Genuine, Emotive and Relatable: Because of You by Helene Fermont Interview

/ Jenn / Leave a comment

So recently I was very lucky to be made a part of #thebteam with @Bookollective! This is my first contribution to the team, so without any further ado I bring you an interview with the lovely Helene Fermont and a book giveaway!

The Book

Because of You
Because of You by Helene Fermont
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

add-to-goodreads-button

Synopsis:

Because of You spans 36 years in the life of Hannah Stein, a Swedish teenager who arrives in London, at the tail end of the disco era, for a gap year before embarking on a teaching career. The people she meets change the course of her life irrevocably and the novel charts her changing personal and professional fortunes over the next three decades. Because of You is about love, coming of age, friendship, bereavement, stillbirth and rape. Its themes include redemption, acceptance, fidelity and family. Because of You is a story that every woman can relate to.

This is a dark, morally complex and cross-generational story of enduring love, fate and destiny and will appeal to readers who appreciate an emotive, uncompromising and fulfilling read driven by character and circumstance.

Interview

1) What inspired me to write this novel?

I’m interested in human relationships/interaction and couldn’t find a novel that’s not part of a current trend. I’m character driven and write from the heart about people and situations that readers can relate to in one way or the other. Because of You has a big heart and the characters experience hardship, love and loss just like in real life.

2) Was it hard to write a story that would mean a lot to so many women?

Sometimes. I’ve encountered many people ( men and women ) who experience bad things that no one foresees will happen to them. If readers feel they are able to relate to and identify with my characters on a deeper level, I’ve succeeded as author and all the time and effort will be well spent.

3) Did you draw from your own experiences?

Don’t all authors? Absolutely! The characters aren’t in any way based on me or people I know yet there are elements and situations that most people will recognise, relate to and empathise with.

4) Who is my favourite character and why?

That’s a difficult question since I’m quite fond of most of them! Probably, Hannah and Vanessa. They are such polar opposites yet both survive in their own respective way. Particularly Vanessa who transforms the most.

5) Which three words would you use to describe this novel?

Genuine, emotive and relatable.

Thanks Helene!

Giveaway!

This book was wonderful, but don’t just take my word for it! If you want your very own copy then enter the giveaway below! UK Only, ends 17/11.

 

 

If you want to read reviews on this book by other bloggers, check out the tour below!

because-of-you-tour

Book Review & Giveaway: The Territory Escape by Sarah Govett

/ Jenn / Leave a comment

I was SO lucky to have been given a copy of this book early from the lovely Sarah Govett and Firefly Press! Good job too because I don’t know if I could have waited much longer for it! I LOVED it. It was just as amazing as the first but also SO SO different. What book am I talking about? Without further ado:

The Territory Escape 
The Territory: Escape by Sarah Govett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The year is 2059.  Fifteen-year-old Noa Blake has passed the exam to stay in The Territory – but her childhood friend Jack has been shipped off to the disease-ridden Wetlands, a death sentence in all but name.

Noa and Raf have vowed to rescue him, but how? With an electric fence, gun towers and a police state monitoring their every move, getting into the Wetlands looks impossible, let alone getting home again.

Review

It was different from the first, but in a good way! First of all the setting is different as Noa and Raf leave the Territory and try to survive in the wetlands. You can tell every part of this book is thought out, it’s not one of those wishywashy, everything is easy, stories. Oh no, they struggle. They have disease ridden mosquito swarms to contend with, lack of freshwater, food, security etc. HOW they deal with it is amazing. The detail Sarah goes into is perfect, I feel educated and entertained at the same time (I now know how to collect freshwater from condensation!)

It’s not just the elements and nature they’re up against, oh no my dear friends! We get introduced to some new characters, more heartache and struggles, both moral and physical. People who, when faced with adversity, don’t band together, they attack and take what’s not theirs.

You need to read this book. My only qualm is that the book is over too soon! I again cannot WAIT until the next one! Hurry up and write it Sarah 😉

View all my reviews

Please Note: I wasn’t given an early copy of this book for review, I did the review off my own back, my review is honest and unbiased.

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of this book, for a chance to win a copy of this fabulous book, simply follow me, @jenniely on Twitter, and RT the tweet below! UK only, ends 30/10!

 

Good Luck!

Book Review: The Territory by Sarah Govett

/ Jenn / Leave a comment

First I want to say that Sarah Govett is so lovely! M’kay. I did short review of this in my mass review post here where I also reviewed Purge by Kat Ellis, Unboxed by Non Pratt, The Deviants by C.J. Skuse, Contagion by Teri Terry and Saint Death by Marcus Sedgwick. Here is a synopsis of the book and my full review!

The Territory by Sarah Govett

The Territory by Sarah Govett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The year is 2059. Noa Blake is just another normal 15 year old. Except in the Territory normal isn’t normal. The richest children can download information and bypass the need to study. In a flooded world of dwindling resources, Noa and the other ‘Norms’ have their work cut out to compete. And competing is everything – anybody who fails the TAA exam at 15 will be shipped off to the disease-ridden Wetlands, to a life of misery, if not certain death.

