Book Review / Aphrodite's Tears by Hannah Fielding

In Hannah Fielding’s latest novel a young archaeologist who travels to the remote island of Helios to investigate an ancient shipwreck, becomes caught in a web of dark obsession, mystery and seduction.

In ancient Greece, one of the twelve labours of Hercules was to bring back a golden apple from the Garden of Hesperides. To archaeologist Oriel Anderson, joining a team of Greek divers on the island of Helios seems like the golden apple of her dreams.

Yet the dream becomes a nightmare when she meets the devilish owner of the island, Damian Theodorakis. In shocked recognition, she is flooded with the memory of a romantic night in a stranger’s arms, six summers ago. A very different man stands before her now, and Oriel senses that the sardonic Greek autocrat is hell-bent on playing a cat and mouse game with her.

As they cross swords and passions mount, Oriel is aware that malevolent eyes watch her from the shadows. Dark rumours are whispered about the Theodorakis family. What dangers lie in Helios: a bewitching land where ancient rituals are still enacted to appease the gods, young men risk their lives in the treacherous depths of the Ionian Sea, and the volatile earth can erupt at any moment?

Will Oriel find the hidden treasures she seeks? Or will Damian’s tragic past catch up with them, threatening to engulf them both?

Published:  1st January 2018   

Publisher:  London Wall Publishing

Goodreads : Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  I have now read the majority of this author's novels and have loved each and every one of them.  With this one, like the others, I was swept away from the very start of the book.   For me, it has to be the romance in this story with Oriel and Damien.   So beautiful and the attraction builds as you go through the novel, not too fast but also not too slow!  There's also the history of the island of Helios in Greece and the mystery of what history surrounds the island.  There's nothing better than a mix of both historical mystery and romance.  

What I did not like with this story...  Absolutely nothing.  Loved this story.

Would I recommend? Absolutely!  If you love a bit of romance and historic mysteries you need to pick this up!

Continue reading Book Review / Aphrodite's Tears by Hannah Fielding

Book Review / The Tommyknockers by Stephen King

Late Last Night and the Night Before ...

... Tommyknockers, tommyknockers, knocking at the door.

Something was happening in Bobbi Anderson's idyllic small town of Haven, Maine. Something that gave every man, woman, and child in town powers far beyond ordinary mortals. Something that turned the town into a death trap for all outsiders. Something that came from a metal object, buried for millennia, that Bobbi accidentally stumbled across.

It wasn't that Bobbi and the other good folks of Haven had sold their souls to reap the rewards of the most deadly evil this side of hell. It was more like a diabolical takeover...an invasion of body and soul--and mind....

Published:  11th October 2012   

Publisher:  Hodder

Goodreads :  Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  Despite what I mention below, I did enjoy this story and I'm glad that I picked it up.  Honestly, the best part of it was how weird the story was and how the story escalated as it went along.  At just under 1,000 pages, I was expecting and really enjoyed all of the build up with the plot and characters.  That did not disappoint!

What I did not like about this story...  There was a huge chunk in the middle of this story where I just lost interest in the story.  This is definitely more to do with me rather than the story as the writing, plot and character building was all beautifully carried out.  There were a few times where I really did struggle with wanting to pick this back up, but I am glad that I did.  

Would I recommend?  If you like slow build horror with a mix of supernatural/paranormal give this a go.

Continue reading Book Review / The Tommyknockers by Stephen King

Book Review / The Forgotten Tower by Lulu Taylor

1939

When Arthur Pendleton arrives at Wakefield Castle with cases of precious fossils from the Natural History Museum, all he wants is to protect them from London bombs in peace and quiet. Soon, though, he is drawn to the family there: the deaf old colonel with his Fortnum’s catalogues, Great Aunt Constance and her delicate constitution, and the grandchildren – from the eldest, Imogen, to the youngest, Archie. But who is the beautiful woman he has seen weeping in the castle grounds? Is she real or a ghost?

With war declared, the family at Wakefield Castle prepare to make sacrifices and to open their doors to newcomers. But while the castle offers a refuge for many, including evacuees, it is also a place to hide many things: sorrow, secrets and even people . . .

