#Review by Lou of The School Gates by A.A. Chaudhuri @aachaudhuri @hera_books #PsychologicalThriller #LBTCrewbie #BlogTour #Summer #School

The School Gates
By A.A. Chaudhuri

The school gates hold more than a physical entity. If only they could talk. They’d know many secrets, not to mention the parent politics and dynamics. No wonder there is a psychological thriller about this space that is so much more than just a drop-off/pick up point and an entry/exit point to the school grounds…
Find out more in the blurb and review below as today is my turn on the Love Books Tours blog tour.

Blurb

First comes gossip … then comes revenge

When single mum Lola Martinez’s son, Luca, starts school, she feels that she’ll never fit in with the yummy mummies in the playground. Confident, married to wealthy men, with ample free time, they are everything she isn’t.

However, Lola is invited into the inner circle, surrounded by seemingly friendly people, even if Lola’s silence about her child’s father puzzles them. Despite herself, Lola quickly becomes involved in playground politics, making as many enemies as friends.

But then Lola is brutally murdered, her death rocking the close-knit community. As the police investigate the case, they discover that Lola was hiding many secrets – as are the mums in her new social circle. But who had the most reason to kill her? And who else might unwittingly hold the answers to what happened that night?

An addictive psychological thriller with an end twist that will make you gasp, for fans of Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and Frieda McFadden. If you loved Big Little Lies, you’ll adore this.

Review

Do you fit in at the school gates? Will you dare, even after reading this book, to enter the school gate politics? You may not stay alive. Lola didn’t as her death shows just how things can get so out of hand that murder happens.
It’s a good topic to choose to write about and to turn it so vicious that murder actually occurs. It’s quite a page-turner, but underneath that aspect lies a more darker, deeper issue. How people are in cliques, inner circles at these gates and if you’re not part of it, you may be seen as an outsider and treated as such. Although the murder is extreme, there are clearly rooted aspects surrounding that in certain characters that I am sure some parents will recognise, either in others or even themselves.

Tensions rise and secrets are revealed across The School Gates and they’re rather juicy and twisty to read. Chaudhuri certainly knows how to play into the psyche of that of what is a normal everyday task such as taking your kid to school and making it so intriguing and twisty that you want to listen more to the gossip and spy on what people are doing.

This is a sharply observed summer read for the end of the school term.

#Interview By Lou with director, writer, producer, actor, musician Brandon Bernath about short film, Illionaire @brandon_bernath @Tom_Brumpton_PR #Films #Movies #Music #Illionaire

Today, I have the privilege of interviewing Brandon Bernath about new short film/music, Illionaire. It has been screened as part of the Dallas International Film Festival and at SXSW London. We also talk about inspiration, influences and what he is doing next, which sounds an exciting opportunity with his band, THE ABOMIC TOMS, which have featured on the BBC. Their most recent single, “RUN” landed placement in Amazon Prime’s hit new action/drama series, “Motorheads”. There are also links at the end for how you can see the film…

Brandon Bernath an accomplished writer, director, actor, producer, and musician based out of Los Angeles.

He has appeared in films such as “Queen Of Manhattan” alongside Rainey Qualley, (“Delilah”), Taryn Manning (“Orange Is The New Black”), & Drea de Matteo (“The Sopranos”) and “Shot In The Dark” with Jacqueline Toboni (“Grimm”), Austin Hebert (“Jack Reacher: Never Go Back”) and more…
Brandon was nominated for Best Actor at the 2017 CineFashion Film Awards for his role in the comedy short “The Selfie That Changed The World”.

He has been recognized in numerous publications for his work, including Rolling Stone Magazine NPR, & American Songwriter Magazine. He has collaborated with major brands and companies such as,L’Agence, Choose Love, Warner Records and more…
Brandon’s next project includes creating a series of shorts for the online fashion brand Vague Studios.

So, without further ado, let’s get down to business with the interview.

