Uhoh! I’ve found a #BadSeed in my halloween costume! Help me @JessicaEames2 @TrapezeBooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n

Many thanks to Tracy Fenton and Trapeze for the blog tour invite and ARC – here is my review of ‘Bad Seed’ by Jessica Eames.

Nicola is going to die. Just like her husband did.

Nicola thought she’d gotten away with it.

Since her husband died, life has been getting back on track. She has a new boyfriend, Phil. A new home, living next door to her brother-in-law, his wife and their children. She is closer than ever with her daughter, Sarah. She even likes her job at the local shop, though she’s had some time off recently with illness. The doctor says its menopause, that it’s nothing to worry about. As if he could know how she’s feeling.

Nicola is finally moving on with her life.

But then she receives the note. Someone knows what she did. They know the secret she doesn’t even think about when she is alone.

And they want revenge.

What does TWG think?

Oh dear, someone’s in trouble!!! Dont you just hate it when something from your past comes back to bite you on the behind?! Well, if you were innocent and hadn’t done anything wrong, you would have no need to worry when a little note drops through your letter box….right?

Nicola’s past has found her, JUST when she finally feels comfortable in her life, and just when relationships with loved ones are heading in the right direction. Bit of a kick in the teeth, eh!

For me, ‘Bad Seed’ was a very intriguing debut read which oozed a lot of promise. On the other hand, I found the execution of the storyline to be a little bit stilted and seemed to contain more padding than I felt was necessary.

The storyline does contain intensity, and it does deliver on ensuring the reader constantly thinks ‘what happens now?’ – a definite plus point, thats for sure!

As for the characters, I am on the fence when it comes to Nicola as, on one hand I found her personality to be unique and well crafted, yet on the other hand I found that her actions and voice, so to speak, didn’t work with the overall vibe of the book and the whole revenge path.

However, I did enjoy ‘Bad Seed’, and I am looking forward to seeing how this author develops in further books.

Buy now.

This Halloween I’m dressing up as #TheGuardianOfLies – what about you? @simonschusteruk @KateFurnivall @ed_pr

Many thanks to EdPr for the blog tour invite and ARC, it is such an honour to be kicking off Kate Furnivall’s blog tour today!

1953, the South of France. The fragile peace between the West and Soviet Russia hangs on a knife edge. And one family has been torn apart by secrets and conflicting allegiances.

Eloïse Caussade is a courageous young Frenchwoman, raised on a bull farm near Arles in the Camargue. She idolises her older brother, André, and when he leaves to become an Intelligence Officer working for the CIA in Paris to help protect France, she soon follows him. Having exchanged the strict confines of her father’s farm for a life of freedom in Paris, her world comes alive.
But everything changes when André is injured – a direct result of Eloise’s actions. Unable to work, André returns to his father’s farm, but Eloïse’s sense of guilt and responsibility for his injuries sets her on the trail of the person who attempted to kill him.
Eloïse finds her hometown in a state of unrest and conflict. Those who are angry at the construction of the American airbase nearby, with its lethal nuclear armaments, confront those who support it, and anger flares into violence, stirred up by Soviet agents. Throughout all this unrest, Eloïse is still relentlessly hunting down the man who betrayed her brother and his country, and she is learning to look at those she loves and at herself with different eyes. She no longer knows who she can trust. Who is working for Soviet Intelligence and who is not? And what side do her own family lie on?

What does TWG think?

Revenge? Or family loyalties? Eloise has always looked up to her big brother, Andre. When they were children if he could do something, she would go to great lengths to prove that she could do it too. However, now that they’re older, do they know each other as well as they used to?

Andre has asked Eloise for help and his life, and possibly her own, are now in her hands. However, one bad move led them both to a hospital bed. With scars shining on their bodies like beacons, and the guilt eating at Eloise from the inside out, she is determined to put things right. But at what cost?

Accidents happen and, even though I could empathise with the frustration from both parties, Eloise didn’t do it on purpose so why was Andre channeling his anger towards her, and not the people who actually set out to end his life? Maybe maybe maybe she’s there and they’re not? Andre’s life has changed and it’s only natural for him to feel angry that he can no longer carry on with his duties. I just felt quite sorry for Eloise.

‘The Guardian Of Lies’ is such a devious and compelling novel, and I LOVED the addictive nature of the entire storyline! The way in which Kate Furnivall kept the secretive tendencies at the height of the story for the duration of the book was incredible. There were no slip ups, no pregnant pauses, no padding out the story with unimportant information – it was, in my opinion, utterly flawless.

