Book Review / Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

Published:     2nd July 2019
Publisher:  Dutton
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

How could I not pick up another book by this author!  Having just read The Last Time I Lied,  I needed to read more from this author and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest!

In this story we follow Jules who is very down on her luck.  Her parents having died a while back with her sister also having disappeared a while back before that, her boyfriend cheating on her and she's lost her job.  Things could not get any worse for her - or could they?  Jules sees an advert for an appartment sitter.   Its only when she arrives that she discovers that it is the Barthlomew, which is one of Manhattan's most high profile buildings but it also holds secrets.

I could not put this down. I picked this up one Sunday morning after waking earlier than I had intended and wanted to treat myself to some early morning reading time - something of a rarity for me but one that I love.    What I have learned is that this author knows his stuff when it comes to suspense and building characters.  With every page turned, you get a little bit closer to finding out what is going on and a little bit closer to the realisation that the character is probably going to be in trouble soon...  As with The Last Time I Lied, I went into this story blind only knowing the cover and the author.  For me, this was most certainly the best way to go.

I think I am probably going to end up saying this after every book I read from this author but you need to read this!  Now! :-)

Book Review / The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

Two Truths and a Lie. The girls played it all the time in their tiny cabin at Camp Nightingale. Vivian, Natalie, Allison, and first-time camper Emma Davis, the youngest of the group. The games ended when Emma sleepily watched the others sneak out of the cabin in the dead of night. The last she—or anyone—saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.

Now a rising star in the New York art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings—massive canvases filled with dark leaves and gnarled branches that cover ghostly shapes in white dresses. The paintings catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of Camp Nightingale. When Francesca implores her to return to the newly reopened camp as a painting instructor, Emma sees an opportunity to try to find out what really happened to her friends.

Yet it's immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by memories from fifteen years ago, Emma discovers a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian left behind about the camp's twisted origins. As she digs deeper, Emma finds herself sorting through lies from the past while facing threats from both man and nature in the present.

And the closer she gets to the truth about Camp Nightingale, the more she realizes it may come at a deadly price.

Published:     3rd July 2018
Publisher:  Dutton
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

I am not sure whether it is just good luck but this is the second thriller that I have picked up this month and I just could not put it down!  This was amazing!

We follow Emma Davis who after fifteen years was going back to Camp Nightingale.  A place that she never thought she would go back to after three of the friends that she made there and who were staying with her in the same cabin disappeared.  This event has haunted her ever since, so now Emma decides that it is time for closure.  We follow her as she starts to investigate what happened and we meet some new characters and some characters that were there the first time.

There are certainly a lot of twists and turns in this story and I can't tell you how many times I had thought one of the characters was the culprit and was wrong!  I went into this story blind, not really knowing anything about it but the title and, for me, that was the best way to go into this.   Certainly the twist at the end I did not see coming!

If you have not picked this up yet, you should!  Now!

Book Review / The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him...


Published:     5th February 2019
Publisher:  Celadon Books
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

This book was amazing!  I just could not put this down and read it in one sitting, simply because I could not bear not knowing what had happened!

We follow two characters in this book. The first is Alicia who seemed to have the perfect life but all goes wrong when her husband is shot dead.   She has never spoken after that moment.  The second is Theo who is a criminal psychotherapist who has heard of Alicia and wants to help treat her.  He manages to get a job in the facility that she is being kept and looked after and soon after manages to persuade his boss that he can give it a shot - to try and get her to talk and both help her and find out the truth.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this story - some that were predicatable and some, in particular the twist nearer the end, I really had not expected and completely floored me!

You need to read this book!

Book Review / Perfect Kill by Helen Fields

He had never heard himself scream before. It was terrifying.
 
Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim.
 
Drugged and kidnapped, the realisation soon dawns that he’s been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn’t yet know is that he’s now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed…

DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland.

With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task – but there’s no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead…



Published:     6th February 2020
Publisher:  Avon
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 6, D I Callanach
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher

MY REVIEW

I really enjoyed this story.  Instead of the usual thriller style books that I have been reading recently, this one centres more from the point of the view of the detectives and we follow police procedure and processes etc.  Not that the kidnapping and everything else that is going on wasn't important as that is what the police are looking for but, for me, the most interesting part of this is the police and detective work. 

There is certainly a lot more than what meets the eye with this story.  What starts off as a kidnapping turns into something completely different and a far larger problem than the detectives had originally anticipated including the trafficking of women for the sex trade. 

I am sensing that there is a larger story to this that I haven't picked up as this is book 6 in the series and I haven't read any of the previous novels, but that didn't affect being able to just pick up and read this one as a stand alone but I am definitely intrigued to see what the bigger picture is in this series...

Book Review / Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do.

You’d like to get to know Grace better.

But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart.

Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of the bedroom windows.

Sometimes, the perfect marriage is the perfect lie.