As winter deepens, an unwelcome arrival begins to change everything, and suddenly danger is apparent within the castle walls itself.

The present

Georgie Wakefield never wanted to be a chatelaine, but the castle is her husband Casper’s legacy and he is determined to restore its fortunes. Hiding from her troubled past, Georgie sets about learning all she can about the family who lived there before her, including from an inherited recipe book with notes in many hands. Who was Etti Boule and why are the children who were there during the war determined to remember her? Can she be connected to the West Tower, with its legends of hauntings and a weeping woman?

The arrival of her sister, escaping from a violent marriage, awakens Georgie’s darkest fears. As the secrets of Wakefield begin to reveal themselves, she realizes that, in order to be free, she must confront what she most dreads . . .

Published:  23rd November 2023   

Publisher:  MacMillan

Goodreads : Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  Duel perspective, split timeline and historical drama.  What more can I say?  I loved this so much.  This story was so rich in atmosphere with the castle and its surroundings mixed with interesting characters and a plot that made it so I did not want to put this story down!  There's something about a split timeline, past and present, that somehow manages to weave itself together as the story goes on that always pulls me in.

What I did not like about this story...  Absolutely nothing!  Loved this.

Would I recommend...  Yes!  If you love Kate Morton and you haven't picked this up yet, you need to!

Continue reading Book Review / The Forgotten Tower by Lulu Taylor

Book Review / The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

The King is dead, murdered by an unusual poison.

While evidence is gathered, and the land of Delain mourns, Flagg the King's magician, unscrupulous, greedy and powerful, plots. Soon the King's elder son, Peter, is imprisoned in the needle, the top of a high tower, for his father's murder. And Thomas inherits the throne.

Only Peter knows the truth of his innocence, and the true evil that is Flagg. Only Peter can save Delain from the horror the magician has in store. He has a plan, but it is rife with danger. And if he fails, he won't get a second chance...

A captivating tale of heroic adventure, of dragons and princes, of mysterious mice and men from the pen of the master storyteller. If you were enchanted by King's acclaimed fantasy series THE DARK TOWER, don't miss THE EYES OF THE DRAGON. 

Published:  2nd February 1987   
Publisher:  Hodder
Goodreads : Click Here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  Now this book really surprised me.  I like to go into Stephen King novels blindly, not reading much about the description.  The majority of the books I have read by this author so far were horror so I assumed this will be another one.  I was wrong!  This was more fantasy fiction and I loved it!  I am also beginning to get a feeling for the 'Stephen King Universe' as I am truly suspicious of the evil in this book, Flagg, and where else has this entity been; what novels has this 'thing' appeared in?  

What I did not like about this story...  I would have loved a bit more suspense and possibly mystery in the story as, in places, the story dragged for me.  

Would I recommend... Absolutely!  If you are not a fan of horror but still want to try Stephen King.  Give this a go!

Continue reading Book Review / The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

Book Review / Masters of Death by Olivie Blake

From Olivie Blake, the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes Masters of Death, a story about vampires, ghosts, and death itself!

Viola Marek is a struggling real estate agent, and a vampire. But her biggest problem currently is that the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting the house has been murdered, and until he can solve the mystery of how he died, he refuses to move on.

Fox D’Mora is a medium, and though is also most-definitely a shameless fraud, he isn’t entirely without his uses—seeing as he’s actually the godson of Death.

When Viola seeks out Fox to help her with her ghost-infested mansion, he becomes inextricably involved in a quest that neither he nor Vi expects (or wants). But with the help of an unruly poltergeist, a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel, a love-stricken reaper, and a few high-functioning creatures, Vi and Fox soon discover the difference between a mysterious lost love and an annoying dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as they thought.

Published:  30th January 2018   

Publisher:  Tor

Goodreads : Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story... The writing.  Definitely!  A lot of the books I've read are quick easy reads so its nice to pick up something I can get stuck into with a slower pace and the style of writing that you really do need to pay attention and absorb slowly to really enjoy.   Just as much as I like a fast faced thriller, I love a slow paced story too. 