Eloise’s journey definitely made me think as she had to choose between seeking revenge and being loyal to her family. That said, with her wanting to seek revenge, surely that was her being loyal to her family anyway? Personally, I thought that there were a lot of bad apples in the book and that Eloise was taking the brunt of their bad decisions! I cannot deny that it made for excellent reading though!

I am envious of anyone that gets to read this for the first time – you’re all in for a sublime, compelling treat that will question your own loyalties and integrity. Fabulous read.

The Guardian of Lies by Kate Furnivall is out now, published by Simon & Schuster, priced £8.99 in paperback.

Buy now.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, ‘Single All The Way’… @karen_king @Bookouture

Many thanks to Bookouture for the blog tour invite and ARC, here is my review of ‘Single All The Way’ by Karen King.

Single together for the first time, 34-year-old Meg and her warm-hearted, long-suffering mother Sally are cancelling Christmas, and running away to a tiny cottage on the Cornish coast. For Meg, it is the perfect place to heal, away from all the mistletoe, while for her mother it has a special, and secret, place in her heart – from a love story that seems a lifetime ago…

Meg and Sally find they’re getting to know themselves, and each other, better than ever before. But as they are unable to resist getting involved in the village Christmas celebrations, they encounter two handsome local strangers.

Sometimes, it’s being away from home that helps you realise where your heart is. What neither woman knows is that, by the time the new year rolls around, one woman will have fallen in love with her husband all over again, and one marriage will be over for good…

What does TWG think?

There are moments in life where we just need to take a step back to be able to see things clearly. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Thankfully for Meg, she has her mother beside her to support her during her time of wanting clarity. Funnily enough though, Sally, Meg’s mother, is in the same position as her daughter. Would Sally be able to be a shoulder for Meg to cry on, despite going through something similar? Or would her own opinion on the subject mean that her views are tainted?

The title of this book is such a clever play on words and, as a single person myself, I just happened to be curious about the storyline!

Before I go any further, I just want to say that I am a huge fan of Karen King, and i think that she is exceptionally talent. I am however, on the fence where this book is concerned because it was nice enough. There was a lot of warmth in the book, and the overall premise was quite fun, i just wasnt blown away by what i read. I’m not saying that i didn’t like it, because i did. It was nice! Meg was such an intriguing character, and was definitely one who steered the vibe of the book. I found Sally’s character to be a little bit flat at times, and I couldnt help but wonder whether she was really a fundamental character in the book. Like I say, I’m on the fence because I know Karen King is brilliant at bringing the electricity to her books – is it wrong of me to want more?

‘Single All The Way’ is a pleasant, warm read which tells the story of letting love evolve in it’s own time, without forcing the situation. A fun, festive treat.

Buy now.

Dunno about you but ‘Christmas at Wynter House’ sounds right up my street! Who’s driving! @emilyharvale @RaRaResources

Huge thanks to RaRaResources for inviting me to take part in the blog tour today for Emily Harvale and ‘Christmas at Wynter House’, and of course thank you for the ARC. Here is my review:

After a frosty welcome, things soon heat up at Wynter House.

Neva Grey is looking forward to spending a quiet Christmas with her family in the cosy cottage they’ve rented in the picture-postcard village of Wyntersleap. Nestled between rolling hills and a gently burbling river, it’s going to be idyllic.

Except it’s not. Torrential rain causes the river to burst its banks and the quaint little village isn’t quite so cosy with water lapping at the doors. Add to that a power cut and a sudden blizzard and Christmas is looking bleak … until gorgeous Adam Wynter invites them all to Wynter House.

Although not everyone is happy to share the ancestral home. Adam’s elder brother, Rafe is less than pleased. Their grandmother, Olivia extends a grudging welcome. And for Carruthers, the oddly arrogant butler, unexpected guests are a Christmas surprise he could do without. Especially one as troublesome as Neva’s eight-year-old niece.

But something’s not quite right at Wynter House. What is Rafe intent on hiding behind the locked doors of the old barn? And what really happened to his first wife? It’s a good thing Neva has a sense of humour. She’s going to need it this Christmas at Wynter House.

This is book one in the Wyntersleap series but it can be read as a standalone. The Wyntersleap series is interlinked with the Merriment Bay series and several characters appear in both series.

What does TWG think?

