Blog Tour: Living Off The Land by Lorraine Turnbull @LorraineAuthor @lovebooksgroup #lovebookstours

Happy Sunday all…today I am pleased to say I’m the closing spot on the Living Off The Land blog tour.

Blurb: To make her dream come true Lorraine Turnbull dragged her new husband and reluctant children away from Glasgow to live the ‘Good Life’ on a smallholding in Cornwall. Sheep wrestling, making cider, dealing with maggots and a demented mother and all under the pressure of the dreaded Agricultural Occupancy Condition. Lorraine shares the story of the delights and disasters of living off the land in Cornwall and how she finally triumphed over adversity.

I’m pleased to share with you an extract from the book….

My mother; for the most time, tolerated my appearing with small animals who needed re-homing. First Snowball the hamster, then Snowy the rabbit. Snowball sadly escaped and disappeared forever somewhere in the piping behind the kitchen cupboards. Snowy turned out to be a psychotic aggressive demon and would bite and kick at every attempt to pet or cuddle and at cleaning out time.

When I ‘rescued’ two mice from the local church fete’s racing mice stall she put her foot down. They had to live outside and very shortly after being brought home they somehow managed to ‘escape’ their cage in the garage. I found an old round plastic goldfish bowl and after a day spent at our local swampy pond caught a few newts to keep in it. In those days as a small child, I had no idea of the rules regarding newts or any wild creatures and was just satisfying my curiosity and love for creatures.

These also disappeared after a few days and I was strictly warned No. More. Pets.

Horse riding lessons were provided as this was considered a genteel pursuit for a young lady and would provide the animal interaction I craved whilst mixing with other girls from the ‘right sort’ of families. I spent every non-school day at the stables, mucking out and improving my riding, and generally looking and smelling like an agricultural worker.

Lessons were then stopped as they had failed, in my mother’s view to turn me into a lady. I begged for a horse of my own and was instead eventually palmed off with a Cocker Spaniel puppy. Scamp wasn’t even the colour I would have chosen, but had been picked by my mother to match the furniture and carpet. Nevertheless, we became inseparable and disappeared for hours into the fields and woods nearby.

About the Author: Lorraine Turnbull was born in Glasgow where she lived until 2015 when she and her family moved to a tired bungalow and an acre of land with an Agricultural Occupancy Condition on it in Cornwall. She started a smallholding from scratch, retrained as a horticultural tutor and also worked as a Skills Co-ordinator for The Rural Business School. She began commercial cider making in 2011 and until recently ran a profitable small craft cider business.

In 2014 she was recognised for her contribution to sustainable living by winning the Cornwall Sustainability Awards Best Individual category.

After removing the Agricultural Occupancy Condition on her home she relocated to a smallholding in France.

If that has blown you away you can purchase Living Off The Land.

Thank you once again to the Love Books Tours ladies for including me on this tour. My weekly update will return hopefully tomorrow..

Novella Review: We Will Be Watching By Ruth Ware

Blurb: Another tale of toxic colleagues and a company away day that turns into a nightmare – though with very different results.

Review: I want to start by saying I’m sorry to every book I’ve cheated on thanks to a Ruth Ware offering. I’m not sorry as it will happen time and again. Ever since discovering Ruth I’ve been a massive fan girl and I will recommend her each and every time. I can’t say I’ve read them all but I own them all. I’m eagerly awaiting her next offering I’ve pre-ordered a gorgeous special edition hardback and I cannot wait.

We Will Be Watching – is a short story sent through Ruth’s newsletter. I should have read it in one go but that just didn’t happen. I love a short story and this one had such a great premise – work get togethers can be trying occasions and Ruth has showcased the differences between this group of colleagues yet they all have something to hide. There were some pretty sinister turns but I could vividly imagine this group of colleagues and we’ve all worked with people like these. They aren’t the most likeable of people but their fear unites them.

A chilling tale that will get you thinking – it’s really made me think. You may dislike some of your colleagues but you never know when they may just save your sanity. Big Brother really is watching – I love that the story was left open leaving it open to your own conclusions.

