Book Review: The Eagle Will Rise By MJ Porter
It’s a pleasure to be welcoming back MJ Porter to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for their latest book, The Eagle Will Rise, book one in the Sundered Kingdom series.
The king is dead; for Mercia to survive, another must take his place.
Coelwulf, Mercia’s last king, is dead. His legacy and right to rule Western Mercia have been claimed by Alfred of Wessex, but all know Alfred was never to have Mercia. Neither were the Viking raiders, who now command the eastern-most parts of Mercia and the former kingdom of the East Angles.
Icel, the bastion of Mercia’s wars against Wessex and the Viking raiders, lies dying, but he refuses to abandon his beloved kingdom to her long-standing enemies.
Rudolf, the once-young ally of King Coelwulf the second, is summoned by Icel to attend upon him. Grudgingly, he arrives at Budworth, the task laid before him, audacious to say the least; rescue Coelwulf’s acknowledged heir, Æthelred, from Wessex, where he’s held prisoner by King Alfred. To do so, Rudolf must prevail upon the dispersed oath-sworn warrior band of King Coelwulf, and all of them, aside from him, have ignored Icel’s increasingly furious demands to attend upon him. If they won’t obey Icel, then why should they listen to Rudolf?
The fate of Mercia’s survival rests in the hands of a man who should long have been in his grave, and Rudolf, a boy who’s become a man in the most trying of circumstances. They must forge Æthelred into the emblem of Mercian survival. Or die trying. But first they must rescue Æthelred from someone who has always pretended to be Mercia’s ally, and who is anything but.
*****
Although technically the start of a new series, The Eagle Will Rise continues the history or Mercia but with the narrative passing from Icel to Rudolf. You don’t need to have read the previous series, but if you have then you will encounter a few interesting old friends in this new tome.
M J Porter has an uncanny ability to get the balance of pace, detail and language just right. The story pulls you though, there is enough detail to paint wonderful vivid images and imbue characters with depth and life whilst not weighing you down with unnecessary embellishments leading to a relaxing and engaging read – a rare treat.
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Book Review: Wishing on a Star in the City By Krysten Lindsay Hager
I’m pleased to be welcoming Krysten Lindsay Hager back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, Wishing on a Star in the City.
Everyone thinks Ivy Macomb’s life is perfect as she’s a teen actress on a TV show, part of a well-known family, and has just started college with her football star boyfriend, Ryan. However, as Ryan’s on campus fame grows, the two break up leaving Ivy heartbroken. She makes up a cover story to save face about how they’re taking time apart, but she’s devastated and unsure how to handle things. She ends up having a crying meltdown in front of her great-uncle who is better known in the media as the most ruthless man in business. However, she learns there’s another side to Uncle Alfred as he not only offers advice, but helps her with her podcast.
Her cousin tries to get her to go out and show people she’s doing fine after the breakup. Enter freshman hockey player, Konrad Gorski. Ivy and Konrad become fast friends as he’s a shoulder to cry on for her as she deals with her feelings. He’s also been through a bad breakup and has trust issues. Konrad is selected to go overseas for a hockey opportunity and the two stay in touch daily. They begin to have feelings for each other, but she’s worried about getting hurt. Can Ivy open her heart to love again?
*****
On the surface, it looks as though Ivy Macomb has it all. A career in TV, a boyfriend and a wealthy family. Things are not always as they seem and soon Ivy finds herself struggling and opening up to people she didn’t expect.
I am such a fan of the Stars in the City series and couldn’t wait to get started on book four. I do recommend the first three novels, but this can be read as a standalone if it’s your introduction to Krysten Lindsay Hager’s books.
by Book Review: The Sunshine Teashop By Jaimie Admans
I am so incredibly pleased to be welcoming Jaimie Admans to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her new books, The Sunshine Teashop.
Dolly Lymford is having one of those days… 🧁🫖
The kind that starts with dreams of opening a café… and ends with discovering your boyfriend kissing your best friend!
Heartbroken and with nowhere else to go, Dolly accidentally-on-purpose borrows her now-ex-boyfriend’s campervan and drives until the road runs out. This leads her to Thimblenouth, a picture-perfect Yorkshire Dales village where life moves more slowly and the kettle is always on.
After literally bumping into gorgeous local builder Reece Sterling, Dolly begins to feel something she hasn’t in a long time: safe. She also rediscovers her love of baking, filling the campervan with the scent of warm scones and freshly brewed tea. And Reece is always around to share a lemon pie or two…
When Dolly has an idea to open her own pop-up café, Reece is all too happy to help. And as the summer sun begins to warm everything it touches, Dolly wonders if she’s finally found a place to call home… maybe even with Reece.