What a way to kick start a brand new series – hello, Ms Feisty!! Neva was the star of the show for me! A kick ass protagonist who wasnt afraid to stand up for what she believed it. Granted at first I thought she was going to be a little bit of a wet blanket, however it didn’t take long for her personality to come into it’s own.

A lot of family get togethers always seem to end up in a disaster; at least the Grey’s were consistent, I’ll give them that! Due to mother nature refusing to calm down on the rain, the Grey’s family christmas was hanging by a thread. Do they attempt to drive home in the bad weather? Or do they stay in their rented Cottage and hope that it doesnt flood?

This was such a laugh out loud, spirited read and I loved every single minute of it. The romance element made itself known nice and subtly, giving the other characters time in the spotlight to show the readers what they’re made of. I loved the mishmash personalities as it shouldn’t have worked yet it did, and Neva’s niece was such a old head on young shoulders, I am hoping they all make appearances later on in the series as I am so looking forward to seeing what else they bring to the table.

Emily Harvale is a force to be reckoned with and as long as she keeps writing books, I’ll sure as hell keep reading them.

Buy now.

I cannot believe I am kicking off the #blogtour for Dawn O-Porter! I am #SoLucky @hotpatooties @fictionpubteam

It is an absolute honour to be kicking off Dawn O’Porter’s blog tour today for her brand new novel, ‘So Lucky’. Hugest of thanks to the publisher for giving me the opportunity today, and for my copy of the book. Here is my review:

IS ANYONE’S LIFE . . .

Beth shows that women really can have it all.
Ruby lives life by her own rules.
And then there’s Lauren, living the dream.

AS PERFECT AS IT LOOKS?

Beth hasn’t had sex in a year.
Ruby feels like she’s failing.
Lauren’s happiness is fake news.

And it just takes one shocking event to make the truth come tumbling out…

What does TWG think?

What a good question; is anyone’s life as perfect as it looks?

As I am sure a lot of you are aware, social media is the haven for people to show their lives as more than what it is. Granted there are a lot of people who are honest about their lives, and post pictures to cement that fact, but then again there are also a large number of people on social media who refuse to show themselves as anything other than ‘perfect’. The thing is, what IS perfect? We all have our own definitions of the word. We all think that something is perfect when, oh I don’t know, our next door neighbour might think that it is utter tripe. So where does it stop? How far would someone go to make their life seem as perfect as possible?

Take Beth for example; a new mum, her own business, and married. On the outside, people think that her life is the ultimate goal. That she has the marriage of all marriages. That she is inspirational for going to work whilst she has a newborn baby.

And then there’s Ruby; a mum who has no confidence, a life she cannot grip hold of, and a daughter who she wants to make proud yet her insecurities are stopping her from taking that leap.

And finally, there’s Lauren. Lauren is the person who is no longer in touch with her true identity due to the amount of times her thighs have been retouched, her moles have been removed, and her online presence has had a personality transplant because of what she is or isn’t allowed to post.

Now, all three of those women do not think of their lives as perfect. Instead, they can’t help but compare their own lives to the strangers they see walking down the street, the lives of the people who comment on their social media posts, and the lives of the other parents at the nursery.

Isn’t that normal though? Don’t we all compare ourselves to other people?

We do. Well, I certainly know I do, but in all honesty, I am tired of it! Why do we have to show ourselves in a certain way for people to accept us? Why can’t they accept us for who we are, stretch marks, warts, excessive body hair, mental health issues….everything!

If you follow Dawn O’Porter on social media, you will already know that she is incredibly forthcoming with her posts. She’s honest. She’s blunt. She’s hilarious and, seeing as I have never met her in person, I like to assume that she is completely genuine. Hell, it would take a lot of time to fake half of the stuff she does on social media! With that in mind, ‘So Lucky’ is like the extended cut of Dawn O’Porter’s personality. Instead of shying away from real life concerns such as libido after having a baby, different ways of having sex, the realisation that marriage is actually hard work; Dawn O’Porter takes those thoughts and turns them into something which people will relate to and punch the air with gratification.

If you’re not a fan of sex in books then this isn’t for you as ‘So Lucky’ doesn’t just glance over the subject, it dissects it in a bold way which will either make you turn your nose up in disgust or, if you’re like Beth, make you extremely hot under the collar. Now, seeing as a large portion of the first part of the book is governed by sexual thoughts and what not, I really wasn’t sure where the storyline was heading, nor was I sure on what the authors train of thought actually was (apart from the obvious). However, once I began to learn more about each individual characters and their insecurities, the true heart of the storyline became more apparent and I nearly blinded myself with the lightbulb moment I had.