Published:     9th August 2016
Publisher:  Harlequin Mira
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:   Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

This book made me so angry, but that's ok.  Its meant to!

We follow Jack and Grace, a recently married couple who are settling into their dream home.  Grace's sister, who has Down's Syndrome, is going to be joining them soon after leaving her residential school unit as she is old enough to move out.   What seems like a normal couple living a normal life may not be the case.

Words cannot describe how much this made me angry for reasons that I can't tell you because of spoilers but let's say that this is a book that deals with the relationships between married couples, when they work and when they don't work in awful fashion.  And that ending!  I won't say too much more as it is really best if you go into this novel as blind as you possibly can but this book was a page turner from start to finish and I definitely wasn't left disappointed. 

Blog Tour Book Review / Liar Liar by Mel Sherratt

The truth can be a dangerous thing…

When a young boy is thrown from a balcony in a block of flats, DS Grace Allendale witnesses the shocking aftermath of the tragic event. But despite everything, no one will admit to seeing who did it – and the parents will only tell the police that it was an accident.

Determined to bring the perpetrator to justice, Grace must sort the truth from the lies in a case that takes her into the darkest corners of the criminal world – and strikes closer to home than she could have ever imagined…








Published:     19th March 2020
Publisher:  Avon
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 3, DS Grace Allendale
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher

MY REVIEW

In this story, we follow DS Grace Allendale who, along with her colleagues, are investigating the tragic event of a young boy potentially being thrown from a balcony in a block of flats in a community where they keep their own secrets and others in the building for fear of their own lives.  Along with this, you have what seems to be a 'bigger picture' story that I am guessing is building up with every book in this series but I can't comment on that as I have not yet picked up any of the other books in this series but that doesn't spoil this story.  You can easily read this as a stand alone.

For me, the pace of the story was a little slower than what I would have liked but when you get to the main part of the story and DS Grace is interviewing the various 'suspects' around the block of flats I soon got stuck into trying to figure out who was telling the truth and who was lying.  This was more about the different characters, their personalities and what they have or have not got away with or what secrets they are keeping.  That was the best part of this for me.

A good story and one that for sure makes me intrigued to pick up the other books at some point in the future to see what the bigger picture is and learn more about DS Grace and her family connections. 

Blog Tour Book Review / The Neighbours by Nicola Gill

Meet Ginny, 34, and Cassie, 55. Neighbours, and (very) unlikely friends.

Some women have it all. Others are thirty-four, renting a tiny flat alone because they recently found their long-term boyfriend in bed with their boss. Unfortunately, the latter applies to Ginny Taylor. Single and jobless, Ginny is certain her life can’t get any worse. But then she encounters her downstairs neighbour for the very first time...

Cassie Frost is a woman who had it all – she was a once-loved actress, but a recent stint on reality TV has rocketed her to online infamy. She’s suddenly become a national hate figure – and she desperately needs a new publicist. And Ginny is a publicist who desperately needs a job... but can she be persuaded to work for the uber-difficult, excessively prickly woman that lives below her floorboards?

Because sometimes – just sometimes – bad neighbours become good friends...


Published:     6th February 2020
Publisher:  Avon
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher

MY REVIEW

This book was so much fun to read!  We follow Ginny as what I believe is the main character in this story.  She has not having the best time with breaking up with her boyfriend and losing her job at the same time, along with her best friend and room mate moving away.  Along comes Cassie who had recently taken part in a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here style show and also having a bad time with social media etc.  We follow both of these characters as they navigate both their lives and also help with each others.

What I loved most was the friendship between Ginny and Cassie.  Quite often in stories like this friendships can be portrayed as always happy, pillow fights etc etc etc.  In this story, we have a honest description of what life is like for both of them when things are not going right and also showing both their personalities which may not always be bubbly and happy - sometimes it is sarcastic and a little bit mean but meant not to be mean and meant to help the other.  This is what made this story fun to read.  There are, of course, other smaller stories like other family members and their relationship and potential new love interests for the two main characters but those stories I only saw as side stories and the main focus was the friendship.

A really honest and funny read I would recommend.

Blog Tour Book Review / Poison by Jacqui Rose

The heart-racing new gangland thriller from bestselling author Jacqui Rose. Perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers’ The Sting and Martina Cole.

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE YOU SHOULD NEVER CROSS
 
In a life of crime, loyalty means everything – even if you don’t always see eye to eye. But when Vaughn Sadler speaks up to get Franny Doyle sent down, he’s broken every rule in the book to win checkmate.

AND OTHERS YOU SHOULDN’T UNDERESTIMATE…
 
Holed up in prison, Franny has more than one score to settle – but she’s starting with Vaughn. Because you don’t grass on your own, no matter what. And though she may be behind bars, she will get revenge – whatever the cost.

