#10YearsOfBloodyScotland Bloody Scotland turns 10, and to celebrate I’m reviewing a book by one of this years authors, Jack Jordan! (@JackJordanBooks @BloodyScotland @simonschusterUK) #DoNoHarm #blogtour

Hugest of thanks to Fiona for inviting me to take part in the blog tour to help celebrate the anniversary of Bloody Scotland! Many congratulations to all of the team behind the annual event, for everything you have achieved over the last 10 years. Today I am shining the spotlight on Jack Jordan and his latest release, Do No Harm, which was published in May by Simon & Schuster. My thanks to the publisher for sending me an early proof pre release.

MY CHILD HAS BEEN TAKEN.
AND I’VE BEEN GIVEN A CHOICE . . .
KILL A PATIENT ON THE OPERATING TABLE
OR LOSE MY SON FOREVER.

The man lies on the table in front of me.
As a surgeon, it’s my job to save him.
As a mother, I know I must kill him.
You might think that I’m a monster.
But there really is only one choice.
I must get away with murder.
Or I will never see my son again.

I’VE SAVED MANY LIVES.
WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS?

TWG’s Thoughts.

Okay, question for you: when you go to the hospital for an operation, or help prepare a family member for an operation, would you ever think that the surgeon and their team might go out of their way to, oh I don’t know, kill you? I mean, it’s a worry having an op, that everything ends up OK. It’s human nature. However, I hope I never have to put my faith into a surgeon after reading this book!!!!

Anna’s son gets abducted. She’s told that there is only one thing she can do to ensure her son is returned to her, alive. Yet that involves committing a murder. Killing someone else to get your child back. Stripping a family of a loved one just so you can get your loved one back. Doesn’t bear thinking about really, does it?

Ss macabre as this sounds, I fluffing loved ‘Do No Harm’. I’m not sure whether that was because of the high end suspense, or the fact that I was sitting smug because I wasn’t the one having to make such a life changing decision. Thinking about it now, it’s probably both! Jack Jordan, if you haven’t seen his author photos, has such an innocent looking baby face. This novel just goes to show that you can’t judge a book by its cover because geeeeeez, he may look innocent but boy does he have a wicked mind!

Clever….but wicked! And I mean wicked in an insanely brilliant manner. ‘Do No Harm’ ticked all of my boxes and left me staring into space trying to make sense of what I had just read. I’m honestly surprised that I wasn’t tied in knots due to the multi layer plot and never-ending lines of coarse grit. It was absolutely, absolutely brilliant and is definitely one of the best books I have ever read.

If you haven’t read it yet, I urge you to change that pronto!!

You can purchase ‘Do No Harm’ now from Amazon and other retailers.

Also, to find out more about Bloody Scotland, you can check out their website here.

#TheMuseumOfOrdinaryPeople by Mike Gayle (@mikegayle @hodderbooks @jennyplatt90) #review #blogtour #MikeGayle #booktwt

Thanks so much to Jenny Platt and Hodder Books for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for ‘The Museum Of Ordinary People’ by Mike Gayle, and for supplying me with an ARC of the book. All views written in this review are done so in an unbiased manner.

Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she’s ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold.

But when in the process Jess stumbles across the mysterious Alex, together they become custodians of a strange archive of letters, photographs, curios and collections known as The Museum of Ordinary People.

As they begin to delve into the history of the objects in their care, Alex and Jess not only unravel heartbreaking stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long buried secrets that lie much closer to home.

Inspired by a box of mementos found abandoned in a skip following a house clearance, The Museum of Ordinary People is a thought-provoking and poignant story of memory, grief, loss and the things we leave behind.

TWG’S Thoughts.

I’m just going to dive straight in and say that this is probably one of my most favourite books that I have read so far this year – I absolutely adored it.

From the get go readers are introduced to a character that is complexly brilliant. We meet Jess at the first stages of grief, where everything is so raw and the house is being cleared of personal belongings. But, instead of ensuring she holds back items for herself of her late mothers, she worries about the space to put them in her boyfriends apartment. Sorry, I know space can be an issue at the best of times (or in this case, the worst), however space should be the least of her worries and instead of her boyfriend, Guy, ensuring his apartment is pristine, he should try and accommodate his girlfriends needs as well. Or is that just me? Perhaps I was thinking all of that because I took an instant dislike to Guy and his self obsessed personality. Who knows.

As the storyline progressed, we got to see more of Jess’ personality shine, and a collection of new characters with their own troubles, were brought in. Take Alex for example – the polar opposite of Guy and despite the turmoil that he had went through, he still managed to stand on his own two feet and help others. I liked Alex, and I felt like there was more to him than what we saw and I enjoyed that uncertainty of his personality and his actions.

