Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins #BookReview

I am delighted to share my review for Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins and what an absolutely brilliant read this was.

Let me show you what it is all about…

When the eight-year-old daughter of an Oxford College Master vanishes in the middle of the night, police turn to the Scottish nanny, Dee, for answers.

As Dee looks back over her time in the Master’s Lodging – an eerie and ancient house – a picture of a high achieving but dysfunctional family emerges: Nick, the fiercely intelligent and powerful father; his beautiful Danish wife Mariah, pregnant with their child; and the lost little girl, Felicity, almost mute, seeing ghosts, grieving her dead mother.

But is Dee telling the whole story? Is her growing friendship with the eccentric house historian, Linklater, any cause for concern? And most of all, why was Felicity silent?

Roaming Oxford’s secret passages and hidden graveyards, Magpie Lane explores the true meaning of family – and what it is to be denied one.

What an absolutely amazing read this book was. Occasionally books are referred to as being memorising and for me, Magpie Lane was just that.

The story is told from the perspective of Dee, she is answering questions at the police station in Oxford regarding the disappearance of her charge Felicity Law. This is a little girl who has been through a lot. Her father Nick and Stepmother Mariah both have intensive jobs and Dee seems to be the right fit.

The story of Dee’s past, her job with the Law family is gradually teased out through Dee’s memories as she is being interviewed. The quotations she is asked is the spark for each of these memories.

A bigger picture is gradually revealed in a very atmospheric, haunting and heartbreaking tale. A picture of a dysfunctional, hardworking and stress filled family emerges. It is an intricately woven plot that was easy to follow.

This is a slow burner of a tale that just wrapped itself around me, it was a sombre and subtle read that was so well written. I suppose you could call it a domestic thriller and yes it is but in an almost understated way. It is a story of lives hit by grief, expectations, worry and hurt but it also has a strong feeling of friendship, trust and acceptance.

I adored this book from the first few pages and as much as I wanted to discover how the book would end, I didn’t want it to. It is a book that was so beautifully written and had such an atmospheric feel to it.

This is a book that readers who like a quieter read that at the same time has a tense and dramatic edge to it. It slowly unwraps and tells the story and is a gripping read. I absolutely adored it and I would Highly Recommend it.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Closer To You by Adam Croft @adamcroft #PublicationDay #BookReview

I am delighted to share my review for Closer To You by Adam Croft. I would also like to take the opportunity to wish Adam a Happy Publication Day 🙂

Let me show you what Adam’s book is all about…

What if your loved one wanted you dead?

Grace wants to spend the rest of her life with Tom. She needs to. Because otherwise he’ll kill her.

He’s the perfect gentleman. He’s kind, attentive and caring. Her family love him. And he needs Grace dead. But why?

As the feeling grows that Tom is not as perfect as he seems, he begins to slowly and systematically destroy her life. Can she discover the truth and escape with her life?

This is a quick, pacy and riveting 229 pages of intrigue, manipulation and deception. Grace thinks she has found Mr. Right when she meets Tom via a dating app. He is charming, a gentleman and very attentive. He comes across as supportive and compassionate. Grace, it seems has been swept off her feet by him so why are her friends not quite so keen on him?

This is a fast paced read that in some ways mirrors the pace of Grace and Tom’s relationship. Things move quickly and it isn’t long before he has moved in. Things should be rosy, and on the relationship side of things, that is the case. However, work, friends and family relationships all seem to have problems. Things are not going well, there are fraught conversations that seem to appear out of nowhere. Grace is so confused and is so glad that she has Tom there.

This is a clever and quick read that just zooms along and is easily read in one sitting. The author does a really good job of giving the reader a story that is very easy to get caught up in. There are doubts about Tom from the synopsis and also from the reactions and responses from Grace’s close friend and her family. Grace is slowly being manipulated and doesn’t realise until Tom’s attitude changes, subtle changes, but changes all the same.

If you like quick paced, domestic thriller reads then Closer To You is a good book to pick up. The characters are good and I was able to see what the other characters could see, I could understand their frustrations and I could also see the doubt creep slowly in over Grace. For a quick read this does pack a lot of drama and tension. thoroughly enjoyable read and one I would recommend.

