Traveling from the ashrams of India to the underground rock scene of New York City, Blue-Skinned Gods explores ethnic, gender, and sexual identities, and examines the need for belief in a fractured world.
In Tamil Nadu, India, a boy is born with blue skin. His father sets up an ashram, and the family makes a living off of the pilgrims who seek the child’s blessings and miracles, believing young Kalki to be tenth human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Kalki is confronted with three trials in his tenth year—tests of his power that will prove his divine status and, his father tells him, spread his fame worldwide. Over the next decade, as the story of his family unravels, his relationship to everyone—his dominating father, his beloved cousin, his cancer-stricken aunt, and the young woman he imagines he will marry—threatens to fall apart. At once a personal tale of youthful searching, and a magisterial, continent spanning tour-de-force, Blue-Skinned Gods is unwaveringly honest and heartbreaking, a powerful novel told through the eyes of a wonderfully winning and idiosyncratic protagonist.
Author Bio
SJ Sindu is a genderqueer Tamil- American author and educator, who was born in Sri Lanka and raised in Massachusetts. Sindu’s first novel, Marriage of a Thousand Lies, won the Publishing Triangle Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction and the Golden Crown Literary Society Award for Debut Fiction, was selected by the American Library Association as a Stonewall Honor Book, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award and the VCU First Novelist Award and was Longlisted for the DSC South Asian Literature Prize. She now lives in Toronto, Canada.
At 23, India may be starting out in the world of work, but she has talent and big ambitions. So when the opportunity comes along to lead on a project for a new client, she throws herself into it. With so many opinions about what she should do, will she ever find her own way forward?
Can India keep her cool and work out who is or isn’t supporting her? Can she survive both professionally and romantically?
Professional cricketer Charlie leaps at the chance to take on some promotional work for a new start-up fitness brand to fill the gap in his finances. But it means having to confront his past and work with someone he may not have had the best start with. He has his own family worries going on and he doesn’t really have the time for anything else in his life.
Can he stay out of the tabloids long enough to keep his promises? Can he start again with India?
Life is a challenge when love comes with the job.
My Review
India works as a PA at Bentley & Bentley. When they are approached to support the launch of a new product called Gym Away and are looking for a sports person to promote it, India inadvertently blurts out the name of Charlie Robertson a famous cricketer. Charlie aka Charlie Whiskey Romeo isn’t a stranger to India. She first met him at a New Year’s Eve party some years ago and due to a misunderstanding they never spoke again. Now they will be spending more time together on the project will they become closer? Can India make the project a success?
I really enjoyed this book. There’s something about a second chance romance that I truly love and is a genre that I will never be tired of. I loved the storyline, it was well structured and included some surprises along the way. To start with it took me a while to warm to India but I gained a whole new respect for her when she stood up for herself in the meeting in front of her boss and basically said it as it was. It’s very clear that she wasn’t appreciated in her job and the talent she bought to the organisation which her colleagues saw as a threat. Charlie just sounded perfect: sweet, caring, strong and dreamy. The chemistry between Charlie and India was just so cute and was clearly there despite the fact they’d not talked properly for years. I adored the text messages that they would send each other and the way Charlie would take care of India was so adorable even when India was trying to put distance between them.
A must for fans of second chance romances and no you don’t need to know anything about cricket to love the story.
Briony, Natalie and Lauren have been best friends since school. Now in their thirties, their lives couldn’t be more different. Eternally single Briony is desperate to find ‘the one’, while Lauren, a singer onboard cruise ships, is having far too much carefree fun to even think about settling down with ‘Mrs Right’. Or is she?
Meanwhile, long-term married mum Natalie has had her head turned at the gym by sexy spin instructor, Jason. And when he suggests some private, one-on-one sessions, sex-starved Natalie is powerless to resist.
When Natalie’s affair comes to light after a boozy night down their local, where they go to get their alcohol and ice cream fixes, Briony doesn’t think she’ll ever be able to forgive her friend. Luckily, a date with Mani, the hot, chivalrous son of her larger-than-life American boss helps to take her mind off things. Could he be the special someone she has been waiting for all her life?
