In The Mirror A peacock Danced Review

I was provided In the Mirror A Peacock Danced by Justine Bothwick as an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and thanks is extended to the author, publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to do so.

Set against the lush backdrop of early 20th-century India, In the Mirror, a Peacock Danced – the debut novel from Justine Bothwick – is the moving story of one woman’s journey back to herself.

Agra, 1938: Eighteen-year-old Florence Hunt has grown up riding horses past the Taj Mahal and chasing peacocks through her backyard under the critical gaze of her father. Increasingly enamoured with his work on the booming railway, Florence yearns to know more, but finds herself brushed away, encouraged only to perform the more ladylike hobbies of singing and entertaining guests. So when a dazzling young engineer walks into her life, she finds herself not only gripped by secret lessons in physics but swept entirely off her feet.

Portsmouth, 1953: Fifteen years later, Florence finds herself pregnant and alone in post-war England – a far cry from her sun-drenched existence in India. Struggling to cope with the bleakness of everyday life in a male-dominated world, Florence is desperate to find the woman she used to be. But when someone from her past reaches out, Florence might just have a chance to start over.

Soaring from the shimmering heights of the big top to the depths of heartbreak, can Florence find the happiness, independence, and passion she once had in order to start living again?

An articulately written story about a woman’s poignant journey to free herself from the binds that society has placed upon her. She feels torn between the obligations thrust upon her by her family and the dreams and aspirations she has for herself in a future without restrictions. An exquisite retelling of her youth allowing the reader to yearn with her for what her life could have been if life and reality had not come into play.

 The narrative was well written and as a reader allowed me to be swept up into India and feel drawn to the magnetism and desolation of the landscape even though it is a country that I have never experienced for myself – something I hope to change one day.  The character of Florence definitely does a lot to add to the storyline and the pastimes that she undertakes and her aspirations which were so different to the time that she lived in really gave it that added depth for me.

This for me was a lovely aspect of historical fiction as I especially love reading about cultures and countries different to my own and this is a book I will happily read again. Highly recommended. 4 stars.

Las Biuty Queens Review

I was provided Las Biuty Queens by Ivan Monalisa Ojeda as an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and thanks is extended to the author, publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to do so.

Drawing from his/her own experience as a trans performer, sex worker, and undocumented immigrant, Ivan Monalisa Ojeda chronicles the lives of Latinx queer and trans immigrants in New York City. Whether she is struggling with addiction, clashing with law enforcement, or is being subjected to personal violence, each character choses her own path of defiance, often responding to her fate with irreverent dark humour. What emerges is the portrait of a group of friends who express unquestioning solidarity and love for each other, and of an unfamiliar, glittering and violent, New York City that will draw readers in and swallow them whole.

I always find short stories fascinating when the stories interconnect and it gives the reader the opportunity to really get to know the characters in a variety of settings and this really didn’t disappoint.

In the book we see the characters picking up clients to try to survive whilst also dreaming about being beauty queens and finding love, we see them persecuted and discriminated against by the police as well as hiding in fear from ICE as well as hard hitting topics such as mental illness and addictions.

The reader also gets to see the past through the characters eyes as they think back on the struggles and hard times they had in their home towns from poverty stricken settings, bullying and societal constraints and toxic masculinity.

The author has done something rare that speaks volumes for their talent which is take a topic that should be dark and heavy reading and made it light, witty and engaging. The characters were loveable and I found myself championing them all the way through. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, even if this isn’t your usual type of reading. You will not regret it. A solid 4 stars

Circus of Wonders Review

I was provided Circus of Wonder by Elizabeth Macneal as an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and thanks is extended to the author, publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to do so.

1866. In a coastal village in southern England, Nell picks violets for a living. Set apart by her community because of the birthmarks that speckle her skin, Nell’s world is her beloved brother and devotion to the sea.

But when Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders arrives in the village, Nell is kidnapped. Her father has sold her, promising Jasper Jupiter his very own leopard girl. It is the greatest betrayal of Nell’s life, but as her fame grows, and she finds friendship with the other performers and Jasper’s gentle brother Toby, she begins to wonder if joining the show is the best thing that has ever happened to her.

In London, newspapers describe Nell as the eighth wonder of the world. Figurines are cast in her image, and crowds rush to watch her soar through the air. But who gets to tell Nell’s story? What happens when her fame threatens to eclipse that of the showman who bought her? And as she falls in love with Toby, can he detach himself from his past and the terrible secret that binds him to his brother?

