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Portobello Book Blog by Joanne - Books & Literature
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All The Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker | #bookreview – Portobello Book Blog
I've had All The Colours of the Dark on my kindle for quite some time having bought it after seeing so many people talking about how brilliant it is. I put it on my 'ten from my bookshelf' list to make sure I read it this year. At just short of 600 pages, you'd think…
WWW Wednesday 16th April 2025: what am I reading? | #WWWWednesday #amreading #bookrecommendations – Portobello Book Blog
What am I currently reading? I'm continuing my buddy reading of Middlemarch - I'm now about 10% through it. Reading two chapters a week is certainly a slow way to read! I'm still listening to The Arts Trail Killer by Emylia Hall which is very good. And I'm reading The Eights by Joanna Miller which…
#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Nicola May #author of How to Fix a Broken Heart | #publicationday | @NicolaMay1 @rararesources – Portobello Book Blog
I'm delighted to be joined by author Nicola May today who is here to answer my #quickfire questions about her novel How To Fix a Broken Heart which is published today! I'm really disappointed I can't fit in reading this one as it sounds fab! Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to take…
Top Ten Tuesday 15th April 2025: A book recommendation from each of the past ten years | #TopTenTuesday #amreading #bookrecommendations #TuesdayBookBlog – Portobello Book Blog
This week's topic: A book recommendation from each of the past ten years Yes, I'm going off-piste again this week! Recently I celebrated ten years of blogging and I spotted this theme from the Top Ten Tuesday archive so thought it would be a good one to do. I have chosen one book from each…
#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Margaret Gardiner #author of Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar – Portobello Book Blog
I'm pleased to be joined by Margaret Gardiner today who is talking about her book Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar. Set in 1980s America, it is the story of supermodel Joey Superstar. As a former model herself for almost 50 years, and a fashion editor, Margaret has a real insider’s knowledge of the industry. Over to Margaret…
West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge | #historicalfiction #bookreview | #LakeUnionPublishing – Portobello Book Blog
I read West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge for my book group a week or so ago. I finished it literally an hour before we met so I was definitely cutting it fine. At least it was fresh in my mind! I was quite fascinated to see the protagonist dies in 2025 although the book…
#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Chloe Openshaw #author of Lunar – Portobello Book Blog
I'm pleased to welcome another guest who is taking part in my #ThreeTwoOne feature today. Chloe Openshaw is here to tell us all about her fifth novel, Lunar. Tell me THREE things about your latest book Lunar provokes big emotions from the reader and deals with hard issues like grief and loss. The writing style…
First Line Friday: 11th April 2025 – This Bright Life by Karen Campbell | #FirstLineFriday | @writerkcampbell #CanongateBooks – Portobello Book Blog
Today I'm sharing the first lines of This Bright Life by Karen Campbell. I've only read one of this author's previous novels, Paper Cup, and I loved that. I've just read the first few chapters of this book and can already tell I'm going to love this one too. I want to take wee Gerard…
Other People’s Houses by Clare Mackintosh | #crimefiction #bookreview #DCFfionMorgan | @BooksSphere – Portobello Book Blog
Other People's Houses by Clare Mackintosh is the third to feature DC Ffion Morgan. The story begins in dramatic style when a body is discovered in a kayak in a lake and Ffion suspects foul play. Just over the border in Cheshire, Ffion's partner Leo is investigating a series of break-ins in The Hill, an…
WWW Wednesday 9th April 2025: what am I reading? | #WWWWednesday #amreading #bookrecommendations – Portobello Book Blog
What am I currently reading? Well it's been a hectic old week with not much reading time but for the best of reasons: my daughter got married on Monday! It was a wonderful day, the sun shone and I'm so happy for her and my new son-in-law. Onto the books: I'm still reading Middlemarch as…
