WildWritingLife
Welcome to my world of wonderful books!
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Rachel´s Random Resources: Dirty Business by Evie Hunter
Friday, April 4, 2025
Random Things Tours: No Precious Truth by Chris Nickson
Set in the 1941 Leeds, No Precious Truth by historical fiction Chris Nickson is a well-researched historical spy thriller.
I am lately delving into the literary representations of WWII in various geographical contexts and this book added some eventful layers to my perception. But although the Zeitgeist and the social and political implications at the global and local level are accurately represented, the book is more than informative story from 1941. Instead, it has its own narrative and lively characters.
Police Seargant Cathy Marsden got involved into a spycatcher race, after her brother, a MI5 operatives, disclosed his worries about a German spy network that may endanger England´s situation and even the war operations generally.
Moderately paced and insightful, the novel takes the reader, to a ride against time to catch the traitor. A timeless adventure that it´s worth following. I´ve read the book in one sitting, as I couldn´t stop not thinking about what will happen next. It was the best way to spend some late evening.
A recommended read if you are into WWII historical novels with a very serious spy interest.
Rating: 4 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Orenda Books Book Tour: The Cure by Eve Smith
Sunday, March 30, 2025
Le Barman du Ritz by Philippe Collin
This year so far I had the chance to read fantastic newly published multi-awarded books in French. With no exception, there are extraordinary examples of the strength of French literature and the diversity of topics that do concern the French writers.
Le barman du Ritz by Philippe Collin, whose podcast is a recommendation for anyone interested in recent history commentarries, is my latest read. Built around real characters, particularly Frank Meier, the barkeeper of Ritz hotel during the German occupation, it develops into a story about compromise and opportunism.
Meier, a hidden Jew, was part of some initiatives saving French Jews from Shoah, while cashing generous rewards. Played a neutrality game trying curiously or opportunistically to get into the shoes of some big Nazi representatives hosted in the hotel. Like the leadership of the hotel itself, or some of its illustrious residents, like the notorious Coco Chanel, survived, oblivious or just preferring not to know too much about what was happening in the real Paris. Unable to express his feelings, to get involved in his own son´s life. A lukewarm character.
Meier is the main character of the book, its voice and main storyteller, either through his own account of events, organised chronologically, or through his diary entries. It is a one-sided perspective, therefore I would be a bit careful to name it ´the big novel of the Occupation´, as the world we see is the one seen from the Ritz precincts. However, took from the perspective of the barkeeper from Ritz, it touches upon a diversity of aspects, moral or survival-related - that do explain the behavior under occupation, particularly the German occupation of Paris.
A novel placed in history revealing stories of everyday life anti-heroes.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Friday, March 28, 2025
Random Things Tours: Hunkeler´s Secret by Hansjörg Schneider translated by Astrid Freuler
Cover Reveal: First Contact, Second Chances by Fay Abernethy
Hence, my interest in taking part to events aimed to display beautiful covers. I am usually accepting invitations for participating to cover reveal virtual events. I like the excitment of being part of a surprise book cover revelation and I am rarely disappointed.
The topic of the book announced by my current cover reveal is out of my reading comfort zone, but the visual presentation is more than satisfying.
First Contact, Second Chances by Fay Abernethy is the third in the fantasy solar punk series The Shantivira Book. An ex-British officer, captain of the Shantivira is trying to protect the Earth from an alien invasion. But it seems that the Earth needs to take some radical measures, including an uplift and restructuring of the global economy in order to survive. His mission is difficult and put him in unexpected circumstances, such as fighting against cannibalistic space pirates. Sounds like a lot of fun, isn´t it?
The cover offers this mixture between serious and playful, with a predominant yellow and blue match. The graphic is very elaborated, especially the Zeppelin-like space ship. The lettering is taking control of the space at a certain extent, but in a very smooth way.
For sure, one of those covers that would catch my eye instantly, before ever trying to find out what is the book about.
Many thanks to Rachel for having me for this event.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Random Things Tours: The Blue Alley by PC Cubitt
´How we can stand back when we see children in danger?´
Karen Hamm is an academic like no other. Her professional interests in West Africa, particularly Sierra Leone, may encounter the most non-academic circumstances, like for instance ferocious mafia tugs or traffickers of all sorts. As she spots an odd couple in Amsterdam´s airport: a white Jesuit priest with two black children, she not only took a picture of them, but she embarked on a race to save the children from the hands of the predators. An adventure that will take her from Amsterdam to Spain and Morocco and back to her hometown of Yorkshire.
Karen may be naive sometimes, but she is unstoppable and this is a character threat that may make it pleasant to the reader, although some of her mistakes are outrageous. I mean, who really is about to get the tracks of dangerous mafia boss(es) while sharing her business cards to whom happens to be around. But she is lucky and some of her contacts proved to be very useful later.
The Blue Alley by PC Cubitt is both suspenseful and a literary testimony of the intricated ways of child trafficking and human smuggling in general. It displays the vulnerability of victims faced with the underground support network of the culprits. A thoughtful inspiration, in addition to the breathtaking action.
PC Cubitt is an academic herself with interests in the African continent.