Adrift by Will Dean

Adrift by Will Dean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - less than a day

Pages - 352

Publisher -

Source - ARC copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Peggy and Drew, both aspiring writers, move to an isolated canal boat with their fourteen-year-old son. Peggy is the glue that holds their family together, even as their son is bullied relentlessly for his physique and his family’s lack of money. But when Drew becomes frustrated by his wife’s sudden writing success, he moves their boat further and further from civilization.

With their increasing isolation, personal challenges become harder to ignore, even as they desperately try to break toxic generational patterns. But when Drew’s gaslighting becomes too much for Peggy to take, it sets off a catastrophic series of events.



My Review

Oooft prepare yourselves to be sucked into a tense, impending doom, claustrophobic and almost struggling to breathe and times, buckled up dudes. Living on a boat, a relatively small boat considering a family of three are living in it. Drew - husband, Peggy - wife and their son who is a teenager Samson are pretty cramped quarters. Drew is a bully, he rules with tone, threats, coercion, gaslighting, abuse honestly he is abhorrent. Peggy is the one that holds them all together, the peacekeeper, the glue, she brings a wee bit of money in through her library job. Drew and her both write, Drew once got an award and now (for years) has been focusing on his next big brilliant wordy masterpiece, Peggy keeps her writing relatively quiet because she knows how it would be met. And wee Samson, typical teen but because money is tight the wean doesn't have the best of gear and gets bullied horrifically at school (as well as at home) for everything from his red hair, clothes, how he walks, where he lives.

Peggy would love to leave but she knows she can't, not just because of Samson but she knows exactly what Drew is capable of, we the reader feel the threat of danger but Peggy knows exactly how deadly Drew is because he told her. I felt a knot of tension in my chest a lot reading certain passages/chapters - Drew is a master manipulator, he controls all the money, he controls the noise allowed in the house, nothing is done without his ok. Peggy and even Samson to begin with are walking on egg shells, something happens and mental health becomes a big theme within the book, yet another sword for Drew to wield and manipulate with.

I think even if you come from a background without any of this stuff you will still feel the weight of it all and threats. If you have ever had a Drew in your life it packs a pretty hefty punch, even thinking back to the story whilst doing this review I feel a stone in the put of my stomach. He is such a vile character and it is done so so well because his abuse hasn't come from his fist, he has utmost control over every aspect of his wife and kids life by having the threat there or other punishments. It is hard to describe too much without spoilers and we don't do spoilers but it is written so well and you are screaming for Peggy and Samson to get out but totally get why they can't.

It is not an easy read, not because it isn't good it absolutely is but because we have a person who is a horror, a bully, a manipulator, vile and it is done in such confined space and with people he is meant to love and protect. I struggled to put it down, I just wanted more comeuppance for all the bad things done and the horrible people which as we know isn't always how it goes in real life but we love a bit of karma and or accountability, 4.5/5 for me.

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His and Hers by Alice Feeney

His & Hers by Alice Feeney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 304

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

There are two sides to every story: yours and mine, ours and theirs, His & Hers. Which means someone is always lying.

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation. Someone isn’t telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

His & Hers is a twisty, smart, psychological thriller. A gripping tale of suspense, told by expertly-drawn narrators that will keep readers guessing until the very end.


My Review

So this is a show on Netflix, I figured I would grab the book before we check it out. The chapters alternate between his pov (Jack, detective, ex husband of Anna) her pov (Anna, reporter, ex wife oh Jack) and the pov of the killer. A dead body if found in the small town Anna left where Jack still lives, it is a muuuuuuurder and when Anna loses her regular main presenting feature she has to come back to the wee town to cover it. Anna has many reasons for not wanting to go back and when she realises she knows the victim things get weirder and it is only just beginning.

So apart from the different pov's we also go back in time to when Anna was young, her relationship with the dead girl, her past with her now ex husband. It is an intricate dodgy woven web and the bodies keep coming.

There are a lot of themes within the book, murder obvs, relationships breakdown, secrets, lies, bullying, there is mention of animal harm so fyi, child death, dementia, ill health, coercion, manipulation and that is just scratching the surface.

I was convinced I knew who the baddy was about ten times, I never do, honestly at this point I am just constantly Jon Snow and I know nothing. I could have screamed at some of the cops choices like Jack COME ON what are you doing ya mad man that isn't going to end well lol.

It is shocking, shady and I didn't want to put it down to see well who the baddy is and also where it is going, I have I think one or two more of her books to catch up on, other than checking your triggers (as with most books), I recommend and will be watching the tv show, 4/5 for us!

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Road Trip with a Vampire by Jenna Levine

Road Trip With a Vampire by Jenna Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out as able over 4 days

Pages - 384

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

A vampire who can’t remember his past and a witch with secrets of her own hit the road in this zany, cross-country romantic comedy from beloved author Jenna Levine.

