Photo diary: Project 365, week 19

Another warm, very summery week.

The first white rose has bloomed, the scent is beautiful.  

Most of the photos this week are garden and nature-related. I feel rather downcast, and looking at the flowers helps me stay calmer. There is no specific reason, but depression comes and goes in waves, and some days I can barely function.

Tried to take several photos of the dandelion clock, against the green background...

...and against the clear sky. It's like a whole cosmos in one plant.

Walking through the town.

All week I was watching videos and reels related to the VE Day, and the 80th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazi Germany.

I salute all those who fought in Europe against Nazism. I salute their courage, and their sacrifice.

My father's father, Stepan Kravchenko, died in battle in 1943, leaving a widow and two young children. 

My Mum's stepfather, Dmitri Turilin, served in the Navy during the war. He was one of the defenders of Sebastopol. His ship was destroyed and sank. Most of the crew perished. My grandfather and his comrade survived eight harrowing hours in the sea before they were rescued by a small boat.

Dmitri was badly wounded and lived only because he clung to a floating mine, an instrument of death that could have exploded at any moment. Imagine holding onto something so dangerous, hoping against all hope. What an amazing will to live.

Dmitri was the only grandfather that I ever knew. I often think that blood and genes mean little compared to love and kindness. Strangely, people in the village would often remark how much my little brother looked like him when they rode together on horseback. And it was true, they did look alike.

A longer post about my grandfather can be found on Instagram if anyone fancies to read. I did this ink sketch, using an old photo. Sadly I don't have any photos of my Grandfather Stepan.

You can smell this bush from a distance, it has such a strong distinct scent.

I stopped for a second to take a snap of this blue blossom, only to be ambushed by a passing old dear, who started to tell me a long story how she had the same plant in the garden, but it died. I nodded politely and commiserated, all the time thinking, Please let me go.

I've been reading two books in the last week.

 Poe/ A Life Cut Short by Peter Ackroyd is a biography of Edgar Allan Poe, who was "heralded as the forerunner of modern fantasy and credited with the invention of the psychological drama, science fiction and the detective story". His own life was mightily dramatic. Not the easiest person to live with, Poe was a tormented genius and a miserable person. This book makes me want re-read some of his poetry and stories.

The Ghost and Mrs Jeffries by Emily Brightwell is a Victorian murder mystery, written in the style of the cosy crime/mystery. Apparently there are about thirty books in the series. I bought a couple of Mrs Jeffries' mysteries a few years ago in the charity shop. Not even sure what number in the series this book is supposed to be, but it doesn't matter. It's quite entertaining. High literature it is not. 

The premises of the series: there is an Inspector of Scotland Yard, a kindly but not very smart man. His housekeeper Mrs Jeffries and the household servants keep helping him solve the crimes without the Inspector knowing that he's being assisted. 

And how did your week go?

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Zephyr Trails by Nicki Ehrlich

 

"She wanted to run... Run from her past - idyllic days on the homestead that turned to dust and crumbled over four years of waiting and yearning, only to be abandoned".

"I think I know now what that pull is... It's about going west. There's a freshness on the trail and I want to be a part of that new territory. It's calling to me so loudly".

Zephyr Trails by Nicki Erlich is set in the turbulent wake of the Civil War.

Blurb:

The fine line between friends and enemies blurs as Ellis Cady sets out to reach the new frontier of post-Civil War America.

After waiting out winter at the Cady ranch in southern Missouri, hope blooms in the Spring of 1866. Ellis receives news of a mysterious man arriving in St. Louis. Will she find her father alive and well, or finally put his memory to rest?

Grasping at the illusive promise of her father's whereabouts, Ellis is distracted by the intrepid trick rider, Jimmie, a woman who rides with Levi Jack's Wild West Exhibition. Then, talk of reinstating a messenger service akin to the Pony Express rekindles a faded dream. Since the war's devastation, important letters and messages still need to get through a Western landscape governed by Indians and outlaws. When an untimely epidemic threatens, Ellis finds herself back in the saddle, a young woman and her horse on a perilous trail.

Ellis Cady is an unusual, highly original protagonist. She walks the line between past and future, trying to work out who her friends or foes are, as she journeys westward in search of the truth, and of herself. A strong, complex heroine, Ellis is determined not to surrender to societal expectations. What's vital is that people close to her, accept her as she is, and support her refusal to conform or settle. 

