Review - The Faithless by Martina Cole

The Faithless by Martina Cole

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Blurb from Goodreads

Number-one bestselling author Martina Cole (The Family, Hard Girls) delivers a hard-hitting novel that’s a guaranteed bestseller.

To the outside world, Cynthia Tailor is a woman to envy: she has a devoted husband, a lovely home and two gorgeous children. But Cynthia has always craved the best things in life, and is determined to see that she gets them. Cynthia will let nothing stand in her way, even if it means devastation and tragedy for those nearest to her …

British writer Martina Cole is known for her gritty, gangland thrillers. Two of her novels, Two Women and The Graft, have been adapted for the stage. A non-fiction TV series, Martina Cole’s Lady Killers, became a huge success in 2008.

My Review

Cynthia Tailor is everyones worst nightmare. Beautiful but pure evil inside, nothing will get in the way of her and anything she wants as her family will find out. We start with a pretty huge and brutal event and then go back in time to when Cynthia was young to present day. We meet the family and see how their relationship ends up the way it does and how Cynthia's character develops and just how evil she trully is.

What a great story. I love Martina Cole and have yet to find a book of hers I didn't like. It has her usual bad language, violence, betrayal, heartbreak and jaw dropping moments. The chapters are bit like James Patterson in that they are only 2 to 3 pages long which is great as you can dip in and out as often as you want and I find you race right through a book when it is like that.

There is some kind of action or drama on just about every page which makes this book hard to put down. If your not big on bad language and gangster brtuality then this (and any Martina Cole) book isn't for you. My only moan or issue was I felt there was a bit of repetition of some of the things that were being said. Also there was one or two things (small things) that I wanted dealt with but I am really picky and like every small detail dealt with. Overall a gripping read and page turner so a 4/5 for me.

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Review - The Woman In Black by Susan Hill

The Woman In Black: Movie Tie In by Susan Hill

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Blurb From Goodreads

Set in Victorian England, Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor in London, is summoned to Crythin Gifford to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, and to sort through her papers before returning to London. It is here that Kipps first sees the woman in black and begins to gain an impression of the mystery surrounding her. From the funeral he travels to Eel Marsh House and sees the woman again, plus he also hears the terrifying sounds of adult and child passengers sinking into the quicksand on a pony and trap.

Despite Kipps’s experiences he resolves to spend the night at the house and fulfil hi professional duty.It is this night at Eel Marsh House that contains the greatest horror for Kipps. Rescued by Mr Daily, a friend he met on the train, Kipps discovers the reasons behind the hauntings at Eel Marsh House. The book ends with tragedy, with the woman in black exacting a final, terrible revenge

My Review

It's almost Christmas at the home of Arthur Kipps and there are scary stories all round which forces Arthur to recall a time in his past he would rather not remember. Arthur is young and eager in his job to impress the boss and hopefully get a raise and then some. He has to go to a former client house to settle affairs after her death and finds more than he bargained for in her creepy house and little town where the locals hint at dark happenings associated with the lady and house.

It starts of fairly slow and to be honest keeps at that pace for most of the book, it reminded me of the Blair Witch Project movie where lots was hinted at and your mind filled in the blanks and you scared yourself rather than the scares in your face.

As ghost stories go it is quite timid until the end or almost last quarter when things pick up but again it isn't over the top horror or even close, rather some horrible scary episodes for our main character. Most of the big questions are answered but there is a lot that would leave the inquisitive mind unsettled and possibly even annoyed. I liked it but much prefer my ghost stories with much more pace, action, gore (of which there wasn't) and edge of your seat scares. This was a much more timid read that kept you on the edge of your seat if your imagination does most of the work so 3/5 for me.

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Having problems with the contact form

Sorry but my contact form is having problems (hubby is working on a new one) so I have changed all the links so the contact now takes you to my profile and you can email from there.

If you have any problems with this you can always just leave a comment and a way for me to contact you back (twitter, facebook, website url) for any of the competitions or any other reason for contact.

Thanks for understanding and I will have a new form in place soon.

UPDATED - hubby has updated all the links (we think) if there is any problems please let me know.

Review - Nightfall in Mogadishu by Veronica Li

Nightfall in Mogadishu by Veronica Li

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Blurb from Amazon

Nightfall in Mogadishu is a spy thriller and historical novel set in Somalia. It weaves the country’s history, politics and culture into a tale of international intrigue. Susan Chen, a CIA agent is sent to Mogadishu to thwart a plot to overthrow the government. She finds a nation that has lost its soul and is whirling into a vortex of violence and terror.

My review

Susan is an undercover agent sent to Somalia to stop the destruction of the Somalia government, this is her first assignment. Whilst there she finds murder, brutality and something she wasn't expecting with harsh consequences.

I am not a fan of war books to be honest but with a woman able to defend herself and undercover I thought I would be able to get on with it. There is too much government and politics throughout the book for me, two things I don't understand and don't have one iota of interest in. I think if I had known some of Somalia's background maybe I wouldn't have been so lost.

The book does have some good that I could get on with, Susan is a great character. Strong, able, out spoken (when in a place where woman should be seen and not heard) and not afraid to go after something or someone in her way.