Despite the book being centred around a museum, an unspoken secret gave a good fight to become the centre of attention. I was flabbergasted to be totally honest. I didn’t know who I felt sorry for the most in the situation, yet I could also see it from the side of a mother, what with being one myself. I know this sounds like I’m speaking nonsense, however those who have read the book will understand where I am coming from. However, if you haven’t read the book yet, I highly suggest you nab one as soon as you can.

So yes, as I said at the very beginning, ‘The Museum Of Ordinary People’ is one of my favourite books of 2022 already. I loved the unique storytelling and plot, and I thought the characters were so well developed, each standing tall with their own personalities and individual stories. Mike Gayle has such an addictive way with words, lacing emotion through the simplest of sentences to create something that ends up being one of a kind, memorable, and very well written. I couldn’t have asked for more from a book – this one ticked every single box on a list in my head that I didn’t realise I had even created!

If you’re looking for a book that speaks to you on a multitude of levels, resonates with your subconscious and has you holding onto the book as though its a precious gem, then ‘The Museum Of Ordinary People’ is for you. Absolutely brilliant.

Buy now from Amazon.

#TheBoyBetween by Amanda Prowse and Josiah Hartley (@MrsAmandaProwse) @BOTBSPublicity #mentalhealthawareness #depression

Before I go any further I just want to say sorry to Amanda, Josiah and Sarah for the delay in posting my review, and thank you to Sarah and Netgalley for the ARC.

Bestselling novelist Amanda Prowse knew how to resolve a fictional family crisis. But then her son came to her with a real one…

Josiah was nineteen with the world at his feet when things changed. Without warning, the new university student’s mental health deteriorated to the point that he planned his own death. His mother, bestselling author Amanda Prowse, found herself grappling for ways to help him, with no clear sense of where that could be found. This is the book they wish had been there for them during those dark times.

Josiah’s situation is not unusual: the statistics on student mental health are terrifying. And he was not the only one suffering; his family was also hijacked by his illness, watching him struggle and fearing the day he might succeed in taking his life.

In this book, Josiah and Amanda hope to give a voice to those who suffer, and to show them that help can be found. It is Josiah’s raw, at times bleak, sometimes humorous, but always honest account of what it is like to live with depression. It is Amanda’s heart-rending account of her pain at watching him suffer, speaking from the heart about a mother’s love for her child.

For anyone with depression and anyone who loves someone with depression, Amanda and Josiah have a clear message—you are not alone, and there is hope.

What does TWG think?

Firstly, having the courage to openly discuss a time in your life where you felt suicide was the only option, with complete strangers and in the form of a book, is such a brave thing to do. I take my hat off to Josiah for choosing to put awareness above everything else. Its not an easy thing to do at all. I don’t know you, but I’m proud of you.

Secondly, Amanda….its hard enough being a parent, let alone being a parent who has to watch from the sidelines whilst her child goes through a situation only they can get themself out of. I cannot even begin to imagine how hard it must have been to go through that with Josiah, or the toll it took on your own mental health. Not only that, the courage it must have taken you openly dissect and ‘admit’ where you felt you went wrong as a parent, and to talk about such a heartbreaking time in your life. Your strength astounds me and I am so proud of you.

Depression is STILL seen as a taboo thing because you cannot see what is broken so, if you cannot see what is broken then nothing must be broken…..right? Completely and utterly wrong. In the book Josiah stated that he wished he had broken his arm or his leg because then he and others could see what was broken and what was needed to fix it. With depression or other mental illnesses, it isn’t a case of one thing fixes all.

How do I know this? Because like millions of other people, and like Josiah himself, I have depression and I also have a form of EDS too (hEDS in fact). As soon as I read about that diagnosis, my breath caught in my throat because I could relate to him on yet another level. I wanted to shout into the book that Josiah wasn’t alone because I could, and can, empathise with him.

This isn’t an easy read by any means. Its raw. Its hard hitting. Its emotional. Its dark. But above all else, its honest. Choosing to openly admit you were close to suicide, and choosing to talk about extremely personal things in order to bring awareness to the topic, is, as I’ve already said, such a brave thing to do. Unfortunately it can also bring a lot of judgement which, whilst its part of human nature to comment on the situations of the world and his wife, we have no right to do so as each and every one of us are different. Each and every one of us react to things in a different way, and what upsets one person may not upset another.

For example; in her chapters, Amanda spoke about how she felt she had let her son down with her parenting. Personally, I feel that she acted from the heart and in a way only a mumma bear knows how. I don’t think that she did anything wrong as a parent, because she was only acting out of love and fear. But Amanda does/did think those things. Is she wrong to feel like that? Hell no. Is my opinion wrong? No. Im an outsider looking in, there’s a huge difference.