What I didn't like about this story...  With this story I struggled a bit with the plot somewhere around the middle.  Honestly, I lost interest a bit but as the writing was so good I kept with it and it was worth it as it was a good story.  

Would I recommend?  If you like a slow paced story, one that you can sit and enjoy over a long period of hours and days, this is a good one to pick up.  I will certainly be picking up more books by this author.  

Continue reading Book Review / Masters of Death by Olivie Blake

Book Review / Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King

The first scream came from the snowbound railwayman who felt the fangs ripping at his throat. The next month there was a scream of ecstatic agony from the woman attacked in her snug bedroom.

Now scenes of unbelieving horror come each time the full moon shines on the isolated Maine town of Tarker Mills. No one knows who will be attacked next. But one thing is sure.

When the moon grows fat, a paralyzing fear sweeps through Tarker Mills. For snarls that sound like human words can be heard whining through the wind. And all around are the footprints of a monster whose hunger cannot be sated... Cycle of the Werewolf.

Published:  1st November 1983   
Publisher:  Signet
Goodreads : Click Here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Bought 

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  Well written and a good idea.  There were a lot of characters that I enjoyed learning more about.

What I didn't like about this story...OK, so this may be an unpopular opinion but this story was just not for me.  I couldn't get into it and I found the story to be slow.  By the time I was getting the gist of the story it was over, at only 128 pages long.  Its probably me with this story as I'm not overly fond of werewolf stories to be honest.  

Would I recommend?  If werewolf stories are your thing, definitely pick this up.  Always worth giving it a go.  This was just not for me.  

Continue reading Book Review / Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King

Book Review / The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy—her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.

Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past.

Dorothy’s story takes the reader from pre–WWII England through the blitz, to the ’60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined. The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring. It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told—in Morton’s signature style—against a backdrop of events that changed the world.

Published:  9th October 2012   

Publisher:  Atrica Books / Pan

Goodreads : Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  At the risk of sounding repetitive every time I read and review a book by this author, the main aspect that I always enjoy is the duel perspective in the timeline and the build up of the mystery, both in the past in the future, and somewhere along the line it begins to unravel and you discover that both storylines are linked in some way that I usually never figure out until it actually happens.  I did not want to put this book down.  At nearly 500 pages, honestly, I had to put it down because of how long the story was but I can certainly say that it wasn't long before I picked this up again.

What I didn't link about this story...  Absolutely no comment here.   Nothing.  I loved this book. 

Would I recommend?  If you couldn't tell from the above, of course!!  If you love a good historical drama with a slow build, pick this up!  Even if you haven't but its something you have wanted to try, pick it up!

Continue reading Book Review / The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

Book Review / The Wish by Nicholas Sparks

1996 was the year that changed everything for Maggie Dawes. Sent away at sixteen to live with an aunt she barely knew in Ocracoke, a remote village on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, she could think only of the friends and family she left behind . . . until she met Bryce Trickett, one of the few teenagers on the island. Handsome, genuine, and newly admitted to West Point, Bryce showed her how much there was to love about the wind-swept beach town—and introduced her to photography, a passion that would define the rest of her life.

By 2019, Maggie is a renowned travel photographer. She splits her time between running a successful gallery in New York and photographing remote locations around the world. But this year she is unexpectedly grounded over Christmas, struggling to come to terms with a sobering medical diagnosis. Increasingly dependent on a young assistant, she finds herself becoming close to him.

As they count down the last days of the season together, she begins to tell him the story of another Christmas, decades earlier—and the love that set her on a course she never could have imagined.

Published:  28th September 2021    
Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing / Sphere
Goodreads : Click Here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW 

There's a select few authors on my list who I will always pick up and read.  Those are the ones that 9 times out of 10 I know I am going to enjoy their book and just have a really good time.  Nicholas Sparks is one of those authors for me.  In fact, Nicholas Sparks is one of those authors on my list that have been there the longest, alongside John Grisham... 

What I loved about this story...  This book was exactly what I had been hoping it would be with a classic Nicholas Sparks story.  For me, this story was beautiful.  As with a lot of Nicholas Sparks novels, its not always going to be happy but if you stick around for all of that and the drama it becomes a beautiful story.  

