Author: if only I could read faster

4.5*, blog tours, book review

#BlogTour #BookReview Before I Let You Go by Kelly Rimmer. @KelRimmerWrites @headlinepg #BeforeILetYouGo #KellyRimmer #addiction #book

if only I could read faster

Before I let you go

I’m so pleased to be part of the blog tour for the paperback release of Before I Let You Go by the fabulous Kelly Rimmer.

My Review:

I’m a big Kelly Rimmer fan, every book of hers that I have read have been a brilliant read and one of them in particular completely blew me away.

So I was excited to read her latest book Before I Let You Go, and wanted to read it based only on who wrote it, the blurb really didn’t matter. As it turned out if I had read the blurb then it would have been a book that I wanted to read. Although there might have been some hesitation because when a book features someone in active addiction it can often misrepresent addiction or even glamourise it.

Not that that happens here, one of the best parts of the book is the accurate portrayal of addiction, how hard it is the break and the heartbreaking consequences that it can bring.

The relationship between sisters Lexie and Annie is delightfully complex, when they were young they both needed each other and had a wonderful relationship, but Lexie moved out and was unable to have contact with Annie for a few years. In that time both girls changed and things between them were never quite the same again.

Lexie still feels responsible for her sister and tries, again and again, to help Annie to break her addiction. Finally, Lexie must cut ties in order to keep herself safe and allow her to live her life, which she is finally getting back when Annie contacts her again.

It is hard to say no to family when they need help, and when Lexie finds out that Annie is pregnant she becomes determined to do everything that she can to support Annie to get clean and so that she can keep her baby. But what will the consequences be for Lexie?

I really did enjoy reading Before I Let You Go, the characters were realistic and I cared about what was going to happen for them. Kelly Rimmer really is a skilled author whose books I will continue to read, enjoy and possibly shed a tear over.

Thank you to Kelly Rimmer and Headline for a copy of Before I Let You Go. I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

Blurb:

Before I Let You Go CoverYour sister or her baby. Who do you choose? A moving page-turner with a heart-pounding dilemma. As children, Lexie and Annie were incredibly close. Bonded by the death of their beloved father, they weathered the storms of life together. When Lexie leaves home to follow her dream, Annie is forced to turn to her leatherbound journal as the only place she can confide her deepest secrets and fears… As adults, sisters Lexie and Annie could not be more different. Lexie is a successful doctor and happily engaged. Annie is an addict – a thief, a liar and unable to remain clean. When Annie’s newborn baby is in danger of being placed in foster care, Annie picks up the phone to beg her sister for help. Will Lexie agree to take in her young niece? And how will Annie survive, losing the only thing in her life worth living for?

About The Author:

Kelly Rimmer Author Picture

Kelly Rimmer is the USA Today bestselling women’s fiction author of five novels, including Me Without You and The Secret Daughter. She lives in rural Australia with her husband, two children and fantastically naughty dogs, Sully and Basil. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty languages.

 

 

Before I Let You Go by Kelly Rimmer is out now in ebook and paperback and is available from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

4.5*, blog tours, book review

#BlogTour #BookReview The Dark Place by Stephanie Rogers. @steph2rogers1 @BooksManatee @Tr4cyF3nt0n #TheDarkPlace

if only I could read faster

Dark-Place-Blogtour

Today it is my stop on the blog tour for The Dark Place by Stephanie Rogers. I had no idea what I was in for when I started reading the book but what a ride it turned out to be.

My Review:

I’m a bit unsure about where to start with this review, there is a lot that I want to say about the book but I don’t want to give any spoilers! Which I won’t do so you are safe to read on.

The story is told to us by Jon and Mel, a couple who clearly have their struggles, not least three year old Noah who lives with them while his mum, and Jon and Mel’s daughter, goes to University.

It is clear from the start that Mel struggles with Noah, understandably she felt that her days of parenting a toddler were over and she missed her job and the life that she had before Issy got pregnant at 15. Jon, on the other hand, appears to be happier with his life and he is especially excited that Issy is coming back from University for a visit, he can’t wait to see her.

