#Review of Beautiful Shining People By Michael Grothaus @michaelgrothaus @OrendaBooks #SF #OutofThisWorld #BeautifulShiningPeople @RandomTTours #BlogTour

Beautiful Shining People
By Michael Grothaus

Today I am on the blog tour for Beautiful Shining People, thanks to Orenda Books and Random T. Tours. It is a book that will make you sit up and take notice. Check out the blurb and my review below and also discover a bit about the author.

Blurb

This world is anything but ordinary, and it’s about to change forever…

It’s our world, but decades into the future…

An ordinary world, where cars drive themselves, drones glide across the sky, and robots work in burger shops. There are two superpowers and a digital Cold War, but all conflicts are safely oceans away. People get up, work, and have dinner. Everything is as it should be…

Except for seventeen-year-old John, a tech prodigy from a damaged family, who hides a deeply personal secret. But everything starts to change for him when he enters a tiny café on a cold Tokyo night. A café run by a disgraced sumo wrestler, where a peculiar dog with a spherical head lives, alongside its owner, enigmatic waitress Neotnia…

But Neotnia hides a secret of her own – a secret that will turn John’s unhappy life upside down. A secret that will take them from the neon streets of Tokyo to Hiroshima’s tragic past to the snowy mountains of Nagano.

A secret that reveals that this world is anything ordinary – and it’s about to change forever…

Review

Beautiful Shining People actually seems totally credible and plausible. In someways it makes me think of that amazing tv drama – Years and Years By Russell T. Davies, that looks dystopian, but in reality, it is about things that are happening right now and yet was partly what was predicted only a few years ago. One of the reasons, when I saw the blurb, I wanted to take Beautiful People on to review as it seemed just as immediately important.
Michael Grothaus, author of Beautiful People is equally stark and brave with his writing. It makes you (or ought to) sit up and notice as in a way, it is chilling and certain things seem plausible, that could actually happen and given in Years and Years certain things did actually happen, well, this book, like that tv drama, serves almost like a warning and a glimpse into the possibly not too distant future of today’s actions are tomorrow’s consequences.

Amongst that is also quite the thriller that harbours secrets and a juxtaposition of the ordinary and the extraordinary, that is tightly woven from the harshness of technology and how it isn’t all going to end up being used as innocently as its creators seem to think when they increasingly take over from humans to the warmth of a boy meets girl storyline.

Amongst the devastating consequences, there are some beautiful consequences to certain actions, such as a budding romance. This meeting, however between John and Neotnia isn’t an easy one, it’s a bit awkward because he, especially is quite socially awkward, but she opens his eyes to what the world has and opens his heart. There is warmth and human-kindness and little touches of humour to be found in this book.

It is a book that I highly recommend.

ABOUT MICHAEL GROTHAUS

Michael Grothaus is a novelist, journalist and author of non-fiction. His writing has

appeared in Fast Company, VICE, Guardian, Litro Magazine, Irish Times, Screen, Quartz

and others. His debut novel, Epiphany Jones, a story about sex trafficking among the

Hollywood elite, was longlisted for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and

named one of the 25 ‘Most Irresistible Hollywood Novels’ by Entertainment Weekly. His

first non-fiction book, Trust No One: Inside the World of Deepfakes was published by

Hodder & Stoughton in 2021. The book examines the human impact that artificially

generated video will have on individuals and society in the years to come. Michael is

American..

#BookReview By Lou of The Time Jigsaw – Adventures In Time Book 1 #TheTimeJigsaw #SciFi #CrimeFiction #Mystery

The Time Jigsaw – Adventures In Time
Book 1
By David Munro

Having read and rating them pretty highly – two of David Munro’s books – Georgina and I asked him if there were others, so he directed me to where it all began – The Time Jigsaw. He informs me it is inspired by where he comes from. Check out the blurb and review below…

Blurb

Following a move to Nice, the life of James Carsell-Brown begins to change when he meets pretty Michelle Duvallier, whom he believes is the woman of his dreams. However. appearances can be deceptive. After the body of a young woman matching Michelle’s description is washed up on a beach, all hell breaks loose. He is kidnapped and upon his escape, decides to flee to the calmer waters of Scotland. In Scotland, though, he faces new challenges – time travelling from one period to another quite by chance.

