Drumbeats (part 1) by Julia Ibbotson

The Drumbeats Trilogy by Julia Ibbotson

Today I am thrilled to be taking part in the Blog Tour for the first edition of The Drumbeats Trilogy by Julia Ibbotson. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and the publisher for a copy of the book, which I have reviewed honestly.

Drumbeats

It’s 1965 and 18 year old Jess escapes her stifling English background for a gap year in Ghana, West Africa. But it’s a time of political turbulence across the region. Fighting to keep her young love who she believes is waiting back in England, she’s thrown into the physical dangers of civil war, tragedy, and the emotional conflict of a disturbing new relationship. So why do the drumbeats haunt her dreams?

This is a rite of passage story which takes the reader hand in hand with Jess on her journey towards growing into the adult world.

Purchase Link

My Thoughts

The first book Drumbeats is set in 1965 and tells the story of a young girl who is about to embark on an experience which will change her life forever.

I always enjoy a book with a highly likeable main character and Jess was just that. From the start I loved her determination and unselfishness, wanting to spend a gap year in West Africa, to teach and experience life far removed from what she is accustomed to. Jess is naive but also incredibly brave and eager to learn about new cultures.

Jess is loved up with university student Simon before leaving for Africa. Her strict parents approve of the relationship and want Jess to settle down with him. However, she finds herself being drawn towards a handsome American who is part of the US Peace Corps. Torn between loyalty and admiration, she finds herself with a difficult decision to make.

A beautifully written, atmospheric book. You can feel the heat and hear the drumbeats as you get swept away in the story. I instantly picked up the next book in the trilogy and will be sharing my thoughts very soon.

Author Bio –

Award-winning author Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and concepts of time travel. She read English at Keele University, England (after a turbulent but exciting gap year in Ghana, West Africa) specialising in medieval language, literature and history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. She wrote her first novel at 10 years of age, but became a school teacher, then a university lecturer and researcher. Finding Jess (2018) is her sixth book and the last of the Drumbeats trilogy (which begins and ends in Ghana). Apart from insatiable reading, she loves travelling the world, singing in choirs, swimming, yoga and walking in the countryside in England and Madeira where she and her husband divide their time.

Acclaimed author of:

Drumbeats (2015), the first of the trilogy set in 1960s Ghana: sometimes you have to escape to find yourself.

Walking in the Rain (2016), the second in the trilogy set in 1970s and 1980s England: never give up on your dreams.

Finding Jess (2018), the last of the trilogy set in 1990s England and Ghana: can the past ever be left behind?

Also by Julia Ibbotson:

A Shape on the Air (2017): historical (Dark Ages/early medieval) time-slip romance. Two women 1,500 years apart, with one aim: to reclaim their dreams and fight the dangers that threaten them both across the ages …

The Old Rectory: Escape to a Country Kitchen, (first published 2011, rereleased 2017) a feel-good story of the renovation of a Victorian rectory interwoven with period recipes to feed the soul, all from the rectory kitchen.

S.C.A.R.S (first published 2012, rereleased 2016) (children’s novel): a troubled boy slips through a tear in the fabric of the universe into a parallel medieval fantasy world of knights, dragons, and a quest for the triumph of Good over Evil. But can he save himself?

Social Media Links –

Facebook Author page:

https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Twitter:

@JuliaIbbotson

https://twitter.com/JuliaIbbotson

Author website:

https://juliaibbotsonauthor.com/

Pinterest page: includes boards with pics and images that inspired each book

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/juliai1/

Goodreads author page:

https://www.goodreads.com/juliaibbotson