Half a Sixpence by Evie Grace Book Review

Posted on July 13, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

Frost is always excited to discover a new author and our excitement was huge upon the discovery of Evie Grace. Her debut novel Half a Sixpence is a dazzling debut that remined me of the Catherine Cookson books I have loved so much. Brilliant historical fiction that draws you in and does not let you go. Even better, this is the first book in a trilogy. We can’t wait until the next instalment.

Set in Kent in the 1830s, Half a Sixpence by Evie Grace is the first in the Maids of Kent trilogy, published on 13th July. Described as Catherine Cookson meets The Darling Buds of May, Half a Sixpence marks the change in rural life on Rook Farm as the mechanisation of the industrial revolution sweeps across the countryside and changes the fate of families forever.

HALF A SIXPENCE

EVIE GRACE

Published by Arrow

Paperback

13th July 2017

Priced £5.99

True love sometimes comes at a price

East Kent, 1830

Catherine Rook takes her peaceful life for granted. Her days are spent at the village school and lending a hand on her family’s farm. Life is run by the seasons, and there’s little time for worry.

But rural unrest begins sweeping through Kent, and when Pa Rook buys a threshing machine it brings turbulence and tragedy to Wanstall Farm. With the Rooks’ fortunes forever changed, Catherine must struggle to hold her family together.

She turns to her childhood companion, Matty Carter, for comfort, and finds more than friendship in his loving arms. But Matty has his own family to protect, and almost as quickly as their love blossomed their future begins to unravel.

With the threat of destitution nipping at her heels, Catherine must forge a way out of ruin . . .

Evie Grace was born in Kent, and one of her earliest memories is of picking cherries with her grandfather who managed a fruit farm near Selling. Holidays spent in the Kent countryside and the stories passed down through her family inspired her to write Half a Sixpence.

She loves researching the history of the nineteenth century and is very grateful for the invention of the washing machine, having discovered how the Victorians struggled to do their laundry.

Half a Sixpence is Evie’s first novel in her Maids of Kent trilogy. Half a Heart and Half a Chance will follow.

The Business of Books or Not: Jane Cable talks to Abby Endler about book blogging for love

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Jane Cable

Jane Cable talks to Abby Endler about book blogging for love

1) What is your book-related job or business?

I run Crime by the Book, a crime fiction review website and its associated social media accounts. My largest platform is on Instagram (@crimebythebook), where I take photos of the books I’m reading and provide my audience with updates as I read them. I also use Instagram to link to my website, where readers can find reviews, author interviews, and more. Crime by the Book can also be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, and has a weekly newsletter as well. Crime by the Book is a passion project – while I would never write off the possibility of turning it into a business down the road, the goal is purely to share a love of books, and as of this moment I don’t make money from it.

2) What is the most rewarding part of it?

I would be hard-pressed to find an element of CBTB that is not rewarding, but if I had to narrow it down, the most rewarding part is the knowledge that I’ve connected readers with books they love. Whether that feedback comes from readers who have bought a book on my recommendation and loved it, or from authors who have seen the enthusiasm of my audience for their book, nothing could be more exciting to me than knowing I’m helping those books find great homes! There’s such an appetite for crime fiction out there, even on a platform like Instagram which is dominated by a younger audience, and I am thrilled and humbled every time I hear from my audience that I’ve helped spark their interest in crime fiction. Likewise, it’s extremely rewarding to hear from authors who are excited by the ways I’ve helped connect their book to those readers!

3) What do you consider to be your major successes?

The growth of my platform on Instagram has been a huge success. Crime by the Book just turned two years old, and also just passed 40,000 Instagram followers. As previously mentioned, Instagram does have the reputation of being dominated by a younger audience, so I consider it a huge success that I’ve found footing with a younger demographic! It’s very exciting to me, as a younger crime reader myself, to see my peers connecting with crime books. I also consider every single chance I have to interview an author a major success, whether that author is a big name (authors like Jo Nesbo, Sara Blaedel, and Clare Mackintosh have all appeared on Crime by the Book), or a debut author. No matter the author’s name-recognition, I’m honored to speak with and learn from every single author I interview. It’s a huge privilege!

4) Have you always loved books, and what are you reading at the moment?