Josiah’s story is a very relatable one and I would love to say that it’s unique in the fact that it doesn’t happen very often, but it does. What doesn’t happen very often is someone being so open about it instead of choosing to act like everything was all fluffy clouds and rainbows.

The honesty throughout this book, from both Amanda and Josiah, was incredibly moving and at times shook me to the core because I understood. Now me saying that isn’t taking the onus off them, not at all.

I am so proud of Amanda and Josiah for their strength and courage as they wrote this book together. It is such an important topic to discuss, more so as a one size doesn’t fit all and different things work for different people. I want to thank them both for sharing their stories with the world, and I wish I could hug them both. However my ramblings will have to do!

I cannot recommend this book enough. Its beautifully harrowing, tenderly heartbreaking, but poignant and severely honest. Its a little ray of hope when the skies turn grey. Its the one shining star in the night sky to help you on your way. Its a ‘friend’ when you feel like you have absolutely no one to turn to.

Buy now.

#BlogTour! #Review – Call Me Star Girl by Louise Beech (@LouiseWriter) @OrendaBooks @AnneCater #CallMeStarGirl

This lady needs no introduction, so, all I will say is I am HONOURED to be hosting the bird who wrote ‘Call Me Star Girl’ on the blog today. Huge thanks to Anne and Orenda Books for the blog tour invite, and to Jen for buying me a signed copy! Here is my review:

Stirring up secrets can be deadly … especially if they’re yours

…
Pregnant Victoria Valbon was brutally murdered in an alley three weeks ago – and her killer hasn’t been caught.
Tonight is Stella McKeever’s final radio show. The theme is secrets. You tell her yours, and she’ll share some of hers.

Stella might tell you about Tom, a boyfriend who likes to play games, about the mother who abandoned her, now back after fourteen years. She might tell you about the perfume bottle with the star-shaped stopper, or about her father …

What Stella really wants to know is more about the mysterious man calling the station … who says he knows who killed Victoria, and has proof.
Tonight is the night for secrets, and Stella wants to know everything…

What does TWG think?

‘Starrrrrrrr, that’s what they call meeee.’

Got to love Kiki Dee!

Wow, wow, wow – what a striking read. I finished this book in the early hours of the morning a couple of days ago, with my eyes glistening with unshed tears for our Star Girl. I was bereft. Empowered. Emotionally drained. I was overcome with feelings that I struggled to file away. ‘Call Me Star Girl’ isn’t book with Radio 2 at the core. It’s a book which takes both the readers, and the characters, on a journey they will never, ever forget.

How far would you go for love? I don’t mean washing your partner’s soiled pants, or clearing up their puke when they’re poorly. I’m talking about things a lot more complicated than that. Would you move heaven and Earth for your one and only, refusing to look anywhere other than the ground that they walk on? See, Stella showed love as an obsession. An obsession which clouded her judgement and looking at her life through rose coloured glasses. They say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree – just look at Stella’s mother for example. I won’t divulge why, but it will all make sense once you come across that particular character.

Stella’s love life isn’t the only concerning thing in this book. Nope. Someone has lost their life. An act of revenge? Or an accident? Stella, thanks to her job in the radio station, hears on the news reports regarding that devastating night and, thankfully, she can look at the situation from afar. Not for long though. How does the death of Victoria Valbon, concern Stella? And why is someone being a smart alec?

Atmospheric would be one word to describe this particular storyline, but in all honesty, I think the words ‘bloody outstanding’ work a lot better. Louise Beech left me in a predicament I had never found myself in before, thanks to a storyline which, if you looked in the dictionary under the word ‘unique’, you’ll find that the definition is ‘Call Me Star Girl – Louise Beech’.

This is a story that highlights the beauty of books. A story which had me so overcome with emotion, my tears refused to flow. A story so unique, its left an imprint on my soul. Louise Beech is an exceptionally talented, majestic, and enchanting author who writes with incredible passion, poise, and sheer brilliance.

One of the best books I think I have ever read, ‘Call Me Star Girl’ is everything that’s right with the literary world.

Buy now!

#BlogTour! #Review – #TheMagnificentMrsMayhew by Milly Johnson (@millyjohnson) @simonschusterUK @TeamBATC @ed_pr

It is an absolute honour to be today’s stop on Milly Johnson’s blog tour. Yes, THE Milly Johnson! I have been a huge fan of Milly’s for a long time, even before I started blogging! Huge thank you to EdPr and TeamBatc for the blog tour invite and ARC. Here is my review of ‘The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew’:

Behind every successful man is a woman.

Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.