As the girls embark on some of the most challenging moments of their lives, only one thing is for sure – their friendship will never be the same again . . .
Honoured as a Finalist in the, Fiction: Women’s Fiction category at the American Book Fest 2020, Best Book Awards.
Briony, Lauren and Natalie have been best friends since school. Briony works in the finance sector and is single after discovering her boyfriend was married. Lauren is a talented singer working on cruise ships. Natalie is a housewife and a mother of two. Natalie married young and appears to be bored with her life. When her husband suggests she join the gym to get her out of the house more, she meets spin instructor Jason and starts to have an affair with him. Lauren’s life is hectic but is she getting tired and ready to settle down. When Natalie meets her boss’ son the very dreamy Mani who takes an interest in her, is he too good to be true? When Natalie finds out about Briony’s affair how will this affect their friendship?
I can only describe this as an easy read. I loved the 90s references which definitely bought back a sense of nostalgia. Briony, Natalie and Lauren’s friendship is everything and they are more like sisters. However, the story perfectly portrays what happens when they start keeping secrets from each other and what happens when those secrets are revealed. It definitely puts a strain on their friendship. At the same time although they are close friends sometimes they don’t want to hear the truth or their friend’s perspective especially in Briony’s case when straight talking Natalie discovers the affair. But when they are honest with each other the secrets have a less fiery effect and being honest paves the way for a new level to their friendship and relationships with others. I was glad when things worked out in the end.
A story about friendship, honesty and relationships.
Author Bio
Terri Boas lives in Hampshire with her husband, Rich, daughter, Portia and Pud, the cat. She works part-time at The Raven Hotel in Hook. Famous children’s author, Enid Blyton wrote the first of her hundreds of books right there! Two scoops, not three is Terri’s debut novel. https://twitter.com/TerriBoas https://www.instagram.com/terriboas1/
Ed & Lily have a problem. It’s the day before Christmas Eve and the relationship everyone believed was rock solid is in trouble. It’s not just the past getting in the way, it’s the present too.
They’ve got thirty-six hours before they fly to Iceland for a snowy Christmas break. Can they resolve their differences or will their plane leave London without them?
A story about love, loss and chasing your dreams.
My Review
Ed and Lily have decided to spend Christmas in Iceland. The day before Christmas Eve Lily and Ed are making their way to meet each other despite the many obstacles they face. Before they start their Christmas Ed and Lily have a lot to talk about. Their relationship hasn’t been what it used to be because of events in the past, secrets and the distance between them both physical and metaphorical. Can Ed and Lily reconnect? Will their relationship survive or is it time to walk away?
This was such a unique story. The narrative switches between ED and Lily in the present and past. The insights into the past give the reader an idea of what they had both been through, the hurdles they’d faced in the past but also explained how they had got to where they are today. This wasn’t just a normal romance novel. What this book perfectly portrays is an everyday honest account of a relationship in which the two individuals have lost their way. The characters are dancing around their thoughts and feelings and not having those blunt and honest conversations which could make or break their relationship. I honestly didn’t know how the story would pan out and the story definitely kept me guessing with the turn of each page. They have found a normality in their uncomfortableness but it’s clear that they still care for each other very deeply. One of my favourite things about the book was learning more about Ed and Lily’s first meeting. I really liked both Ed and Lily as characters. They felt very real and relatable.
If you like thought provoking romance novels with a twist then this is the book for you.
Author Bio
Sofia Due lives in London with her family and cats. She works as a civil liberties and human rights lawyer and works with asylum seekers and refugees every day. Writing fiction is the best way of problem solving and putting right all the things you can’t change in real life. Social Media Links – website – sofiaduebooks.com Twitter @SofiaDue_words
When Nessa Hunt arrives in Rose Bend she is looking for answers, and her absent father. Not a picture perfect town teeming with Christmas cheer, or the innkeeper’s ruggedly sexy son, Wolfgang Dennison.
