#Review By Lou of Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairytales By #CatherineCawthorne, #SaraOgilvie @KidsBloomsbury #BigBadWolfInvestigatesFairyTalesFactcheckingyourfavouritestorieswithSCIENCE #ChildrensBooks #ChildrensNonFiction #STEM #Fairytales

Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairytales
By Catherine Cawthorne, Sara Ogilvie

STEM Meets The Arts to a certain extent in children’s book – Big Bad Wolf. Discover the blurb and my review below.

Join the Big Bad Wolf as he debunks your favourite fairy tales with SCIENCE! Written by the hilarious Catherine Cawthorne and illustrated by award-winning Sara Ogilvie.

Did a princess really feel a tiny pea through a mountain of mattresses? And could a pumpkin actually turn into a carriage to carry Cinderella to the ball? Of course not! It’s all a load of fairytale NONSENSE! Or is it . . . ? The Big Bad Wolf is on a mission to find the truth behind these tales, and clear his name in the process.

Combining STEM topics with classic stories children know and love, this hilarious non-fiction picture book is perfect for inquisitive children always asking big questions!

Review

Fairytales are a staple to many children’s upbringing and science is, in many ways viewed as a key subject within schools. Big Bad Wolf combines both fairytales and science in a way that makes it all a fun learning experience for children by combining literacy and STEM skills together in one unique book.

The book is narrated by the Big Bad Wolf, which also contains a recap of the fairytale in question and then the myth. It takes a bit of a tongue-in-cheek approach, the type that children appreciate. The presentation of the book makes it easy and fun for children to follow.

It’s a book that doesn’t need to remain just for schools, it is fun for the home too.

#Review By Lou of Her Charming Man By Rachel Sargeant @RachelSargeant3 @HobeckBooks #TheGloucestershireCrimeSeries #PoliceProcedural #HerCharmingMan #CrimeSeries #BlogTour

Her Charming Man
By Rachel Sargeant

What links 2 cases in Her Charming Man? The second in this gripping Gloucestershire Crime Series. Discover the dramatic cover that would look great on any bookshelf, the blurb and my review below.

DI Steph Lewis of West Gloucestershire Police is working two cases.

A woman is found dead in the Cathedral grounds. Few, not even her family, mourn her. And a man has gone missing. His wife, colleagues and neighbours fear for the safety of this perfect gentleman.

A witness comes forward to say the cases are linked. A breakthrough, perhaps? But the witness has form for finding dead bodies and she knows things about Steph that the detective wants kept hidden. A reliable witness? Or a fantasist with the power to cause chaos in Steph’s personal life?

What could possibly connect the murder of an unpopular woman and the disappearance of a charming man?

Her Charming Man is the second book in the Gloucestershire Crime Series, featuring DI Steph Lewis, a spirited, no-nonsense detective with secrets of her own.

Review

Cathedral or church grounds often make perfect atmospheric settings and in Her
Charming Man, there’s added sadness in a way. There aren’t many mourners and the deceased was deeply unpopular, even with her own family. It makes you think, that to live a life that has, not only a sad ending to it through being murdered, but to be undesirable to almost everyone, who others would be close to is a sad life to lead indeed.
In another case is a charming, pleasant man who is well thought of by others, has disappeared.
The characterisation of them both of these characters and the witness, who may or may not be a fantasist is makes this a fascinating read, even just working out their psyche.
DI Lewis and her team have to work out what the connection is. She definitely has the tenacity and the resilience to fathom it all out, even when her personal life could be tarnished if the witness exposes her past.
It all leads to a clever ending.

#Review By Lou of Death At A Shetland Festival By Marsali Taylor #MarsaliTaylor @between_pr #blogtour #ScottishNoir #PoliceProcedural #CrimeFiction

Death At A Shetland Festival
By Marsali Taylor

Shetland, an island off the north of Scotland is a great location for a crime and what better premise than a festival? Check out my review, after the blurb below.

Blurb

‘This series is a must-read for anyone who loves the sea, or islands, or joyous, intricate story-telling.’
ANN CLEEVES

Crowds are gathered for a concert at Shetland’s renowned folk music festival when there’s a shocking discovery – international folk legend Fintan Foley has been stabbed backstage.

Sailing sleuth Cass Lynch and her partner DI Gavin Macrae are in the audience and must untangle a complicated case where nothing is quite what it seems. Cass soon discovers that Foley’s smiling stage persona concealed links with Shetland. He’d worked here in the 80s, the days when oil brought wealth to the islands.

Has a long-buried secret risen to the surface – and will it make Cass a target for a cold-blooded killer?

Atmospheric and gripping, Death at a Shetland Festival is the latest instalment in the much-loved Shetland Mystery series by Marsali Taylor. Perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths.

Review

The heady heights of a renowned folk festival and the rugged island beauty of land and seascape with all the people and wildlife that inhabit Shetland, creates a magical atmospheric combination that whisks readers away to somewhere that feels like a great escape. In contrast, darkness then falls on the island when a killer is around and international folk legend Fintan Foley is found backstage, stabbed, so not exactly a discreet location.