There is a lot of murder and brutality in the book and people and animals suffer so it isn't for the light hearted. There is also quite a bit of action in it but I got so bogged down with the political issues I couldn't enjoy any of the other aspects of the book. It is written well and the author has put a lot of heart and time into the book but it just isn't my kind of story but I did give it a bash. If you like reading about war and other countries then this is a book for you, sadly a 2/5 for me this time but I would read this author again as I did like her style just now the subject content.


Thanks to the author for giving me the chance to read this and you can get it for only £0.77 on Amazon for the kindle.

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Fab new design logo

My friends wonderful hubby redesigned my avatar/website logo, isn't he just fabulous. There are two versions

the first

And this is the second

I will be using the first as that was the first created but would like to know what design you guys prefer?

Review - The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Blurb From Goodreads

One day in early spring, Dorrit Weger is checked into the Second Reserve Bank Unit for biological material. She is promised a nicely furnished apartment inside the Unit, where she will make new friends, enjoy the state of the art recreation facilities, and live the few remaining days of her life in comfort with people who are just like her. Here, women over the age of fifty and men over sixty–single, childless, and without jobs in progressive industries–are sequestered for their final few years; they are considered outsiders. In the Unit they are expected to contribute themselves for drug and psychological testing, and ultimately donate their organs, little by little, until the final donation. Despite the ruthless nature of this practice, the ethos of this near-future society and the Unit is to take care of others, and Dorrit finds herself living under very pleasant conditions: well-housed, well-fed, and well-attended. She is resigned to her fate and discovers her days there to be rather consoling and peaceful. But when she meets a man inside the Unit and falls in love, the extraordinary becomes a reality and life suddenly turns unbearable. Dorrit is faced with compliance or escape, and…well, then what?

THE UNIT is a gripping exploration of a society in the throes of an experiment, in which the “dispensable” ones are convinced under gentle coercion of the importance of sacrificing for the “necessary” ones. Ninni Holmqvist has created a debut novel of humor, sorrow, and rage about love, the close bonds of friendship, and about a cynical, utilitarian way of thinking disguised as care.

My Review

We are introduced to Dorrit and her journey as she arrives in the Unit and explains how she came to be there. How the people end up in the unit and what their purpose is, what they go through and the people she meets and friendships she makes. Dorrit makes a few special friendships and one develops into something more than she could ever have dreamed of.

I found the book really slow going and to be honest nothing really happened until half way through and even then it wasn't a huge oh my God, it was very gradual. Everything is explained out and we are taken through the daily ritual until some kind of routine is established. The donations and experiments, side effects, the ups and downs and how they get through what they face everyday.

Despite it being slow I actually quite liked the book. The idea is for me totally new, I have never read anything like that before and it stays with you after you finish. The end disappointed me a bit because of how it turned, an unexpected twist but some people may actually like it. If you fancy something different and don't mind it being slow paced it is definitely worth reading, 3/5 for me.

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Review - The Christmas Village by Melissa Ann Goodwin

The Christmas Village by Melissa Ann Goodwin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Blurb From Goodreads

When 12-year-old Jamie Reynolds comes to his grandparents' Vermont home for Christmas, he just wants things to go back to the way they were before his dad disappeared. Time and again he is drawn to Grandma's miniature Christmas Village, where he imagines that life is perfect. Late one night, the village comes to life before his eyes, and his fantasy of escaping into it becomes very real indeed. Jamie discovers that the village is called Canterbury, where the year is 1932. He becomes fast friends with Kelly and Christopher Pennysworth, and is taken in by Ida, who runs the local boarding house. But he also makes a dangerous enemy of the mysterious and menacing Jim Gordon, whose return to town is nothing but trouble.

As Jamie desperately races against time to find his way back home, he is suddenly faced with a terrifying choice: to go ahead with his plan to leave, or to stay and help his friends, at the risk of never going home again

My Review

Jamie is going through a tough time for a 12 year old. After his fathers actions put his family to shame Jamie and his mum leave their town to spend Christmas with his grandparents and get away from it all. His Grandparents have their Christmas decorations up with one beautiful piece, a town complete with figures and it's own story. Jamie wishes he could be part of the beautiful wee town and before he knows it his wish comes true.

Oh what a stunning, beautiful wee story! I loved it. Had work not got in the way I would have devoured it in one sitting. It is beautifully wrote, very simple to follow and most important (for me) just about every question I had was answered.

Not only is it a magical journey for Jamie it is also a journey of self discovery, friendship and a path to adulthood. If I had to class this book in a genre I would say Young Adult but also for adults to enjoy. There is something for everyone in this lovely story. I think as a child you can identify with Jamie and as an adult it takes you back to your childhood and some of the magic you may have found yourself wishing for when fairies where still a possibility.

It is definately a book I will be recommending to adults and kids and will revisit it again, 4/5 for me ad I would certainly read this author again. Available on the kindle for £2.60 and on paperback for £8.43.

Thank you so much to the author for introducing me to this beautiful story and giving me the chance to review it.

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