What I did not like about this story...  If I had to be picky I would say that the story was a bit predictable but that didn't, in any way, change the fact that I loved this story.  Sometimes a little bit of predictability is good for you!

Would I recommend?  Most definitely yes!  Another beautiful dramatic romance to enjoy...

 

Continue reading Book Review / The Wish by Nicholas Sparks

Book Review / The IT Girl by Ruth Ware

 April Coutts-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford.

Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the second, April was dead.

Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide… including a murder.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of One by One returns with an unputdownable mystery following a woman on the search for answers a decade after her friend’s murder.

Published:  12th July 2022

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster

Goodreads : Click here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this book...  This was such a fun read.  I couldn't put it down.  I had to know what on earth was going on.  

What I didn't like about this book...  This is another one of those that has a lot of characters in it so it did take a bit of time to get to know each one to follow the story properly, so that did mean that the story ran a bit slow for at times but, honestly, that's just a me thing and not the story.  

Would I recommend...  Yes I would!  If you are looking for an easy read thriller that will keep you on your toes this is one to pick up.  The pacing may be slow in paces but its worth the effort!

Continue reading Book Review / The IT Girl by Ruth Ware

Trilogy Review / Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I've gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map―the key to a legendary treasure trove―seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

In Daughter of the Pirate King, author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling pirate tale.

Published:  28 Feb 2017 (Book 1)  

                    27 Feb 2018 (Book 2) and    

                    1 Nov 2023 (Book 3)
Publisher:  Pushkin
Goodreads : Click Here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Series
Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this trilogy...  This is a story that I would not normally have picked up, but was bought for me as a present.  This was such a fun trilogy to read.  This is young adult so, for me, I found it very predictable and easy to read.  However, I had a really fun time following the journey Alosa takes throughout this series.  I particularly liked how the story unfolded within each book, especially when you get to more the middle and last book in this trilogy where you learn a lot more about the hidden treasure.

What I did not like about this trilogy...  I would have loved to have been surprised a lot more and have a few twists that I never saw coming.  

Would I recommend?   I would but don't go into this story thinking that is is going to be anything deep or complicated.  This is a fun trilogy to read and enjoy.

 

Continue reading Trilogy Review / Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Book Review / The Lake House by Kate Morton

An abandoned house...
June 1933, and sixteen-year-old Alice Edevane is preparing for her family's Midsummer Eve party at their country home, Loeanneth. But by the time midnight strikes and fireworks light up the night skies, the Edevane family will have suffered a loss so great that they leave Loeanneth forever.

A missing child...
Seventy years later, after a particularly troubling case, Detective Sadie Sparrow retreats to her beloved grandfather's cottage in Cornwall. Once there, she stumbles upon an abandoned house, and learns the story of a baby boy who disappeared without a trace.

An unsolved mystery...
Meanwhile, in her elegant Hampstead home, the formidable Alice Edevane, now an old lady, leads a life as neatly plotted as the bestselling detective novels she writes. Until a young police detective starts asking questions about her family's past, seeking to resurrect the complex tangle of secrets Alice has spent her life trying to escape...

Published:  20th October 2015   

Publisher:  Atria Books

Goodreads : Click here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

There's something about a good historical romance story that always sucks me in.  There's a good mix of mystery, intrigue, historical drama with a little bit of romance weaved into it.  This story definitely did not disappoint. 

What I liked about this story...  The best part of this story for me was the mystery element of the story from 1933.  You have this tragedy happen with the disappearance of the boy and finding out what happened to him...  The way this story is written, the mystery gets revealed bit by bit, which just made me not want to put the book down.  

What I didn't like about this story...  There were a lot of characters in this story and at times I did find it hard to keep up with who was who but, for me, that didn't affect how much I enjoyed this story.

Would I recommend?  Yes absolutely!    Its a historical drama with a split storyline, both in the past and the present, so if that's not a structure that you like this is probably not for you but if you haven't tried this style of story before I would highly recommend giving it a go.  

 

Continue reading Book Review / The Lake House by Kate Morton