The book takes readers between the present day and the 1980’s when thousands of workers were constructing the Sullom Voe oil terminal.
Cass, deduces there must be a link between then and the present day to the death of the folk musician. She and her partner DI Gavin Macrae just have to work out what it is, but it also puts Cass in danger.

There are secrets abound, but how long can they possibly be kept, especially with an investigation of a death at a highly popular festival?

If you are intrigued by island life, a mystery or love scenery, this book is an enjoyable read.
Thankfully there is a glossary at the back full of translations for the Scots words.

#Review By Lou of A Therapeutic Journey By Alain De Botton #AlainDeBotton @PenguinUKBooks #HamishHamilton #ATherapeuticJourney #LessonsFromTheSchoolOfLife #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #NonFiction

A Therapeutic Journey
By Alain De Botton

A Therapeutic Journey is an interesting exploration of mental health by the Sunday Times bestselling author of The School of Life. A book many will find interesting in a factual way and for many it may well be rather relatable.
Check out the blurb and my review below.

AS HEARD ON THE DIARY OF A CEO PODCAST WITH STEVEN BARTLETT

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The School of Life

A healthy mind knows how to hope, hanging on tenaciously to the reasons to keep going.

A healthy mind resists unfair comparisons, not allowing others’ successes to throw it off course.

A healthy mind avoids catastrophic imaginings, distinguishing worries of what could happen from what likely will.

Just as there is no such thing as a human being who will never become physically ill, there is no human who will go their whole life without becoming mentally unwell. But recognising ourselves when we’re well can do a lot to help us identify what can go awry. Written with his signature kindness and empathy, this book is Alain de Botton’s practical guide to caring for our mental health – from the acts of self-care in which we find respite to the help which psychotherapy can bring.

Mental illness is as common, and as unshameful, as its bodily counterpart. We should be no more reluctant to seek help than we are if we develop a chest infection or sore knee – and we are no less worthy of love and sympathy in those moments. This book is a reminder of that.

Review

A Therapeutic Journey takes readers into mental health. Everyone has mental health, healthy or otherwise and from either perspective of how you’re mentally feeling, it’s an interesting book. It’s a bit unfortunate that some of it can appear a bit angry in tone, but it is at least just a small handful of places, so it doesn’t detract too much from wanting to read the entire book. On the whole, the book is written with kindness and compassion with interesting information about mental health, in a way that people will be able to relate to. Fascinatingly it explores the history of mental health and certain well-known artists who are known for a deterioration in their state of mind at certain points in their lives. There is also some artwork in certain sections by people such as Picasso, Cezanne and more…

It’s a wise book, in many respects as it talks about the contributions to poorer mental health in many aspects of life, although lingers a bit long on childhood before moving along. The journey of the book also takes readers into the topic of therapy, which is rather insightful and thought-provoking.

A Therapeutic Journey takes readers through an exploration of art, love, compassion and more in a blend of historical perspectives and facts and personal experiences and discoveries.

About the Author

Alain de Botton is the bestselling author of fifteen books, including The School of Life: An Emotional Education, How Proust Can Change Your Life, The Consolations of Philosophy, The Art of Travel and The Course of Love. He is the founder of The School of Life.

#Review By Lou of Island In The Sun By Katie Fforde @KatieFforde @centurybooksuk @randomhouse #HolidayRead #Escapism #Summer

Island In The Sun
By Katie Fforde

Sun, sea and pure escapism can all be found in Katie Fforde’s latest, enticing book.

Blurb

Dominica. A beautiful remote island where the sun shines and the living is easy.

And where Cass goes to photograph a rare stone carving as a favour to her father.

With her is Ranulph, a deeply attractive, much-travelled journalist, who offers to help Cass with her quest.

But Dominica has just been hit be a severe hurricane, and Cass and Ranulph are spending all of their time helping the local community.

Cass knows she must not fall in love with him… He is just looking out for her. He’s being kind.

There is no way he could be even the slightest bit interested in her. Could he?

Review

Dominica is painted as a very attractive and desirable place to be. The idyllic location is soon rocked by a severe hurricane hitting its shores and interfering with community life. Katie Fford captures the contrast in between the calm, serene scenery and the destructive nature of the storm, beautifully.

Cass is on a mission from her father to photograph a rare stone carving in Dominica, where she also meets Ranulph. He’s well travelled and interesting, so very quickly becomes a character you want to know more about. He’s a journalist, so of course is curious about Cass, since she’s on the hunt for something rare.
When the hurricane hits, there’s a more genuine warm-heartedness about the characters as they want to help the community get through the devastation.

Romance is in the air and oozes off the page, just like the romance of the location does. It’s a very different sort of romance from the norm, which I rather liked. I won’t say too much about that as I feel it’s something to be explored as you read the book. It certainly adds much interest to the characters as its played out.

Island in the Sun is a rather interesting escapist read that embodies romance and danger.