Friendship Never Ends by Ella Dyson Blog Tour

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Friendship Never Ends by Ella Dyson, please check out the previous stops and the closing stop tomorrow, we all offer different content and it is a great wee book!







Friendship Never Ends by Ella Dyson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time Taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 252

Publisher - Trapeze

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

A big-hearted comedy about friendship, the 90s and the greatest girl band in the world

Three independent women - and one man who lives for drama - haven't spoken to their best friend in 20 years, after an epic talent show disaster tore them apart during the height of Spice-mania.

Self-appointed gang leader Carmen then decided to go it alone - Geri style. But now, in 2018, the school reunion is fast approaching. Friendship Never Ends tells the story of Carmen's plan to win back her former besties - Jemma, Ellie, Laura and Benny - ahead of the big night. But has Carmen really changed? And can their friendship ever really go back to how it was?


My Review

Split between past and present, we open in present day and meet Carmen who bumps into an old flame who happens to be a high profile football player now. Carmen knows she has to win him back and the school reunion is the place to do it, she just needs to get the old gang back together. Her high school friends she hasn't seen since the talent contest at school twenty two years ago, when their friendship was ripped apart. Ellie, Laura, Jemma, Benny and Carmen made up their wee group, all spice girls fanatics and the inspiration for their talent show performance.

A story about the struggles of adult hood before we go back to their high school days, their friendship dynamics, coming of age and eventually what happened that day to break up their friendship. We come full circle and back to present day and Carmen trying to get everyone back together and her plan to woo Darryl Kenny.

Carmen is not a nice character, she is shallow as an adult and a spoilt self centred brat as a kid. Each of the group have their own issues and demons to face, a lot of the story centres on their teenage time leading to the big "event". For some this might be a bit too teen angst but for me, I loved it, it was a trip down memory lane. The friendship dynamics, the learning dances/songs, picking who was who in the spice girls line up, the music, the things they chatted about. I loved that and the memories it evoked fantastic. We are actually planning a mini holiday/reunion with some of my oldest friends so this book was just bang on perfect timing.

Some cringe moments, funny, horrifying, sexuality, self discovery, stereotypes among other issues and I would be shocked at anyone reading this and not being transported back to some part of their teenage years or school days. Light hearted, funny, sad, mortifying a wee bit of a journey for the kids and adults. A book that doesn't take itself too seriously and one you can chuckled away at. Leave your adult responsibilities behind for a few hours, grab some popcorn and settle down to stroll down memory lane espesh if you were a teen when they Spice Girls crashed into the world of pop! This is my first time reading this author I cannot wait to see what else she brings out, 4/5 for me this time.

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The Man Who Loved Islands by David F Ross - Blog Tour

Welcome David to So Many Books, So Little Time & a wee quick thanks to Karen at Orenda Books and the beautiful Anne from Random Things Through My Letter Box for introducing me to a new Scottish author, for me, & including me in the tour. I am only stop 4 on the blog tour so please check out the others as we are going through the month, info below.





You can read a wee bit more about David here!




The Man Who Loved Islands by David F Ross
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - on and off over 5 days

Pages - 302

Publisher - Orenda Books

Blurb from Goodreads

In the early 80s, Bobby Cassidy and Joey Miller were inseparable; childhood friends and fledgling business associates. Now, both are depressed and lonely, and they haven't spoken to each other in more than 10 years. A bizarre opportunity to honor the memory of someone close to both of them presents itself, if only they can forgive and forget. With the help of the deluded Max Mojo and the faithful Hamish May, can they pull off the impossible, and reunite the legendary Ayrshire band, The Miraculous Vespas, for a one-off Music Festival—The Big Bang—on a remote, uninhabited Scottish island? Absurdly funny, deeply moving and utterly human, thisis an unforgettable finale to the Disco Days trilogy—a modern classic pumped full of music and middle-aged madness, written from the heart and pen of one of Scotland’s finest new voices.


My Review

Bobby Cassidy & Joey Miller were thick as thieves, pals from childhood in the 1980's, we have a tiny glimpse of them like this then jump forward in time. Neither speaks to the other and their lives have gone in very different directions Joey has traveled all over the world whilst meeting his clients, Bobby made it huge as a DJ in Ibiza. Successful in their own rights but each having separate battles with age, addictions, fame and or depression a chance opportunity sees them both reunite and try to pull off the event of the century.

This is book three in a trilogy, whilst I don't think not having read the others hampered my enjoyment I think it would have had more impact knowing the extensive background with the two. Bobby and Joey are pals, the book mostly concentrates on their life in the now with some kick backs to their adult life without each other, more so Bobby's. Music has a huge feature in the book and I did spent some time googling quite a few songs as I didn't know a whole lot of them. Locations of the tale varies between China, Ibiza, USA, England and Scotland. The boys are Scottish and they or the folk around them swear a lot. The C word makes a few appearances as is par for the course to authenticate the Scottish settings, people, banter, I know some folk balk at that one so just an FYI.

I loved the lingo in this book, as a Scot myself some of the slang, terminology and banter fires up some memories from my own past. Some of the chat and banter was like talking with an old friend or firing on a pair of well loved slippers! On more than one occasion I burst out laughing and a book that can get you laughing out loud is ticking many boxes! I think some may struggle with some of the conversations with the guys and maybe a wee list explaining what some words mean would have helped some non Scottish readers.