The Golden Hour by Kate Lord Brown | #historicalfiction #bookreview | @Katelordbrown @TeamBATC – Portobello Book Blog
I heard Kate Lord Brown read from The Golden Hour at the Simon & Schuster Team BATC showcase back in February. But even before her evocative reading, I was already captivated by that classy cover. Right from the prologue, I was gripped by the beautiful storytelling as the author whisked me from 1930s Cairo to…
Top Ten Tuesday 8th April 2025: Books with Springy Covers | #TopTenTuesday #amreading #bookrecommendations #TuesdayBookBlog – Portobello Book Blog
This week's topic: Books with Springy Covers This week's topic is books with Springy covers. Jana suggests this could be pastel colours, flowers, baby animals, sunshine, etc. I've decided to go with five books with Spring in the title and five books with flower somewhere in the title as I always associate Springtime with flowers.…
#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Mark Baillie #author of Salvage | @TippermuirBooks @mbaillie – Portobello Book Blog
I'm delighted to welcome fellow Portobello resident Mark Baillie to the blog today. Mark's novel Salvage was published last year by Tippermuir Books and featured in Book Week Scotland's showcase of 2024 debut novels. Over to Mark to tell us more. Tell me THREE things about your latest book My debut novel, Salvage, is a missing…
#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Alex Franklyn #author of Cleaners Wanted – Portobello Book Blog
Today I'm joined by author Alex Franklyn who is chatting about her novel Cleaners Wanted. I've seen this around on social media quite a lot and it sounds really good. Over to Alex to tell us more. Tell me THREE things about your latest book 1 – it’s a daft comedy, gangster, crime, also been…
#6Degrees of Separation for April 2025: From Knife by Salman Rushdie to It Takes One to Know One by Isla Dewar – Portobello Book Blog
I've had such fun putting the chain together this month and I hope you enjoy my choices. We begin with Knife by Salman Rushdie, a book which chronicles the shocking and life-changing attack he endured in August 2022 and its aftermath. I haven't read Knife but am beginning my chain with the only one of…
First Line Friday 4th April 2025: West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge | #FirstLineFriday – Portobello Book Blog
Today I'm sharing the first lines from the prologue of West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge. I'm reading it for my book group tonight so I'm definitely cutting it fine, but I'll get it finished. At least it will be fresh in my mind! I'm quite fascinated to see the protagonist dies in 2025 given…
#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Paul Carnahan #author of End of a Century – Portobello Book Blog
I am joined today by author Paul Carnahan. I love the sound of his book End of a Century but just can't fit it in. So I'm pleased that Paul agreed to answer my #ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions to tell us all about the book. Tell me THREE things about your latest book ‘End of a…
10th #blogiversary #giveaway – #win a copy of The Graffiti Girls by Elissa Soave – Portobello Book Blog
I can hardly believe it, but it's TEN years today since I started Portobello Book Blog! Over those ten years I've read literally hundreds of brilliant books (thank you publishers, publicists, book tour organisers and authors), attended loads of books events, and made many bookish friends both online and in real life. As a thank…
#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Harriet Cullen #author of Lady Pamela Berry: Passion, Politics and Power | #biography – Portobello Book Blog
I'm pleased to be joined by author Harriet Cullen today. She has written the biography Lady Pamela Berry: Passion, Politics and Power and, as you'll find out, Harriet is uniquely positioned to write this book. Tell me THREE things about your latest book It’s the story (The Telegraph described it as “gripping”) of a mid-20th…
The Seven O’Clock Club by Amelia Ireland | #bookreview | @bwpublishing @BonnierBooks_UK @KellyALacey @LoveBooksTours | #Ad #LBTCrew #BookTwitter – Portobello Book Blog
The Seven O'Clock Club wasn't at all what I was expecting but in a good way. From the cover and title I was expecting a cosy read perhaps about community, maybe even a romantic fiction novel. Then I read the intriguing prologue and all of a sudden it had the feel of a thriller. "I…