The heat between her and Wolf is undeniable and the festive merriment of the town is almost enough to make Nessa believe in the Christmas spirit. But with all lingering questions about her birth father, is there room in Nessa’s life for happy holidays and happily-ever-after?
My Review
Nessa is an ER nurse who arrives in Rose Bend with her 12 year old sister Ivy. Nessa’s mother died 8 months ago and 6 months prior to coming to Rose Bend her step father Isaac died leaving Ivy in Nessa’s care. It was Isaac’s wish that Nessa and Ivy spend Christmas together in Rose Bend but there is also another reason, Nessa’s birth father was also from there. Will Nessa find the answers she is looking for? Can Nessa and Ivy bond and become sisters?
I was first introduced to Rose Bend when I read The Road to Rose Bend which is the first book in this series. From the outset I adored the description of the place as it sounded like such a warm and enchanting place. So I couldn’t wait to return again at Christmas. I really enjoyed the storyline. It’s not just a Christmas romance novel but so much more than that as the story has many layers. Nessa is trying to find out more about her birth father and in turn finds out more about her mother. At the same time she is trying to form a bond with Ivy because this is the only family she has left. Plus there’s a dash of romance in the form of Wolf. The first meeting between Wolf and Nessa was so sweet as she quite literally bumps into him when she first arrives at Kinsale Inn. Wolf is like a big, sweet, gentle bear and I definitely got big Jason Momoa vibes from him. Nessa and Wolf are very similar in that they are both trying to mend their broken hearts and are scared to open up to each other.
The first page made me giggle especially because Nessa doesn’t like Christmas but the more time she spends in Rose Bend with its residents, Christmas cheer and the feeling of belonging start to change her mind. I liked seeing characters from the first book featured in this book, in particular Sydney and Cole. It was good to see where they are now.
Although this book is part of the Rose Bend series it can be read as a standalone. If you like Christmas books which includes families, relationships and romance this is the book to add to your list.
Author Bio
USA Today Bestselling author Naima Simone’s love of romance was first stirred by Johanna Lindsey and Nora Roberts years ago. Well not that many. She is only eighteen…ish. Published since 2009, she spends her days writing sizzling romances with heart, a touch of humor and snark.
She is wife to Superman–or his non-Kryptonian equivalent–and mother to the most awesome kids ever. They live in perfect, sometimes domestically-challenged bliss in the southern US.
You’re seventeen, and you’re hopelessly, crazily in love. One night, everything goes tragically wrong, and you won’t see him for twenty-one long years. When your paths cross again, you’re married. And he’s famous. How can you be together? How can you not?
“Twenty-one years of no contact and no answers and no way to heal from the fact that she fell off a figurative cliff, that day in 1998, and she’s been stumbling along ever since, putting one foot in front of the other, trying to exist.”
My Review
Clara and Alex were very much in love when they were 17. The events of that night had a tragic impact on their lives and the paths they would both take. After that night Clara and Alex never saw each other again. Fast forward 21 years and Clara is helping out at Sorrel Farm as a photographer when she is asked to cover the upcoming wellness conference which is being headlined by Alex. They say that you never forget your first love so how will Clara and Alex feel to seeing each other again.
Having just reading the second book in the Sorrel Farm series, Heaven On Earth, I very quickly picked up this book, which I can honestly say my heart was not ready for. I am a very big fan of this author, her writing style and the world building is just on point. From the moment I picked up this book I felt invested not only in the story but also the characters. It was so hard not to become part of the story.
As a character I loved Clara. She is so down to earth and such a likeable character. As for Alex, he sounded loving and adorable. 21 years may have passed but there were still glimpses into the 17 year old versions of Clara and Alex hidden in the bodies of their adult selves, whether that was in the names they called each other or their gestures. I can honestly say that this book totally broke my heart especially reading about the characters past and how they’d got to where they were today. Clara is definitely faced with a choice that I wouldn’t know what to do with. They’re both at a crossroads and there are tough choices to make. In that first meeting between Clara and Alex after 21 years my heart jumped in my throat because clearly there was still something between them that could never be erased and a longing that remained unresolved. There is what I would say an indescribable soulmate connection between them that the author has put so perfectly in words.
