In the uncertain times we're living in today (hello pandemic!), it's fascinating to see how people have found that unexpected things have given them great joy, even when they haven't known they've needed them. For me, an unexpected lockdown discovery was that I really, really love spending my evenings doing embroidery (I'm as surpised as you are!), but another completely unexpected, absolute joy of my lockdown, can now absolutely be said to be 'On Hampstead Heath', the latest by Marika Cobbold, who has taken up her pen after a decade long break. 

I've read plenty by the author in the past, (Drowning Rose and Aphrodite's Workshop are two that stick in my mind), and have always hugely enjoyed them, but 'On Hampstead Heath' is the first that has had me unable to tear myself away from the pages - so eager was I to find out just how much mess Thorn would find herself in, and how exactly she would wrangle her way out of it. 

Cobbold's heroine, Thorn, is, as her assumed name suggest, sharp, prickly, and tricky to get close to - but she's a remarkably fun narrator for the reader - at once relatable and funny as she is moving and open. 
There are many, many plot threads here - work related dramas, a relationship with an ex-husbnad, one best friend who is an elderly Jewish evacuee, and another who is dead. A burgeoning love interest, a family secret and an adorable dog too, make this a collection of threads that I imagine a lesser author would have been told to potentially edit down when telling their tales in what is a relatively short book. 
Not Marika Cobbold though - her time off from writing has allowed her to come back as a master spinner of stories, and she carefully takes all of those threads and weaves them into an utterly beautiful tapestry. There's also a healthy dose of social commentary here too, as Cobbold takes on the current state of print journalism in Britain. It is (rather unsurprisingly) quite a depressing thing to read about, as experienced, dedicated journalists are put out to pasture in order to fill the ever growing need for bite-size, quick pieces of news about celebrities and gossip. A bleak state of affairs, yes - but one that lends itself ever so well to the dark comedy of Cobbold's plot - and Thorn's despair at the state of things in her industry is one I'm sure that many readers (including myself) will share. 

A beautiful story by an author who is clearly on top of her game - with a skill for bringing vibrant characters to life in just a few words, and for weaving social commentary in with warm humour and a page turning plot. In short, like a bizarre but wonderful lovechild of Penelope Fitzgerald and Anita Brookner - and if you know how much I love those two authors, then you'll know that this is about as high as my praise can get!
On Hampstead Heath is a perfectly balanced novel - and whilst I was sad to leave the characters after only 250 or so pages, barely anything was left unfinished - with the ending leaving me warm and hopefuly and eager for more, more, more from this author. 
Huge thanks to Midaspr for my copy of this book - I heartily encourage you all to add it to your lists in order to brighten up your gloomy spring immeasurably. 

I have read a lot of books by Rob Sinclair - The 'Enemy' Series, The 'James Ryker' series, and now Ryker returns in 'Renegade'
After publishing so many books, you'd think there might be a touch of sameness slipping in - with these books following the same person, you may think they'd be treading over old ground by now. 
But, somehow, author Rob Sinclair knows how to keep things fresh - constantly dropping Ryker into new situations and turning his life completely upside down. The pace is kept at a healthy high throughout, and Ryker is a brilliantly believable character to get behind. Sinclair portrays him as strong and intelligent, but fallible and human too - ensuring that the reader can feel the risk behind every encounter with the enemy that Ryker may have. 
Plot-wise, this initially feels like less of a globe hopping book than some of the previous entries in the series, and cleverly weaves together two plot strands that initially feel completely seperate - but crash together in thrilling fashion. It's worth noting that there is a hell of a lot of action here - so if you're not a fan of violence this may not be one for you. On that note though, Sinclair balances things well when it comes to how much he shows - ensuring the violence is exciting and has consequences, but never feels too gratuitous or exploitative - Ryker lives in a dangerous world and leaves a dangerous life, so violence is an unfortunate consequence. 
Great fun - and an easy read that kept me gripped and racing through the pages until I reached the conclusions - where I'll eagerly be waiting the next from Rob Sinclair!