Arran: 40 Favourite Walks by Phil Turner | #bookreview #walking #Arran #PocketMountains – Portobello Book Blog
My husband and I have recently spent a fantastic week's holiday on Arran, which is an island off the west coast of Scotland in case you haven't heard of it. As always when we're on holiday, I made sure that I bought a copy of the Pocket Mountains walking guide for the area. These are…
Ten Poems About Tea published by Candlestick Press | @poetrycandle | #bookreview #poetry #tea – Portobello Book Blog
My daughter gave me this lovely poetry pamphlet as part of my birthday present earlier this month. It's a perfect choice as I certainly do love my tea! As it's Mother's Day today in the UK, many mums (including me) will be hoping for a cup of tea in bed so I thought it was…
Captivating Character of the month: March 2025 – September from The Second Chance Book Club by Stephanie Butland | #LinkParty #bookblogger #memorablecharacter #bookx #booksky #bookreview – Portobello Book Blog
I haven't quite managed to get this on the last Friday of March as I had other things scheduled and it might be that going forward I do this post sometime near the end of the month rather than the last Friday. I have read some brilliant books as always over the past month but…
#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Stephanie Wood #author of Adorable April Afternoons | @rararesources @StephanieWoodGR – Portobello Book Blog
I'm pleased to be joined by author Stephanie Wood today who is answering my #ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions about her new novel, Adorable April Afternoons. As you might guess from the pretty cover, this book is set in Greece and is the first in a planned trilogy. Let's find out more from Stephanie. Tell me THREE…
Graffiti Girls by Elissa Soave | #audiobook #bookreview | @HQStories – Portobello Book Blog
I really enjoyed spending time with The Graffiti Girls, also known as good friends Susan, Amy, Lenore and Carole. Thanks to the HQ publicity team for sending me a physical copy of the book but also for an audiobook review copy from Netgalley. I flipped between the two when reading this book. Angela Ness's narration…
WWW Wednesday 26th March 2025: what am I reading? | #WWWWednesday #amreading #bookrecommendations – Portobello Book Blog
What am I currently reading? I'm still reading Line of Sight by Claire Askew. My husband and I were reading it to each other on holiday last week and we're about 3/4 of the way through so we'll need to go for a drive to finish it! I'm reading All the Colours of the Dark…
#ThreeTwoOne with #Ann Bennett author of Bamboo Heart plus #giveaway | #historicalfiction #bookbirthday #bookblitz | @annbennett71 @rararesources – Portobello Book Blog
It's a pleasure to be joined by author Ann Bennett today and share news of a giveaway to win a copy of The Lotus House as well as to find out more about her first novel Bamboo Heart which is celebrating its tenth birthday! Tell me THREE things about your latest book This is a…
Top Ten Tuesday 25 March 2025: Update on my Winter to-be-read list | #TopTenTuesday #amreading #bookrecommendations #TuesdayBookBlog – Portobello Book Blog
This week's topic: Update on my Winter To-be-read This week's topic should really be books I didn't finish but I rarely don't finish a book! So I thought I'd turn it on its head a bit and also kind of follow on from last week's Spring to-be-read list. I'm looking back at my Winter to-be-read…
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall | #BookReview | @ClareEmpson2 @johnmurrays – Portobello Book Blog
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall is a book I'd been hearing about for some months. Early readers have been raving about it and I was so keen to read it. It's described as 'an epic love story with the pulse of a thriller that asks: what would you risk for a second chance at…
The Lamplighter’s Bookshop by Sophie Austin | #historicalfiction #romanticfiction #bookreview – Portobello Book Blog
I'm sharing my review today of a book which I didn't enjoy quite as much as I thought I would. I'm doing this review in a slightly different way as you'll see below. First of all, let's see what the book is about. In the shadowy aisles of the Lamplighter's Bookshop, secrets lie as thick…