But how to focus when your heart is being torn in two directions at once?

Review

I loved the style this book was written in. It was almost like diary entries detailing the life of Noa as she got closer and closer to her TAA exams, the exams which every child has to take when they’re 15 to determine whether they can stay in the Territory, or are shipped off to the disease-ridden wetlands to die. It made me feel connected to Noa, like I understood what she was feeling and thinking, what was motivating her actions. The narrative gave insights into this dystopian future that were terrifyingly believable. Each of the characters were different and well developed. I was often surprised as they deviated from what I expected them to do. I don’t want to go into too much detail as I want this to remain spoiler free.

Sarah pulled out all the stops and I was shocked and surprised MANY times, I was in tears by page 5 and there were a few other times this book hurt my heart.

sad

The story was driven and compelling, with a need to know what was happening next. I genuinely was wrong SO many times about what I thought was happening, which was amazing! The story left us on a bit of a cliff hanger which made me SO eager for the next book I can’t even.

shocked

The themes this book explores are some of my favourites and are definitely worth thinking about. What will those in power decide for us when there are really no good decisions left? Who gets to live and who has to die when the land is running out disease is spreading? It makes you question what you would do, to save yourself or your family. Would you leave? It also brings up the theme of genetic modification, which has been explored many times but The Territory took it to a new level! And of course something that is ever relevant: prejudice of those less or more fortunate than us.

5/5 I definitely recommend you all go and pick this up before the sequel comes out in October!

View all my reviews

 

Audiobook Review, Interview and GIVEAWAY: Blog Tour Stop for Omari and the People

/ Jenn / 1 Comment

I’ve had the pleasure of hosting a stop on the blog tour for the audiobook of Omari and the People by Stephen Whitfield! This stop will include a review, interview and GIVEAWAY! Please let me know what you think as this is my first blog tour!

Audiobook Info

3d-cover

Audiobook Title: Omari and the People
Author: Stephen Whitfield
Narrator: Curt Simmons
Publisher: ShirleyCastle Press
Length: 11 hours and 17 minutes (unabridged)
Audio Release Date: June 20, 2016

Synopsis: “In a squalid ancient city on the edge of a desert (based in part on the African Sahara’s Empty Quarter) a weary, thrill-seeking thief named Omari sets his home afire to start anew and to cover his many crimes. When the entire city is unintentionally destroyed by the flames, the cornered thief tells the displaced people a lie about a better place which only he can lead them to, across the desert. With the help of an aged, mysterious woman who knows a better place actually does exist, they set out. The desperate people must come together to fight their way through bandits, storms, epidemics, and more. As a result of Omari’s involvement with Saba, a fiercely independent woman who is out to break him in the pay of a merchant whom he has offended, his ability  to lead – his very life – is jeopardized.”
©2014 ShirleyCastle Press (P)2016 Stephen Whitfield

Buy on Audible⎮Amazon

add-to-goodreads-button

Review

Omari and the People was a GREAT listen! A brilliant story of love, loss and betrayal. When I started listening to this audiobook, I planned on listening for a short while whilst making dinner. Next thing I knew I was an hour in! I was hooked. With hints of mystery right from the beginning, it keeps you listening to discover more, rewarding you with many surprises! It’s a very character driven story, with the characters evolving throughout.  Omari is such an anti-hero, and I loved it. He did NOT relish his new found destiny, at all, which was very refreshing. The setting of the story was very visual, and I could picture myself alongside the characters on their journey.
Curt’s voice was amazing and definitely encouraged my love of this story.

The accent was well executed and added to the story immensely, adding definition to each different character.

4/5 Stars, I would recommend!

Interview with the Author

Stephen Whitfield was kind enough to answer some questions I had about the audiobook. Thank you Stephen!

1. How would you describe the story in 100 characters?

She loves a thief she’s hired to destroy ; a thief forced to lead a people to a land he doesn’t believe exists. Love & Danger

2. What inspired you?
How we struggle through disasters, natural and romantic has always fascinated me.

3. How do you feel the narrator of the book related to the voice of your hero?
Curt Simmons provided an authentic and entertaining voice for all the characters in the story.

4. What’s your favourite scene of your audiobook vs the book?
One of the joys of writing for me is to create a scene  in my mind both visceral and sublime and then write it into existence. My favorite scenes are those which I believe I was able to realize in print. As a result I have too many scenes to list – I can’t choose. When I hear the performer speak those scenes as if he understands what went into them I am very pleased.  Curt was able to do that consistently throughout the story.

5. How involved were you in the process of making the audiobook?
I offered  broad advice and got out of the way.

6. Does the main character sound how you imagined?
The main characters were created in large part from people I know, including myself. I didn’t really expect Curt to sound just like them, but to capture their spirit. He did that quite well.