Welcome to The Glory - the world’s biggest VR tournament. 
In front of millions of viewers, teams compete in a battle royale where they clear dungeons, complete quests and slay other players in a race to score the most points. 
The winners are instant celebrities, and it's time Bash the Berserker joined their ranks. One win away from going pro, his dreams of fame, fortune and that iced coffee sponsorship are finally coming true...until he’s kicked off his team mere hours before registrations close. 
With everything on the line, Bash manages to cobble together a new rag-tag team. A washed-up semi-pro who hates his guts, a talented analyst who’s never actually competed and a streamer whose ego is only surpassed by her love of throwing swords. 
Oh, and if they want to earn their glory, Bash will have to trade in his war hammer and play as a three-foot-tall, tree-hugging elf.... 
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Alex Knight grew up a sun-baked, outdoorsy Floridian and has lived in several places around the world. As an author of LitRPG and Fantasy his work includes the Nova Online Trilogy. In the past Alex has worked as everything from a dish washer at Busch Gardens to the Communications Coordinator at the Florida Attractions Association. 
After deciding he didn’t like stability or predictable pay checks he made the jump to being a freelance writer. Soon that turned into ghost-writing romance novellas, then ghost-writing full-blown science fiction novels, and finally, writing his own books.

Hello - I'm Luke, and two things I love are Fantasy, and Video Games. So, rather unsurprisingly, Rise to Glory was right up my street! If you combined The Hunger Games with Ready Player One, with a little bit of Lord of the Rings and Skyrim thrown in good measure, you'd end up with Rise to Glory - and as a melting pot of all those brilliant options, it's clearly extremely fun. 
As a big video game fan I enjoyed how the world is represented here - the fact that the character exist mostly in this virtual world allows the author to have them abide by rules that are set and strict, but are nonetheless different from everyday life. If you're a fan of fantasy but struggle with the excessive world building that can sometimes go into Fantasy books, then 'Rise to Glory' will be a great fit for you - plunging you into the action, and allowing you to discover things as Bash and the other characters do. 

Crucially, and I think particularly fitting given the time in which this audiobook has come out, is how the story focuses on the idea of 'found families'. As someone who has made some of his best friends through posting on an X-Men message board in the early 2000's, I know all too well that geekdom brings security and closeness with others, who, for whatever reason, can often feel seperated from the rest of society. Alex Knight subtly covers those themes here - and they weave along nicely with the fun of the overarcing plot, whilst also bringing in themes about the world of competitive and professional online gaming, which we've seen take off in recent years. 

Kudos goes to voice artist Christopher Ragland for his great narration too - brilliant to have someone so immersed in the video game world (he's done voices for Homefront, Horizon Zero Dawn, Star Wars Battle Front II and Xenoblade Chronicles II, amongst others) do the voiceover here - extremely fitting!

Many thanks to Midas PR for the opportunity to give this a listen 
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Sebastian de Souza is an actor, screenwriter, singer, musician, producer, and now an author! Recognisable from shows such as 2020's massive hit 'Normal People', and the brilliant 'The Great', he's clearly a big talent and, rather annoyingly, proves here that his talents extend to writing too!
Of course, a near future dystopian sci-fi read set in my home city of London was always going to be an easy sell to me - but de Souza has crafted a remarkably gripping tale that, rather surprisingly for a book that comes in at just over 600 pages, does not drag in the slightest - instead it takes the reader by the hand and pulls them through a tense, surprising, and thoroughly satisfying adventure. 
All of the best science fiction takes cues from the real world - and that's precisely what de Souze does here - drawing on various areas such as pandemics (fitting...), polution, and consumerism, to create a world that feels at once distant, and yet entirely possible. 
Josh Jones is the Kid of the title - and he leads us through this tale with a distinct, likeable voice, and a steady hand. He's a fantastic viewpoint for the reader to explore this world, and I'll be very keen to read about him again in whatever form the Offliner series takes next. 
Thrilling, extremely well written, and packed full of high-concept adventure - Kid is a rip-roaring read and one I'll be highly recommending. 
​Many thanks to MidasPR for the copy

