The Sea Refuses No River by Bethany Rivers @bethanyrivers77 BLOG TOUR @fly_press #TheSeaRefusesNoRiver

The journey of grief is a strange one

and one not often talked about in our everyday reality of this society,

but I know what it's like to dive deep,

down to the bottom of the wreck,

feel the ribs of the wreck,

after losing a parent so young in life

In this collection, the sea refuses no river, there is an acceptance of the pain and an acceptance of the healing moments; the healing journeys. To quote Adrienne Rich: I came to explore the wreck', and in this collection, Bethany discovers how, 'The words are purposes. The words are maps.'

The Sea Refuses No River by Bethany Rivers was published by Fly on the Wall Poetry on 21 June 2019.  I'm delighted to share a sample poem from the collection here today as part of the #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour

Your Map

(After Louise Gluck)

Destinations are unclear and million-fold.  I have to find ‘end’

on the map.  It’s usually another beginning.  A solitary ‘A’

of not knowing, trying to find its own Z, when I hear my father’s voice:

my death is not your map, you have to find your own key. 

I’m heading for the centre, I think – or is that where I begin? 

The centre doesn’t feel real at all.  You can’t see the centre

of an unclear destination.  Through a door of star magnolia flowers,

there is life.  I hear pigeons coo, full throated.  They come with meaning. 

They know me well.  They’re here to guide.  They know I’m still stuck at A.

Out on the winding roads of Wales, there are no memories of you. 

That photo you took back in ’62, before I was born, that fountain

which knew you by depth and by blueness, future voices hidden deep.

You passed your camera onto me.  You passed on your love of blue.

I call ‘Dad’.  I call louder.  In my dreams I’m always calling you. 

New empty houses, derelict streets, me flying above you, & you occasionally

call back to me through dreams.  I don’t always know what you mean. 

I stare down alleyways, hallways, seaways of azure.

Remember, you say, beneath the desert there is treasure: there is water.

Bethany Rivers' debut pamphlet, Off the wall, was published by Indigo Dreams Publishing. 
She is the author of ‘Fountain of Creativity: ways to nourish your writing' from Victorina Press.
Her biggest passions in life are writing and enabling others to write.
She has been widely published in magazines, anthologies and online in the UK and USA, including: Envoi, Cinnamon Press, Bare Fiction, Fair Acre Press, Verve Poetry Press, Yorkshire Valley Press, Silver Birch Press, The Lampeter Review, The Lake, Blithe Spirit, High Window Literary Journal, Laldy Scottish Literary Journal, Writers' Cafe, Riggwelter, I am not a silent poet, Picaroon Poetry, Three Drops from a Cauldron, The Ofi Press.

She has an M.A. in Creative Writing from Cardiff University and has taught creative writing for over 13 years.
She also mentors writers individually, through the writing of their novels, short stories, children's fiction, memoirs, and poetry: www.writingyourvoice.org.uk 

Bethany Rivers is also editor of the online poetry magazine, As Above So Below, which publishes poetry on the theme of spirituality and transcendence.

Twitter @bethanyrivers77

A Modern Family by Helga Flatland @HelgaFlatland BLOG TOUR @OrendaBooks #AModernFamily Translated by @rosie_hedger

When Liv, Ellen and Håkon, along with their partners and children, arrive in Rome to celebrate their father’s seventieth birthday, a quiet earthquake occurs: their parents have decided to divorce.

Shocked and disbelieving, the siblings try to come to terms with their parents’ decision as it echoes through the homes they have built for themselves, and forces them to reconstruct the shared narrative of their childhood and family history.

A bittersweet novel of regret, relationships and rare psychological insights, A Modern Family encourages us to look at the people closest to us a little more carefully, and ultimately reveals that it’s never too late for change…

A Modern Family by Helga Flatland was published in paperback by Orenda Books on 13 June 2019. I read and reviewed this book some time ago and loved it. I've been shouting about it ever since. I'm delighted to re-share my thoughts today as part of the Blog Tour

My Review

Helga Flatland has created a seemingly ordinary Norwegian family; with ageing parents, three siblings and associated partners and their own children. They are on their way to Rome, for a family holiday to celebrate Sverre's 70th birthday.
It is in Rome that the three siblings; Liv, Ellen and Hakon learn that their parents' marriage is over and that they intend to divorce. I've often thought that it must be so much harder for adult children to deal with a parental divorce; it must raise so many questions, and doubts about your family.