I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember. I started reading mysteries when I was very young – I started with Nancy Drew! And then as I grew up, I transitioned into Agatha Christie, James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell… and my love of reading crime books has just evolved and grown from there. At the moment, I’m reading ORDEAL by Jorn Lier Horst. This Norwegian crime book is part of his William Wisting series, and is the newest installment to be released in the US. I love this series for its detailed portrayal of police work, and its endearing characters.

Bio: Abby Endler is the creator and reviewer behind Crime by the Book, a crime fiction review website and its associated social media accounts. www.crimebythebook.com

At Long Last Love By Milly Adams Review

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

Milly Adams has quite a few books under her belt now and they just keep getting better. She mixes a great talent for fiction writing with a historians gift of facts, weaving the talent and the knowledge together to make the most enjoyable, and readable, war fiction out there. I almost read At Long Last Love in one day. And I would have if my toddler had not been hanging off me. This riveting book is a real page turner, with enough drama and twists to keep you guessing. All books play like a movie in your head, but this one should be made into a real-life one. It has it all: war, spying, the claustrophobia of small village life, family drama, the lot. I loved this book and the characters in it. Grab it before you go off on holiday. It is perfect summer reading.

‘Would anyone ever think of her with real love?’

It’s July 1942, and twenty-three year old nightclub singer Kate Watson has made a home for herself in bombed-blitzed London. A motley crew of friends has replaced the family she’s not spoken to in years. That is until the evening Kate’s sister Sarah walks back into her life.

Sarah has a favour to ask: she needs Kate to return home to Dorset for one month to look after her daughter, Lizzie. Reluctantly Kate agrees, even though it means facing the troubled past she hoped she’d escaped.

Kate is confronted once again by the prejudice and scrutiny of the townsfolk, including the new village vicar. As the war continues, Kate must fight her own battles and find not only the courage to forge a future but perhaps, at long last, love.

A compelling new Second World War novel. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Ellie Dean.

At Long Last Love is available here.

The Hourglass By Tracy Rees Book Review

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

The Hourglass is a book that hooked me quickly and would not let go. Set in the present and the past: The Hourglass perfectly intertwines the stories of Nora, a woman in her forties who is troubled by anxiety and feels like her life is falling apart, and Chloe, a teenager in 1950. Both go to Tenby in Wales but have a different story to tell. Tracy Rees is an excellent writer. Her characters are so well rounded you feel you know them, and she really knows how to set a scene. I want to go to Wales now. The Hourglass is a brilliant, atmospheric, and multi-layered book that will leave you guessing until the end. Unputdownable

2014. Nora has always taken success for granted, until suddenly her life begins to fall apart. Troubled by anxiety and nightmares, she finds herself drawn to the sweeping beaches of Tenby, a place she’s only been once before. Together with a local girl she rents a beautiful townhouse and slowly begins to settle in to her new life. But Tenby hides a secret, and Nora will soon discover that this little town by the sea has the power to heal even the most painful memories.

1950. Chloe visits Tenby every summer. She stays with relatives, and spends the long, idyllic days on the beach. Every year is the same, until she meets a glamorous older boy and is instantly smitten. But on the night of their first date, Chloe comes to a realisation, the aftermath of which could haunt her forever.

The Hourglass is a moving novel about finding love even after it seems too late and the healing power of a magical place by the sea.

The Hourglass By Tracy Rees is available here.

The People at Number 9 by Felicity Everett Book Review

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

The People at Number 9 is an engaging novel. It has all of the things that books need to have to be popular at the moment: characters that are complex and are not necessary likeable, some twists and turns and just enough suspense. I raced towards the end of the book, and was frequently irritated by some of the characters actions. The book is relatable: plenty of people get obsessed with neighbours and those who are not like them. Gav and Lou move next door and Sara gets obsessed with her new arty neighbours. They are everything her middle class privilege is not and she yearns to be part of their world. Little does she know this will have huge consequences for her family. This novel is dark and clever. When I got to the end I wanted to read it again. It has a bit of a twist which is written in a smart way. The People at Number 9 is a cautionary tale about getting- and not getting- what you wish for. But mostly, it is about the dangers of envy, betrayal and selfishness. A triumph.

Meet the new neighbours. Whose side are you on?

When Gav and Lou move into the house next door, Sara spends days plucking up courage to say hello. The neighbours are glamorous, chaotic and just a little eccentric. They make the rest of Sara’s street seem dull by comparison.

