The Alex Cohen Series: Books 1-3 Combined Edition by Leopold Borstinski

 

The Alex Cohen Series: Books 1-3 Combined Edition by Leopold Borstinski.

Published November 2020 by Sobriety Press. Previously published as separate editions - see below for details.

From the cover of the book:

Three decades in the life of Jewish gangster, Alex Cohen, as he arrives in the US and forges a life for himself and his family using the blood, sweat and tears of those who stand in his way.

This digital box set contains the first three books in the saga of Alex Cohen's life.

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The Alex Cohen series is one I have been following from the start. I have now read the first four books - the last one, Casino Chiseler, in November last year - and I am looking forward with relish to book Five, Cuban Heel, which is coming very soon. 

If you like a gangster tale, especially one that takes you on a saga through the changing times, then this is a great series to get stuck into.

To help you get a flavour of the series, I have given the blurbs from each book and reproduced my reviews of the first three books, which are included in this boxed set, for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

Book One: The Bowery Slugger. First published September 2019.

From the cover of the book:

When Alex Cohen arrives in 1915 America, he seizes the land of opportunity with both hands and grabs it by the throat. But success breeds distrust and Alex must choose between controlling his gang and keeping his friend alive. 

What would you do if the person you trusted most is setting you up to die at your enemies' hands?

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The Bowery Slugger introduces us to the seedy side of the Jewish Ghetto of New York, at a time when war is waging across Europe.

Removed from the constant threat of violence that Alex and his family have left behind in the Ukraine, their minds turn to ways in which they can make America their new home. How do you support yourself when you step foot in a new country when practically all you have is the clothes you stand up in? It soon becomes clear that this is not going to be easy, especially when you cannot even speak the language.

Leopold Borstinski cleverly transports us to the heart of the Bowery, New York, where Jewish immigrants have made their home. You can almost feel yourself on the same streets as Alex, as he searches for a way to bring some money home for his family - the noise, the hustle and bustle, and the sound of Yiddish voices all around. 

It is almost too easy for Alex to find himself on the wrong side of the law, drawn by the pull of an easy buck in the land where the streets are said to be paved with gold. He soon makes a name for himself with the local Jewish gangs as someone trustworthy and good with his fists, earning himself both the nickname "Slugger" and promotion within the criminal fraternity. But Alex's choices are complicated by the fact that he has fallen in love with innocent fellow immigrant Rebecca, and she wants no part of the life he is now embroiled in.  How can he balance the pull of easy money against that of true love?

This book has such an evocative feel for the struggle of immigrants first arriving in New York at the beginning of the 20th Century (think Mario Puzo's The Godfather, when Vito Corleone arrives in America with his family). What makes this book so unusual to read is that this time our new companions are Jewish, rather than Italian. I found this really interesting, as I have read a lot about the early Irish, Black and Italian gangs in New York, but very little about the gangs established by the Jewish settlers to the city. It was fascinating to read about the involvement of the Jewish gangs with the Union movement and the early days of their collaboration with the Italian mob, and the contrast of the new settlers to their second generation compatriots was very cleverly done.

It is true to say that the characters are a little stereotypical - for example, we have the troubled poor boy making a name for himself; the best friend who contemplates betrayal; the beautiful, innocent maiden with dreams, who catches the eye of our boy; and "the tart with a heart" who falls for our lovelorn boy and offers him comfort, but this did spoil my overall enjoyment of the story. I really became caught up in Alex's life and was very keen to find out where his choices would lead him.

The story builds nicely and the closing pages of this first volume in Alex Cohen's story are very exciting. I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes in the second instalment, as our writer seems to be taking Alex down a very different path at the end of the book.

This book is completely plot driven and a great story it is too - gritty and violent, it will keep you turning the pages until the thrilling climax!

Book Two: East Side Hustler. First published March 2020.

From the cover of the book:

Alex returns from the Great War almost destroyed by the horrors he has experienced. When he is plucked from certain death by an old friend, he commits to making so much money he'll never know that agony again. 

But the route to the top is filled with danger and every time he helps one of his powerful friends like Al Capone, he acquires more enemies who want to see him dead. The turmoil caused by the death of organised crime financier, Arnold Rothstein means Alex must once more fight for his life.

 How far would you go to seize the American dream? And could you protect your family along the way from the fellas who want to see you dead?

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After reading Alex Cohen's first outing in The Bowery Slugger and being introduced to the story of New York's Jewish gangs last year, I was looking forward to meeting up with Alex again in East Side Hustler.

This second book, takes us right back to the criminal heart of the Lower East Side, where Alex is on his downers and trying to recover from his war-time experiences, without the support of his blood family, who believe that he died on the battlefield.

However, it is not long before we find Alex back in the bosom of his criminal "family". and this is where the fun starts - especially once Prohibition gets a grip on the liquor and gaming enterprises that have now become Alex's forte.

East Side Hustler takes us on a very different journey to The Bowery Slugger, although it is, in fact, a much more familiar gangster scenario this time around. The world that Leopold Borstinski describes in these pages has much less to do with the cultural make-up of the gangs involved, but is rather more of a text-book lesson in the booze running, speakeasy life and territory battles that went on during the Prohibition years. For the most part, this inevitably makes the action a bit cliched, and it is easy to see where things are headed, although there is a nice little twist of a nod towards Alex's past sins that I was not expecting. I should add that it is best not to get your hopes up for fully-formed female characters here, where the female roles are primarily those of moll or mother..

