His Truth Her Truth by Noelle Holten

His Truth Her Truth by Noelle Holten
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 415

Publisher - One More Chapter

Source - Arc and bought a treebook copy

Blurb from Goodreads

An anonymous call raises the alarm. Two bodies found as a result of a home invasion. Then the police see the knives.One in his hand.

One in hers.

Joe and Beth appeared to have the perfect marriage. But there are two sides to every story.

His truth. Her truth. And the actual truth.

In this marriage of lies, only one person can be telling the truth, can’t they?


My Review

Opening chapter, prologue, they are lying in a pool of blood, knives in hand is how the police find them after an anonymous call. We then flip back X period of time before the incident and go between chapters from Joe and Beth. Partners, getting ready to marry, Beth loses her father and we see cracks starting to form in the relationship. Joe has his own issues going on but is trying to look after Beth. Beth is devastated, grief stricken and battling her inner demons. Going between his point of view and hers we watch as things crumble, getting darker and their relationship and implodes taking us to that fateful day the police find them and everything after.

Ooft strap in lads because it is about to get bumpy! Relatively short chapters which I love so even with a reading block/slump I could sink right in. Mental health and addiction feature quit heavily especially as we get further into it. When you have a character going through such a hard time they can be a bit of a difficult narrator, the way this is written you can see Beth's descension as it happens. Backed up by seeing Joe's point of view and responses to what he sees/finds as well as getting insight into what he is up to and going through. As the reader we get the context between the actions and seeing what the other person is missing.

Some of the characters are so unlikeable, like the cop, I can't even remember his name but like what was his damage, his partner seemed nice so not sure if it was emphasising good cop bad cop. Beth's mum I would not tire of slapping, she is just not a likeable person and every time she appeared I would puff or sigh. Some of us sadly have relatives like that who are just so self absorbed and horrible, yeah I really hated her. Beth cuts a sad character and whilst she also irritated me at times I did fell heart sorry for her because grief is awful and soul destroying but sadly it almost consumes her as does her "coping mechanism". The characters are quite real to life, well most of them, in their behaviours, actions, reactions, focuses with maybe one or two catching me off guard because I didn't forsee or catch what was headed my way. I think flawed characters can be difficult to capture and sometimes feel forced, with Beth I feel she was really well done and authentic because sadly we have had loved ones like that. So deep in their own hole, pushing folk away, becoming vulnerable in ways you/they didn't expect, 4/5.

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Make Do and Mend A Broken Heart by Katey Lovell Blog blast

Today is my turn on the blog tour for Make Do and Mend a Broken Heart by Katey Lovell, for my stop I have my review.





Make Do and Mend a Broken Heart by Katey Lovell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 2 days

Pages - 298

Publisher - Quercus

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

When you know how, you can make anything from scratch, including a new life after love...
When Leanne and Richard bought a dilapidated old seaside cottage to renovate together as their forever home, their future was full of hope and promise.

But heartbreak was just around the corner: fast forward a few months and Richard is gone. With his death, Leanne finds herself stony broke, faced with an uninhabitable home and lacking even the basic skills to do it up herself.

With the help of the friendly woman who runs the library and the reluctant assistance of the man who works in the local hardware shop, the cottage is lovingly restored. But broken hearts aren't so easy to fix... are they?


My Review

Leanne and Richard buy an old run down cottage by the sea to move into and do up, in a small town. Everything is planned, they are happy and full of love and ideas for this wee house that is a bit of a wreck. When everything falls apart and Leanne sticks to the plan she heads to the small town to tackle the house herself. Alone, bereft, grieving and realising just how big a job it is Leanne pushes on to fulfill the dream. Some of the towns people are much more accommodating and friendly than others. As Leanne takes on the mamoth task she also has to battle the financial issues, establishing herself within the community and coping being so far from everyone and everything she knows and loves.

Aw God love her, you can just see it, knowing no one - the impact of it all just hitting you. And the home you had so much ideas for, with two of you tackling it, you are now just one person. Pals and family are a sea away, money struggles, loneliness and the huge task of restoration of an almost unlivable house.

The initial few chapters took me a wee bit to settle into as you don't know what happened exactly and it is just Leanne trying to get to terms with all that is ahead. But as we start to get to know the community I really started to like it. Some of the townspeople you just wanted to hug, stepping in when needed but also the not so nice and standoffish ones, true to a wee town with strangers.

Friendship, love, loss, grief a huge focus on a journey of recovery and self discovery, we watch Leanne grow and heal with a little help from old friends and new. This was my first time reading this author and it was the perfect genre switch I needed, 4/5 for me this time.

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Come Back For Me by Heidi Perks Blog Tour

Today is my stop on the blog tour for "Come Back For Me" by Heidi Perks, this is the last day of the tour, please check out the other stops as we all offer different content.





Come Back For Me by Heidi Perks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - Cornerstone

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

A shocking discovery.
An island wrapped in secrets.

A tiny island community is stunned by the discovery of a long-buried body.

For Stella Harvey, the news is doubly shocking: the body was found in the garden of her childhood home.

The home her family fled without explanation twenty-five years ago.

Now, questioning her past and desperate to unearth the truth, Stella returns to the isolated Dorset island. But she quickly finds that the community she left isn’t as welcoming as she remembers – and that people in it will go to any length to protect their secrets.

But one thing rings true…
You can’t bury the truth forever.


