The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech

The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 2 days

Pages - 350

Publisher - Orenda

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Long ago Andrew made a childhood wish. One he has always kept in a silver box with a too-big lid that falls off. When it finally comes true, he wishes it hadn't...

Long ago Ben dreamed of going to Africa to volunteer at a lion reserve. When he finally goes there, it isn't for the reasons he imagined...

Ben and Andrew keep meeting where they least expect. Some collisions are by design, but are they for a reason? Ben's father would disown him for his relationship with Andrew, so they must hide their love. Andrew is determined to make it work, but secrets from his past threaten to ruin everything.

Ben escapes to Zimbabwe to finally fulfil his lifelong ambition. But will he ever return to England? To Andrew? To the truth?

A dark and poignant drama, The Lion Tamer Who Lost is also a mesmerisingly beautiful love story, with a tragic heart.


My Review

We open with Ben in Zimbabwe, in a lion reserve doing what most of us would love to, being close to and helping save lions from the mess humans have created. Whilst Ben is over there, his heart and thoughts are in England with another. As the chapters roll on we get to not only experience the privileged of being so close to such magnificent beasts and travel via book location to a country I likely will never see.

We know Ben has ran from something or rather left something behind but it isn't until the book opens up do we get to know its secrets. The location and book goes between Ben and Andrew, their relationship, how they met and how they impacted on each other. Andrew is older, a writer struggling to get published and both he and Ben share their love of lions and it isn't until you get deeper into the story you get a bit more understanding of it all.

The Lion Tamer Who Lost is a love story that covers so much, families, relationships, homosexuality, love, secrets, a lion sanctuary, duo location. The scenes set in Zimbabwe are so vivid you can almost taste the air. The personal struggles Ben faces you can't help but get drawn into and it evokes emotion. A wee book with a big roar (see what I did there!), emotive, moving and it just makes me want to snap up all of Beech's other offerings. I think this is my first dance with this author, it won't be my last. I need to check my TBRM and bump up any others of hers I have on it and buy up those that I don't. 4.5/5 for me this time, I kept hearing about this book from other book worms, now I have read it I know why, grab a copy guys you won't regret it.

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America for Beginners by Leah Franqui

America for Beginners by Leah Franqui
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time Taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 320

Publisher - Harper Collins

Source - Review Copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Pival Sengupta has done something she never expected: she has booked a trip with the First Class India USA Destination Vacation Tour Company. But unlike other upper-class Indians on a foreign holiday, the recently widowed Pival is not interested in sightseeing. She is traveling thousands of miles from Kolkota to New York on a cross-country journey to California, where she hopes to uncover the truth about her beloved son, Rahi. A year ago Rahi devastated his very traditional parents when he told them he was gay. Then, Pival’s husband, Ram, told her that their son had died suddenly—heartbreaking news she still refuses to accept. Now, with Ram gone, she is going to America to find Rahi, alive and whole or dead and gone, and come to terms with her own life.

Arriving in New York, the tour proves to be more complicated than anticipated. Planned by the company’s indefatigable owner, Ronnie Munshi—a hard-working immigrant and entrepreneur hungry for his own taste of the American dream—it is a work of haphazard improvisation. Pival’s guide is the company’s new hire, the guileless and wonderfully resourceful Satya, who has been in America for one year—and has never actually left the five boroughs. For modesty’s sake Pival and Satya will be accompanied by Rebecca Elliot, an aspiring young actress. Eager for a paying gig, she’s along for the ride, because how hard can a two-week "working" vacation traveling across America be?

Slowly making her way from coast to coast with her unlikely companions, Pival finds that her understanding of her son—and her hopes of a reunion with him—are challenged by her growing knowledge of his adoptive country. As the bonds between this odd trio deepens, Pival, Satya, and Rebecca learn to see America—and themselves—in different and profound new ways.



My Review

Meet Pival, stuck in Kolkota, in a home of ritches and so so alone. Her husband has died and left her with servants who don't respect her and unable to make herself a cup of tea if she wished, it must all be through the servants. All Pival wants is to know if it is true, is her son alive or dead in New York? Pival books a trip against everyones advice, she will be accompanied by Satya the tour guide and a paid companion Rebecca. The unlikely trio make the journey together, for them Pival just wants to see America, for Pival it is all about her son.

Before the actual journey and trio meet we get to know the three and who they are, what is going on in their lives and just how very different they are and their lives. Pival is such a lovely lady but has been stifled in her husband's shadow and ruling, now he is gone she needs to rediscover herself and the truth about her son. The chapters flick between the characters and we visit a young homosexual couple who have their own struggles, both individually and as they try to be together and explore their love. Satya comes from nothing, we follow his friendship and background and what brings him to the job he gets which puts him in the path to meet Pival. And lastly young Rebecca, an aspiring actress, she has her own demons and wee follow how fate gets her the opportunity to meet Pival and how the three come together for the second half of the book.

The story is one I am glad I was sent as I may passed this one in the store and that would have been a big miss. There is so much of this tale, for all of the characters go on journey where they are exposed to people they wouldn't normally be. It shapes who they are, their thought process and they all go on a journey of personal growth as well as an actual travelling trip.