A Modern Family is narrated in three points of view; the majority of the story is told by Liv and Ellen, with some input from Hakon toward the end. These three adults were brought up together, by the same two parents, yet their own narratives are so very different. Dealing with the fall out from their parents' announcement has made each of them think about their own relationships; with each other, with their parents and with their own extended family and friends.
Liv, Ellen and Hakon are not particularly likeable, and it's fascinating how they each concentrate on the effect of the divorce on them, hardly giving thought to their parents and how unhappy they may have been.
All of the siblings have their own memories from childhood and as they each reconstruct their experiences of childhood, it's incredibly telling that their perception of themselves, and of the rest of their family relationships are so dramatically different. 


I have felt like an intruder into this family. I have felt as though they are my family, I have felt as though I am spying. Helga Flatland's slow, quiet prose is absolutely perfectly fitting for the situation. This is not an action-packed thrill of a read; it is a extremely insightful and incredibly empathic realisation of the psychology of family. 


Flatland writes with an elegance that one just savours with the greatest of delight. There's also subtle humour and a shrewd and insightful examination of the psychology of family, and of loss.


A Modern Family is not just good, it is masterful. It is fresh and original, with a depth of vision that is breath taking. Expertly translated by Rosie Hedger, I have no doubt that this novel will feature in my best of the year list.

Praise for A Modern Family

The most beautiful, elegant writing I’ve read in a long time. If you love Anne Tyler, you will ADORE this’ Joanna Cannon

‘Absolutely loved its quiet, insightful generosity’ Claire King

‘It is the most satisfying book that I’ve read in a long time, and the most clear-eyed, honest, yet sympathetic examination of relationships that I have ever read. The subtlety with which she portrays the inconsistencies between how the characters see each other versus how they see themselves is masterful’ Sara Taylor

‘There is a hint of Ingmar Bergman in this portrayal of a completely normal family, it delves deep and wrenches your heart’ Adresseavisen

‘Completely gripping in its intimacy, it's a really deep delve into relationships but also a stark dissection of the illusions we rely on about who we are. Another hit from Orenda Books’ Live Many Lives

‘A beautifully written and highly thought-provoking literary novel exploring the psychology and practicalities of marriage, commitment and individuality … There’s so much bubbling under the surface here, revealing not only how much the characters DO know about each other, but also how much they DON’T, plus all of the secrets they’ve been trying to hide. A Modern Family is honest and brutal – family life laid bare, down to its deepest foundations’ Off-the-Shelf Books

WINNER OF THE NORWEGIAN BOOKSELLERS’ AWARD

Helga Flatland ( born 16 September 1984) is a Norwegian novelist and children’s writer. 

She was born in Notodden and grew up in Flatdal. 

She made her literary debut in 2010 with the novel Bli hvis du kan. Reis hvis du må, for which she was awarded the Tarjei Vesaas’ debutantpris . 

The novel was the first in a trilogy, and was followed by Alle vil hjem. Ingen vil tilbake (2012) and Det finnes ingen helhet (2013). 

In 2015 she published the novel Vingebelastning, as well as the children’s book Eline får besøk. 

In 2015 Flatland was awarded the Amalie Skram Prize and Mads Wiel Nygaard’s Endowment.

Twitter @HelgaFlatland

What Nobody Knew by Amelia Hendrey @AmeliaHendrey BLOG TOUR @BOTBSPublicity #WhatNobodyKnew

My story begins aged 3, when my mother abandoned me and left me with my brutal father to raise me. Nobody knew the secrets that went on inside that house, or the journey that I travelled on after leaving it, until now. This is the story of my survival. What do you do when no one wants you? How many people need to destroy a child until that child wants to destroy herself? What if social services always got told a different story? 

What would you do if you were in my position? 

Survival is key.

What Nobody Knew by Amelia Hendrey was originally published in December 2017 and is the author's own account of her traumatic childhood. My thanks to the author who sent my copy for review, and to Sarah from Book on the Bright Side Publicity who invited me to take part on this Blog Tour

I do read a lot of non-fiction and memoirs but it's been quite some time since I read a 'misery memoir' (I don't particularly like that description of genre, but it seems to be the acknowledged name within bookselling).  I remember 'A Man Named Dave' by Dave Pelzer, and the incredible 'Angela's Ashes' by Frank McCourt well, and for quite a few years, there seemed to be shelf upon shelf of books of the same ilk.