My Review


Stella and her family had to leave the island when she was just a little girl, late in the middle of the night, dangerous weather to be sailing. No explanation, no looking back, now twenty five years later a body has been found in her garden. After seeing it on the news Stella HAS to go back to the island to try and get some answers. Islands are notorious for keeping things private and Stella is no longer one of them, will she get any answers or wish she had never gone looking in the first place?

We flip between then, when Stella and her family lived on the island and the run up to what made them leave to present day, Stella trying to make sense of her past and going to the island, trying to get answers. From the beginning we know something isn't right, her relationship with her sister is questionable, she doesn't come across as a very nice person. She is pretty rude, curt or dismissive yet Stella continues to be her strongest support. Her father can't give her much in the way of information so the island is her only option.

I think many can relate to Stella, in parts, the needing to know, the longing for the place you grew up even if you have been away from it longer than you lived there. When we get to the island it becomes a wee bit "we only like locals" and she gets no support from home either. I really felt for her, I would want to know too, reconnect with old friends and families. I would even want to go back to my old home and have a look, well maybe not if they found a body!

You feel, well I did, there is something big going on that Stella has unwittingly found herself drawn into but as well as the whole there is a body it is her personal journey. The need for closure, re-connection, relationships lacking or missing in her adult life I felt that was what urged her back to the island. I do like a mystery/thriller where you know there is skulduggery and some kind of danger hinted or looming but I think it a great thing when the author interweaves a personal side to it all.

Islands and small communities always have secrets, Stella is desperate to find out what theirs is, loyalty is huge and sometimes some people will do anything to protect a secret. Whilst I can't say I loved any of the characters I did sink into their lives and feel as much frustration as Stella to uncover the mystery of her old home and her family. This was my first dance with this author, it won't be ,my last, 4/5 for me this time. A psychological thriller with lots of family drama, dynamics, relationships, secrets and what can happen when you don't let go of the past!

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A Random Act of Kindness by Sophie Jenkins Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour for A Random Act of Kindness by Sophie Jenkins, please check out the other stops as we all offer different content.





A Random Act of Kindness by Sophie Jenkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages -400

Publisher - Avon

Source - Arc copy

Blurb from Goodreads

It only takes a moment, to change a life for ever…

Fern is too busy making sure other people feel good about themselves to give much thought to her own happiness. But somehow, without her noticing, life has run away from her.

Suddenly, Fern realises her vintage clothes business is struggling, and the casual relationship she’d always thought she was happy in doesn’t look so appealing.

But sometimes, karma really does come through. And when Fern goes out of her way to help 85-year-old Dinah, little does she realise their new friendship will change her life.

Dinah may have troubles in her past, but she’s lived and loved to the full. Can Dinah show Fern that even the smallest acts of kindness can make the world a better place?

If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine or How to Be Happy, you'll love A Random Act of Kindness.



My Review

I had never read this author before but I was drawn by the books title, who doesn't like a RAK (Random Act of Kindness). Fern is our main character, she is a bit of a wee chop, nice enough girl just trying to do her own thing and selling clothes she loves, vintage, to people and making them happy. Fern has always been a disappointment to her controlling mother, Fern is too short to be a model and using her fashion knowledge to grab bargains and sell them on her wee stall, embracing her love of all things fashion. Fern isn't about money she genuinely loves helping people and getting them into clothes just right for them. When her RAK brings her again into contact with 85 year old Dinah a friendship commences that will have big changes ahead for both of them.

I didn't think I was going to love this to be honest, each chapter starts with a garment being described and there is a lot centered around outfits, clothing, fashion. I am not into stuff like that but it is written in a way and woven into the story that I really enjoyed reading/visualizing the garments. Fern is selling her vintage clothes in a wee market stall, next to David, there is something about him that Fern can't help but notice. That said she has a casual boy friend type who plays in a band on the go and David happens to be with someone she was friends with. Drama all round, you have the actress neighbour, the mother we would all dread to have and all the daughterly hangups that come with it. The dad who takes a back seat and her eccentric friend she gains from a chance encounter.

I loved the older characters in this book, not her mum, Kim and his pals who don't make a huge appearance but when they do I did smile. The book tackles a few subjects, friendship, relationships (both boyfriend type and family) and Fern carving her own place in the world through her love of clothing and just trying to do Fern!

I would love to read more of these characters to be honest, it was nice to dip into a world I normally wouldn't be anywhere near. It also made me want to look into vintage garments and a bit more of the history of some of the biggest named designers, who even am I!?!?! Whilst this was my first dance with Jenkins it won't be my last, 4/5 for me this time. Easy reading

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The Forget-Me-Not Summer by Katie Flynn

The Forget-Me-Not Summer by Katie Flynn
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - on and off over 4 days

Pages - 432

Publisher - Century

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Liverpool 1936

Miranda and her mother, Arabella, live comfortably in a nice area. But when her mother tells her she can no longer afford their present lifestyle, they have a blazing row, and Miranda goes to bed angry and upset. When she wakes the next morning, however, her mother has disappeared.

She raises the alarm but everyone is baffled, and when searches fail to discover Arabella’s whereabouts, Miranda is forced to live with her Aunt Vi and cousin Beth, who resent her presence and treat her badly.

Miranda is miserable, but when she meets a neighbour, Steve, things begin to look up and Steve promises to help his new friend in her search, and does so until war intervenes…


My Review

We open the book with a young Miranda, her mother goes missing and life is her trying to adapt to the new situation she finds herself in, her family and her new friend Steve. The book moves along from the mystery of Miranda's mothers disappearance to Miranda as an adult, never giving up hope of finding her mother. Covering her life into adulthood we follow her personal relationships, work life and getting through the war and all that comes with it.