Sophie Mayhew looks like she has the perfect life. Wife of rising political star John F Mayhew, a man who is one step away from the top job in the government, her glamour matches his looks, power, breeding and money. But John has made some stupid mistakes along the way, some of which are threatening to emerge. Still, all this can still be swept under the carpet as long as Sophie ‘the trophy’ plays her part in front of the cameras.

But the words that come out of Sophie’s mouth one morning on the doorstep of their country house are not the words the spin doctors put in there. Bursting out of the restrictive mould she has been in since birth, Sophie flees to a place that was special to her as a child, a small village on the coast where she intends to be alone.

But once there, she finds she becomes part of a community that warms her soul and makes her feel as if she is breathing properly for the first time. Sophie knows she won’t be left in peace for long. Now she must decide: where does her real future lie?

What does TWG think?

Go Sophie, go Sophie, go, go, go, go Sophie!!!!!

If I had pom poms roundabout now, I would be shaking them until the cows come home!!! Of course I can’t tell you why that is, apart from what the blurb tells you, but omg I nearly shouted ‘you legend!!!!’ at the top of my voice…until I realised that my five year old was asleep and probably wouldn’t take too kindly to me shouting my mouth off in support of Mrs Mayhew. How rude, right?

Sophie, unfortunately, doesn’t have the strength (or confidence) to tell her wonderful husband (COUGH), John, where to go to boil his head. Everyone thinks the sun shines out of his backside and, seeing as he lives and breathes politics, there’s also a high chance those people who say they like him, also detest him. But that would be splitting hairs….

Can you tell that I didn’t like him one iota?! The way he treated Sophie was despicable, and as for her apparent family…well!!!!

As you can see, I am trying very hard to be vague here so I don’t ruin the book for anyone else, even if it is super tempting to make the air colourful with my opinion of several of the characters!!

I’m just going to put this out there now – this book has got to be my most favourite book Milly Johnson has ever written. Whenever I turned the page onto a new chapter, it felt as though I was unwrapping a beautiful present. #TheMagnificentMrsMayhew really is a story that just kept on giving. I wasn’t just empowered and uplifted by the new direction that Sophie chose to take and the heartwarming situations she came into contact with, i also felt safe, and hopeful. You know you’re holding a diamond of a book in your hands when you feel as though you’re being hugged from the inside out.

I was on tenterhooks several times throughout the book as I wanted Sophie to finally have the life that she deserved and not the life that she was TOLD to have. The fact that she was able to find her inner peace despite everything that had gone on, and how much she had changed, was a surprise. A wonderful, wonderful surprise. It’s not that I doubted her, not at all, it’s just that I wasn’t sure how much she believed in herself.

This book has a selection of such energetic, three dimensional, fabulously flawed characters which made the storyline what it was and then some. I loved the warmth that shone through the storyline, and I also loved the rain clouds that descended on the storyline too because to make a rainbow, you need both sunshine and rain, and Milly Johnson certainly has written the best rainbow I have ever read.

If you ever feel as though you need to read something which will point you in a positive direction in life, I urge you to make this that particular read. Nevermind being The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew or Sophie the Trophy, this author is now, in my eyes, The Magnificent Milly Johnson.

Such a beautifully written, poignant novel which highlights the importance of living life for YOU and believing in the choices you make, because nobody else is going to do it for you. Absolutely loved this book and everything it stood for. Phenomenal.

Buy now!

#BlogTour! #Review – Stalker by #LarsKepler @AAKnopf @crimebythebook #StalkerBook

Having started and read ‘Stalker’ in one day, I am beyond excited to be reviewing the book for the blog tour today! Huge thanks to Abigail for the blog tour invite and ARC. Here is my review of ‘Stalker’ by Lars Kepler:

The internationally bestselling authors of The Sandman and The Hypnotist return with a terrifying new thriller: Detective Joona Linna–recently returned from compassionate leave–reunites with hypnotist Erik Maria Bark in a search for a seemingly unassailable

sadistic killer.

The Swedish National Crime Unit receives a video of a young woman in her home, clearly unaware that she’s being watched. Soon after the tape is received, the woman’s body is found horrifically mutilated. With the arrival of the next, similar video, the police understand that the killer is toying with them, warning of a new victim, knowing there’s nothing they can do.

 

Detective Margot Silverman is put in charge of the investigation, and soon asks Detective Joona Linna for help. Linna, in turn, recruits Erik Maria Bark, the hypnotist and expert in trauma, with whom Linna’s worked before. Bark is leery of forcing people to give up their secrets. But this time, Bark is the one hiding things.

Years before, he had put a man away for an eerily similar crime, and now he’s beginning to think that an innocent man may be behind bars–and a serial killer still on the loose. . .

 

What does TWG think?

