Book Review: Runaway Horses by Carlo Fruttero and Franco Lucentini
Siena, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities, is feverishly preparing for the Palio, a horse race dating back to the Middle Ages, held every summer in the centre of the town.
Tempers flare, rivalries between the competing neighbourhoods intensify. Milanese lawyer Enzo Maggione and his wife Valeria are unwittingly caught up in the death of a jockey and a maelstrom of plots, counterplots and bribes surrounding the race.
What begins as a listless excursion to a medieval equestrian competition turns into a hallucinatory nightmare for Maggione and his wife, awakening their dormant libido, for each other but, more dangerously, for others in their entourage.
*****
The annual Palio horse race is due to take place in Siena. Days before, Avvovato (Enzo) Maggioni and his wife Valeria end up at a strange house after taking a wrong turn. What they find is intrigue and before long, they get mixed up in a murder.
The premise of this book did catch my attention. I had no previous knowledge of the Palio and its history so it was interesting to discover it through this novel. Although I’m not sure I want to witness the race, I’d love to visit Siena.
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Book Review: Five Things I Love About You by Clare Swatman
It’s so lovely to be welcoming Clare Swatman back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, Five Things I Love About You.
Forty-nine-year-old Miranda is at a crossroads.
Her children have left home, her perfectly civilised divorce is more than a decade behind her and her romances since have been lacklustre, and her career has stalled. The bright spots in her life are best friends Sophie and Kirstie, but it’s clear something has to change.
So, when she’s knocked off her bike and wakes up in hospital bruised but not broken, Miranda wonders if the universe is trying to tell her something. And when she starts to be plagued by recurring dreams featuring the same featureless man, Sophie insists it’s a sign.
Her repeating dreams offer five clues to the man’s identity so, with nothing to lose, Miranda sets off on a journey to the future she’s always longed for. Somewhere there’s a life and a love waiting for Miranda, but will she grasp it with both hands or will she let her destiny slip through her fingers even when it’s right in front of her…
An uplifting, magical story about fresh starts, best friends and soulmates. Perfect for all fans of Lucy Diamond, Beth Moran and Jill Mansell.
*****
Miranda has found herself at a bit of a crossroads. Having lost her job, she doesn’t know what she’s going to do next. So, when she gets knocked off her bike and gets helped by a man she knows only as ‘J’, she decides to try and find him. Will fate help her along the way or is it a lost cause?
I am so pleased to be invited onto the blog tour for the latest novel from Clare Swatman. Having enjoyed previous books by this author, I couldn’t wait to get started on Five Things I Love About You.
by Book Review: Broken Hearted by Leia Stone and Julie Hall
The Winter Court princess Isolde must find the next piece of the puzzle to end the curse ravaging her lands.
My world is dying, and only I can save it.
When the princesses of Summer and Fall disappeared in Ethereum, the burden of stopping the curse that’s tearing Faerie apart fell to me. My mission is clear: kill an Ethereum lord and return with his magical black heart to save our land.
But I know a secret no one else does―Dawn and Aribella are alive, and everything I’ve been told about the Ethereum lords is a lie. Not only that, but there may be another way to break the curse once and for all.
At least, that’s what they claim.
I want to believe them, because when I gaze into the captivating teal eyes of the Southern Ethereum lord, the thought of driving a dagger through his heart becomes impossible to imagine. But trusting them could cost me everything.
Now, I’m torn between loyalty and truth, with no idea who to trust. The clock is ticking, and the fate of Faerie rests in my hands.
*****
The curse that is destroying the kingdom of Faerie is getting worse and Queen Lilianna now hopes that Isolde, the princess of the Winter Kingdom, can do what the Summer (Dawn) and Fall (Aribella) princesses could not – go through the portal into Ethereum, cut out the heart of a lord and bring it back.
Isolde hopes to help without having to resort to murder. She also finds herself fighting her feelings for Adrien, an Ethereum Lord who, when she arrives, is engaged to someone else.
by Book Extract: Flowers of Evil by N.L. Holmes
It’s a pleasure to be welcoming N.L Holmes to Novel Kicks as we shine a light her Hani’s Daughter Mysteries Series.
No Pyramids, Just Crimes Worth Solving
While most historical fiction about ancient Egypt fixates on pharaohs and pyramids, N.L. Holmes takes a refreshingly intimate approach: small neighborhoods, family entanglements, and the everyday tensions that lead to murder. Her four-book series follows Neferet and Bener-ib — medical women turned reluctant detectives — as they navigate deadly mysteries within the working-class community of Thebes.
Each installment, from Flowers of Evil to The Melody of Evil, presents a different crime, a new emotional layer, and evolving relationships. Holmes’s deep archaeological knowledge makes every page ring with authenticity — and the fact that these stories center queer women in the Bronze Age? Even better.
The books in the series include Flowers of Evil, Web of Evil, Wheel of Evil and Melody of Evil.
N.L. Holmes has shared an extract from Flowers of Evil, book one from the series. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
“Can you do anything?” the woman cried tremulously, clutching at Neferet’s arm.
But Neferet could think of nothing encouraging to say. Her insides had that hollow, leaden feeling that meant the worst was about to happen.
“There’s no point in stitching up the outside,” she said gently. “He’s lost a lot of blood, and they’ve chopped him up pretty seriously inside. As the medical books say, ‘This is not a case I will treat.’”
The woman understood and began to whimper. She reached out a hand to touch her husband’s shoulder but then drew back as if she’d just discovered it was someone else. A gloomy silence fell over the group, broken only by the increasingly weak huff of the patient’s breath. His lips moved feebly, and Bener-ib leaned over his face.
“I think you’d better stand with him, mistress,” Neferet said. “His soul is ready to fly. He might have something to say to you.”
The woman drew closer fearfully. “Sen-em-iah, my brother, I’m here.”
by Book Review: Men of Iron by MJ Porter
We are pleased to be welcoming MJ Porter to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for their latest book, Men of Iron.
After the legends of Arthur, yet before the Saxon kingdom of Mercia, a tribal age of iron and rust ruled.
Britain AD540.
In the western hinterland of Roman Britannia, Meddi, the seeress of the Eorlingas tribe, can only obtain vengeance when her husband’s dead and her ancestral villa returned to her.
With her brother, Madog, as leader, they unite and stand strong against those who seek the riches of their villa. They must harness the power of the lost magiks of iron to make weapons to mercilessly oppose those who seek to challenge and fight to rule.
Meanwhile in the east, Waermund, a young warrior of Saxon descent, has exacted the ultimate revenge against his brother. Startled by his own ruthlessness, he knows his father will pursue him to exact retribution. He and his band of miscreant warriors must flee westwards and forge a new future by earning coin from those too weak to protect themselves.
Meddi and Wærmund are set to collide in a world of iron and rust.
*****
Men of Iron is the first in a new series by M.J Porter. Having read novels in previous series by this author, I was eager to see what this new one had to offer.
This book is based in the dark ages, between the departure of the Romans and the rule of the Saxons. It’s a time when sharp iron which holds its edge is worth more than gold.
by Book Club