Brandon Bernath, who or what inspired you to become a director writer, producer, actor and musician and how do you manage to pull all those passions and talents together to make them work for you?

BB: I am a director, writer, producer, actor, and musician. I fell into acting at a young age and then pursued my studies in college and then law school. Coming back into acting 7 years later was a big struggle and forced me to create my own projects to star in, which led me to pursue more directing and producing opportunities. I am a project based artist. I find it easy to multitask in the mediums of art. Whatever the project is I find it natural to pivot to another medium if needed.

Your latest film, Illionaire follows rising New York rock and roll musician, Zoe Fromer and 3 demons in pursuit of Illionaire. How did you come to calling it Illionaire?

BB: Illionaire is the title of Zoe’s song.

The first time we see Illionaire, he is like a comic book character/hero in look and the way he acts. What inspired this characterisation?

BB: I have a deep desire to create real life looney tune characters that are relatable. I am deeply influenced by American genre films and American aesthetics.

You play with surrealism and humour in the acting that then turns into a rock music video like in feel and look. How did you arrive at the decision of this genre to play out the storyline?

BB: The genre is a surrealist comedy with sci-fi elements. I feel that is my aesthetic that I am exploring at the moment; a larger than life absurdist viewpoint based on American tropes, like greasers, burgers, fast cars, shiny colors, and rock and roll.

What is next for you and your very varied career?

BB: I am writing, directing, and producing more short content for fashion brands. I am finishing a feature script, and getting ready to open up for Billy Idol and Joan Jett at the kia forum in September with my band THE ABOMIC TOMS

Where can people watch Illionaire and where can they follow you?

BB: Here is my instagram https://www.instagram.com/brandon_bernath/.
Here is a link to the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVobflw1UZY&list=RDzVobflw1UZY&start_radio=1

#Review by Lou of Kakigori Summer By Emily Itami @EmilyItami #Summer #JapaneseFiction #Fiction #ReadingCommunity #SummerVibe #KakigoriSummer #CompulsiveReaders

Kakigori Summer
By Emily Itami

One of the big trends that is ever growing is books from Japan with their interesting stories that connect with any reader as themes are often universal. Kakigori Summer is both UK and Japanese based. From the shortlisted Costa Book Awards for Faultlines. This is another one to watch out for!
Today, I am part of the Compulsive Readers blog tour with a review after the blurb…

Blurb

Sisters Rei, Kiki and Ai have always had to look out for one another – but life has taken them on very different paths.

Eldest daughter Rei is spiky and sensible, distracting herself with an all-consuming job at a financial corporation in London.

Big-hearted Kiki is a single mother in Tokyo, juggling the demands of her young son and the cantankerous elderly residents of the retirement home she works in.

The free-spirited youngest, Ai , is a Japanese pop idol who has found fame and fortune but lost herself along the way. When Ai is embroiled in a scandal and thrust into the spotlight, Rei must pick up the pieces of her family once more.

Over the course of a summer in their childhood home on the Japanese coast, the sisters reunite with their sharp-tongued grandmother, entertain Kiki’s irrepressible son and silently worry about Ai, carefully avoiding the subject of their mother’s death fifteen years before. But silence between sisters can only last for so long . . .

Transporting, funny and moving, Kakigori Summer is an uplifting exploration of love and loss, sisterhood and family, the stories we tell ourselves about the past and how they determine our future.

Review

If you look at Google, Kakigori is a Japanese dessert often served in shops and at festivals in summer. It’s a Japanese shaved ice dessert, often flavoured with syrup and sweetened condensed milk. This book is not syrupy sweet. It does, however have sweet moments and summery vibes on the coast that swings you in the mood for summer and family.

Rei, Kiki and Ai provide an interesting exploration into family life and how paths go in different directions and grief and challenges enter their lives. Big responsibilities and emotions ensue.
There are also wonderful uplifting parts in the family ties as you delve into the dynamics and learn more about the sisters.

Kakigori Summer is an absolutely beautifully written book that takes you by the hand into summer and light and shade of family life.

