Tuesday 19 December 2017

Book review: Sue Hallgarth: Death Comes: A Willa Cather And Edith Lewis Mystery

Death Comes: A Willa Cather and Edith Lewis Mystery


























This may contain spoilers


Author: Sue Hallgarth.
Title: Death comes: A Willa Cather and Edith Lewis mystery.
Genre: Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction,


I signed up for poetic book tours and l were emailed off Serena Agusto-Cox about reviewing this book.


Book Dedication: For Hilda Raz poet, friend, editor extraordinaire.


First of all I would like to say a big thank you to Sue Hallgarth for sending me this book and giving me the chance to read it. I want to say a big thank you to Serena Agusto-Cox for contacting me and taking the time to email me.


I would tell people that you should step outside your comfort zone with books because it is good to add more authors and genres to your reading portfolio even if you do not read books like this.


I normally read books of this genre but l also stepped outside my comfort zone l am so glad l did because I have read so many great books and come across some great authors.

I highly recommend this book.


This book has 266 pages and 20 chapters in it.


Advance praise for death comes.


They are back! If you loved on the rocks, you will be thrilled to have this new adventure of Willa and Edith. This time they are in new mexico tracking down the unsolved murders of too many women. Sue Hallgarth has done it again. The combination of deep knowledge of the geographic terrain, it is history, Cather's literary preoccupations, and Hallgarth's feminist sensibility have bought us another suspenseful, terrific read. - Joan W. Scott, author of gender and the politics of history and the fantasy of feminist history.


My new favorite book is death comes! It made distant memories real and simpatico. What a delight to see them and the beautiful taos you let me walk through. I especially want to thank you for including Spud. He was always there, so it is nice to have him recognized. I only knew him as an old man who always stopped to listen to a child. You showed me a young man who would become the one l knew and loved. - Claudia Smith Miller, great-granddaughter of Mabel Dodge Luhan.


Death comes is a clever play on the novel that Willa Cather worked on in taos, new mexico, in the summers of 1925 and 1926, death comes for the archbishop, Hallgarth has done serious historical and cultural research, cleverly highlighting Willa Cather's virtues as a strong-willed sleuth.. this is a very good read, as a story of 1920's taos – including race and class relations, as a portrait of the Mabel Dodge Luhan circle, and, last but not least, as a murder mystery. - Lois Rudnick, author of Mabel Dodge Luhan: new woman, new worlds.


Willa Cather is travelling in northern new mexico while publishing her new manuscript death comes for the archbishop when she and her companion Edith Lewis are caught up in the mystery surrounding the deaths of three women near D.H. Lawrence's ranch. An intriguing story for those of us who always wished we had been there when Mabel Dodge Luhan held court in taos for luminaries of art and literature. - Judith Ryan Hendricks, author of Isabel's daughter and the laws of harmony.


The second book in Hallgarth's Willa Cather and Edith Lewis mystery series captures the vivid and compelling landscape of the taos, NM territorial west. A historical mystery with real people – think Mabel Dodge and Tony Luhan, long John Dunn, Arthur Manby – and everyday life in the settling west. Compelling and richly imagined by a masterful storyteller l did not want it to end. - Betty Palmer, events coordinator, op.cit. Books, taos NM.


Our favorite literary sleuths are back! And this time Willa Cather and Edith Lewis are summering in taos, new mexico. Guests of Mabel Dodge Luhan, the amiable pair are planning for nothing more taxing than a month's worth of writing and painting. Then an unsettling excursion to the D.H. Lawrence ranch changes everything. Entertaining and edifying, death comes is a compelling mystery set in new mexico, that place Cather described as a ' landscape one longed for when one was away'. - Sharon Oard Warner, co-director D.H. Lawrence ranch and author of Sophie's house of cards.
Praise for on the rocks.


one of ' ten titles to pick up now' … a fictionalized glimpse in to the partnership between the novelist and her artist companion, who team up to solve a murder on an island in the bay of funby”. - O, the Oprah magazine.


Cather fans will enjoy the atmosphere, and Hallgarth captures the local color well, providing a look at the eccentric island residents, the small-town politics, and the life of the (two) women's communities”. - American library association booklist.

The historic, literary mystery is the first of what could be a terrific new series. The settling – on the Canadian island of grand manan in 1929 – is captivating and the story engaging. On the rocks is a real treat!”. - rose city reader.