What I found most enjoyable about this book is the way Leopold Borstinski manages to drop in some of the very big players of the mobster heyday, and I mean some very big names indeed. We are treated to meetings with the likes of Lucky Luciano, Bugsy Siegel, and even the dizzy heights of Alphonse Capone himself, which really made me smile (lots of the also-rans also make an appearance here, so I recommend some googling of names if you have not come across them before).

There is a lot to enjoy in this book, albeit with not many surprises plot-wise, and the male characters are a lot of fun. You can tell the author has worked really hard to create that authentic grown-up gangster noir feel here, and he has pulled it off with some savoir faire, so well done Mr Borstinski, I can tell you are warming to your subject.

I, for one, am looking forward to seeing where Alex's adventures take him next in his forthcoming outing, Midtown Huckster.

Book Three: Midtown Huckster. First published July 2020.

From the cover of the book:

Alex runs Murder Inc for Lucky Luciano. After the death of Prohibition he must find a new way to make money, just as the cops are baying at his heels. 

When Luciano goes down for racketeering, Alex loses his protection and is arrested for tax evasion-he must decide between saving his skin and ratting out his friends. If he chooses prison time then his gang will fall apart and he will end up with nothing. If he squeals then he will have to flee the city he loves and the family he once adored. 

What would you do in a world where nobody can be trusted and you have everything to lose?

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Welcome to the third adventure in the historical noir Alex Cohen series, Midtown Huckster.

When we last met Alex, he had become a great success in organised crime circles, rubbing shoulders with some very big names, running booze during Prohibition, and heading up the Murder Inc. operation for Lucky Luciano. However, his marriage had fallen victim to the amount of time and attention he spent on his nefarious work undertakings, his penchant for "skirt", and the lies he told - not to mention the danger he put his family in.

The end of Prohibition marks a big change for Alex. Although he is still flavour of the month with his boss Luciano, and continuing to run a slick hit man operation, organised crime is going through some big changes. With the loss of income from illegal booze sales, crime bosses are now looking at drugs to fill the gap - namely heroin. Although reluctant, at first, to get on board with this new direction, Alex recognises that there is big money to be made, and he is soon up to the gills in the drug venture and reaping the substantial monetary rewards. His marriage is still on the rocks though, even though he seems less enamoured by the attention of other females as time goes by.

But this is also a time of uncomfortable attention from the Feds, buoyed as they are from their success in bringing down Capone, and they are now making trouble in New York that will soon make Alex's life very difficult, and this all adds gloriously to the seedy gangster scene.

I take my hat off to Leopold Borstinski at the way he has manged to find ever more interesting storylines for Alex Cohen as this series progresses. He really seems to have found his niche in the noir historical crime genre, and this adventure is absolutely packed with glorious mob detail that gives the reader a real feel for the era.

In this book, we are in the middle of the 1930s organised crime world and can fully experience the way New York crime lords are organising themselves along syndicate lines, with gangs working closer together and sanctioning each other's operations in a more corporate way - although this doesn't mean they always agree and are not trying to out manoeuvre each other all the time behind the scenes! We also get to see how and why drugs become a big focus for organised crime, which was really interesting.

This is also the era of Eliot Ness and company, with the Feds getting a taste of how they could bring down some of the big criminal fraternity, such as Al Capone and Lucky Luciano. Although everyone surely knows the name of Capone, and is aware of how he met his downfall, I found it fascinating the way Leopold Borstinski shows us how the the attention of the Feds was also focused on the gangs in New York, and that they also had success in making a dent in organised crime there too - gone were the days when you could payoff a few cops and judges, or threaten jurors and witnesses; this is the age of The Untouchables.

Interestingly, this also brings home how organised crime gangs were starting to think seriously about how they needed to create legitimate fronts for their operations that could provide a way to hide the sources of their ill-gotten gains and launder the huge amounts of money their were making.

Leopold Borstinski is really warming to his task in this episode of Alex's life. There is a tantalising feel of The Godfather and a touch of Goodfellas that makes it all very enjoyable - in fact, I think this is the best one yet - and I look forward to much more of this is Alex's next outing, Casino Chiseler.

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I hope that my reviews have given your a taste of these gangster noir books and will encourage you to take the plunge into the Alex Cohen Series - which will eventually number seven books in all. The characters are gritty and the stories compelling, and you will find yourself getting quite attached to Alex Cohen despite the fact that he is and out and out bad boy - and I am pleased to report that there is much more female involvement in the future books too, reflecting the changing times.

The Alex Cohen Boxed Set: Books 1-3 is available to buy now in paperback and e-book formats from your favourite book retailer, or via the links below:

Amazon UK          Amazon US

About the author:

Leopold Borstinski is an independent author whose past careers have included financial journalism, business management of financial software companies, consulting and product sales and marketing, as well as teaching.

There is nothing he likes better so he does as much nothing as he possibly can. He has travelled extensively in Europe and the US and has visited Asia on several occasions. Leopold holds a Philosophy degree and tries not to drop it too often. 

He lives near London and is married with one wife, one child and no pets.

The Five by Hallie Rubenhold

 

The Five by Hallie Rubenhold.

Published in hardback February 2019 by Doubeday. Also avaialble in e-book, paperback and audio formats.

