Thursday 29 September 2016

Reviews: The Wendy House by Pauline Barclay



Two reviews posted on Amazon co uk

"This is a beautifully written story. It's not lighthearted as is talking about the greatest fear every mum has. It talks about family, friendship, trust, loyalty and ultimate betrayals.
Highly recommended but only if you're NOT expecting a light read."

"This book is Brilliantly Written, leaving you wanting to keep reading but not wanting it to end. It's very deep and you can feel the heartbreak of both the eldest daughter, and then for her parents side of things. I don't like to give stories away, but I can highly recommend this from Pauline Barclay. She's very creative and can't wait to read more of her work. Thank you Pauline for an incredible read."

Pauline's links

Instagram @paulinebarclay


Saturday 24 September 2016

Honoured with Chill's AWARD: Life Class by Gilli Allan





Four people hide secrets from the world and themselves. Dory is disillusioned by men and relationships, having seen the damage sex can do. Fran deals with her mid-life crisis by pursuing an online flirtation which turns threatening. Stefan feels he is a failure and searches for self-validation through his art. Dominic is a lost boy, heading for self-destruction. 

They meet regularly at a life-drawing class, led by sculptor Stefan. They all want a life different from the one they have, but all have made mistakes they know they cannot escape. They must uncover the past – and the truths that come with it - before they can make sense of the present and navigate a new path into the future.


Life Class was read and evaluated by Chill's readers against the five point criteria below

1.       Were the characters strong and engaging?
2.       Was the book well written?
3.       Did the plot have you turning the page to find out what happened next?
4.       Was the ending satisfying?
5.       Have you told your friends about it?




Monday 19 September 2016

Reviewed: The Wendy House by Pauline Barclay



Review on Amazon (permission given from reviewer to use)

Writing novels that address social inadequacies is a time-honored tradition among the greatest of authors, from Charles Dickens’, OLIVER TWIST on down to Margaret Atwood’s, THE HANDMAID’S TALE. Barclay has just joined that esteemed small group with her latest release, THE WENDY HOUSE.

Never has an author so masterfully entwined the horrifying reality of pedophilia into a story that keeps you wanting to read. Barclay has not delicately or sensitively approached the subject but brilliantly put it forward in all its darkness, while at the same time enticing the reader not to dwell so much on the crime, but to root for the victim to not only survive, but to tell someone, drop her guilt, understand what it is that is happening to her, reconcile with her mother, find resolution.

Oh yes, we want so much for little Nicola to give up her pain and flourish.

Told from the viewpoints of young Nicola and her mother, this intense tale delivers emotions first and information, second.

Pedophiles so cleverly weave their way into families and communities. They know exactly what to say and do to avoid detection and groom their young victims. Learning the signs of something amiss in a child/adult relationship is imperative and it’s all there in THE WENDY HOUSE—the gift-giving, the secrets, the booze, the threats, the strong relationship the abuser establishes with the parents.

Pedophiles can fool the experts so parents cannot be blamed for not detecting the crime happening within their families, but they will bear the results of that abuse—the sullen, unhappy children who later choose perilous lifestyles. And without doubt, they’ll bear the guilt for not protecting those they love the most.

THE WENDY HOUSE, an honest-to-goodness great read despite the subject matter.

Available in Kindle and paperback



Saturday 17 September 2016

First Awards at Chill with a Book!


It’s a very exciting day at Chill with a Book as we announce the first, of what we hope will be many awards.

The first two books to receive the Chill with a Book Award are:

Congratulations to…

Deborah Carr for Broken Faces




AND

 Thorne Moore for The Unravelling.



These books were read by our secret readers and evaluated against the following five point criteria.

1.       Were the characters strong and engaging?
2.       Was the book well written?
3.       Did the plot have you turning the page to find out what happened next?
4.       Was the ending satisfying?
5.       Have you told your friends about it?



There will be more Awards coming very soon to Chill so please keep visiting the site and finding amazing reads.