"Maybe unseemly for a girl, but on the back of a horse or settled by a campfire, a spread of stars overhead - this was home to her".

Spring of 1866 breathes new life into the Cady ranch in southern Missouri. After a lingering winter of a total uncertainty, Ellis receives word of a stranger in St.Louis who might hold a key to her father's fate. Is there a chance that her father might still be alive, will she ever have her questions answered?

"Hope had turned into something more substantial and, most days, she felt certain her father had survived the prison camp".

Ellis is driven by hope and haunted by memories. When her path collides with Jimmie, a trick rider from the Wild West exhibition, she decides to combine her quest with a challenging job.

The rumours of a Pony Express-style messenger servive revival appeal to her sense of adventure. Ellis is drawn into a risky mission that would reignite her dreams and her purpose.

As a deadly epidemic looms and the frontier landscape is still uncertain, Ellis and her horse must once again brave the open trail.

Zephyr Trails is a tale of a Western ambition and adventure, but more than that, it's a deeply personal story of identity, resilience and self-discovery.

The author sensitively explores the themes of the lingering shadows of war, especially the then unnamed trauma of PTSD.

With rich historical detail and a deep appreciation of the natural world, Zephyr Trails will captivate fans of the historical fiction set in the States, coming of age stories and books with non-conforming protagonists.

Ehrlich's prose is both lyrical and expressive, shifting gracefully between frontier vistas and the raw intimacy of Ellis's inner world.

"Winter remained mild, as if mother nature offered an apology, balancing her compassion with the conflict's remnants of bitterness". 

The book has distant echoes of Little House on the Prairie, with its poetic balance of danger and wonder in equal measure.

Zephyr Trails is a compelling and heartfelt read, which follows a poignant journey through a fractured land. A memorable book which will stay with you long after you finished the last page.

This book is the second book in the series, and I find it might be useful to read the first book. I started with the second, and found the beginning rather confusing. There is an awful lot of names of characters, and their personal interactions that left me baffled. At some point, I stopped reading, thinking I should get the 1st book to understand backstory, then went back to it. 

I believe with books like this, it would be super useful to have a page or two at the start with the synopsis of what's happened in the previous instalment.

I picked this book on Netgalley, because the subject appealed to me. It also made me think of my dear late friend David, and the stories he told about his grandfather  who was one of the boys working on the Pony Express. 

Murder at the Ponte Vecchio by T.A. Williams

"The question, of course, is why? Robbery is self-explanatory, but murder? What could that old man have done for somebody to put out a contract on him?"

Murder at the Ponte Vecchio by T.A. Williams is a fabulous cosy mystery, set in Tuscany. 

Reading it is akin to putting on your comfiest slippers - only these ones are embroidered with Tuscan sun, murder, and mouthwatering food.

It's the eleventh book in the delightful Armstrong and Oscar cosy mystery series, but don't worry if you haven't read the others. You can jump right in - though if you start from book one (or read at least a couple of the previous ones), you'll appreciate the dynamics and camaraderie between the main characters even more.

Blurb:

Murder at the Ponte Vecchio

An iconice bridge...

Private investigator, Dan Armstrong, lives and works in Florence and knows the world famous Ponte Vecchio well. Usually a magnet for tourists, on this occasion it is the scene of an unexpected death, and Dan finds himself involved in the intriguing case...

An uncompromising man...

Dan quickly discovers that the victim, an elderly jeweller, was every bit as hard as the diamonds he sold in his shop on the bridge. Few people liked him, not even his adult children, and his business dealings look murkier than the waters of the River Arno. Dan suspects more secrets lie hidden... perhaps inside the massive safe in the old man's luxury villa...

A complex case.

As the evidence begins to mount up, so too do the suspects with their different motives. With a fortune in gold bullion and precious stones involved, Dan thinks the only way to catch the killer is to lay a trap, but might he be caught in the killer's sights? Fortunately, he has Oscar, his canine wingman at his side, always eager to prove that he's as good as gold.

Can Dan and Oscar sniff out the killer's tracks or will this case be a bridge too far?

Dan Armstrong, our private investigator, has swapped the drizzle of the UK for the golden hills of Tuscany. He's enjoying life as a writer, his first book being a big success. 

