Positive Insta Challenge

The Man You Meet in Heaven- Debbie Viggiano-

Hattie Green has a life, a job and a boyfriend. A life that she would like to be rather more

exciting, the same with the job and the boyfriend. She left her husband when she found

him in bed with her best friend. When she collides with the baked beans in the

supermarket she is transported to a different place and meets Iam- otherwise known as

Josh who tells her she has several things to learn to change her life and get the life she

deserves. How to live life and forgive herself along the way. Something we all should

perhaps take note of. When things go wrong and we take ownership for other peoples

misdemeanours. This is one of those books that not only makes you smile but has wise

words along the way. I loved the idea of “ essence of rainbow” Pretty much does what

it says on the tin. Love it.  Riding and nuzzling a unicorn. Hey this is fiction- enjoy it! .

This is light romance but most of all, a truly heartwarming novel to make you think

about life and leave you with a smile. Something as all need every now and then.

A real tonic of a read.

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

After He died-Michael Malone

Paula is at her husband’s funeral after he suffered a heart attack whilst out without

her. She is finding life difficult without him by her side. They have had their ups and

downs in their thirty year marriage like most other couples but now she feels bereft.

A stranger at the funeral whispers in her ear and puts a note in her pocket saying

“Do you really know who your husband was?”. This sets off a chain of thoughts and

memories of events that leave Paula wondering even more especially when she

keeps getting silent phone calls. Tommy had two brothers, one whom Paula is quite

close to and who is a priest Joe. She turns to him to try and help and only finds

more questions than answers. When she decides to meet the woman who put the

message in her coat, her life changes in a way she never thought possible. Oooh….

I knew that there was something, just something I hadn’t worked out. Like Paula

I couldn’t imagine quite who or what but perhaps why. A clever style of writing

that draws you in whilst making you feel rather unsettled knowing that there is

something, just something in the background that you can’t quite put your finger

on. I didn’t work out who the perpetrator was which to me is a sign of a good

book. A fast paced, very enjoyable read.

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

When Paula Gadd’s husband of almost thirty years dies, just days away from the seventh anniversary
of their son Christopher’s death, her world falls apart. Grieving and bereft, she is stunned when a
young woman approaches her at the funeral service, and slips something into her pocket. A note
suggesting that Paula’s husband was not all that he seemed…
When the two women eventually meet, a series of revelations challenges everything Paula thought she
knew, and it becomes immediately clear that both women’s lives are in very real danger. Both a dark,
twisty slice of domestic noir and taut, explosive psychological thriller, After He Died is also a chilling
reminder that the people we trust the most can harbour the deadliest secrets…




Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up
in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary
magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland
and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize
from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes:
Carnegie’s Call; A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage; The
Bad Samaritan and Dog Fight. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a
number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines soon
followed suit. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also
worked as an IFA and a bookseller.


Multi-platform, buzz-building
marketing & publicity campaign
Dark and original domestic noir
Explosive psychological thriller
Emotive themes of grief & 21st-century urban poverty
International bestselling Scottish author
You need to know who your husband really was…

B-FORMAT PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
ISBN: 978-1-912374-33-5
EPUB: 978-1-912374-34-2
Publication Date: 30 September 2018
£8.99

Beardies' World- Joyce Ives  

Beardies' world is almost an autobiography. “Written” by the Bearded Collies belonging to

Joyce and John Ives. From 1986 through to 2012 we learn of their lives their antics and

more. For anyone who has ever owned a dog knows that there are the highs and lows.

Of puppies being puppies and dogs rolling in things you would rather them not, to the

endearing love that having a dog around means. That special bond- when a dog knows

you are ill or upset by themselves, that instinct that kicks in. A dog will go to someone

in tears over someone smiling- they don’t like disharmony in any way and get to know

their owners feelings sometimes better than the owner  does. Joyce begins by

explaining Rainbow bridge- something most pet owners are all too familiar with and the

loss we feel when we lose them. This may be about Bearded collies but is really

the diary of a dog owner and could be any breed. Each has its own characteristics but

dogs will be dogs whatever size or shape and that’s why we love them so much.