Before, there was just bad blood running through her veins. But now, there is poison…



Published:     20th February 2020
Publisher:  Avon
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand Alone
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher
Trigger Warning:  Incest and Murder

MY REVIEW

Being a big fan of thrillers, this author has intrigued me for a while now.  She has written quite a few novels now but this one really intrigued me both for the reason that it seemed more character driven then plot driven and becuase it is based on criminals, which is not normally the style of novel that I would pick up and I wanted to push those limits.

I have to say that, for me, my expectations were right.  The best part of this novel were the characters.  You have quite a few interesting ones in this novel.  You have Franny who is in jail convicted for the murder of a person, which she may or may not have done.  You see how she is adjusting to live in prison and how she interacts with other prisoners, including the most difficult and nasty ones.  You then have Vaughn and Alfie who are on the outside and one of them may have had knowledge of Franny's conviction and had a hand in getting her there.   You also have Shannon who was my favourite character in this novel.  She is a young lady/late teenager who is taken under the wing of Vaugn who tries to look after her.   But her past keeps following her and not letting go. It was very interesting to see her try and navigate those difficulties and try and find a path that will lead her out of misery.

This was such an enjoyable ride and I will definitely be picking up more from this author in the future.

Book Review / The Brethren by John Grisham

Trumble is a minimum-security federal prison, a "camp," home to the usual assortment of relatively harmless criminals--drug dealers, bank robbers, swindlers, embezzlers, tax evaders, two Wall Street crooks, one doctor, at least five lawyers.


And three former judges who call themselves the Brethren: one from Texas, one from California, and one from Mississippi. They meet each day in the law library, their turf at Trumble, where they write briefs, handle cases for other inmates, practice law without a license, and sometimes dispense jailhouse justice. And they spend hours writing letters. They are fine-tuning a mail scam, and it's starting to really work. The money is pouring in.
Then their little scam goes awry. It ensnares the wrong victim, a powerful man on the outside, a man with dangerous friends, and the Brethren's days of quietly marking time are over.






Published:     27th December 2005
Publisher:  Doubleday
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

A very interesting read that, to me, seems very politic heavy.  There are elements of the legal system in here with Judges who are imprisoned handle cases where they are also they also have a side 'business' which not many know about apart from a set few, including a lawyer who does is their 'runner'.

Being honest, it did take me two goes to actually start this novel but that is more my fault rather than anything else.  I do not normally read the descriptions of novels as I much prefer the author to take me on the journey and tell me what the story is all about rather than reading a 'briefing of it'.  I had not fully appreciated that this would feature a lot more politics than I would normally like to read - it is not one of those types of stories that I would naturally gravitate towards.  The first time around I think I reached just over the 50 pages and then set it aside and that was back in January this year.  I decided to give this one another go now as I really want to read more of John Grisham's books and this was the next on the list (I am reading them in publication order).  This time I knew what I was getting into, took my time and really got stuck into the story.  This second time, I really enjoyed it once I got used to the political system in the US (I am from the UK).

This story has a very interesting plot that can still mostly be applied today although I would like to hope that society is a lot more open about certain issues now than it was back in 2005 (this was originally written in 2005).  The main plot is you have three judges who exploit vulnerable males in a money scam.  Each of these males have a secret that they would not want their family to find out.

A really great political legal thriller that centers around social issues. 

Book Review / The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.

It was everything.

She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.


Published:     6th August 2019
Publisher:  Vintage Digital
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

I literally read this in one sitting.  One lazy weekend morning when I woke up much earlier than I had hoped for but wasn't quite ready to get up yet.  I started reading it and could not put it down until I had finished that same morning!

We follow Rowan as she applies for and gets a job being a nanny for a wealthy family living in Scotland.  She is dropped right in the middle of the action when the parents state that they have to go away for business (they are architects) but that they have to go away that weekend, with Rowan only having turned up for the job about one day before that!  For the majority of the story, we follow Rowan as she gets settled in to her new job and its not an easy ride for her.  The kids are still adapting to having yet another nanny (the previous few nannies had not lasted very long) and there is also something strange going on in the house - maybe supernatural maybe not. 

I loved a lot of things about this novel but what I loved the most was the way this story had been written.  You are not right in the action following Rowan day by day, hour by hour.  You are reading a letter that Rowan is sending a potential lawyer who she is writing to help her out of a sticky situation.   As the letter goes on, Rowan describes what has happened to her along the way. 

Not to mention the excellent twist in the story nearer the end of the book that I really wasn't expecting and loved!  It added another level to the story I had already had and made me re-think what had gone on before to put it in a better context now I knew the truth. 

An amazing read that I just could not put down.  You need to read this book!

Book Review / The Little Big Things by Henry Fraser

The memoir of the year by Henry Fraser, motivational speaker and mouth artist with a foreword by J.K. Rowling.
 
Being challenged in life is inevitable, but being defeated is optional...

