It may be raining in places but, thanks to C.J.Skuse, something is definitely ‘In Bloom’! Maybe a few sweet pea’s or something, I don’t know! Anyway, I am delighted to be reviewing ‘In Bloom’ as part of the blog tour organised by HQStories. Big thanks to the team for the blog tour invite and the ARC. Here is my review:
If only they knew the real truth. It should be my face on those front pages. My headlines. I did those things, not him. I just want to stand on that doorstep and scream it: IT WAS ME. ME. ME. ME. ME!
Rhiannon Lewis has successfully fooled the world and framed her cheating fiancé Craig for the depraved and bloody killing spree she committed. She should be ecstatic that she’s free.
Except for one small problem. She’s pregnant with her ex lover’s child. The ex-lover she only recently chopped up and buried in her in-laws garden. And as much as Rhiannon wants to continue making her way through her kill lists, a small voice inside is trying to make her stop.
But can a killer’s urges ever really be curbed?
What does TWG think?
Don’t shout at me, but I read ‘In Bloom’ without reading the prequel to this, ‘Sweetpea’. I know, I know – I’m bad! Thankfully I was able to read ‘In Bloom’ perfectly fine without reading the previous novel, however, I would recommend reading ‘Sweetpea’ as there were references to the flower in this book and I had no idea how or why Rhiannon was associated to them.
Having heard so much about ‘Sweetpea’, I was so excited to delve into C.J.Skuse’s latest novel. I didn’t really have any expectations in mind before I started reading, but even if I did, they would have been completely blown out of the water anyway!
I couldn’t help laughing out loud throughout the entire novel, and I couldn’t help feeling quite bad about my laughter considering the nature of the storyline! Please note – I wasn’t laughing at the theme’s, I was laughing at how Rhiannon was portrayed, her actions, as well as the stuff that flew out of her mouth. I would say that I have found a new favourite line, but I think that may be a spoiler. It does contain several ‘fs’, so I will leave it up to you to find that line in the book yourself. Put it this way, I was glad I put my cup of tea down before I turned the page otherwise I would have spat it out laughing!
‘In Bloom’ is blooming hilarious and it really shouldn’t be, but it is, and it works! Don’t get me wrong, the antics of several of the characters was very cut throat, gruesome, and rather, ermm……twisted, but the way in which C.J.Skuse delivered those actions in such a hilariously dark, gritty and fiery manner, made me feel less guilty for laughing at axe’s and things….
Like I said above, I had no expectations regarding ‘In Bloom’ at all. I had a feeling that I would need to read the book with an open mind after what I had seen on social media, so I did and, because of that, I was able to appreciate the storyline in its entirety without any preconceptions of the contents.
There were moments whilst reading this novel where I felt like I shouldn’t be liking it as it is everything that I’m not, however, that is also the reason why I really did enjoy ‘In Bloom’ as it IS unique. It IS memorable. It IS one of those books that you will either love or hate, bit like marmite and seeing as I love marmite, I am so thrilled that I ended up loving this book.
‘In Bloom’ is a novel that, if you had given it to me several years back, I would have said that it was completely out of my comfort zone. But now? I can honestly say that this is an outrageously hilarious, twisted, dark, shocking novel which left my sides aching with laughter and my mind going ‘what the begonia did I just read?!’.
I have everything crossed that Rhiannon comes back again as I have a feeling that her story is far from over!! What a book!
The Writing Garnet 
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