I feel that this is perhaps more for the older reader and could see a grandparent

reading it to their grandchildren- as I think the children would understand the

antics of the dog and from a dog’s point of view. A doggies diary.

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.



Summary: If you already have a dog/dogs or are even thinking of buying one, read this book, which shows what fun and laughter we had with ours over twenty-six years, making a lot of friends along the way.

This book is Joyce Ives’ narrative to the twenty-six years she and husband John owned, cared for and loved their four Bearded Collies. The memories shared by Joyce in this book are likely to touch the heart of anyone who has had any experience of growing up and growing old with dogs. In her narrative Joyce has been able to capture beautifully how our special bond with our canine friends often becomes so significant in our life’s journey; our experiences of joy and laughter and at times our sadness and loss.



Information about the book
Title: Beardies’ World
Author: Joyce Ives
Release Date: 25th September 2018
Genre: Non-Fiction - Animals
Publisher: Clink Street Publishing
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41951035-beardies-world 
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beardies-World-Joyce-Ives-ebook/dp/B07GFK29XP 


Author Information


 Ever since she was a young girl, Joyce Ives has had a soft spot in her heart for dogs. So when the time came, she decided to leave her full time job to become an owner to her very first Bearded Collie – Kizzy. After this initial decision, they soon become owners to three other beautiful Beardies – Emma, Muffin and Solei. Unfortunately, due to ill health, both Joyce and John no longer look after any dogs but Joyce will always dream of owning more. Joyce now resides in Seaford, East Sussex, and is glad to finally have had time to write her first book. 
Tour Schedule

 

The Fake Date-Lynda Stacey-

Ella finds herself unable to move laying in a field. Her is badly injured and only remembers

a little of what happened. A blue car, a hoodie, very little more other than the man she

went on a date with. She is a reporter and she wanted to get a story so she set up the date

hoping to find more about the man whose two wives both died shortly after they were

married. On recovering she tries to pick up her life again but finds it difficult and is not

surprisingly wary of everything and everyone. Rick owns a gym and whilst he has been

held in detention his brother in law has been running it- unfortunately running it into

the ground. This gripped me from the start. Ella was a strong person and many of us

know what it is like to be flattened in some way (even if not quite so dramatically).

Although strong underneath she needs support from family and friends to get back

to how she was, or almost, still having that very aware conscience. The perpetrator

wasn’t who I thought it would be and took me by surprise but very much made

sense. A very cleverly thought out plot. A read to almost race through, a read to

enjoy. One to perhaps make you think and trust your instincts rather more.

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

------------------

The Fake Date Nine hours and eleven minutes… That’s how long it’s been since Ella Hope was beaten to within an inch of life and left for dead. She lies, unable to move and praying for somebody to find her, as she counts down the
minutes and wonders who could have hated her so much to have hurt her so badly. Was it the man she went on a date with the previous evening, the man linked to the
deaths of two other women? Or somebody else, somebody who wants her out of the
picture so much they’re willing to kill? Whoever it is, they will pay … all she has to do first is survive..!
Purchase Link - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fake-Date-gripping-thriller-that-ebook/
dp/B07FM915Q2/

Author Bio – Lynda grew up in the mining village of Bentley, Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, Her own chaotic life story, along with varied career choices helps Lynda to create stories
of psychological / romantic suspense, with challenging and unpredictable plots, along
with (as in all romances) very happy endings. Lynda joined the Romantic Novelist Association in 2014 under the umbrella of the New
Writers Scheme and in 2015, her debut novel House of Secrets won the Choc Lit Search
for a Star competition. She lives in a small rural hamlet near Doncaster, with her husband, Haydn, whom she’s
been happily married to for over 20 years. Social Media Links – Facebook www.facebook.com/lyndastaceyauthor Twitter @Lyndastacey Website www.Lyndastacey.co.uk

Snowed In at The Little Duck Pond Café  -COVER REVEAL**************

The biggest snowfall in years has blanketed Sunnybrook, cutting the village off from
the outside world. For Fen, who finds herself snowed in at The Little Duck Pond Cafe,
 it's little more than a minor inconvenience. Her love life is finally running smoothly;
it looks as if she's found the perfect man for her.