While his detective agency is mainly dealing with domestic cases, outside its scope, Dan keeps tripping over dead bodies and solving more challeging crimes, much to the delight (and occasional exasperation) of his Florentine friend, Inspector Virgilio Pisano. Pisano's no fool, he knows having an ex-DCI from Scotland Yard on speed dial is rather handy.

The latest instalment of Dan and Oscar's adventures features several seemingly unconnected plotlines. Apart from the death of an elderly jeweller on the Ponte Vecchio, there are deaths of unidentified immigrants, corruption in the police, blood diamonds, thefts in the theatre and much more.

The cast is peppered with colourful locals - some charming, others gloriously oddball (or both at the same time). 

And then there's Oscar, the Labrador with a nose for more than just good food. He's not your average cosy mystery canine who pops up for comic relief and cuddles. Oh no. Oscar earns his post in the series, slobber and all.

T.A. Williams continues to dazzle with his food descriptions. Honestly, you may need a snack (or two, or more) nearby while reading. The culinary detail is enough to make you consider organising a trip to Tuscany, or at least ordering in some decent Italian takeaway.

The atmosphere oozes rustic charm, the mystery keeps you guessing, and the characters are as comforting as a good glass of Chianti. Twisty, funny, and thoroughly satisfying.

Murder at the Ponte Vecchio is a delicious blend of suspence, humour, and Tuscan flavour.

Dog lovers, mystery buffs, and armchair travellers alike will devour it.

This post is part of the blog tour for Murder at the Ponte Vecchio.

Many thanks to T.A. Williams, The Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/murderpontevecchio

 

Author Bio –

T. A. Williams is the bestselling author of the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series. Trevor studied languages at University and lived and worked in Italy for eight years, returning to England with his wife in 1972. Trevor and his wife now live in Devon.

 

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: @TrevorWilliamsBooks

Twitter: @TAWilliamsBooks

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/TAWilliamsNews

Bookbub profile: @trevorwilliams3

Degustabox April Box

 

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I otherwise wouldn't have tried.

Each time a monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order. 

What did we get in April Box Degustabox?

Product of the Month - Brioche Pasquier Chocolate Chip Pancakes (£2.50) are a lovely breakfast or brunch treat, soft and squishy, with delicious chocolate chips. 

French family bakery since 1936, Pasquier offers a wide selection of baked goodies. My family loves their brioche, and I buy the pancakes occasionally too, especially when I don't have time to make my own from scratch. We even bought them on our recent trips to Paris, while doing grocery shopping.

Great for lunchboxes, for on the go, eat them as they are, or put in the toaster to warm them up (just be careful not to leave them for longer than a minute, as they might break when you try to get them out, as we found out).

Nutritional information: 131kcal and 9g of sugar per pancake; free from preservatives, suitable for vegetarians.

Available in Ocado and Morrisons.

Bonne Maman Crunchy Hazelnut Chocolate Spread (£3.10) is an award-winning, indulgent spread, carefully crafted from simple ingredients and containing no palm oil. Over a quarter of this spread is hazelnuts, how lovely is that?!

Excellent with croissants, toast, plain brioche and pancakes/crepes. 

Nutritional values: 565kcal and 48g of sugar per 100g.

The hazelnut chocolate spread is available from most major supermarkets.

April Box brings us several chocolate treats, you will find not one but three KitKat sharing bars.

KitKat Double Chocolate Sharing bar 99g (£1.50) will appeal to many chocoholics. It's a delicious bar with crispy wafers, with cocoa flavoured filling, covered with thick milk and dark chocolate marbled swirls.

Nutritional information: 175kcal and 15.5g of sugar per 3 fingers. Contains Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

KitKat Salted Caramel Sharing Bar 99g (£1.50) is another winning flavour. You get crispy wafer fingers covered with caramel flavour milk chocolate and white coating, with a salted caramel flavoured filling.

Nutritional information: 172kcal and 16g of sugar per 3 fingers.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Nestle KitKat Hazelnut sharing bar 99g (£1.50) - crispy wafer fingers covered with milk and dark chocolate with a hazelnut filling

3 fingers= 1 serving

Nutritional values: 175kcal and 15.7g of sugar per serving.

