Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 374

Publisher - Michael Joseph

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Can you stop a murder after it's already happened?


It's every parent's nightmare.

Your happy, funny, innocent son commits a terrible crime: murdering a complete stranger.

You don't know who. You don't know why. You only know your teenage boy is in custody and his future lost.

That night you fall asleep in despair. Until you wake . . .

. . . and it is yesterday.

Every morning you wake up a day earlier, another day before the murder. Another chance to stop it.

Somewhere in the past lie the answers, and you don't have a choice but to find them . . .

My Review

Imagine watching your loved one involved in an incident that will ruin all of your lives, your child, a murder, the police, arrest and everything you have dreamed of for your child, young adult, now gone. Imagine waking up and the day has been resent, you know what is coming, what do you do to change things?

Thing Groundhog day with Bill Murray but sinister, welcome to Jen's world. Not only do you try to comprehend what is happening but when you go to sleep you reset and not to the day before, you go back another day, then another. How can Jen figure out what is happening, the relevance and most importantly, why and what can she do to save her family.

So there are so many things I quite like about this. A crime has happened, a murder no less but it isn't just about that, that is the event that kicks everything off. Jen ends up going back in time and each time she finds out more and more about her loved ones that she couldn't have forseen. Imagine reliving your time over, you can ignore your work or normal responsibilities because everything scrubs when the day is over. She never knows where she will wake, what she is meant to do or see. One thing for me was waking up in one of her old houses, things she had forgotten like the bed she slept in. For me, nostalgia and details like that add a truth or realistic vein to a story. You do forget things about your past as years go by, houses that have changed and it would be a big thing to wake up in an older poorer home back before you had X career or child or partner. It isn't a huge thing at all in relation to the storyline but for me it gave great weight to the feel of realism.

I felt for Jen because as she goes further back and relives days and events it is like the rug being pulled out from under her. It is really clever writing, the days going back took me a wee bit to settle to as I thought it would be the same day over and over but it isn't so keeps you interested as different things are revealed/lived through.

Time travel but not overly geeky/sci fi type it just helps to assist the story & we meet other characters, not just Jen although she is the main. There is always something happening and you can't help but think what would I do, who would I reach out to, would you be tempted to do XYZ. I think this is my first by McAllister but I have others on my tbrm. A crime/investigation style with a difference, certainly unique which isn't easy with the plethora of books in the crime genre, 4/5 for me this time.

View all my reviews

Thunder on the Moor by Andrea Matthews Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour for the final stop for book, Thunder on the Moor by Andrea Matthews.

Twitter handles for the author and tour organiser.

@AMatthewsAuthor

@lovebooksgroup

@lovebookstours

Author Bio Andrea Matthews is the pseudonym for Inez Foster, a historian and librarian who loves to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogical speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science, and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. She is the author of the Thunder on the Moor series set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Border, and the Cross of Ciaran series, where a fifteen hundred year old Celt finds himself in the twentieth century. Andrea is a member of the Romance Writers of America.

For my stop I have my review, enjoy.

Thunder On The Moor by Andrea Matthews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2.5 days

Pages - 476

Publisher -

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Maggie Armstrong grew up enchanted by her father’s tales of blood feuds and border raids. In fact, she could have easily fallen for the man portrayed in one particular image in his portrait collection. Yet when her father reveals he was himself an infamous Border reiver, she finds it a bit far-fetched—to say the least—especially when he announces his plans to return to his sixteenth century Scottish home with her in tow.

Suspecting it’s just his way of getting her to accompany him on yet another archaeological dig, Maggie agrees to the expedition, only to find herself transported four hundred and fifty years into the past. Though a bit disoriented at first, she discovers her father’s world to be every bit as exciting as his stories, particularly when she’s introduced to Ian Rutherford, the charming son of a neighboring laird. However, when her uncle announces her betrothal to Ian, Maggie’s twentieth-century sensibilities are outraged. She hardly even knows the man. But a refusal of his affections could ignite a blood feud.