This storyline was full of so much heart and angst. There’s something about a ‘what if’ story that has so many possibilities for the characters. If you haven’t read this series I would highly recommend this and all of the other author’s books.
A story about never ending love, soulmates, ‘what ifs’ that will make you laugh, cry and reminisce.
Author Bio
Sara Madderson is an author, entrepreneur, wifeand mother. She was born in Ireland and moved to the UK with her family when she was ten years old. She lives in London with her husband Chris, their two children, Paddy and Tilly, and their cocker spaniel Charlie.
Before turning to writing, Sara worked in finance for a decade and then ran her own fashion brand, Madderson London, for eight years. She earned her MPhil in Early Modern History from the University of Birmingham.
Metamorphosis is Sara’s first book. Given that she spent most of her childhood writing and designing clothes, she’s now seen both of her childhood career dreams come true! She’s enjoyed the adventure of publishing independently as much as she’s enjoyed the writing process itself. She’s now completely hooked on writing!
Riley and Jen have been best friends since they were children, and they thought their bond was unbreakable. It never mattered to them that Riley is black and Jen is white. And then Jen’s husband, a Philadelphia police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed black teenager and everything changes in an instant.
This one act could destroy more than just Riley and Jen’s friendship. As their community takes sides, so must Jen and Riley, and for the first time in their lives the lifelong friends find themselves on opposing sides.
But can anyone win a fight like this?
We Are Not Like Them is about friendship and love. It’s about prejudice and betrayal. It’s about standing up for what you believe in, no matter the cost.
My Review
The story begins with the shooting of 14 year old Justin Dwyer by two police officers. Riley is a news reporter working towards her big break when she is assigned to report on the case as the lead reporter. Jen is the pregnant wife of Kevin, one of the police officers involved in the shooting. However Jen and Riley are not strangers, they’re childhood friends who grew up together and count themselves more as family than friends. How will the events and the aftermath affect Jen and Riley’s lives and their relationship?
This was a book that I have been looking forward to reading for a while not only because of the story but because it is written by two authors. The storyline is brilliantly written and is very relevant today.
The narrative switches between Jen and Riley which was very interesting. It was intriguing to see how they perceived what had happened and what they were thinking. At times I questioned what I would do had I been in Jen or Riley’s position and the honest answer would be that both characters are in difficult positions. It was clear from their narrative that Jen as a person of white heritage and Riley as a person of black heritage have had and continue to have very different experiences and the way they are treated by others. For example there is one situation where Jen compares both she and Riley have been through and appears to believe that that their experience is the same i.e. people touching Riley’s hair as a woman of colour and people touching Jen’s pregnant stomach.
Once I’d finished reading this book I couldn’t write my review straight away because it’s a story that really makes you think. I’ve never read a book with such a shocking and disturbing prologue, but it sets the scene perfectly for the book and what is to come.
Books like this are very relevant to the issues that arise today especially since the BLM movement. It’s a brilliant talking point for both friends, family and professionals. As it deals with such an important topic I hope books like this are added to reading lists for schools, colleges and universities. It’s a book that is emotive and a topic that will either bring people together or divide them. It’s a book that can be uncomfortable to read but it deals with a topic that should make people feel uncomfortable and question their own beliefs and thoughts.
This is a haunting and powerful book about race, relationships, friendships and love.
Author Bio
Christine Pride
Christine Pride worked in publishing for fifteen years. Over the course of her career, Christine worked with a variety of established and debut writers and published many New York Timesbestsellers and critically acclaimed books including, From Scratch, Heaven is Here, and A Reason to Believe. Christine now writes full-time.