#Review by Lou of The Beach Cabin – A Quick Read and Dyslexic Friendly version by Fern Britton Out Now, Happy Publication Day! @Fern_Britton @booksonthehill @LoveBooksTours #BlogTour #DyslexicFriendly #SummerRead #Summer

The Beach Cabin

Quick Read and Dyslexic Friendly

By Fern Britton

Review by Louise Cannon

The book world is proving that you do not need to be excluded from reading from books when you are diagnosed with Dyslexia. Publishers have been publishing, mostly children’s books, but now Books On The Hill (BOTH) is publishing for the adult dyslexic community. It is proving successful, with many well-known authors attaching themselves to it, with more book titles coming their way soon.
Today, I am on the Love Books Group blog tour to review The Beach Cabin. Check out the blurb and then my review below as well as how you can get your hands on a copy.

Blurb

Charlotte and Ed have been drifting apart, and Ed suspects Charlotte is having and affair. He decides that a family holiday in the Cornish village of Pendruggan could be just the thing to get them back on track. But Charlotte has been let down before and braces herself for disappointment.

Together with teenage daughter Alex, younger son Sam, and dog Molly, they set out on their Cornish escape. Will the trip bring the family closer, or is it too little, too late?

Review

The first thing to notice is how the very particular paper used, really makes the words jump off the page, differently from other books. I asked friend Kelley Duke, who is dyslexic what she thought of the text and readability.

She says “the font and text is clear, which makes reading easier.”

The plot itself is summery with bite. Not everything is as smooth and light as the summer air. The prologue allows readers to see what led up to the events that followed. It takes readers to channel 7 and a children’s tv programme, Skool’s Out. It sounds quite fun. That was in 2000, then time whisks onwards to 2015, Pendruggan, Cornwall.

The characterisation of Charlotte and her family are totally relatable as they embark on their escape to Cornwall to bring them closer. There’s a gently paced exploration of family dynamics, the growing apart and trying to bring it back. Some of the emotions that ebb and out, sometimes coming to a crescendo are piercing and all are realistic and relatable.

Fern Britton has captured family dynamics in a realistically compelling manner with the characters propelling the plot along very well.

The Beach Cabin is a book I recommend this summer. It’s a great holiday read for the beach or lounging in the garden or park.

Buy Links

Waterstones Waterstones WH Smith WH Smith Amazon Amazon

#Review by Lou of Wherever You Will Go by Fran Clark – Hope series book 1 @FranClarkAuthor #HistoricalFiction

Wherever You Will Go
By Fran Clark

Wherever You Will Go is book one of the brand new series by Fran Clark. Having read and enjoyed her previous books, I thought I’d give this one a go to see if the contents was as intriguing as the title. To find out the answer to that, check out the blurb and my review below… The book is available now.

Blurb

Her husband vanishes. The answers lie in 1940s London, where secrets surface and the truth comes at a devastating cost.

Essie is consumed by fear. Far from their Caribbean island, her husband has disappeared, leaving her alone and adrift. As her worry grows, their dreams of a shared future slip further away. Determined to uncover the truth the young bride travels to post-WWII London, armed with only a single clue.

In the city’s shadowed streets Essie uncovers betrayals that shake her to the core. The man who promised her forever has buried secrets that threaten everything she believed about love, trust, and herself.

Will this search lead Essie to the man she loves, or are her dreams about to be shattered?

Wherever You Will Go is a poignant tale of resilience and self-discovery, set against a vibrant backdrop. Perfect for fans of emotive historical fiction and stories of hidden pasts.

Embark on Essie’s unforgettable journey—grab your copy of Wherever You Will Go today!

Review

Self-discovery is a key element within this vibrant book. Essie in a psychological way, is an interesting character. Fran Clark has captured her state of being consumed by fear and weaving understandable reasons for this as her life story, rather well. She really captures the emotions in a character that can be easily empathised with. There’s war and she’s been badly betrayed and it has had an effect.

