The Snow Song by Sally Gardner

The Snow Song by Sally Gardner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 384

Publisher - HQ Stories

Source - Gave to by a fellow blogger

Blurb from Goodreads

Women imprisoned by superstition, chained by guilt.

Perched on a mountain in a land of ancient forests is a village, rife with secrets. Cut off from the outside world it is run by the elders, men to whom tradition is all.

Edith lives alone with her alcoholic father who is forcing her to marry the village butcher. But she is in love with a shepherd who promised to return to her.

As the village becomes isolated in a sea of snow, Edith loses her power of speech. And it is this enchantment that will have far-reaching consequences, not only for Edith but for the whole village.


My Review

A cult like village, men are the be all and end all, money, fear and power rule the town. When Edith meets the love of her life, an outsider Shepherd she is willing to risk it all. An agreement is made, if he returns she can marry him, if he doesn't she WILL marry the power wielding cruel older butcher as promised by her alcoholic dad. As the small village is cut off and snowed in, Edith is forced to follow tradition, that which is expected of her. She loses her voice as her enforced wedding day looms and it seems everyone is hell bent on tradition and what it demands rather than Edith or what is right.

Guys, I haven't read a book quite like this, it has stories from "gypsy" traveller folk tales, told by the Shepherd or Edith as she heard them from her elder female relative. Some of the stories within the book itself have very fairytale style vibes. We have horrific abusive male characters that will enrage you by the way they treat and think of women. I did like how none of them had names but rather labelled by their professions. The female characters also provoke angry responses too and I would have liked to have slapped and shook some but we also see some personal growth, some!

The book is thought provoking, enchanting at times, dare I say almost magical at some points, not like Harry Potter type but more the stuff in fairytales, evil, good, shady questionable humans and their behaviours. How a strong female can make such a change/impact but also the old saying it takes a village to raise a child well this village shows just how bad things can be/accepted hence the almost cult like reference. Women subservient to males, except the Shepherd, he is such a nice and good soul, women being treated badly, used even by their so called loved ones, actions and consequences, it is a mixed bag. I think some people could take it to a really deep level, I was absorbed by it and a bit of rollercoaster of emotions, 4/5.

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A Mother's Revenge by Alex Kane

A Mother's Revenge by Alex Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 358

Publisher - Hera

Source - Review copy & bought

Blurb from Goodreads

A mother will stop at nothing to protect her family

Cheryl Davidson was happy with husband Leo, watching her beloved son, Dean, grow into a handsome young man, dreaming of the paths his life would take, the grandchildren he would bring home.

Until the day that Dean was murdered, his body dumped in an isolated scrapyard with a bullet in his head, and Cheryl’s world exploded.

Discovering that Dean had been mixed up in the underworld of the Glasgow crime world, and worst of all, that Leo had brought him in, means that Cheryl’s sanity is hanging by a thread.

Overwhelmed by grief and with no one left to trust, Cheryl plans to take deadly retribution on the family that caused her son to be killed, vowing that they should suffer her same pain.

Cheryl might be up against the formidable Janey Hallahan, the woman who runs Glasgow gangland with guns and fear, but Janey and the Hallahans might discover that a grieving mother with nothing to lose might be the most dangerous opponent of all…

A heart-stopping, gritty gangland thriller that fans of Kimberley Chambers and Jacqui Rose won't be able to put down.



My Review

This is marked as a standalone BUT it does feature characters from the previous book, you can read this as a standalone but I absolutely recommend reading "Two Sisters". Cheryl Davidson is a woman on a mission, her son has been murdered, she blames her husband and his boss, if it wasn't for him/them Dean would still be alive. She doesn't just blame them, she blames Janey and her grand daughter Molly Rose and they are the full focus for her revenge. How do you get close to a female gangster type? Cheryl has a plan in place and she will get her revenge and take all of Janey's family down.

Guys this one, like the previous has some really shady ugly awful characters, there is people trafficking and all the abuse that goes with it, drugs, violence, murder, it is a full bag! Janey is reeling and still trying to recover after being run off the road, the love of her life is in a coma, one daughter gone, another in rehab and Molly Rose it trying to get back to normal. A new threat is coming, they are looking over their shoulder constantly trying to figure out who is after them.