I enjoyed the run and energy of on the rocks “ - Lucia Woods Lindley, member of board of governors the Willa Cather foundation.


on the rocks is a riveting addition to historical fiction collections and those with a love for the artistic life”. - the Midwest book review.


utterly absorbing, compulsively readable. Hallgarth spins her tale with an artistry that allows us to imagine a time and place as compelling as a dream”. - Kathleen Hill, author of who occupies this house and still waters in Niger.


Sue Hallgarth incorporates the spectacular settling of grand manan in to a mystery set among summer colonies of feminist artists, colorful island types, and suspicious visitors. Cather readers will detect her pronouncements on writing and life, and the island rock itself, a Cather symbol of survival, becomes here a solid contrast to the human foibles that play out on its surface”. - John Murphy, member of board of governors, the Willa Cather foundation.


on the rocks is sophisticated and yet has a wonderful innocence. It conveys a convincing sense of the period. The characters are rounded, real. It is funny it is compelling. It is a good tale.” - Jake Page, author of the Mo Bowdre mystery series.


Cather afictionados will be especially interested in the author's new take on Willa Cather's personal history. The amible cottage colony on grand manan island in the bay of funby, where Edith and Willa built their summer retreat in the 1920's, is lovingly captured in this first book in a sparkling new literary mystery series”. - Nancy Rutland, founder of bookworks, Albuquerque, NM.


Love, love, love... highly recommended to those who enjoy this historical genre, and to fans of great women authors!. I will be curious to see if ms. Hallgarth has this as the start of a series or not. She is an expert on Cather and cleverly' knows her well”. - Beth's book-nook Blog.


The strength of the book is in Hallgarth's ability to paint a scene. Her research about grand manan, Cather and Lewis, and the time period are obviously top notch”. - wildmoobooks.


Nice read with a beautiful portrait of a Canadian island in the 1920's, a strong feminist portrait of Willa Cather and her partner Edith, and a murder mystery to boot! Well-written with some beautifully painted' scenes and an intriguing insight to the way we all tend to think, wandering from one association to another before we catch ourselves! I've never seen that in a book before and thoroughly enjoyed it”. - David Roberts, M.D., author of practice makes perfect: how one doctor found the meaning of lives.


Synopsis: Following on the rocks, Sue Hallgarth's first Willa Cather and Edith Lewis mystery. Death comes gives us another glimpse in to the life and work of the Pulitzer prize-winning novelist and her talented life partner the year is 1926. Willa and Edith return to Mabel Dodge Luhan's pink adobe in tao's NM. Willa is writing death comes for the archbishop. Edith is sketching taos pueblo and hoping for a visit to the nearby D.H. Lawrence ranch, the previous summer they had stumbled on to a woman's body. Now the headless bodies of two women add to the mystery. Sue Hallgarth presents an intimate portrait of Cather, Lewis, the spectacular new mexico landscape, and the famous artists and writers. Mabel Dodge Luhan gathered in taos.