The first part of the story I liked, Miranda as a kid, the ?haunting of the house they come across and the story and friendships that follow. Then it skips more to adulthood and it just changed the tone of the story for me, it could have been two different stories to be honest. Things that happened in the first part of the story, characters, I would have liked to have stayed relevant in the time change but it focuses on Miranda, her journey at the point and Steve and his part.

Considering how it all starts and how the author decided to bring the ending about it just wasn't for me. The pace was ok, some bits I liked a lot more than others. A lot of the characters had questionable behaviour/characteristics and some you really warmed to. Really mixed and I am sure some folk will love it but overall I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to and I think had I got more depth for some of the characters and depth I would have really like this one. This was my first read of this author, I would read her again, just this one wasn't for me, 2.5/5.

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The Swap by Fiona Mitchell

The Swap by Fiona Mitchell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 304

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

The second novel from Fiona Mitchell, author of the stunning The Maid's Room***

Two women. Two children. But whose is whose?

When two strangers, Tess and Annie, undergo IVF at an American clinic, their embryos are mixed up and each woman gives birth to the wrong child.

The women only discover the devastating error three years later. Tess wants to swap the children back; Annie doesn't. As the pair wrangle, neither of them expect what unfolds.



My Review

Tess and Annie have their embryos implanted after IVF in a clinic in America, Annie lives in America, Tess in England. Three years later and Tess hasn't bonded with her child, she dislikes him and can't help but stress over his behaviour, issues, trouble. Annie couldn't be more blessed, Willow is everything she wanted in a child and more, her only baby. When it comes to light Freddie can't be Tess's son she digs deeper and becomes obsessed, what is her real baby is out there and nothing will stop her trying to find out.

Ooft guys I don't have any kids (I have furbabies) and I felt the emotional punch from this one. A lot of Tess's decisions, behaviour and choices really makes you question her as a human being. But it is so easy to judge someone when you don't walk in their shoes, live their lives and as the book progresses we get a bit more insight into why she is the way she is. Annie on the other hand is so different but would she be the same if she brought up the other child? How much is reactive behaviour, how much is learned? For a wee bit I felt echos of "We Need To Talk About Kevin" with some of Freddie's scenes but then is that to provoke you into thinking a certain way?

If it a book that pulls you a bit through the emotive ringer, you try not to judge but scene after scene you find yourself doing just that. Then re evaluating, what would you do? I also wondered if you found yourself in that situation *touch wood* what would you do?

The two families are so different in many ways, financial status and the struggles that come with each class, children, Freddie has siblings, Willow is an only child and the women could not be more different. There are so many parts to this book that will get the reader thinking/chatting/debating. This is the second book I have read by this author, I very much look forward to her next, 4/5 for me this time!

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Twisted by Steve Cavanagh

Twisted by Steve Cavanagh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 320

Publisher - Orion

Source - Netgalley (Review Copy)

Blurb from Goodreads

BEFORE YOU READ THIS BOOK
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THREE THINGS:

1. The police are looking to charge me with murder.
2. No one knows who I am. Or how I did it.
3. If you think you've found me. I'm coming for you next.

After you've read this book, you'll know: the truth is far more twisted...


My Review

Sometimes you read a book and wonder why the title is chosen, sometimes you get it at the end of the book - the title is apparent pretty quickly, this book is twisted! J.T Lebeau is an author who is super popular, his books fly off the shelf and no one knows who he is. The book opens at a funeral, only four people know the authors identity and "one of them is about to eat a bullet" and then we go back four months to where it all kicks off!

Ooft what an opening to a book, well that and the whole threat from Lebeau in the authors note. It is a book that has you knocked off from the opening. Maria is married to Paul and it is disclosed pretty quickly there is an affair with Daryl. Pretty but a bit dim he makes Maria happy and Paul is so distant, cold and often working away she doesn't feel bad. When a simple action breaks open a secret held by Maria's husband everything chances, this is what Maria needs to get everything she wants. Sometimes one action can kick off a chain of events no one could have predicted, Maria has no idea what she is about to unleash and no one could forsee the consequences the need for a wee smoke could kick off.

Sheesh! you know you read a book and folk say it pulls the rug right out from under you? Well this book does it multiple times throughout. The title is apt because the book just throws/twists/shocks/ pretty much throughout. The author Lbeau wants his identity kept a secret and stops at nothing to keep it that way, nothing! Maria has a secret, her husband Paul has a secret, Daryl is Maria's secret and nothing is what is seems. It is a hard book to review because I don't do spoilers and one thing leads to another, to another, to another. It is fast paced, something is always going on, threat is looming and you just don't know what is coming.

I think it is very cleverly written, it keeps up the pace throughout the whole book - I just wanted to know what was happening and what was coming next. Sometimes you can predict where something is going and when I thought ah ha I know where this is going, no, no I didn't. Hats off to anyone who say they worked it out, any of it, as I was surprised pretty much throughout. A few times I found myself saying no waaaaaaaay - it is certainly an entertaining book and I just was just left wondering what on earth is coming next. Themes of murder, infidelity, love, lies, relationships, secrets and very much cat and mouse, 4.5/5 for me. This is only my second read by this author, it won't be my last!

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The Sting by Kimberley Chambers

The Sting by Kimberley Chambers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 448

Publisher - Harper Collins

Source - Pre ordered from Amazon

Blurb from Goodreads

TWO CHILDHOOD FRIENDS



Best friends Tommy Boyle and Scratch always had each other’s backs. Dragged up in care, and cruelly betrayed by everyone they trusted, they made a pact to fight their way out of the gutter – together.