Henry Fraser was 17 years old when a tragic accident severed his spinal cord. Paralysed from the shoulders down, he has conquered unimaginable difficulty to embrace life and a new way of living. Through challenging adversity, he has found the opportunity to grow and inspire others.

This book combines his wisdom and insight into finding the gifts in life's challenges, and will resonate with anyone facing an obstacle, no matter how big or small. It includes Henry's thoughts on how to look at the right things and avoid the wrong, finding progress in whatever you do, and acknowledging and accepting the darkness when it comes. Right at the heart of Henry's inspiring philosophy is his belief that every day is a good day.




Published:     7th September 2017
Publisher:  Seven Dials
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone Non Fiction
Source: Owned

MY REVIEW

What a remarkable story and a remarkable person.  From an accident that led to Henry becoming paralysed, we follow Henry's story from that fateful day, through his time in recovery at hospital learning to come to terms with his new diagnosis and following as he learns to live with this and challenges himself to always do better.

A truly inspirational story that shows that even though you may be faced with one of the worst circumstances in your lives, you can still overcome them or learn to live with them and enjoy your life.  Don't give up just because something bad has happened to you!

Book Review / Right Behind You by Rachel Abbott

Some doors should not be opened.
Some can never be closed.

Jo Palmer’s peaceful and happy life is about to end.

Ash – the man she loves – will be arrested by the police.
Millie – her precious daughter – will be taken from her.

She will lose her friends.
She will doubt her sanity.

Someone is stealing everything Jo loves, and will stop at nothing.

But right now, Jo is laughing in her kitchen, eating dinner with her family, suspecting nothing.

It’s raining outside.

There’s a knock on the door. They are here.

A DCI Tom Douglas Thriller


Published:     16th January 2020
Publisher:  Black Dot Publishing
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone: Book 9, DCI Tom Douglas
Source:  Review Copy from Author

MY REVIEW

This is not my first time reading a Rachel Abbott novel and both times I thoroughly enjoyed reading and following the DCI Tom Douglas story.  I haven't read them in order but now that I know I really enjoy this story, I absolutely plan to start from the beginning when I get the chance.

In this story, we follow Jo who is living happily with Ash and her daughter Millie.  All of that changes one day when then people she loves get taken away from her.  She is then on a mission to find them and find out what secrets have been kept from her.

This had a bit of a slow start for me but definitely worth it once you get to the main part of the story.   I liked the way in which the kidnapping was set up which leaves Jo wondering exactly who she should trust.   There is also a larger picture which I am beginning to see which centers around DCI Tom Douglas and his family.  I have seen a glimpse of that in the first book that I read (Come a Little Closer) but I am definitely intrigued to find out more about his story which I am guessing I will pick up when I start from the beginning.

I could not put this down!   What a great novel!

Trilogy Review / Songs about a Girl by Chris Russell

Charlie Bloom never wanted to be 'with the band'. She's happiest out of the spotlight, behind her camera, unseen and unnoticed. But when she's asked to take backstage photos for hot new boy band Fire&Lights, she can't pass up the chance.

Catapulted into a world of paparazzi and backstage bickering, Charlie soon becomes caught between gorgeous but damaged frontman, Gabriel West, and his boy-next-door bandmate Olly Samson. Then, as the boys' rivalry threatens to tear the band apart, Charlie stumbles upon a mind-blowing secret, hidden in the lyrics of their songs...

Published:     2016 to 2018
Publisher:  Hodder
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 45, In Death
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

I read the first two books back when they first came out and adored them.  I hadn't realised until I saw a review that I had not finished reading the trilogy and I knew I had to remedy that quickly!  I had owned all three books for a while and I can't believe it has taken me so long to get to reading the whole lot!  Of course I started from book 1 again before getting to the final book that I had not read yet and fully immerse myself back in the story.

I loved this just as much, if not a bit more, than I did the first time around.  Following Charlie, a budding young photographer, as she attends school but gets offered the job of taking photos of Fire & Lights (the hottest boy band of the time).  She gets to know the band and various other characters that come along the way - some good and some not so good.  There's also a bit of a love triangle going on and simply because I had read the first two books before I kind of knew that was coming but there were definitely a lot of questions I had about what has happened in the past that ties some characters together.

The characters also were a big pull for me in reading this trilogy.  Whether they are a good character or a not so good character, all had their own quirks and personalities and were intriguing to follow.  If I had to pick my favourites they would have to be Charlie (of course!) and Yuki who is another member of the band and a larger than live character.


I cannot recommend this trilogy enough.  If you like Emery Lord's Open Road Summer, you need to pick this up!

Book Review / All the Best Lies by Joanna Schaffhausen

The highly anticipated third novel in the award-winning Ellery Hathaway mystery series.