Made with Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

We love seeing new KitKats flavours and sizes, though we'd like to see the European KitKats to catch up with the Japanese immense variety of colours and flavours.

Mr Porky Crispy Strips (£1.50) has been the nation's favourite snack since 1960. This is a unique snack, and a winner in the Great Taste awards in 2019. 

They taste like pork scratchings, but with a bite to them, like crispy bacon rinds.

Nutritional values: 113kcal and 1.29g of salt per 20g serving; high in protein, 59g protein per 100g and very low carbohydrates too.

Available in major supermarket chains.

Knorr Aromat Seasoning (£1.90) is an all purpose savoury seasoning.

Free from artificial preservatives and artificial colours, this seasoning offers a finely balanced blend of herbs and spices. Incredibly versatile with a wide selection of meals, you can also use it just like salt and pepper at the table.

Nutritional values: 165kcal and 7.1g of sugar per 100g.

Available in major supermarket chains.

Cheez-It Cheese Sour Cream & Onion 150g (£2) are thin and crispy snacks, baked with 100% real cheese, with no artificial colours or flavours. 

Crunchy and well-seasoned, Cheez-It makes a great snack, whether you are feeling peckish or having a movie night. There is a tangy sour cream flavour combined with an onion punch.

Nutritional information: 507kcal and 1.5g of salt per 100g, or 152kcal and 0.45g of salt per 30g serving. No artificial colours or flavours. 

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Rubicon Spring Vits Mango Passion & Spring Vits Black Cherry Pomegranate (£1.29 each) are a new range of flavoured vitamin waters. These tasty soft drinks are developed to support your immunity and energy.

Each bottle is low in calories and full of flavour, and contains 100% of your recommended daily intake of Niacin, Vitamin B6 and B12.

Rubicon Spring Vits Mango Passion/Spring Vits Black Cherry Pomegranate still water = Immunity + Energy.

Nutritional information: only 15 calories and 2g of sugar per 500ml; no artificial colours, or flavourings.

Available in front of store chillers.

Teapigs Decaf English Breakfast (£11.90) is a beautiful refreshing tea.

English Breakfast tea is a firm favourite in our family. Strong, malty, well-balanced brew, it has all the taste of the usual black tea, but none of the caffeine. I enjoy mine with a slice of lemon and a spoonful of sugar, or just half a teaspoon of honey to add a touch of sweetness. It works perfectly well as a base for an iced tea, with sliced lemons and oranges and mint leaves.

100% natural, no artificial flavourings, made with big quality whole leaves. All tea temples are plastic free. 

Available at all major supermarkets and online at teapigs.co.uk.

What is your favourite product from the latest box? 

In case you are not aware, Degustabox offers monthly prizes on their Insta account. As seen today, you can win the above box of treats (competition closes on 7 June).

The House of Lost Whispers by Jenni Keer

 

"Few people noticed anything amiss as it lasted the tiniest fraction of a second. A jolt in our physical existence. A juddering of time..."

"I create joy in my daydreams because I've experienced sorrow in my life." As she said those words, she realised how true they were. Her fantasies had never been more important, carried more weight, than after she'd been orphaned".

"It was ridiculous really; a building couldn't care for you, and yet every time she stepped inside, she felt connected to something greater, something beyond its hexagonal walls".

The House of Lost Whispers by Jenny Keer is an emotional, heartfelt story, a mix of historical fiction, romance and a speculative fiction.

Blurb:

The House of Lost Whispers

On 15th April 1912, RMS Titanic sank and 1500 people lost their lives. But what if it stayed afloat?

When the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic leaves thirteeen-year-old Olivia Davenport orphaned, she's sent to live with her guardians, the Fairchilds, in their huge Jacobean mansion - Merriford Manor. But the Fairchilds have more to worry about than a grieving young girl - with war in Europe imminent and four sons to protect.

Olivia feels alone and friendless. That is, until she hears a voice from behind the wall in her tower bedroom. A voice from a man called Seth. At first, she thinks he's a ghost. But it soon becomes clear that he lives in an overlapping world that is just a shudder in time away from her own. A world where the Titanic never sank... And everything since has been just slightly... different.

All Olivia wants is to find a way into his reality. And not just to see the faces of her beloved parents once again. But also to meet Seth. Who might be the love of her life.