The book holds a lot of hope as Essie goes through a journey of self-discovery and finds out she’s stronger than she first thought. What she uncovers as she embarks on her self-imposed mission to discover more about a bride, is quite an adventure in itself. This coupled with how Essie is feeling and impacted makes it all the stronger read.

Historical events and hidden secrets and life events weave beautifully together, creating a compelling, emotive story that not only sets the backdrop for the series, but readies you for the next one and a desire to discover more…

Buy Links

Amazon KOBO

#Review of The River Rubicon by Daniel Paul #TheRiverRubicon #PoliticalThriller #DanielPaul

The River Rubicon
By Daniel Paul

The River Rubicon is more than you’d perhaps expect from a political thriller… Sent all the way from Canada from Daniel Paul, it weaves a more interesting story that definitely veers away from any stuffiness. This is one to give a go, even if it isn’t your normal genre. It has a sense of urgency about it.

Take a look at the blurb and my review below.

Blurb

When the nation fractures, survival demands impossible choices.

The United States is crumbling. President Robert Standish’s iron-fisted leadership has polarized the country, pushing it to the edge of chaos. Blue states rebel against his authoritarian regime, red states rally behind him, and the fragile union that once held America together begins to unravel.

As protests erupt and militias mobilize, a shadow war brews—one fought not only in the streets but in the corridors of power. Governors, generals, and clandestine operatives face impossible decisions that could lead to civil war or hold the fragile hope of peace. Loyalties are tested, alliances are forged in secret, and betrayals threaten to ignite a global inferno.

From the power-hungry halls of Washington to the battle-scarred landscapes of a divided nation, The River Rubicon immerses you in a world where every choice has a cost. As lines blur between patriotism and treason, who will rise, and who will fall?

The River Rubicon is a pulse-pounding political thriller that explores power, betrayal, and the human cost of ambition. Perfect for fans of House of Cards and Designated Survivor, this gripping story will keep you turning pages late into the night.

America’s future has never been so uncertain. Cross the Rubicon—there’s no turning back.

Review

Political Thrillers are either a hit or a miss. River Rubicon is a hit. From the start, the pacing is fast with an easy readability. In other words, it isn’t a thriller that feels like you’re wading through the politics with great heavy boots on. It’s quite the riveting page turner with a character-driven narrative throughout.

As a reader, you meet the West Wing and President Robert Standish. Politics is a hard, dirty game and the politicians play dirty here. People are betrayed inside and out-with the White House as things are said and done that weren’t even in the manifesto. This is so relevant and happens in politics a lot today, contentious things being added and pledges being watered-down or scrapped. Elaine is definitely feeling the betrayal and people round about her have a suspicion that she’s going to be inadvertently caught up in the political mess of power and sheer ambition. How far will things go? How far will people with power go?

It’s fascinating reading about Elaine and her points of view on her personal v professional life choices and also about how she sees politics and the once robust walls of democracy and policy-making crumbling in the US. She’s also living a bit of a dangerous life… She is on covert missions and will be in danger if she’s caught.

Interestingly, the thriller touches upon Ukraine, Palestine, Israel as well as being about US affairs with Europe and China and far-fetched policies becoming reality. President Standish reminds you of a certain person in power. This gives, in a fictional way, an insight into American politics and the mind of that certain someone. It all sails pretty close to some home-truths, but with some twists and turns that actually keep the momentum of the plot lines going.

The River Rubicon has a sense of urgency. It’s very observant and readers will certainly pick up on parallels between the book and what is happening today in the world, with the US at the forefront of it. It also gives a rather intelligent insight into just how far things may go next in the US where politics is concerned. It’s a highly thought-provoking book and not outlandishly so. It really does make you see how the US is in the world, it’s ambition and what it may become within both countrywide and worldwide. It certainly makes you think about the potential impacts on countries around the world.

The River Rubicon is a very accomplished book that is both a page-turning thriller and thought-provoking in nature.