Review: I found this book really easy to get in to and harder to put down once l started reading it. I would put some essential oils in my humidifier and put the lights on my humidifier on and chill on my bed and listen to music or something on TV. I sometimes light a candle when l am writing this book. It is good to chill reading a good book. My cat sometimes joins me on my bed or one of the other three cats that live me join me. I also took a picture of this book and shared it to my Instagram that l made just for pictures of my books it is called Donnareviewsbooks. My cat Oreo was lying next to me as l write this book review. I sometimes write book reviews on my bed or at my desk in my bedroom that is also my living room, library and my office. I was sad to read that three women was murdered and that people did not know who the women was or who killed them. I hope they find who killed them. I love the pictures in this book. I like that Willa Cather has a life partner Edith Lewis. Willa and Edith sounds like great women and friends. I would love to read more about everybody in this book. Blade sounds like a nasty pieces of work. I think the women who was murdered have something to do with him. Adam sounds like a really nice guy l am glad Maria is with Adam and not Blade because l think if she was still with him she would be dead like the other women. The people who come looking for Blade sound so horrible l am so glad that they did not hurt Adam or Maria. I was sad to finish reading this book. I would love to buy more books from Sue Hallgarth as l got this book for free. I can not put in to words how great this book is l would tell people to read it for themselves to know how great it really is. I was hooked after reading the synopsis. I am so glad that Adam and Maria are going to find Spud and tell him what is going on at his ranch and that the person who was staying there was keeping women that did not speak English and he had threaten to kill them and cut their throats and showed the heads to the others to scare them. It is a shame Maria can not speak English but when they get to where Spud is. Somebody speaks the same language as Maria. So she will be able to tell them what Blade was like and about the other women. I was sad to read that agent Dan was shot but glad he survived. The sheriff of taos sounds so lazy and does not care about the three women because they are unknown and he clearly that somebody shot agent Dan. I was scared to read that Adam and Maria come face to face with Blade for the first time since he sold Maria to Adam. I am glad the shots missed Maria. It was funny to read that Blade's horse ran away after Adam's horse and the mule that Maria was riding. Leaving him jumping up and down in the middle of the road shouting about his horse. I am so glad Adam found it funny. I hope Maria is still on the mule when Adam finds them and she is not hurt. I do not blame Adam and Maria being scared of Blade because he is a nasty piece of work. I hope Maria and Adam make it to Spud before the weather starts because they could get poorly and the horse and mule need to be put in a barn away from the nasty weather. This book is totally addicting and I and I wish l could stay up all night to read and review this book but l get migraines. I am in love with this book. These women are being held against their will. I was sad to read that Florence and Angelica was kidnapped and think they do not have a choose but to stay where they are because they must think that if they leave they will have no money or be homeless but they could end up like the three murdered women. I am glad Dick and Nick give up easy because some of them could end up dead if there was a shoot out. Plus Adam was still injured and Spud did not know how to use a gun.I am glad with the help of Amelia Maria could tell them about Blade and the other women and it was nice that Maria was given one of the other women's bracelet. I also reviewed this book on goodreads, amazon UK and amazon US.


About the Author: Sue Hallgarth is a former English professor she has written scholarly articles on Willa Cather and Edith Lewis, and this is her second book of fiction featuring the two of them. Her first book in the series is on the rocks, set in 1929 on the island of grand manan in new Brunswick, Canada. She lives in corrales, NM.


Follow Sue on Facebook at Suehallgarthauthor, on twitter @suehallgarth, and on goodreads.com and follow Sue's blog, reviews, and other news about her books and writing at Suehallgarth.com.


About This Book: I really like this book cover and the picture of the mountains on the front cover and l love that the writing is in black because it stands out more.


Star Rating: Five Out Of Five Stars.


I wish l could rate this book more then five stars because it is worth more than the five stars l rated it.



Wednesday 15 November 2017

Book Review: Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe: The First Signs Of April

The First Signs of April: A Memoir


























This may contain spoilers

Author: Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe
Title: The first signs of April
Genre: non-fiction, biography, autobiography, memoir,


I signed up for poetic book tours and l was email off Serena Agusto-Cox about reviewing this book.


First of all I would like to say a big thank you to Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe for sending me this book and giving me the chance to read it. I want to say a big thank you to Serena Agusto-Cox for contacting me and taking the time to email me.


I would tell people that you should step outside your comfort zone with books because it is good to add more authors and genres to your reading portfolio even if you do not read books like this.


I normally read books of this genre but l also stepped outside my comfort zone. I am so glad l did because l have read so many great books and come across some great authors.


I highly recommend this book.
This book has 256 pages and 32 chapters.


Book Dedication: For aunt Pat and Mugsey, - Infinite love.


For anyone who finds healing in our story.


Poems from the start of every chapters.


We do not heal the past by dwelling there; we heal the past living fully in the present. - Marianne Williamson.


Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. - Dr Martin Luther King Jr.


Life must be understood backward, but it must be lived forward. - Soren Kierkegaard.


Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again in to instant flame by an encounter with another human being. - Albert Schweitzer.


Life changes fast. Life changes in an instant you sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends. - Joan Didion.


Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. - Anais Nin.


Just living is not enough... One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. - Hans Christian Anderson.


The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go and not be questioned. - Maya Angelou.


Sweet is the memory of distant friends. Like the mellow rays of the departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart. - Washington Irving.

I go out there so l can look in to myself and when l am there I can see myself standing still and the rest of the world going mad. - Des Lavelle.


It is our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis.


There is no grief like the grief that does not speak. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.


Sometimes the questions are complex and the answers are simple. - Dr. Seuss.


But that is their image of us, so we stay tense, holding are breath, hoping we won't be found out. - Ebine Yamaji.