TWO SIDES OF THE LAW



Old loyalties die hard on the streets of London. Tommy throws his lot in with the notorious Darling family – even if it means leaving Scratch to the wolves. She’s destined for a different path, reinventing herself as copper Kim Regan.



ONE DEADLY SHOWDOWN



Now they’re on opposite sides of the law. Running Operation Sting, Kim will rip the heart out of the Darling’s empire – and only her old pal Tommy stands in her way.



As gritty and dangerous as the London streets in which it’s set, this is No.1 bestseller Kimberley Chambers at her best. Get ready for a shocking read with a STING in the tail . . .



My Review

The prologue opens in 1972 and we hear from Tommy Boyle, first person narrative before we head into third person narrative. The book does this for each part of the story, each new part we hear from Tommy and then straight into the tale. Tommy has a rough upbringing, a house with violence, alcohol and abuse. When something happens to shake Tommy's world his home and family are taken from him and when things seem they can't get any worse Tommy is betrayed in the worst possible way. Ending up in care he meets Scratch another kid who has been abused, passed from pillar to post - the two bond becoming friends for life. We skip to them being adults, Tommy is a big name in the crime world and Kim aka Scratch is now a cop. Bad blood from the past and a chance at getting even who will come out on top?

I always pick up a Chambers book with trepidation, I LOVE her books, not read one I didn't like and always wait impatiently for the next. BUT when the author smashes it each time you can't help but worry if this will be the one that isn't as great.......totally unfounded AGAIN. Chambers has a knack for bringing alive characters that draw you in, creating settings that have you living and breathing the time period with an authentic feel.

Always gritty crime, violence, family and gangsters but this book gives us something else, new, and touches on some hard hitting subjects. Domestic abuse, infidelity, child abuse and there is some sexual abuse, nothing is in depth but enough is hinted at or briefly nodded at so the reader knows exactly what has happened without horrific details. I think sometimes in crime we can be saturated with every horrific gory detail, The Sting is not that type of book. The emphasis is very much on relationships and the struggles these two kids have and how they end up how they are as adults, actions and consequences. You know what you are getting with these type of books but The Sting caught me unawares and hit me with the emotionals. I think it is an absolute testament to the authors writing skills that after so many books she can still keep it fresh and surprise the reader. It isn't too often I read a crime book and get the feels, I did with this book. As with the others, I started it and wanted to sink it in one sitting, I got vested in the characters so quickly and gasped out loud a few times. 5/5 for me, it isn't many times you can say you feel for the "bad guy" but I think reading these books you do get to glimpse the other side of the coin and how they get to be the people they become and in The Sting how we can never really outrun our past or decisions! An absolute belter of a read, emotional roller coaster, action packed and for me hooked from the opening chapters!

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My Name is Anna by Lizzy Barber Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour and closing it for My Name is Anna, debut novel by author Lizzy Barber, please check out the other stops if you haven't already.



You can find Lizzy on Twitter and her website





My Name is Anna by Lizzy Barber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - Century

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

Two women – desperate to unlock the truth.
How far will they go to lay the past to rest?

ANNA has been taught that virtue is the path to God. But on her eighteenth birthday she defies her Mamma’s rules and visits Florida’s biggest theme park.
She has never been allowed to go – so why, when she arrives, does everything seem so familiar? And is there a connection to the mysterious letter she receives on the same day?
ROSIE has grown up in the shadow of the missing sister she barely remembers, her family fractured by years of searching without leads.Now, on the fifteenth anniversary of her sister’s disappearance, the media circus resumes in full flow, and Rosie vows to uncover the truth.
But will she find the answer before it tears her family apart?


My Review

Anna has just reached her eighteenth year, instead of celebrating like a normal eighteen year old she is inspecting her skin for dirt/dust. Anna's mother has taught her about God and they both know cleanliness is next to Godliness, birthday or not she mustn't forget what is important. But Anna is troubled, she is having recurrent dreams/memories/thoughts of another time, another person? But who or what and why is it becoming more and more insistent. When she disobeys her mother and goes off on a jaunt with her boyfriend Anna may get more answers than she could have bargained for. Meet Rosie, plagued by her sisters disappearance, constant whispers, media interest always the other sister, Rosie just wants normality. Now on the anniversary of her sisters disappearance this is the last push for someone to come forward and Rosie is more driven this year than ever to find out what happened.

The chapters alternate between the two girls, poor Anna, living with her mother has echos of Carrie (Stephen King). Religious, OCD, minimalism it is clear Anna's mother is a bit of a complex character and this has impacted on poor Anna. Rosie is equally complex, having lived in her missing sister's shadow, watched the strain on her parents her own mental health has suffered. Self harm in many ways Rosie has tried to power through every single day of life figuring out who she is, other than the other sister.

The book tackles a few issues, some of which I can't comment on without spoiling and I never do spoilers. Mental and emotional health, survival, adapting to stunted social growth, family, secrets, lies, abuse, death, betrayal are just some of the themes. The reader knows early on the jist of what has transpired and now, fifteen years on how everyone is getting on. Despite this the book has many surprised and when you think you know everything Barber throws another curve ball.

I think the real hold in this story is just how believable it all is, I am sure if you trawl the news you will find many cases like this. It is the impact each of these happenings have on the characters, the ripple effect how one event impacts on another and on and on. It took me a wee bit to get into the character jumping but once I did I didn't want to leave either as I so wanted to know what happened next. Hooks you from early on, turning page after page to find out what happens next! A strong debut that has this reader excited to see what she will bring to the table next, one to watch for for sure, 4/5 for me this time!