Audio version released February 2019 by Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd. Narrated by Louise Brealey.

From the cover of the book:

THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NONFICTION 2019

'An angry and important work of historical detection, calling time on the misogyny that has fed the Ripper myth. Powerful and shaming' GUARDIAN

Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary-Jane are famous for the same thing, though they never met. 

They came from Fleet Street, Knightsbridge, Wolverhampton, Sweden and Wales. They wrote ballads, ran coffee houses, lived on country estates, they breathed ink-dust from printing presses and escaped people-traffickers. What they had in common was the year of their murders: 1888.

Their murderer was never identified, but the name created for him by the press has become far more famous than any of these five women.

Now, in this devastating narrative of five lives, historian Hallie Rubenhold finally sets the record straight, and gives these women back their stories.

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The Five is a book that has been on my radar for a very long time, but it was not until the Audible version caught my eye that I actually got stuck into Hallie Rubenhold's glorious tribute to the women that history records as victims of the infamous Jack the Ripper. It is beautifully narrated by Louise Brealey, and had me spellbound from start to finish, often with tears running freely down my face, and before I was very far into the audio book, I had purchased a hardback copy to put on the forever shelf - which I then sat and read anyway!

We all know something about the mysterious Jack the Ripper, but how many of us know even the names of his victims, let alone the truth about their lives? They are consigned to history erroneously as "just prostitutes", but who were they really? 

This book brings these five women alive, painting a picture of them as daughters, wives, mothers, sisters and lovers - giving them shape and substance as real human beings who found themselves in the wrong place and the wrong time, as a result of the twisted hand of fate.

Rubenhold's research is comprehensive and compelling, and in telling the tales of our five women - Mary Ann 'Polly' Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly - she not only gives them a place in history that has long been denied to them, but she also gives the reader a detailed picture of the social history that dictated the course of their lives. I learned so much about Victorian life from these pages that I did not know before, even though I have read more than a few books about this period. I take my hat off to Hallie Rubenhold for the hours and hours she must have spent poring over documents in pursuit every available fact relating to the lives of these women and their families. 

Their stories are sad and full of tragedy, but they are the stories of real women nonetheless: women who lived lives which may have been unconventional in many ways, but they were not 'bad' women who deserved a violent death because they either chose, or were forced by circumstance, to live in a way that middle class Victorians considered disreputable. It makes me rather angry to think that their lives have been misrepresented in this way in the making of the Ripper myth. They deserve so much better, as this book clearly shows.

This is a book that fills in the missing parts of the story - the stories of the victims of the mysterious man held up as a seductively gruesome villain. Interestingly the conclusion to this book gives a shocking pause for thought in showing that the way the Ripper myth is glorified makes us all complicit in the diminishment of these women - and adds to the perpetuation of the idea that it is right for women to be portrayed as deserving of their fate if they are judged as 'bad'. Sadly, this view is still displayed time and time again in media stories and even legal cases today.

I was expecting this book to be completely fascinating, and it is, but I was totally unprepared for how emotional Hallie Rubenhold's narrative of the lives of these women would be and how much this book would get under my skin. The names of The Five are now carved into my heart and I will never forget them. This is quite simply a must read - or listen!

The Five is available to buy now from your favourite book, or audio retailer.

About the author:

Hallie Rubenhold is a social historian whose expertise lies in revealing stories of previously unknown women and episodes in history. By drawing upon a wealth of formerly unseen archival material and adding a full historical context to the victims' lives, The Five changes the narrative of these murders for ever. Rubenhold's books include Lady Worsley's Whim, dramatized by the BBC as 'The Scandalous Lady W', and Covent Garden Ladies: The Extraordinary Story of Harris's List, which inspired the ITV series 'Harlots'. She lives in London with her husband.

Blood Metal Bone by Lindsay Cummings

 

Blood Metal Bone by Lindsay Cummings.

Published 7th January 2021 by HQ Young Adult.

From the cover of the book:

A DEADLY OUTCAST...
A DANGEROUS SECRET...
ONE EPIC QUEST FOR THE TRUTH...

Wrongly accused of her brother’s murder, Sonara’s destiny was to die, sentenced to execution by her own mother. 

Punished and left for dead, the shadows have cursed her with a second life as a Shadowblood, cast out and hunted by society for her demon-like powers.

Now known as the Devil of the Deadlands, Sonara survives as a thief on the edge of society, fighting for survival on a quest to uncover what really happened to her brother and whether he is even dead at all…

Blood Metal Bone is the gripping new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lindsay Cummings. This is the perfect adrenaline-packed read for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows, The Mandalorian and Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass series.

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Blood Metal Bone is a book with more than a few surprising tricks up its sleeve. 

Welcome to the dwarf planet of Dohrsar, a world of legends, warriors, swords and steeds, where prowess on the battlefield and the pursuit of power are all. Young Sonara has always been an outcast, even though she shares blood and a mysterious bond with her crown prince brother Soahm, their mother's favourite child, so she is an easy target when he goes missing. Suspected of his murder, Sonara is sentenced to death, along with her noble steed Duran. 

So far, so good, a rollicking tale of awakening magic and the settling of scores is in the offing, redolent of many a YA  fantasy book. However, Lindsay Cummings absolutely blindsided me with this one, in a good way mind, because what follows next is something rather different to the norm. 