Oh my BLEEPING goodness!!!!!!!! Why have I never picked up a Lars Kepler novel until now?! Omg – I still can’t get my head around what I read, so I apologise in advance if there is a lot of ‘omg!’ and sentences which make no sense at all. Obviously I would prefer it if the review was coherent….but I can’t promise anything!!!

So, ‘Stalker’ was the first book I had read by the dynamic duo, Lars Kepler. Yes, it is part of a series, and no you do not need to have read the previous four books before you read this one – in my opinion, obviously. At around 500 odd pages, I honestly thought that it would end up being a story which just went on and on. It wasn’t. I was actually quite surprised by how concise the book was considering it was of great length, so much so, I started and finished the book in one day! Unfortunately I had to put the book down a couple of times as the child and pets needed feeding….how selfish of them to want food!!!!

It’s safe to say that my bank account will take a bit of a hit this week as I aim to purchase the other four books in paperback, as well as this one. Do you think I loved it?! Short answer: OMG YES! Seriously, I was absolutely hooked by the twisted turn of events, the psychologically damaging storyline, and the incredibly nauseating and vivid descriptions of certain characters actions. Yes, that’s right, I used the word ‘nauseating’ as a positive. Who would have thought it?!

‘Stalker’ isn’t a read for the faint hearted or people who have an aversion to blood. Although saying that, you might get an aversion to blood whilst reading this – a lot is lost! The storyline is fast paced in places, slow paced in others, yet the level of intensity throughout the entire book was absolutely phenomenal.

I loved the array of dynamic characters, each one adding their flaws into the storyline to create a multi layered read which, if I were wearing any, would have totally blown my socks off! I was absolutely shocked by the conclusion as I had tried to work out my own ‘whodunnit’, but ended up failing miserably. I think the fact the authors dropped red herring after red herring, whilst also pointing bloody fingers at one character in particular, it was only natural for me to follow those instincts and think that they were the one who had done it. Obviously at the time I didn’t know the pieces of information I was using as glue to my puzzle pieces, were in fact red herrings. It just goes to show how complex the minds of Lars Kepler are, and the complexity of the storyline itself. Clearly not everything is as it seems, right?!

It probably goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, that ‘Stalker’ is now a very strong contender for my top book of 2019. Wow, seriously, ‘Stalker’ is an jawdroppingly, gritty, read which left me wanting more. Outstanding beyond belief. The book may have been long in pages, but it felt like one of the quickest books I’ve ever read. I can not recommend this enough!

Buy now from Amazon UK

Buy now from Amazon US

About the author.

LARS KEPLER is the pseudonym of the critically acclaimed husband and wife team Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril. Their number one internationally bestselling Joona Linna series has sold more than twelve million copies in forty languages. The Ahndorils were

both established writers before they adopted the pen name Lars Kepler and have each published several acclaimed novels. They live in Stockholm, Sweden. Translated by Neil Smith.

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#BlogBlitz! #Review – Snowy Nights at the Lonely Hearts Hotel by Karen King (@karen_king) @Bookouture

Happy publication day, Karen King! Pardon the late post but the internet gremlins decided to visit TWG today and stole it! I am delighted to be bringing you a review of Karen’s brand new novel, ‘Snowy Nights at the Lonely Hearts Hotel’ – many thanks to Bookouture for the blitz invite and ARC.

Snowy rooftops, mulled wine, and a hot single dad. Not the Christmas Saffy wished for… but maybe the one she needs?

Twenty-nine year old Saffron Baxter knew her holiday plans didn’t stand a chance the moment her sister called to say she was stuck abroad with no hope of being home before Christmas. Saffy would just have to abandon thoughts of wild festive parties in the city and head down to remote Cornwall.

Because every year her sister hosts a huge Christmas meal for all the single parents in her village. And Saffy knows it’d break her heart to let them down.

Arriving as snow starts to fall over the thatched cottages of the little harbour town of Port Breok, she meets Logan – the tall, fair-haired, blue-eyed, devoted single dad who lives next door, with his adorable daughter Chloe. At first she thinks he might help her make Christmas Day extra-memorable, but he just seems convinced she’ll never manage – that she’s just a party girl who doesn’t care about Christmas, or anyone’s feelings.

Maybe he’s right. After all – she doesn’t want to settle down, she’s only there for a few days… But she’s still determined to do her sister proud with gorgeous decorations, the most beautiful real tree – complete with extra twinkly lights, and delicious mince pies. To make it a Christmas everyone will remember, especially little Chloe. Even if, when the mistletoe comes down, she knows she’ll probably never see Logan again…

What does TWG think?

I’m not afraid to admit that I cried reading this, nor am I afraid to admit that I fell head over heels in love with Logan! And then there’s Chloe! Omg! The line she came out with regarding ‘sharing’ (tries not to give spoilers) had the tears falling from my eyes quicker than the snow falling in this book!