Moving from the pleasure gardens of Victorian London to the battle-scarred plains of the Crimea, Circus of Wonders is an astonishing story about power and ownership, fame and the threat of invisibility.

After reading the Doll Factory I didn’t think that it could get any better and then I read Elizabeth Macneal’s second book and omg! She has created a brilliant story in which History is seamlessly married to the Strange and the phantasmagorical. A tale where Light and Shadow coexist and is set in the era of mass hysteria frenzy over curiosities, circuses and anything to do with spiritualism. Through the eyes of the characters the reader can see the streets of London for all its filth and its glamour. She provides a perfect portrayal of Victorian England and more specifically Victorian London.

In short, Circus of Wonders is an incandescent and besmirched tale of love and self-determination filled to the brim with a beautiful and richly detailed prose. It is gothic, macabre and a perfect piece of historical Victorian literature. A very worthy 4.5 stars

Where We Go From Here Review

I was provided Where We Go From Here by Lucas Rocha as an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and thanks is extended to the author, publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to do so.

Ian has just been diagnosed with HIV.

Victor, to his great relief, has tested negative.

Henrique has been living with HIV for the past three years.

When Victor finds himself getting tested for HIV for the first time, he can’t help but question his entire relationship with Henrique, the guy he has-had-been dating. See, Henrique didn’t disclose his positive HIV status to Victor until after they had sex, and even though Henrique insisted on using every possible precaution, Victor is livid.

That’s when Victor meets Ian, a guy who’s also getting tested for HIV. But Ian’s test comes back positive, and his world is about to change forever. Though Victor is loath to think about Henrique, he offers to put the two of them in touch, hoping that perhaps Henrique can help Ian navigate his new life. In the process, the lives of Ian, Victor, and Henrique will become intertwined in a story of friendship, love, and stigma-a story about hitting what you think is rock bottom, but finding the courage and support to keep moving forward.

Set in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this utterly engrossing debut by Brazilian author Lucas Rocha calls back to Alex Sanchez’s Rainbow Boys series, bringing attention to how far we’ve come with HIV, while shining a harsh light on just how far we have yet to go.

If you haven’t read this book then it needs to be added to you TBR pile instantly. Where We Go From Here is an incredibly heart-warming story about friendship, the families that can be found and overcoming fears. It is a very important novel that is highly informative about HIV and aims to dispel the stigma that still surrounds it to this day.

The writing style is amazing and although the narrative consists of different point of views from each of the characters it is very easy to follow and adds so much depth to the story. The story is both heart-breaking and light-hearted at times but it is done perfectly in both instances and at exactly the right moments, I laughed, I cried and I hoped and that is a testament to how good an author Rocha is.

There were several things I loved about this book, the first is that it was very educational through the main characters having many conversations around the theme of HIV. I have a lot of experience with HIV through my career and this was executed perfectly and I saw a lot of my clients within the narrative of this novel, it was obviously very well researched and extremely well thought out. The second thing that I loved were the characters themselves and how well you get to know them as a reader and how easily you feel their emotions alongside them.

This is a new favourite of mine and one of the best books I have read so far in 2021 and so for that reason it is a 5 star read for me.

Lives Like Mine Review

I was provided Lives Like Mine by Eva Verde as an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and thanks is extended to the author, publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to do so.

Mother – To three small children, their heritage dual like hers.

 Daughter – To a mother who immigrated to make a better life but has been rejected by her chosen country.

 Wife-   To a man who loves her but who will not defend her to his intolerant family.

 Woman – Whose roles now define her and trap her in a life she no longer recognises…

 Meet Monica, the flawed heroine at the heart of LIVES LIKE MINE.

 With her three children in school, Monica finds herself wondering if this is all there is. Despite all the effort and the smiles, in the mirror she sees a woman hollowed out from putting everyone else first, tolerating her in-laws’ intolerance, and wondering if she has a right to complain when she’s living the life that she has created for herself.

 Then along comes Joe, a catalyst for change in the guise of a flirtatious parent on the school run. Though the sudden spark of their affair is hedonistic and oh so cathartic, Joe soon offers a friendship that shows Monica how to resurrect and honour the parts of her identity that she has long suppressed. He is able to do for Monica what Dan has never managed to, enabling her both to face up to a past of guilty secrets and family estrangements, and to redefine her future.

