#bookreview ~ Highland Light #HistFic #Romance @CherimeMacFarla

Highland Light

The MacGrough Clan Book 1

By

Cherime MacFarlane

 

HIGHLAND LIGHT is a historical romance set in 1308 during the Scottish war for independence.

A young Scots girl cannot find a man who appreciates a headstrong plain woman. A small group of Knights Templar escape to Scotland to hide and start new lives. Among them is a young man, a ward of the Master of the Temple. The men have brought a treasure to Scotland. In exchange for a large share of the treasure, the knights may marry and be adopted into certain clans. No one must know of the agreement. Each man has a duty to the clan they are adopted into, and a duty owed to Robert The Bruce.

One young man has been with the Templars since the age of ten. He knows nothing of relationships or women. Their wedding is a business arrangement. Having no experience of sex or marriage, the young couple make a game of loving and learn of life together.

Let the games begin.

What did I think of the book?

Gideon has been the ward of The Masters of the Knights Templar since he was ten years old. But things are about to change. The Knights' have been forced to flee from Philip the Fair of France, and as the Pope has already excommunicated The Bruce, Scotland seems as safe a place as any to seek sanctuary.

Ailene MacGrough is headstrong, fiercely independent and a courageous young woman. She has so far rejected every suitor that has been presented to her, but there was something about Gideon that caught her eye.

Determined to put an end to the brutality of Edward Longshanks and his claim to the throne of Scotland, The Bruce organises a secret meeting between his supporters and the Templars. Bruce commands that the only way he will offer sanctuary to the Templars is if they marry an eligible Scottish maiden, which will then make them the citizens of this war torn country.

Gideon knows nothing of women but suddenly finds himself with a wife, a family, and a country to protect.

Can Gideon and Ailene's new-found love survive the horror of the Scottish War of Independence — only time will tell.

Oh. My. Days...! I would like to call Highland Light a romance, but it is so much more than that. It is an epic story about innocent young love, set in the backdrop of war. MacFarlane did a staggering job of bringing 14th Century Scotland back to life, and her attention to detail must be commended. A thoroughly well researched and breath-taking read.

MacFarlane gives her readers just the right amount of detail. Whether that be with regards to the love making scenes— in this case, less is certainly more — and the battle scenes, which gives her readers a sense of what it must have been like in the heat of battle, but without going overboard with the detail.

This is a truly addictive read — once you start you are so not going to want to stop. I couldn't wait to get back to the book every evening to find out what was going to happen next.

Do I Recommend? You bet ya! A fantastic 5* read.

Links for Purchase

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the author

Meet Award-Winning, Best-Selling Author Cherime MacFarlane. A prolific multi-genre author, she has a broad range of interests that reflect her been there-done that life. Romance, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, all sorts of characters and plots evolve from a vivid imagination.
I came to Alaska kicking and screaming in 1976, and I never want to leave. I cut firewood on shares for money to get through the winter. I swore I would not live above the Alaska Range because it was too cold there and wound up in the Copper River Basin where it got just a cold as Fairbanks.
My second husband, a Scot from Glasgow, was the love of my life. When I write Scots dialect, I experienced hearing it from my in-laws. Each time my husband got on the phone to Scotland after five seconds, I could hardly understand a word. I was my second husband's chief mechanic's helper and roadie.
I live in a cabin which is slowly being surrounded by the city and wish I were further out. My two cats and Husky-Collie mix dog are happy in our little slice of heaven called Alaska. In the silence of winter dreams of people and places provide a rich pool of ideas to explore.

As a reporter for the Copper Valley Views, Cherime MacFarlane received a letter of commendation from the Copper River Native Association for fair and balanced reporting.
Cherime won the Hardest Working Author Award from Author Classified.

#bookreview ~ Fault #YA #Horses @TudorRobins

Fault

By

Tudor Robins

Giving up her pony didn’t make Austen’s sister better. Sacrificing her social life hasn’t done it either. But with her sister’s life at stake, Austen’s never good at saying no. So, when their mom decides a move to the island is just what Eliot needs, Austen says good-bye to her perfect summer plans.

Rand’s not on the island by choice, either. After drinking, driving, and crashing his neighbour’s car, he’s been sent to live with his uncle until a spot opens up for him at boarding school.

If too-nice Austen, and too-much-trouble Rand are opposites maybe that’s why they’re so attracted to each other.

New characters mix with familiar faces – not to mention plenty of horses and dogs – in this fourth book of the much-loved Island Series.

What did I make of the story…

Austen knows all about sacrifice. Her sister is gravely ill, and she would do anything to see her recover, even if that means giving up her pony and her plans for this summer and spending it instead on the Island.

Rand has no say in his life anymore — not after that getting drunk and stealing the neighbour's car incident and then there was that whole crashing the said neighbour's car into the neighbour's house.  Yep...that will get you into a whole heap of trouble! His relationship with his father is brief emails and any relationship he had with his mother has rapidly gone down hill, he becomes angry and resentful. Out of desperation, his mother sends him to his Uncle, who lives on the Island.