At that time I was working in psychiatric care and then went on to work with children in the looked-after system and it felt like my whole life was consumed by fear, misery, abuse and violence. It began to feel as though nothing could shock me anymore, so I took a break from reading about it.

When I read the information about What Nobody Knew by Amelia Hendrey, I was immediately drawn to it. Whilst I am glad that I've read her story, it would be very difficult to say that I enjoyed reading it. Even if it were a work of fiction, it would be almost impossible to describe this book as something to read for pleasure. However, I would urge people to pick up this book and to read it, although I'd warn anyone who may have experienced a similar situation to be prepared; don't read it if you think it will harm you.

Amelia's story is certainly one of survival. Her mother abandoned her when she was aged just three and her father was a brutal, violent man who abused her constantly. Interwoven through Amelia's own memories are excerpts from official papers, and it is when these are examined that the reader realises just how terribly this poor child was let down by those who are there to protect. 

This is a heartbreaking, shocking and horrific story of how a child can slip through the net. It defies belief that humans can treat other humans in such a way, especially their own child. I have much admiration for the author and hope that being able to write her story down and tell others has helped her through her journey.

Amelia is a mum and a survivor.

She wrote her book What Nobody Knew to help other people who have been through similar experiences and to educate people who are unaware of what goes on behind closed doors.

She has no previous writing experience, she’s just one person who wants to change the world for the better.

She also loves cats and reading In her spare time.

Twitter: @AmeliaHendrey

http://Www.facebook.com/ameliahendreyauthor

Paperback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1912145723/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_akNlAb602ED

Amazon USA. https://www.amazon.com/What-Nobody-Knew-Amelia-Hendrey/dp/1912145723/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549314178&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=what+nobody+knew&dpPl=1&dpID=41ywb2zu5AL&ref=plSrc

Kindle: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077Y2G3XN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_uKNlAb37QM425

iBooks: What Nobody Knew by Amelia Hendreyhttps://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/what-nobody-knew/id1321875003?mt=1

https://www.waterstones.com/book/what-nobody-knew/amelia-hendrey/9781912145720

https://www.bookdepository.com/What-Nobody-Knew-Amelia-Hendrey/9781912145720?ref=grid-view&qid=1520801403165&sr=1-2

Barnes & Noble

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-nobody-knew-amelia-hendrey/1127594537?ean=9781912145720

Kobo

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/what-nobody-knew

WHSmith

https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/what-nobody-knew/9781912145720

The Whisper Man by Alex North @writer_north BLOG TOUR @MichaelJBooks @JennyPlatt90 #TheWhisperMan

If you leave a door half-open, soon you'll hear the whispers spoken . . .

Still devastated after the loss of his wife, Tom Kennedy and his young son Jake move to the sleepy village of Featherbank, looking for a much-needed fresh start.

But Featherbank has a dark past. Fifteen years ago, a twisted serial killer abducted and murdered five young boys.

Until he was finally caught, the killer was known as 'The Whisper Man'.

Of course, an old crime need not trouble Tom and Jake as they try to settle in to their new home.

Except that now another boy has gone missing. And then Jake begins acting strangely.

He says he hears a whispering at his window . . .

The Whisper Man by Alex North was published in hardback by Michael Joseph on 13 June 2019. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review and who invited me to take part in this blog tour.

It's almost thirty years ago since I read the book that I've always said is the best crime fiction novel ever written; the only book that gave me nightmares. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris has always been my serial killer benchmark.

It's taken a very long time, but here's a book that has finally hit that benchmark, in fact I think it's probably overtaken the mark. I read The Whisper Man in two sittings; finishing it in the very early hours of the morning I was due to fly out to Corfu.

I have had nightmares .... I hear that whispered rhyme everywhere. It frightens the life out of me.

Widower Tom Kennedy and his young son Jake are moving to the small village of Featherbank after the tragic death of Jake's mother.  Tom is a little unsure about the house, but young Jake knew instantly that he wanted to live there.

The village of Featherbank has something of a gruesome history. All of the children know the 'Whisper Man' rhyme .... created after the abduction and murder of five young boys many years ago. It seems, however, that history is repeating itself as a local lad has disappeared; vanished as he walked home, and young Jake has heard the whispering.

As the story unfolds, the links between the historical cases and the most recent disappearance are investigated; this is cleverly and intricately done, leaving the reader in no doubt about the skill of the author.