Cut instead to ten years later, where the point of view shifts to the young space travelling human, or Wanderer, Karr. Karr is trying to work out how to get himself off the space ship he is on and back to Beta Earth, well away from the shady mission to Dohrsar that his older brother has involved him in. A shady mission that is about to have grave consequences for the little planet and its people. From this point on, you know you that all bets are off and you are in for something a bit different.

When we meet up again with Sonara, she has been reborn as a Shadowblood, with powers that she often struggles to control, but are these powers a curse or a gift? Along with her reincarnated steed, she is part of an outlaw gang of fellow Shadowbloods who scrape together a living in the wastelands. When one of their escapades goes awry, they find themselves allied with a dark princess, who shares the Shadowblood kinship, and on a mission that takes them towards a fateful meeting with Karr and his fellow Wanderers. 

The story then plays out swapping back and forth between the povs of Sonara and Karr, as they head for a portentous meeting destined to change their fates and on into what happens next... but no spoilers from me!

Blood Metal Bone is a meeting of genres - half fantasy tale, from Sonara's side of the story, and half sci-fi adventure from Karr's side - and the blending of the two works incredibly well. There are echoes of all sorts to be found in these pages, with a heavy dose of the likes of Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass series, and little snippets of many sci-fi and adventure books and movies too. I was soon caught up in the tale, and the way Lindsay Cummings kept me on my toes with the little twists, turns and novel changes in context was highly entertaining. Once I had got my head around the fact that this was a completely different kind of beast to the one that I was expecting, it was a leap into the unknown - there was no way to guess what the author was going to throw at you next and this made it a joy to read.

Although this is billed as a YA book, there is actually plenty here to appeal to a very wide audience not just teen readers, especially given the genre crossover nature of the material. I can see some of the die-hard YA fantasy fanhood being put off by the mention of sci-fi content, but I have always considered these natural bedfellows and read both sides of the line quite happily myself. 

This was a fun read as my first fantasy/sci-fi book of 2021. It is full of action and adventure, unexpected twists and turns, and it packs a big punch on the heartfelt stakes too with an enchanting focus on family. I loved it!

Blood Metal Bone  is available to buy now from your favourite book retailer, or from Bookshop.org HERE.

Without A Trace (A DCI Kate Daniels Book) by Mari Hannah

 

Without A Trace by Mari Hannah.

Publishing 7th January 2021 in paperback by Orion. Originally published in hardback and ebook March 2020.

From the cover of the book:

A FATAL CRASH

A plane on route from London to New York City has disappeared out of the sky. This breaking news dominates every TV channel, every social media platform, and every waking hour of the Metropolitan Police and US Homeland Security.

A PRIVATE TRAGEDY

The love of DCI Kate Daniels' life was on that aircraft, but she has no authority to investigate. This major disaster is outside of her jurisdiction and she's ordered to walk away.

A SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH

But Kate can't let it lie. She has to find out what happened to that plane - even if it means going off book. No one is safe.

And there are some very dangerous people watching her...

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Without A Trace is my first Mari Hannah, but it will most certainly not be my last.

This book is somewhat of a genre-busting crime story that starts off with a bang in international thriller country with a major air disaster, and then unexpectedly leads you down a tense and twisty path towards a gripping domestic police procedural - accompanied by more than a little emotional drama along the way.

Despite not having read any of the Kate Daniels books before, this clever and suspenseful crime novel carried me along right from page one and I was able to pick up enough of the history between the characters for the story to play out brilliantly right from the get go. The characters are beautifully drawn, each one having their own important part to play in the intricate plot, from the lowliest of the walk-on part extras all the way up to the star performers.  Kate Daniels in particular is written with such heart and soul that she immediately got under my skin, and although she has flaws enough, her grit and determination to get to the bottom of this intelligent mystery whatever the personal cost had me rapidly turning the pages, lapping up every menacing twist and delicious turn. 

This is a first class thriller - exciting and perfectly paced. I read this one in a single sitting, unable to put it down once I had begun, which is very impressive for a book that is some way on in an established series. It works great as a standalone, but having said that I enjoyed it so much that I will definitely be going back to the beginning of this series to get to know every little detail about the characters and fill out their backstories as soon as I can. Mari Hannah, you have got yourself a new fan!

Without A Trace is available to pre-order from your favourite book retailer now, or from Bookshop.org HERE.

Thank you to Alainna Hadjigeorgiou at Orion for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Multi-award winning Mari Hannah is the author of the Stone & Oliver crime series, the Ryan & O'Neil series and the DCI Kate Daniels series.

In July 2010, she won a Northern Writers' Award for Settled Blood. In 2013, she won the Polari First Book Prize for her debut, The Murder Wall. She was awarded the CWA Dagger in the Library 2017 as the author of the most enjoyed collection of work in libraries. In 2019, she was awarded DIVA Wordsmith of the Year. In that same year, Mari was Programming Chair of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Festival.

She lives in Northumberland with her partner, a former murder detective.

Follow Mari on Twitter at @mariwriter

Shiver by Allie Reynolds

 

Shiver by Allie Reynolds

Publishing 21st January 2021 by Headline.

From the cover of the book:

They don't know what I did. And I intend to keep it that way.

When Milla is invited to a reunion in the French Alps resort that saw the peak of her snowboarding career, she drops everything to go. While she would rather forget the events of that winter, the invitation comes from Curtis, the one person she can't seem to let go.