When the hand of friendship is extended, Sara is delighted and flattered. Incredibly, Gav and Lou seem to see something in Sara and Neil that they admire too. In no time at all, the two couples are soulmates, sharing suppers, bottles of red wine and childcare, laughing and trading stories and secrets late into the night in one another’s houses.

And the more time Sara spends with Gav and Lou, the more she longs to make changes in her own life. But those changes will come at a price. Soon Gav and Lou will be asking things they’ve no right to ask of their neighbours, with shattering consequences for all of them…

Have you met The People at Number 9? A dark and delicious novel about envy, longing and betrayal in the suburbs…

The People at Number 9 is available here.

We Know All About You: The Story of Surveillance in Britain and America Book Review

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

We Know All About You: The Story of Surveillance in Britain and America by Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones.

Privacy has become a big issue. Everything we do on the internet is tracked and even the NHS sells our records. We Know All About You is a book which charts the history of surveillance. From the first ID cards- given to slaves for passage- to McCarthyism and blacklists, and then Snowden and the NHS. A lot of it is shocking, if not surprising. The information of corporate blacklists that ruins workers lives is sad and damning. The real surprise comes from private surveillance however. I think most people are aware of times the government has abused its power, but private detectives and private video cameras are more popular than ever. In fact, most of the cameras around George Orwell’s home were put there by private citizens. Surveillance is bigger than ever before and it is mostly used to sell us something. It is all rather depressing and in my opinion there is no such thing as privacy anymore. We Know All About You is a brilliant and well-researched book. Entertaining and engaging, it tells the story of surveillance, a subject that could have been dull, in a compelling way. Highly recommended.

We Know All About You shows how bulk spying came of age in the nineteenth century, and supplies the first overarching narrative and interpretation of what has happened since, covering the agencies, programs, personalities, technology, leaks, criticisms and reform. Concentrating on America and Britain, it delves into the roles of credit agencies, private detectives, and phone-hacking journalists as well as government agencies like the NSA and GCHQ, and highlights malpractices such as the blacklist and illegal electronic interceptions. It demonstrates that several presidents – Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon – conducted political surveillance, and how British agencies have been under a constant cloud of suspicion for similar reasons.

We Know All About You continues with an account of the 1970s leaks that revealed how the FBI and CIA kept tabs on anti-Vietnam War protestors, and assesses the reform impulse that began in America and spread to Britain. The end of the Cold War further undermined confidence in the need for surveillance, but it returned with a vengeance after 9/11. The book shows how reformers challenged that new expansionism, assesses the political effectiveness of the Snowden revelations, and offers an appraisal of legislative initiatives on both sides of the Atlantic.

Micro-stories and character sketches of individuals ranging from Pinkerton detective James McParlan to recent whisteblowers illuminate the book. We Know All About You confirms that governments have a record of abusing surveillance powers once granted, but emphasizes that problems arising from private sector surveillance have been particularly neglected.

We Know All About You: The Story of Surveillance in Britain and America is available here.

East London at Dawn Photo book by Anthony Epes

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

One of Frost’s favourite photographers, Anthony Epes, had released a stunning photo book. We highly recommend you get your hands on a copy.

For over a decade photographer Anthony Epes has shot many of the world’s iconic cities at their most peaceful time, dawn. This month marks the publication of a collection of his photographs from one of his most explored haunts, East London.

East London at Dawn is a collection of images showing the city, for the most part, empty and devoid of its usual flood of people. Of those who are awake, most are working, preparing the city for the day before the streets are inundated by the crowds. The subject therefore becomes the city itself, absorbed in the light of sunrise.

The light of a sunrise comes in many forms: the play of light dancing over street art on an ancient crumbling wall on a summer’s morning; a dark stormy daybreak as it wakes over one of the many industrial estates; the wintery midnight-blue sky filled already with the glow of lights from the skyscrapers and cars cramming the streets on the race to work.

Anthony connects us to the atmosphere of sunrise in the city and takes us on a unique exploration of the places in East London that fascinate him. From the stark brutalist architecture of the Balfour Tower, to the misty banks of the Thames with Canary Wharf rising up in the background, to the vibrant edgy street art that appears and disappears at random, to the imprint of new communities, foods and cultures that make up this ever-changing part of London.

Anthony’s interpretation of the city at first light is a spectacular and engaging journey through this special part of London as we see it in its transition.