The book touches on quite a few things, friendship, infidelity, love, loss, corruption, bereavement, sex, drugs, and a big feature of music. The chapters are relatively short which for me was great, I do normally like that anyway but I started this book during a run of shifts so it made for perfect reading to be able to dip in and out with the short time offered. It initially took me a wee bit to settling in to read but once I got into the meat of it I didn't want to put it down. Hillarious, sad in parts and a great spin on friendship with two guys struggling with their personal demons pulling together for something epic. This is my first time reading this author, I enjoyed the book so much I am going to buy the first two of the series. Thanks so much to Orenda books for highlighting a new author to me. If you like Irvine Welsh you need to read David F Ross, not as much grit but certainly of the same caliber. 4/5 for me this time, absolutely I will be reading this author again, all opinions are my own.

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If you are local, David is having the launch in Glasgow City Centre with a live band and Q&A, this is a ticketed event. See the details below.

Secrets and Fries at the Starlight Diner by Helen Cox

Secrets and Fries at the Starlight Diner by Helen Cox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 270

Publisher - Maze

Blurb from Goodreads

What brings Bonnie Brooks to The Starlight Diner? And why is she on the run?

As the front-woman in a band, Bonnie is used to being in the spotlight, but now she must hide in the shadows.

Bonnie only has one person who she can turn to: her friend Esther Knight, who waitresses at the Fifties-themed diner. There, retro songs play on the jukebox as fries and sundaes are served to satisfied customers. But where has Esther gone?

Alone in New York City, Bonnie breaks down in front of arrogant news reporter, and diner regular, Jimmy Boyle. Jimmy offers to help her. Can she trust him?

When the kindly owner of the Starlight Diner offers Bonnie work, and she meets charming security officer Nick Moloney, she dares to hope that her luck has changed. Is there a blossoming romance on the cards? And can Bonnie rebuild her life with the help of her Starlight Diner friends?



My Review

Bonnie is a singer in a band and finds herself in a spot of bother. Changing her appearance and going from the spotlight to hiding she heads to the Starlight Diner to find her old friend Esther. Esther may not be so delighted to see Bonnie but Bonnie has no choice, in danger and with nowhere else to go Bonnie breaks down in front of Jimmy, a disliked local reporter. Before long Bonnie has reestablished her friendship with Bonnie, met a new guy called Nick and making friends in the diner but you can't outrun your past or the people chasing you as Bonnie will soon find out.

It took me a wee bit to get into this one, not because I didn't like the writing, more because we know someone is after Bonnie but it takes a bit to find out who or why. I get quite irritated by that as I am so nosey and want to know, it does make for compelling reading though as you want to know what it is all about. I loved the diner, the music takes you back to the golden oldies days which in itself sparks some wonderful memories. I always love those diners and the book is written with such vivid scenes you can picture yourself within it and a few scenes made me hungry!

The story has a mix of thriller, girl on the run someone is after her, relationships, self preservation, personal growth, love, betrayal and friendship. This is my first time reading this author, I would certainly read her again. This is the second Starlight Diner book, I hadn't read the first and don't feel I lost anything having not read it before hand although I liked this one so much I will get the first. The ratings on here only allow for full stars so for me it is a 3 however I would say it was 3.5 out of 5 for me. Well written and creating characters you want to know more about, thanks so much to the publishers for sending me a copy and introducing me to a new author.

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Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen

Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 288

Publisher - Ballantine Books

Blurb from Goodreads

A beautiful violinist is haunted by a very old piece of music she finds in a strange antique shop in Rome.

The first time Julia Ansdell picks up The Incendio Waltz, she knows it’s a strikingly unusual composition. But while playing the piece, Julia blacks out and awakens to find her young daughter implicated in acts of surprising violence. And when she travels to Venice to find the previous owner of the music, she uncovers a dark secret that involves dangerously powerful people—a family who would stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.


My Review

I read the ebook of this so I am not sure how the printed version will work but I feel I must mention a few things. The chapters are split between Julia and Lorenzo, present day Julia & Lorenzo is in Venice just before and then during, World War 2. The page for the start of the chapters have music note paper along with either Julia or Lorenzos name, earmarking whose chapter it is. The beginning of the book, before the story starts, has a beautiful old black and white photograph, I may be able to post it with this onto the actual blog post.

Julia find herself a piece of music whilst in Rome, when she plays it, on her violin, her daughter becomes violent. Julia is becoming increasing anxious and finds herself being under scrutiny by her family and health care professionals. She needs to get to the bottom of this piece, where did it come from and why is it stirring up so much trouble.

Lorenzo is a magnificent violinist, he creates music, is successful and falling in love. However Lorenzo finds himself in the times of the reign of Hitler and from his family being respected and part of the community, to shunned and at the hands of the Germans. The stories flip between Julia & Lorenzo, then and now & a dangerous path Julia can't get off of to get to the end of her goal.

I don't know what I expected of this book, I love Tess Gerritsen, especially Rizzoli/Isles so I requested this without reading the blurb. Then when I realised it was about music I was like oh no, I won't like this. However, the music, whilst is a big part of the story, it isn't the whole part. Family dynamics, murder, secrets, World War 2, mass murder, love, friendship and illness to cover just some of the issues covered in this story.

I could have read this in one sitting, I think Gerritsen has captured such a horrific subject, from Lorenzo's time frame and done it well. There are some big twists you don't see coming and the storytelling draws you in. There is an encounter with animal cruelty, some of the scenes from Lorenzo's time are harrowing so just a heads up for people who find such things upsetting. That said it is a very good story, I just wish it had been longer. 4/5 for me this time, thanks so much to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

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