon their aid and gives her the power to shift shape.

This new-found bond works both ways and the bees need Mielitta's help as the rift widens between Forest and Citadel. Can one girl and a colony of bees reunite Man and Nature, or is the split irreversible?

Block Nature out and she'll force a way in.

What did I think?

Jean Gill is one of my favourite historical fiction authors so when I heard that she had turned her hand to fantasy, I just had to read Queen of the Warrior Bees.  It goes without saying that the quality of the writing is exceptional but the story is amazing too and I found myself fully immersed in the magical world that Jean Gill has created.

Mielitta is a wonderfully strong female character; as a child, her orphan status set her apart from her peers and the boys in particular used every opportunity to bully her.  This may have caused irreversible damage to a weaker character but Mielitta is destined for great things and rises above their taunts.  The Citadel is definitely a man's world but Mielitta knows her own mind and doesn't want to fill her brain with dresses and flowers.  When a bee sting changes Mielitta forever, we see just what she is made of.

I don't read a lot of fantasy but I do think that you really have to allow your imagination to run wild in order to enjoy books in the genre.  Jean Gill certainly has the amazing ability to use her beautiful words to paint a picture of a fantasy world that is as vivid as the world outside my window.  I have been a fan of Jean's for quite some time so I know that she is a beekeeper herself and the prose is peppered with her knowledge of bees that I found very informative.

In a world where it means more to be male than female, Queen of the Warrior Bees is as much a feminist novel as a fantasy novel.  It has as strong a feminist message as The Handmaid's Tale but it has the added entertainment of magic and of course bees.  It may feel like Margaret Atwood mixed with JK Rowling but it's unmistakeably the extraordinary talent of Jean Gill.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Anatomy of a Crime - Sibel Hodge

Gripping, unpredictable, and chilling, Anatomy of a Crime takes readers on a dark journey that's perfect for fans of Serial.

On the summer solstice in 2017, two girls walk into Blackleaf Forest.

Only one comes out alive.

Dubbed as the Sleeping Beauty Killer, and surrounded by rumours of witchcraft, Caris Kelly is sentenced to life in prison for murdering her best friend during a ritualistic thrill kill.

Although Caris insists she is innocent, no one believes her.

Then three years later, investigative journalist Lauren Taylor looks into the murder for her true crime podcast. She becomes convinced there's more to the flimsy witness testimony, sinister coincidences, and sensational press coverage and probes into the case. As prejudices are revealed, lies are uncovered, and secrets are blown wide open, a single question remains... is there really one truth about what happened that night? Or are there only different versions of the same story? 

What did I think?

Sibel Hodge has written some amazing books but she has completely outdone herself with Anatomy of a Crime.  Written in the form of a podcast, it is fresh, current and totally gripping.  I read it in one sitting as I just couldn't put it down.  Yes, it's THAT good.

I did listen to a few episodes of the Serial podcast many years ago and although I found it intriguing I was never hooked, unlike reading Anatomy of a Crime where I was hooked so much that I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page.  I love the way it is written as if you're listening to a podcast and there are even comments from listeners that make it feel so realistic.

Lauren Taylor leaves no stone unturned in her true crime podcast as she investigates the death of 18 year old Flora Morgan, believed to have been killed by her best friend Caris Kelly in a ritualistic witchcraft murder.  With unreliable witnesses who saw someone else in the forest that night being disregarded, all of the evidence points towards Caris who maintains her innocence.  Lauren asks the questions that weren't asked at the trial and digs even further into the case to find out the shocking truth.

Anatomy of a Crime is absolutely brilliant; it's gripping, intriguing and completely addictive.  I didn't even have to convince myself to read 'just one more chapter' as nothing could stop me from reading the whole book in one go!  I do hope that Sibel Hodge decides to make this into a series as I love the podcast format; it really seems to add another dimension to the story.  

Anatomy of a Crime is a book I'm going to be raving about for a long time; it's an absolute must read and so very highly recommended. 

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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