Review

The Time Jigsaw is a slow-burn but one that’s worth staying with. There’s time travel and as well as this, a murder to solve. It’s certain intriguing as readers are invited to not only be immersed in solving a crime, but also in the sci-fi element of time travel, which feels very well researched.

Readers can follow the main character – James Carsell Brown who gets metaphorical “itchy feet” and makes the move from Aberdeen to Nice. There are interesting comparisons made between the two, and the differences. He doesn’t get the warmest of welcomes. It isn’t long before he meets Michelle Duvallier, there’s intrigue in the conversation that piques interest as to who she is. When her body is washed up, James finds himself embroiled in whoever she truly was and has no clue about what the police are on about. There’s intrigue with a little suspense as Detective Claude Laurant takes on the case. From then the suppositions and accusations fly and all is not as innocent as first appeared with the woman who seemed like she had an average life.

When in Scotland, an innocent enough journey and this is when things get even more mysterious and interesting as he finds himself travelling through time to various time periods. The author has clearly thoroughly researched the time periods and paints a picture of each place in time he arrives in. This is when the title – The Time Jigsaw comes into its own as there are many parts to piece together.

Between the time travel and the mystery of Michelle Duvallier, it is a fairly engaging story. It is an entertaining and interesting concept of mixing crime fiction and time travel.

About the Author

David Munro was born in the north of Edinburgh and then moved to the capital’s Royal Mile. His family originally came from Ardrishaig, on the banks of Loch Fyne. David was employed by a well-known brewery in Edinburgh, and at the age of 27, relocated to Aberdeen, then Glasgow. He attended university and college to attain Chartered Marketer status in an arts discipline. As an arts professional, and with experience of different cultures, this lends to creative literature. Relaxing to music and taking long walks through the scenic Scottish countryside, assists David in formulating ideas for his novels.

#CoverReveal of Mortal Mission by Pip Skinner @LoveBooksTours #LBTCrew Discover the #cover and #blurb in the #blogpost #CrimeFiction #Scifi meet.

Today I have a cover reveal of Mortal Mission. Follow down to take a look at the cover and then the blurb. It certainly sounds an intriguing book for people interested in the space race, missions and crime. It is a Martian Murder Mystery.

Blurb

Astronauts are dying on the first crewed mission to Mars. Is it bad luck, or something far more sinister?

An international mission to search for life on Mars meets heated opposition from the religious right in the USA. Astronaut Hattie Fredericks’ dreams are realised when she is selected for the voyage, but her presence on the Starship coincides with a series of incidents which threaten to derail the mission.

After a near-miss while landing on Mars, the world watches as Hattie and the crew struggle to survive. But worse than the harsh elements are her suspicions that someone is trying to destroy the mission. After several crew members die, Hattie doesn’t know who to trust. And her only allies are 35 million miles away.

As the tension ratchets up, violence and suspicion invade both worlds.

Will Hattie discover life on Mars, or die trying?

#BookReview By Lou of Earthman By David Munro #DavidMunro #Earthman #HistoricalFiction #1960s #SciFi #RomanticFiction

Earthman
By David Munro

Earthman By David Munro is a cross between science fiction and historical fiction with a touch of romance. Set in the 1960s, it is an intriguing book of adventure and perilous times. Discover the blurb and my review below. Thanks first to David Munro for asking me to review. He’s written several books, including Georgina, a historical fiction book. Earth man is published today- Monday 16th January 2023.