That broken thing you keep trying to put together can not even compare with that beautiful thing that's waiting to be built. - Mandy Hale.


Throw your dreams in to space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country. - Anais Nin.


You are off to great places!, today is your day your mountain is waiting, so get on your way. - Dr. Seuss.


I was falling. Falling through time and space and stars and sky and everything in between. - Jess Rothenberg.


Never be bullied in to silence never allow yourself to be a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself. - Harvey Fierstein.


Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are relieved by the letting go of a little water. - Christopher Morley.


Fly free and happy beyond birthdays and across forever and we will meet now and then when we wish, in the midst of the one celebration that can never end. - Richard Bach.


Clouds come floating in to my life. No longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. - Rabindranath Tagone.


Whatever end finds us, it would not find us separated. - Stephanie Meyer.


The pain is there, when you close one door on it knocks to come in some where else. - Irvin Yalam.


No tragedy of life, no form of death arouses allencompassing and inconsolable grief than does a suicide no other kind of death turns those left behind so fiercely against themselves, no other kind leaves such lasting scars. They need to be able to wonder out loud what they did wrong and go over and over the details in an effort to make sense for themselves out of a senseless act. They suffer most when they must suffer alone with their hurt and humiliation. - from too young
to die, by Francine Klagsburn.


Do not be dismayed by good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again and meeting again, after moments or lifetimes is certain for those who are friends. - Richard Bach.


While the person who commits suicide dies once, the loved ones left behind may die a thousand deaths wondering why. - Anonymous.


And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. - Anais Nin.

Sometimes what a person needs is not a brilliant mind that speaks, but a patient heart that listens. - Unknown.


Death ends a life, not a relationship. - Robert Benshley.


The truth is, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize the situation is over, you can not move forward. - Steve Maroboli.


I know you are not far away. I feel your presence around me. Our love binds us together always. We two are one eternally. - Unknown.
Only the wounded healer can truly heal. - Irvin Yalom.


Your life is a sacred journey. It is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to  clearly and deeply, listening to see intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path. Exactly where you are meant to be. Right now. And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story in to a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing, of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of power, of dignity, and of love. - Caroline Adams.


Praise for the first signs of April.


Review by other people.


Reading the first signs of April is like sitting in front of a fire with a old friend: Briscoe starts telling her story and all of a sudden the sun is up and you feel as if you have not blinked once. This book will become that friend who stays with you for life. - Melanie Braveman, author of east justice and red.


The first signs of April is an inspiring story about life, death, and how connected we all remain – but only if we are open to listening to the wisdom waiting for us. Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe shows us the power of friendship, and the ways we can heal by embracing all life has to offer. - Linda Joy Myers, president national association of memoir writers, and author of song of the plains: a memoir of family, secrets, and silence.


By living and writing her truth, Briscoe shares her healing journey of loss and love. A compelling read that grabs your attention and will not let you leave. - Priscilla A. Hutchins, licensed psychologist – doctorate, retired.


Synopsis: shut down and disconnected, Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe has lived her life in silence in order to stay alive, her grief is buried, and shame is the skin that wraps around her bones but then, following the brutal murder of a local teacher, she is forced as a grief counselor to face her lifetime of unresolved sorrow will she finally be able to crack the hard edges of her heart and allow in the light so real healing can occur?.