But then a shocking secret threatens to destroy Fen's new-found happiness.

Will being snowed in be the final straw? Or will Fen find a way through the snowdrifts
to the perfect love?

Pre-order Link - https://amzn.to/2Cg99ki





Author Bio
Rosie Green has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. Back then they were
 rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff
or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now
 much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile,
with really not much perilous danger involved at all, unless you count the heroine
losing her heart in love.
​
​Rosie’s brand new series of novellas is centred on life in a village café.
 The first two stories in the series are: Spring at The Little Duck Pond Cafe and
 Summer at The Little Duck Pond Café.

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green1988

Haircuts hens and homicides- Stephanie Dagg-

Megan has had to dash to France after the death of her Grandmother. Her mother

disappeared many years ago and has never been seen or heard of since. Having just

finished her job, going to France gives her a much needed break- to sort out her

grandmother’s estate before returning to find a new job.. She starts by taking a hen

to the vet which introduces her to some of the villagers. She volunteers to cut a lady’s

hair as her former job was a hairdresser and suddenly everyone wants her services.

When a body is added to the mix, Megan has her hands full. As you can tell this is a

lighthearted look at life. A pick-me-up- but one I didn’t want to put down as it made

me smile so much. I could see this as a TV drama, The Good life crossed with ‘Ello ’ello

and a Year in Provence perhaps. Sometimes we need to read about the funny side of

life and how mishaps can be turned into a smile. A little romance, a little drama and

a well thought out plot make this a delightful read. A must for any animal lover and

the bucolic amongst us. A wonderful tonic.

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

Synopsis:

Megan finds mayhem when she arrives in France to bury her Gran and sort out her 

affairs. She expected difficult encounters with civil servants and red tape but not 

with wandering chickens, an imperious policeman and a dead body. Together 

with her unlikely new friend, the elderly and grumpy Alphonse and his canine

 equivalent, Monsieur Moustache, Megan becomes involved in investigating

 the fowl-related foul play that’s at work in this sleepy part of rural France.

She’s helped but mainly hindered by the people she comes across. These include 

the local mayor, who wants Megan to stay and set up a hair salon in his village to 

help keep it alive. There are the cousins Romain, the gendarme, and Nico, the 

clumsy but hunky farmer. They have always clashed, but do so constantly now that

 Megan is on the scene. Michelle, Romain’s terrifying ex who wants him back, 

appears along the way, as does Claudette, a wheelchair-bound old lady, and 

Kayla, Megan’s best friend, who is hugely pregnant but not above taking on the

 forces of French law and order when Megan finds herself the prime suspect 

after Alphonse is stabbed.There’s excitement, humour and lots of ruffled feathers 

in this rom-com slash cosy mystery, the first in a projected series.

Purchase Link - getbook.at/HHH


Author Bio – 
I'm an English expat living in France, having moved here with my family in 2006 after fourteen years as an expat in Ireland. I now consider myself a European rather than 'belonging' to any particular country. The last ten years have been interesting, to put it mildly. Taking on seventy-five acres with three lakes, two hovels and one cathedral-sized barn, not to mention an ever increasing menagerie, makes for exciting times. The current array of animals includes alpacas, llamas, huarizos (alpaca-llama crossbreds, unintended in our case and all of them thanks to one very determined alpaca male), sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys, not forgetting our pets of dogs, cats, zebra finches, budgies , canaries, lovebirds and Chinese quail. Before we came to France all we had was a dog and two chickens, so it's been a steep learning curve. I recount these experiences in my book Heads Above Water: Staying Afloat in France and the sequel to that, Total Immersion: Ten Years in France. I also blog regularly at www.bloginfrance.com.
I'm married to Chris and we have three bilingual TCKs (third culture kids) who are resilient and resourceful and generally wonderful.     
I'm a traditionally-published author of many children's books, and am now self-publishing too. I have worked part-time as a freelance editor for thirty years after starting out as a desk editor for Hodder & Stoughton. Find me at www.editing.zone. The rest of the time I'm running carp fishing lakes with Chris and inevitably cleaning up some or other animal's poop.   

