Hello bookish friends and welcome to Monday on damppebbles. It’s a brand new week full of brand new book recommendations that I cannot wait to share with you. We’re seven days into #R3COMM3ND3D2022 and what a series this year is turning out to be! We really have something for everyone this year so make sure you stay tuned to the blog and keep adding to your TBR.

Joining me to talk all things #R3COMM3ND3D2022 today is a fabulous blogger who regularly makes me add books to my own terrifying TBR with her brilliant reviews, it’s the lovely Kate of The Quick and the Read. If you don’t already subscribe to Kate’s blog, then make sure that changes!

So, what is #R3COMM3ND3D2022? It’s about sharing the book love. It’s a chance for authors, book bloggers, reviewers and bookstagrammers to shout about three (yes, *only* three) books they love. They can be written by any author, in any genre and published in any way (traditionally, indie press or self-published). But there is a catch. All three books must have been published in 2022. To make things interesting there are a couple of teeny, tiny rules; 1) the book must have FIRST been published in 2022 and 2) special editions and reissues do not count. I like to keep you lovely people on your toes 😉

This is the sixth year of #R3C so things are going to be a smidge different this year. Like last year, there’s a scary deadline involved *shudder*. Unlike last year’s form which closed in December, this year’s form will close A LOT EARLIER. The #R3COMM3ND3D application form will only be open until midday (GMT) on Thursday 10th November. If you would like to take part in #R3C this year (and I would LOVE you to!) then please get your three choices in sooner rather than later. Any posts scheduled for later in November will be brought forward and I will close the series early if I’m not able to fill all of the available dates. The form is at the bottom of this post if you fancy taking part.

Here are the three books Kate recommends…

A Restless Truth (The Last Binding #2) by Freya Marske
I enjoyed 2021’s ‘A Marvellous Light’, the first in this magic-and-mystery packed series, but I LOVED this sequel – ‘A Restless Truth’.

Set on board an Edwardian-era transatlantic ocean liner, the book opens with a murder and starts a race against time to solve the crime before the ship docks at Southampton. Our heroine – Maud – is both helped and hindered in her efforts by an unlikely bunch of interested parties: the louche Lord Hawthorn; Alan Ross, purveyor of pornography; and the bewitching and beautiful Violet Debenham.

Added to this are a magical quest, a number of magicians and mediums, plus a menagerie that includes a verbose parrot – this really is a unique and enchanting story whether you’re a history, mystery or fantasy fan.

This book is packed with vibrant historical detail, wonderfully eccentric characters, quirky humour – and a touch of steamy romance. It’s a wonderful sequel but could also be read as a standalone.
Kate’s Review of A Restless Truth

The Echo Man by Sam Holland
Visitors to my blog know that I love a twisty murder mystery – well, this book is like a million twisty murder mysteries all mixed in with some true crime stories and a load of genuinely terrifying bits.

The story begins with a house fire in which Jess Ambrose’s husband is killed – an arson attack which the police blame on Jess, causing her to go on the run from hospital. Disgraced detective Nate Griffin believes that Jess is innocent and tries to help her. Together, Jess and Griffin discover that someone is copying famous serial killer murders from the past…and they aren’t about to stop their reign of terror.

I read this in one sitting because I couldn’t take my eyes off the page – or even breathe at times! It is a staggeringly impressive debut novel – but one that isn’t for those of a nervous disposition as it does feature some disturbing and graphic violence. Fans of true crime will find some familiar stories here – but the narrative that Holland has wound around them is totally fresh.
Kate’s Review of The Echo Man

The Marmalade Diaries by Ben Aitken
This book is definitive proof that something good came out of the period of Covid lockdown!

Thirty-something Aitken is more often found writing about his travels, so you’d expect that Covid might have thrown a spanner in the works for his career. However, the start of lockdown saw him in an unlikely house share with an 84 year old widow – and this is the book that follows the development of his friendship with the gloriously straight-talking, contradictory and determined Winnie Carter.

This is a charming and funny book about an unusual friendship forged over shared breakfasts – Winnie is absolutely proprietorial over the good marmalade! It’s also a look at lockdown and the effect it had on people’s lives, a journal of domesticity and the small things we came to rely on when the big things (friends, family, social lives, travel, culture) were taken away by Covid.

I’ve read a lot of fabulous non-fiction this year but this one absolutely stole my heart!
Kate’s Review of The Marmalade Diaries

Thank you so much, Kate. Three fantastic recommendations – one of which I’ve read and enjoyed. The other two will be going straight on the wish list!

About Kate:
Kate is only in her third year of book blogging – although a lifetime of obsessive reading has led her to this point. When she doesn’t have her nose in a book, she is a mum of two and somehow also fits in teaching English in a secondary school. She wishes there were more hours in a day and is fuelled by caffeine.

Kate’s Blog and Social Media Links:
| The Quick and the Read | Twitter @TheQuickandthe4 |

If you’re a book blogger, bookstagrammer, reviewer or an author and you have three books published this year which you want to shout about then please complete the following form (or click this link: https://forms.gle/CNhNp5GRcr4XVedh8)