Jo Piazza
Jo Piazza is an award-winning journalist and editor who has written for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Glamour, Marie Claire and Elle. The bestselling author of The Knockoff, How to Be Married, Fitness Junkie, and Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, she currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two children.
We Are Not Like Them is their debut novel as a writing duo.
Sadie has one job: to court the press and put Sorrel Farm on the map.
She doesn’t suffer fools. She knows what she wants—in work and in love. And she always gets what she wants.
Ned is the farm’s quiet, intellectual Finance Director. And he’s smitten.
He’s got so much to give. If only Sadie could be bothered to look below the surface…
Danny is everything Ned is not: overtly sexy, overtly flirtatious and extremely self-assured. But there’s something off about him…
It’s obvious who the more attractive proposition is. Well, it’s obvious to everyone but Sadie.
Join Sadie’s messy love triangle and reunite with your favourite characters from Food for Thought:Evelyn, Angus, Zoe and more!
My Review
Sadie is a former journalist who has been hired by Sorrel Farm to deal with their PR. At the same time that Sadie is hired, Danny is hired as a new assistant farm manager to help Angus with the day fo day running of the farm and lastly there’s Ned, a long standing member of staff at Sorrel Farm and the Finance Director.
As soon as Sadie meets Danny it’s clear that there’s an instant attraction because he sounds totally hot. However when she meets Ned she dismisses him of hand. Will Sadie realise that there’s more to Ned that meets the eye? And who will Sadie choose Danny or Ned?
As an avid fan of this author I absolutely adored this book. There’s something about the way the author writes her books that just feel like a comfort read to me. I loved the storyline and learning more about Sorrel Farm. As for the characters as always the author has done an amazing job in bringing the characters to life so they jump off the page. My initial thoughts on Sadie weren’t particularly positive but I did warm to her as the story progressed. Although she’s very smart and knows what she wants she doesn’t always see what’s right in front of her face. Sadie is someone who definitely judges a book by it’s cover especially when she meets Danny and Ned. As for Danny yes he sounds very good looking but there was something about him that just felt too charming. And as a complete an utter nerd myself I completely fell in love with Ned as soon as he appeared in the book. He is definitely a new person to add to the book boyfriend list. One of the other characters who I found very intriguing was Zoe. It was interesting to learn more about Zoe, what she’d been through and when she talked about her spiritual side. I loved how characters from the author’s other books make an appearance in this book and we get an update on where they are in life and also see them interact with new characters. This book is just under 250 pages long and I honestly wizzed through it and I can’t fault anything about the story, the characters or the book in general.
This is book two in the Sorrel Farm series and although it can be read as a stand alone to the first book, Food for Thought I would highly recommend reading the first book in the series and any book written by this author to be honest. With Sara’s books you honestly can’t go wrong!
Author Bio
Sara Madderson is an author, entrepreneur, wifeand mother. She was born in Ireland and moved to the UK with her family when she was ten years old. She lives in London with her husband Chris, their two children, Paddy and Tilly, and their cocker spaniel Charlie.
Before turning to writing, Sara worked in finance for a decade and then ran her own fashion brand, Madderson London, for eight years. She earned her MPhil in Early Modern History from the University of Birmingham.
Metamorphosis is Sara’s first book. Given that she spent most of her childhood writing and designing clothes, she’s now seen both of her childhood career dreams come true! She’s enjoyed the adventure of publishing independently as much as she’s enjoyed the writing process itself. She’s now completely hooked on writing!
Elderly widow Sabine knows this will be her last Christmas in her beloved home, Mitras Castle. Determined to make it just like the ones she remembers from her childhood, she employs Dido Jones of Heavenly Houseparties to help with the big day.
Dido is enchanted by the castle as soon as she steps through the imposing front door. And as Christmas day approaches, her feeling of connection to the old house runs deeper than she first thought. But when the snow begins to fall and Sabine’s family arrive at the house – including Dido’s teenage crush Xan – tensions rise around the castle’s future and long-buried mysteries begin to unravel…
As past secrets come to light, can this still be a magical Christmas to remember?
