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Review: Whisper Cottage by Anne Wyn Clark
Whisper Cottage is a domestic thriller about Stina and Jack, a young couple who are desperate to leave the rat race that is Birmingham. They are both sick and tired of worrying if they leave their front door unlocked even for ten seconds they are running the risk of aggravated burglary. They find their dream home in the Warwickshire village of Avoncote and they just know they are going to be genuinely happy here. Newlywed and expecting their first baby together and with the addition of the two-year-old border collie, Jobie life couldn’t be better. The only thing that niggles at Stina is the village gossip about their elderly neighbour,…
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WWW Wednesday – 10/11/2021
It’s time I started joining in on this meme so here we are! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next? Current Reads Whisper Cottage by Anne Wyn Clark – How well do you know the woman next door? When Stina and Jack move to an old rural cottage, they’re hoping for a fresh start. Their new home is run-down compared to their neighbour’s, but generous Mrs Barley quickly becomes a friend. Until Stina sees a mysterious figure in the widow’s garden,…
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Norsevember: A Northern Culture
Today I am absolutely delighted to be sharing an article about Nordic Culture for Norsevember hosted by the wonderful Alex @ BlogSpells. Scandinavia is a group of three countries; Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. They share similar cultures and historical significance. They are known as some of the happiest places to live on earth, but why? What makes their culture supremely enriched compared to others? How exactly did The Vikings contribute to this viewpoint? Is it due to their economic stability? High standard of living or is it something far more ancient? Who Were the Vikings? The Vikings were traditionally farmers, blacksmiths, and craftsmen. They weren’t men that immediately started raiding…
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Review: The Darkest Dusk by D.W. Ross
The Darkest Dusk excels in everything Norse fantasy. The landscape, the characterisation, and the brutal display of humanity is stark and painful. The sequel to Cold From the North brings us a continuation of the story without negating everything I loved from book one. The story continues with a rush, like a snowstorm that wants to blind your vision, it disorientates you, it leaves you cold to your very bones and anything can blindside you. D.W. Ross has honed his skill and you can tell the love and devotion that has gone into creating this sprawling epic Norse fantasy. Book two of the Onyxborn Chronicles, The Darkest Dusk and immediately…
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The Dark Remains by William McIlvanney & Ian Rankin
The Dark Remains is undeniably authentic and a true testament to everything Glasgow was in the ’70s and ’80s. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading the Laidlaw series by the late and great William McIlvanney but I will be rectifying that as soon as possible. Gangland Glasgow and its brutal violence and its territorial wars, the tone was set and it was addictive as it was horrifying. Ian Rankin had massive shoes to fill but he laced them up, took pen to paper, and paid homage to Scotland’s father of Tartan Noir. The Dark Remains is just that, dark. It doesn’t pull any punches, it doesn’t pretty anything up,…
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Review: The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen
The Shape of Night is a story about guilt and loss. It tells the story of Ava Collette, a woman that is running from her past. She distances herself from her family, her work, and predominately her memories. I don’t think you can outrun your past, you can just maybe stall it for a while. A food writer that has become hooked on alcohol to deal with her emotions. It all gets too much and she decides to rent a house, Brodie’s Watch, a large stately home overlooking the sea in a remote coastal peninsula of Maine. Will it provide Ava with the distance to get her head straight and…
