The Very Bookish

  *This book was reviewed as part of a blog tour hosted by Love Books Tours. All thoughts are my own* Genre: Historical Fiction | YA (Target age: 12-17) Pages: 240 Rating: ☆☆☆☆/5 Synopsis:  It's August of 1931 in Singapore, sixteen-year-old Lim Mei Mei (Ah Mei) arrives at the home of Eminent Mister Lee on the eve of the Hungry Ghost Month. She has been sold to the family as a mui tsai, an indentured servant girl. At the Lee household, Lim Mei Mei's life education begins. There she encounters the spirit of Ah Lian, a mui tsai, who paid the ultimate price for her mistake. Through Ah Lian, Ah Mei discovers the plight of mui tsai, who are both helpless and powerful, and uncovers a shameful secret lurking in the shadows in the Lee house. Ah Mei also meets and falls in love with Hassan Mohamed, an Indian-Muslim and an aspiring poet, breaking every clause in the rule book of love in 1930s British Malaya. She becomes Hassan's Polar Star, and the young lovers must find a way to stay

  *This book was reviewed as part of a blog tour hosted by Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources. All thoughts are my own* Genre:  Historical Fiction | Anglo-Saxon  Pages: 330 Rating: ☆☆☆ /5 Synopsis:  Tamworth, Mercia AD825. The once-mighty kingdom of Mercia is in perilous danger. Their King, Beornwulf lies dead and years of bitter in-fighting between the nobles, and cross border wars have left Mercia exposed to her enemies. King Ecgberht of Wessex senses now is the time for his warriors to strike and exact his long-awaited bloody revenge on Mercia. King Wiglaf, has claimed his right to rule Mercia, but can he unite a disparate Kingdom against the might of Wessex who are braying for blood and land? Can King Wiglaf keep the dragons at bay or is Mercia doomed to disappear beneath the wings of the Wessex wyvern? Can anyone save Mercia from destruction? My Thoughts: I would firstly like to thank Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchang

  *This review is part of a blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources. The book was kindly gifted to me in exchange for an honest review. As always, all thoughts and feelings are my own.* Genre: Historical Romance Pages: 274 Rating: ☆☆☆☆ /5 Synopsis:  A penniless governess And the dour Laird of Ardmore Lydia Farnham must travel to a remote Scottish island to work for widower Alasdair MacDonald, who doesn’t trust her or her unconventional teaching methods! Yet as his daughter flourishes, so, too, does the intense connection between Lydia and Alasdair. Only she should know better than to fall for the handsome laird when it could leave her without a job, or a home… My Thoughts: Firstly, I would like to thank Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for a space on this blog tour and a copy of the book for me to review. It looks as though this book is the first in a new series, which is exciting. Many of the books I've read recently have been mid-series so it's been nice to

  *This review is part of a blog tour organised by Rachel's Random Resources. The book was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions given are my own.* Genre: Historical Saga Pages: 345 Rating: ☆☆☆☆ /5 Synopsis:  In two rundown houses, at the side of a barren Black Country heath, live six children with no family but each other. Abandoned or orphaned, every day is a fight to find food and keep warm. But they are determined to stay free of the clutches of the workhouse and the horrors that would face them if they were ever torn apart. Dora Parsons lives with her mother Mary and her evil grandmother Edith. Edith’s house may be comfortable and warm, and food is plentiful, but every day Dora suffers at the hands of her spiteful gran. Desperate to protect her child, Mary longs to run away but she has no money to keep them alive and nowhere else to call home. When fate intervenes and Mary and Dora meet the children, events are set in train that will change all their liv

  *This review was part of the blog tour organised by Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions given are my own* Genre: Historical Fiction  Pages: 353 Rating: ☆☆☆☆ /5 Synopsis:  London 1958 Life has moved on since the war and the youngsters of Mulberry Lane are growing up fast. Peggy’s Ronaski’s family is struggling with growing pains but she is always there, strong, reliable and ready to help whenever a crisis hits. Meanwhile, Maureen Hart has family problems of her own to contend with. Together they will work hard to conquer all of what life has to throw at them… Join Peggy and Maureen as their siblings embark on life’s new adventures and try to forge a partnerships for success. What does the future hold for the families and friends of Mulberry Lane? My Thoughts: This book is the 8th instalment of the Mulberry Lane series, and for complete transparency, I haven't read the previous 7 books within this series. That said, I was able to follow and enjoy the storyline without havin

  *This post contains affiliate purchase links. In addition, this book was reviewed as part of the blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions given are my own.* Genre: Historical Fiction | Historical Romance Pages: 313 Rating: ☆☆☆☆ /5 Synopsis:  He needs a wife... Manchester industrialist William Rose was a poor lad from the slums who pulled himself up by his bootstraps, but in order to achieve his greatest ambitions he must become the epitome of Victorian respectability: a family man. She has a plan... But the only woman who's caught his eye is sophisticated beauty Octavia Marshall, one of the notorious ladies of Carson Street. Though she was once born to great wealth and privilege, she's hardly respectable, but she's determined to invest her hard-earned fortune in Mr Rose's mills and forge a new life as an entirely proper businesswoman. They strike a deal that promises them both what they desire the most, but William's a fool if he thinks Octa