#Review by Lou of Our Last Wild Days by Anna Bailey #annabaileywrites @DoubledayUK @alisonbarrow #Thriller #OurLastWildDays

Our Last Wild Days
By Anna Bailey

If you liked Tall Bones or Where the Crawdads Sing, this is an enveloping atmospheric, scenic gothic thriller to give a read. Below you’ll find the blurb and my review as well as some links if you’d like to purchase a copy for yourself or a present.

Blurb

‘There’s nothing like it. The way the world gets real quiet when a gator’s nearby…And then the water, suddenly boiling as that black head surfaces and the ancient reptile erupts into the air hissing like a devil…’

The Labasques aren’t like other families.

Living in a shack out in the swamps, they scrape a living hunting down alligators just to get by. To the good people of Jacknife, Louisiana, they are trouble-makers, outcasts, the kind of people you wouldn’t want living on your doorstep.

So when Cutter Labasque is found face down in the muddy swamp, no one seems to care, not even her two rough-cut brothers. The only person who questions the official verdict of suicide is Cutter’s childhood friend, Loyal May, who has just returned home to care for her ageing mother.

Loyal left town at the age of 18, having betrayed everything she valued most. Now, there may be no way for her to find forgiveness, but there may be restitution…

Set against the haunting beauty of Southern Louisiana, Our Last Wild Days is a stunning, evocative novel about the ways in which we come to understand our place in the world.

Review

The moment the first few pages are read, it compels you to read onwards as the atmosphere pulls you inwards into something quiet dark and gothic.

The Labasques are certainly different from other families you may have read about. They are in Southern Louisiana, which is presented with quite an aura and atmosphere that feels raw and haunting. One of them is dead and the family don’t appear to care. This is very different from other books that have family as its focus. There isn’t the warm, cosiness, this shows a harsher side of family life. It makes it a fascinating read, when, if there ever was any loyalty, had waned to such a great extent. Life is hard when you’ve got to do certain things to just scrape by. This isn’t about living any sort of ‘American Dream’ and it makes for gripping reading to show another reality of the continent.

‘Our Last Wild Days’ is a highly accomplished thriller that takes you deep into Southern Louisiana and a rather different sort of family life. There is also loyalty and friendship to be found that warms the story up.
Betrayal and a hope of some sort of salvation and restoration from this is an interesting topic that’s explored. It’s a whole different take on such complexities.

Our Last Wild Days is a deliciously atmospheric read that’s unputdownable, it’s so gripping.

*Thanks to DoubleDayUK for the opportunity to review.

Buy Links:

Waterstones Blackwells WH Smith Bookshop.org
Amazon Foyles Hive

*please note I am not affiliated with any bookshop. I am merely sharing for your ease.

#BookReview by Lou – The Wild Girls by Phoebe Morgan @Phoebe_A_Morgan @HQstories #TheWildGirls #Thriller

The Wild Girls
By Pheobe Morgan

Once started, I had so much fun reading The Wild Girls. It is entertainment with trepidation, intriguing notes, travel and terrific energy within those pages in this stand-alone book, that will keep you hooked into this thriller until the end. It’s a luxury retreat at a safari and birthday party with a difference.

Thanks to HQ Stories for gifting me the book.

Find out more about it in the blurb and then read onto my full review and find the praise, website and buy links too.

Blurb

FOUR FRIENDS.
A LUXURY RETREAT.
IT’S GOING TO BE MURDER.

‘In a luxury lodge on Botswana’s sun-soaked plains, four friends reunite for a birthday celebration…

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL
Has it all, but chose love over her friends…

THE TEACHER
Feels the walls of her flat and classroom closing in…

THE MOTHER
Loves her baby, but desperately needs a break…

THE INTROVERT
Yearns for adventure after suffering for too long…

Arriving at the safari lodge, a feeling of unease settles over them. There’s no sign of the party that was promised. There’s no phone signal. They’re alone, in the wild.

THE HUNT IS ON.

Review

The writing is dramatic and carries a terrific energy, even when it is something as simple as a letter dropping through a letterbox!

It’s entertaining, finding out about the lives of Grace, Alice and Hannah the sub-characters ( the main characters, as seems to be a style, which I have grown to like more, have parts of chapters to themselves). There is also quite an introduction of the characters, leading up to the first chapter. There’s Grace, who recieves an invitation to Felicity’s birthday in Botswana; Alice (and Tom) who appears to be having financial issues; Hannah (and Chris), who have a young family. These are The Wild Girls!

It has much intrigue surrounding Felicity’s invitation. There is more than meets the eye to it and it isn’t as simple as an invite and that isn’t just the location, this involves how it insinuates how relationships between The Wild Girls have been, prior to this, which is said within the book.