We hear briefly from Issy at the start, but we don’t really understand why she is doing what she is doing. That is a puzzle that continues throughout the book as Issy’s parents try to work out why their daughter apparently killed herself.

I felt that this book was really well written, the grief that Jon and Mel went through felt so real and raw and painful. They both knew that they needed to find out more, and so they set about finding out about Issy’s life and realised how little they knew their daughter.

Some of it was hard to read, as it became clear just how unhappy Issy had been the pain that caused her parents, and especially her dad was immense. I worked out right near the start why she had done it, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book and when Mel and Jon finally worked it out I gave a cheer that they’ finally got there.

I really enjoyed this book, the relationship between Mel and Jon really was great to read, and I loved that how things ended up for them wasn’t what you’d necessarily expect but it felt so right.

This is the first book that I’ve read by Stephanie Rogers but it certainly won’t be the last!

Thank you to Manatee Books for a copy of The Dark Place by Stephanie Rogers. I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

Blurb:

The Dark Place

When you look at those you love, what do you see?

When Issy, young mother and beloved daughter, seemingly kills herself her family is devastated.

Believing she would never leave son Noah willingly, Jon and Mel determine to discover what really happened to Issy. As they and the rest of the family struggle to come to terms with tragedy, Jon and Mel start to realise Issy’s secrets come from a very dark place…

 

About The Author:

 

I have always lived in Yorkshire, migrating a whole three miles over the border from South to North Yorkshire and have always loved reading. As a kid, I was always reading when I should have been doing something else and nothing has changed (uncooked or burnt dinners being commonplace in my house – cooking’s overrated anyway). For most of my adult life I’ve worked as a dog groomer, interspersed with bouts of working as a musician, playing drums and saxophone, which has taken me to Germany and Israel. They’re not that compatible really, dog grooming and music – dogs hate the noises saxes and drums make (well mine do; or maybe it’s how I play them.) I have been and always will be, unashamedly, a rock chick.

After ignoring the urge to write for a long time (too busy, no time, kids to feed, books to read) I finally did a creative writing course with Writers’ Bureau, which I loved. I’ve written two thrillers, which is my favourite genre to read, and a couple of children’s books. I’ve also sold short stories to Take-A-Break’s Fiction Feast.

The Dark Place by Stephanie Rogers is out now and available from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

4.5*, blog tours, book review, debut author, psychological thriller

#BlogTour #BookReview Lies Between Us by Ronnie Turner. #LiesBetweenUs #whereisbonnie @HQDigitalUK @Ronnie__Turner

if only I could read faster

LiesBetweenUs_BlogTourBanner3

How exciting is this?!!! Ronnie Turner, a fabulous book blogger has written a book! I can’t begin to say how happy I am for her that she not only wrote the book and finished it (something that I am struggling with) but also got it published with the rather brilliant HQDigital. When Ronnie asked whether her fellow book bloggers wanted to be part of the blog tour for her book we all jumped at the chance, I think that there are about 70 blogs taking part which is pretty crazy! But I’m delighted to be one of them.

My Review:

I really, really wanted to like Lies Between Us by Ronnie Turner but was a little bit scared that I wouldn’t. Thankfully from about page five, I was sucked into the story and for the rest of the book, I was hooked.

The story is told from different points of view with each chapter told by one person. I have to admit that I struggle with multiple characters like that and when there are more than about three or four it takes me a while to get into it and remember who everyone is. I suspect that might be because of my dyslexia but I’m not sure. So although I was enjoying the book and the characters it did take me some time to put it all together.

Some of the chapters were set in the past and others in the current, we have no idea how these stories connect, but we know that they do.

I really liked Maisie, the intensive care nurse who gives everything to her patients and their families, she seemed really nice but there was a vulnerability to her, we knew that there was a sadness there but it takes a while for us to work out the cause.

Miller is a young boy who is, quite frankly, deeply disturbing. I quite enjoyed reading about him because I just knew that he would grow up to be a really evil man and the twisted part of me wanted to know what he was going to do.