Synopsis

EARTHMAN is set in 1962 and a time when the Cold War was at its height. in October of that year, America and Russia were about to unleash a nuclear holocaust on the planet and civilisation held its breath.
The story begins in a remote village in the Scottish Highlands. A stranger with an American accent appears from nowhere and interest amongst locals heighten. He is befriended by a young woman who takes a shine to him. She has graduated from university and seeks adventure. Being stifled in a rural highland village is suffocating her. When she learns about the stranger’s identity and a mission he has to complete, Emily accompanies Jack Brewster on an adventure. It is the opportunity she has been waiting for.
The story has a mysterious slant and a sub-plot which involve an alien race. The avoidance of a nuclear war between the super-powers in the story is a strong possibility.

Review

As Russia unleashes its Might now, it unleashed its strength in 1962, the year of The Cold War and not even remote Scottish villages up in the Highlands were immune for the worry of what might happen next…
This is where the book is historical fiction as it recounts that very real threat on the world.

Jack, the main protagonist, is where some of the science fiction lies. He has other problems of his own, trying to get his story of being abducted by aliens believed. He just knows that the President of the USA needs to be alerted to the danger the world is in. But then historical fiction, sci-fi and romantic fiction all collide and merge and meld together.

The book begins in Plockton, a village in the Highlands of Scotland. It seems all idyllic with the loch as part of its scenery and the local chit-chat as people go about their daily lives. Not all is quite well as there’s been a theft in the village. Emily lives in Plockton and is bored of small village life and feels it closing in, near to the point of suffocation. She wants to live more and add more to her life experiences. She and others are ready to leave because they’re not going to get what they seek in the Scottish Highlands. She is in need of adventure and that is provided, when she meets Jack Brewster, who has the wildest story ever to be told. The difference in culture is also stark as they learn about each other. At first he lies to her and she can see right through him, which makes her even more curious about him. She does find out more about Jack and the mission he knows he needs to embark on. It’s all too enticing for Emily. It is of course her ticket out of her current predicament. Within here lies adventure and a touch of romance.

The book is has a fast-paced narrative that carries that sense of immediacy and tension as the plot builds within the political situation and a space race. It is a bit surreal in parts, but worth sticking with as this is far from full-on Sci-fi. It is an intriguing book with a human who has great insight and some strange experiences. He has a device that can see into the future, securing his insights , the question is, will he be believed and complete his mission?

#HappyNewYear #2023 #ChildrensBooks and #YoungAdultBooks I Highly #Recommend that I #Reviewed in #2022 of many genres from #PictureBooks to #ChapterBooks to #Novels

I reviewed a number of children’s books right across the ages from 0 to teenagers. Here are some I highly recommend. Starting with young children’s books, working up in age range. I have also provided links to the blurbs and full reviews as you wok you way down.

The Picture Books – 0 to 6 years

Trains, Trains, Trains! Is a fun-packed picture book that works on different levels. It encourages thought, speech and language as kids choose their favourite trains. It also has fun with counting and speed and provides children, including babies with a certain comfort in its train like rhythm of the words. It’s a book that adults can have fun with reading to children. Here is the link: Trains, Trains, Trains

Tilda Tries Again By Tom Percival was recently on CBeebies, read by Rob Burrows. It has fantastic illustrations, which really goes towards aiding the story along. It’s a positive, encouraging story that takes children into Tilda’s world, where it’s okay to give things another try. Here’s the link to the blurb and full review Tilda Tries Again

David’s Bathtime Adventure By Sue Wickstead is great for kids who love or dislike bathtime alike. It’s full of imaginative fun. It’s also got great tips for adults after the story too. Here’s the link to the blurb and full review: David’s Bathtime Adventure

The Fairy In The Kettle By Pauline Tait is a sweet story about friendship. It is also fun with a fairy who lives in a kettle and plenty goes on in this short adventure. Check out the blurb and review here: The Fairy In The Kettle

What The Ladybird Heard at Christmas By Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks is full of adventure and trepidation in this fun poetic story. Find out more in the link here: What The Ladybird Heard at Christmas

Daddy’s New Shed By Jessica Parkin sees him needing a new one, but who will get to use it? It has much humour. Here’s the link to the review and blurb: Daddy’s New Shed

Where Is My Smile? is charming and about a boy who has lost his. Is there a solution that can be found? The book promotes talk of feelings and wellbeing. Here’s the link to the blurb and review: Where Is My Smile?