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Lost Lives by Lisa Cutts Blog Tour

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Lost Lives by Lisa Cutts, please check out the other stops on the tour.





Lost Lives is out to buy now as a treebook or ebook, click HERE for the link to Amazon to get your own copy.





You can find the author on Twitter or Facebook.


Lost Lives by Lisa Cutts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 368

Publisher - Simon & Schuster UK

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

SHE TRUSTED THEM WITH HER LIFE

When Anna arrives in the UK, she believes it’s the start of a better life for her and her daughter. But what awaits her is more shocking than anything she could have ever imagined . . .

SHE TRUSTED THEM WITH HER DAUGHTER

DI Harry Powell is investigating a shooting, but the victim has been scared into silence. As Harry struggles to piece together what little information he has, he stumbles upon an operation that may put countless lives across the country at risk.

SHE WAS WRONG

As Anna’s situation grows more dangerous by the day, Harry is forced to push his overstretched team to the limits to find answers. But for one of them, will it already be too late?


My Review

Anna is headed for a new life, one her family can be proud of her for, finally. Anna has been sold a lie, she will not be going to work in a hotel or anything like it, Anna's nightmare has just begun. A sordid tale of the worst sides of humanity, human trafficking, exploitation of the weak and innocent. For some, human life has no value except that which is can be sold for.

This is a really hard hitting book to be honest, you know the author has come from a background in policing and whilst this is fiction we know this is an ongoing issue today. Anna finds herself trapped, horrific conditions, abused, death always a breath away and always trying to keep herself safe for her family. Friendship and trust is not something that comes easy where she is but sometimes you need do what you can to stay alive. DI Harry Powell is the other part of the story, investigating a shooting at the complex on a police officer, a sex offender and someone who finds themselves caught up with the darker side of society. When the investigation gets going Powell and the team are caught up in a ring that may well put them all at risk.

Firstly let me say this is my first time reading this author, it won't be my last! The book comes in short chapters which I LOVE as you can dip in and out as life allows, I could have read this in one go instead of as and when across one day. It is a very dark tale involving abuse, human trafficking, sexual deviancy, violence and murder. The book doesn't give in depth focused scenes on the sexual depravity but there is enough for you to know exactly what has transpired. The conditions these poor souls find themselves in is enough to bring tears to a glass and and shocks to the core just how easily people find themselves in this living hell.

Dark, fast paced and not just focused on the trafficking side/victims we also get a good look into the team, who they are and what else is going on outwith the investigation. A busy wee book that you will still be thinking about long after you finish the last page. I intend on buying this authors back catalogue! I enjoyed (enjoyed seems the wrong word when dealing with such a subject) the writing, pace, story and characters, I hope they are revisited in stories to come as I would like to see what is next in store for them, 4.5/5 for me this time.

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The Trap by Melanie Raabe

The Trap by Melanie Raabe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 352

Publisher - Grand central Publishing

Source - The Works

Blurb from Goodreads

In this twisted debut thriller, a reclusive author sets the perfect trap for her sister's murderer -- but is he really the killer?

For 11 years, the bestselling author Linda Conrads has mystified fans by never setting foot outside her home. Haunted by the unsolved murder of her younger sister--who she discovered in a pool of blood--and the face of the man she saw fleeing the scene, Linda's hermit existence helps her cope with debilitating anxiety. But the sanctity of her oasis is shattered when she sees her sister's murderer on television. Hobbled by years of isolation, Linda resolves to use the plot of her next novel to lay an irresistible trap for the man. As the plan is set in motion and the past comes rushing back, Linda's memories -- and her very sanity -- are called into question. Is this man a heartless killer or merely a helpless victim?


My Review

Linda is a successful author, she lives in a very small world, her home. After her sister died, murdered, she has became a recluse, agoraphobic and for over a decade has kept that existence with her dog. When a voice from her past sparks a fire in her world she knows she can't stop until she brings justice to the person who has kept her prisoner in her own home and took her sister from her.

This is different for a debut, we have a bit of an unreliable character, she struggles to engage with the outside world. When she happens upon the voice of the man who killed her sister she needs to act, the police didn't help then would they now?

So Linda isn't a loveable character although you get used to her after a bit. She has been devastated by her sisters death and we see her overcome many issues to get closure. The book follows her plan to catch a killer and we also have a story within a story when she writes a "fictional" account of what really happened to draw in the killer. I found this format a bit hard to get used to, the second story, I felt, took forever to get to the point. The plan to get the killer was a bit out there but it is interesting to watch her plan, prepare and plot.

Whilst there is a murder and a bit of cat and mouse, there is also the whole relationships, personal growth and coming to terms with many issues within her life. I thought it was a good story although I didn't love the second story, I felt it detracted and took a bit to get to the point. Otherwise an interesting plot and daring plan from a woman practically housebound to take on the person who murdered her sister and changed her whole life. 3/5 for me this time, I look forward to seeing what this author brings out next.

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Savage by Richard Laymon

Savage by Richard Laymon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - over 4 days

Pages - 437

Publisher - Headline Feature

Source - Amazon

Blurb from Goodreads

Whitechapel, November 1888: Jack the Ripper is committing his last known murder and beneath the bed on which he's butchering his victim cowers a fifteen-year-old boy. So begin the adventures of Trevor Bentley: a boy who embarked on an errand of mercy and ended up on a quest for vengeance, a boy who will bring the horrors of the Ripper to the New World.