They say we'll never know what happened to those men. They say the sea keeps its secrets . . .
Cornwall, 1972. Three keepers vanish from a remote lighthouse, miles from the shore. The entrance door is locked from the inside. The clocks have stopped. The Principal Keeper's weather log describes a mighty storm, but the skies have been clear all week.
What happened to those three men, out on the tower? The heavy sea whispers their names. The tide shifts beneath the swell, drowning ghosts. Can their secrets ever be recovered from the waves?
Twenty years later, the women they left behind are still struggling to move on. Helen, Jenny and Michelle should have been united by the tragedy, but instead it drove them apart. And then a writer approaches them. He wants to give them a chance to tell their side of the story. But only in confronting their darkest fears can the truth begin to surface . . .

​Author Emma Stonex worked as an editor at a major publishing house before she left to write full time. She is the author of bestselling women’s fiction novels under several different pseudonyms, but The Lamplighters is her first novel under her own name, and her piece of literary fiction. 

There is something about lighthouses that is both terrifying and reassuring - the calm light of the lighthouse guiding sailors safely to shore reassures, but the thoughts of the isolation amongst the great unknown of the sea, is hugely unsettling, if not outright terrifying. 
In 2021, all lighthouses in the UK are automated, so only require occasional visits from lighthouse keepers in order to ensure that everything is working as intended. But back in the 1970's, the process of automation was only just beginning - and men would be sent to live on the lighthouses for months on end. This is where Stonex's novel takes root - contrasting the isolation of those on the lighthouse, with a similar sense of isolation felt by those women left behind. 
The disappearance of the men is based on a far earlier tale - the true story of the Flannan Isles disappearance, back in 1900. Many things are carried over from that tale, but updating the story to the early seventies works remarkably well - allowing the story to breathe and grow without getting too bogged down in period detail. 
Another benefit of updating the time period is that Emma Stonex is clearly trying not to solve the Flannan Isles disappearance, but is instead taking inspiration for her story set in a different time. It gives her free reign to create new voices for these men, and, perhaps more importantly, the women who were left behind after their disappearance. There is a rawness to how Stonex captures the drawn out grief and anger of these women, forever destined to not know what had happened to those they loved. For me, the relationships between these women were perhaps more interesting than those of the men on the lighthouse - the turbulent emotions of the women proving to be as dark and stormy as the sea that surrounds the lighthouse. In addition, the last year of lockdown, with many of us isolated and at home with maybe just one other person, can begin to feel just the slightest what those lighthouse keepers may have felt - no matter what luxuries you have, the knowledge that you can't go outside is still one that messes with the emotions and ones mental health, no matter what. 
​ The prose encourages you to keep reading - but as things on the lighthouse began to reach a climax, I wasn't just gripped but fully transported - desperate to uncover what had happened and how things would resolve. 
Stonex is clearly a huge talent and I anticipate this being just the start of an intriguing career - I'm hugely excited to see what she does next. 
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Don't take this to be some Luddite polemic though - and in the book there is no doubt that there are many positives with digital media being everywhere and easily accessible, no more noticable then during this current pandemic that has had most of us only seeing our families on devices, and many children attending school through a laptop. But the harmful affects cannot be denied, and must be investigated further. From the terrors of online bullying through to the lack of blocks on adult material, through to the sharing of misinformation and outright lies on social media. Through a combination of fascinating and deeply concerning statistics, combined with his vast experience, Robert Wigley conveys a clear call for the urgent attention that is needed in this area - for regulation and for education in the Digital World. It's clever, clearly conveyed, and very well written - I strongly recommend this to anyone who is wondering whether their child is spending too much time on their phone, as well as anyone who feels that their digital addiction is becoming a toxic one...