Monica is wife to Dan, and together they have three children: Fran, Joel, and Toby. She’s a Black woman, and her husband is a white man. Despite being part of the family for more than 13 years, Monica still feels like an outsider when it comes to her in-laws. And it’s easy to understand why, every other utterance of theirs is lined with discrimination.

But one day, Monica meets Joe on a school trip and the two are instantly drawn to one another. The more time Monica and Joe spend together, the more the connection between them deepens. They understand each other in ways their spouses cannot, which makes it harder and harder to ignore a growing fondness. Monica is trapped in her domestic life and has hidden layers of herself away that only Joe can seem to unravel. And in facing the secrets of her past, Monica learns to look forward to the future.

This is a deeply emotive and incredibly authentic story that explores the effects of deceit and regret in both marriage and family and allows the reader to see this through the eyes of the protagonist. The book is narrated by Monica, which allows for a candid feel to the writing that makes it very easy to connect with. Although from different backgrounds I felt able to connect with Monica in many ways and I loved reading Monica’s thoughts, fears and passions, she is far from perfect but I just felt her deeply and all her conflicts.

The characters were very well written and very engaging, it was an honest portrayal and although the characters were flawed and unlikeable at times this just made them even more real and left me engrossed and wanting more.

The story approached many complex issues and did it so well. Life is messy, people are messy and this book brought it all out and showcased how all humans are flawed in their own different ways. I loved it for its brutal honesty. A 5 star read.

The Music of Bees Review

I was provided The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin as an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and thanks is extended to the author, publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to do so.

Forty-four-year-old Alice Holtzman is stuck in a dead-end job, bereft of family, and now reeling from the unexpected death of her husband. Alice has begun having panic attacks whenever she thinks about how her life hasn’t turned out the way she dreamed. Even the beloved honeybees she raises in her spare time aren’t helping her feel better these days.

In the grip of a panic attack, she nearly collides with Jake–a troubled, paraplegic teenager with the tallest mohawk in Hood River County–while carrying 120,000 honeybees in the back of her pickup truck. Charmed by Jake’s sincere interest in her bees and seeking to rescue him from his toxic home life, Alice surprises herself by inviting Jake to her farm.

And then there’s Harry, a twenty-four-year-old with debilitating social anxiety who is desperate for work. When he applies to Alice’s ad for part-time farm help, he’s shocked to find himself hired. As an unexpected friendship blossoms among Alice, Jake, and Harry, a nefarious pesticide company moves to town, threatening the local honeybee population and illuminating deep-seated corruption in the community. The unlikely trio must unite for the sake of the bees–and in the process, they just might forge a new future for themselves.

Beautifully moving, warm, and uplifting, The Music of Bees is about the power of friendship, compassion in the face of loss, and finding the courage to start over (at any age) when things don’t turn out the way you expect.

The story is essentially a tale of three people struggling with inner anxiety and grief. They come together by chance at an Oregon bee farm, finding healing and friendship. The backgrounds that they have, the experiences that they have lived through, the expectations that they have and so much more could not be different from each other and yet they come together in what is a intense, heart destroying and unique read. If I had to liken it to another style of novel I would instantly say if you loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine then you will love this novel.

A vert well deserved 4 stars.

The Old Duck’s Club Review

I was provided The Old Ducks Club by Maddie Please as an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and thanks is extended to the author, publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to do so.

Sophia Gregory is fading away… Recently split from her married lover and about to turn sixty, Sophia doesn’t recognise the old woman staring back at her in the mirror. Where has her life gone so wrong? How has it come to this? A quiet holiday in beautiful Rhodes is the perfect chance for her to find herself again.

Until she meets the Old Ducks!

Bold and brash, Juliette, Kim and Anita are three friends who are determined not to grow old gracefully – and they are Sophia’s worse nightmare! But when Sophia is made an honorary member of The Old Ducks’ Club, she begins to discover a new side to life. Dancing and drinking till dawn Sophia starts to shake off her grey, drab old life and finds the fun side to living again!

And when she meets her gorgeous Greek neighbour, Theo, she thinks that maybe, if she’s just a little braver, she can learn to spread her wings again…It’s never too late to teach an Old Duck new tricks!

I found this book absolutely delightful to read.it was a heart-warming, feel good read that captivated my attention from start to finish. I found all of the characters engaging as was the setting of the story that’s lets the reader escape which is so important at the moment.  I also loved that the main characters were women over 50 as that doesn’t happen in many novels.