I also liked the parts where we follow Pival's journey from her India to America, she has never left there and whilst it doesn't cover a huge part of the book (later part of the story before she actually gets out of India) I liked it. The story delves into so many issues, humanity, culture, personal issues, coping with being gay, a woman trying to find her place once she gets out of the controlling life she has led are just some of the topics. I think Franqui chewed off a lot in tackling this and for me I got to learn a bit about life for Pival, dealing with sexuality, struggling with trying to be an actress, poverty, survival and travel when you have never left your very sheltered life. It is an interesting story and emotive in parts, whilst it did take me a while to settle into it and get used to the characters I did enjoy it. 3.5/5 for me, first dance with this author and I will look out for anything else she brings out.

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Wolf Night by Tracey Sinclair

Wolf Night by Tracey Sinclair
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 256

Publisher - self

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

After narrowly averting a supernatural war in London, Cassandra Bick just wants life to get back to normal. Or as normal as life can be when you run a dating agency for vampires, your best friend is a witch and the oldest, strongest and sexiest vampire in town is taking a very personal interest in your business. But when a vicious new supernatural enemy threatens her friends, Cass finds herself once again fighting for the fate of her city – and having to face some demons of her own.

Snarky, sexy and fast paced, Wolf Night will leave you breathless.

Wolf Night is Book 2 in the Dark Dates series, the Chronicles of Cassandra Bick.


My Review

Just when Cassandra thought things were settling down (post book 1) another problem rears it's head. In true book form it can never be just one issue though can it :D Laclos, her now business partner continues with his in your face sexual vibrancy, reminding Cassandra just what she is missing. When a new threat has come to town Cassandra has no idea how much it is about to turn her world upside down and threaten everything and everyone close to her.

Ooooh dramas, death, destruction, sexual tension, friendship, sex, violence, homosexuality, racism, witchcraft, fighting, humour, drinking blood and that is just for starters. It is a busy wee book, if you have read the first book you will be familiar with Cassandra's love "triangle" and her small group of friends. We have a more intimate knowledge of their relationships in this book along with the new threat, action, fighting and love.

I love the banter, there is one particular scene, typical of that individuals heritage, that I actually fist pumped and shouted yaaaaas! Cassandra refers to her gift a lot, her sense that helps her detect danger, picks up Cain, vibes and it comes up a lot but as she is surrounded by so much supernaturals it isn't to be unexpected.

The book has a lot of everything but it is crafted together well, the characters, the narration, it has a variety of content and I personally laughed more than a few times. I have the next in the series on my gigantor tbrm, I cannot wait to read the next and see what is in store for the characters, 4/5 for me.

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Dark Dates by Tracey Sinclair

Dark Dates by Tracey Sinclair
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - dipped in over 3 days

Pages - 246

Publisher - Amazon media

Source - author

Blurb from Goodreads

All Cassandra Bick wants is to be left to get on with doing her job. But when you’re a Sensitive whose business is running a dating agency for vampires, life is never going to be straightforward – especially when there’s a supernatural war brewing in London, a sexy new bloodsucker in town and your mysterious, homicidal and vampire hating ex-lover chooses this moment to reappear in your life…

Witty, sharp and entertaining, Dark Dates is a heady mix of vampires, witches and werewolves – with the occasional angel thrown in – and introduces Cassandra Bick, a likeable heroine destined to join the ranks of fantasy’s feistiest females.



My Review

Cassandra makes a living from her dating agency, a dating agency like no other. Hooking up humans and vampires. The agency has come to the notice of someone, someone who wants Cassandra to stop. With threats on her life, attacks on the office and vampires being killed Cassandra should give up and stay safe but she won't be warned off. Her "bootie call" Cain, ex boyfriend and destroyer of "Others" no just vampires but other beings drops in and out of her life and usually when trouble is afoot. There is more than meets the eye to Cain and Cassandra is about to find out just how special and different the people in her life really are.

This is the first in a series, we meet Cassandra who is a Sensitive with a capital S, her sense helps her read Others and help her in some tricky situations. There is a lot to her Sense and I think as the series goes on we will learn more about it. I had to email the author as I had a fair few questions about it, I think along with the character learning about it the reader is too. It is a fresh and interesting approach as vampire stories have been around for such a long time so it is hard to make it original. We have vampires, a sassy Sensitive with a mouth on her, a fabulous witch side kick, a mysterious old boyfriend who Cassandra can't seem to keep out of her bed and violence and deaths all round.

There is bad language, sex, mystery, homosexuality, a lot of humour especially from Cassandra she is quirky, feisty, strong, independent and I did laugh out loud in parts. If work hadn't gotten in the way I could have read this in one sitting. There was more than a few actions I found myself frustrated with, especially how Cassandra responded to certain situations however I think that brings realism into it. How often has someone acted or said something in a situation and you just wanted to slap them or shout no why didn't you say X,Y,Z! A very promising start to a series and I look forward to more from Sinclair and seeing what is in store for Cassandra and crew, 4/5 for me this time. Thanks to the author for introducing to a new series and sending me a review copy.

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