For more information on Chill with a Book Awards please click here.

Honoured with Chill's AWARD: Broken Faces by Deborah Carr




Four years. Four lives changed forever.

‘As the weight of the plaster of Paris slowly increased on his face, he tried to steady his breathing and not give in to claustrophobia.’

November 1914
When Freddie Chevalier’s best friend, Charles, joins the cavalry and sets off to fight in the Great War he can’t help feeling he’s missing out. Until the war Freddie enjoyed his bucolic existence working on his parent’s farm on the island of Jersey, but now he yearns for excitement.

He’s always harboured a secret passion for Charles’ fiancée, Meri. She’s 'The Girl'. The one he loves but can’t have. Nothing compares to the guilt he feels when he and Meri betray Charles in the worst possible way.

Each will discover that they don't know the others as well as they thought. All of them will be forced to take charge of their lives and find ways to live with the consequences of the choices that they and their friends have made. And by November 1918 everything they thought of as familiar will have vanished.

Praise for Broken Faces:

'One to Watch.' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING MAGAZINE

‘Spent most of my weekend quite mesmerised by this lovely book.’ Welsh Annie Top 500 Reviewer Vine Voice

‘Fans of Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will enjoy.’ Bookmad 

‘A spectacularly powerful book.’ J B Johnston, Brook Cottage Books

‘Beautifully written, meticulously researched, this author is destined to make her mark in the literary world.’ Mr Alan Jackson

‘A poignant story of love, devotion and devastation.’ Pauline


‘Moving and believable.’ Karen Clarke, author of Put A Spell On You

Available in e-book and paperback:

Twitter: @DebsCarr



Honoured with Chill's AWARD: The Unravelling by Thorne Moore




 BY THORNE MOORE




Genre: Domestic noir
Release Date: 21 July 2016
Publisher: Honno Press
From the Top Ten Bestselling Author of A Time for Silence

The Unravelling

When they were ten everybody wanted to be Serena’s friend, to find themselves one of the inner circle. But doing so meant proving your worth, and doing that often had consequences it’s not nice to think about – not even thirty-five years later.

Karen Rothwell is randomly reminded of an incident in her childhood which just as suddenly becomes an obsession. It takes her on a journey into a land of secrets and lies; it means finding that gang of girls from Marsh Green Junior School and most importantly of all finding Serena Whinn.

Praise for Thorne Moore’s novels

‘A true page turner’– www.gwales.com

‘The most chilling part of Thorne Moore's skill is the way that she represents evil' – Helen Tozer, sideline jelly

BUY LINKS








Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thorne.moore.7
Twitter: @ThorneMoore
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6562052.Thorne_Moore
Blog: http://thornemoore.blogspot.co.uk/
Website: thornemoore.co.uk


Saturday 3 September 2016

Publication Day for The Wendy House by Pauline Barclay


I am so excited today as it is the day my latest baby is set out in to the big wide world. Yes, The Wendy House is published.


Available in Kindle from All Amazon stores
Paperback is due out in a couple of days 



When Nicola changes overnight from a bright, happy young child into a sullen, rebellious girl, ceasing to show interest in anything or anyone around her, her parents struggle to understand why. As she develops into a difficult, troubled, hostile teenager they put it down to hormones, believing it will pass. Yet Nicola goes from bad to worse and no matter how much her mother tries to reach out to her, it seems she is hell bent on self-destruction. When she leaves home at seventeen, rushing into the arms of a man ten years her senior and quickly becoming pregnant, her despairing mother almost gives up on her. A decade later, the events that stole Nicola’s childhood and changed the course of her life threaten finally to destroy her. She knows if she is to cling on to her sanity she must tell her mother the dreadful secret she has carried all these years, but her fear that she will be met with disbelief, hostility and branded an evil liar drives her to the edge.

A heart-rending story of betrayal, secrets and gripping fear.

Genre: Women’s Fiction / Family-Noir