The Middle Grade Books – 7 plus years

The Ultimate Guide to Growing Dragons by Andy Shepherd shows you too can grow dragons. The book is great for the adventurous and for young gardeners and the curious. It’s part of the excellent The Boy Who Grew Dragons series. This one also has fun pages set out like collection cards and so much more, as well as the story. Find out the blurb and full review in this link: The Ultimate Guide to Growing Dragons

Benji And The Gunpowder Plot By Kate Cunningham gives children a great time travelling adventure to the time of Guy Fawkes. It’s the first book in The Time Tumblers series. Find out more in the link for the review and blurb: Benji and the Gunpowder Plot

Jump By J.G.Nolan is a football story where old and young come together. They each learn something about football and a particular footballer. Here is the blurb and full review: Jump

Dread Wood By Jennifer Killick, author of the successful Craters Lake, is middlegrade horror at its best, on a par with Goosebumps by R.L. Stine. It’s atmospheric and twisty with mystery and dark tunnels… also a detention to boot. Why then is a teacher underground and a caretaker acting strangely? Here is the link to the blurb and full review: Dread Wood

Which Way To Anywhere By Cressida Cowell – author of How To Train Your Dragon and Wizard of Once, is exhilarating with a terrific cast of characters, including a robot assassin and trees not being quite how you would expect in this new magical world. Here is the link to the blurb and full review: Which Way To Anywhere

Young Adult/Teens -12 years plus

Being is Better and Beyond Invisible is a duology of books. Meet Amber and her friend. Both have quite different backgrounds and yet find each other. The book highlights teenage loneliness, grief, parental divorce, health issues, friendship. It is relatable and essential reading for teens/young adults. Here is the link to full blurbs and reviews of both books – Being Is Better Duology

#Review by Lou of #Middlegrade #ChildrensBook – Which Way To Anywhere By Cressida Cowell @CressidaCowell @HodderBooks #HodderChildrensBooks #HachetteChildrensBooks #WhichWayToAnywhere

Which Way To Anywhere
By Cressida Cowell

Today I’ve a review from a brand new series from Which Way to Anywhere by Cressida Cowell, author known for How to Train Your Dragon and Wizard of Once series and former Children’s Laureate. Fly down to discover the blurb and my review of this adventurous fantasy/sci-fi middle-grade book.

Blurb

From the bestselling author of How to Train Your Dragon and The Wizards of Once comes an out-of-this-world new adventure …

K2 O’Hero is a seemingly ordinary boy – after all, he and his twin sister Izzabird have been sworn to keep their family’s magical history a secret. Not even their infuriating stepsiblings, Theo and Mabel, know that magic exists. They believe K2 to be the most hopeless person they have ever known.

But K2 has a secret gift: he draws maps of worlds that are beyond the wildest of imaginations. Worlds with six hundred moons, burning rivers and dark, twisty jungles alive with plants that hunt by the smell of fear. But what K2 doesn’t know, is that the maps he draws are real.

When their baby sister Annipeck is kidnapped, the warring stepsiblings will have to use K2’s gift to find a crossing point into one of those worlds and embark on a daring rescue mission. With a terrible beast and a petrifying robot assassin in their way, they must learn to work together quickly – because the future of their family is at stake …

Review

The cast list that children will meet is great. It instantly captures your attention, but that’s what Cressida Cowell’s writing and imagination does and this book doesn’t disappoint.

There is a magical world with a beast and a robot assassin, trees and plants that aren’t completely how you would assume them to be, as well as a family with magic powers. Amongst the adventure and all the creatures are themes of blended families and ecology. It is a world that has much depth that is quick to emerge into, with its immersive writing style.

The book is dramatic within the forest and intriguing within the lands and characters. It is also full of humorous situations that brings extra entertainment in its twisty, action-packed fantasy/sci-fi world. It is a treat for the senses that is a twisty fast-paced, exciting page-turner.