FBI agent Reed Markham is haunted by one painful unsolved mystery: who murdered his mother? Camilla was brutally stabbed to death more than forty years ago while baby Reed lay in his crib mere steps away. The trail went so cold that the Las Vegas Police Department has given up hope of solving the case. But then a shattering family secret changes everything Reed knows about his origins, his murdered mother, and his powerful adoptive father, state senator Angus Markham. Now Reed has to wonder if his mother's killer is uncomfortably close to home.

Unable to trust his family with the details of his personal investigation, Reed enlists his friend, suspended cop Ellery Hathaway, to join his quest in Vegas. Ellery has experience with both troubled families and diabolical murderers, having narrowly escaped from each of them. She's eager to skip town, too, because her own father, who abandoned her years ago, is suddenly desperate to get back in contact. He also has a secret that could change her life forever, if Ellery will let him close enough to hear it.

Far from home and relying only on each other, Reed and Ellery discover young Camilla had snared the attention of dangerous men, any of whom might have wanted to shut her up for good. They start tracing his twisted family history, knowing the path leads back to a vicious killer—one who has been hiding in plain sight for forty years and isn't about to give up now.

Published:     11th February 2020
Publisher:  Titan Books
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 3, Ellery Hathaway
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher

MY REVIEW

Now this was what I have been waiting for for a while now.  A really good thriller that keeps me at the edge of my seat and has a twist at the ending I really wasn't expecting!  Despite the fact that I have not read the first two books in this series, I had no trouble picking this up, following the stories and the characters, especially Ellery.

In this story we mainly follow Ellery and Reed as Reed attempts to discover what happened to his mother who had died when he was a baby.  In fact, he was in a crib at the time when his mother was brutally stabbed.  After the murder, he was adopted by a family and up until how had a fairly happy life but Reed still wanted to find out what had happened.  We follow Reed and Ellery helping him as he talks to an array of characters which leads him down a path where he starts to question a lot of people and whether they have been telling him the truth both in the moment and for most of his life.

Although the middle part of this book was a bit slow for me, the pace of the first part and the last part certainly made up for that - and that ending...!!!!  That definitely took me by surprise.

Book Review / I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella, an irresistible story of love and empowerment about a young woman with a complicated family, a handsome man who might be “the one,” and an IOU that changes everything

Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” But since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will? It’s simply not in her nature to say no to people.

So when a handsome stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, Fixie not only agrees—she ends up saving it from certain disaster. Turns out the computer’s owner is an investment manager. To thank Fixie for her quick thinking, Sebastian scribbles an IOU on a coffee sleeve and attaches his business card. But Fixie laughs it off—she’d never actually claim an IOU from a stranger. Would she?

Then Fixie’s childhood crush, Ryan, comes back into her life and his lack of a profession pushes all of Fixie’s buttons. She wants nothing for herself—but she’d love Seb to give Ryan a job. And Seb agrees, until the tables are turned once more and a new series of IOUs between Seb and Fixie—from small favors to life-changing moments—ensues. Soon Fixie, Ms. Fixit for everyone else, is torn between her family and the life she really wants. Does she have the courage to take a stand? Will she finally grab the life, and love, she really wants?

Published:     5th February 2019
Publisher:  Bantam Press
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

Its been a while since I have read a Sophie Kinsella novel and this is the only one that I haven't got to yet (apart from the Shopaholic series which I had started quite a while ago and didn't really get into).  I always hope to get a full of laughs, comedy with a bit of a romance story when picking up a Kinsella novel and this is definitely what you get with this one. 

We follow Fixie who has been brought up in a family where you always put family first and keep problems and the like behind the curtain of the family home.  After her dad's death, Fixie (and her mum) are the ones that organises and looks after the family business while the other members of the family while her brother and sister seem to be so far from reality and so fixated on themselves they don't seem to help a lot.   That all changes when she meets a handsome stranger in a coffee shop that makes her think twice about the life that she had and perhaps make some changes. 

The best part of this novel has to be interaction with Fixie and the new handsome stranger that she meets in a coffee shop.  In the middle of a bunch of family members who are, quite frankly, selfish and not very nice, Fixie meets and gets to know someone who actually cares and wants to help.   What took the enjoyment out of this story a little bit for me was Fixie's family members.  I know they are probably meant to be annoying and horrible at the beginning but they annoyed me so much it took a bit of the fun away from the story. 

This was still a fun read and would recommend to give a go if you like family conflict, drama, comedy and romance all build under one roof. 

Book Review / Her Frozen Heart by Lulu Taylor

Caitlyn, there’s something I have to tell you. About Sara.
 
Caitlyn thinks her marriage to Patrick is a success. For one thing, he is one of the few people not to fall head over heels for her beautiful friend, Sara. Life is lived on his terms, but they are happy.

Aren’t they?

When a devastating accident turns her existence upside down, Caitlyn is forced to reassess everything she thought about her marriage, what she truly knows about Patrick, and his real feelings for her best friend. In the refuge of an old manor house, she begins to discover the truth.