Review: I found this book really easy to get in to and harder to put down. I was hooked on this book after reading the synopsis. I was sad to read that Mary's auntie Pat had cancer but it was nice of Mary to help her auntie and uncle around the house and Mary sounds like a great niece as not many young people would help their family. I loved all the poems in this book and l love that there was one at the start of every chapter. I can not put in to words how great but heartbreaking at the same time. It did not take me long to finish reading this book. Mary sounds so brave telling Joy how she feels about her. I was sad to read that Joy was abused but glad she told Mary. When l was reading this book I would put some essential oils in my humidifier and put the lights on my humidifier on and chill on my bed and listen to music or something on TV. I sometimes light a candle when l am reading this book. When l am reading this aswell as cuddling my kitten Oreo or one of the other kittens that live with me (there are three not including mine). It is good to chill reading a good book. I also took a picture of this book to share it to my Instagram that l made just for pictures of my books it is called donnareviewsbooks. I write book reviews at my desk in my bedroom that is also my lining room, library and office. Sometimes I sit on my bed writing book reviews I sometimes put earplugs in so l can read or write book reviews in peace. I was sad to read that Joy committed suicide and Mary feels if she told somebody about the gun that Joy would still be alive. I think Mary should not feel like that as Joy would not want her to feel like that and Joy did not want to hurt Mary or her family. Mary sounds like a great family member to have and a great friend to have too. Her family should be so proud of her and I would have loved a friend like Mary when l was younger because there was no kids like Mary when l was younger. When this book review is posted it is my birthday but it does not feel the same without my grandad who passed away two years ago. I feel Mary's pain as l have lost lots of family members my first loss was my sister Shirley. I feel like my grandad and my cat (who passed away a year ago) is still around my grandad was a smoker too and l smell smoke in my bedroom and l do not smoke myself and when l was reading about Mary visiting a psychic to see if anybody had any messages for her my bedroom smelt like somebody was smoking in it I think/feel like my grandad was telling me he was still around. Stuff would fall off my shelves and at the time I had no cats and I would feel a cat jump on my bed and l would wake up and nothing would be there and it still happens and it is not any of the kittens we have now. Sleeping and reading helped me through my grief. I like that Mary become a grief counselor. I was really sad to read about the murder of Melissa Jenkins. I was sad to read that Joy's parents never give Mary Joy's letter I wish Mary had got to read it as she needed to know how much Joy loved and did not want to her. The christmas gift Mary made Joy sounded nice and Joy gift to Mary was perfect for a writer and I would tell people to read this book for themselves to know how great but heartbreaking it really is. I would love to read more from Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe. I am glad this book is on my book shelves I would love to buy some of Mary's other book as l got this one for free. As it is getting colder I read under my quilt reading. Sometimes l can not read as l suffer from migraines or a headache. Reading this book makes me feel like l am not alone with grief and that it is okay to cry for lost loved ones. I love reading memoirs and about people's life and l love the title of this book and my Nan is also called Mary and my mum is also called Pat. I am really in love with this book. I was sad that it finished l wish it did not end or there was a follow on to it. I would happily read this book again and again. I love that Mary and her sister got tattoo's l have five tattoos myself but me and my sister are planning to get matching tattoos. Memoirs are one of my favorite type of books to read and sometimes when l am typing up book reviews one of the kittens watch me from the window or on my knee. I love the book dedication. I was sad to read about all the death in this book. I reviewed this book on amazon UK and US and goodreads and my blog.


About the author: Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe, LCMHC, CCTP is a licensed mental health counselor currently on sabbatical from her private psychotherapy practice in northeastern vermont. After spending a year living on the dingle peninsula, Ireland working on her next memoir she is currently splitting her time between cape cod, vermont and Ireland. Mary-Elizabeth has a masters degree in clinical mental health counseling from Lesley university and is a licensed clinical mental health counselor and certified clinical trauma professional. In addition, she has worked as a lecturer at springfield college school of professional and continuing studies St. Johnsbury, vt. Campus. She is a regular contributor to cape women online and sweatpants and coffee magazines. Mary-Elizabeth loves riding her motorcycle and spending as much time as possible with her dog Fergus.


About the book: I love the book cover and the branches with the changing colours. I love that the writing is in white because it makes the writing stand out more.


Star Rating: Five Out Of Five Stars.


I wish l could rate this book more then five stars because it is worth more than the five stars l rated it.



Thursday 1 June 2017

Book Review: M.K Brown: Stranger Than Life: 1970 - 2013 Cartoons And Comics

Stranger Than Life



























This may contain spoilers

Author: M.K Brown.
Title: Stranger than life: 1970 – 2013 cartoons and comics.
Genre: Comics & graphic novels, publishers, fantagraphics, comics, graphic novels,.


I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review I got a email from Serena Agusto-cox because l signed up for poeticbook tours newsletter.


First of all l would like to say a big thank you to M.K Brown for sending me this book and giving me the chance to read it. I would like to say a big thank you to Serena Agusto-cox for taking the time to email me.


I would tell people that you should step outside your comfort zone with books because it is good to add more authors and genres to your reading portfolio even if you do not read books like this.


I normally do not read books of this genre but l stepped outside my comfort zone with authors and genres l am so glad l did because l have read so many great books and come across some great authors.

This is the first graphic novel l have read.


I highly recommend this book.


