Sunday Post – 6th October, 2019 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

It’s been a busy week, as on Tuesday, Netted, my post-apocalyptic thriller set in Maine and published by Kristell Ink, an imprint of Grimbold Publishing, was let loose on the world. I’m delighted that it already has two 5-star reviews. It was a lovely, sunny day which I spent in Brighton with my daughter and baby granddaughter, Eliza, who is now babbling away and starting to walk around the furniture.

I attended Pilates again on Wednesday and suffered for it on Friday, when I was packing as Himself and I had a belated weekend away to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We stayed at a lovely pub, The Horse and Groom on the outskirts of Chichester – I know… we didn’t go very far afield. But we love the countryside around here anyway (which is why we live here) and we didn’t see the point in driving for miles in Friday afternoon traffic for a relaxing break. We spent Saturday wandering around Chichester, including walking around the ancient walls and through the Bishop’s Gardens, which we’d done together as students way back in 1992 when we first met as part of our History course. And in the evening, we went to see a production of Macbeth at the Chichester Festival Theatre, which we enjoyed, despite some rather odd choices regarding the costumes and casting.

The other piece of marvellous news is that my sister’s offer for the home she wanted has been accepted. We’re thrilled for her and it means she will be even closer to us – a mere five minute drive and fifteen minute walk away😊.

Last week I read:
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Jason Dessen is walking home through the chilly Chicago streets one night, looking forward to a quiet evening in front of the fireplace with his wife, Daniela, and their son, Charlie—when his reality shatters.

It starts with a man in a mask kidnapping him at gunpoint, for reasons Jason can’t begin to fathom—what would anyone want with an ordinary physics professor?—and grows even more terrifying from there, as Jason’s abductor injects him with some unknown drug and watches while he loses consciousness. When Jason awakes, he’s in a lab, strapped to a gurney—and a man he’s never seen before is cheerily telling him “welcome back!”

Jason soon learns that in this world he’s woken up to, his house is not his house. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And someone is hunting him.
I’d heard so many good things about this one – and was very glad that I got hold of it. I can certainly see why it created so much excitement.

Lent by Jo Walton
Young Girolamo’s life is a series of miracles. It’s a miracle that he can see demons, plain as day, and that he can cast them out with the force of his will. It’s a miracle that he’s friends with Pico della Mirandola, the Count of Concordia. It’s a miracle that when Girolamo visits the deathbed of Lorenzo “the Magnificent,” the dying Medici is wreathed in celestial light, a surprise to everyone, Lorenzo included. It’s a miracle that when Charles VIII of France invades northern Italy, Girolamo meets him in the field, and convinces him to not only spare Florence but also protect it. It’s a miracle than whenever Girolamo preaches, crowds swoon. It’s a miracle that, despite the Pope’s determination to bring young Girolamo to heel, he’s still on the loose… and, now, running Florence in all but name.

That’s only the beginning. Because Girolamo Savanarola is not who—or what—he thinks he is. He will discover the truth about himself at the most startling possible time.
Browsing through Jo Walton’s reads, I realised that this one had been released and somehow slipped under my radar. I love her writing… I think she is one of the greatest writing talents alive today – a genius. And this book just confirms it. Review to follow.

Doing Time – Book 1 of The Time Police by Jodi Taylor
At some time in the future, the secret of time-travel became available to all. Chaos ensued as people sought to take advantage. Because there will always be nutters who want to change history…
And so the Time Police were formed. Internationally sanctioned thugs whose task it was to keep the timeline straight by any and all means possible. And they succeeded. The Time Wars are over. The Time Police won. But who will win the peace?

Doing Time follows three hapless new Time Police recruits – Jane, Luke and Matthew – as they try to navigate their first year on the beat. It’s all going to be fine. Obviously.
This spin-off series from Taylor’s best-selling series The Chronicles of St Mary’s doesn’t need you to have read any her previous work to appreciate her pacey, humorous writing. I thoroughly enjoyed this one – and it reminded me that there was more St Mary’s goodness out there I haven’t yet tucked into. Review to follow.

Trail of Lightning – Book 1 of The Sixth World series by Rebecca Roanhorse
While most of the world has drowned beneath the sudden rising waters of a climate apocalypse, Dinétah (formerly the Navajo reservation) has been reborn. The gods and heroes of legend walk the land, but so do monsters.

Maggie Hoskie is a Dinétah monster hunter, a supernaturally gifted killer. When a small town needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie is their last—and best—hope. But what Maggie uncovers about the monster is much larger and more terrifying than anything she could imagine. Maggie reluctantly enlists the aid of Kai Arviso, an unconventional medicine man, and together they travel to the rez to unravel clues from ancient legends, trade favors with tricksters, and battle dark witchcraft in a patchwork world of deteriorating technology.
I was thrilled when I realised this offering has finally been made available as a Kindle ebook – and that it was on Netgalley. I was even more thrilled when I was approved to read it. So I saved it for my weekend away… Review to follow.

My posts last week:

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Akin by Emma Donnoghue

Friday Faceoff featuring Grimm’s Fairy Tales

Kickass Divas in Sci Fi Book Funnel promotion

Can’t-Wait-Wednesday featuring Doing Time – Book 1 of The Time Police series by Jodi Taylor

Teaser Tuesday featuring Netted by S.J. Higbee

Review of The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

Sunday Post, 29th September 2019

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last few weeks, in no particular order:

Peter Jackson’s THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD https://thenaptimeauthor.wordpress.com/2019/09/27/peter-jacksons-they-shall-not-grow-old-2/ Anne features this amazing film by famous film director Peter Jackson. Apparently Himself knows of it, but hasn’t yet seen it (Christmas pressie, perhaps???)

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Book Titles With Numbers
https://spaceandsorcery.wordpress.com/2019/10/01/top-ten-tuesday-book-titles-with-numbers/ The weekly TTT meme is always worth watching out for – but I was frankly amazed at just how many books have numbers in the title! How many have you read?

Head Over Heels https://yadadarcyyada.com/2019/09/18/head-over-heels/ Yes… I know this was posted a couple of weeks ago, but I somehow missed it and as I just love the sheer zany madcap energy of it, I needed to share it with you.

The Smiling Chipmunks of Riding Mountain https://charlesfrenchonwordsreadingandwriting.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/the-smiling-chipmunks-of-riding-mountain/ Charles French rightly reblogged this beautiful series of pics featuring these cute little chaps…

[MY BOOKISH OBSESSIONS] Quills + Parchments//LOVE LETTERS// https://thewitheringblog.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/my-bookish-obsessions-quills-parchments-love-letters/ I love it when I find a blogger pouring her soul out into an article, because she is that moved/excited/enthralled by something – and this is a lovely example.

Thank you for visiting, reading, liking and/or commenting on my blog – I hope you have a wonderful week…