The five friends haven't seen each other for ten years, since the disappearance of the beautiful and enigmatic Saskia. But when an icebreaker game turns menacing, they realise they don't know who has really gathered them there and how far they will go to find the truth.

In a deserted lodge high up a mountain, the secrets of the past are about to come to light...

How far would you go to win? Hyper-competitive people, mind games and a dangerous natural environment combine to make the must-read thriller of the year. Fans of Lucy Foley and Lisa Jewell will be gripped by spectacular debut novel Shiver.

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What a fabulous book to kick off the new year! 

Five friends meet for a reunion at a small winter sports resort in the French Alps, but it soon becomes clear that this is not going to be quite the little holiday they were expecting when the ski lodge turns out to be deserted and they are cut off from the outside world by some mysterious goings on. Someone has brought them back together after ten years in an attempt to get to the truth of what happened to the missing Saskia, but who is it and what do they want?

Shiver is told from the point of view of snowboarder Milla, telling the tale of our ultra-competitive group of friends in two alternating time lines that swap back and forth between the winter that saw them training and competing against each other for sporting success in the world of professional snowboarding, and ten years later when they have been tricked into their bewildering reunion. So, bit by bit we learn the story of past friction and flirtation that went on that fateful winter season in an attempt to get the edge over the competition, both on and off the slopes, while experiencing the darkly delicious legacy of the breakdown of their relationships in the present.

The suspense is palpable from the get go as the sexual frisson and rivalries within the group both now and in the past spill over into mind games, manipulations and dark deeds, and it snowballs as the pieces begin to fall into place. There is no let up in the tension as events in both timelines spiral out of control and result in explosive consequences when the truth of what happened all those years ago is revealed at the same time as we discover who is responsible for this ghastly get-together. It's fabulous!

Allie Reynolds' own background in snowboarding gives the reader an intriguing glimpse into the world at the top of this ultra-competitive winter sport, and I learned ever such a lot about the technical moves and lifestyle of the competitors while reading this excellent thriller - although I sincerely hope events were a bit tamer for Allie when she was living the life on the edge in the half-pipe!

Shiver is a cracking debut that certainly started off my 2021 reading with a bang, and I cannot wait for you all to experience this must-read thriller of the year. It's the perfect winter read!

Pre-order Shiver from your favourite book retailer now, or from Bookshop.org HERE.

Thank you to Alara Delfosse at Headline for sending me a proof of this debut thriller in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

British-born Allie Reynolds is a former freestyle snowboarder who spent five winters in the mountains of France, Switzerland, Austria, and Canada. For those five years, snowboarding was Allie's life. She competed in the British Championships and was once in the UK top ten.

Her short fiction has been published in women's magazines in the UK, Australia, Sweden, and South Africa. She lives by the beach in Queensland, Australia. Shiver is her debut novel.

Follow Allie on Twitter at @AuthorAllieR

Too Much And Never Enough by Mary L. Trump

Too Much And Never Enough by Mary L. Trump.

Published 14th July 2020 by Simon and Schuster.

From the cover of the book:

In this revelatory, authoritative portrait of Donald J. Trump and the toxic family that made him, Mary L. Trump, a trained clinical psychologist and Donald’s only niece, shines a bright light on the dark history of their family in order to explain how her uncle became the man who now threatens the world’s health, economic security and social fabric.

Mary Trump spent much of her childhood in her grandparents’ large, imposing house in New York, where Donald and his four siblings grew up. She describes a nightmare of traumas, destructive relationships and a tragic combination of neglect and abuse. 

She explains how specific events and general family patterns created the damaged man who currently occupies the Oval Office, including the strange and harmful relationship between Fred Trump and his two oldest sons, Fred Jr. and Donald.

A first-hand witness, Mary brings an incisive wit and unexpected humour to sometimes grim, often confounding family events. She recounts in unsparing detail everything from her uncle Donald’s place in the family spotlight and Ivana’s penchant for regifting to her grandmother’s frequent injuries and illnesses and the appalling way Donald, Fred Trump’s favourite son, dismissed and derided him when he began to succumb to Alzheimer’s.

Numerous pundits, armchair psychologists and journalists have sought to explain Donald Trump’s lethal flaws. Mary Trump has the education, insight and intimate familiarity needed to reveal what makes Donald, and the rest of her clan, tick. She alone can recount this fascinating, unnerving saga, not just because of her insider’s perspective but also because she is the only Trump willing to tell the truth about one of the world’s most powerful and dysfunctional families.

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This is a book that I had no intention of reading over the Christmas holidays, especially since I bought it as a present for my husband, but he was so fascinated and horrified by what he read that he said I needed to read it as soon as he had finished. How could I refuse? 

The blurb pretty much tells you what to expect in these pages, but nevertheless actually reading the intimate details of the goings on within the dysfunctional Trump family is still horrifying in the extreme. Mary L. Trump, although a family member, walks just the right line here by telling the tale through the eyes of her professional persona as a Clinical Psychologist and this makes it all the more credible and macabrely fascinating - it certainly serves as a case study in how not to raise a family if you wish your children to become decent, caring, law abiding citizens. In fact, it is the story of the making of a monster, who in other circumstances we would have been vaguely aware of from trashy stories in the media. Unfortunately, this particular monster somehow found himself elected to take on the job of arguably the most powerful man in the Western World - a role he is not only woefully unqualified for, but one which he does not have the moral, or intellectual capacity to even make a half decent stab at.