And then there was John, a man who loves his wife but is besotted with his daughter Bonnie. John’s world falls apart when Bonnie goes missing, vanishing from their front room. John and his wife are tortured with photos of Bonnie hurt, the police have no idea where she is or who might have her, will they find her in time? I have to admit that at times when reading about Bonnie (and Miller), I wondered about the author and how she had managed to come up with some of it, let alone write about it and put her characters through it.

I have to say that I loved The Lies Between Us, it kept me guessing the whole way through and for a debut novel, it is incredibly accomplished. I cannot wait to read what Ronnie Turner writes next.

Thank you to Ronnie Turner and HQDigital for a copy of Lies Between Us, I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

Blurb:

Lies Between UsWill they ever learn the truth?

Three people, leading very different lives, are about to be brought together – with devastating consequences . . .

John has a perfect life, until the day his daughter goes missing.

Maisie cares for her patients, but hides her own traumatic past.

Miller should be an innocent child, but is obsessed with something he can’t have.

They all have something in common, though none of them know it – and the truth won’t stay hidden for long . . .

A gripping psychological thriller for fans of Clare Mackintosh, Shari Lapena and Lisa Jewell.

Lies Between Us by Ronnie Turner is out now and is available from Amazon UK, Google Play, Kobo and iTunes.

About The Author:

Author Photo 2Ronnie Turner grew up in Cornwall, the youngest in a large family. At an early age, she discovered a love of literature and dreamed of being a published author. Ronnie now lives in Dorset with her family and three dogs. In her spare time, she reviews books on her blog and enjoys long walks on the coast. She is currently working on her second novel.

Ronnie’s debut novel, Lies Between Us, will be published by HQ Digital in October 2018.

Twitter:@Ronnie_ _Turner

Facebook: @RonnieTurnerAuthor

Instagram: @ronnieturner8702

Website: www.ronnieturner.wordpress.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/RonnieTurner

4*, blog blast, blog tours, book review

#BlogTour #Book`Review Malignant by Anita Waller. @anitamayw @Bloodhoundbook #malignant

if only I could read faster

Malignant Blitz Banner

I’m delighted to be rounding off the blog tour for Malignant by Anita Waller, I really like the authors’ book and this one did not disappoint!

My Review:

I’ve read most of Anita Waller’s books and I’ve enjoyed them all, some more than others but they’ve all been good reads. I think that Malignant is one of my favourites.

I love a good murder in a book, but what I love about Waller is that she always gives reason for the murder, it isn’t random killings or psychopaths on a killing spree and this makes it all feel a bit more realistic. I can understand how the characters got themselves to where they are and why they take the actions that they take. Well, actually that second bit isn’t always true, especially in Malignant when one of the characters makes some decisions that don’t make a lot of sense to me.

But Waller’s books are still very different from the majority, and I really like that. Waller also creates great characters that are realistic and her writing is easy to read, I find myself immediately drawn into the story and compelled to keep reading.

I really do like Anita Waller and will now read her books without knowing a thing about them, she’s an author to add to your reading list, that’s for sure, and Malignant is a great place to start!

Thank you to Bloodhound Books for a copy of Malignant by Anita Waller. I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

Blurb:

Anita Waller - Malignant_coverWhat if someone set you limits?

Claudia and Heather have been friends and neighbours for many years and both women decide it is the right time for them to leave their husbands. Together they get a flat but their peace is short lived when Claudia is diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Being a good friend, Heather takes on caring for Claudia but a lethal meeting with James, Claudia’s ex-husband, results in someone dying.

As life for Claudia and Heather begins to unravel, the answer to their problems becomes clear… it’s murder.

About The Author:

anitawallerAnita Waller was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire in 1946. She married Dave in 1967 and they have three adult children.

She began writing when she was around 8 years of age, writing ‘compositions’ at junior school that became books with chapters.

In 1995 she sent Beautiful to a publisher and as they reached the contract stage the publisher went into liquidation. As a result, the book was consigned to the attic in dejected disgust but in 2013 it was dragged out again for an enforced complete re-type. The original was written on an Amstrad 8256 and the only thing that remained was one hard copy.

Anita is not a typist and it was painfully reworked over two years, submitted to Bloodhound Books who, within three days of reading it, offered her a contract. 31 August 2015 saw its release into the wide world.