My Review

Imagine Jack the Ripper had an eye witness to his last slaughter, that witness is fifteen year old Trevor. Trevor gets a first hand account of what Jack is capable of and being the fine young lad he is he can't let Jack carry on, by intervening he changes his own life and those he encounters forever. The first part of the story is Trevor, encountering Jack and how they come to part. Then Jack ends up on a bit of an adventure, a bit of a western, outlaws, coming of age, fighting, shooting, murder and then back to Jack. It was almost two different stories, the part with Jack the Ripper then a few hundred pages of different adventures, growing up, shaves with death and then back to Jack.

For a fifteen year old Trevor has a very good streak of nobleness, righteous and justice - maybe kids where like that back then who knows. It has a bit of a Tom Sawyer I think I want to say, remember Treasure Island type adventures and pirates, jostles with bad guys and growing up? A bit of all that and then one of our worst killers in history.

Certainly different and an interesting take on the old Jack the Ripper but whilst some parts worked well some could have been stronger if left to that vein or split into two separate stories. I have read a few Laymon books and I do like his writing. He carves great characters and sets scenes so vivid you can easily lose yourself in the world he has created, even just a few pages in. 3.5/5 for me this time, I will be buying more of his work!

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Garnethill by Denise Mina

Garnethill by Denise Mina
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 352

Publisher - Carroll & Graf

Source - Amazon (ebook)

Blurb from Goodreads

Maureen O'Donnell wakes up one morning to find her therapist boyfriend murdered in the middle of her living room and herself a prime suspect in a murder case. Determined to clear her name, Maureen undertakes her own investigation and learns of a similar murder at a local psychiatric hospital.

She soon uncovers a trail of deception and repressed scandal that could clear her name - or make her the next victim.



My Review

Poor Maureen, life isn't exactly a bed of roses, recovering from a breakdown, in a relationship with a married doctor and zero support from her mother. She has a wee job that keeps her right, a good pal and a not bad relationship with her brother, things could be better but they can always be worse. After a boozy blow out with her pal she awakes with a hangover to find her boyfriend brutally murdered in her house. With a background of mental health Maureen finds herself up against almost everyone. The police officer in charge has little respect or patience for anything Maureen has to say, her brother isn't best pleased with the attention, her mother and sister are downright shocking in their behaviours and Maureen decides if no one will listen she will take matters into her own hands!

So there is a fair bit of depth to this book, we have a murder committed in "an unhinged" females apartment or at least that is what some of the characters would lead you to believe. Maureen's mother is so manipulative, calculating, self centred, dangerous and lacking moral fibre it is shocking. As the story goes on we find out what triggered Maureen and just how despicable her families attitude is. It also highlights just how hard it is for someone, a female, to be taken seriously or respected when they have a history of mental health.

There are a few positive relationships in the book but very overshadowed by so much nasty, small minded, unprofessional and unfeeling characters. Maureen may be vulnerable but she has an edge and strength to her that we see as the story unfolds.

I also liked the location for this book, Glasgow, I always find when you read about somewhere you have been you can visualise a bit better. I also think if you have never visited the city, Mina does a great job of conjuring it up really well that by the end of the book you could well convince yourself you have been.

Yet another book that will infuriate the reader, in parts, just for the shoddy behaviour of almost all of the characters against Maureen. It throws a light on some important issues and just how undermined and silenced people can be when people don't see the person but only their backgrounds. This was my first dance with this author, it won't be my last, 4/5 for me this time!

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Play Dead by Angela Marsons

Play Dead by Angela Marsons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Sphere

Source - The Works

Blurb from Goodreads

The dead don't tell secrets... unless you listen.

The girl's smashed-in face stared unseeing up to the blue sky, soil spilling out of her mouth. A hundred flies hovered above the bloodied mess. Westerley research facility is not for the faint-hearted. A 'body farm' investigating human decomposition, its inhabitants are corpses in various states of decay. But when Detective Kim Stone and her team discover the fresh body of a young woman, it seems a killer has discovered the perfect cover to bury their crime.

Then a second girl is attacked and left for dead, her body drugged and mouth filled with soil. It's clear to Stone and the team that a serial killer is at work - but just how many bodies will they uncover? And who is next? As local reporter, Tracy Frost, disappears, the stakes are raised. The past seems to hold the key to the killer's secrets - but can Kim uncover the truth before a twisted, damaged mind claims another victim ...?



My Review

This is book four in the series, you would manage this as a standalone but I would say to read the previous three. You get better insight into the characters, their background and they are just really good books. DI Kim Stone and crew are headed to a body farm, ordered by the boss the team reluctantly go and come across a body that shouldn't be there. When it soon becomes apparent they have a serial on their hands the team is pushed to get to the bottom of it before another life is taken.

The book splits into two, the murders/police investigation and an unknown character (written in italics) we don't hear often from them but as the book progresses we get a bit more clarity of what is the point. Stone has to find out who the victim is, why someone would have so much rage toward them and what the motivation could possibly be. Whilst dealing with that she also has a journalist under her feet, Tracy Frost, Tracy has a nose for these things and wants the scoop, regardless.

I love Stone and her team dynamics, even snarky encounters she deals with them brilliantly and always the champion for the victim. What I liked about this book (as well as the norm stuff we see from Marsons) was the body farm stuff, what they do, different tests on the subjects, it isn't something you really ever think about. Action packed as per, relationships, police investigation, dead bodies, serial killer what more could you want? 4/5 for me, I have the rest in the series on my shelves, cannot wait to see what is next for Stone and the team.