Learning to love yourself takes a lot of time. Learning to appreciate yourself can happen a lot quicker if you have the right support behind you, What I loved most about ‘So Lucky’ was the fact that each of the three women were perfectly flawed. They knew they were a little rough around the edges, but they also knew that they were themselves and that no other person would ever come close. I loved the realistic notion of the storyline and the message of perfect imperfections that Dawn O’Porter shouted loud and proud about. I adored the sarcasm, the witty one liners, the sexual innuendos which made bold sexual thoughts be deemed as ‘the norm’. I also thought the friendships which occurred in the book were so genuine and so tender, the level of empowerment between the women was so powerful and so poignant, I honestly which that feeling could be bottled – Dawn O’Porter would make a killing!!

‘So Lucky’ is a book which makes you look at life from an entirely different perspective, and it teaches you, in a roundabout way, that being true to you and yours, is the best gift you could ever give yourself. This is an extremely bold, extremely blunt, and extremely poignant novel about life and being proud of your own imperfections.

Dawn O’Porter should be incredibly proud of what she has achieved with this book – I flipping loved every aspect, every minute detail, every shocking situation. This truly is a book everyone should be ‘So Lucky’ to read, I know I am!

Outstanding x a million!

‘So Lucky’ is due to be published on the 31st October, but can be pre-ordered now via the link below:
Pre-order now from Amazon

A little birdy told me that you should visit #NottingHillInTheSnow! @JulesWake @0nemorechapter_ @RaRaResources

I am absolutely delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for ‘Notting Hill In The Snow’ by Jules Wake – thanks for the invite RaRaResources, and thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

A Notting Hill nativity… what could go wrong?

Viola Smith plays the viola in an orchestra (yes really!) but this year she’s been asked to stretch her musical talents to organising Notting Hill’s local nativity.

Nate Williams isn’t looking forward to Christmas but as his small daughter, Grace, has the starring role in the show, he’s forced to stop being a Grinch and volunteer with Viola.

With the sparks between them hotter than the chestnuts roasting in Portobello market, Nate and Viola can’t deny their feelings. And as the snow starts to fall over London, they find themselves trapped together in more ways than one…

What does TWG think?

I’m just going to come right out and say it – ‘Notting Hill In The Snow’ is by far, THE best festive book I have ever read. Not only did the storyline contain snow, Christmas presents, the magic of Christmas, and of course the unforgettable Christmas armadillo (obvs!), it also had enough warmth to light a mansion and a plot which brought tears to my eyes.

Whenever someone says that they NEED Viola, she goes and helps them. Whenever Viola says she needs someone, what do they do? They try to ignore the fact that she even spoke. She is such a selfless character, and it was evident that a lot of people around her took that for granted. Yes, she could have said ‘no’ to them, but the fact that her family could be disappointed with her was enough to make her say yes to whatever they needed help with. God, I so badly wanted her to tell her family, especially her mother, to go and fornicate themselves!!

Naturally, like many of Jules Wake’s novels, a gentleman was involved in a large portion of this book. A gentleman who shared Viola’s love of mince pies (my dream man!), but also a man who was afraid. Viola ends up supporting Nate’s daughter, Grace, and oh my goodness, that was when the tears pricked at my eyes. I wont give anything away by telling you too much, but Grace was a child who was losing her way. She was afraid to be a child in fear of getting told off and, in all honesty, her reaction to Christmas broke my heart. In many ways she reminded me of my little girl due to the similar ages and interests, so my maternal instinct was on high alert whenever Grace was mentioned. I just wanted to take her under my wing and show her that it was okay to be a child, that it was okay to make a mess. Thankfully she had Viola in her corner though.

‘Notting Hill in the Snow’ has the type of storyline that you want to devour, yet it also has a storyline that you dont want to devour because you know that when you do, the feelings of elation, beautiful emotional, and cosiness will go because the book would have ended. I was absolutely gutted saying goodbye to Nate, Viola and Grace – I would love it if they came back again in another story, but who knows.

There is more than just warmth at the heart of the storyline, there is also hope, passion, magic, selflessness. Most importantly though, the storyline reminded me about the importance of being true to yourself and live life for you, and not by the way anyone else wishes you to.