This book has 248 pages and 10 chapters in it.


Synopsis: M.K brown is one of the funniest cartoonists of the last four decades – or, ever, take your pick – and her body of work has long been savored by aficionados but never comprehensively collected – until now stranger than life is the first retro – spective of brown's cartoons and comics from their original appearances in the national lampoon, mother Jones, the new yorker, playboy, and other magazines and underground comics.

M.K Brown's comics stories satirize suburban anxiety and post – modern ennui by the sheer force of her gentle but piquant, off – kilter observations, along with her slightly pixilated but winsome characters, all of which are perfectly captured in her restless pen line and delicate jewel – tone water colors.

In these pages: read instructions for the uses of glue, making a pair of pants, home of auto repair, coping with chainsaw massacres, and jackknifing your big rig. “ another true – life pretty face in the field of medicine” introduces Virginia spears NgodAjtu who ( with a bit of a name change) would go on to star in “ Dr, Janice N!godatu,” Brown's series of animated shorts that appeared on the Tracy Ullman show alongside the first incarnation of the Simpsons. Plus, enjoy aliens, old people, pilgrims, mermen, monitor lizards, tiny floating muggers, and other weirdos in M.K Brown's side – splitting gag cartoons.


Reviews by other people:
M.K Brown turns the orderly world we think we all live in upside – down, shakes up our perceptions of normality – then hands everything back to us profoundly altered in some way only our subconscious mind truly understands. - Bill Griffith, from his introduction.

What you are holding is a work of rare talent. M.K Brown is the Irene Dunne (do google) of the print world. Hard core fans can, at last, rejoice. First time readers will witness true comic enchantment. So come along children, let us follow and see where this divine woman takes us this time. - Brian McConnachie.

M.K Brown is a uniquely innovative artist. Her work is on a level that no other cartoonist even remotely approaches. - Sam Gross.

Review: when l was reading this book I would put some essential oils in my humidifier and put the lights on my humidifier on and chill on my bed listening to magic or spotify or something on television or netflix. Sometimes l light a candle when l am reading this book. It is good to chill reading a good book when you are not well or in pain. I reviewed this book on goodreads, my blog and amazon UK and US. I also took a picture of this book and shared it on Instagram that l made just for pictures of my books it is called donnareviewsbooks. I found this book really easy to get in to and hard to put down once l started reading it. It did not take me long to read this book. I really liked the pictures in this book and l could not stop laughing at the stories in this book. I have never read a graphic novel before but l am glad l read this one and l plan to read more because of this book. I got this book in paperback. I would happily read this book again and again. I really like the pictures and l wish l could draw like the author. I would like to read more from this author. I wish this book did not finish because it was so good and funny. I was sad to finish reading it. I was hooked on this book after reading the first few pages. I can not put in to words how great and funny this book is l would tell people to read it for themselves to know how great and funny it really is. If l was not sent this book for free l would have bought it.

About this book: I really like this book cover and the drawings on the front and back cover and l like that the writings is in red and black because it stands out more.

Star Rating: Five Out Of Five Stars.


I wish l could rate this book more than five stars because it is worth more than the five stars l rated it.

Sunday 14 May 2017

Book Review: Richard Denham and M.J Trow: World Of Britannia

World of Britannia: 


























This may contain spoilers


Author: Richard Denham and M.J Trow.
Title: World Of Britannia.
Genre: History, Britain & Ireland, Early British & Roman Britain, World History, Europe, Pre – 500,

I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I got this book from T. Squared Books.


First of all l would like to say a big thank you to Richard Denham and M.J Trow for sending me this book and giving me a chance to read it. I would like to say a big thank you to T. Squared books for letting me be apart of their book reviewing team.

I would tell people that you should step outside your comfort zone with books because it is good to add more authors and genres to your reading portfolio even if you do not read books like this.


I normally do not read books of this genre but l stepped outside my comfort zone with authors and genres l am so glad l did because l have read so many great books and come across some great authors.


This book has 210 pages in it.


I highly recommend this book.