The book is quite fast paced, there is always something going on, some skulduggery, revenge plan. In amongst that and themes of recovery we have Cheryl who is slowly falling apart, torn up by her grief and driven by her rage and thirst for revenge we follow her as she pursues justice for her son.

The depths of depravity, people using and abusing others for profit and getting their kicks, despite it being fiction I think because you know stuff like this goes on in parts of the world, you are hoping for retribution, 4/5.

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Vile Stars by Sera Milano

Vile Stars by Sera Milano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 384

Publisher - Electric Monkey

Source - Vine & then bought copy

Blurb from Goodreads

(TRUE) LOVE
(TOXIC) LOVE
(LOST) LOVE

This is a different kind of love story.

17-year-old Luka isn't looking for love. She's trying to piece her life back together after a heartbreaking loss. But when she meets the gorgeous and charismatic Cosmo under a meteor shower at the Greenwich Observatory, it feels like destiny has played a hand. Surely theirs is a love written in the stars.

But Cosmo isn't what he seems, using Luka's love for him to slowly take control of her life. As the pandemic starts to make headlines and lockdown sets in, she is trapped emotionally and physically in a coercive relationship. Luka's friends and brother can see what's happening, but struggle to reach her. Something will have to be sacrificed so Luka can set herself free - but what will be left of her when she does?

Luka's story is told from many points of view: through her letters, and through the voices of her brother, Alec, his boyfriend Theo and Luka's best friend, Roisin. Each of them holds a fragment of the story - it's time to put it all together.


My Review

I don't know what I was expecting with this one, when I first got it and seen the trigger warnings I was looking after my dad so put it aside. The parental loss isn't a huge central theme but relevant to the characters and there are many emotive issues. The characters are young, taking exams age and a tight group, best friends Luka (main character) & Roisin, Luka's brother Alec and his boyfriend Theo. Luka and Alec lost their mother & live with their step dad and wee sister, Cosmo is lost, writing letters to her mum and leaving them at the grave. Enter Cosmo, a chance encounter and he sweeps Luka off her feet and that folks is when everything starts to change and become dark.

So I think this may be my first book with pronouns and a trans character and whilst Luka is central Theo and the issues surrounding them is hugely important and relevant. Cosmo is a piece of work, I haven't loathed a character like this in a while. Luka is in the flows of grief and dealing with loss, heartache and trying to find herself so when Cosmo comes along we see red flags and vile traits that Luka is blinded to.

Despite the characters being young the amount of adult themes and issues are relatable across the board. The toxicity of the relationship was really uncomfortable to read but so important and well done, homophobia, transphobic, isolation, coercion and you have friendships, relationships, grief, loss, coping or rather trying to.

This is my first time reading this author, I will absolutely check out their other works, 4/5 for me.

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The Family Business by Alex Kane

This is my first blog tour for Zooloos Blog Tours and what a book to start with. We have followed Alex Kane since she was writing under her own name and The Family Business is a belter! For my stop on the tour I have my, as always, non spoiler review, enjoy.

About the author

Alex Kane is a psychological thriller writer who lives in Glasgow. She is a huge fan of the genre, with her favourite authors in the genre being Lisa Hall, BA Paris and Sarah Stovell. If she is not writing, she can be found playing with her cat, reading, or drinking tea and/or gin (sometimes all of the above).

Buy link from Amazon UK click HERE

The Family Business by Alex Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 368

Publisher - Hera Books

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

Blood's thicker than water... and they're not afraid to spill it

Donnie Black. Charming, successful… and utterly terrifying, he rules the Glasgow underworld with an iron fist. Nothing - or no one - will stop him and he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty to grow his fortune.

Layla Black. She’s been married to Donnie for twenty years, enjoying the lavish world he has worked hard to create. But behind the perfect image Layla is crumbling, numbing her pain with alcohol. But Layla doesn’t know the secrets Donnie keeps – and the truth will send her spiralling.

Louise Bellshaw. She’s young, beautiful and innocent. She’s charmed by Donnie’s sweet words, and believes she’s found true love. But Louise doesn’t know her dream man has plans that will turn her life into a nightmare.

As the three collide, no one can predict how family ties will turn to bloodshed. Because you’ll do anything for the ones you love, won’t you?