I really couldnt have wished for anything more where this book was concerned – I absolutely loved everything about it, especially the way that Jules Wake made her characters come alive from her heart, to ours.

An undeniably beautiful, hilarious, and magical novel – this is the definition of perfection in my eyes.

Buy now.

I’m friends with the #Ghoster that’s under my bed, get along with the voices inside of my head @JasonArnopp @Orbitbooks @SpecHorizons @Gambit589 @Tr4cyF3nt0n

Many thanks to Tracy Fenton for the blog tour invite, and thank you to the Orbit/Little Brown Books, for the ARC.

Kate Collins has been ghosted.

She was supposed to be moving in with her new boyfriend Scott, but all she finds after relocating to Brighton is an empty flat. Scott has vanished. His possessions have all disappeared.

Except for his mobile phone.

Kate knows she shouldn’t hack into Scott’s phone. She shouldn’t look at his Tinder, his texts, his social media. But she can’t quite help herself.

That’s when the trouble starts. Strange, whispering phone calls from numbers she doesn’t recognise. Scratch marks on the door that she can’t explain.

And the growing feeling that she’s being watched . . .

What does TWG think?

If I asked you whether you had ever been ghosted, would you know what I was talking about? Unfortunately, like Kate Collins, I have been ghosted before. In fact, I’ve been ghosted several times. Ghosting is basically talking to someone all fine, and then the next you never hear from them as though they have disappeared off the face of the earth. And the thing is, there isnt usually a reason as to why that happens…well, aside from the ghoster being a doorknob that is. It is a horrible thing to happen, so yeah, I did of course sympathise with Kate! She was about to move her entire life into her boyfriends flat in a mere 48 hours and yet he goes completely off the radar! Who does that?!

Mind you, my sympathy towards Kate only lasted for a short while. Personally, I dont get why she went along with the move if she was unsure and hadn’t heard from Scott. I know that she wanted answers but it was abundantly clear that she wasnt going to get any! I understood her frustration, it’s really not a nice position to be left in, especially when the ghoster ended up making up his life as he went along.

I couldnt tear my eyes away from this book. The storyline was so twisted, so addictive, and yet I still couldn’t help but think ‘what the f…… am I reading?!’. The plot starts off believable, but ends up being so far fetched I’m still undecided as to whether it worked or whether it just made everything spiral out of control.

The topic of social media is incredibly rife in this book, and yes it will probably make you start checking, double checking and triple checking all of your security settings across the platforms. It is an unnerving read, its also a chilling and pretty disturbing read.

I did enjoy the book, to a point. I mean, Jason Arnopp can clearly write and sure knows how to create a memorable tension between his characters. I appreciated those elements of the story, I really did. As for the whole supernatural, farfetched parts? I didn’t hate them. Would they have worked better in a different storyline instead of cramming everything into one? Most definitely!

I wont be forgetting this in a hurry, that’s for sure!

Buy now.

Anyone fancy joining me for ‘A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall’? @janelinfoot @0nemorechapter_ @RaRaResources

Many thanks to RaRaResources for the blog tour invite, and thank you to the publisher for the ARC of Jane Linfoot’s new book. Here is my review:

Christmas in a Cornish castle? Sign Ivy Starforth up! Hired to kit out the holiday rental as the world’s most Instagramable festive dreamland, there’s only one thing standing in the way of her hefty paycheque – the lord of the manor.

Bill Markham could give Scrooge a run for his money but Ivy is firmly #TeamChristmas…even if her handsome host seems to be doing everything he can to sabotage her staging. Maybe she shouldn’t have stumbled in on him starkers in the hot tub?

As the temperature outside cools, things inside the castle heat up. It’s been a long time since Ivy allowed herself to give in to temptation…surely one little kiss under the mistletoe won’t hurt?

What does TWG think?

If, like Ivy, you’re a massive fan of the festive season and wish it could be Christmas everyday, you will LOVE this story as it contains Christmas, Christmas, and more Christmas, from pretty much the first page.

If you’re not entirely convinced about the festive season, I am sure that Bill, Ivy’s unofficial Christmas protege, will take you under his wing!

Ivy’s excitement surrounding Christmas is rather endearing and and weirdly enough, quite infectious! My mind was a little bit bewildered at first because there was just this sudden influx of all things Christmas, and nowhere really for it to go. I really didn’t have a clue as to how Jane Linfoot was going to turn it into a storyline so, for the first few chapters, I was in a little bit of an uncertain bubble.