Tudor Robins has done it again! Fault is superbly written with flowing prose and a gripping storyline.  I adored the characterisation of Austen — I know many young carers' who put their lives on hold to help look after a sick relative, and they do so with the same courageous attitude and understanding as Austen does. They really are all heroes, and it was wonderful to read a young career portrayed in such a positive light. Thank you, Tudor. Likewise, Rand is a lost soul who thinks the world hates him. On the island, he learns that there are some people who will stand up for him no matter what that means for them. His faith in humanity is slowly restored.

Fault is a fast-paced read that will keep you turning those pages. Add to it the equestrian backdrop and you have yourself one great read! I was simply enchanted by this tale. Well done, Tudor!

I Highly Recommend.

Links To Purchase

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the author

Her degrees in English Literature and Journalism have shaped Tudor’s writing philosophy and style, and her work as a freelance magazine and newspaper writer established her commitment to accuracy and deadlines.

Sharing her experience and love of writing with others is something Tudor enjoys, and she has been fortunate to have the opportunity to do so through the continuing education workshops she offers for the Ottawa Catholic School Board and other writing organizations. She has also developed and delivered a creative writing workshop for junior and intermediate students.

Tudor lives in Ottawa with her husband and two sons. They spend much of their summers on Wolfe Island, Ontario.

 

#bookreview ~ Holding #readholding #Ireland @Grahnort

 

Holding

By

Graham Norton

A secret's been unearthed in the small Irish town of Duneen and with it a discovery made that illuminates stories from the town's dark past and that has implications for the cast of brilliantly, beautifully drawn characters. 

The castdown policeman who lives a uneventful, lonely life punctuated only by the next meal - until now; a mysterious family of three beautiful spinster sisters each with their secrets and sorrows; the town's gossip who thinks she knows the answers.. And when a discovery is made on the building site of a new development up behind the old school, this once innocent, slow-seeming town is revealed to have a much darker undertow.

***

What did I think of the book?

Duneen is a small, inconsequential village in Ireland, where nothing of any interest ever happens, and everybody knows everybody else's business. There are no secrets.

But then one day a human skeleton is uncovered on a new housing development site. Now tongues are wagging - could the remains be that of young Tommy Burke who had mysteriously disappeared over 20 years ago?

Holding is set in modern times - there are cell phones and computers, cars etc...but at the same time, there is an authentic feel of the 1940's. It is as if time had stood still here. In the "Acknowledgements" at the end of the book, Norton tells us that Bantry was his inspiration for Duneen and that essence of Bantry certainly comes across in the story. Reading Holding was like watching an old episode of Ballykissangel, but this time, it is the Garda that is the hero rather than the priest!

Holding is a very fast paced read, which is helped considerably by the various point-of-views. I love books like this; I guess I am a bit of a nosey person, and I want to know what everyone is thinking - but, in the beginning, I have to admit that I struggled to keep up with all the changing point of views.  Several times I had to stop and re-read the previous paragraph to understood which character's perspective I was seeing things from. This slowed the story down for me...initially. Once I got a feel for all the characters, this was no longer a problem, and I got lost in the story and believe me this story was very easy to get lost in.

All the characters were incredibly well-fleshed and I could visualise them in my mind easily. The most fascinating character for me and the one I enjoyed reading about the most was the Garda, Seargent Collins. He was by far the most complex and interesting character in the book. He isn't the obvious protagonist, but for me, he was the hero of this story.

All the characters have flaws. There was no perfect person with a perfect life.  Everyone was struggling with their own demons, whether that be abandonment, alcoholism, abuse or obesity. It made it very real in the telling because, let's face it, life is like that.

Norton does not shy away from some really distressing topics - but he approaches them with integrity and compassion. He is certainly very skilled at drawing empathy from his readers.

Holding is an incredible emotive read that kept me guessing. I was thinking several times, "Oh, I know where he is going with this..." and then Norton would throw in another twist that I didn't see coming. This book certainly held my attention throughout.

With beautifully written prose and an elegant wit, I have no hesitation in recommending this book.

Links for purchase

Amazon US

AmazonUK

Books Go Social ~ Recommended Read of the Week! #booksgs

Books Go Social

Recommended Read of the Week!

 

 

  Tibet in the 13th century. The so-called “Land of Snow,” beacon of eastern Buddhism, is under the authority of the Mongol Empire, whose domains extend throughout most of the known world.

In this context, the death of the leader of the main Buddhist school urges his followers to begin the search for his reincarnation: a boy who as yet knows nothing of the wisdom within him and the role destiny has in store for his people’s future.

Meanwhile, a humble peasant family, threatened by the assault of the Mongol army, is forced to leave their home village and set out on a journey with consequences none of them can foresee.

A vibrant and moving novel which takes the reader into an environment of legend where the faith of the people and the bleakness of the landscape blend to form a living unity.

Start your spiritual journey today!