In 1947, the worst winter in decades hits England, cutting off entirely the inhabitants of Kings Harcourt Manor. For Tommy Carter, widowed at the start of war, it is particularly hard: the burden of the family falls on her. She has the solace of her children, and the interesting presence of her brother’s friend, Fred. But there is also Barbara, a mysterious figure from her past who appears to want a piece of Tommy’s future as well.

Her Frozen Heart is a thrilling mystery from Lulu Taylor, top ten bestselling author of The Snow Rose.




Published:     30th November 2017
Publisher:  Pan
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

This author just keeps getting better and better.  I just can't stop reading her books!  I've only got, I believe, two more to go and then I am up to date!

What seems to be a usual plot for this author is the duel time line, which I love.

With this story, we follow Caitlyn in the present day who leans a truly devastating secret in the same day that she suffers a devastating accident.  There's a secret that her husband has been keeping from her and she has to figure out what that is.   You would think that Caitlyn's best friend, Sara, would be there to help her but it seems that she has other plans.  In the past day time line, we follow Tommy who lives at Kings Harcourt Manor with her children, mother and brother.  Her brother has inherited the house but it is Tommy who is left to look after it as her brother is either not interested or not able to deal with it.  Things go downhill for Tommy when she agrees to have a friend and her child come to stay at the Manor.  It seems that this friend has other plans for the Manor.

Both time lines were equally enjoyable for me.  Both had edge of the seat action and drama and I just had to find out what would happen next.   I have to say that out of the two it was the present day story line that really surprised me.  I had thought the story was going to go a certain way but then there's a twist that turns it around to be something else I wasn't expecting.  Loved that.

I can't wait to pick up the next book by this author, which I know will probably be very soon!!!

Book Review / The Winter Children by Luly Taylor

Behind a selfless act of kindness lies dark intentions . . .
Olivia and Dan Felbeck are blissfully happy when their longed-for twins arrive after years of IVF. At the same time, they make the move to Renniston Hall, a huge, Elizabethan house that belongs to absent friends. Living rent-free in a small part of the unmodernised house, once a boarding school, they can begin to enjoy the family life they've always wanted. But there is a secret at the heart of their family, one that Olivia does not yet know. And the house, too, holds its darkness deep within it . . .










Published:     3rd December 2015
Publisher:  Pan
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned Copy

MY REVIEW

I am slowly making my way through all the novels written by Lulu Taylor, in chronological order, and they just keep getting better and better!

In this story we follow mainly Olivia as she and her husband Dan struggle to conceive.  Their relationship is obviously affected by this.  The idea of IVF comes up and they decide to go for it.  Luckily, it works and they become parents of twins but, as always, there are secrets.  Secrets that someone is keeping from the other that would most certainly break their relationship apart.  They are currently living at Renniston Hall, which is owned by a friend and used to be a school, but that favour could cost them more than they realise.

There is a duel timeline also in this book where we follow two teenage school girls who attend school at Renniston Hall.  At that time, in the past, there are also building works going on.  The girls are forbidden to make contact with any of the men working on the building site but teenage girls don't always do what they are told.  Maybe they should have done this time!

I have to be honest and say that I enjoyed the story of Olivia in the present day a lot more than the past day timeline only because there was so much more happening in the present day than the past, for me.  But that doesn't mean the story wasn't suspenseful, it certainly was.  I just could not wait to turn the page and find out what happens next.

For me, there were no surprises in this book but that didn't spoil the story one bit.  The enjoyment in this story for me was the journey of the characters and watching them as they find out secrets they wish they never had to know. 

Book Review / Hands Up by Stephen Clark

Officer Ryan Quinn, a rookie raised in a family of cops, is on the fast track to detective until he shoots an unarmed black male. Now, with his career, reputation and freedom on the line, he embarks on a quest for redemption that forces him to confront his fears and biases and choose between conscience or silence.

Jade Wakefield is an emotionally damaged college student living in one of Philadelphia’s worst neighborhoods. She knows the chances of getting an indictment against the cop who killed her brother are slim. When she learns there’s more to the story than the official police account, Jade is determined, even desperate, to find out what really happened. She plans to get revenge by any means necessary.

Kelly Randolph, who returns to Philadelphia broke and broken after abandoning his family ten years earlier, seeks forgiveness while mourning the death of his son. But after he’s thrust into the spotlight as the face of the protest movement, his disavowed criminal past resurfaces and threatens to derail the family’s pursuit of justice.

Ryan, Jade, and Kelly--three people from different worlds—are on a collision course after the shooting, as their lives interconnect and then spiral into chaos.

Published:     28th September 2019
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Review Copy Provided by the Author

MY REVIEW

Now, this was a great read!  I had not really expected this to go as deep into moral and social issues,  than it did, which took me my surprise. 