7. Do you discuss pronunciations with the narrator?
Yes, but not very much,.I used Semitic names and places and I had an understanding about how they sounded. Curt asked me about a few of them for his performance, but it is important to state that if the performer needs too much direction and guidance, you’ve chosen the wrong performer.  I knew Curt was the right person for the audiobook and I trusted his judgment. I don’t know how well he sings, though.

8. What part did you write first?
The opening scene. It was once a very short story that grew.

9. How long did it take you to write?
The first version 4-5 months. Then there were significantly larger revisions that took much longer.

10. Do you think an audiobook is an accompaniment to a book or something else entirely?
Both. Each can stand alone but the experiences are quite different.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Stephen Whitfield and Curt Simmons. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Giveaway!

To enter to win a FREE digital copy of the audiobook, please click here! It will take you to a rafflecopter page where there are many ways to enter. It’s open Internationally and closes on 16/10. Good Luck!

Thanks for reading, please share this post!

 

Omari and the People Tour

Reading Slumps and Book Reviews

/ Jenn / 1 Comment

Reading Slump

I’ve had a bit of a reading slump this year as I’m studying a Digital Marketing MSc and my focus has been that and working. I’m currently working on my Dissertation which focusses on Digital Marketing in Publishing (if you have anything to say about this please let me know in the comments I’d love it!)

BUT in the last week I’ve managed to read 6 books! (5 of those in 4 days).

giphy

I’ve also had a bit of a blog slump so I’ve decided to write a bit of a roundup of the books I’ve read here before writing my more in depth reviews later!

Purge by Kat Ellis – NEW RELEASE September 6th!
Unboxed by Non Pratt
The Territory by Sarah Govett
ARC: The Deviants by C.J.Skuse – September 22nd 2016
ARC: Contagion by Teri Terry – Release date 2017
ARC: Saint Death by Marcus Sedgwick – October 6 2016

Book Review Roundup

PurgePurge by Kat Ellis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! It had me gripped from the start, I wanted to know more about the world they lived in and how it differed from ours. I was invested in the character’s stories and I needed to know what was happening.
I loved the structure of the book with different narratives and how they related to each other. Both Mason and Eden aren’t typical YA protags – they have issues and some of them they don’t really ‘grow’ out of, but I won’t say more about that for spoilers.
There was always something more going on beneath the surface and it’s well worth the wait for each reveal! I’d LOVE a sequel to this book…
Definitely recommend!

View all my reviews

UnboxedUnboxed by Non Pratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this book! Short and sweet, I really related to the characters. The feelings that arise when confronted by old friends in such a situation were captured beautifully.
This book really got me thinking on diversity and my own experiences of it, it made me see some things in a new light and a book that can do that is brilliant indeed.
The Territory (The Territory, #1)The Territory by Sarah Govett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved the way this book was written, it was almost like diary entries detailing the life of Noa as she got closer and closer to her TAA exams, the exams which would determine whether she would live or die.
This story really gets you thinking, what will those in power decide for us when the decisions are that hard? Who gets to live and who has to die when the land is running out disease is spreading?
It makes you question what you would do, to save yourself or your family. Would you leave?
It also brings up the theme of genetic modification, which is very quickly becoming a reality in our lives.
Amazing compelling story which was well written, cannot wait for the next one!

The DeviantsThe Deviants by C.J. Skuse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cliche I know but I couldn’t put this down. I picked up up last night and stayed up to finish it. I had no idea what the book was about when I started and I was just so gripped right from the first scene!
I loved the way the narrator tells the story, prompted by a question at the end of each chapter, which draws you further and further in until you can’t escape.
It was beautifully harrowing, touching upon such sensitive topics so well. I kept thinking I knew what was happening/going to happen/had happened but I was shocked each time!
It left me in tears, my soul sore from their pain.
The way it was written was brilliant and realistic – with a lot of things I could relate to in terms of the language they used etc.

I would definitely recommend this book but it’s not for the faint hearted!

View all my reviews

Contagion (Dark Matter, #1)Contagion by Teri Terry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was brilliant. I love virus narratives and I was not disappointed with this one. There were definitely more than a few surprises in this book, needless to say you’re kept guessing a lot in it.
It combined the very real threat of virus outbreak with futuristic theories on dark matter and physics which was really interesting.

I’ve always been fascinated by the curing and creating of disease in fiction – where science is messed around with to disastrous consequences. This fits the bill completely. Definitely add it to your TBR pile!

The only negative I have about this book is the ending. It is a severe cliff hanger, almost to the point where they story feels cut off short. I definitely cannot wait for the next installment!

View all my reviews

Saint DeathSaint Death by Marcus Sedgwick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Admittedly I didn’t read what this was about before I started it, if I’d had I probably wouldn’t have read it.
The writing itself was great, however the plot itself just did not appeal to me. I didn’t feel particularly invested in the characters and didn’t feel particularly satisfied at the ending of the novel.
Don’t let my review put you off though! I’m sure to someone who’s interested in this type of thing would love it!

View all my reviews

Have you guys read any of these? Let me know what you thought! I think my reading may slow down again a bit now but at least I’m out of my slump!