With more than half a million books sold to date, Adam Croft is one of the most successful independently published authors in the world, and one of the biggest selling authors of the past year.

Following his 2015 worldwide bestseller Her Last Tomorrow, his psychological thrillers were bought by Thomas & Mercer, an imprint of Amazon Publishing. Prior to the Amazon deal, Her Last Tomorrow sold more than 150,000 copies across all platforms and became one of the bestselling books of the year, reaching the top 10 in the overall Amazon Kindle chart and peaking at number 12 in the combined paperback fiction and non-fiction chart.

His Knight & Culverhouse crime thriller series has sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide, with his Kempston Hardwick mystery books being adapted as audio plays starring some of the biggest names in British TV.

In 2016, the Knight & Culverhouse Box Set reached number 1 in Canada, knocking J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child off the top spot only weeks after Her Last Tomorrow was also number 1 in Canada.

During the summer of 2016, two of Adam’s books hit the USA Today bestseller list only weeks apart, making them two of the most-purchased books in the United States over the summer.

Before writing full time, Adam had previously worked as an internet marketing consultant, delivery driver and professional actor.

Adam has been featured on BBC Radio, The Guardian, The Huffington Post, The Bookseller and a number of other news and media outlets.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

The 24-Hour Cafe by Libby Page @LibbyPAgeWrites @orionbooks #CompulsiveReaders @Tr4cyF3nt0n #24HourCafe #BookReview

I am delighted to share my review for The 24 Hour Cafe by Libby Page. I am joining with Tracy at Compulsive Readers as part of the Blog Tour. I read it way back in November and I can now finally share my thoughts…

Let me show you what this book is all about…

Welcome to the café that never sleeps. Day and night Stella’s Café opens its doors for the lonely and the lost, the morning people and the night owls. It is many things to many people but most of all it is a place where life can wait at the door. A place of small kindnesses. A place where anyone can be whoever they want, where everyone is always welcome.

Meet Hannah and Mona: best friends, waitresses, dreamers. They work at Stella’s but they dream of more, of leaving the café behind and making their own way in life.

Come inside and spend twenty-four hours at Stella’s Café; a day when Hannah and Mona’s friendship will be tested, when the community will come together and when lives will be changed…

I read this book over a couple of sittings and found it such a relaxing book. This book is about the people who visit or work in the 24-hour cafe called Stella’s. It is told in 24 chapters as the clock marks each hour.

There are two main characters, Mona and Hannah. They are friends and also work as waitresses in Stella’s, each works a 12-hour shift and so I got to see the customers that they met of their shift. I really liked how the book was laid out because not only did I get to read about each of the main customers for each hour of the story, I also got details into the lives of Hannah and Mona.

Their backgrounds are told through a series of memories and go through their backstories up until they work at the cafe. It delves into their hopes, dreams, disappointments and frustrations. I did really like both of these characters and their stories. As I said there is a focus on a customer for each hour. Now, this is what I really liked because it was like people watching from the perspective of either Mona or Hannah, and also you get the story from the customer themselves. For me, this worked really well and though it is only a snapshot into a persons life, it is very representative of the cafe life.

So with the customers’ stories, this is almost like a story of short stories that intersperse the main story of Mona and Hannah. Their stories come across as more like short stories as they are not told in chunks instead they are interrupted as customers take priority.

This is a slower read and I liked the quietness of the story, there is drama and emotion throughout the story, it is not overwhelming, it is more subtle than that. The whole book was just one of those books that you can quite happily lose yourself in as I did over two sittings.

A lovely read that I thoroughly enjoyed and was a delight to read. The 24-Hour Cafe is a book I would definitely recommend.

Libby Page wrote The Lido while working in marketing and moonlighting as a writer. The Lido has sold in over twenty territories around the world and film rights have been sold to Catalyst Global Media. Libby lives in London where she enjoys finding pockets of community within the city. Follow Libby on Twitter

See what other Book Bloggers think by checking out their stops on this Tour…

• 

Coffee, Tea or Me by Rich Amooi @RichAmooi #romcom #AuthorTakeOver with @zooloo2008 #BookReview

I am delighted to share my review for Coffee, Tea or Me by Rich Amooi.