But can she really build a future on borrowed wheels?
Novel A warm, uplifting story of fresh starts, village kindness, and finding love where you least expect it — best enjoyed with tea and cake.🍰
*****
Dolly is about to embark on a new business venture. Although she’s scared, she’s also excited. However, when a betrayal forces her to flee with the help of a neon green campervan, she doesn’t know what to do next. When she arrives in North Yorkshire, she begins to feel like she’s come home. The path to happiness doesn’t run smooth though and soon Dolly will have to make a choice – face her fears and move on or continue hiding.
by Book Extract: The Code One Club Series By Alison Naomi Holt
Please join me in welcoming Alison Naomi Holt to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her The Code One Club series.
Some connections don’t come from wanting them. They come from collision, from timing, from something that refuses to stay buried. The Code One Club series by Alison Naomi Holt leans into sapphic stories where that kind of connection takes hold.
Set within the world of the Code One Club, where identities are reclaimed and connections run deeper than appearances suggest, these stories unfold through contrast at every level. Power and wealth exist alongside survival and instability, while control and chaos collide in relationships where trust is difficult and the stakes are never low.
In The Inheritance, Phyla McGuire is powerful, controlled, and emotionally untouchable, while Ash Redux is a former Army K9 handler barely holding on, navigating life on the streets while battling PTSD. When their lives collide, what begins as circumstance becomes something deeper and far more dangerous. Set against a backdrop of power, wealth, and survival, their connection forces both women to confront who they are beneath the roles they’ve built.
Whiskey-Colored Eyes follows Jude Lorcan, a grieving widow trying to rebuild her life one careful step at a time, and Dr. Noémi Boudon, who is confident, refined, and quietly searching for something real. Their connection is undeniable, but it is far from simple. This slow-burn sapphic story unfolds through grief, desire, and hesitation, asking what it means to open yourself to love again and what it costs to stay closed.
In Melt for Me, Alléandra Alfieri is powerful, feared, and emotionally locked down, while Maren Tempest is bold, unpredictable, and impossible to ignore. When their worlds collide, the connection ignites fast and burns hot. As control is challenged and completely undone, this story brings intensity, tension, and a shift that neither woman can walk away from unchanged.
Alison Naomi Holt has kindly shared an extract from Melt For Me with us today. We hope you enjoy it.
*****beginning of extract*****
Melt for Me
Chapter 1
Mar thanked the driver as he pulled her suitcase from the back of his SUV. The portly, florid-faced man had been friendly and talkative on her ride from the airport, something she appreciated since she needed the distraction from the weeklong gathering that she’d agreed to attend with an old friend, Kelsey, whom she hadn’t seen in several years.
It was precisely because of his affable manner that she tipped him more than she usually would. She hadn’t expected to hire a car, but her plane had landed four hours past the time she was due to arrive, and Kelsey had texted that because of the delay, she had to get dressed for the evening’s dinner party and wouldn’t be able to pick her up at the airport.
by Book Review: Unemployed Killers Support Group By Rio
Please join me in welcoming Rio to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for their graphic novel, Unemployed Killers Support Group.
Unemployed Killers Support Group is a razor-sharp, darkly hilarious noir-esque manga from Taiwanese creator Rio, this is not your average self-help group. Selected by Taiwan Pavillion as a featured work to be showcased at the 2023 Angoulême International Comics Festival.
Locker Loyed, once a deadly sniper, lost his vision—and his job—on a mission gone wrong. Now, he’s joined an unlikely circle of former contract killers, each grappling with their own personal collapse. Among them: Gloria Maze, a meticulous assassin whose career imploded after catching her husband cheating and killing the mistress in a jealous rage; Jerry Cole, a justice-obsessed lawyer turned bloodthirsty executioner; and Jordi Joe, a delusional con man who’s never actually killed anyone.
As they try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives, Locker begins to realize his past isn’t done with him. A dangerous figure—the one responsible for his blindness and a friend’s death—is still at large. And revenge is still on the table.
For fans of dark comedy, crime thrillers, and twisted found family, Unemployed Killers Support Group is a bold, bloody, and brilliantly offbeat ride through the lives of society’s most dangerous burnouts. Welcome to the group—check your conscience at the door.
*****
This is the first graphic novel I have reviewed although not the first I had read. The plot centres around a group of 4 people all of whom are members of a support group of unemployed killers. I love the concept of hitmen and assassins having their own support groups, it conjures scenes of “hello my name is Chris and I’m an assassin. It’s been 10 days since I last killed someone, and every day is a struggle….”.
by Book Club