Following the outstanding success of Beautiful, she began a sequel on 27 December 2015, finishing it on 19 March 2016. The new novel, Angel, was launched on 7 May 2016.

34 Days followed, with its launch in October 2016. This was a huge success, particularly in the United States. While this, her third book in the psychological thriller genre, was flying out in all directions, she began work on her fourth book.

Winterscroft was a change in genre. It is a supernatural tale, set in Castleton, Derbyshire, and its release date was February 2017.

While she was writing Winterscroft, it became very clear from reading reviews that a sequel to 34 days was needed, and she began work on that. Bloodhound Books launched Strategy, on 10 August 2017.

Her next book, launched February 2018 and entitled Captor, is a psychological thriller, set exclusively in Sheffield. It was an instant success, both in the UK and the US.

Then along came Game Players… once more set in Sheffield, the story involves a group of six children who have each other’s backs to a remarkable extent. The darker, criminal side of Sheffield is explored, with the book launching 18 May 2018.

Malignant arrives in the world on 10 October 2018, her eighth book in three years.

In her life away from the computer in the corner of her kitchen, she is a Sheffield Wednesday supporter with blue blood in her veins! The club was particularly helpful during the writing of 34 Days, as a couple of matches feature in the novel, along with Ross Wallace. Information was needed, and they provided it.

Her genre is murder – necessary murder.

Email: anitamayw@yahoo.co.uk 
Website: www.anitamayw.wixsite.com/anitawaller
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/anitawaller2015/ @anitawaller2015
Amazon page: www.amazon.co.uk/Anita-Waller/e/B014RQFCRS/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitamayw @anitamayw

Malignant by Anita Waller is out now and is available from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

4*, blog tours, book review, debut author, psychological thriller

#BlogTour #BookReview The Dream Wife by Louisa De Lange. @paperclipgirl @orionbooks #psychologicalthriller

if only I could read faster

BLOG-TOUR-POSTER (1)

I’m excited to be part of the blog tour for The Dream Wife by Louisa De Lange, a very impressive debut novel. Although I must admit that I have been slightly stressed about writing my review!

My Review:

Ok, so it’s hard to know where to start with this review and there are two reasons for that. Firstly I do not want to give any spoilers away and I think that could be easy with this book, and secondly because I’m slightly confused about the book and the ending.

That probably doesn’t sound very good, but that’s not the case. So many psychological thrillers are hyped up about the clever twist and it becomes a little bit boring, how can every book have the most amazing twist of any book this year? But here we have a book that says that it has a clever twist and, amazingly, it really does.

The Dream Wife was, for me, a bit slow to get going and I did wonder where on earth it was going, especially when Annie started having these strange dreams. I had a look at other reviews and came to the conclusion that the book is a little bit like marmite, but the reviews sounded intriguing and so I carried on.

Annie’s husband David is a truly horrible person, there is absolutely nothing likeable about the man and some readers might find some of the scenes with him difficult to read. A total opposite are the scenes with Annie and her little boy Jonnie, he sounds so adorable and the love that Annie has for him shines through every page.

And then we have the ending. I got to the end and thought that I had got it and I knew what was going on, but then I thought about it a little bit and the questions started to come and in the end, I’m not really sure about any of it. I think that I have it right but it’s an ending that probably needs rereading, or a long discussion with a friend who has also read the book. It is so unexpected, very clever and makes for a very impressive debut. Although writing this I’m still a bit confused.

Thank you to Orion for a copy of The Dream Wife via Netgalley. I was under no obligation to review and all thoughts are my own.

Blurb:

9781409180197

A debut novel from an exciting new voice in the thriller market. A compulsive read with a clever twist.

Annie is the dream wife. Supportive, respectful, mild-mannered. She’s given up her job to focus on running her home, meticulously cleaning and cooking the meals she knows her husband likes. She is everything her husband wants her to be.

Annie is a prisoner in her own home. Her finances, her routine and her contact with the outside world are all controlled by him. Only her love for her little boy keeps her going. At night she escapes into her dreams, which are starting to become more and more vivid.

But Annie is about to do a very bad thing.