Fellow Book Blogger Zoe who blogs at zooloosbookdiary is running an Author Take Over feature from today (14th Feb) until the 29th February about Rich’s books. I am delighted to link up with her today and share my review for one of Rich’s earlier books, Coffee, Tea Or Me.

I first came across Rich Amooi during a Blog Tour with Rachel’s Random Resources for the book There’s Something About a Cowboy (my review – click here), so when I saw an invite for another of his books I immediately jumped on that one as well, this time for the book It’s Not PMS, It’s You (my review). After I had read the first book I decided to buy a couple more, it has taken me a while to get round to it as my TBR is quite vast!

Let me show you what this book is all about…

Susie opens a tea shop next to Jack’s coffee shop and the war begins.

Jack Robbins has a booming coffee business, an eighty-year old customer who can’t keep his clothes on, and a rescue Chihuahua named Chimichanga that likes to kiss on the mouth. Life is good until the new business next door takes a bite out of his sales.

Susie McKenna has the new tea shop everyone is talking about, an over-protective brother, and a stubborn, good-looking neighbor who is trying to steal her customers.

Things really start to percolate when Jack and Susie both volunteer to help plan the downtown festival. They have to work together and soon Jack won’t be able to get by without his daily fix of Susie. But can a coffee lover and a tea devotee put their competition aside to get their happily ever after? 

When I wanted to read a pure escapism, rom-com story that I knew would leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling and a smirk on my face, the author that sprang to mind was Rich Amooi. I have read a couple of his books and have thoroughly enjoyed them.

Coffee, Tea or Me is certainly a tale that has all the right elements that make up a light-hearted, fun and quick read. The opening of a Tea shop next door to a Coffee shop definitely sets the proverbial cat among the pigeons. Coffee shop owner Jack is a little put out. Susie the new owner of a the tea shop is looking for a fresh start.

A the story pans out there are little games and tactics at play as the rivals make the most of their businesses. To be fair though it is mainly Jack who is the instigator. There is however something else at work, that is the attraction that flows between the two owners.

Being a small community, people need to work together especially when the yearly festival is due. Can the two work things out or will things go pear shaped?

Rich does such a great job with his stories. This book was great for disappearing into for a couple of hours. It was a light read that made me smirk, especially the antics of Harvey, he is hilarious and such a dear. There is that good balance of will they/ won’t they to the romance side of the story and that is mixed in with tea, coffee and scones.

If you are after a lighthearted story that will pop a smile on your face and leave you with an “Aaahhhh” feeling then check this one out. It isn’t a serious or heavy book and this makes it ideal for a cheeky afternoon book. Ideal for readers of rom-com. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I would definitely recommend it.

Rich Amooi is the Amazon #1 Bestselling author of 15 romantic comedies, including It’s Not PMS, It’s You, Dying to Meet You, There’s Something About a Cowboy, and Madam Love, Actually. Over 475,000 downloads from readers around the world.

A former radio personality and wedding DJ, Rich now writes romantic comedies full-time in San Diego, California, and is happily married to a kiss monster imported from Spain. Rich believes in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

Social Media Links – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – Author Website

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

How To Play Dead by Jacqueline Ward #Bookreview

I am delighted to share my review for How To Play Dead by Jacqueline Ward. This is another book that I read before Christmas and am just trying to get caught up with.

Anyway, let me show you what it is all about…

She’s watching over them. And he’s watching her…

Ria Taylor is everything to everyone. Wife and mother, the centre of her family. And the manager of a refuge for women whose partners have driven them out of their own homes.

But one night, with her husband away, Ria receives a terrifyingly sinister message. Someone is watching her. Someone who seems to know everything about her. She knows what she should do – seek help, just like she tells her clients to. But Ria is the help. As events escalate, and terror takes hold, Ria must decide whether to run or hide…

This is the story that centres around Ria who manages a refuge for women known as SafeMe. She is often confronted by angry husbands and boyfriends and is great at giving out advice, but this is advice she does not follow when she herself is the target of malicious calls and texts.

There is also a second story-line with this book, it comes in the form of a diary entries from Tanya. She is keeping a diary of abuse and control from her partner, while the abusive relationship provides a link to the main theme of the story, there is also something more. This is revealed later in Tanya’s story.

