H.E.R.O Rise and Fall by Kevin Gerald Rau

This is the third book in the H.E.R.O series.

In this book we meet some amazing new characters.

Diva is a new member of H.E.R.O, and she is helped to get use to her new powers as a super by our now well-known supers from the last two books. Diva is a very sweet and likable character.

For Chrome changing into a super has been more like a curse than a blessing, her entire life has been destroyed by her change and her world is falling apart.

Gravitix has no interest in joining H.E.R.O; he wants to use his powers to make a lot of money. But will it be for good or evil the lengths in which he is prepared to go to for his own personal gain.

Shrinker is a mutant and she is very bitter and has a massive chip on her shoulder, she wants to build up an army of mutants. Shrinker is manipulative and calculating as she tries to bring the new supers on her side, to help her free the mutant followers she lost in H.E.R.O Metamorphosis.

Along with the fantastic new characters we meet up with the familiar characters from the last two novels.

Although H.E.R.O Rise and Fall is a much shorter novel, than the previous ones in the series, this does not disappoint, you still get lots of action and the introducing of the new characters keeps the storylines fresh, as well as involving the characters from the last two novels which are now well known and well liked. I look forward to seeing how the new characters develop, and to which path they will follow, good or bad. I really do enjoy these books; I just find them really entertaining. On to book four I go!

To buy this book from Amazon (UK) click here http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005QNS4ZY

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Dearest Rose by Rowan Coleman

Rose Pritchard is looking for a second chance and to escape from a deeply unhappy marriage. A few years ago a chance encounter with a kind stranger had given Rose hope and only now after all this time had Rose found the courage to make a move and take the huge step of breaking free from her life.

The stranger a man called Frasier McCleod had given Rose nothing more than a picture postcard with a small village in Cumbria called Millthwaite on it, this is Roses only clue to finding the kind stranger. So along with her seven year old daughter Maddie, she arrives at a B&B in the village, putting all hope on a letter and kind words from a stranger for a chance of happiness.

Is Rose just chasing a dream?

Dearest Rose is a truly, touching and remarkable story. I really like it when you are reading a book and the story plays out in your minds-eye like you are watching a film and that is what is one of the things that is just great about this story. The story will draw you in from the very beginning and as the story reveals more about the leading character Rose, you just cannot put the book down. The storyline is very well written and the subject covered in this book is handled very sensitively and true to life. It is great to start of the New Year with such a brilliant book and I will look forward to reading more books by Rowan Coleman.

Rowan Coleman worked in bookselling and then publishing for seven years during which time she wrote her first novel, Growing up Twice, published in 2002. She left to write her second novel, After Ever After and now lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two children. Dearest Rose is her tenth novel.

To buy this book from Amazon UK click here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008KYWHLI

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Utility Furniture by Jon Mills

The 1943 Utility Furniture Catalogue with an explanation of Britain’s Second World War Utility Furniture Scheme.

During the war with so many people’s homes and contents getting destroyed in the Blitz, just how did people replace basic furniture? Especially when there was a short supply of wood to make new furniture and the cost of second hand furniture was rising to expensive levels. 

The government came up with the answer, a government scheme was introduced the Utility Furniture Scheme for those in need and if you could prove you were in need then you could get a permit to purchase items from the catalogue. From 1943 the items shown in this book, were the only items of new furniture you could buy in Britain at the time. 

This is a fascinating guide book, which also include a full replica of the first Utility Catalogue that appeared in 1943. You may remember some of these items of furniture available in the catalogue and maybe in your home if you were brought up in the 1950’s. At thirty-eight I had no idea and I found this book a fascinating read, it amazes me that you can get into your late thirties and still find and learn interesting historical facts that you knew nothing about. You learn about the damage done in the war but not about the basic things, things although appear quite simple are in fact important and really must have mattered to people a lot at the time.

Although this is only a small book that can be easily read in one sitting, it is packed full of interest information and facts and is a really great guide book that covers everything on the subject and you can learn a lot from it. I know I did.

To buy this book from Amazon (UK) click here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0955272327

H.E.R.O New Markets by Kevin Rau

This is the second book in the fantastic H.E.R.O (Homeland Extraordinary Response Organization) series. 

We meet up with the three leading characters from the first book, Psystar, Spartan and Black Tiger, following straight on from where the last book left us, it is now two nights after their transformation into Supers. Our heroes are called to assist in a kidnapping of a young girl, but when they try to rescue the girl and investigate things further, the team find out there is a lot more going on than they first thought. It would seem that the kidnappers are deliberately hunting and capturing new Supers and with an evil crime lord behind this, just for what purpose exactly could they want new Supers for? Can our heroes find out why and save the day?

What I really like about this series of books, is that it changes characters which you would normally only find in comic books, and by putting them in a book you can expand so much more on storylines and background and elevate what is an old idea of super heroes saving the day to a more complex and much deeper view of the characters’ lives and turning a simple pattern of what could have been comic books stories into a strong and original franchise.  I really like the fact of how down to earth all the characters are, as they juggle normal life with adapting to their new powers and new roles. They remind me of new born animals that stumble and fall when first trying to walk after birth, after a few initial falls and a wobbly start you know the animal will walk just fine, just as sure I am that the characters will develop more and more as we go on reading the series of books, and go on to make superb Supers. New characters are also introduced in this book and we also meet some of the Supers that already work for H.E.R.O which add to the entertainment and the stories development.

I cannot wait to go on to read the third book in this series and I now have my favourite Super!

To buy this book from Amazon (UK) click here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005NBLWW6

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Eastleigh Then & Now in Colour by Penny Legg

Eastleigh’s history is told by Penny Legg in this wonderful book that will bring back memories if you are from the Eastleigh area or have a connection to Eastleigh. Like many of Penny Legg’s books the history is told using old photographs and placing them with modern up- to-date glossy coloured photographs of interesting points and places. So we, the reader can compare the photographs from the past with the new to see just how much Eastleigh has changed over the years. For buildings which have survived, what have they become in the modern day? Just what were they in the past? With interesting and informative and well researched information to accompany the photographs you can learn a lot from this book or just to have a trip down memory lane to see what you remember about Eastleigh.

If you know Eastleigh, are a local or are the same as me who have never visited Eastleigh, but are interested in history you will find this book fascinating and educational too, lots of interesting facts and lots of places in Eastleigh covered too. This is a book that can easily be read in one sitting. I really enjoyed comparing the photographs from past and present, once again another remarkable read from Penny Legg.

Penny Legg is a writer, photographer and public speaker. She has contributed numerous articles to newspapers and magazines, as well as writing several popular books on the area. Penny is the founder member of Writing Buddies, and is a key member of many other writing groups. She lives in Southampton.

To buy this book from Amazon (UK) click here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0752469991

To buy this book from Amazon (US) click here: http://amzn.com/0752469991