An utterly unforgettable reading group historical novel, that is part romance, part gripping mystery, and part completely heartbreaking First World War historical fiction. Perfect for fans of Titanic, In Memoriam and Lucinda Riley.

The House of Lost Whispers is a strange tale of parallel worlds, one of them as we know it, and another, happening in the alternate reality, where the Titanic had never sank, yet the major catastrophic events of the XXth C still occurred.

Olivia Davenport becomes an orphan at a tender age of 13, having lost both her parents on the doomed Titanic trip across the Atlantic. Bereft and distressed, she finds herself under the guardianshop of the Fairchilds, who were good friends of her late parents.

The Jacobean estate of Merrifield Manor is sprawling, with its beautiful grounds, picturesque gardens and two towers.

The Fairchilds are the typical aristocratic family of their time, they don't know how to express their feelings, they are not even used to hug their own children, brought up by nannies and sent off to schools to be educated. Olivia has been brought up differently, she misses the human touch, being hugged and comforted. She also has an over-vivid imagination.

In many ways, Olivia resembles Anne of Green Gables, with the same often exasperating idealism and ingenuity, and a total lack of boundaries or any understanding of when to stop with her fanciful ideas. On the one hand, play-acting her fantasies is her escapism and way of coping with the enormous grief, on the other, you realise that she's been like that even before she lost her parents. Olivia is very naive, being cossetted and indulged all her life by her loving family, and doesn't fathom the consequences of inventing stupid lies of romantic origins. In many ways, she is vexing and annoying.

The Fairchilds try their best to be kind to her, even allowing her to indulge in her romantic notions of staying in a tower. Olivia feels adrift and rather isolated. There are four sons in the family, and only the youngest, Benji, becomes her adoring acolyte, folowing her like a puppy.

Everything would change one night, when Olivia happens to hear a mysterious voice, emanating from behind the wall of her tower bedroom. At first, she believes she's being pranked, or perhaps it is a ghost... Or could it be that Seth "was here to help her navigate her unimaginable grief... This disembodied voice was her very own creation, manufactured to help her step into this new phase of life. He was here to help and then he, too, would simply disappear".

It takes them a long time to figure out that theirs voices come from the parallel realities. 

One heartbeat from her own, there is an alternate world, where the Titanic never sank, where her parents are still alive.

"It was only natural that she would want to believe that her parents hadn't perished in the icy North Atlantic Ocean but that would mean that Seth was a real person - and what? There was another version of this world somewhere in the universe, much like the world that Alice had stepped into through the looking glass..."

Sparks fly, there is an undeniable connection between Olivia and Seth. Is there a way to bridge the chasm between their two parallel worlds? As their relationship develops across the divide, and the bond deepens, defying the restrictions of time and space, the looming shadows of the First World War threaten both their realities. 

The story weaves together the threads of real history with the elements of the supernatural, and a poignant romance, presenting a mesmerising version of the world that might have happened.

I loved the concept of the parallel worlds, touching each other via the tower wall and never intersecting. At the same time, I wasn't entirely satisfied with the ending (which I'm not going to spoil). 

The House of Lost Whispers is a captivating, thought-provoking story which celebrates life's possibilities. A novel of loss and grief, love and hope, emotional resilience and second chances.

Potential triggers: murder, war deaths, scenes of sexual nature (only mentioning it because some of my readers prefer the so called clean romance; they are not exactly graphic, but some people might be uncomfortable with reading them).

This post is part of the blog tour for The House of Lost Whispers.

Many thanks to Jenny Keer, The Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/HouseLostWhispers

Author Bio –

Jenni Keer lives in the glorious Suffolk countryside with her four grown up children, three demanding cats, but just the one husband. She is often frustrated by their inability to appreciate that when she's staring into space, she's actually working, and that watching television counts as research. Much younger in her head than she is on paper, she adores any excuse for fancy-dress and is part of a disco formation dance team.

Keer has written two contemporary rom coms and five quirky historicals, with two more due out in 2025.

The best-selling No. 23 Burlington Square (her 1920s sliding doors mystery) has now sold over 100,000 copies.

 

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: @jenni.keer

Twitter: @JenniKeer

Instagram: @JenniKeer

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JenniKeerNews

Bookbub profile: @jennikeer

Photo diary: Project 365, week 18

Yellow poppies, bluebells, lilac, apple blossom, and the very first white rose in the garden... the late April has the beauty of its own.