This is a tough book to read at times as the author takes the reader into a world of abusive relationships, manipulation, control and isolation. There is mention at the end of the book about the author using womens actual experiences and also talking to those involved in refuges and this adds a believable factor to the story.

The author has incorporated many angles into the story and not just the obvious ones of control, violence and manipulation. There are mentions of watching women be strong for their children, victims not speaking due to lack of trust, guilt and mortality rates. While these may on first glance look to be very tough subjects, the author has done a great job of highlighting and incorporating them into her story.

There are changes that slowly happen to the two main characters, and it was a very subtle and slow change that gradually gained momentum. As the story started to develop further I had a couple of ideas about how this story was going to pan out. Well, I was way off the mark and the author took a route I had not expected.

This is a gritty and a story that does have an impact. It has a thriller feel to it as well as a psychological aspect. A powerful and well written book that I would definitely recommend.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

No Mercy by Robert Crouch @robertcrouchuk #mystery #BookReview

I am absolutely delighted to share my review for Robert Crouch’s latest book No Mercy. I am a big fan of Robert’s Kent Fisher series and he is an author who is on my “will automatically read” list. So when I saw an email asking me if I wanted to read book #5 in the series it was an automatic “Yes please” without reading any of the blurb.

So without further ado, let me show you what No Mercy is all about…

COULD YOU KILL IF JUSTICE FAILED YOU?

Highways Inspector, Derek Forster, couldn’t go on after the death of his wife. Even though he had a secret lover, he took his own life. Or did he?

Samson Capote, the restaurateur from hell, brutally attacked and left to die in a deep freezer. Did he antagonise too many people? Was he sharing Forster’s secret lover?

Millionaire entrepreneur, Clive Chesterton, falls from his yacht and drowns in Sovereign Harbour. Why did he have Forster’s missing journals in his cabin?

When Kent Fisher becomes a murder suspect, he realises he could be the next victim of a killer who shows no mercy.

Can Kent connect the deaths and solve the mystery before the killer gets to him? 

I am a big fan of this series and I adore the character of Kent Fisher an Environmental Health Officer who runs and animal sanctuary and solves the odd murder.

This is the latest in the Kent Fisher series and while you can read it as a stand-alone, why would you even want to, just read the series from the beginning.

So this book sees Kent right in the thick of things as usual, he is quite used to being in this position as he does seem to attack trouble. This time however he has things coming at him from all sides. It starts with his ex-girlfriend rocking up on his doorstep, then an alleged suicide starts the ball rolling. As the story pans out things gather momentum and a bigger picture is gradually seen.

This book could just as easily be called the Trials of Kent Fisher, except it wouldn’t fit with the “No” titles of the previous books. There are problems at work and on the home front and I felt really sorry for Kent having to deal with so much. But as one lead leads to another things gradually start coming to light until quite a dramatic final few pages when things are pieced together fully.

The author has once again done a cracking job with Kent Fisher, there are many different things going on in the story and not once did I feel confused. The pacing is spot on for me and suited the story so well. I do admit to being invested in this character and I am chuckling as I write this, because there were times when my blood boiled as I read parts of the story where Kent was being given a rough time by some of the powers that be! This is credit to the author for making this reader care about what happens to this fictional character.

I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Kent and the other characters, there are some old favourites as well as a few new ones that are pertinent to this story. The whole book was a pleasure to read and I sat and read it over one lazy evening.

If you like a good mystery series that has a wonderful classic ‘whodunit’ style as leads are followed and deductions are made, and if you haven’t yet come across Robert Crouch’s Kent Fisher series then do go and look it up, it is a fabulous series that I have loved from the very start. No Mercy is a cracking read and I would Definitely Recommend it.

Robert Crouch writes the kind of books he loves to read. Books ranging from the classic whodunit by authors like Agatha Christie, the feisty private eye novels of Sue Grafton, thrillers by Dick Francis, and the modern crime fiction of Peter James and LJ Ross.

He created Kent Fisher as an ordinary person, drawn into solving murders. He’s an underdog battling superior forces and minds, seeking justice and fair play in a cruel world. These are the values and motivations that underpinned Robert’s long career as an environmental health officer.

He now writes full time from his home in East Sussex. When not writing, he’s often find walking on the South Downs with his West Highland white terrier, Harvey, taking photographs and researching the settings for future Kent Fisher mysteries.