As always, I had faith in the authors talents and she delivered a read which had me itching to get the Christmas decs out of the cupboard. Not only that, the dry humour and the brilliant one liners the characters came out with, all had me in absolute hysterics. Dont get me wrong, it was a little bit random at time because of Miranda, Milo, and the things that were flying out of the kids’ mouths, but you know what? All of that just made this book even more of an escapism.

The most important thing I have learnt from this book is to never, ever leave my underwear on the floor near a hot tub – you never know who might take a liking to the particulars!

Despite my uncertainty at the start of the book, ‘A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall’ surprised me, and ended up being a fab little cosy read which left me snorting with laughter.

Buy now.

Anyone know what the Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello are? @daisyjamesbooks @canelo_co @RaRaResources

Ending the day on a festive note with my review of Daisy James’ latest book. Thank you to RaRaResources for inviting me to take part.

With Christmas around the corner, Izzie Jenkins is ready to kickstart the new ‘Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes’ course at Villa Limoncello with chef and business partner, Luca Castelotti.

However, secrets are stirring with their latest guests and when nasty accidents keep befalling the group it looks like Izzie will have to turn detective once more to protect the Villa’s fledgling reputation. On top of all this, Izzie’s been offered the job of a lifetime – back home in Cornwall. Will she be coming home for Christmas, or will Tuscany work its magic to keep her at Villa Limoncello with Luca?

What does TWG think?

This is what a true escapism novel is all about! Not only was there a setting to die for (I have never been mind, but Daisy James has definitely sold it to me, that’s for sure!), there is also a truck load of colourful characters to keep you on your toes, make you laugh and frustrate you in equal measures.

I can be quite nosy sometimes, so the fact that several characters had a few skeletons in their closet made me an eager (and impatient) beaver. I couldn’t wait to find out what they were and how Daisy James was going to incorporate them into her story.

I loved the feel good factor of this story, and the fact that I was able to immerse myself in Izzy and Luca’s story without a care in the world. I’ll be honest, I did find the storyline a bit slow at times and I was unsure as to where things were going, however I did really enjoy the flirty frolics and festive fun that made itself known throughout.

Buy now.

A bit of a #NightmareScenario – I missed my stop! #Review @Bookollective @SaladPages @hazie_daisy

Huge apologies to Bookollective, Hazel Clarke and SaladPages for missing my stop on the #blogtour on Saturday! It may be a couple of days late but I am delighted to be reviewing ‘Nightmare Scenario’ – thank you Bookollective for the invite and SaladPages for the ARC.

The rules for the Nightmare Scenario: 1. The player must complete the scenario to gain points and reach the next level.

2. The voices can help during the scenario.

3. The scenario will access the player’s fears.

4. The characters in the scenario can physically harm the player.

5. Once started, the scenario must be completed. Do you accept the scenario? Yes, or no?

Eighteen-year-old Gracie Thrace has a secret. Four months ago she started to hear voices that force her to carry out frightening scenarios. With her father abroad and her relationship with her high-powered mother strained, Gracie has no one to turn to for solace. When a new voice called Kai materialises, Gracie finds herself attached to his kindness.

Kai offers the support Gracie craves, but how can she possibly let herself fall for someone who isn’t real? Set in 2047 London, Nightmare Scenario is a complex and touching love story that explores the stigma around mental illness and offers a daunting prediction of the future where technology infiltrates every part of society.

What does TWG think?

If I had to pick just one book that was so far out of my comfort zone it would need it’s own postcode and Visa, it would be Hazel Clarke’s ‘Nightmare Scenario’ without a doubt.

I dont usually read dystopian, futuristic novels, in fact I usually avoid them. However, when this book was brought to my attention, I couldnt turn it away in fear that I was missing out on something rather special.

You know what? I was right to not turn ‘Nightmare Scenario’ away – what a cleverly crafted, powerful and memorable novel this is! I mean, the storyline goes against anything I would usually put together in one book, yet it works! You’ve got the fantasy and futuristic vibe mixed with romance, mental health, and the minds of young adults.

Without giving too much away, the delivery of the mental health elements was very well written and incredibly poignant. I also thought that the idea of facing fears was such an important message to convey, and it was done without the usual peer pressure aspect that usually follows young adults.

All in all, a unique, cleverly written storyline from an author who has an older head on young shoulders – very impressed!

Buy now.