Reformed bad witch Grizelda “Zelda” Watson had hoped to never see another vampire again when she slipped away to sunny California for a fresh start. She'd grown tired of them and their nonsense ages ago. But when a vampire with amnesia unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep with a letter from her old friend Reggie, and asks for her help, she can’t say no. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Peter Elliott is tall and gorgeous, looks great in yoga shorts, and has the kind of dark hair and surly expression Zelda’s been a sucker for for hundreds of years.

Peter isn’t completely harmless—he is fanged, after all—but he’s harmless enough, and soon becomes the only person in Zelda’s new life who knows the truth about what she is. If she can help him decipher the cryptic notes in his journal, the only clues to his lost memories, she might as well try before sending him on his way.

But when an alarming message from Peter's past coincides with a clear sign that Zelda can't keep running from her own, they embark on a cross-country road trip for answers—only to find what they're looking for in each other.


My Review

This is book three of the vampire series but they absolutely can be read as standalones because each book focuses on the individuals involved own story. Zelda is a super powerful witch with a shady past, she really lived it up over her hundreds of years however after some bad things happened she toned it down and disappeared. She hasn't spoken to her old vamp pal for a decade and now had a wee yoga retreat and rarely practices magic now which brings its own perils. Now a vampire (Peter), WITH AMNESIA no less has rocked up to her quiet wee life, sent by her auld pal as he thinks she can help. Zelda has been helped in her time of need so she kinda feels like she needs to but also Mr memory loss vamp is also hot, like HOT so agrees she does and they both head off on a road trip with just a book of his memories and a building sizzling attraction, oh my!

We get glimpses of both their pasts, Peter's brings us up to present day and the fall out. In between trying to unravel his memories, Zelda trying to deal with her magic issues and doing controlled experiments allowing for controlled bursts of magic, Peter they both try to unravel his mystery between his diary, how people seem to react to him and threatening notes from ?who.

It is an attraction slow burn romance that sparks fire, some mystery for both of them, we learn as we go and the threat from an outside party who want something from Peter but neither he nor us know. Magic, sass, amnesia, vampire, witch, road trip and building attraction with some spicey scenes, I am sad this is the last book because they are all great characters, 4/5.

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Reckless by Elsie Silvers

Reckless by Elsie Silver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 448

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

He's scorching-hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package. And he's looking at her like she might be his next meal.

Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies' man. Winter Hamilton knows exactly what it means when he eyes her like that. But she's almost free of her toxic marriage and has sworn off men entirely. So all she sees when she looks back at Theo is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak. The man is hard to trust--but, it turns out, even harder to resist.

Make that impossible. Because Theo is persistent. And no matter how hard Winter tries to freeze him out, he melts her icy exterior and pulls apart all her defenses. Over a drink in a small-town bar, she finds herself blurting out her deepest, darkest secrets. Then, she spends the singular hottest night of her life with the man she never thought she'd say yes to.

He worships her body. He makes her blush. She comes alive beneath his hands. Then she tells him to forget it ever happened. She wants simple, and with him it all feels complicated.

It was supposed to be a one-time thing. A secret.

But that little plus sign is going to make this secret impossible to keep.



My Review

This is book four in the Chestnut Springs, if you haven't read the previous books please do, whilst you can absolutely read this as a standalone I think you get more from knowing the back characters. Winter has moved to Chestnut Springs after a huge upheaval in her own life, her mother and soon to be Ex husband are absolute horrors, they are so controlling and cold it is no wonder Winter is "the Ice Queen". The moment Theo claps eyes on her (chance encounter at a gas station) he knows she is different from any women who came before her. He is known as a playboy, she is known for causing her sister Summer a lot of heartache over the years. He doesn't know they are about to meet again and sparks will fly. Following one hot steamy night they agree to never talk about Winter is left with a reminder whilst Theo swans off pursuing his career or so it seems.

Ahhhh you guys, gotta admit I wasn't a huge Winter fan from previous books but man I want to give that girl a hug. She has been shunned, never picked first, never given affection by her family, pitted against Siummer as a wean, primed for following her mothers footsteps in being a doctor and then doctor Douche her icky husband. Honestly that poor woman, overcoming everything she did and now coming to terms with a community that welcomes her with open arms, physical affection, acceptance, her sister and now Theo is back and has some explaining to do. Her walls are up but her heart has never truly frozen him out but how do you forgive someone for hurting you so badly?

There is a lot of themes in this one, child loss, infertility, cheating, family issues, personal issues, learning to love, HUNNERS of spicy scenes, friendship, love and learning to love both yourself and another. As usual I always want karma for the badness and there is one more book after this so who knows. I really liked this one, I had a two hour bath completely zoned out reading this, 4.5/5 for me, defo a fave of the series!