Blog Blitz: Familiar by T.J. Blake @TJBlake93 @freshly_press @lovebooksgroup @lovebooksgroup #lovebookstours

Today I am pleased to be a part of the blog blitz for Familiar By T J Blake.

Blurb: For the living, it’s closure. For the departed, it’s the last chance to expose the truth.

For as long as she can remember, Arabella has communicated with those who exist only in memory.

Being the centre of attention growing up was uncomfortable, and now, as a renowned psychic medium, it is becoming more of a struggle. Arabella’s ability and reputation always made it impossible to hold onto lasting relationships, but with those who no longer walk this earth, that’s not the case.

Arabella returns to where it all began fifteen-years before – on the very same stage. After an evening reconnecting loved ones and exposing untold stories, Arabella can’t help but wonder about the one unclaimed ‘friend’, and their cryptic message.

In an unexpected turn of events, Arabella finds herself the subject of morning headlines and at the centre of Detective Barnes’ investigation.

Can Arabella use her ability to prove her innocence and uncover the truth about the past?

About the Author: Living in Surrey, UK, some say that T. J. Blake has many split personalities – by day he’s a content marketing specialist, by night he could be any one of his deceptively complex characters.

His latest persona is Arabella, a psychic medium in “Familiar”. 

He has a BA with Honours from Kingston University in Creative Writing with English Language & Communications and is author of the five-star psychological thriller, ‘DECEPTION – A Love of Lies’.

You can purchase Familiar here.

As always thank you to Love Books Tours for including me in this blitz it’s always a pleasure to work with you.

Audio Review: The Dolls House By Phoebe Morgan

Blurb: Corinne’s life might look perfect on the outside, but after three failed IVF attempts it’s her last chance to have a baby. And when she finds a tiny part of a doll house outside her flat, it feels as if it’s a sign.

But as more pieces begin to turn up, Corinne realises that they are far too familiar. Someone knows about the miniature rocking horse and the little doll with its red velvet dress. Someone has been inside her house…

How does the stranger know so much about her life? How long have they been watching? And what are they waiting for…?

Review: I am ashamed to say I first started reading this via ebook ages ago. Being a blogger can be a blessing and a curse and somehow this one got left on the shelf. Fast forward to 2020 and lockdown. This is when I discovered Libby and took advantage of audiobooks and supporting my library. I saw this one was there and downloaded – I tend to listen to audiobooks when I’m getting ready and doing stuff so mostly in the mornings. This is a slow burn of a story, with lots of scene setting and story telling – whenever I had time to sit and listen I was enthralled from start to finish.

The characters are an interesting bunch and families can be complicated and this lot really do make you question them. I liked Corrine a lot from the beginning I felt for her more often than not. It’s apparent that she’s still grieving for her father and her hormones for trying for a baby aren’t a great mix. She makes an interesting and in some aspects a slightly unreliable character yet as a reader I was on her side throughout.

The Dolls House is a chilling read that you really won’t see coming. A story where a childhood toy takes a sinister turn. This book will definitely keep you on your toes.

It’s told from a few different view points and in different time frames. On more than one occasion I thought I had the plot sussed how wrong I was. Although there was a person I suspected in one aspect but the turn of events sure did make my blood run cold. Just when you think you can’t be shocked anymore I found myself gasping out loud.

Phoebe Morgan has a fascinating mind and The Dolls House is a carefully crafted masterpiece that will send shivers down your spine. I’m so sorry it’s taken me so long to read/listen to this one but I will definitely be reading more from Phoebe and heavily recommending her chilling tale.

Have you read any of Phoebe’s writing if so what should I read next?

Weekly Update #14

So who missed this post last week?

I’ve been trying to keep my reading momentum but both that and the blog have suffered of late. I mean there hasn’t been consistent posting here and my reading has been somewhat sporadic although when I’m in the zone I’m loving what I’m reading. I also need to work out where I’m at with reviews and blog tours.

I’m currently reading Do Her No Harm – which I was on the blog tour for yesterday although if I had realised I had content I wouldn’t have been as frazzled. It just means there will be two posts connected to it. I also have another thriller on the go in terms of my audio reading I should have finished this ages ago but today it will happen.