My Review
Sabine decides to host one last Christmas party with her family and friends at her home Mitras Castle so she can decide who to leave her beloved castle to or if it will be left to the National Trust. Dido runs Heavenly House Parties and when her Christmas booking falls through she is approached by Sabine to organise the house party at Mitras Castle but to also run the household the month leading up to Christmas. As soon as Dido arrives she tries to make Christmas at Mitras Castle the best it has ever been and is also reunited with her childhood crush Xan. Although Sabine has specifically asked for Dido she doesn’t appear to warm to Dido and Dido has no idea why. Will Dido find out the reason before the end of Christmas? Who will Sabine leave Mitras Castle to?
This was a warm and cosy read. I read this on a dull rainy September day and as soon as I started to read I was transported to Christmas at Mitras castle. The description of Mitras Castle was so detailed and welcoming that I wished I was there. The storyline was intriguing especially when more secrets started to be revealed as the story unfolded. The characters were also very well written. Sabine initially appears quite cold but as we learn more about her past she starts to thaw and glimpses into her past do explain why she acts the way she does. As a character Dido is likeable and sweet. Dido’s interactions with Xan were just adorable and it is clear that Dido’s childhood crush is still very strong. As for the food references, it was full of comfort food and made me feel ready for Christmas.
Definitely a book that will fill you full of Christmas cheer any time of year!
Author Bio
TRISHA ASHLEY’s Sunday Times bestselling novels have sold over one million copies in the UK and have twice been shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan award for Romantic Comedy. Every Woman for Herself was nominated by magazine readers as one of the top three romantic novels in the last fifty years. Trisha lives in North Wales. For more information please visit http://www.Facebook.com/TrishaAshleyBooks or follow Trisha on Twitter @trishaashley.
CAN YOU AVOID A BIZARRE DEATH IN ENGLAND’S MOST DANGEROUS COUNTY?
All is not well in the beautiful county of Midsomer. On the eve of its first Villages In Bloom competition, a man lies slain, smelling of damson jam. Who could have done it?
Well, that’s where you come in. Step into the shoes of Midsomer CID’s newest recruit, choose your own path and decide which way the story goes.
Could You Survive Midsomer? sets off on an engaging pick-your-own adventure format to challenge the reader to solve a crime or succumb to the county’s suspiciously high death rate. Set in television’s most celebrated and murderous county, the book allows readers to see if they can get to the bottom of the mystery and bring the perpetrator to justice, avoiding an untimely, and possibly bizarre death, along the way. Your task is to make the right choices, solve the case and – most tricky of all – stay alive!
My Review
Shortly before the village in bloom competition, Peter James Maddock is found dead. As the reader it’s up to you to become the detective and find out what happened to Peter and why.
When I was young I absolutely adored choose your own adventure books. I loved the fact that you could start a story and then you could decide how the story panned out, essentially creating the storyline as you went along. When I received an invitation to be part of the blog tour for this book I couldn’t wait to be involved. This book brought back elements of my childhood as I have been looking for a book like this for awhile. I loved everything about this book from the format to the writing style. With a book like this there are endless possibilities depending on the path that you choose which I absolutely loved. It’s a book that you can read once and as soon as you’ve finished it you can start reading it again but you’ll end up with a different story each time.
Definitely a book that I would highly recommend!
Author Bio
Simon Brew is the former editor and founder of Den of Geek – the popular culture news and reviews website. He is the author of three books including Movie Geek, TV Geek and The Secret Life of the Movies. Simon is also the founder of the magazine and podcast Film Stories.
ABOUT MIDSOMER MURDERS Midsomer Murders is a TV national treasure. For over 21 years, residents of this quintessentially English county have hosted a series of homicides, which have been at the centre of over 100 episodes. With a huge international fanbase, Midsomer Murders has sold in over 220 territories. A top export of the UK detective genre, the show is hugely popular in Germany, France and all over Scandinavia, as well as having major fanbases in North America and Canada, Australia – and Japan!
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