Maddie Please is an amazing talent and I am definitely going to be on the look out for more of her work. A solid 4 stars.

Summer in Greece Review

I was provided Summer in Greece by Patricia Wilson as an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and thanks is extended to the author, publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to do so.

Present day

For the last twenty years, Summer has lived a solitary life, focusing on her career as a vet and trying not to think of the past. Every year she escapes for a few weeks to beautiful Greek islands, losing herself in photography and wreck diving. When the junk room of her clifftop cottage is cleared to accommodate a carer for her father, Summer stumbles across the belongings of her great-grandmother, Gertie Smith. She finds a WWI nurse’s uniform, a soldier’s blanket, and a recording of Gertie’s memoirs. As Summer listens to it, she learns about her great-grandmother’s secret life, and might just find the strength to let go of her own tragic past.

1916

When eighteen-year-old nurse Gertie Smith signs up for the war effort, she is thrilled to learn that her destination will be Greece. With a head full of blue skies and handsome men, she boards the Titanic’s sister ship, the hospital ship Britannic. Unprepared for the horrors of war, she heads for the Greek island of Lemnos on a mission to rescue three thousand wounded British soldiers.

The Britannic never reaches its destination. Gertie, who disobeyed her orders, blames herself.

She is sent to the Greek island of Kea, where she meets and falls in love with a Greek fisherman, Manno – but she finds herself torn between him and her duty to an English soldier, and all too soon her past catches up with her.

I really enjoy books that move from the present to the past and Patricia Wilson does this effortlessly and masterfully. I really enjoyed this book and all aspects of it, the storyline, the narrative, the setting, the historical aspects. I devoured it practically in one setting and actually lost sleep to read it that’s how good it is. A 5 star read.

Ariadne Review

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I was provided Ariadne by Jennifer Saint an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and thanks is extended to the author, publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to do so.

As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur – Minos’s greatest shame and Ariadne’s brother – demands blood every year.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods – drawing their attention can cost you everything.

In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne’s decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover’s ambition?

I don’t even know where to begin with Ariadne!!! The narrative drew me in instantly and I felt an intensely deep response to it as if it was nestled inside my heart and I couldn’t let it go. I did not want it to end but I also couldn’t stop myself from reading on in a world where horror and terror reside in equal measure with beauty and wonder.

The narrative was beautifully written and the descriptions in the book were almost cinematic quality I was able to immerse myself into it so completely it was almost as if I was watching it on a big screen and that is something I have rarely experienced before.

I adored it and it is on my list of top 2021 reads. 5 stars just isn’t enough.

China: The Novel Review

I was provided China by Edward Rutherfurd as an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and thanks is extended to the author, publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to do so.

The story begins in 1839, at the dawn of the First Opium War, and follows Chinese history through Mao’s Cultural Revolution and up to the present day. Rutherfurd chronicles the rising and falling fortunes of members of Chinese, British, and American families, as they negotiate the tides of history. Along the way, in his signature style, Rutherfurd provides a deeply researched portrait of Chinese history and society, its ancient traditions and great upheavals, and China’s emergence as a rising global power. As always, we are treated to romance and adventure, heroines and scoundrels, grinding struggle and incredible fortunes.

China: The Novel brings to life the rich terrain of this vast and constantly evolving country. From Shanghai to Nanking to the Great Wall, Rutherfurd chronicles the turbulent rise and fall of empires as the colonial West meets the opulent and complex East in a dramatic struggle between cultures and people.

Extraordinarily researched and majestically told, Edward Rutherfurd paints a thrilling portrait of one of the most singular and remarkable countries in the world.

Wonderful historical fiction of China spanning from 1839 to 1901, Edward Rutherfurd’s book is well researched, and the characters are an interesting mixture of players: from a eunuch in the court of the emperor, to an English opium trader; from a Chinese civil servant to an English missionary, and many more all as delightful as the next.

The novel depicts the continual humiliation and exploitation of China by Europe and how the Chinese adapted to this and the thing that enthralled me the most about this novel and about Rutherfurd in general is that history is the protagonist of the book rather than simply just a setting for the story – it is the story – it is everything.

I am eagerly awaiting his next instalment set in 20^th Century China covering Chairman Mao amongst other things. If you are a fan of historical fiction then you should give this a go, you will not be disappointed. 5 stars.