Although this is at its heart, a crime novel, it is also a sensitive and delicate exploration of the father/son relationship. There's some beautifully written, heart wrenching dialogue between Tom and Jake, and the father/son theme continues as the reader learns more about each character within the story.

Brilliantly paced, with a plot that is both compelling and intriguing; The Whisper Man has quite rightly been raved about by critics and fellow authors. It is chillingly creepy and so very very tense.

Probably the best serial killer novel that I'll read for the next thirty years!  Bravo Alex North.

Alex North was born in Leeds, where he now lives with his wife and son. 

He studied Philosophy at Leeds University, and prior to becoming a writer he worked there in their sociology department.

Dead Inside by Noelle Holten BLOG TOUR @nholten40 @BOTBSPublicity #DeadInside @KillerReads

When three wife beaters are themselves found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet.

The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood – who is connected to all three victims – is hiding a dark secret. Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered.

And he is Lucy’s husband.

Now the police are running out of time, but can Maggie really believe her friend Lucy is a cold-blooded killer?

Dead Inside by Noelle Holten was published by Killer Reads on 31 May 2019 and is the author's debut novel.  My thanks to Sarah from Book on the Bright Side Publicity who invited me to take part on this Blog Tour.

I rarely pre-order books, and I can't actually remember ever pre-ordering a debut novel. However, I've had this one on pre-order for six months, ever since it became available to order. I was really lucky to get a pre-publication copy too, signed by the author, which will be treasured.

I think it's fair to say that Dead Inside is probably one of the most anticipated crime novels of the year. The author, Noelle Holten is a well-known and highly respected crime fiction blogger and has supported crime authors, and bloggers for years. Everyone wants her to succeed. However, that does pile on the pressure just a little bit, as all of us want to write an honest review of a book and not be compromised by who the author is.

Hallelujah! It really hasn't been an issue, it's not hard to shout loudly about Dead Inside because it's damn good read, and the cover quote from Martina Cole (Queen of Crime) says it all; it really is 'an excellent read'.

Dead Inside is book one in a police procedural series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson from the Domestic Abuse and Homicide Unit; a new department within the Staffordshire police force.
Whist Maggie is the lead character and this is her series; this first instalment features Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood as one of the main characters too, and for me, her story was more compelling than Maggie's.

As a probation officer working with men convicted of domestic violence, Lucy is used to dealing with the more seedy side of life. She faces up to dangerous, angry men every single day. She issues warnings, she sends them back to prison. She's good at her job, and doesn't back down when faced with an intimidating client. Sadly, her home life doesn't mirror her professional career, and when she steps into her house every evening, she becomes a victim. She becomes another women who is frightened to open her mouth until she knows what sort of mood her husband Patrick is in. She cowers when she smells the alcohol on his breath. She covers up the marks and the bruises from his fists. She stays though. She stays because of Patrick's daughter Siobhan who has no other constant in life. How can she leave?

Back to Maggie who finds herself investigating the murder of a known offender; another violent man, similar to Patrick. Maggie's past experience in the force makes her a little nervous of the case, but it's not long before she's firmly stuck in and asking questions. This soon turns into a serial-killer case as three more men are found murdered, and each one of them are clients of Lucy. The story gets even closer to home for Lucy when a fourth man is killed.

It is clear that this author spent many years working in the criminal justice sector. Her knowledge of probation service issue adds such depth to this story, and is a welcome change to the usual police team investigation novels which rarely refer to outside agencies at all.

The plot is fast-paced, gritty and realistic, with twists and unexpected events every now and again to keep the reader on their toes.  However, I really think that this author's real talent is in creating character and giving her readers a real insight into the effects of crime, especially domestic violence. It's a dark and often painful subject to read about but the author deals with it with such empathy and sensitivity whilst not holding back with the realism and tragic effects at all. She touches on the nature v nuture element of learned behaviours too, and it is done elegantly.

Dead Inside has it all; police, probation, murder, grit and a cast of amazing characters. I'm looking forward to the next in the series and will be interested to see how Maggie and her team develop.




Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. 
She is the PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and was a regular reviewer on the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast. 
Noelle worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of cases including those involving serious domestic abuse. 
She has three Hons BA's - Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice - and a Masters in Criminology. Noelle's hobbies include reading, author-stalking and sharing the booklove via her blog. 

Dead Inside is her debut novel with Killer Reads/Harper Collins UK and the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson
Twitter @nholten40