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Creature by Hunter Shea Blog Tour

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Creature by author Hunter Shea, please check out the other stops on the tour as we all offer different content.





Creature by Hunter Shea
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 2 days

Pages - 256

Publisher - Flame Tree Press

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

The monsters live inside of Kate Woodson. Chronic pain and a host of autoimmune diseases have robbed her of a normal, happy life. Her husband Andrew’s surprise of their dream Maine lake cottage for the summer is the gift of a lifetime. It’s beautiful, remote, idyllic, a place to heal. But they are not alone. Something is in the woods, screeching in the darkness, banging on the house, leaving animals for dead. Just like her body, Kate’s cottage becomes her prison. She and Andrew must fight to survive the creature that lurks in the dead of night.


My Review

Kate Woodson is struggling, she has health conditions that cause her unimaginable pain and impact on her day to day life, relationships, sleep, mood, you name it it impacts it all. Andrew, her husband, is hard working but sorts a getaway for them both inbetween treatments. The perfect retreat, she can recharge her batteries, recover and just the three of them, him, her and their dog Buttons.

The first part of the book deals in depth with Kate's struggles and really gives insight into how difficult life can be living with these chronic conditions. When you read the afterword it packs an additional punch, adding weight to what you have already read, I think anyone with these or similar health conditions will readily identify. Then we start to have an atmospheric buildup of events that prickle the hairs on the back of your neck before descending into chaos and horror. The later part of the book is spooky, creepy, freaky, brutal and gets the old heart racing.

I think before you pick this book up you need to be aware that it is almost split in two, the first half being very much about the wife's condition. It is absolutely required, it lets us understand so much about them as a couple, Kate herself as a character and everything that follows. I picked this up thinking it was going to be a horror right off the bat, it isn't but for me it really worked. I do enjoy a book that goes into health conditions anyway so it ticked boxes for me anyway. Then it flows into something else, creepy atmospheric scenes that if you have watched as many horrors as I have you get spooked by envisioning the scene vividly. Abandoned in the middle of nowhere, limited or no mobile service and you hear a noise, ooft, hairs standing up already on my arms. I love stuff like that, it isn't immediately in your face, the blatant horror comes but it has a build up. It doesn't always work for me, in this book it did. Please read the afterword and the my copy had a Q&A which gives a great insight into what the author experienced and went through bringing this book into print. This was my first dance with this author, it won't be my last, 4.5 for me this time, I think it could be a marmite book for some but if you go into it aware of the pace I think you will love it.

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Dragged to the Depths by Cheryl Elaine Blog Tour

Today is my stop on the blog tour for "Dragged to the Depths" by Cheryl Elaine. My stop features my wee review, if you like legends and romance you will love this book!


Dragged to the Depths: A Cherry Laine Fantasy by Cheryl Elaine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - Kindle

Publisher - AAH Publishing

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Tormented with grief after losing her father, Emilia journeyed to her gran's, in a desperate attempt to escape the memories surrounding her. But once there, she found little rest and respite on the remote Orkney islands after discovering a supernatural world under the sea.

The gods, goddesses and unfamiliar species of Mother Earth's oceanic lands welcomed her with open arms - particularly Erox, the love of Emilia's life. Her eyes were opened to the greed and hatred of her fellow mortals; it wasn't a question of whether she was simply following destiny - she knew the path to RESET was one she could not ignore.

Erox smiled before giving Emilia a lingering kiss. She didn't hesitate, and gave herself freely to the vortex before heading into the unknown. Could she save herself, let alone everyone else on the planet?

Dragged to the Depths will lead readers into a magical world full of secrets, legacies and adventure. An apocalyptic love story for those who believe there's someone for everyone, somewhere...



My Review

Guys, first thing to say is this is not normally a book I would read but it is set in Orkney and it has mystical sea creatures. I LOVE mythical creatures, we grew up with tales of selkies, mermaids and magical creatures in the waters so this piqued my interest. Emilia heads to the Orkney islands with her mother who is struggling with addiction after a bereavement. Emilia's gran Rose takes over her care and allows Emilia to process her own grief, loss and sadness. This is what draws Erox to Emilia, he knows it is a love that cannot be however both cannot deny the powerful draw of love and give into their feelings. Obstacles in their way, barriers you can only imagine and their union kicks off events that had consequences for the world as we know it.

There is a lot going on in this book, teenage angst, grief, dealing with an addict mother, removal of everything she knows. Personal growth, going through her own emotions and loss then encountering someone unlike anyone she has ever met. Experiencing love for the first time and having to process who Erox is, what he represents and how he fits in our world.

The magical world Emilia encounters was for me enveloping in a world I first met when I was a kid so it conjured up lots of memories for me. I think the location for the story was well chosen, Scottish waters have many a myth to them and it goes perfect with the magical world Elaine creates.

Mythical creatures, love, sacrifice, power, greed, magic, family, relationships are just some of the themes in the book. I love the world created, younger characters can put me off a bit especially when it is a deep love kicking everything off but I soon settled in and couldn't put the book down. Initially you think you can guess exactly where the story is going, soon enough I had the rug pulled out from under me, gripped, not knowing what was coming next. It is a mixed bag, immersing the reader almost from the get go and managing to surprise (I actually gasped out loud at one particular plot twist) engage and compel the reader page after page. 4.5 out of 5 for me this time, this is actually my first by this author, I have another from her but in a different genre, I will be bumping it up the TBRM. Thanks to Shell for asking me to join the tour and for bringing a wee gem of a read my way I most likely would have over looked. I think I need to go digging through my books or order some Scottish myths and legends, I forgot how much I enjoyed stuff like this!