Today I’m on the late shift so it means I have time to sort a few things and getting organised is definitely on my list.

I ran last Sunday and then on Tuesday. These are Tuesday’s selfies. I decided to stubbornly aim for 5 miles and now I’m left with a sore foot. At the end of said run I had cramp and I’ve been resting/stretching since. I’m missing the burn but I know I need to be fully able otherwise the damage could be much worse.

On Friday I was able to spend some time with my sis bro and one of my nieces this was such a gorgeous treat.

Since the last update I’ve read…

Thrillers seem to be keeping me on my toes. I hope to finish my audiobook today and to get further along on my current ebook.

On the blog….

The Other Girl Review

Invisible Girl Review

Do Her No Harm blog tour.

I’m sorry for the sporadic approach of late. I’m hoping to get more organised and more consistent here….What would you like to see here at Hayley Reviews…

Blog Tour: Do Her No Harm By Naomi Joy

Today is my stop on the tour and I’m still reading the book. Was hoping to share my review today but I’m not done yet. Then I realised I was given some content to share.

Blurb: One unsolved murder. A best friend determined to right the wrongs of the past.

On the 21st August Tabitha Rice disappeared without a trace. All the signs point to murder, but no signs point to a murderer. The easiest answer is her husband, Rick. But he protests his innocence and there is little proof he is the murderer. 

Annabella knows there is more to the story than what the police are telling. Tabitha was her best friend and she vows to uncover the truth. 

As Annabella delves further into the past, she uncovers sides to Tabitha that she never saw coming, and she finds herself asking the question… Was this murder? Or is there more to Tabitha Rice’s story than meets the eye?

About the Author: Naomi Joy is the pen name of a young PR Professional who was formerly an account director at a prestigious PR firm in London. Writing from experience, she draws the reader in to the darker side of the uptown and glamorous, presenting realism that is life or death, unreliable and thrilling to page turn.

Follow Naomi : Facebook: @naomijoyauthor

Twitter: @naomijoyauthor

Buy links:Amazon: https://amzn.to/37128zK

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3dADOad

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3dDpNZr

iBooks: https://apple.co/2Xe0uXD

Follow Aria Website: http://www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafictionInstagram: @ari

Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour and my review will follow soon.

Book Review: Invisible Girl By Lisa Jewell

Blurb: YOU DON’T SEE HER. BUT SHE SEES YOU.

MIDNIGHT: In an area of urban wasteland where cats hunt and foxes shriek, a girl is watching…

When Saffyre Maddox was ten, something terrible happened, and she’s carried the pain of it ever since. The man who she thought was going to heal her didn’t, and now she hides, learning his secrets, invisible in the shadows.

Owen Pick is invisible too. He’s never had a girlfriend; he’s never even had a friend.
Nobody sees him. Nobody cares.

But when Saffyre goes missing from opposite his house on Valentine’s night, suddenly the whole world is looking at Owen. 

Accusing him. Holding him responsible for Saffyre’s disappearance…

Review: Wow! Where do I start?

A mere few years ago I would have steered clear from books like this. Especially as a woman these dark subjects are not essentially something I would read as pleasure. As my reading habits have changed I’ve become more intrigued and interested in these harsher and darker subjects. I think in reading I’m also keeping myself educated and in some aspects safe.

Now I’m going to annoy a few people by saying this was my first Lisa Jewell read and my I chose a good one. I’m pretty certain I have a few of her books sitting pretty on my kindle bookshelf and they will be moving up my TBR pile.

I loved everything about this novel, the plot, the pace and the unpredictability. The story is split into Before, After and Now and is also split into Cate, Owen and Saffyre.

Although there are a number of other characters that play a significant part in the events surrounding the plot and just like the main characters they aren’t all likeable.

I loved that most of the chapters were pretty short and snappy and my did they pack a punch often leaving me itching to know more eagerly turning those pages and then it had moved onto another persons story.