Follow Robert on – Website – Twitter – Facebook

Check out the series on Amazon UK

Going Dark by Neil Lancaster #BookReview

I am delighted to share my review for Going Dark by Neil Lancaster. This is the first book in the Tom Novak Thriller series. I read this book as I am on the Blog Tour for book 2 in the series and wanted to read this in order.

Let me show you what Going Dark is all about…

Tom Novak is a troubled soul with a dark and bloody past.

A former refugee, Royal Marine, and member of the elite Special Reconnaissance Regiment, he now finds himself struggling with the deadening routine of day-to-day policing.

When he is deployed undercover to infiltrate a gang of people-traffickers, things go badly wrong. Faced with an impossible choice, his cover is blown and he finds himself on the run from the Serbian mafia and even his fellow police colleagues.

With no-one to trust, and his enemies using all the resources of the state against him, Tom has only one option: to Go Dark.

Who are the police traitors feeding the Serbian mafia his every move? Is there anyone he can trust? Can Tom prove his innocence before it’s too late?

Going Dark is the debut crime thriller from former covert specialist Detective Sergeant Neil Lancaster, and the first in the Tom Novak series. If you enjoy gritty suspense, thrilling action and flawed heroes battling against the odds, then you’ll love Going Dark.

The synopsis for this book does a great job of giving you an idea about what the story is about. This is the first book in the Tom Novak series and it is nothing if engaging and fast paced.

The author has done such a great job of creating a character that I immediately liked. He is moody, quiet, emotionless and an absolute force to be reckoned with if you are on the wrong side of the law. He has a past that has in some ways denied him the things many of us take for granted and this has moulded him into the man he is now.

Given the fact that Tom is a dangerous man he is not a danger, he has a focus that is absolute and also has a range of ex-servicemen who he can call on, and call on them he has to. These are loyal people and they would not give their loyalty if it was not deserved.

The case that Tom works is a brutal and topical one and is the start of something far deeper than he ever expected it to become. The author has successfully, in my opinion, woven a story of corruption and trafficking. As I was reading this story I was acutely aware that the author seems to know his stuff, there were many details that are known through experience. It wasn’t until I read a bit about the author that my thoughts were proven to be true.

The story is so well paced and for the style, it is action all the way from the start to the end. There are a few characters that become memorable for all the right, or wrong reasons and I soon found several I immediately liked. The author got the balance right on so many levels for me and made this story a fabulous read.

I have to say I loved this book a huge amount. A bit of a mix of Jason Bourne, James Bond and Jack Reacher… What is it with all the “J’s”! Well forget the names startling with a ‘J’ look for the one that starts with a ‘T’ for Tom Novak! This was a brilliant action, thriller fast paced and brilliantly worked story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series and seeing where the author takes me next. This booik is one I would Highly Recommend.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

The Choice by Claire Wade #Dystopian #BookReview

I am delighted to share my review for The Choice by Claire Wade. I originally saw a review for this book on Linda’s Book Bag and after reading her fabulous review I immediately ordered a copy.

If you have read this book you will understand the significance of the cake in my photo! If you haven’t read the book then go and get a copy as you will not be disappointed 🙂

‘Eat the best, leave the rest! Remember Mother knows best.’

Olivia Pritchard lives in constant fear since Mother Mason came into power. Everything from healthy eating to exercise is controlled by the government, all in the name of health and happiness. Olivia hates being dictated to, but to protect her family she must follow the rules or face a stay in the Shame Box – a perspex box, placed in a public place for everyone to judge.

After Olivia witnesses an innocent woman being violently arrested, she is no longer able to ignore the injustice. The underground rebellion ‘Cut The Apron Strings’ is gaining momentum and for the first time in years Olivia has a choice: keep her head down or join the fray…

When you hear the saying “Mother knows best” it conjures up an image of your mum knowing what is good for you, helping you to make good and right decisions to hopefully give you the tools for living and leading a good life in the future. However, what if that guiding encouragement is taken to the extreme and becomes more than guidance. What if it becomes a regime! What if Mother is a dictator that does know what is best and controls your life, health, exercise and in fact permeates your every waking moment!