A dark, twisty and totally gripping thriller set in the heart of Glasgow gangland - fans of Mandasue Heller and Kimberley Chambers won't be able to put this down.



My Review

Hello Glasgow, meet Donnie Black - we first meet him as a young teen and quickly get the measure of his character. Skip on to him as an adult, the loss of his father and taking over the empire with his brother, making his mark on things. His wife Layla, sweet Layla had no idea back then what she was getting into and loses herself in a cloud of booze to cope with her life. Layla has no idea just how bad Donnie is and Donnie is about to get his hands even dirtier.

I do think Kane goes from strength to strength, I read her first book and have a few others on the tbrm. Gangland, turf wars, a gangster wanting to prove himself just as good as his old man and getting into darker avenues. He really is scum, he manipulates, exploits, uses people because to him they are commodities, a means to an end.

The book looks at some really dark aspects of humanity, human trafficking, violence, murder, drugs, family all of the dark and dangerous goings on and it is set in Glasgow! I love when a book takes place somewhere you know or have been, for me it adds a bit of something.

The family business looks at how some people test loyalty, have none, destroy anything, risk everything and the good old actions and consequences. It is hard to go into without spoilers and I don't do spoilers. The book is bursting with action, shocking behaviour, redemption, emotional, abuse, violence and absolute breath holding moments, 4.5/5 for me this time. I need to bump the rest of them up my tbrm. I hope she brings us more set in the city of Glasgow!

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What Milo Saw by Virginia MacGregor

What Milo Saw by Virginia Macgregor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Sphere

Source - The Works

Blurb from Goodreads

Nine-year-old Milo suffers from retinitis pigmentosa: his eyes are slowly failing, and he will eventually go blind. But for now, he sees the world through a pin hole and notices things other people don't. When Milo's beloved 92-year-old gran succumbs to dementia and moves into a nursing home, Milo begins to notice things amiss at the home. The grown-ups won't listen when he tries to tell them something's wrong so with just Tripi, the nursing home's cook, and Hamlet, his pet pig, to help, Milo sets out on a mission to expose the nursing home and the sinister Nurse Thornhill.




My Review

Told from the point of view of Milo, nine years old, owner of Hamlet his pet pig, carer of his 90+ year old gran and has a condition called retinitis pigmentosa. When Milo's gran has one incident too many his mum decides enough is enough and off she goes to a care home. Milo is distraught and soon discovers the care home isn't what it first appeared to be. It isn't easy being nine, trying to get adults to listen when something isn't right and gathering proof against the charge nurse Thornhill. Milo will stop at nothing to try and get his gran home, making friends along the way and with the trusty Hamlet at his side what can go wrong.

We learn a little about the condition retinitis pigmentosa and I will look more into the condition however I would have liked to have had a bit more in depth in the book. As well as Milo's grans dementia we have family issues, infidelity, abuse, relationships, friendship, the struggles of a refugee and flashes of a war torn country.

It is a busy wee book, emotive at times, humorous, sad, Milo is such a sweet wee boy and I loved his relationship with both his grandma and his pet pig. Such an innocent lad with a big heart, very pure in a situation that is horrific in parts. I think some of the choices made by Milo's mother will rile some readers for different reasons, she made my eyebrows raised & crossed on a few occasions. Easy enough to settle into, I did enjoy it if enjoy is the correct word, this is my first dance with this author, I would read her again 3.5 out of 5 for me.

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Bloq by Alan Jones

Bloq by Alan Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - On and off for 1 week

Pages - 343

Publisher - Ailsa Publishing

Blurb from Goodreads

A father waits in Glasgow's Central Station for his daughter, returning home from London for Christmas. When the last train has pulled in, and she doesn't get off it, he makes a desperate overnight dash to find out why. His search for her takes over his life, costing him his job and, as he withdraws from home, family and friends, he finds himself alone, despairing of ever seeing her again.

This is a gritty crime novel with some sexual content.



My Review


We open with a callous burial or rather body dump of a young woman by some, what the reader can only deduce, very dodgy criminals. Hello chapter one, Bill Ingram is waiting in a Glasgow train station for his daughter to come home. As the train comes and goes and time ticks on there is no sign of Carol and no contact. Bill embarks on a one man investigation to find his daughter, putting himself in grave danger and having to face the fact that he maybe didn't know his daughter at all.