Deception Valley Lodge Complex adds an unexpected twist to the accomodation in the gorgeous setting of Botswana, with the African plains, wildlife and Limpopo River, not least as to how it is all set-up and there are messages abound from Felicity, which add mystery and intrigue. There are notes and messages abound from the birthday girl, but the book becomes twisty and has an unexpected sinister and feel with tension and mystery building about the birthday. This is a book with many surprises within it. It has a feel of Agatha Christie’s – “And Then There Were None” in a sense, as people’s feelings, insecurities and life stories start to tumble out and somone vital is missing, so the hunt is on to find out what is going on as it turns out the birthday party gathering isn’t all as is seems and far from what the guests were expecting.

Part Two has many revelations and set before Botswana. This is more deftly done than expected as it is as interesting as Part One and pieces things together. It is cleverly written and writing it this way round works very well and flows incredibly well from what went on previously in the first part. It’s a chance to see the characters outwith Botswana and how they interacted with each other then. Part way through, I was hoping for at least a part 3 and it came and plunged the characters to their present time in Botswana and the pace picks up again and the tension builds another notch and it is breath-taking or gasping in the darkest way, which may also make your spine be chilled to the bone as the biggest and deepest revelation of them all comes out.

In a world where foreign holidays are a bit off the cards just now, this book does well in replacing that travel in its vibrancy and the wonderful premise of a birthday party.

Praise for The Wild Girls:

‘Combines a beautiful, exotic location with a slithering, unsettling sense of suspense. A page-turner, full of secrets and reveals’ Adele Parks, Platinum

‘A delightfully sinister tale’ Crime Monthly

‘Tense, well-paced and with a cast of relatable flesh-and-blood women, The Wild Girls is an exhilarating, read-in-one-sitting ride’ Louise Candlish

Links and Buy Links

Phoebe Morgan’s Website

Waterstones

Bookshop.org

Amazon

#Review by Lou of Toksvig’s Almanac by Sandi Toksvig @sanditoksvig @HatchetteBooks @TrapezeBooks #HatchetteAudio

Toksvig’s Almanac
By Sandi Toksvig

Interesting, fun and purely wonderful in style, Tolksvig’s Almanac is the book that will entertain and take you to corners of facts that you may never come across otherwise. Written and narrated in her own unique style, it’s all fascinating for the brain. If you like QI or Chain of Curiosity, or humour within your history, this is one to check out, in fact a Must Have to add to your collection. Wit, Substance and Facts are all brought to the page in an absolutely marvellous, unique, eclectic, quirky style. It will have you intrigued and have you laughing too as you meander through each month. It is perfect for either listening to all at once or to dip in and out of. It’s such a joy to listen to and it would be to read as well. It is all pitched perfectly. This is one of those times I’ll say this is a Must Have Book or Audiobook for your shelves.

I’ve read most of Sandi Toksvig’s books – fiction and non-fiction and they never cease to amaze and I have adored her fiction and non-fiction books, ever since Whistling For The Elephant’s was published and read many more since, so I was curious and I loved this too. Thank you so much to Hatchette, Trapeze, Orion Books for accepting my request to review the audiobook version.

The book is available now and I have a link after the rest of my review below…

Blurb

Toksvig’s Almanac is intended merely as a starting point for your own discoveries. Find a fabulous (or infamous) woman mentioned and, please, go looking for more of her story. The names mentioned are merely temptations. Amuse-bouches for the mind, if you like. How I would have loved to have written out in detail each tale there is to be told, but then this book would have been too heavy to lift.’

Let Sandi Toksvig guide you on an eclectic meander through the calendar, illuminating neglected corners of history to tell tales of the fascinating figures you didn’t learn about at school.

From revolutionary women to serial killers, pirate nuns to pioneering civil rights activists, doctors to dancing girls, artists to astronauts, these pages commemorate women from all around the world who were pushed to the margins of historical record. Amuse your bouche with:

Belle Star, American Bandit Queen
Lady Murasaki, author of the world’s first novel
Madame Ching, the most successful pirate of all time
Maud Wagner, the first female tattoo artist
Begum Samru, Indian dancer and ruler who led an army of mercenaries Inês de Castro, crowned Queen Consort of Portugal six years after her death
Ida B. Wells, activist, suffragist, journalist and co-founder of the NAACP
Eleanor G. Holm, disqualified from the 1936 Berlin Olympics for drinking too much champagne

These stories are interspersed with helpful tips for the year, such as the month in which one is most likely to be eaten by a wolf, and the best time to sharpen your sickle. Explore a host of annual events worth travelling for, from the Olney Pancake Race in Wiltshire to the Danish Herring Festival, or who would want to miss Serbia’s World Testicle Cooking Championship?

As witty and entertaining as it is instructive, Toksvig’s Almanac is an essential companion to each day of the year.