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Please check out the other stops on the blog tour as everyone has different content.

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour for the fantastic "An Unwanted Guest" by Shari Lapena, please check out the other stops on the tour as everyone offer different content and it is a great book. I also think the banner for this blog tour may be my favorite ever, I love how all the lights come on for each room, bloody fabulous!











An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 304

Publisher - Bantam Press

Source - Random Things review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

We can’t choose the strangers we meet.

As the guests arrive at beautiful, remote Mitchell’s Inn, they’re all looking forward to a relaxing weekend deep in the forest, miles from anywhere. They watch their fellow guests with interest, from a polite distance.

Usually we can avoid the people who make us nervous, make us afraid.

With a violent storm raging, the group finds itself completely cut off from the outside world. Nobody can get in – or out. And then the first body is found . . . and the horrifying truth comes to light. There’s a killer among them – and nowhere to run.

Until we find ourselves in a situation we can’t escape. Trapped.





My Review

Welcome to the Mitchell Inn, a wee hotel out of the way and a storm is raging! Two friends and a few couples escape to the inn to work on their own issues. When a body turns up and there is no way to get out or communicate it soon turns into a cabin fever picture with a killer on the loose.

EEEEK so lets talk location, it all takes place in The Mitchell Inn, I am so gutted this isn't a real place, I would have love to go there minus the killing. It is old fashioned, unique, no wifi, a wee retreat type place, an ice bar, sitting room and a library bliss. Add to that they are snowed in so really if it hadn't ended up all murderous it would be a bloody perfect location.

Gwen & her friend Riley, David is a lawyer and travelling alone, Lauren & Ian are a couple, Beverly & Henry are married this weekend is to fix their marriage and Dana and Matthew are newly engaged and wedding planning. All have their own issues, all are looking forward to their time away, none realising nothing will ever be the same again after this weekend.

So, it starts off relatively gentle, we just get to know all the visitors, the hotel is small and with the weather it is a tiny skeleton staff running it. I have to say, normally the small stories getting to know the characters I am a bit meh, these guys we get in bite size as it moves to the next visitors. I found myself getting immersed quickly and not wanting to move on to anyone else for every person I was reading. It isn't that huge things happen immediately but Lapena writes in such a way you want to get to know the characters more. When the first body appears the story takes on a new feel and as the characters start to freak out you can help but feel the tension and suspect everyone. It is all a bit cabin fever and as you turn page after page, more than once, I was holding my breath. What is happening, who is next, who is the bad guy, I found myself going through it like an old Murder She Wrote = suspect them all, trust no one!

I really enjoyed this, pulled in quickly, experiencing the terror and tension with the characters and fully engaging with it as it all unfolds. I have read this author before and I think there is only one more of hers I need to get. I was kept guessing the whole time and I love when a book does that to you, absolutely a testament to the authors ability to weave a tale and keep you on your toes, 4/5 for me this time. Thanks so much to Random Things Tours for giving me the opportunity to read this and remind me how much I enjoy Lapena's writing!

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Dead Girls by Graeme Cameron Blog Tour

Dead Girls by Graeme Cameron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Publisher - H Q Stories

Pages - 400

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

I may not remember everything, but I know he won’t hurt anyone else.

I won’t let him.

It’s been two months since a serial killer brutally attacked police detective Alisha Green and left her for dead. Two months since she could effortlessly recall simple things, since her mind felt remotely sound. The nameless killer thinks he knows her, thinks she’s just another dead girl among many. Ali Green plans to show him he’s dead wrong about that.

Ali has two enemies now: the dangerous man she’s hunting and her own failing memory. As explosive new evidence comes to light and conflicting accounts from a witness and a surviving victim threaten both her investigation and her credibility, she begins to question what is and isn’t real. And now Ali has no choice but to remember the past…before it buries her.

A hypnotically gripping thriller that proves internationally bestselling author Graeme Cameron is one of the most unique voices in contemporary fiction today.



My Review

Absolutely I recommend reading Normal by this author before reading this one, I read it a while back and feel like I want to re read it. DS Ali Green survived her encounter with "The man" the horrific serial killer from Normal and now we are following the police investigation and the after math of all that transpired from the first book. Normal was all about him, his activities, perspective, killings. This book is the police, primarily Ali, the pursuit and the ripples he has left from their encounter. Ali is determined he will harm no one else but how do you do your job, stay safe and keep the team going when you had a horrific injury and your memory is impaired?


It took me a wee bit to settle into this one, it kicks off with a bang and you are draw in quickly. However, there are a lot of characters and the scenes jump around a bit so it takes a wee bit to get your head round. Narration flips from first to third person, multiple characters and settlings and you have to be switched on to keep track. I think it adds to the weight of what Ali is going through, her memory is impaired, she has to keep notes and she is desperate to keep it hidden from her colleagues.

The devastation of this killer is clear from the beginning, he isn't featured much at all but his reach and actions have long lasting consequences. It is a unique story from that point of view, we see exactly how many lives a murderer can impact and the aftermath that follows. What I did really like was some of the subtle genius within Cameron's scenes. For example, what one character did when another finally left, nothing massive or huge but it encapsulates the reality of humanity. For some writers they can describe a place so well you can smell and see it, similar idea here but it is more some of the actions and responses a person does that just screams reality. It isn't a huge thing and some readers may pass over but I think small sparks like that are testament to creative genius. 3.5 out of 5 for me this time, I would like to see a prequel with more info on him and how he came to be, fingers crossed!

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