My darling husband has been away between Saturday-Thursday in the last week, and what can I say, some people are blinking lucky. He was in Paris for work, but in his free time was able to visit the retrospective exhibition of David Hockney. I am soooo envious. 

I would have loved to see this exhibition, it opened on 9 April, the day before we went back home from Paris, and there was no opportunity for me to be there for the opening. He did bring me a superb catalogue, but oh my, life is not fair.

Years ago I wrote a paper on Hockney's exhibition in my home town. I was a young teacher then, and took a primary school class to see his artwork to Brothers' Grimm fairy tales. Afterwards, I asked the kids to write what they liked the best. And my paper was all about the children's observations and experiences. I presented it at the British Council event. I must have been 25 years old then. Good old days. 

We had a really summery weather, with temperatures going up to 26-27C. I bought a new t-shirt for Sasha, and he seemed to like it, not that he knows anything about the film. It's not his genre.

It's rather tricky to take Sasha's photo, as my boy is always on the move.

While we were basking in the sun, there was a freak snowstorm in my old home town. After warm days of plus 20C, it suddenly started snowing, and it is highly unusual for the end of April. The snow was thick and deep. My niece sent me some videos and photos, including one of the cat who looks at the snow, not enthusiastic about going out to do her business.

The snow melted in a couple of days.

I was talking about the snow to my Mum, and she mentioned that she chatted to my niece earlier that day, and heard her scolding her little son Fedya (he's two and a half years old). Mum asked why he was told off. Little Fedya proudly announced that he has eaten some snow, adding that it was clean, he picked it from his boots. 

In case you have missed my Insta post, I'm running a stationery giveaway until 9 May. There is an Impressionism-inspired theme, with a selection of greetings cards, postcards, notebook, bookmark, badge etc. And if you're not interested in an ink bottle, there's an alternative choice of a chocolate bar.

One of the prompts of Penandinkchallenge was a mash-up of two animals. The prompt reminded me of an animal from the folk tales of Cambridgeshire, called a shug monkey. It has a body of a sheepdog and a monkey's face. Though it's supposed to be a horror character, I didn't want to draw anything scary. My baby shug monkey is the opposite of scary.

Love seeing wisteria blooming in town. It's like a purple cascade.

I should be reading two e-books I promised to write reviews for the next week (and I am, mostly in bed), but I also picked The House in the Woods by Yvette Fielding as a light side reading.

There are several boxes of children's/YA books in the attic, which Eddie has read and won't be reading again. Before taking them to the charity shops, I thought I might read a few, as I do enjoy YA genre, especially the horror series (Point Horror, Goosebumps, etc).

The House in the Woods has an appealing book cover, and an enticing blurb. Three young teens go to an abandoned house in the woods with an Ouija board on the night of Halloween. They think it's a bit of harmless fun, but as you can imagine, it's never too smart to play with the unknown, if you don't know how to deal with it. A distressed spirit follows them home, and the terrifying things start to happen.

It's an entertaining book, quite predictable for its genre, but the writing style is a bit on the simple side. There is also an over-use of the "farting dog" trope. It's as if writeres of the children's literature are given the same memo by their editors: one of the characters must have a dog, and insert as many fart jokes as possible. This dog in particular farts on every second page, and it becomes tedious. While I appreciate I'm not a target audience, I do remember discussing this with Eddie a couple of years ago, and he also thought that farting in books is over-rated, and becomes tiresome, when it's repeated ad nauseam.

And how was your week?

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Fields of Glory by Michael Jecks

 

"Archers were already positioned in their order of a staggered harrow, with wedges of men rather than straight lines, in order that each man in the fore should have the maximum field of fire... Already now the archers were bending their bows, drawing and loosing a deadly storm upon the walls. The arrows rose thick in the sky.

It was beautiful - and horrifying, Ed thought."

"He watched the attack grimly. The professional English soldiers cut through the townspeople like knives through soft French cheese. They could not defend themselves against professionals".

Fields of Glory by Michael Jecks is a gripping historical novel set in 1346, during the Hundred Years War.