These characters weren’t particularly likeable but at times I felt for all of them. Take Saffyre she’s been through a lot but voicing herself doesn’t come easily. In not opening up to those who care she’s put herself in a strange situation – her choices are sometimes questionable.

Owen is a character who will make your blood boil but there are times when I was like you’re not really that person. He will frustrate you, annoy you and you will be questioning your thoughts a lot.

Cate is an interesting lady and if I’m honest only at the very end did she redeem her self worth. A mother, a grafter and a wife.

If you want a novel that has you turning the pages and eager for more then look no further. Lisa Jewell is a writer to be in awe of, she’s created a dark and at times disturbing story that will keep you on your toes and awake long into the night. I honestly cannot wait to read more from her.

Book Review: The Other Girl By C D Major

Blurb: They thought she was insane. But what if she was telling the truth?

1942, New Zealand. Edith’s been locked away for a long time. She was just five years old when she was sent to Seacliff Lunatic Asylum. Fifteen years later, she has few memories of her life before the asylum, but longs for one beyond it.

When she survives a devastating fire that destroys her ward, Edith is questioned by the police and a young doctor, Declan Harris. Intrigued by his beautiful patient, Declan begins to doubt the official reasons for her incarceration. Is she truly mad—or could the impossible stories she told as a child actually be true?

Time is running out. With Edie awaiting a new and permanent treatment, soon there will be little of her left to save. Meanwhile intrigue has tipped into obsession—Declan needs to uncover the truth, but in doing so he will risk losing everything. As he sets out to save her mind, will he lose his own?

Review: Since returning to work my reading has been somewhat sporadic and in a way I’ve kind of liked having longer with this absolute treat. This book will suck you in and have you constantly changing your thoughts and opinions. It will also tug at your heart strings in seeing the sort of torment these patients undertake on a regular basis. It’s definitely not for the faint hearted.

A wholly atmospheric novel that spans through the ages with deeply emotional and heart-wrenching scenes.

I have read everything by this author under Rosie Blake but this is the first historical thriller I have read under C D Major and OMG!!! I’ve loved every single second in the asylum. Yup I did just say that out loud. The Other Girl is based in New Zealand in an Asylum where we meet a variation of characters – our leading lady is called Edith and she’s been at Seacliff since she was 5 years-old. I couldn’t believe it in reading her story I felt for her constantly.

At the end of this novel there is an authors note that explains what inspired her to write this novel and I was bowled over by her research and her reasonings. I’ve always been intrigued by the thought of reincarnation and this novel has opened up my thoughts once again.

I have to mention Declan – I loved how his gut instinct spurred him on even when it could have cost him his job. He is the ultimate selfless doctor who trained to do good for others.

I don’t want to say too much about Edith as her story is one each reader needs to go on on their own. It was an emotional rollercoaster – to think of what she went through from being a mere 5 years old.

As Rosie Blake she has been faultless I have her other thrillers and I’m itching to get to them following this enthralling read. If you’re looking for a read that will take you on a journey through the years with thrilling and at times hard to read experiences then look no further. If you look historical thrillers you must read this book.

Best Ever You: 52 Week Journal to Your Bravest, Boldest You by Elizabeth Guarino, Kris Fuller and Sally Huss @BestEverYou @SparklesYour @SallyHuss

Following reading and really enjoying Percolate I jumped at the chance to read and review The Best Ever You Journal. You can read my thoughts on Percolate here.

What I really loved about Percolate was how all the ideas were shaped in reality. Looking at acts we all do and take for granted and how small changes daily can make an ever lasting change.

So what’s it about? The creators of the Best Ever You Network and Your Life Sparkles have teamed up to bring you this inspiring 52 week journal. You’ll become your bravest, boldest you as you write about your life, values, habits and more in this year-long journal. You are the coffee in the cup of life. What are you brewing? Create your own best blend. Using our Six Principles, you will take a look at different aspects of your life. Be real with yourself, enjoy the process and keep going on the journey towards becoming your Best Ever You! When you purchase a journal, you are invited to join our exclusive Facebook Group, with free guided weekly assistance direct from Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino and Kris Fuller.

