Book synopsis for War of the Wind by Victoria Williamson

On a remote Scottish island, fourteen-year-old Max’s life changes forever when he loses his hearing in a boating accident. Struggling to make sense of his new life and finding it hard to adapt in school, he begins to notice other — even stranger — changes taking place when a new wind farm appears off the island’s coast.

With the help of three school friends with additional support needs, Max discovers that a sinister scientist, Doctor Ashwood, is using wind turbines to experiment on the islanders. They must find a way to shut down the government’s secret test before it spins out of control…

"War of the Wind was actually my mother’s idea. I was having dinner with her one night, when she said out of the blue, “Oh, I came up with an idea for a book for you today – it’s about wind turbines sending out secret signals, and it’s called War of the Wind.” She hadn’t developed the idea any further than that, but I loved the concept, and it planted the seed grew into the final novel." - Read the full interview at Neem Tree Press

"I think characters need to be flawed, as that’s the only way to make them realistic." - Read the full interview at Valinora Troy

"Before I became an author, I worked with children with additional support needs, and I think it’s really important that all children get the opportunity to see characters like themselves taking centre stage in the action of a story." - Read the full interview at Parrot Street Book Club

"There was just so much I enjoyed about War of the Wind: The diverse characters, the suspense, the depth, the complexity, the emotions. - Read the full review at The Artsy Reader" Read the full review at The Artsy Reader

Book synopsis for One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall

"When I started writing One of the Good Guys I kept a little strip of paper pinned above my desk. It read: women have had enough and it made me brave. I didn’t want my book to have any female victims in it, I didn’t want anyone to be saved. But to do this I realised I needed to flip the idea of the thriller on its head." - Read the full interview at Writing.ie

"...when I started writing One of the Good Guys, that I wanted to flip the narrative. I didn’t want small wins. The novel’s set up feels like a familiar thriller – a woman living on the edge of a cliff in a ramshackle cottage, a man who seems too good to be true moving in nearby and two young women going missing on a walk as they pass through the treacherous landscape. But once I’d done that I wanted to make sure that nothing felt familiar." Read the full post at Culture Fly

"For me every character needs to have shades of everything to make them work as fully rounded, believable individuals – the truth is we all have moments of victimhood in us, we’ve all felt defeated at times, which is why the idea is still so potent." Read the full interview at Muddy Stilettos

"Well, this book certainly makes you think. It’s one of those books that poses some very important questions and will encourage discussion amongst those who have read it. It is very current and very relevant, a very complex book that takes a look at the modern world, where women’s safety is very firmly on the agenda, and the abuse and violence experienced by women is put very definitely under the spotlight. But it’s also a book that is as clever as it is complex and I really rather liked it." Read the full review at Jen Med's Book Reviews

"Overall, this is definitely a worthwhile novel, but I think my enjoyment of it was very much enhanced by the audio performance which really blew me away. Highly recommend listening to it!" - Read the full review at That Publishing Blog

"Deeply unsettling but totally brilliant, One of the Good Guys is a book that demands to be read. Desperation, depravity, danger, dark deeds and disturbed relationships saturate the page of this powerful and all-too familiar tale." - Read the full review at Emma’s Biblio Treasures

"Hall writes well and keeps you guessing as you read, your opinion of the characters (who you will love to hate) wavering at times until you start doubting yourself, until you reach the end and make your final decision." - Read the full review at Paradise is a Library

Do you think Cole was a good guy or a bad guy? Why?

Why do you think it took Mel so long to see what Cole was doing to her? 

Was destroying the embryos the right thing to do?

Why do you think Cole believed he was doing nothing wrong?

Is silence consent?

Was Laura right to accuse Cole after so any years? Do you think there is a time limit on calling rape?

How much do you think Cole's parents were to blame for his behaviour? 

Were Lennie, Mel, and the girls wrong to stage the disappearance of the girls? 

Do you think Cole will ever become a father and if so, what sort of father do you think he will be? 

How much do you think social media and the media in general manipulate stories to sway public opinion?

Do you agree that the media was only interested in the story because the girls were thought to be kidnapped? Why was the walk not enough to get attention for their cause?

Do you think that there was media attention because the girls were young, attractive and white? Would it have been different if they were older or a different race?