Could the Lonely Hearts Hotel be the start of a brand new series? I hope so, I really do, and I’m not just saying that because of Logan! Okay yes, he was certainly my type on paper….pardon the pun, but there was a lot more to the story than his heroic, gentlemanly actions.

Saffy is a career girl. An independent, highly driven, party animal. But why has she chosen that route? Not that there is anything wrong with it of course, but could there be a reason why she refuses to let herself fall in love? There is a lot more to Saffy than I originally thought and whilst it would have been far too easy to side with her sister, Hannah, when it came to my opinion on her personality, it would have been wrong of me to judge the character on how others perceive her. Personally, I thought she was a brilliant, relatable character with a hilarious heart of gold. I would love to see more of her again in another book as she has so much more to offer what with the events at the Lonely Hearts Hotel!

‘Snowy Nights at the Lonely Hearts Hotel’ is a read that has something for everyone, whether it’s a character who is a single parent, a nutter of a pet, a community driven village, or even a child with a returning parent. I related to the single mum points, although I couldn’t help but wonder why people think of loneliness when it comes to single mums. But that’s just me!

My eyes may have been filled to the brim with tears and the sleeve of my top may have been wet, but my heart was the most roasty toasty it has ever been. Chloe borrowed my heart and kept it with her polar bear collection – she is one cracking, cracking child who fought the festivities to this book by the truckload.

A wonderful, snug as a bug read that was beautifully written from one heart to another – I absolutely loved it. This delightful, deliciously festive treat should be a ‘go to’ Christmas read from here on in…..just don’t forget about reading it on the other 364 days of the year. Phenomenal, truly phenomenal.

Buy now!

#BlogBlitz! #Review – The Paris Secret by Lily Graham (@lilygrahambooks) @Bookouture

Happy publication day, Lily Graham! I am delighted to be kicking off the blog blitz with a review of Lily’s new novel, The Paris Secret. Huge thanks to Bookouture for the blitz invite and the ARC. Here is my review:

The last time Valerie was in Paris, she was three years old, running from the Nazis, away from the only home she had ever known.

Now as a young woman all alone in the world, Valerie must return to Paris, to the bookshop and her sole surviving relative, her grandfather Vincent, the only person who knows the truth about what happened to her parents. As she gets to know grumpy, taciturn Vincent again, she hears a tragic story of Nazi-occupied Paris, a doomed love affair and a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her beloved daughter.

Can Valerie and Vincent help each other to mend the wounds of the past? Valerie isn’t after a fairytale ending, she only wants the truth. But what is the one devastating secret that Vincent is determined to keep from his granddaughter?

What does TWG think?

Wow, what can I say? I really don’t think that my review would do this book justice at all, but I can only try my best.

I am so glad that Lily Graham decided to make her novels a bit more historical fiction, as she certainly has the tender writing style which makes the history become less in the past and more in the present…if that makes sense. This book isn’t a story which can be taken lightly. Instead, it’s a book which deserves to be read and appreciated from the reader’s heart, just like the story has been written from the authors heart.

‘The Paris Secret’ is written in both the present, and the past, switching between two different years in the past to allow Valerie’s life story to come alive. Poor Valerie has a family history she never knew existed but, with the chance of being heart-broken incredibly high, Valerie is still determined to find out the truth before it’s too late. Nothing could have prepared her for what she did find out, and my heart broke for her many times. Hell, my heart even broke for several of her family members because they were living in Paris during the time of the Nazis. I can’t even begin to imagine how frightening that must have been, although Lily Graham gave me an insight into history which I never thought was possible. Eye-opening and so emotional, I’m surprised the tears stayed in my eyes to be honest!

I have to hold my hands up and say that I probably underestimated this book to begin with. I didn’t know the situation, nor did I know the characters so my assumptions were made on my first impressions. Don’t be like me and assume. This story is utterly beautiful in both a devastating way, and a heart warming way, so read it like you’re holding onto something fragile. Read it as though you have someone’s precious item in your hands. Read it with your heart and mind wide open as it truly deserves it. Honestly.

‘The Paris Secret’ took my breath away – what a humbling, magical and powerful novel. I have to say that this is Lily Graham’s best book yet, and I truly feel as though the author has found her calling with this niche.

Buy now!

 About the author:

Former journalist, Lily Graham grew up in South Africa, and spent much of her childhood buried inside the covers of a book. Her adulthood has passed no differently. Except that now she occasionally gets to make up some of the stories for a living. She is happy to report that most of her neighbours think of her as a cheerful layabout and no amount of protesting that lazing about in her pyjamas is actually ‘work’ she is never taken seriously. She lives in West Sussex with her husband and her beloved bulldog, Fudge.