Review

Sandi Toksvig takes you through many facts, philosophies and into corners you may not realise existed before as she meanders through each month of the year. Sure, you’d have heard of the main themes, but she delves into areas, rarely talked about. Sounds serious, but fear not, this is historical fact and humour spun together and also relates back to present times too.
There is much to learn and is well researched, written and (narrated for audiobook, which I listened to), in her own wonderful style that is unique to her and thank goodness for that! Sandi Toksvig makes everything sound very interesting and hooks you in. She adds a bit of her own personal analogies, thoughts and tips that readers/listeners may never have thought of otherwise…

She talks of extraordinary women, some who have achieved many great things, but also those who have committed crimes. There are so many different accounts that is interesting to dip and out of. She encourages people to use this as a starting point and then go off and perhaps look up more info yourself. Sandi Toksvig’s curiosity is also infectious. Her thirst for knowledge is impressive as is her research. All perfectly pitched, it is a Must Have on your reading or listening to lists.

Buy Link: Waterstones Amazon

#Review by Lou – Journey to New Salem by Mark Rosendorf @markrosendorf #YA #Fantasy #Witches #Friendships #Magic …

Journey to New Salem
By Mark Rosendorf

The second book in this series whisks readers off to New Salem, where there are some familiar and new characters. Witches, Magic, Vampires, Romance, Friendship, Teamwork, Portals, Trepedation and Teen Spirit… This book is packed full with it all in a quest to save one of the characters in this compelling, page-turning fantasy/realism book that I feel is sure to grab young-adults/teenagers attention. It is worth a read. How far too, would you go for a friend?
The first book was a very good read and encompass themes relevant for Young Adults and written very well, so I am delighted to be asked to review again by the author – Mark Rosendorf.
Find out more below in the blurb and the rest of my review and also discover buy links and a link to Book 1 after that….. The book is available in paperback and e-book formats.

About the Author

Mark Rosendorf is a High School Guidance Counselor for students in the New York City Department of Education’s special education district. He is also a former professional magician. Mark shares his knowledge of magic with his students as part of the school’s Performing Arts program.

Mark is also credited with published novels in various genres including The Rasner Effect series. He eventually decided on an early retirement from writing. When asked why, Mark’s usual answer was because he lost his favorite pen.

Then, one night, at two a.m., a new and unique story shot into his brain like a lightning bolt, screaming for him to write it. Suddenly, despite the decision to never write again, Mark found himself spending several nights taking notes on the characters and their stories. That is how The Witches of Vegas, Mark’s first young adult story, was born.

Blurb

A year has passed since The Witches of Vegas saved the city from the evil Wiccan vampire, Valeria. Since then, the show has hit an all-time high. So has the romance between teen witch Isis Rivera and teenage magician, Zack Galloway. Things couldn’t be any better for them until Isis develops seizures that cause her power to spiral out of control. Fires and earthquakes are just the beginning of the chaos caused by the misfired witchcraft. Unable to find a cure, Isis’ family journeys to New Salem, a fabled village of witches which may or may not even exist. Meanwhile, Zack ends up face to face with the only being who may have a cure…Valeria. But does he dare pay her price?

Review

Jasper has premonitions in some of his dreams/nightmares and a night spent with his other-half, Tia saw some more….
The book then moves to the first chapter and onto The Witches of Vegas – a unique magic show as the witches are real and have Wiccan powers. Isis Quinn-Santell, fomerly Isis Flores Rivera is one of them, who readers can follow in her life in the book.

The book has themes which are perfect for the young-adult/teen market. There’s fantasy (magic and teleportation) mixed through the real world, romance, life, all manner of emotions and growing-up.
The romance between Isis and Zack is beautifully written. There is great humour within this relationship, surrounding a small issue of fire…

The time-travelling to the 1990’s is a bit of fun and is a great addition for letting the younger generations gain some knowledge of this decade. It shows books, even fantasy books can be vital in, as well as providing an enjoyable story, they also provide and add to knowledge and increasing a well-rounded education, vital for quizzes and for knowing and understanding the world.

There’s trepidation as Isis isn’t feeling her usual self and Zack needs to summon Selena and Sebastian to help with their Wiccan powers. As she lies in hospital things become complicated for Isis and how to hide her true witchy identity and the others need to help, but run into problems here and there with teleporting as other forces may also be at play. The author does this well and builds some mild tension up.

Politics in some form also come to play as Isis meets Tia – the president in New Salem, nothing heavy, which is a good call, so it doesn’t jar the story. There’s also some interesting theories about vampires and readers can find out about Valeria as the quest to get Isis back to health continues, where the tension ramps up another gear as the Witches of Vegas are characters that are easy to want to do well and succeed.

This is a book that young adults can easily escape into. It’s compelling to the end!