Synopsis: World of Britannia forms the historical background to the 'Britannia' trilogy the arrival of Rome's legions, first under Julius Caesar, then aulius plautius in the first century is well documented, but the end of roman rule in Britain remains forever in shadow, ' illuminated' only by contradiction and legend. The action of the Britannia series spans the period 367 – 425 AD, the beginning of what historians, with some justification, used to call the dark ages. It was the twilight of a civilisation that had lasted for nearly five hundred years and Britain would never be the same again. This book documents the little we know, from written records and from archarology and gives a snapshot of a world that was on the brink of vanishing. This book is an invaluable accompaniment to the series, providing insights that are not possible in his historical fiction as a standalone history book, it provides a fast-paced, easily-understood account of one of the least known eras in British history, ' but we must not forget and we must not let our children forget or our children's children! ' forget what? She frowned. ' that there was a wall and there were heroes of the wall. and there was once a Britannia.


Review: I found this book really easy to get in to and hard to put down once l started reading it. It did not take me long to finish this book. I normally do not read about history but after reading this book l really enjoyed reading about history. I really enjoyed reading this book and about Britannia and Romans. I really liked the pictures in this book. I was hooked on this book after reading the first few pages. I can not put in to words how great this book is I would tell people to read this book for themselves to know how great this book really is. It was nice to read about the different gods and names. They was called. I reviewed this book on goodreads, amazon UK and US and my blog and I also took a picture of this book and shared it to my Instagram that l made for pictures of my books it is called donnareviewsbooks. When l was reading this book I would put some essential oils in my humidifier and put the lights on and chill on my bed and listen to magic or spotify or something on TV or netflix. I also put my christmas lights on that are on my christmas tree it is so relaxing. I like reading about all the treasures that are being unearthed and that there are graves being found all over. This book is great and l would happily read it again and again. I am sad to finish reading this book l would love to read more from these authors and more about history. I wish this book did not finish because it was a great read and it was exciting book to read and sometimes l would light a candle when l was reading this book. I got this book in paperback but it is available in other editions I have another book fro M.J Trow l am super excited to read it. I loved reading this book. I wish there was a follow on from this book. It is really nice just to relax with a good book as specially when you are in pain with arthritis or feeling ill. I been reviewing books for over two years and I have read so many great books.


About The Authors: M.J Trow (the 'M' as most people know stands for Meirion, a welsh name few can manage, so he writes as M.J, is known by all and sundry as Mei, rhyming with 'My') has been writing for many years, with his first book – the adventures of inspector Lestrade – being published in 1984 by Macmillan. More Lestrades followed and then some true crime and somehow it all snowballed so now he has many historical biographies and three other crime series (Maxwell, Marlowe and Grand and Batchelor, the latter two written with his wife, writing as Maryanne Coleman, though her name is Carol, actually!) to his credit. He claims to be retired, but that is just from teaching. In fact he has never been busier and is sought after 'ghost' these days as well as historian and novelist, with many different subjects' stories having been told through him. He has recently started collaborating on fiction projects ( with someone other than his wife, that is) and finds it a really exciting and pleasurable experience. To relax he... actually, that's a bit tricky, as he does not really ever relax. He has been know to garden, he is a keen cook and artist and likes to travel. This is rather easier these days as he is a popular speaker on cruise ships – in fact his profile picture was taken on a very gusty day in cape town, setting off on a long voyage home to Southampton through some of the scariest seas he and his wife have had the pleasure to meet! It really was the calm before the storm, despite being a force 9 just leaving the bay. Family is important and he is very proud of his wife, Carol ( aka Maryanne Coleman) for her own books and also the ones they write together, the Kit Marlowe series. His son, Taliesin, know as Tali, is a writer who has written a biography of the tudor explorer Martin Frobisher as well as collaborating with Mei on several biographies. An exciting series is in the melting pot at the moment and will hopefully be appearing soon; remember where you heard it first. Tali is also a musician, playing various instruments with some acclaimed bands; Gemma Hayes, the coal porters, circulus and currently acid-folk ensemble the lords of thyme. He also records and tour-manages. His crystal vocals enhance everything he does and it is just as well someone in the family can sing, as it is the first thing anyone asks a welshman!.

Richard Denham is the co-author of the popular 'Britannia' series with M.J Trow. These books follow a group of soldiers and their descendants through the madness of a chain of events which will eventually lead to the fall of roman Britain and the descent in to the dark ages.
About The Book: I really love this bookcover and that it is a picture of a sky and clouds. It is nice that the font is yellow and white because it makes the writing stand out more. I like the font.

Star Rating: Five Out Of Five Stars.


I wish l could rate this book more than five stars because it is worth more than the five stars l rated it.