The chapters are named so we know where we are and which character it is focused on, Carol and the many folk around her or her situation are in London, Bill initially is in Glasgow then hits London for his quest. Carol's timeline jumps back a wee bit to before Aleksander comes into her life and the path that follows after. A story that demonstrates corruption, lies, influence, the darker side of humanity and how some people will go to any lengths to exploit another.

Relationships carve a huge part of this story, the love of a father for his daughter, partners, friendship, criminal loyalties and family. There are some very dark themes in the book too, addiction, abuse, violence, sexual abuse to name just a few. It isn't for the faint hearted, not so much in brutal graphic detail but enough for the reader to conjure the horrors with just enough information for full impact. The book is a bit like an onion, there are so many layers to it, I loved the family bond some characters had and would stop at nothing for their relative.

Lots and lots of swearing featured, I think given one of the central themes and key characters this was a must, for realism, rather than gratuitous. Depending on your background and family ties, I think this book has the potential to pack a punch and strike some emotive chords with some readers. I have read Jones before and I will read him again, 4/5 for me this time!

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Watching Edie by Camilla Way

Watching Edie by Camilla Way
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 304

Publisher - Harper Collins

Blurb From Goodreads

Beautiful, creative, a little wild… Edie was the kind of girl who immediately caused a stir when she walked into your life. And she had dreams back then—but it didn’t take long for her to learn that things don’t always turn out the way you want them to.

Now, at thirty-three, Edie is working as a waitress, pregnant and alone. And when she becomes overwhelmed by the needs of her new baby and sinks into a bleak despair, she thinks that there’s no one to turn to…

But someone’s been watching Edie, waiting for the chance to prove once again what a perfect friend she can be. It’s no coincidence that Heather shows up on Edie’s doorstep, just when Edie needs her the most. So much has passed between them—so much envy, longing, and betrayal. And Edie’s about to learn a new lesson: those who have hurt us deeply—or who we have hurt—never let us go, not entirely…


My Review

The opening chapter is set in the present day titled"After", Edie is an adult and the past is put behind her although Heather and Connor often come to her mind. Edie is most in her time of need when the door goes and who should appear but Heather, what does she want after all this time. Edie becomes increasing reliant and spooked by Edie and things that happen since Heather has come back into her life.

Ooooh, this was just fabulous! Set in present day as Edie and Heather are reunited we flip from present to the past when the two first met and their realtionship up until they broke off contact all those years ago. The reader is taken on an intense journey, a crescendo of nail biting tension as Heather takes over the present and the past threatens to catch up with Edie.

I read this in one day, I was loathe to put it down, as much as duo timelines often frustrate me I was tuned into both trying to determine what drove Heather & how it would all pan out. This is the authors third offering although my first time reading her, I would certainly read her again and will look out for her previous books. If you fancy a modern day thriller with echos of Single White Female then you really need to grab a copy of this book! Unsettling, creepy, and dealing with tough themes such as stalking, violence, abuse, drugs and sex it isn't a book for the faint hearted. 5/5 for me this time, thanks so much to Harper Collins for a wee ARC of this in exchange for an honest review and introducing me to a new author.

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The First Thing You See by Gregoire Delacourt

The First Thing You See by Grégoire Delacourt
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 236

Publisher - Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Blurb from Goodreads

Imagine you are a young mechanic living in a small community in France. You own your own home, and lead a simple life. Then, one evening, you open your front door to find a distraught Hollywood starlet standing in front of you. This is what happens to Arthur Dreyfuss in the village of Long, population 687 inhabitants.

But although feigning an American accent, this woman is not all that she seems. For her name is Jeanine Foucamprez, and her story is very different from the glamorous life of a star. Arthur is not all he seems, either; a lover of poetry with a darker past than one might imagine, he has learnt to see beauty in the mundane.

THE FIRST THING YOU SEE is a warm, witty novel about two fragile souls learning to look beyond the surface - for the first thing you see isn't always what you get!


