RBRT Gold:My Review Team’s Favourite BooksHow time flies – Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team has now been up and running for six years! During that time we have done our best to spread the word about novels, novellas, short stories and non-fiction from self-published authors and independent publishers – to showcase talent found outside the mainstream publishing world. Each month we are inundated with review requests from authors and publishers alike. Every book that I accept is passed on to my team of twenty readers, which is made up of book bloggers, writers, editors, creative writing tutors and people who just love reading. Most gain just one or two reviews, but once in a while a gem comes along that piques the interest of several team members, and receives highly favourable reviews across the board. Welcome to Part One of #RBRT Gold: seven extra-special books that were greatly enjoyed by three or more team members. Under the title of each book, you can read its team reviews, which include Amazon links. Enjoy! Fred’s Funeral by Sandy Day WW1 Historical Fiction novella Excerpt from blurb:A Novella Based on True EventsHis family said he was shell-shocked. The asylum’s doctors disagreed. It’s 1986 and Fred Sadler has just died of old age. It’s seventy years since he marched off to the war in France, young and raring to go. He put everything on the line for his country and family, but when he came home, they rejected him. This is why Fred can’t rest in peace. Reviewed by:
The Silent Kookaburra by Liza Perrat Dark Family Drama
Excerpt from blurb: All eleven-year-old Tanya Randall wants is a happy family. But Mum does nothing besides housework, Dad’s always down the pub and Nanna Purvis moans at everyone except her dog. Then Shelley arrives –– the miracle baby.Tanya’s life gets even better when she meets an uncle she didn’t know she had. Then one blistering summer day tragedy strikes, and the surrounding mystery and suspicion tear apart this fragile family web. Embracing the social changes of 1970s Australia, against a backdrop of native fauna and flora, The Silent Kookaburra is a haunting exploration of the blessings, curses and tyranny of memory. Reviewed by:
The Women Of Heachley Hall by Rachel Walkley Romantic mystery
Excerpt from blurb: Miriam has one year to uncover Heachley Hall’s unimaginable past and a secret that only women can discover. The life of a freelance illustrator will never rake in the millions so when twenty-eight year old Miriam discovers she’s the sole surviving heir to her great-aunt’s fortune, she can’t believe her luck. She dreams of selling her poky city flat and buying a studio. But great fortune comes with an unbreakable contract. To earn her inheritance, Miriam must live a year and a day in the decaying Heachley Hall. Reviewed by:
That Summer At The Seahorse Hotel by Adrienne Vaughan Romantic Suspense
Excerpt from blurb: Mia Flanagan has never been told who her father is and aged ten, stopped asking. Haunted by this, she remains a dutiful daughter who would never do anything to bring scandal or shame on her beautiful and famously single mother. So when Archie Fitzgerald, one of Hollywood’s favourite actors, decides to leave Mia his Irish estate she asks herself – is he her father after all? That Summer at the Seahorse Hotel is a tale of passion, jealousy and betrayal – and the ghost of a secret love that binds this colourful cast yet still threatens, after all these years, to tear each of them apart. Reviewed by:
La Petite Boulain by Gemma Lawrence Tudor Historical fiction
Excerpt from blurb: May 1536, London… a fallen queen sits waiting in the Tower of London, condemned to death by her husband. As Death looms before her, Anne Boleyn, second queen of Henry VIII looks back on her life…from the very beginning. Daughter of a courtier, servant to queens… she rose higher than any thought possible, and fell lower than any could imagine. Following the path of the young Mistress Boleyn, or La Petite Boulain, through the events of the first years of the reign of Henry VIII, to the glittering courts of Burgundy and France, Book One of “Above All Others; The Lady Anne” tracks the life of the young Lady Anne, showing how she became the scintillating woman who eventually, would capture the heart of a king. Reviewed by:
Ghost Variations by Jessica Duchen Historical mystery Excerpt from blurb: The strangest detective story in the history of music – inspired by a true incident. A world spiralling towards war. A composer descending into madness. And a devoted woman struggling to keep her faith in art and love against all the odds. 1933. Dabbling in the fashionable “Glass Game” – a Ouija board – the famous Hungarian violinist Jelly d’Aranyi, one-time muse to composers such as Bartok, Ravel and Elgar, encounters a startling dilemma. A message arrives ostensibly from the spirit of the composer Robert Schumann, begging her to find and perform his long-suppressed violin concerto. She tries to ignore it, wanting to concentrate instead on charity concerts. But against the background of the 1930s depression in London and the rise of the Nazis in Germany, a struggle ensues as the “spirit messengers” do not want her to forget. Reviewed by:
Season Of Second Chances by Aimee Alexander Contemporary family saga
Excerpt from blurb: When leaving is just the beginning… The long-awaited novel of family, love and learning to be kind to yourself by award-winning, bestselling Irish author, Aimee Alexander. Grace Sullivan flees Dublin with her two teenage children, returning to the sleepy West Cork village where she grew up. No one in Killrowan knows what Grace is running from – or even that she’s running. She’d like to keep it that way. Season of Second Chances is Grace’s story. It’s also the story of a community that chooses the title “Young Doctor Sullivan” for her before she even arrives. It’s the story of Des who served the villagers all his life and now feels a failure for developing Parkinson’s disease. And it’s the story of struggling teens, an intimidating receptionist, a handsome American novelist escaping his past, and a dog called Benji who needs a fresh start of his own. Reviewed by:
For a book review team, there is little more satisfying than a reader discovering a new favourite book through a review you’ve written – I hope one or more of these appeals to you. If not, look out for Part 2, tomorrow, in which we go a little darker; I have a nautical thriller for you, a dystopian scifi novella, murder and mystery!