Lily is the author of five novels, including THE ISLAND VILLA. All her books have entered the Amazon Top 100 bestseller list.  THE PARIS SECRET is published on 4th October 2018.

https://www.facebook.com/LilyRoseGrahamAuthor/

https://twitter.com/lilygrahambooks

#BlogTour! #Review – Kiss of Death by Paul Finch (@paulfinchauthor) @AvonBooksUK #KissOfDeath

Excuse my lateness with my review of Paul Finch’s ‘Kiss Of Death’, but I literally have just finished reading it! Big thank you to Avon Books for the blog tour invite and the ARC of the book – here is my review:

Don’t let them catch you…

A Deadly Hunt
DS ‘Heck’ Heckenburg has been tasked with retrieving one of the UK’s most wanted men. But the trail runs cold when Heck discovers a video tape showing the fugitive in a fight for his life. A fight he has no chance of winning.

A Dangerous Game
Heck realises that there’s another player in this game of cat and mouse, and this time, they’ve not just caught the prize: they’ve made sure no one else ever does.

A Man Who Plays With Fire
How far will Heck and his team go to protect some of the UK’s most brutal killers? And what price is he willing to pay?

What does TWG think?

I don’t usually do this, and I one who dislikes reviews with swearing in, but I have to break my rule just this once as I don’t think a measly ‘oh my goodness!’ will cut the mustard this time around.

Fucking hell! I mean….fuuuuuucking hell! What an ending!!!!!! I have never read anything like it, and I am also extremely gutted that the next book in the series is not available right this second (there had better be another book in the series!). There’s nothing like leaving your readers hanging is there? Usually I dislike endings where I find myself with multiple questions instead of getting things resolved, yet this just….works. No, wait, it doesn’t just work, it’s absolutely genius.

I must admit that I haven’t read many of the ‘Detective Mark Heckenburg’ series, nor have I read them in order. However, ‘Kiss Of Death’ was a belter of a read as a standalone. Of course I must have missed out on the basic background of good ol’ Heck and Gemma, but seeing as my knuckles went white as I gripped the kindle whilst I was reading ‘Kiss Of Death’, I have a slight feeling that I will be going back to book one and binge reading them all. In fact, that is exactly what I am going to do – how can I not?! Paul Finch is a genius!!!!

Heck seems to have his own set of rules where his job is concerned, especially if it means him being smack bang in the firing line despite being told to step away by his superiors. Heck’s colleagues all know that they have to follow procedures and do things by the book, however Heck’s memo with that on seems to have been mislaid….every time. I found his bulshyness quite arrogant yet it ended up being quite endearing as his passion pushed aside the arrogance like no tomorrow.

If you’re after a story which raises your heart rate, keeps you glued to your seat, makes your jaw hang open like you’re pretending to be a fish, as well as gripping hold of things like you’re about to fall off, then ‘Kiss Of Death’ is PERFECT for you. Don’t shoot me here, but I wasn’t overly keen on the book when I first started reading it. It took me at least 30 odd percent before I was able to lose myself in Heck’s powerful persuasion’s and Paul Finch’s gripping storyline – I felt that the pace was too slow to begin with which ended up making the hook a lot slower to do its job. However, once the book surpassed the 30 odd percent mark, I became gripped by what my eyes were reading. It’s gruesome, I won’t lie, but yet again Paul Finch makes it work!

The more of ‘Kiss Of Death’ I read, the faster the pace became and the more intense the situations within the storyline became. There was so much to keep focused on, I couldn’t help but feel as though my head was turning in every direction to keep up with Heck and the gang as they attempt to take on another, well, gang. No, I’m not complaining either!

Despite my earlier reservations, ‘Kiss Of Death’ ended up surpassing all of my expectations, making this one of the best books I have read so far this year! I am so pleased I ignored my earlier thoughts as what a cracking (literally), spine tingling, chilling, and utterly, utterly suspenseful read this turned out to be. I’ve said it once but I will say it again – that ending!!!!! Paul Finch has certainly got his readers where he wants them, and given the outstanding strength of his latest novel, I will be standing here with bells on waiting for the next book in the series!!!

Out-flipping-standing – give this man an award! Brilliant. Intense. Absolute GENIUS!

Buy now!

#BlogTour! #Review – #NowYouSeeHer by Heidi Perks (@HeidiPerksBooks) @arrowpublishing

It isn’t often that I agree with publicity tag lines for books, but I am 100% agreeing with this one! I could NOT put it down! I am so, so excited to be kicking off the blog tour for #NowYouSeeHer by Heidi Perks, ahead of publication of the hardback on the 26th July (e-book is available now, with the paperback to follow in 2019). Huge thanks, as always, to Rachel Kennedy and the team at ArrowPublishing, for asking me to be involved in the tour and for the ARC of the book. Here is my review, I hope I do the book justice!