I was very impressed with not only the style of the writing and its accessibility to a general audience, but the simple way Mary Trump lays out the history of her family and leaves us to make up our own minds whether or not such behaviour is acceptable in the grand scheme of things. She lays out the facts clearly and with surprising wit and forbearance, even though the events she recounts must have been very painful to experience. The title of the book is also surprisingly sharp and full of nuance, which becomes apparent as you work your way through from start to finish. 

Critics of Mary Trump have claimed that this book has been written out of spite, but having read her words I can tell you that  I wholeheartedly believe she has actually done this out of a compulsion to reveal the truth about her own family before it is too late, however uncomfortable this must be for her personally, and her bravery should be commended. I do wonder how much difference her words have made given the 2020 election result.

There are many lessons that can be taken from this book and the more people that read it the better. Anyone who can act so cruelly towards his own flesh and blood, albeit as a result of being brought up to believe this is acceptable conduct, is wholly unsuited to any job that requires even a modicum of compassion and understanding. However, what really comes across from Mary Trump's account is the blame that should be laid at the feet of all those that have enabled Donald Trump from the very start - those who have fuelled his need for self-aggrandizement and taken advantage of his arrogance and weakness for their own ends.

I must admit that this is probably a book I would not have even considered reading if Trump had won the 2020 Presidential election (Yes, Donald you really have lost), because it would have been too depressing to contemplate. However, given the forthcoming change in Whitehouse staffing it is one I would recommend as required reading, especially to anyone who thinks Donald might be a suitable candidate for re-election.

Too Much And Never Enough is available to buy now from your favourite book retailer, or from Bookshop.org HERE.

The Thief On The Winged Horse by Kate Mascarenhas

 

The Thief on the Winged Horse by Kate Mascarenhas.

Published 12th November 2020 by Head of Zeus.

From the cover of the book:

The Kendrick family have been making world-famous dolls for over 200 years. But their dolls aren't coveted for the craftsmanship alone. Each one has a specific emotion laid on it by its creator. A magic that can make you feel bucolic bliss or consuming paranoia at a single touch. Though founded by sisters, now only men may know the secrets of the workshop.

Persephone Kendrick longs to break tradition and learn her ancestors' craft, and when a handsome stranger arrives claiming doll-making talent and blood ties to the family, she sees a chance to grasp all she desires.

But then, one night, the firm's most valuable doll is stolen. Only someone with knowledge of magic 
could have taken her. Only a Kendrick could have committed this crime...

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I loved Kate Mascarenhas' mind-bending debut novel The Psychology of Time Travel so was really looking forward to diving into The Thief On A Winged Horse, her second book. I was not disappointed!

This time, Kate's imagination takes us into the world of the Kendrick family - makers of high quality dolls since the 1820s. What makes these dolls so special? Well, they are no ordinary dolls... in fact they are enchanted. Each doll is imbued with a human emotion by its maker, evoking a response in a single touch that is so powerful and addictive that the dolls are both highly desirable and highly priced.

The company was established by four sisters who were born with the ability to cast hexes after, as legend tells it, their mother made a bargain with the Fae - specifically the eponymous Thief on a Winged Horse - and the Thief and his Fae brethren have had a strong influence on the goings on in the family business ever since, even though times have changed in the world outside.

Most markedly, the casting of hexes, has now become the province of male family members only. Women are not permitted to become sorcerers at Kendricks, nor to make the dolls themselves, no matter how talented they are - despite the fact that the business of magical doll making was started by four sisters.

Our story begins with a company stuck in the past, with its elderly patriarch firm in his belief that only family members can be trusted with the knowledge of how to craft magical dolls, provided they are male or course; a mysterious newcomer, called Larkin, who claims kinship with the Kendricks; a modern young woman, called Persephone Kendrick, who is determined to regain her birth right; and the theft of the most precious doll in the Kendrick collection. And what follows is the most wonderful tale of magical realism blended with a cracking crime story and touching romance.

Although the setting for this novel is in contemporary Oxford, Kate Mascarenhas makes the magical undertones of this story work particularly well by setting Kendricks on an eyot that is isolated from the real world around it. On entering this environment we feel we are travelling back in time to a community that is suspicious of outsiders and follows a style of living based firmly on tradition and folklore - even if this is a twisted version of how Kendricks began. They guard their secrets well here - or at least, they think they do...

At heart, this is a feminist tale with an ending that will make your heart sing. Like the dolls that Kendricks produce in their workshop, Kate Mascarenhas' writing conjures a range of emotions that draw you in completely, and her talent for creating beautifully drawn, and realistically flawed, characters is impressive. I adore how she writes her female characters especially - something that I very much enjoyed in her debut novel too.

Kate Mascarenhas has very quickly won a place as one of my favourite authors and I cannot wait to see what her imagination conjures up next. If you have yet to read one of her books, then you really should - they are incredible.

The Thief of the Winged Horse is available to buy now from your favourite book retailer, or from Bokshop.org HERE.

Thank you to Vicky Joss at Head of Zeus for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Kate Mascarenhas is a writer.

Born in 1980, she is of mixed heritage (white Irish father, brown British mother) and has family in Ireland and the Republic of Seychelles.