About The Author:

Louisa-045Louisa de Lange is a freelance copywriter, mum of a little boy and a keen runner, blogger and photographer. She is currently training to take on her first ever Olympic triathlon. She studied Psychology at university and it turns out the combination of psychology and motherhood is a potent one. You can follow Louisa on Twitter: @paperclipgirl

 

 

 

The Dream Wife by Louisa De Lange is out today in paperback and is already available in ebook, it is available from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

3*, blog tours, book review, giveaway, non-fiction

#BlogTour #BookReview A Pawlife Guide Dog Care At Home by Gina Harding. @rararesources @pawlifeau #dog #giveaway

if only I could read faster

PawLife Guide Dog Care at Home Full Tour Banner

As a confirmed dog lover I was keen to read Dog Care At Home by Gina Harding and be part of the blog tour.

My Review:

I was keen to read The PawLife Guide: Dog Care at Home by Gina Harding. It’s a short guide to all things dog written by an Australian dog blogger who has now decided to put her tips into a book.

The book covers everything from choosing a puppy through to saying goodbye to your older pet, first aid to feeding and training to toileting.

Overall I thought that it is a decent guide for a new dog owner. I’ve had dogs for most of my adult life so the book is clearly not aimed at me, but the book is quite simplistic and has some rather huge omissions.

I was surprised that there was no mention of puppy farms when talking about getting a puppy, no advice about how to avoid them and also nothing about making sure that the parents had been health tested for whatever is applicable for that breed. I would say that including that is very important. I found it interesting too that there was no mention of crate training your puppy, given that crate training is very popular around the world I was surprised that it wasn’t discussed. But I suspect that it wasn’t included because Gina herself hadn’t used one with her dog, the book did seem to be a guide to what Gina does with little discussion about other options which was a shame.

But I still think that this is a great book for a new dog owner, or perhaps for someone considering getting a dog. It is easy to read and will give lots of things to think about, getting a dog is a huge commitment and is not something to be taken on lightly and it is a good thing to do as much research as you can before. Although set in Australia there aren’t that many Australia only references which is good. Gina clearly has a lot of knowledge when it comes to dogs and she’s written a great guide that I’m sure all of us will learn something from, I learnt more about dog CPR than I knew before which is great!

Thank you to Gina Harding for a copy of The PawLife Guide: Dog Care at Home, I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

Blurb:

Pawlife - gharding-pawlife-guide-cover-d1The PawLife Guide: Dog Care at Home

DOG CARE AT HOME gives you the information you need to have a happy and healthy dog no matter what your dog’s current stage in life, in just 10 minutes a day. Over 200 hours of research including interviews with veterinarians and fellow dog owners around the world,

Dog Care at Home is the all-in-one book to have at home, with six veterinarians that have contributed to this ultimate guide, rest assured you are in reliable hands.

Inside you will discover:

– Choosing the right breed
– The basic steps of raising a puppy
– What vaccinations are for and why your dog needs them
– Travelling with your dog
– How to perform CPR on your dog
– Health and hygiene including dental care
– Choosing the right veterinarian
– When it’s time to say goodbye
– And much more!

PawLife’s Dog Care at Home is the answer for all your dog parenting needs in one comprehensive guide that ensures your dog lives a long, healthy and happy life.

Purchase from Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dog-Care-Home-Ultimate-Healthy-ebook/dp/B07HGR9ZNF

Author Bio

pawlife-gina-harley-author-photoGina is an enthusiastic dog lover, so much so that she founded her own dog blog business called PawLife, which has been awarded top 10 Australian Dog Blog. This wouldn’t be possible without her best friend Harley, who is a toy poodle mix. They are continually going on new adventures, testing out new squeaky toys.

Gina recently discovered her writing passion and wanted to create the ultimate guidebook that would support, educate and inspire pet parents and yet to be pet parents around the world. Gina and Harley are originally from Australia, where the weather is always beautiful. This is Gina’s first book and looks forward to writing many more to help fellow pet-parents; with her fur-baby Harley by her side.

Social Media Links – 

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pawlifeau/

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com.au/PawLifeAU/

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/pawlifeau/

Website- http://pawlife.com.au/

Giveaway – Win a 12 Piece Dog Toy Starter Box from Zenify (Open Internationally)

pawlife-giveaway-V1

If you want to be in with a chance of winning this brilliant prize then click here to enter. Good luck!!!