My Review

Arthur Dreyfuss is quite an attractive man, pleasant kind and a mechanic by trade living in a small village. His fairly normal life comes to a halt when Scarlett Johansson arrives at his door, seeking refuge from Hollywood. It soon becomes apparent Scarlett is actually a look a like, her name is Jeanine Foucamprez and her whole life she has struggled to be Jeanine. Slowly they open up to each other, their attraction grows and learn who they really are.

This is possibly one of the most bizarre reads I have read, there is a huge focus on Scarlett/Jeanine's breasts and they are referred to in a fair few passages. The whole thing is almost like playing out a fantasy, the whole town is enthralled with this starlet. Yet all Jeanine wants is someone to see her as her despite encouraging and allowing people to believe she is Scarlett. There are a lot of poetry references dottered throughout the book which was a nice change as poetry isn't something I generally read much to be honest. It also makes you think the impact on people trying to live up to others expectations can have.

There is humour, awkward sex references/scenes, dark discussions fliting over abuse, self harm, love and personal growth are just some of the issues covered. I am not normally one to comment on covers but this one is quite quirky and appealing, despite not knowing this author I would have been tempted with the cover alone which isn't always something that draws me. This is also the book Scarlett Johansson apparently tried to stop from being published which I am sure only encouraged sales. The story left me feeling like I had missed something, I finished it thinking I had missed the point of it, I didn't hate it I actually found reading it relatively easy, I just didn't get it. 2/5 for me this time, thanks so much to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. I think I would read this author again, the writing was easy to follow and different from what I would normally pick up myself, I just didn't really get this particular tale.

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Water Angels by Mons Kallentoft

Water Angels by Mons Kallentoft
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 5 days

Publisher - Hodder

Pages - 471

Blurb from Amazon

A married couple is found dead in their jacuzzi. Their adopted five-year-old daughter has vanished. Inspector Malin Fors, the troubled but brilliant star of the Linkoping police force, is put in charge of the case.

But this is a haunting mystery where the borders have been blurred: those between the living and the dead, between good and evil.

Malin is only too aware of her own tendencies towards obsession and addiction. As the investigation takes a darker turn, forcing Malin to confront her own demons, will she hold out long enough to find the killer - and the missing girl - before it's too late?


My Review

Patrick and Cecilia are found dead in their jacuzzi, their adopted five year old daughter Ella is missing, Inspector Malin Fors is heading the case. The investigation starts with the family, searching Patricks computer to try and find leads. Who may have wanted this couple dead and most importantly, where is little Ella. If Foors can find the little girl or the motive, she may be able to crack open this case.

This is my first dance with this author and I am in the minority from the reviews I have seen in that I really didn't like this story much at all. The opening chapter itself, the prologue was confusing to start with although after finishing the story and re reading it I did understand it a bit better. We are briefly introduced to Fors and then a page where the writing is in italics, this is the voice(s) of the deceased couple. They feature a page or two throughout the book, merely viewing what is going on. I personally felt they really offered nothing more than observation of whatever they were looking at, that which the reader has just read with no new insight.

The characters all had a voice, the telling of what was happening at that time or interaction and then there was what they were thinking internally. This really wasn't required as I don't feel it offered anything at all to the story or event that had happened or was being discussed. The inspector is an HR nightmare and yet despite becoming erratic and more off the rails, she isn't removed from the case at all. A lot of the story is overshadowed by the personal thoughts and angst going on out with the case. There are a few random sexual encounters or inappropriate thoughts from people involved in the investigation. It didn't seem to be relevant or add to the story so I am not sure why it was included.

The mystery of what happened to the little girl kept me going, I wanted to know what happened to her, why were the parents killed and to be fair a lot of the main questions were answered which is why it scores 2 stars instead of 1. A lot of the behaviours of the characters are very questionable and for those of the officers I found it very hard to believe that would be tolerated in any department, let alone a murder investigation.

All of that said, this is the 6th in a series and a lot of people seem to love and enjoy it. It just didn't hit the mark for me at all. I won't be pursing the earlier works of this author, I just don't think the writing style is for me although a lot of people will enjoy the in depth insight you get to the characters every thought as the tale progresses. Thanks so much to the publicist for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review, 2/5 for me this time. Give it a go yourself, I would love to hear how others receive this if your reading this author for the first time or a long standing fan.

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