She studied English at Oxford and Applied Psychology at Derby. Her PhD, in literary studies and psychology, was completed at Worcester.

Since 2017 Kate has been a chartered psychologist. Previously she has been an advertising copywriter, bookbinder, and doll’s house maker. She lives in the English midlands with her partner.

The Island by Victoria Hislop

The Island by Victoria Hislop.

Published 10th April 2006 by Headline Review.

From the cover of the book:

On the brink of a life-changing decision, Alexis Fielding longs to find out about her mother's past. But Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before moving to London. When Alexis decides to visit Crete, however, Sofia gives her daughter a letter to take to an old friend, and promises that through her she will learn more.

Arriving in Plaka, Alexis is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throw from the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga - Greece's former leper colony. 

Then she finds Fotini, and at last hears the story that Sofia has buried all her life: the tale of her great-grandmother Eleni and her daughters and a family rent by tragedy, war and passion. 

She discovers how intimately she is connected with the island, and how secrecy holds them all in its powerful grip...

**************************************

For some reason, Victoria Hislop's books have passed me by, even though The Island was a massive hit when it was published in 2006 and her books are just the kind I would normally settle down with on holiday. So with the publication of One August Night, the long awaited sequel to The Island, it was high time that I got around to checking this one out.

This was a bit of a slow beginning for me, starting out with the very modern young woman, Alexis Fielding, who finds herself delving into her mother Sofia's secretive past in an attempt to get some perspective on her own life and the important decision she must make. 

It's is not until the story of her mother's family begins to unfold, told by her old friend Fotini, and this tale heads into the past, that it really come alive. As we head back in time to learn the tragic history of Alexis' great grandmother Eleni, Eleni's chalk and cheese daughters Anna and Maria, and the truth of Sofia's childhood, Victoria Hislop rapidly immerses you in a wonderful tale of family, passion and loss, against the backdrop of a sleepy little Cretan village and the leper colony on Spinalonga - and her love of Greece shines through in her engaging writing too.

This is one of those books that carries you along on the tide of an epic love story and teaches you a lot of fascinating history at the same time without you really noticing, because you are so invested in the lives of the characters. I absolutely raced through these pages, easily finishing this book in a couple of sittings, despite its weighty 480 pages - and even then, it seemed over too soon. Victoria Hislop has certainly won herself a new fan here!

I cannot wait to pick up the story again in One August Night, so watch this space for more Victoria Hislop soon! 

The Island is available to buy now from your favourite book retailer, or from Bookshop.org HERE.

Saving The World by Paola Diana

 

Saving The World by Paola Diana.

Published 2nd May 2018 by Quartet Books.

From the cover of the book:

“I write about history to free us from the past, I write about the present to strive for alternative destinies and I write about the future because the world we live in is not the only one possible.”

Part manifesto for change part historical and sociological essay, Saving the World charts women’s condition through the centuries, analysing their treatment within political, religious, economic and societal contexts to form a bigger picture of their place in the world; and explores what needs to be done in 2018 to create a truly equal world. 

Having already broken the glass ceiling for women in Italy, where she introduced a new bill requiring company boards to have 30% female representation, Paola turns to the Gender Pay Gap and puts forward her vision for how we reach an equal society, one in which all women are set free from fear, violence and oppression. Paola Diana impresses on us that this world we inhabit, dominated by men and often seemingly immutable, is far from the only one possible.

Already a bestseller in Italy, this translation has been extensively revised by the author to incorporate recent UK events that impinge on women’s rights and the struggle to achieve equality. A clarion call for change, Diana’s polemic should be read by all who hold powerful positions in government, industry and the arts.

****************************************************

I should probably start our by saying that this is not really a book for anyone who has done any in depth reading into the history of women's rights and the lives of the leading lights of the various waves of the feminist movement, and subsequently has an understanding of the issues involved. If you have already taken the time to do such reading, you do not need this book.

Instead Paola Diana's book offers more of a general introduction to the tenets of feminist thinking and some of the notable names involved in the movement for those who may have previously given the rights of women little attention through ignorance or apathy, by the use of a series of essays that address the case for more women at the top of politics, economics and the arts. As such, it is more of a rallying cry or a manifesto for social change that suggests there is a way forward that would offer obvious benefits for all. Bravo!

Paola's arguments are certainly impassioned and she offers some fascinating examples of injustices meted out by patriarchal societies the world over that will make your blood boil, alongside illustrations of some of the good work that is being done in relation to women's rights. Most importantly she also points out that it should be the responsibility of more developed countries to improve the lot of women who live in less enlightened societies rather than taking an 'I'm alright, Jack' attitude, with which I wholeheartedly agree.

However, there are parts of this book that are less successful in promoting Paola's cause, some of which stem from the feeling that a bit of careful editing would give clarity to the overall message she wants to impart to the reader, and some of from the fact that recent events make this book come across as rather dated, despite the revisions that were made in 2018 to the original Italian 2016 text. 

For example, naturally Paola writes about the history she knows from her Italian background, but this does not always work as a direct translation to other parts of the world when she is trying to make a point, including the UK. And rather strangely the final chapter details the Bonus Care Draft Bill Paola worked on with the government in her home country of Italy, rather than ending with the previous chapter discussing change, which would have worked so much better for an international audience - it was interesting to see the details of the bill, and I understand she is rightly proud of her achievements which are commendable and should be applauded, but I feel this information would have been better included as an appendix. 