Charlotte is looking after her best friend’s daughter the day she disappears. She thought the little girl was playing with her own children. She swears she only took her eyes off them for a second.

Now, Charlotte must do the unthinkable: tell her best friend Harriet that her only child is missing. The child she was meant to be watching.

Devastated, Harriet can no longer bear to see Charlotte. No one could expect her to trust her friend again.
Only now she needs to. Because two weeks later Harriet and Charlotte are both being questioned separately by the police. And secrets are about to surface.

Someone is hiding the truth about what really happened to Alice.

What does TWG think?

Helloooooooo biggest book hangover of the year! I finished reading #NowYouSeeHer in the early hours of Sunday morning, and since then I have tried (and failed) to get into several books because I am suffering with not only my biggest book hangover of the year, but my biggest book hangover EVER! I mean, come on, have you read this book yet? You must rectify that pronto as ooooohhhhhh my goodness me, what a phenomenal, hair-raising, spine tingling, and energetic read this is. I probably shouldn’t be saying this given the theme of the book, but I fluffing loved it! Obviously I didn’t love the theme, because that would be weird, BUT, I thought the way that Heidi Perks delivered it in her storyline was mind-blowing.

‘Now You See Her’ switches between the past and the present, and between the two main characters, Charlotte and Harriet. For the first time ever, Harriet is leaving her daughter with another person, so she asks her only friend, Charlotte, to babysit Alice alongside her own children. Simple enough, right? Wrong. One minute Alice was there, and then the next moment she was……nowhere to be seen. With guilt eating away at Charlotte from the inside out, she struggles to comprehend what has happened, especially when Alice’s disappearance hits the news and Charlotte finds herself in the firing line. Understandable, right? I mean, you asked your best friend to babysit your daughter, hoping that they would look after her and return her safely at the arranged time. Therefore, you would expect that to happen, you wouldn’t expect to be told that your daughter was now missing. Well, I wouldn’t.

Obviously, the police get involved and Charlotte finds herself growing accustom to the decor in the local police station as they try to get to the bottom of Alice’s disappearance. However, due to Charlotte being unable to give the police the answers they require, will it mean that her cards are now marked?

With the publicity of ‘Now You See Her’, the publishers have hashtags with #TeamCharlotte and #TeamHarriet on them, but to be perfectly honest, I still can’t say which team I am on! Can’t I say that I am on #TeamCharriet? There is so much to this storyline aside from the missing child. I would love to be able to go into detail, but I can’t due to spoilers. I just want to talk about this book!!!! Someone? Anyone?!

Just like most psychological thrillers/crime/suspense novels I read, I attempt to work out whodunnit before I reach the end of the book. Let’s just say that I won’t be making Detective anytime soon! Although, giving myself a teeny bit of credit, I was pretty adamant that I had the culprit by halfway through this book, but I quickly found myself questioning my own decision the more the storyline progressed. Heidi Perks is an exceptional writer – not only has she written about the lives of multiple characters, she has written them in such a way that makes the reader question every conceivable thing. The weird thing about that though, is the fact that the words are written just like any other book, in black and white. Perks may have just been describing the events of what happened the day Alice went missing, yet there was definitely more to those words that meets the eye.

‘Now You See Her’ is a very, very cleverly written novel which had me on high alert from the first page, until the very last. I am utterly flabbergasted by the strength behind the authors words, and how my mind was able to convey them due to the snippets of doubt which Heidi Perks laced her words with. At the very beginning, my mind was strong and things made perfect sense. But, by the time I had reached the end of the book, I was unable to trust anything. Hell, I didn’t even believe it when the clock said that it was 1.45am!

I am envious of every reader who gets to read ‘Now You See Her’ for the very first time – you are in for an absolute treat! Heidi Perks has written a truly phenomenal book and I, hand on heart, cannot find fault with a single thing. My first thought as I finished this book, was ‘one of the best books I have ever read’, but now, I have to say that that has changed now that I have had the time to digest Perks’ outstanding talent. ‘Now You See Her’ is my most favourite book of all time, my most favourite book of 2018, and Heidi Perks has very quickly become one of my all time favourite authors. This is a book to lose yourself in, and Heidi Perks should be incredibly proud of what she has achieved! I know I am, and I didn’t even write it! I cannot WAIT to read more from this author, that’s for sure, even if she has set the bar incredibly high!

Highly recommended, ‘Now You See Her’ is THE book to read without any disturbance, and Heidi Perks is definitely THE author to watch in the future. Bloomin’ brilliant!

Buy now from Amazon