We follow Officer Ryan Quinn who unfortunately gets into an 'incident' when pulling down someone driving with his partner.  One thing leads to another and he ends up shooting an unarmed black male.  The story he is telling to everyone may not be the story of what actually happened.  We follow Ryan as he learns to live with what he has done and comes to terms with what really happened and whether he should come clean with the true story of what happened that time. 

For me, the best part was the characters and how they interacted with each other - some good and some bad.  You have the officers involved, including Officer Ryan Quinn, you have the family of the unfortunate person who was shot and then you have the family and friends around Officer Ryan Quinn. 

This kept me at the edge of my seat not only for what was going to happen next but to see how each of the characters would react to what was put in front of them.  

The author's writing style was also easy to read and set the right pace for how the story should flow as you read it.  I would not hesitate in recommending this book to everyone!

Blog Tour Book Review / All the Rage by Cara Hunter

A teenage girl is found wandering the outskirts of Oxford, dazed and distressed. The story she tells is terrifying. Grabbed off the street, a plastic bag pulled over her face, then driven to an isolated location where she was subjected to what sounds like an assault. Yet she refuses to press charges.

DI Fawley investigates, but there's little he can do without the girl's co-operation. Is she hiding something, and if so, what? And why does Fawley keep getting the feeling he's seen a case like this before?

And then another girl disappears, and Adam no longer has a choice: he has to face up to his past. Because unless he does, this victim may not be coming back . . .






Published:     23rd January 2020
Publisher:  Penguin
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 4, DI Adam Fawley
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher

Check out the Author's Newsletter here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/newsletters/carahunter/

MY REVIEW

This book could not have come to me at a better time.  I am right in the middle of my thriller and mystery reading binge at the moment and this is exactly what I wanted and was looking for.  This is a police investigation crime mystery that follows DI Adam Fawley as he heads up an investigation into the abduction and assault of a teenage girl.  But, as always, there is more to the story than what meets the eye, of course!

What I liked the most is the police work in this.  I don't know much about police work having not worked in that sector but I found it very interesting to see DI Fawley and his colleagues follow all sorts of investigation and forensic procedures to try and figure out what has happened.

I have not yet any of the previous books in this series and you don't really need to to pick up this book, but I am intrigued to find out what has happened before this novel.  Maybe there are some things that I have missed that I would have picked up if I had. I'm not sure about that but will have to find out!

Book Review / The Snow Angel by Luly Taylor

A forbidden passion. A lifetime of consequences.


Cressida Felbridge is living the high life as a debutante in 1960s London society when she is courted by a friend of her brother's and set to marry. Wishing only the best for his daughter, her father decrees that she must have her portrait painted to mark the occasion. But as soon as she meets the painter Ralph Few, Cressie knows her life will never be the same again. Soon, she is deeply in love with Ralph, but there is one problem: Ralph is still married to Catherine. As Cressie is drawn into a strange, triangular relationship, Catherine's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and Ralph and Cressie escape to Cressie's family home in Cumbria. But Catherine will not give up Ralph that easily . . .

In the present day, Emily Conway has everything she could wish for: a huge house in West London, two beautiful children and a successful husband, Will. But as Emily and Will drive to a party, Will reveals that he has been betrayed by his business partner. Steering the car off the road at high speed, their perfect life is abruptly ended. When she wakes from her injuries, Emily is told of a mysterious legacy: a house in Cumbria on the edge of an estate, left to her by a woman she has never met. Could this house provide the chance to start anew, or does it hold secrets that she must uncover before it can be at peace?

The Snow Angel is a deliciously dark family saga from Lulu Taylor, the bestselling author of The Winter Folly.

Published:     4th December 2014
Publisher:  Pan Publishing
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

I just could not resist picking up another book by this author!  Having just read The Winter Folly and loved it, I knew I had to pick up another one!

Similar to her first novel, this story is split into two time lines.  In the past you have Cressida who is set to marry but meets a painter who she discovers is the love of her life.  The only problem is that she is due to be married and he is already married.  In the present day we follow Emily who is happily married with children until the day comes when she discovers a secret that her husband has been keeping from her and her life changes for good.  She then learns that she has been left an estate in a Will.  We follow her as discovers more of her family's history.

Just when I thought it could not get better than The Winter Folly.  You have this big romance in the past and in the present you have someone who is trying to discover what happened in the past.  I just had to know what had gone on!  There is a great twist in this story that I really did not see coming!

A thoroughly enjoyable historical romance/drama/suspense.  I would highly recommend.

Book Review / The Winter Folly by Lulu Taylor

The darker the lie, the deeper the secret . . .