Maggie’s worlds are colliding. Though she’s found the family she always wanted, the sixteenth century is a dangerous place. Betrayal, treachery, and a tragic murder have her questioning whether she should remain or try to make her way back to her own time.

To make matters worse, tensions escalate when she stumbles across Bonnie Will Foster, the dashing young man in her father’s portrait collection, only to learn he is a dreaded Englishman. But could he be the hero she’s always dreamed him to be? Or will his need for revenge against Ian shatter more than her heart?



My Review

Maggie is a modern day girl, from her time but her da, Robert, is from the sixteeth century, I hear you "whaaaaaaat?" Her "uncle" Eddie met her dad when he time travelled twenty five years ago and brought him to our time. Now they have they chance to go back to the sixteenth, Maggie thinks it is a joke, time travel isn't real. The four, Robert, Eddie, Maggie and her bestie Dylan, travel back to Robert's time, clan and we enter a very authentic time/trials and auld rivalry between Scottish and English.

I don't overly love historical fiction (although as I get older I am finding I am liking it or maybe just choosing ones more relevant to my tastes) but this historical romance with a slash of time travel. The lingo, the issues of that time, betrothals, promises made by tribes, wars, the Border Reivers and at the end of the book a glossary of the terms used and what they mean.

Maggie is a plucky character, she is obviously used to the freedoms women of our time have so having to go back to such a different way of life was really interesting. Imagine hearing centuries old, falling in love with characters and then finding yourself actually living in that time, facing/meeting/arguing with them. I thought that was really cleverly done by the author and enjoyed the interactions with Maggie and the "enemies". As of that time period there is a lot of brutality, murder, women being used/hurt by men, promised into marriage for the sakes of their clans rather than love.

Such a different way of life, I loved how head strong Maggie was at times and other times I wanted to shake her, look what is right infront of you. Engaging, shocking, emotive, family, love, lies, relationships, so so many themes covered. Don't be put off by the time travel if it isn't something you would normally read - it really only comes into it for the transport of that time period really. I thought this was really different to a lot of the books I have read (of which there are many!) and I really enjoyed it. 4/5 for me this time, I would absolutely read this author again, this is her debut and I think possibly book one in a series, I would love to read more about these characters!

Out to buy NOW, treebook and ebook, click HERE from AMAZON UK.

View all my reviews

The Pharaoh's Cat by Maria Luisa Lang

The Pharaoh's Cat by Maria Luisa Lang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 182

Publisher - Self published

Blurb from Goodreads

The Pharaoh’s Cat, a tragicomic fantasy narrated in the present tense by the cat himself, tells of a free-spirited, wise-cracking stray in ancient Egypt who suddenly acquires human powers and immediately captivates the young Pharaoh, making him laugh for the first time since his parents’ death.

The cat becomes the Pharaoh’s constant companion and, at the royal palace and on a tour of Egypt, participates in the festivities, developing an insatiable appetite for good food, wine, and gossip. Gradually, he renews the Pharaoh’s ability to enjoy life and inspires him to become a stronger leader. The bond of selfless love they share will change Egypt’s destiny.

The cat has a good friend in the High Priest of the god Amun-Ra and seeks his help in solving the mystery of his human powers and the supernatural manifestations that plague him. He has a mortal enemy in the Vizier—the second most powerful man in Egypt--who hates him for his close relationship with the Pharaoh. The Vizier’s persecution of the cat ultimately results in his fleeing with the High Priest to present-day New York City, where they find an ally in an Egyptologist’s daughter.



My Review

A wee stray cat in Egypt suddenly finds himself able to talk and stand upright, saved from a horrible fate by the Pharaoh whilst making an enemy. Wrappa-Hamen (the cat) is the protagonist, whilst meeting the Pharaoh changes his life he in turn enriches the Pharaoh's waking him from his grief and embracing life and his role. The Vizier, the second most powerful man next to the Pharaoh is not pleased with Wrappa-Hamen's influence and his arrival kick starts a deadly change of events.