In addition, I found some of her attitudes and assertions contentious, especially in terms of religion, marriage and the world of work, and a few the women she promotes as beacons of virtue are more likely to be seen as controversial rather than exemplary given more recent events, all of which serve as a distraction that takes away from the overall positive message of the book.

Despite the parts that do not quite work, this book definitely has a lot to offer to those looking for an opening into the issues that modern feminists are seeking to address, and the short, essay like nature of the chapters makes them very accessible and engaging. I can see this book being very useful as a popular tool to draw others into a discussion, particularly amongst older teens and those who have not previously given much thought to what feminism means. In fact, it is just the kind of book that would be good to use extracts from with sixth form or college reading groups in order to introduce discussion about women's rights, before moving on to more weighty academic texts. It's certainly the kind of book that provokes a response and one that leaves you with lots to mull over!

Saving The World is available to buy now from your favourite book retailer or from Bookshop.org HERE.

Thank you to Paola Diana and Quartet Books for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review and to Bei Guo of Midas PR for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

A top ten bestselling author and political activist in Italy, Paola Diana is a mouthpiece for female equality in a country that has some of the worst work place equality in the world ranking 118th out of 144 countries in terms of women’s participation in economic life and 126th for wage equality for similar work according to the 2017 Global Gender Gap Index, with Italy lagging behind India and Iran in wage equality.

A London based entrepreneur and campaigner for equal rights Paola has dedicated her life to championing sexual equality in business and politics in the UK and Italy. In Italy, Paola is the founder of the organisation PariMerito (Equal Merit), which she used to lobby the Italian Government to pass new equality laws in the work place, including a new bill requiring every company board to have minimum 30% female representation.

Prior to starting PariMerito Paola ran a Think Tank in support of the former Prime Minister and President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi’s political campaign, which had a particular focus on issues including welfare, female employment and structural policies in favour of the family and equal opportunities.

Paola is also an entrepreneur starting her first business as a single mother of two, her hugely successful Diana Group, comprises three separate businesses and has established itself as a market leader in recruitment and lifestyle services, recognised as one of London’s most influential service providers for high net worth individuals, families and corporations around the world.

A Time For Swords by Matthew Harffy

 

A Time For Swords by Matthew Harffy.

Published in ebook format 10th December 2020 and in hardback 4th March 2021 by Aries/Head of Zeus.

From the cover of the book:

When the Vikings attack, a novice monk's life is changed forever in Matthew Harffy's new historical adventure.

Lindisfarne, AD793.

There had been portents – famine, whirlwinds, lightning from clear skies, serpents seen flying through the air. But when the raiders came, no one was prepared.

They came from the North, their dragon-prowed longships gliding out of the dawn mist as they descended on the kingdom's most sacred site.

It is 8th June AD793, and with the pillage of the monastery on Lindisfarne, the Viking Age has begun.

While his fellow monks flee before the Norse onslaught, one young novice stands his ground. He has been taught to turn the other cheek, but faced with the slaughter of his brothers and the pagan desecration of his church, forgiveness is impossible.

Hunlaf soon learns that there is a time for faith and prayer . . . and there is a time for swords.

*************************************************

As a big fan of historical fiction, and more than a bit partial to a good battle now and again, A Time For Swords was an absolute joy!

In this first book of this new series, Matthew Harffy introduces us to young Hunlaf, who lives a contemplative life as a monk, dedicated to learning and a life of service to God. However, Hunlaf finds the course of his life taking a most unexpected turn after he takes a trip to the monastery on Lindisfarne with his teacher, and fellow monk, Leofstan - for while they are there, brutal Viking raiders from the North attack in search of treasure. 

The Viking Age has begun. The peaceful religious communities of Northumberland have caught the eyes of these Norse men, and the slaughter reigned down on the monks and villagers on Lindisfarne has whetted their appetite for more.

Hunlaf is horrified by what he has seen, puzzled by his own reaction to the bloodshed he experienced  and has somehow taken on the role as interpreter and guardian for a captive Viking raider, who goes by the name of Runolf. He has come to realise that turning the other cheek may not be the best way to protect his people from future danger and that instead now may be the time for swords....

What follows is what I would describe as Bernard Cornwell does The Magnificent Seven, as Hunlaf becomes part of a quest to find a band of protectors for his own monastery of Werceworthe, which is likely to become the next target for the raiders from the North, and it is glorious!

This is the kind of book that is full of great characters - loveable rogues, with tough exteriors and heart rending tales of their own, who band together to protect the innocent and lay their own ghosts to rest at the same time. Matthew Haffty regales us with bags of historical detail about life in Northumberland during this period, and clearly relishes describing the combative elements of the story - especially the battle scenes, which are thrilling.

There is a cracking little twist at the end of the book, which students of Viking surnames may get a little hint of before it hits you full in the face, and the hook that Matthew Harffy baits to tempt us into the next book is a corker!

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale and cannot wait for the next book, because where Hunlaf and his little band of warriors are headed next promises to be very exciting indeed.

A Time for Swords is available to buy now from your favourite book retailer.     

Thank you to Aries/Head of Zeus for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Matthew Harffy grew up in Northumberland where the rugged terrain, ruined castles and rocky coastline had a huge impact on him. He now lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.

Find our more about Matthew:

Twitter     Author's Website