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Guilty by Martina Cole and Jacqui Rose

Guilty: the brand new novel by the legendary author by Martina Cole
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 432

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Amazon

It's time to confess their sins.

Steph Barker can't forget her past. A single mother, Steph runs a women's shelter for local prostitutes while coming to terms with a tragic loss. And it's people like Joseph Potter, battling with his own grief, who keep her going.

When Hennie, one of her friends from the shelter, goes missing, Steph's convinced Hennie's violent pimp Artie Rogers has something to do with it. Steph and Artie go way back, but his reign of terror throughout the Medway towns is out of control and even she can't do anything to stop him. Then another prostitute disappears and it's time to find out who's guilty.

Everyone has their secrets - but one of them is getting away with murder.



My Review

If you have read Martina Cole you know what you are getting, this one is particularly dark. Steph runs a shelter for prostitutes, she got out of that life and knows just how hard it can be. She has her ex who is just a piece of work but he is the father of her daughter so he will always be around. Her current partner is on support after a hit and run that left him unresponsive and killed her wee baby. His brother runs the girls and rules with an iron fist, drugs and his partner who is a complete deviant with muscles. As some of the girls disappear Steph realises that something much darker than their pimp may well be on the prowl and no one is safe.

The book has some really dark themes, issues, sa, child abuse, murder, coercion, dv, manipulation, absolute deviants they would give you the absolute boke. We see families pushed to the brink and having to make choices so they can survive, threats of violence, being put in unimaginable positions. Prostitution features heavily throughout the book and all the perils that come with it, shady punters, predators, substance issues and a stalker/murderer.

When I finished this I needed to genre switch, a lot of the worst sides of humanity feature in this one as well as strength, love, friendship and family. There is child endangerment and some hard scenes and threats featuring them so be warned, 3.5/5 for me this time.

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The Magician by Michael Scott

The Magician by Michael Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 1 week (as able)

Pages - 464

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

After fleeing Ojai, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris, the City of Lights. Home for Nicholas Flamel. Only this homecoming is anything but sweet. Perenelle is still locked up back in Alcatraz and Paris is teeming with enemies. Niccolo Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, is working for Dee. He’s after them, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenelle. For every day spent without the Book of Abraham the Mage, they age one year-their magic becoming weaker and their bodies more frail. For Flamel, the Prophecy is becoming more and more clear.

It’s time for Sophie to learn the second elemental magic: Fire Magic. And there’s only one man who can teach it to her: Flamel’s old student, the Comte de Saint-Germain-alchemist, magician, and rock star. Josh and Sophie Newman are the world’s only hope-if they don’t turn on each other first.


My Review

I read book one in 2018 so it had been a while but it was easy enough to pick back up where I was and it gives you info of what had passed. So the twins Sophie and Josh are on the run from some baddies, magical baddies. Nicholas Flamel is with them and a warrior vampire, Nicholas's wife has been kidnapped and held against her will. Sophie's power has been awakened but needs honed and training, Josh hasn't has his awakened, their parents have no idea of everything that has transpired. Get ready for a magical barney, old powers, legends, magic oh my.

So Nicholas has a nemesis, well probably many, this one is someone he taught everything he knows but has turned against him. They all know about the twins prophecy and suspect the teenage twins are those from the books.

Relationships, new characters, threats of all manners - warriors, monsters, magical creatures and powerful elders. You can tell Josh is a bit put out that all this is happening to his sister and he is still "normal" and with distrust of Flamel he is prime for manipulation.

I don't think everyone will love this one, I enjoyed it, all the mystical beings, magic, fights (both physical and for power). Josh is a bit annoying at times but he is just a teen and it must be hard watching his sister getting power(s) whilst he is still "normal".

I have the next two books to read so it will be interesting to see where the story takes us, character progression and there is a big war type building so it will be interesting to see how that plays out. The head (well one of cos even he has a boss) bad guy has so many allies and monsters/powerful creatures under his control whereas our wee group aren't that many and Nicholas is getting older and weaker and doesn't have his wife at his side, the odds aren't looking great. It is tres exciting, well the build up and seeing how it is going to play out, 4 stars for me!

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February competition

February is here!

Happy February guys, a wee themed competition. UK only, just the cost of post is wild the now!

So what is up for grabs?

As pictured, x1 pink love heart keyring, when you open it it has a little heart mirror and a wee section to put lip gloss or lip balm (NOT included). Click HERE this is my one, you use the wee spoon to transfer your chosen lip product.

X1 lovve heart lollipop as shown, I will pop a picture of the back up so you can see ingredients as it is as seen.

And x1 love heart book corner book mark, the winner picks one from the colours shown.

This is what they look like on

Good luck, to enter, use Gleam below (Rafflecopter is sadly no more but Gleam seems to be ok and the publishers often use it for their competitions.

February love themed comp