So, there's no doubt that Melanie Blake knows her stuff, but does that convert into a good read?
In short - yes. I picked this up on a Sunday morning, and I finished it by Sunday lunchtime - with only brief breaks for tea in between, although had I really wished to get myself into the minds of these characters, I may have been better quaffing champagne and snorting coke!
In these miserable times, there is nothing we need more than escapism, and Ruthless Women provides that in spades. 
After introducing the readers to her characters, Blake throws in the twists throughout the first half - setting things up for the later half and ensuring that the reader maintains gripped by sharp talking women and steamy sex scenes. 
And then the second half arrives, and like a sharp hair pull from Alexis Carrington Colby, tugs the reader into an explosive ride of scandal, twists and secrets. 
It's breathtaking, ridiculous, and utterly wonderful. With The Thunder Girls and now Ruthless Women, melanie Blake seems to be the worthy successor to the blockbuster writers of the '80s like Shirley Conran - authors who knew how to write page-turning, crowd pleasing books that may have seemed to the public like trashy reads, but instead were filled with women more powerful and clever than you were likely to read elsewhere - ahead of their time and spreading messages of feminist empowerment and female independence. That is what Blake does so well in Ruthless Women - yes, it is the perfect beach read for when we can all go on holiday again, but, unlike many beach reads, you won't want to leave this one in the hotel room - you'll be stuffing it in your suitcase knowing full well that you'll be picking it up again in the future. 
If there was a third Collins sister - who combined the camp soapstar divaness of Joan with the blockbuster writing prowesss of Jackie - it'd be Melanie Blake.
​I haven't had as much fun reading a book in a very, very long time. 

At a moment when powerful men everywhere are being exposed for their crimes, Celia receives an email out of the blue, accusing her ex-husband of committing a rape decades before. She feels compelled to investigate, but where should she even begin? Together with Carly, her millennial colleague at the Harland Herald, she revisits a past she thought she’d left behind, full of partying, drugs and free love. At the time, she’d thought she was at the centre of something - she’d been swept up in the maelstrom of the summer of love - but did she miss something rotten at its core? ​

Carole Hayman is a Writer, Producer & Presenter. She was born in Kent, which has featured in her trilogy of novels, “The Warfleet Chronicles”. Her early work was with The Bristol Old Vic, The Royal Court and Traverse Theatres, from which she went on to become a founder member and first woman director of the Joint Stock Theatre Company. She was an Associate Director of The Royal Court Theatre, for which she directed many World Premieres.
Carole writes for radio, television and film. On radio, she is well known as writer of the Radio 4 hit series “Ladies of Letters” with Prunella Scales and Patricia Routledge, which has run for twelve series on radio and three series on ITV . She has written many other TV series and films, including The Refuge with Sue Townsend for Channel Four and Rides, the first ever all female TV drama, for BBC1.

The #metoo movement has been the subject of a huge amount of coverage over the last few years, and rightly so - it's a timely and massively important wave of recognition towards the massive power balances that exist in many, many industries - but specifically within the entertainment industry. This is where 'Legacy' takes place, with lead character Celia forced to examine her past as the former wife of a rock star, and to try and piece together hazy memories from a decadent past. 
Trying to uncover the truth behind allegations of rape, Celia and her young colleague Carly are forced to uncover shocking truths about the past - and Hayman also uses this as an opportunity to explore the differences in attitudes and experiences between the two - making for a listen that is honest, intriguing, and ultimately, hugely gripping. 
This is aided in no small part to Zara Ramm's excellent narration, who brings the characters to life, and embues the slightly unreliable narrator with drive - Celia makes mistakes, but the reader is inevitably on her side. 
The whole conceit of the unreliable narrator works wonderfully well here too - with Celia not untrustworthy, more a victim of a past that involved raucous parties and overindulging on intoxicants. Time and time again we have seen women in rape cases disbelieved due to them daring to have a drink or a good time, and this is explored with openness and, completely understandably, a fair degree of rage. 
Given the prominence of #metoo in the media, this book could be called 'of the moment', but in truth it's only in recent years that the truth around women being systematically abused and disbelieved has come to true light - so this book isn't 'of the moment' at all - the moment has been happening for hundreds of years, and it's time that more light is shone on it in as many ways as possible. With Legacy - it just so happens that you get a gripping listen at the same time. 

​Many thanks to MidasPR for the copy of this audible Original book. 