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

4*, blog tours, book review, debut author

#BlogTour #BookReview The Tattoo Thief by Alison Belsham. #TheTattooThief #Review @AlisonBelsham @TrapezeBooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n

if only I could read faster

Tattoo-Thief-Blog-tour.jpg

I’m delighted to be on the blog tour for The Tattoo Thief by Alison Belsham and to be sharing my review with you!

My Review:

It is hard to believe that The Tattoo Thief is Alison Belsham’s first crime book, it is a very impressive debut from an author who has previously written screenplays. I found that I was immediately drawn into the book and the characters and the gruesome murders.

And do be warned that this book is gruesome and doesn’t hold back in describing the murders and crime scenes. This doesn’t bother me but I’m sure that there are some more sensitive readers who might struggle with it.

I really loved the policeman who was trying to solve his first case of being in charge, Francis was a great character and I loved a lot about him. He is the first to admit that he knows nothing about tattoos and so has to learn quickly, lucky for him Marni, a local tattoo artist, is there to help guide him. I was slightly concerned that the book might go for the stereotypical route when portraying the tattoo community in Brighton, but that was definitely not the case here.

I really did love reading this book, I love a book that sucks me in and makes me guess who might have done it. The book is fast paced and well written, the authors research is evident, giving the book a sense of realism. If you love your crime thrillers then you’re sure to love The Tattoo Thief.

Thank you to Trapeze Books for a copy of The Tattoo Thief by Alison Belsham. I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

Blurb:

tattoothiefA policeman on his first murder case
A tattoo artist with a deadly secret
And a twisted serial killer sharpening his blades to kill again…

When Brighton tattoo artist Marni Mullins discovers a flayed body, newly-promoted DI Francis Sullivan needs her help. There’s a serial killer at large, slicing tattoos from his victims’ bodies while they’re still alive. Marni knows the tattooing world like the back of her hand, but has her own reasons to distrust the police. So when she identifies the killer’s next target, will she tell Sullivan or go after the Tattoo Thief alone?

About The Author:

alisonbelshamauthorAlison Belsham initially started writing with the ambition of becoming a screenwriter-and in 2000 was commended for her visual storytelling in the Orange Prize for Screenwriting. In 2001 she was shortlisted in a BBC Drama Writer competition. Life and children intervened but, switching to fiction, in 2009 her novel Domino was selected for the prestigious Adventures in Fiction mentoring scheme. In 2016 she pitched her first crime novel, The Tattoo Thief, at the Pitch Perfect event at the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival and was judged the winner. After signing with agent Jenny Brown, The Tattoo Thief was bought by Trapeze books and published in May, 2018.

 

The Tattoo Thief by Alison Belsham is out now in ebook and paperback and is available from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

4.5*, book review

#BookReview Down To The Woods by M.J. Arlidge. #DownToTheWoods @mjarlidge @MichaelJBooks #HelenGrace #NewForest #crimefiction

if only I could read faster
downtothewoods
Down To The Woods by M.J. Arlidge.

I don’t know about you but when I heard that there was a new Helen Grace book coming I got very excited and it was immediately bumped up to the top of my tbr pile!

My Review:

Finally!! A new Helen Grace book is out. It feels a long time since May 2017 when the seventh book in the series was released so I was really excited to read Down To The Woods. Instead of concentrating on his Grace series, author MJ Arlidge has been busy doing other things, writing a book that doesn’t feature Grace that’s set in America for one. But thankfully he hadn’t forgotten Helen Grace and book eight has finally arrived.

I have to admit that at first I wasn’t sure about Down To The Woods, Grace is a character that I love and thoroughly enjoy catching up with when a new book is released, but I guess with the longer break it took me a little bit longer than normal to get back into the book and the character, and especially the smaller characters who aren’t quite as memorable.

But it didn’t take long before I was sucked into the story which was shockingly gruesome. Although I remain unconvinced that Arlidge can top the shock factor of the deaths in Eeeny Meeny (the first book in the Helen Grace series), he gives it a damn good try in Down To The Woods.