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Wow, Olga certainly is a prolific reviewer, Rosie. I enjoyed Fred’s Funeral very much.
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Thank you Robbie, Olga certainly is a very supportive team member.
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Great post! So fun to revisit these book friends.
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Thanks Barb, it was tough to narrow the list to just 14 books.
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Happy Anniversary. I’ve certainly bought a few books based on the reviews I’ve read here.
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Thank you April and that is music to my ears, connecting authors to readers is one of my basic aims with this blog.
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I was so excited about seeing this post, Rosie! Well done 🙂
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Thank you Terry.
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I was looking forward to seeing which books made the list. Glad to see some of my favourites there.
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Thank you Cathy, some real gems here.
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Congratulations, Rosie, and thanks for all your hard work. And yes, gosh, it seems I do pick up titles that prove quite popular (although I don’t read certain genres). I’ve discovered some true gems thanks to the team, Rosie, and some authors I’m sure I’ll keep reading for years to come. It’s good to have a reminder of those books, although I can imagine picking only 14 must have been tough. I am sure we’ll keep celebrating many more anniversaries, Rosie. ♥
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Thank you Olga, it has been well worth it and I shall look forward to our next celebration.
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I bought quite a few of those books – nice being reminded of them and how much I enjoyed them.
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That is lovely to hear Mary, it’s makes me smile as connecting writers to readers is what it is all about.
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Reblogged this on Alison Williams Writing and commented:
RBRT is six! Here are seven very special books that have received excellent reviews from the team.
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Congratulations on six years! Thank you for all your support and I’m delighted to feature as one of your fourteen.
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Thank you Rachel, we have enjoyed your books.
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Congratulations and Happy 6th Anniversary! Well done and Kudos to all your effort and hard work, Rosie!!👍🏼💪🏼💃
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Thank you Jee.
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CONGRATULATIONS! I am so honored to be part of this great review group!
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Thank you Noelle, it is a lovely group of book lovers.
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As the author of That Summer at the Seahorse Hotel, I’m both thrilled and honoured to be on your list Rosie! Thank you so very much. Huge congratulations as you celebrate your sixth anniversary, and thank you for shining a spotlight on so many amazing books and authors, you and your review team’s support is highly prized, especially by independent authors like me and I for one, am extremely grateful.
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Thank you Adrienne, we shall look forward to your next book.
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My pleasure Rosie, and funny you should mention the new one, just back from my agent with a massive thumbs up – she loves it! A few tweaks and we should be there… really excited about this one! X
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Reblogged this on Adrienne Vaughan and commented:
Thrilled to reveal That Summer at the Seahorse Hotel is named as one of Rosie Amber Book Blogger fave reads as she and the team celebrate their 6th Anniversary! Congratulations Rosie and thanks so much!
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Reblogged this on New Romantics Press and commented:
Many thanks to Rosie Amber’s team for choosing one of NRP’s author to be featured in this line up. I loved Summer at the Seahorse Hotel and look searching out some of the other novels mentioned.
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Happy Anniversary, Rosie. I’ve found so many good books here.
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Thank you Wendy.
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Reblogged this on Judith Barrow.
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Happy Anniversary and thanks for showcasing books that I hadn’t come across before. They all sound too good to pass over and so I’m bookmarking this page and will add them bit by bit to my teetering pile of TBRs.
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That’s great to hear, happy reading.
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Pingback: 6 years of #RBRT reviews, 14 favorite reads, fear, friends, and an invitation. #humor #friends #Coronavirus | Barb Taub
Congratulations! And some wonderful books and reviews. I’m a big fan of Olga’s reviews and she keeps my Kindle bursting, lol 🙂
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Thank you, happy reading.
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🙂
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Happy bloggiversary!! 😀 ❤
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Thank you.
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Congratulations on the anniversary Rosie. Six years is definitely a cause for celebration.
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Thank you Karen.
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