The author has done an amazing job of exploring the idea of choice to a wonderful level. Having a choice about the things we eat, drink, talk about and take part in, is part of our way of life. The author has used the character of Mother Mason to show how a figure in power can use and a political platform and then abuse her position to create a society that lives in fear.

The main protagonist of this story is Olivia Pritchard, a wife and mum of two. She lives in perpetual fear. Fear of being caught doing or saying the wrong thing, of being noticed and it consumes her life. The consequences of making a mistake are severe. It could impact her life, but more importantly the lives of her two children. This is a story that shows Olivia’s “Mothers Love” can make cause drastic and life-threatening implications.

I adored the style and theme of this story. The author has taken the idea of certain foods being bad for us and taking it it to a whole new level along with the idea that rules regarding how a healthy life should be lived. Because of this basis, the story has a really good believable feel to it. Government guidelines are often in the news about what we should eat more of, what we should limit ourselves to and how much exercise we should have. While these guidelines are good, they are also ever-changing.

Olivia was a character that I immediately felt for, I felt sorry for her and I could see why she worried about everything. She was the quiet one who had priorities. Her friend, the slightly reckless Alice, didn’t have children so she could afford to be a little more outspoken in her views. As the story progressed from the opening few chapters, the real oppression could be felt. It gradually got deeper and the full implications started to come to light.

I do love a good dystopian novel that has it’s feet well and truly in the Orwellian Big Brother style and this book really did have that feel.. The fear of your neighbour or someone overhearing a remark or seeing something was so good. It added a thrill element to the story that had me on the edge of my seat.

This is a story that has a core of character that are the main players, there are a few others that are introduced but not too many that you lose track of them. This keeps the flow of the reading as I didn’t have to remember who was who.

This was a fabulous read and had me totally hooked. If you are a fan of this style of story then you are going to love The Choice. It gets a definitely recommended from Me!

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing #Bookreview

I am delighted to share my thoughts on My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing. The title for this book is fabulous and is such a deceptive title for what lies in wait fo rthe reader!

I read this before Christmas last year and I am still catching up with a few stray Book Reviews from my own reading pile so…

Let me show you what it is all about…

Every marriage has secrets. Everyone has flaws. Your wife isn’t perfect – you know that – but then again nor are you.

But now a serial killer is on the loose in your small town, preying on young women. Fear is driving your well-behaved young daughter off the rails, and you find yourself in bed late at night, looking at the woman who lies asleep beside you.

Because you thought you knew the worst about her. The truth is you know nothing at all.

This is a thriller like nothing you’ve read before…

OK, so when I saw a quote by author CJ. Tudor referring to this book being “Dexter meets Gone Girl” I thought to myself that if done well it should be a twisted read! And bloomin’ ‘eck it certainly was!

So, what to tell you about this story…hmmm! It is about a family of Mum, Dad and two kids: one of each, nice house, both work and they all seem to muddle along quite nicely. Will that do? No! Oh, okay…

There is a killer at large and he is targeting women, to all intents and purposes this is the re-emergence of a serial killer that had been at large years ago. There is a certain amount of tension as the killer has got in touch with the media, as is the way of things nowadays everything is analysed under a microscope. This attention adds fuel to the psychological firestorm that is brewing. It’s effects are felt very close to home.

The author has used quick chapters and a back and forth style to create a fabulous domestic thriller, there are tensions from many aspects. The teenage children are exposed to an limitlessness torrent of news and media reports that have some unsettling consequences for the parents in this family.

The family from the outside look like your normal suburban family, but it is what goes on behind closed doors that counts, that’s when you get to see the real them! The mother seems a little too controlled and ordered and this gives her a slightly cold trait, but given her history it wasn’t that surprising. The dad, is a tennis coach and has a steady stream of clients, but he is not the main earner, that is the wife.

I feel I must apologise at this point for the really, really randomness of this review. There are so many things I want to tell you about this book and each time I start I have to stop as it would give away too many things.

This book is a psychological thriller of the domestic variety, it is a book that centre around one particular family. It delves into their daily lives and tiptoes briefly back in time. It has quite a few surprises along the way and at one point in the story I did have an inkling and then thought nah, and brushed it aside and it lay forgotten about until I had that eureka moment of “OMG I was right” and I have o say I was still shocked!