 

Where can I purchase this book? 

Amazon  

 

 BooksGoSocial.com

Books Go Social ~ Recommended Read of the Week! #booksgs

Books Go Social

Recommended Read of the Week!

 

 
Son of Man is an honest-to-Bible account of Jesus and the world he lived in. Two things make this biography unique:

• First, it arranges the Gospels chronologically to help the reader see how, and maybe more importantly, why things unfolded as they did.


• Second, it tells Jesus's story in the context of his culture. The geography, climate, politics, racism, social norms, religion, traditions, economics, morality, language, and customs of the second temple era play key roles in this narrative. What emerges is a holistic, historically accurate dramatization that provides a 360-degree view of Jesus and his world.

No fictionalized elements or dialog have been added. All events and quotations are taken from the texts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts. All of Jesus's recorded words and actions are included, and duplicate accounts have been harmonized.

Recent books about the life of Christ have been skeptical of the Bible and have used Jewish and Roman texts as their primary sources. Religious and secular history books provide valuable insights into Jesus's world, but to understand the man himself, the best sources are the ancient narratives written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

An appendix is included to help Bible students study Jesus's ministry years chronologically, pericope by pericope. For deeper research, Old Testament passages that are relevant to each event are cited.

If you are a student of Jesus's life and times, or a follower of Jesus and his teachings, you will find yourself looking at Jesus with new eyes and new understanding. And you will gain a greater appreciation for what it must have taken for Jesus to do what he did: embody the Son of God in the Son of Man.

Where can I purchase this book? 

Amazon

 BooksGoSocial.com

 

Books Go Social ~ Recommended Read of the Week! #booksgs

 

Books Go Social

Recommended Read of the Week!

 

 

 

Small towns keep their secrets well, and snowy, isolated Haz Gate is no exception. But when a wealthy stranger from the capital is murdered in the night and one of her students stands accused, schoolteacher Linna Nyx has to dig through deceptions thicker than the snow in midwinter to piece together the truth, and comes face to face with a killer who would destroy not only Linna’s peaceful existence, but the very order of the Empire itself.

 

Purchase Links 

Amazon  

 

 

BooksGoSocial.com 

#BookReview Book One Of The Hurst Chronicles @HurstChronicles

✮ Book One Of The Hurst Chronicles ✮

by

Robin Crumby  

 

Hurst Castle is the setting for a recently released dystopian thriller written by local author Robin Crumby.

The story focuses on a group of survivors living at Hurst, on the South Coast of England, following the outbreak of a pandemic virus.

In an all-too realistic vision of the near future, law and order on the mainland has collapsed. Those that survive scrape a living in remote outposts. Hiding behind high walls, far away from the smoking ruins of the cities, waiting and hoping. When the arrival of outsiders threatens to tip the balance of power, Hurst is faced with a desperate choice: set aside their differences and join an alliance that promises new hope or unite against the newcomers and their plans for reconstruction. Who can be trusted? Only time will tell. The battle for Hurst has begun.

Author Robin Crumby hopes that the book will generate "international interest in Hurst Castle and provide an additional boost for visitor numbers."

 

 What did I think of the book? 

 

A deadly virus has ravaged the world and those who are lucky enough to have survived now have to face the real struggle of staying alive.

Set in the south of England, Book One Of The Hurst Chronicles drew me in from the first page and kept me engaged to the very last one. The story was so fast paced that I didn't notice the pages turning.

Coming from the south of England, I am familiar with many of the places mentioned in this book. I thought the story was incredibly well crafted. On one hand, Crumbly talks about what these places were like before the virus, and then he describes what they are like in this dystopian world that he has created. This, for me, added a disturbing slant to the story, which I found strangely appealing.

There are several characters, whose story's, although interwoven with each other, you follow throughout this book. Each character has a unique personality, and each brought something new to the novel.

This is a well executed and stunning book. I really enjoyed it, and I would have no hesitation in recommend this book.

Where can I purchase this fabulous book? 

Amazon

 About the author

Robin Crumby is an author and writer living in London with his wife and two children. Since reading John Wyndham’s Day of the Triffids as a child, he became fascinated by end of the world dystopian literature. More recently, re-reading Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven inspired him to start writing. Why? Because post-apocalyptic fiction fires the imagination like nothing else. Pondering what comes next, who would survive, what would life look like? Much of the best fiction in this popular genre focuses on brain-eating zombies or events unfolding in the USA so Robin determined to write a story set in the UK. His Eureka moment came wandering the shingle beach at Milford-on-sea, inspired by the beauty and rich history of the Solent. Where better to survive the end of the world than a medieval castle surrounded by water? Robin spent much of his childhood messing about in boats, exploring the many waterways, ports and military forts of the Isle of Wight, where The Hurst Chronicles are set. 

Useful Links

Twitter: @HurstChronicles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HurstChronicles

Book series website: http://www.hurstchronicles.com/

Author bio: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Robin-Crumby/e/B01E5WGVXS/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0