Social Media Links – @llamamum
www.facebook.com/StephanieDaggBooks/

www.bloginfrance.com 

The Lion Tamer who Lost- Louise Beech--Contemporary Fiction

A stunning read of a book- a very different love story. Of lions and relationships of the past

, the future and the present . Ben is in Zimbabwe with the Liberty  lion project.

Whilst there he has time to think about his life- and Andrew. Chapters alternate

between Ben abroad and at home so we learn about his relationship with Andrew

as well of his past life and his relationship with his father, having lost his mother

to cancer many years before. We know that something went wrong between

Ben and Andrew but not what until later on.  This is a descriptive read- which

I enjoyed- without being too over the top.

The descriptions of the lions and how they are being looked after is magical for any

animal lover. Ben has a secret, one that made his Uncle commit suicide and one his

Father will never speak about- so he doesn’t know about Ben. Andrew is a writer of

children’s book- his current one being “The lion tamer who lost” and there are

quotes at the beginning of each chapter. One quote sums it up “ “but love goes with us-

it is light and has easy-to-grip handles and needs no passport”. I think I shall always

remember that. A story very well and beautifully told.

An emotional read.

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

The Lion Tamer Who Lost LOUISE BEECH B-format paperback original ISBN 13: 978-1-912374-29-8 EPUB: 978-1-912374-30-4 SEPTEMBER 2018 £8.99 • A devastatingly beautiful love story with a dark and tragic heart • Travels from Zimbabwe to England, and back into the past • Exquisitely explores LGBTQ themes • Louise Beech’s fiction has been compared to the early works of Maggie O’Farrell (Irish Times) and Gail Honeyman (Red and Prima) • Multi-platform, buzz-building marketing & publicity campaign Be careful what you wish for… Long ago, Andrew made a childhood wish, and kept it in a silver box. When it finally comes true, he wishes it hadn’t… Long ago, Ben made a promise and he had a dream: to travel to Africa to volunteer at a lion reserve. When he finally makes it, it isn’t for the reasons he imagined… Ben and Andrew keep meeting in unexpected places, and the intense relationship that develops seems to be guided by fate. Or is it? What if the very thing that draws them together is tainted by past secrets that threaten everything? Louise Beech is an exceptional literary talent, whose debut novel How To Be Brave was a Guardian Readers’ Choice for 2015. The sequel, The Mountain in My Shoe was shortlisted for Not the Booker Prize. Her third book, Maria in the Moon, was widely reviewed and critically acclaimed. Her short fiction has won the Glass Woman Prize, the Eric Hoffer Award for Prose, and the Aesthetica Creative Works competition, as well as shortlisting for the Bridport Prize twice. Louise lives with her husband and children on the outskirts of Hull, and loves her job as a Front of House Usher at Hull Truck Theatre, where her first play was performed in 2012. For more information about The Lion Tamer Who Lost or to arrange an interview with Louise Beech, please contact Karen Sullivan: Karen@orendabooks.co.uk, 07702 628 230 or Sophie Goodfellow: SophieG@fmcm.co.uk, 07719 007146

Silencing Anna by Sadie Mitchell.

(Trigger warning: Domestic abuse, coma, anger issues ) Anna is in hospital after a fall.

She is trapped inside her body as she can’t see, speak or move but can hear. She was

found almost dead by a hotel worker in the bathroom having hit her head on the bidet.

The thing is that the police think that her boyfriend James was the cause of the fall and

it looks like he is going to be prosecuted for attempted manslaughter. Whilst Anna is in

this trapped, frustrated state she takes us through various parts of her life- university

and how she met James. The story of her first love Dylan and how things have now changed.

The progression from being trapped to being able to squeeze someone’s hand for the first

time and signal yes and no accordingly. There is more to James and his parents than meets

the eye. OMG. One of those reads that makes you slightly anxious whilst wanting to find

out what happens next and if justice is served. Anna comes across as a strong person

however one who is naive in what is happening in the relationship and how she should

deal with it. This is a brave subject to tackle and one done very well. It draws you into it

and anyone who hasn’t been in that situation may wonder why not take the easy route

and leave- it’s really not that easy with a controlling person in charge of your life. Like

many others Anna felt responsible for James’s behaviour in that she felt somehow she

had caused it. “It is important to take stock of your life”, so begins the book. Read this

and it makes you think of how you would deal with being in such a relationship (doesn’t

always have to be a partner) and even if you would realise it before things got out of hand.