#ThreeTwoOne with Nora Hill #author of Eve’s Rib – Portobello Book Blog
Joining me today to chat about her book Eve's Rib is author Nora Hill. I'm very intrigued by this book as it's inspired by the first women undergraduates at a British university which just happened to be right here in Edinburgh! Over to Nora to tell us more. Tell me THREE things about your latest…
#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Ali Bacon #author of The Absent Heart | #historicalfiction #RobertLouisStevenson #RLS | @LinenPressBooks – Portobello Book Blog
I'm so pleased to be joined by author Ali Bacon today. Her debut novel, A Kettle of Fish, was one of the first books I reviewed way back when I first started blogging. Since then she's had another novel out, In the Blink of an Eye and her third novel The Absent Heart is due…
First Line Friday 21st March 2025: Other People’s Houses by Clare Mackintosh | #FirstLineFriday #thriller – Portobello Book Blog
I've had an early copy of Other People's Houses by Clare Mackintosh sitting in my to-be-read pile for ages now and I'm so glad I've finally got around to starting it. I loved the first two books in thie DC Ffion Morgan series (The Last Party and A Game of Lies) and this is shaping…
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann | #publicationday #bookreview #sheepdetective | @AllisonandBusby – Portobello Book Blog
It's publication day today for one of the most ewe-nique crime stories you'll read - sorry, I couldn't help myself! Three Bags Full was Leonie Swann's debut novel and was originally published twenty years ago. Publishers Allison & Busby have re-issued the book ahead of an adaptation hitting the big screen in 2026 which will…
WWW Wednesday 19th March 2025: what am I reading? | #WWWWednesday #amreading #bookrecommendations – Portobello Book Blog
What am I currently reading? Yes, I know it looks like I am reading a mad amount of books at one time but let me explain! A couple of my friends and I are doing a 'slow read' of Middlemarch by George Eliot. We're planning on reading a couple of chapters a week and then…
Top Ten Tuesday 18th March 2025: Ten Books on My Spring 2025 to-Read List | #TopTenTuesday #amreading #bookrecommendations #TuesdayBookBlog – Portobello Book Blog
This week's topic: Books on My Spring 2025 to-Read List Hello from the beautiful island of Arran! I'm away for a few days with my husband and we are enjoying some walking, some relaxing and plenty of reading. This week's topic is Ten Books on My Spring 2025 to-Read List and hopefully I'll be reading…
The Good Witch of Abbotsford by Alasdair Hutton | #bookreview #childrensfiction | @LuathPress – Portobello Book Blog
Morag is the eponymous Good Witch of Abbotsford, the only good witch in a coven of rather unpleasant witches, demons, goblins and elves who live in the woodlands of Abbotsford. She is descended from good witches and only wants to use any powers for good. Unfortunately, the coven is led by Grizel, a very nasty…
#Giveaway plus #ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Catherine Yardley #author of Where The Light is Hottest | @rararesources @balavage – Portobello Book Blog
I'm pleased to be joined by author Catherine Yardley today. She's answering my #ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions about her novel Where The Light is Hottest which was published in February by Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie. Don't miss your chance to enter the giveaway to win a paperback copy of the book. Details further down the page. Tell…
On Starlit Seas by Sara Sheridan | #historicalfiction #bookreview | @sarasheridan @hodderbooks – Portobello Book Blog
A book from one of the best historical fictional novelists around in my opinion, which imagines the story of a real historical figure and which has chocolate at its heart was always going to appeal to me. In On Starlit Seas Sara Sheridan gives a fascinating glimpse into the world of chocolate trading and smuggling…
First Line Friday 14th March 2025: The Second Chance Book Club by Stephanie Butland | #FirstLineFriday – Portobello Book Blog
Today I'm sharing the first few lines from the forthcoming novel by Stephanie Butland. I have read all her books and loved them all, although confess that Lost For Words is a particular favourite. I've only read the first few chapters of The Second Chance Book Club so far and already I'm loving it too.…