In Percolate the theme of coffee was paramount and in Best Ever You it’s still a huge part of the journal with what’s brewing being at the forefront of every prompt. Looking at the six principles that make up our feelings – core, art, humanity, sport and spirit.

I will be delving into this further and I will be documenting my progress at a later date….a prompt that stands out for me Is….Would your younger self be proud of who you are now? Yes! Wholeheartedly she would be cheering for me I’ve changed so much in my life in the most recent years and even since lockdown. Once I committed to the Couch to 5k programme it has changed my life, my outcome and my fitness. It gave me routine when I was missing it. Although since returning to work it’s been tricky but I’ve managed it sort of. It’s a work in progress I’m hoping to get out tomorrow although have had an achy leg so we shall see.

I love how this Journal challenges me to think outside of the box and to challenge my comfort zone. Since returning to work I’ve noticed a spring in my step and I’m looking to the future with a happy heart alongside all of the madness that the world has right now. Thank you to Love Books Group for including me once again. I adore self care and I’m getting better at being positive about my life rather than negative so thank you 😊

Blog Blitz: Midsummer Dream by Ian Riddle @riddleian @lovebooksgroup #lovebookstours @MTP_Agency

Blurb: Midsummer Dreams is a lyrical history of the lives, loves and, in particular, the dreams of several of the inhabitants of the small village of Treddoch Harbour. Treddoch, as it’s referred to locally, is a fictional, atypical, once fishing, now touristy, community situated on Cornwall’s southern coast. Everybody has their dreams, though none more so than the inhabitants of Treddoch. In their case, and this is where they differ from the mainstream, as well as having their own, personal dreams, the residents of Treddoch Harbour also have the one dream, the overarching dream, that singular dream that binds them as a community. This is the dream of having a ‘good Season’. For many of them, who rely on the tourists for their income, their money’s only to be made in the summer, when the tourists are abroad. Winter months can be dire.

The action is set on the one day, Midsummer’s Day, starting at dawn and ending with dusk. The story’s told through the voice of a tour guide as he takes the reader around the village, introducing the characters one by one, starting with the late Butcher and his Wife, now interred in the local cemetery!

“Polperro very much inspired this novel,” admits the author. “I wanted to take people beyond the daytrips they experience in these villages, to really get to know the people and what they strive for – which is a strong summer season that allows them to keep their families buoyant all year. There’s a massive collective spirit among the locals, that outsiders seldom see.”

Continuing, “I’m so thrilled that many people have likened the book to Thomas’ ‘Under Milk Wood’. It’s a story that will capture the hearts of people from all walks of life, with its innocent undertones and deep longing for stability among forces the locals can’t control.”

With the volume in high demand, interested readers are urged to secure their copies without delay.

About the Author:

I was born a long time ago now and like both Mary Wesley and Sir Christopher Bland have taken to writing rather late in life.

Following graduation from the University of East Anglia (UEA), which has subsequently become something of a literary mecca since my days there, I worked, briefly, as an Economist in London but soon moved to Cornwall, where, together with my wife, I ran my own business for many years. We lived in the small Cornish fishing village of Polperro which has provided a rich source of material for my first novel, Midsummer Dreams, due to be published Spring 2019.

I began work on the novel last January and eight months later had a rough draft ready but feeling the need of a break from it I put the manuscript to one side and thought to write just a couple of short stories. Twelve months and fifteen stories later it became clear that it was time to put this volume, Collected Writings to bed and return to where I left off, one year past, especially as I can already feel a second volume of shorts tugging at my sleeve.

After over forty years in Cornwall I crossed the Tamar and moved back to England (!) a short while ago, although only as far as Devon, where I still maintain a ‘day job’. How much longer this will last though, I’m not sure. Writing can become a seductive and powerful mistress for which one can easily develop an all consuming passion.

With thanks to Michael Terence Publishing

www.mtp.agency

You can purchase Midsummer Dreams here.

Thank you once again to Love Books Tours it’s a pleasure. Although I’m sorry if you feel like I’ve spammed ya today with content after a few days of nothing…