I have had this on my review tbr for a long time, I wish I had read it sooner, the cat would steal the show even if he wasn't the main character. He is sassy, funny, witty and brings joy and chaos to the realm stirring everything up. The Vizier is not a nice man, he had the Pharaoh where he wanted him, almost like a puppet, with the arrival of Wrappa-Hamen everything changes and the Pharaoh comes into his own. The book is about actions, choices, consequences and lives lessons without being done in a preachy manner. There is also a lot about Egyptian history, I have always been interested in it but never really gotten around to reading much, I did find myself putting the book down to google some things & will read further hopefully soon.

A heart warming story that covers a lot of ground, snippets of history, magic, relationships, lies, love, friendship, persecution and even some time travel. This book won't be loved by all however I thought it was really well done. A sweet tale with some moral lessons and the kitty is a cheeky wee thing with some flare, I found myself laughing at some of his quips! 4/5 for me this time, there is another book with this character that I will bump up my list, not too sure how it will go with how well rounded this one was was but I look forward to reading it. Thanks so much to the author for bringing this to my attention it is a wee gem of a book particularly if you like cats and something a bit different.

View all my reviews

Review - The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Publisher - HarperCollins

Pages - 399

Blurb from Goodreads

THE GIRL WHO WOULDN'T DIE HUNTS THE KILLER WHO SHOULDN'T EXIST.

The future is not as loud as war, but it is relentless. It has a terrible fury all its own."

Harper Curtis is a killer who stepped out of the past. Kirby Mazrachi is the girl who was never meant to have a future.

Kirby is the last shining girl, one of the bright young women, burning with potential, whose lives Harper is destined to snuff out after he stumbles on a House in Depression-era Chicago that opens on to other times.

At the urging of the House, Harper inserts himself into the lives of the shining girls, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He's the ultimate hunter, vanishing into another time after each murder, untraceable-until one of his victims survives.

Determined to bring her would-be killer to justice, Kirby joins the Chicago Sun-Times to work with the ex-homicide reporter, Dan Velasquez, who covered her case. Soon Kirby finds herself closing in on the impossible truth . . .

THE SHINING GIRLS is a masterful twist on the serial killer tale: a violent quantum leap featuring a memorable and appealing heroine in pursuit of a deadly criminal.




My Review

I don't think I opened this appreciating it was a time travel book so I was really confused for a good bit of it. Reading other reviews I don't think it sounds like it was clearly highlighted although I read it on the kindle and very rarely these days do I read the blurb. Harper Curtis is our killer, the book opens with him in the 1930s visiting one of his future victims. He calls them his shining girls and always goes back to meet them when they are children and visits again to murder them as adults in the future. The book bounces between the 1930s and the 1990s, there are a few characters and each chapter has their name at the top so you know who it is about. Kirby should be dead, she is one of the shining girls who Curtis took care of, or so he thought. A game of cat and mouse begins when he realizes she is still alive and Kirby knows, despite details not making any logical sense, that her would be killer is out there and she means to stop him.

This book took a while to get to grips with, it was interesting enough although the time and character jumps took a bit of getting used to and sorting through. Once I realized what was going on I got on a lot better with the story. Harper is driven to contact and then later, through time gaps, kill them as they are the shining girls and have to die. Anyone who gets in his way is also in peril however they are his main focus. He isn't a particularly crafty killer, barring the fact he can time travel but the murders themselves are hideously brutal and gorey.

I think the idea for this book is a really good one, I read one by Joe Hill that was a similar theme, chosen ones to die and time travel however this one needs something more. I think had there been an explanation up front of why they are chosen and everything that follows after then the book would have, for me, been much more enjoyable. I don't like when I have to come up with the hows and whys, I know some readers do, I also don't like to be left with questions and hanging. That said, the way the characters and events are linked is done well which is why the rating for this one is 3/5. I had never read her before and whilst I would try her work again, I won't be rushing out to buy them all up. I believe she has a new one coming out in July, 2014 so will keep an eye on the reviews for that one.

View all my reviews