Grace herself seemed a little bit different in this book and I came to the conclusion that after the recent traumatic events that she’d been through Helen had grown up. She finally seemed to stop running and it even seemed that she may finally start to let people into her world and her life. Hurrah! I’m very pleased for her.

By the end of the book I didn’t want it to end, Arlidge has once again given us a twisted tale that terrifies and puts Grace and her team through their paces. For those of you who are new to Helen Grace then I strongly suggest that you start at the beginning. I’m sure that you could read Down To The Woods as a standalone, but it would be a lot better if you have read the previous books, and if you didn’t read them then you’d be missing out on some brilliant stories.

Many series lose their way around about now, but there’s no sign of that with Down To The Woods. I just hope that Arlidge doesn’t find too much else to occupy himself with so that there isn’t too long a way for book nine!

Thank you to the publishers, Michael Joseph at Penguin UK for a copy of Down To The Woods by M.J. Arlidge. I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

Blurb:

THE EIGHTH DI HELEN GRACE THRILLER BY BESTSELLING AUTHOR M. J. ARLIDGE

There is a sickness in the forest. First, it was the wild horses. Now it’s innocent men and women, hunted down and murdered by a faceless figure. Lost in the darkness, they try to flee, they try to hide. In desperation, they call out for help. But there is no-one to hear their cries here…

DI Helen Grace must face down a new nightmare. The arrow-ridden victims hang from the New Forest’s ancient oaks, like pieces of strange fruit. Why are helpless holidaymakers being targeted in peak camping season? And what do their murders signify? Is a psychopath stalking the forest? Is there an occult element to the killings? Could the murders even be an offering to the Forest itself? Helen must walk into the darkness to discover the truth behind her most challenging, most macabre case yet.

About The Author:

MJarlidge

M. J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last fifteen years, specializing in high-end drama production, including the prime-time crime serials Torn, The Little House and Silent Witness. Arlidge also pilots original crime series for both UK and US networks. In 2015 his audio exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a Number One bestseller. His first thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK’s bestselling crime debut of 2014. It was followed by the bestselling Pop Goes the Weasel, The Doll’s House, Liar Liar, Little Boy Blue, Hide and Seek, and Love Me Not.

Down To The Woods by M.J. Arlidge is out now and available from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

You can read a Q&A that I did with M. J. Arlidge here where you will also find links to my reviews of some of the previous Helen Grace books.

4*, blog tours, book review, debut author

#BlogTour #BookReview Only In Whispers by Jaqueline Grima. @GrimaJgrima @BooksManatee

if only I could read faster

whispersblogtour

My second blog tour today is Only In Whispers by Jacqueline Grima.

My Review:

Ok, so first off I have to admit that I struggled with this book at first. I found it slow to get into and the main character was quite annoying. I decided to check out some reviews on Goodreads (I normally don’t read reviews until after I’ve finished a book) and they were all four and five stars. Clearly I was missing something. So I tried to keep going and in the end decided to stop reading.

So why am I writing a review for the book? Well a funny thing happened. I made the decision to stop reading the book but almost immediately something in me wanted to keep going, I clearly wasn’t ready to give up yet. And once I’d made that decision I found that I got right into the story and quickly devoured the rest of the book.

The whole storyline intrigued me, you know that you were taken into care as a child and stayed with your aunt for over a year because your mum was unwell. That’s not a secret, you think that you know what happened and why. Until things start coming to you that don’t fit with the story that you have been told.

One of the things that frustrated me about this book was that the main character, Annie, seemed to suddenly start remembering things and these new memories came thick and fast. It seemed that she’d never thought about any of it before but suddenly bam, everything that she was doing seemed to trigger some sort of memory. It just didn’t feel natural.

Some of it was also quite predictable but that didn’t seem to matter. The story evolved and I enjoyed the read and was surprised that after I finished reading it I kept thinking about the characters and story. That’s a sure sign of a good read to me. The storyline was clever and different and it’s an impressive debut novel.