Blurb:

1346. France. King Edward III is restless. Despite earlier victories the French crown remains intact. Determined to bring France under his own rule, Edward has devised a new plan of attack - one which he believes will finally bring the French army to its knees: a final, cataclysmic battle...

Berenger Fripper, Vintener of a pox-ridden mob of sixteen who make up the Vintaine of Sir John de Sully, storms the beaches of Normandy to bring victory to their king. But the French are nowhere to be seen...

And so Berenger leads his Vintaine through France and onward to battle - the Battle of Crėcy - one which will both bond and break his men and be a decisive turning point in the Hundred Years War.

Fields of Glory is the first book in The Vintener Trilogy. 

The Knights Templar by Michael Jecks is one of my top favourite historical mystery series. I also enjoyed A Bloody Mary Mystery series and read one of The Art of Murder books too. 

For some reason, The Vintener trilogy was a terra incognita for me, despite the first book appearing ten years ago. It is different in genre and plot-setting.

At the centre of the story is Edward's ambitious and cruel campaign, leading to The Battle of Crėcy.

King Edward III is convinced that France is the land, ripe for the taking. He believes in his claim to the French throne.

Restless after years of war and hungry for the French crown , he comes up with a single brutal plan to draw the enemy out, break them in one savage blow, and gain what should belong to him.

Into this bloody gamble marches the Vintaine of Sir John de Sully, led by a battered vintener Berenger Fripper. His vintaine is just a handful of tough hard-bitten men, sixteen souls who are cynic and without illusions. War is a business for them, they want to get rich, and go home. 

Worn thin by too many campaigns, they crash ashore on the beaches of Normandy, weapons ready and lusting after a fight... which never comes, as the French, it seems, have no wish to engage into a real battle.

The English army is driven deeper into the French territory, surviving hunger, mud, smoke, leaving terrible scars of war carved into the countryside. All roads lead to Crécy, which will be forever remembered in history as the slaughterhouse. There in the chaos, written in blood and iron, some men will rise, others will fall, and the Hundred Years' War will shock the European leaders.

Berenger is a likeable protagonist, complex and multi-dimensional. A seasoned warrior, he questions himself at times, unable to justify the atrocities committed in the name of God and the King. He doesn't glorify the war.

The main plotline is intertwined with secondary strands of narrative, which follow the lives of the supporting cast of characters, including a young English lad Ed who comes to France, set on revenge; Beatrice, the French girl who flees the persecution; Roger, the leader of the second vintaine,who is hiding a dark secret (he's one of the most controversial characters in the story); the gunner Archibald the Serpent, the master of the black powder, etc.

Ed "The Donkey" is an orphan who has witnessed the slaughter of his family by the French. He's burning with desire to avenge his family. He is left disillusioned by the atrocities commited by his own side while marching across the French countryside. 

There is nothing remotedly romantic about the battles described in the novel. 

While reading the book, I had to stop often enough and pause, as I found the battle and massacre scenes resonating with the current wars and atrocities, committed in the name of religion and/or spurred on by the avaricious rulers. Centuries pass, and innocent people are still slaughtered en masse for someone else's greed and zealousness.

Fields of Glory is a thoroughly immersive read, which deftly combines the real historical account with a tale of a dangerous adventure, as seen through the prism of ordinary people, enmeshed in the ambitions of the ruthless rulers.

Many thanks to Michael Jecks, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/Fieldsof

Author Bio –

Studied actuarial science, then became a computer salesman for 13 years- after the 13th company folded, he turned to writing.

He’s the author of 50 novels, 6 novellas, 4 collaborative books and short stories. His tales are inspired by history and legends, but are all grounded in real life and real people, what motivates them, and why they turn to violence.

Founder of Medieval Murderers, he has served on the committees of: Historical Writers’ Association, CWA and Detection Club. He has judged the Debut Dagger, Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and other prizes, as well as serving as Dagger liaison officer and CWA Chair. He has taught writing at Swanwick and Evesham, and tutored for the Royal Literary Fund. He now runs South West Writers in Devon.

His work has been celebrated by Visconti and Conway Stewart pens; 2014 he was International Guest of Honour at the Bloody Words festival in Toronto, and Grand Master of the first parade in the New Orleans Mardi Gras.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: @Michael.Jecks.author

Twitter: @MichaelJecks

Instagram: @michaeljecks

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/MichaelJecksNews

Bookbub profile: @michaeljecks

Photo Diary: Project 365, week 17, 2025

 Easter and mocks, that's the sum of our week. 

