Review #38 - Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum

Title: Hausfrau
Author: Jill Alexander Essbaum
Published: March 2015
Publisher: Random House
Source: Publicist in exchange for an honest review.

A brief synopsis; (Via Goodreads)

Anna Benz, an American in her late thirties, lives with her Swiss husband, Bruno—a banker—and their three young children in a postcard-perfect suburb of Zürich. Though she leads a comfortable, well-appointed life, Anna is falling apart inside. Adrift and increasingly unable to connect with the emotionally unavailable Bruno or even with her own thoughts and feelings, Anna tries to rouse herself with new experiences: German language classes, Jungian analysis, and a series of sexual affairs she enters with an ease that surprises even her.  
But Anna can’t easily extract herself from these affairs. When she wants to end them, she finds it’s difficult. Tensions escalate, and her lies start to spin out of control. Having crossed a moral threshold, Anna will discover where a woman goes when there is no going back.

FREEDOM

So, I have been absent from my laptop for roughly a month... Why? Because of the dreaded exams.

Overall, I think they went well - I don't think I'll be disappointed come results day, as I'll only get back as much as I put; which, admittedly, was not as much as it should have been. Oh, well. It's all over now! There's nothing I can do about.

Come September, I'll be moving to Aberystwyth to start my first year studying English Literature and Creative Writing! I was blessed with an unconditional offer, and so there's doubt that I'll be going.

But until then, I have all of summer to myself - when I'm not working. And what will I be doing? BINGE READING. and BINGE WATCHING TV. I am so excited holy cow. And I'm starting right now with the first book in the Game of Thrones series.

Well, by right now I mean after these couple episodes of Modern Family.

As such, I am back into the blogging 'sphere!

May Map Making Sunday #1

I am a huge procrastinator (my first exam is in 10 days and the only bit of revision I have done for it was about almost two months ago); so, what better to do with my time than blog? Nothing!

The first session of May for the writing group that I attend (hosted by the gracious Lily from Whispering of the Pages, with help from many other amazing people) was focused on map-making. My current WIP has a tonne of foreign lands, hence, map-making is pretty essential in order to understand (and as a reference to me).

As such, here is the first Map Making Sunday of May!

This feature will run on all the Sundays in May, which is 4 more (including today), and each Sunday will feature a new landscape/world, a description, anomalies, races dwelling in, the climate etc. Everything I deem important to the world! (Really, this is just a way to get myself motivated and so I can start a reference folder full of these for my WIP). They won't be the full details, and many will lack information in places, but that's okay!

Book Spotlight: Dead Silent by Mark Roberts - Exclusive Prologue Chapter!

Title: Dead Silent
Author: Mark Roberts
Release Date: 5th May, 2016

Review #37 - Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Title: Darkly Dreaming Dexter (Dexter Morgan #1)
Author: Jeff Lindsay
Published: 2004

A brief synopsis; (Via Goodreads)

Dexter Morgan appears to be the perfect gentleman. He leads a normal, quiet life working as a forensic officer for the Miami Police. He has a nice, shy girlfriend and is liked by her young children. But Dexter has a secret hobby. He's an accomplished serial killer.

So far he's killed dozens of people and has never been caught, because he knows exactly how to dispose of the evidence. And there are those who would rather he wasn't caught at all, because Dexter is a serial killer with a difference. He only kills the city's bad guys.

Then Dexter's well-organised life is thrown into chaos. Another serial killer is invading his territory - and he wants Dexter to come out and play...

Review #36 - Brave New World

Title: Brave New World
Author: Aldous Huxley
Published: 1932

A brief synopsis; (Via Goodreads)

Far in the future, the World Controllers have created the ideal society. Through clever use of genetic engineering, brainwashing and recreational sex and drugs, all its members are happy consumers. Bernard Marx seems alone harbouring an ill-defined longing to break free. A visit to one of the few remaining Savage Reservations, where the old, imperfect life still continues, may be the cure for his distress...

Huxley's ingenious fantasy of the future sheds a blazing light on the present and is considered to be his most enduring masterpiece. 

Guest Post ¦ "Mr Prump is NOT Donald Trump" - Robert Eggleton

Not so long ago I did a spotlight and guest post on the new adult book Rarity from the Hollow, which you can view here.

Today, I am joined again by Robert for a new guest post! Should you be interested in the current Presidential elections, I highly recommend giving this a read! (It is NOT political propaganda).