Hello and the warmest of welcomes to damppebbles. It’s always great to see you. And it’s the start of a brand new week, happy Monday, I hope it’s a good one for you filled to the brim with fabulous books. It’s also day thirteen of #R3COMM3ND3D2023 and what a cracking year it’s turning out to be. A grand total of thirty-six books have been recommended so far. That’s enough to keep us all going for a little while, right? But why stop there!

I am delighted to have a brilliant book blogger join me today to chat about three of her favourite book releases from this year. It’s the awesome Kate of The Quick and the Read. Kate’s blog is the place to go when you’re on the hunt for a new book., that’s for sure. If you don’t already subscribe then what are you waiting for? You know it makes sense!

So, what is #R3COMM3ND3D2023? 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 2023. To make things interesting there are a couple of teeny, tiny rules; 1) the book must have FIRST been published in 2023 and 2) special editions and reissues do not count. See, it wasn’t too painful. I just like to keep you lovely people on your toes 😉

Let’s get this show on the road and find out the three books Kate recommends…

The Tumbling Girl by Bridget Walsh
Regular visitors to my blog will know that I have a bit of an obsession with anything set in Victorian London – and the combination of humour and crime is always a winner for me.

This book delivers a huge dose of Victorian gothic with a feisty heroine, a satisfying mystery and an underlying sense of the seediness of the Victorian music halls. I genuinely loved every second of this and am eagerly awaiting Book 2 in the series.
Kate’s Review of The Tumbling Girl

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Murder Under the Tuscan Sun by Rachel Rhys
When I manage to tear myself away from Victorian London, my reading choices are often still based on setting. In this case, it’s Tuscany in the late 1920s; Fascism is on the rise and there is a simmering sense of unease under the gorgeous, lush Italian scenery.

This book also manages to squeeze in an older female protagonist, surprising plot lines and lots of tension. The title makes it sound like a good old fashioned murder mystery (which I do love), but it actually delivers something more subtle and complex. I loved it.
Kate’s Review of Murder Under the Tuscan Sun

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The Good Liars by Anita Frank
Another 1920s setting here, but this time a country house where the shadow of World War I hangs over the once-great Stilwell family. As each of the residents of Darkacre Hall face their own struggles, investigations into a 1914 murder throw an unwelcome spotlight on their pasts.

This is a mystery, yes, but it’s also a reflection on war, grief, lies, loss and trauma. It’s totally immersive and features some shocking twists that kept me reading with bated breath.
Kate’s Review of The Good Liars

Thank you so much, Kate. Three definite additions to the TBR here. And after thirteen days, we have a leader! This is the second time we’ve seen The Good Liars by Anita Frank which is VERY EXCITING! Will The Good Liars be our most recommended book of 2023? We’ll have to wait and see…

About Kate:
I’ve been an obsessive reader for as long as I can remember, so my blog (born during the Covid pandemic in 2020) was set up to share my love of books.

My reading habits are eclectic, veering wildly between historical fiction, crime fiction, humour and non-fiction – occasionally with a wildcard thrown in because I’m also drawn to Regency romances, vampires, theatres, cruise ships and the Arctic. It’s going to be a weird book that ticks all my boxes but I’ll keep looking!

Outside of blogging, I’m a mum to teens and English teacher.

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

#R3COMM3ND3D will only run for the month of November this year so places are very limited. If you would like to take part in #R3C this year (and I would LOVE you to!) then please get your three choices in ASAP. If I’m unable to fill all 30 dates then any posts scheduled for the end of November will be brought forward and I will close the series early (but I don’t want to do that, it sounds miserable! 😂). Here are two different versions of the form if you fancy taking part.

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/d6HbMLZJjEtUSm8FA)