Last Sunday was a special day. This year, despite different calendars, both Catholic and Orthodox churches celebrated Easter on the same day, April 20th.

I sent off my guys to the church service, while cooking our Easter meal. We were supposed to have guests at 1pm, in the morning I got a message, asking if we could move it to 2pm, and later even to 3pm, at which point I said, OK, let's have an early dinner instead, as my guys were already hungry. It's good I waited to put half a leg of lamb in the oven until I was sure about the times. I also cooked a gammon in lemon marmalade glaze the evening before, and made a batch of potato blini in the morning.

It's our favourite starter, when we entertain for Christmas, New Year's eve or Easter. Every time I think, I should change and do something different, but then, since we all enjoy it so much, I end up making blini. I also cured a piece of salmon in sea salt, sugar, spices, juniper berries and gin.

Our guests brought the most delicious brownie, which we had with ice cream, and we were so full that nobody wanted a Colomba cake. I opened it on Monday instead. Colomba means "a dove" in Italian, and the cake is shaped like a dove (supposedly).

Easter weekend is a special time for me, as I enjoy listening to Classic FM Hall of Fame. It takes four days of countdown to find out which classic music pieces win. None of my votes did particularly well, as all were below 50.

But, but, but... there was a big surprise... Typically the first and second places go to Lark Ascending and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto no.2 (to be honest, I'd love to see something completely different at the top). This year The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins has been voted to no.2, so Lark Ascending has indeed descended. 

I know, it's the news which only matter if you listen to ClassicFM, and my guys couldn't understand my agitation, but I was all agog. 

I listened to the little radio in the kitchen and to the Global Player on my phone, and enjoyed every moment of it. 

The Dubai chocolate saga continues. I saw on Insta that M&S has released a new chocolate bar, named The Big Daddy Pistachio. In comparison to the other bars, it's properly chunky. There is a big layer of pistachio filling, almost like halva in texture, and a layer of caramel, all covered in chocolate.

I didn't like the caramel, as it makes it way too sweet, but Eddie said he actually prefered it to the Lindt variety. It costs £8.50, still pricey, but a better value per weight.

Have you seen it in the shops near you?

One of the ink drawings I did a few days ago, with a lovely quote about friendship.

More food pics, apologies for the food-heavy content this week, it's all I seemed to be taking photos of.

As Eddie's been sitting his mocks this week, I tried to support his brain function with sandwiches of salmon caviar. It is rich in Omega 3, vitamins and proteins, and tastes lovely too.

When we were in Paris two weeks earlier, we had ordered some blini with salmon caviar. I told my husband, just don't mention Caviar, or they will bring you the stuff for 150 euros, say Salmon eggs. :)

I talk to my Mum every day. In the past I used Skype, and called her on her landline. Being a Luddite by nature, she categorically refuses to update her antique  mobile phone, which can only send texts and receive phone calls. Since Skype is closing down its business in May for good, I asked my brother to help us, asking whether he could get her some easy smartphone so we can continue talking daily.

He got her an Alexa, and now my Mum is super happy that she can actually see me. 

Every time she sits down to talk to me, her cat runs to monopolise the space, as if she is jealous. The cat was rescued by my niece years ago, when she was a street kitten, and chased by dogs. My niece brought her to my Mum and begged her to let her stay. The cat stayed, and despite being a stray, has very fussy eating habits, as if she were a pedigree cat. Mum grumbles about her, but they are happy in each other's company.

This is a collage of several screenshots of Mum and the cat (not the best quality). 

I took a picture of our garden, as my friend asked me to show her what is in bloom right now.

Whacky whacky is this week's theme of Penandinkchallenge, and one of the prompts was a baby dragon in a teacup. For some reason, I read it as a baby dinosaur, and sketched a little stegosaurus in a cup, only realising I got the wrong animal when I was doing a post on Insta. 

Eddie needed a dental appointment, and afterwards my husband took him to the shoe shop to get a new pair (his school shoes looked a bit Victorian-urchin style), and then they had a cold drink to celebrate surviving a week of mocks. Three more to go this week.

And how was your week?

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