Thank you to Manatee Books for a copy of Only In Whispers by Jaqueline Grima. I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

Blurb:

whispersbookA forgotten past
An uncertain future
A family hiding from the truth
When their mother is hospitalised with depression, Annie and her brother Matthew are fostered by their beloved Aunt Helen. Their family eventually reunited, the siblings begin a new life in Derbyshire with their mother and new stepfather.
Now in her thirties and separated from her husband, Annie is struggling to escape the past and move forward with her son. Haunted by memories of her childhood, she begins to realise that there may have been more to her time in foster care than her mother claims. Why did social services take her and Matthew away? Who can she trust to tell her what really happened?
As Annie finds out more, things take a sinister turn…has the life she’s lived so far been a lie?

About The Author:

DSCF1655Jacqueline Grima has recently completed an MA in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her creative work has appeared in a variety of publications and, in 2014, she was shortlisted for the Luke Bitmead Bursary Award. Only in Whispers is her first novel. Follow Jacqueline on Twitter @GrimaJgrima and read her blog at www.jacquelinegrima.wordpress.com

Only In Whispers by Jaqueline Grima is out now and is available from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

5*, blog tours, book review

#BlogTour #BookReview The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech. @LouiseWriter @OrendaBooks #TheLionTamerWhoLost

if only I could read faster

The Lion Tamer Blog Tour Poster Final

I’m really excited to be part of the blog tour for The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech. I love Louise’s writing and you can read my reviews for two of her other books, Maria In The Moon and The Mountain in my Shoe both of which are beautifully written.

My Review:

I love Louise Beech, she is a fantastic writer who has a real way with words, managing to throw the reader right into the story and making the characters feel like real people that we know.

I’d heard a lot about The Lion Tamer Who Lost before I read it, and I was very excited to read it. I didn’t know what it was about, that doesn’t matter when you know that the author is Louise Beech, because I firmly believe that whatever she writes will be worth reading.

Readers of my book blog will know that I love to read thrillers and so a book like this is a big change of pace for me, which is something that I can struggle with, thrillers tend to throw the reader right into the middle of the story, the pace is fast, the chapters short. But a book like The Lion Tamer Who Lost shows me how important patience is.

Because once I was into the story I could not stop thinking about it. I really loved the character Ben, and this grew as the story went on. His relationship with Andrew was wonderful, I loved how they related to each other and how happy they made each other. It was beautiful and even thinking about it now as I write this makes me smile.

But we know that something went wrong, because Ben is out in Africa on a lion reserve and is not in contact with Andrew. So what could have gone so wrong on such a strong relationship? When the reader finds out it comes as a shock and I’m sure that my heart broke a little bit for Ben and Andrew, just as it must have done for them.

I really don’t want to give anything more away but if you love books that are beautifully written, that feel so real and that work their way into your heart in such a way that you know that it will never quite be the same again then stop reading this and buy The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech. You really won’t regret it.

I received a copy of The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech from Orenda Books. I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

Blurb:

thumbnail_Lion Tamer front cover finalBe careful what you wish for…

Long ago, Andrew made a childhood wish, and kept it in a silver box. When it finally comes true, he wishes it hadn’t…

Long ago, Ben made a promise and he had a dream: to travel to Africa to volunteer at a lion reserve. When he finally makes it, it isn’t for the reasons he imagined…

Ben and Andrew keep meeting in unexpected places, and the intense relationship that develops seems to be guided by fate. Or is it? What if the very thing that draws them together is tainted by past secrets that threaten everything?

About The Author:

thumbnail_Louise BeechLouise Beech is an exceptional literary talent, whose debut novel How To Be Brave was a Guardian Readers’ Choice for 2015. The sequel, The Mountain in My Shoe was shortlisted for Not the Booker Prize. Her third book, Maria in the Moon, was widely reviewed and critically acclaimed. Her short fiction has won the Glass Woman Prize, the Eric Hoffer Award for Prose, and the Aesthetica Creative Works competition, as well as shortlisting for the Bridport Prize twice. Louise lives with her husband and children on the outskirts of Hull, and loves her job as a Front of House Usher at Hull Truck Theatre, where her first play was performed in 2012.

The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech is out now and is available from Amazon UK and Amazon US.