This is a clever and viciously twisted book, it had a certain amount of intrigue from the outset that just increased as the story unfolded. I did take a little longer to read this, I think three or four sittings, due to work and other boring but necessary stuff, but it is one of those books that kept niggling at me to pick it up and read it.

If you like a good domestic, psychological thriller then get a copy of this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 19th Jan) #BookNews #BookUpdates #MeAndMyBooks

WooHoo we are now over half way through January 🙂 sorry but it is a month that really does drag on and on and on! Roll on the spring, that’s what I say 🙂 I did manage an hour out in the garden finally, a couple of dry days helped, cold but dry so it was good.

I have also hit double figures on my books this week, it is always a nice milestone to reach. I have just finished my 11th book of the year and it was a brilliant read.

Let me show you what I have read and what I am going to read next…

A Dark Matter by Doug Johnstone

Oh what a brilliant read this was. A family coming to terms with the loss of a family member means the rest of the family picking up the pieces of the Funeral business and also the Private Investigating business. A great read from start to finish with many surprises along the way. Keep an eye out for my review as part of the Blog Tour.

---

No Mercy by Robert Crouch

I love this series and it feels like it has been far to long since I last caught up with Kent Fisher. This is another fantastic read that I was so glad to get my paws on. Kent is an Environmental Health Officer who finds himself in the wrong places, just as well for this reader! He is once again in the thick of things, but not in a good way as he is the one that is the frame for murder! Keep an eye out for the Blog Tour and my review.

---

Going Dark by Neil Lancaster

This is the first book in the Tom Novak Thriller series, I decided to grab a copy as I am on the Blog Tour for the 2nd book in a few weeks. Check me out reading a series in order… I wonder if it will last!!! Well anyway, this book was brilliant, action and fast paced all the way. A brilliant introduction to a series and I cannot wait to grab the next book and see what thrills, spills and adventures the author comes up with next. I will post this review for Going Dark in a few days.

---

The Choice by Claire Wade

This was a recent purchase and it is a brilliant read. A dystopian that is an absolute page-turner from start to finish. A government that is concerned about health, diet, exercise sounds good, but when it is taken to the extreme and the government doesn’t advice but makes its wishes law you have a scared society. The author has done a blooming brilliant job with the themes in this book. See my full review later this week.

---

The Southern Belles by Katie Simpkins

I am due to start this later today (its Sunday as I type this post up) and I am looking forward to reading this ready for the Blog Tour. Here is the synopsis for it…

Not Just Any Old Riches to Rags Story.

Heiresses, Evelyn, Georgia and Olivia Belle, nicknamed The Southern Belles by the tabloid press, have everything they’ve ever wanted. Then, suddenly, on Evelyn’s 30th birthday, their father dies in a tragic road traffic accident, leaving a massive hole in his business’ finances. With the world’s media, and the National Crime Agency looking on, their family home, cars and all other assets are sold at auction, leaving the sisters penniless, homeless and jobless.

Shunned by their celebrity friends, the Belle sisters must learn to fend for themselves for the first time in their lives. Evelyn, the eldest, knows how dire their situation is, and asks their father’s solicitor, who has kindly paid for their first two months’ rent on a rat-infested bedsit in Brighton, to look into their Father’s case, while they hunt for jobs to make ends meet, which inadvertently leads to them meeting new guys, falling in love, and learning along the way that the world doesn’t owe them a favour, and that money doesn’t buy you happiness. 

---

I don’t post about anything I have watched very often, mainly because I don’t watch that much, but this week I have been found a wonderful TV series that you can find on Amazon Prime Video. If you like your history then you may be interested in The Silk Road, it is a 15 part series that is in 26 minute episodes that make for great bite sized viewing. It is really interesting as Alfred de Montesquiou takes you along the Silk Road stopping at all the major stops on this historic route.

Here is the link if you are interested – The Silk Road

A war correspondent for the AP news agency and a journalist for Paris Match will be our guides. Take an extended trip through six countries and cultures. Journey through time, encountering specialists, historians, or just everyday people with a passion who will help you grasp the past and present identities of those countries. From Bursa in Turkey to Xi’an in China.

---

Well that’s me done for the week, another good reading week and I hadn’t realised that I had read this many books in one week!

All that’s left is to wish you all a fantastic week

Yvonne xx