For me, it shook me. I saw things in people in my past that I thought I had imagined- or

thought it was me. A controlling element, selfishness etc. This book will hopefully make

others see what they don’t have to put up with. The relationship with Dylan shows that

Anna is a normal person and more than capable of a normal relationship. A gripping read,

a brave subject matter and one that women (and men) everywhere should be aware of .
A truly stunning read.

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

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Silencing Anna Voices surround Anna as she lies on her hospital bed, but she cannot answer them. Her voice
has been taken, along with her mobility and her sight. She can hear the nurses chattering and
her family that come to visit. Her mum cries a lot and her dad struggles to deal with what he
sees. Life used to be good for Anna, but life can change in a heartbeat, as she knows so well. And then there are the people we think we know. When the smile hides the anger. When the
beauty hides the beast. Only Anna knows the truth, but Anna cannot speak. Purchase Links: https://bookshop.3ppublishing.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=77 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silencing-Anna-disturbing-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/
B07FBN6TP9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532520802&sr=8-1&keywords=silencing+anna

About the author: This is Sadie’s first novel. She has three children and and a rabbit. She works in healthcare.
When she’s not writing or working most of her life seems to involve picking up toys and
finding things she’d forgotten she has.
Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/sadiemitchellauthor/ Twitter - @sadiedmitchell Instagram – sadiemitchellauthor

Ravens Gathering- Graeme Cumming

Martin has returned home. Home to a place that is now very different. We don’t know
why he left but get the feeling that it was under rather a cloud. On his return his father
sends his brother over to the pub to make sure that they don’t give him a room for the
night- they have told him that their house is already full. He comes across Tanya who has
guest accommodation. They take a walk into the woods and see the ravens gathering-
the name of the village. What does it mean? Peter working on the land saw a few ravens
and before he know it despite him being so very careful the tractor he had been driving
 a few minutes ago literally ploughs over him. This has the feel of a dark read from the
outset. Hitchcock’s The Birds easily comes to mind for those who remember it(the book
even mentions this) A slightly horror, dark, sci-fi read with a touch of mystery and crime
- a book that truly crosses the genres. A village that you get the feeling everyone knows
everyone else’s business and nothing but nothing goes unnoticed. The descriptions from
the outset put you well into the scenes, this is very well written and exceptionally so for
a first novel- I was stunned that it is Graeme’s first novel. A very different read, one that
I think would suit more people than one genre alone. I didn’t see where this was going
and once into it , I really enjoyed it and wanted to know more. A very different read,
a very interesting one.

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

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Ravens Gathering – Blurb As she let her gaze drift around her, she saw that there were more birds. Perhaps a dozen or so, perched among the trees that stood on the edge of the clearing. And yet more were arriving, swooping down through the gap overhead and landing on branches that overlooked them. The birds weren’t threatening, yet the sight of them all coming together in this dark and isolated spot was unnerving. Tanya reached a hand out towards Martin, and was relieved to feel him take it. She felt him move in behind her. After the uncertainty she’d experienced with him in a similar position only a few moments ago, she recognised the irony of her reaction. His closeness offered security. “You know what they are, don’t you?” A stranger’s arrival in a small village coincides with a tragic accident. For the Gates family in particular it’s more than a coincidence, but unease increases following a brutal attack. As tensions rise, a dark past returns to haunt them and others, while newcomers to the village are drawn into a mystery with terrifying consequences. And only a select few know why the ravens are gathering.

Graeme Cumming lives in Robin Hood country. He has wide and varied tastes when it comes to fiction so he’s conscious that his thrillers can cross into territories including horror, fantasy and science fiction as well as more traditional arenas. When not writing, Graeme is an enthusiastic sailor (and, by default, swimmer), and enjoys off-road cycling and walking. He is currently Education Director at Sheffield Speakers Club. Oh yes, and he reads (a lot) and loves the cinema.