In this house there are many secrets…

It is 1965 and young Alexandra Crewe obediently marries the man her father has selected for her. But very soon both she and her husband Laurence realize that their marriage is a disaster. When real love finds Alexandra, plucking her out of her unhappy existence, she is powerless to resist. Her home becomes Fort Stirling, a beautiful Dorset castle, but Alexandra fears that there will be a price to pay for this wonderful new life. When tragedy strikes, it seems that her punishment has come, and there is only one way she can atone for her sins . . .

In the present day, Delilah Young is the second wife of John Stirling and the new chatelaine of Fort Stirling. The house seems to be a sad one and Delilah hopes to fill it with life and happiness. But when she attempts to heal the heartbreak in John’s life, it seems that the forces of the past might be too strong for her. Why does John have such a hatred for the old folly on the hill, and what happened to his mother when she vanished from his life? As Delilah searches for the truth, she realizes that perhaps some secrets are better left buried . . .


Published:     5th December 2013
Publisher:  Pan Publishing
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

This book was so addicting, I just could not put it down!   This is the first book I have read written by this author and I certainly will be picking up more really soon!

This story is split between two time lines.  In the past, we are following Alexandra who marries because her father tells her to not for love but that all changes when she meets the man of her dreams.  In the present, we follow Delilah who has just married and moved into Fort Sterling but it seems there is more to Fort Stirling than she realised. 


What I loved the most about this book was definitely the suspense.  You have two story lines running alongside each other, each with its own highs and lows.  What kept me reading was wanting to find out what was going to happen next and how the two story lines would somehow connect together.  There is also great character development in this story which just made me route for certain characters all the more and hope that things work out ok for them. 

A great mix of historical fiction and suspense.  I would highly recommend!

Reading Challenges 2019 and 2020

2019 Reading Challenge Goals

Goodreads 100 Book Challenge - Always a staple in my goals.  This year I am only limiting myself to 100 books, which I still think is quite a lot but we'll see how we go.  2019 is going to be the year of reading more complicated and in depth books along with series and stand alone novels that  have been on my shelf or on my wish list for a long time now.   OK, so I didn't quite get this done this year.  I got up 85, which I think is really good considering life has been busy and I haven't read as much as I have in the past.  To be honest, I don't really view this as a 'need to do' goal but just something to aim for.
 
Read Your Own Book Challenge - Always a goal of mine to make sure that I read from my own shelf and not review books or books that I have only just bought..   This was a goal that I have set for myself for a while now and I am so proud that I have stuck to it this year quite strictly having read quite a few backlist titles,which I am still continuing to do.  Yes, I have bought a few books that I have immediately read and yes I have received a few titles for review but I have not been accepting or requesting half as many as I used to (which I am truly grateful for). 
 
Big Book Challenge -  A true staple in my challenges that can often get forgotten.  I have had some fun with this challenge this year.  I read 37 big books this year which is the usual number I would naturally pick up but this time I decided to pick up one of my most challenging trilogy/series I have had on my shelf for ages and that is the Discovery of Witches (All Souls) Trilogy/Series by Deborah Harkness.  My full review is posted but just to say that it took me a very long time to read those books, which are over 600 pages long each. 

Read 2 Classics  - I always say that I will get around to those one at some point.  2019 is going to be the year.   I have only set this at 2 because there is 1 hefty book and 1 reasonable size novel that I want to get to this year.  Those are:

Nope, never got to either of these this year.  I have read the Phantom of the Opera before so this would have been a re-read but I still have these titles and I am still really keen to read them but maybe further in the future than right now.

Read at least 1 book from the Manbooker Winner List  -  For a long time now I have been wanting to try to read a book that has won the Manbooker Winner List.  I bought the book below a long time ago and it has been sitting on my shelf for ages.  2019 will be the year!!

I didn't get to this one either but I still have my copy and I am still really excited about the story and do plan to pick this up at some point. 

2020 Reading Challenge Goals

Goodreads 100 Book Challenge - Always a staple in my goals.  I always like to aim for 100 books but happy to get close and even happier if I get past that!  Who knows!  I  don't tend to be too strict on keeping this but use this really only use this as a motivation tool to keep me reading consistently
 
Read Your Own Book Challenge - This is a goal that i have brought in a lot more in 2019 and intend to bring in a lot more in 2020.  I have made my way through quite a lot of the books that I already own  and have not read yet and want to make it my aim to read as many as I can in 2020. 
 
Big Book Challenge -  Yet again, a true staple in my challenges that can often get forgotten but I have found that now even if I don't focus on this too much I do tend to pick up more than 20 books to complete this challenge this year.  My aim for this year is to do the same but to read at least 1 book that is over 800 pages long.  That is going to be a massive challenge for me as I do not do very good with concentrating on long novels but let's give it a go.  

John Grisham - I made a start last year to read all of John Grisham's novels - some I have already read and some I have not yet read.  So far, I think I have read about 10 of his novels, starting from the earliest publication date.  In 2020, I would love to be able to have read them all and start reading another author...