Accompanying the photos, evocative quotes about the area will reveal the experiences of people who are regularly up at this time.

East London at Dawn is inspired by Anthony’s previous books and exhibitions on Cities at Dawn, including Paris, Venice and Istanbul. In this collection he has captured the rejuvenating energy and beauty of sunrise as well as the ever changing atmosphere of the streets of East London, the layers of history and mix of cultures, as well as the few people who are up at sunrise.

East London at Dawn has been published in association with Leman Locke, and is available exclusively at the hotel and via anthonyepes.com

Book details

Limited edition of 1,000

£35

Hardcover, cloth-bound, embossed cover

80 pages

Words by Diana Bird

About Anthony Epes

Anthony Epes is a fine art photographer whose work has featured in BBC World, CNN Photo, French Photo, Hyper Allergic, Time Out, Atlas Obscura, BBC London, The Telegraph and many other publications.

He has published four photo books, including London at Dawn and Paris at Dawn, and is currently preparing to launch further installments shot in Venice, Havana and Istanbul.

Anthony grew up in California and has been based in London since 2000.

About Locke

Locke is a design-led aparthotel for those who want to challenge the status quo, and experience the unique and authentic. Designed for travellers for whom a bed and shower in a shoebox isn’t enough, Locke immerses you in its neighbourhood’s culture through spaces that connect you to a community of like-minded locals and travellers.

– 168 studios and suites at Leman Locke, London

– 72 studios and suites at Eden Locke, Edinburgh (opening June 2017)

15 Leman St, Whitechapel, London E1 8EN

http://www.lockeliving.com/

WE: A Manifesto for Women by Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Nadel

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

WE: A Manifesto for Women immediately caught my eye. As a proud feminist I am always on the lookout to support other feminists and find out about movements. I jumped at the chance to review this book and starting reading it soon after it arrived. My first thought was that it has lots of good quotes, which I love, and my second was the bravery of Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Nadel. It is so honest and beautiful.

This book is needed as 2017 has been a regression of women’s rights and we need to stick together more than ever. We also need to work towards our own happiness. Not everything in the book is for me; I hate being told to meditate for example, but I found the entire book just so full of truth and helpfulness. Even the parts that I thought weren’t meant for me made me think.

I highly recommend this excellent book. It makes you laugh and it makes you happy. It also lets you know you are not alone. Women have to start speaking the truth about their lives and standing up to the things that oppress us. During an appearance on This Morning Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Nadel were subjected to sexist comments on Twitter and – surprise surprise- The Daily Mail because they were not smiling. Welcome to 2017 people. I believe The Daily Mail headline which was targeted at Gillian Anderson had “miserable bitch” in the title. And that is why we need WE: A Manifesto for Women. Join in now.

In their new book, Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Nadel bring us a rallying cry for women to join together and create a female-led revolution. WE shows us simply how, one woman at a time, we can bring about positive change.

WE: A Manifesto for Women by Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Nadel

‘Imagine a sisterhood – across all creeds and cultures. An unspoken agreement that we, as women, will support and encourage one another. That we will remember we don’t know what struggles each of us may be facing elsewhere in our lives and so we will assume that each of us is doing our best…’

So begins WE: an inspiring, empowering and provocative manifesto for change. Change which we can all effect, one woman at a time. Change which provides a crucial and timely antidote to the ‘have-it-all’ Superwoman culture and instead focusses on what will make each and every one of us happier and more free. Change which provides an answer to the nagging sense of ‘is that it?’ that almost all of us can succumb to when we wake in the dead of night.
Written by actress Gillian Anderson and journalist Jennifer Nadel – two friends who for the last decade have stumbled along together, learning, failing, crying, laughing and trying again – WE is a not a theoretical treatise but instead a rallying cry to create a life that has greater meaning and purpose. Combining tools which are practical, psychological and spiritual, it is both a process and a vision for a more fulfilling way of living. And a truly inspiring vision of a happier, more emotionally rewarding future we can all create together…

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Gillian Anderson is an award-winning film, television, and theatre actor and producer, writer and activist. She currently lives in London with her daughter and two sons. Jennifer Nadel is an award-winning broadcast journalist, qualified attorney, writer, and activist. American-born, she lives in London with her three sons.

http://www.wewomeneverywhere.org/

#wewomen

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