Over the last year, I've been reading a lot to relax - when in the middle of a global pandemic, it's always nice to have a book that has a neat and tidy ending - allowing you to rest easy in the knowledge that somewhere, somehow, things do come to an end. 
'High Risk' is not the thing to pick up if you're looking for something relaxing. It's high octane, and at times jaw-dropping. But it's also far more than it appears at first glance. Yes, it covers author Ben Timberlake going into some insane situations and escaping by the skin of his teeth, but it doesn't stint when it comes to exploring just what effect those situations can have on a person, and how they can be driven to seek more and more danger. 
Timberlake is remarkably open - and his humour breaks up the tension wonderfully - there's a dry wryness which makes Timberlake both a charming author and a great narrator. At times it felt like listening to a slightly mad mate tell his stories down the pub - which at this point in time is something I had sorely missed!
With the humour and the action though, comes a raw honesty and a human emotion. Timberlake explores what has driven him to such extremes during his life - and from that comes a rather wonderful reflection on the human condition and how it can be shaped by external factors, and Timberlake also explores the nature of addiction in it's many forms. 
Speaking personally, I come from a family with a history of addiction, so have always walked a tightrope personally, wanting to live life to the full but also conscious that doing so may result in unpleasant circumstances. Timberlake explores addiction and the effects they can have in minute and fascinating detail, and does so in an honest, open fashion. 

I started this prepared to be overawed at Timberlake's bravery in the SAS, and I came away overawed by his bravery at being open, straight talking, and admitting his own flaws. Any book that can help people whilst also entertaining is worth it's weight in gold, meaning that 'High Risk' is very valuable indeed. 

​Many thanks to MidasPR for a copy of the Audio Book

‘The status of women is a global challenge; it touches every human being without exception. How is it possible that countries where women have achieved political, economic and social rights after exhausting struggles remain seemingly indifferent to the egregiousness of other nations where the status of women is still tragic? The time has come to help those left behind. The lack of interest stems from two important and connected factors: public opinion with regard to the status of women is not strong enough to force lawmakers to fight for their rights, at home or abroad; and there are not enough women in political and economic leadership roles to act as standard-bearers for the campaign of reform. These two factors are inextricably linked: one affects the other and vice versa…’
Already a bestseller in Italy, this translation has been extensively revised by the author to incorporate recent events that impinge on women’s rights and the struggle to achieve equality. 

Paola Diana is an entrepreneur, author, activist and host of the YouTube show ‘Unleashed. The Game Changers’. She is the founder and CEO of a global recruitment company, leader in the household and secretarial staff sector and she is producing a documentary series based on social issues such as knife crime, domestic violence, racism and homelessness. As a successful female entrepreneur and women’s rights expert, Diana contributes regularly to TV and radio in the UK and Italy. In 2017, 2018 and 2019 she was named on the prestigious Spear’s 500 list. ​



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So, I've always thought of myself as a feminist. I was bought up by strong, indepenent and outspoken women, and as such have never had an issue respecting the authority of women, or happily accepting the fact that they are equal to men in every way (and in some ways, superior)! 
With this in mind, I wasn't sure what to expect from Paola Diana's book - in previous jobs I've served on Diversity Iniatives to ensure that the hiring of women is fair and equal, and worked on panels to combat inequalities. However, as is clearly pointed out in this well thought out book - I was clearly focusing on easy tasks, and not looking at the bigger picture or the bigger problems that women still face. 
Diana explores these in detail, travelling around the world to explore the inequalities and injustices that women face. She doesn't hold back - for those who may have been ignoring just how unfair some countries are, they're explored here and will likely shock you. 
This is a book intended to inspire and to provoke change, and it does exactly that for me - opening my eyes and spurring me on to make a difference. I think my only thought on something that this book could have done better, would be exploring the fact that gender has become less binary over the last few years - there are some interesting dialogues that definitely need to be addressed with that in mind - but I appreciate that they may have taken away slightly from the main drive of Diana's words. Maybe in the sequel! Powerful and inspiring, this is well worth a read. 
Many thanks to MidasPR for the copy