Review - You belong to me by Karen Rose

You Belong to Me by Karen Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 5 days

Blurb from Goodreads

Baltimore city Homicide Detective J.D. Fitzpatrick has seen a lot of violence but nothing like the trail of tortured bodies that are turning up throughout the city. And now he's starting to suspect that his medical examiner, Dr. Lucy Trask, may be shielding a dark secret that could connect her to these vicious killings-and put her next on the killer's hit list...


My review

Dr. Lucy Trask has a past she would rather forget however as a killer starts pilling up bodies and Dr Trask is at the center of the killers attention she may need to face it sooner than she expected. J.D Fitzpatrick is the homicide detective investigating and can't help but be distracted by Lucy while he tries to discover what the link is between her and the killer.

I really like Karen Rose, I have the books I have read so far and I did enjoy this one. The killer has a voice throughout the book and we go from chapter to chapter from Trask and Fitzpatrick to our killer and what he is doing. The killings are graphic and bloody, there is some sexual scenes throughout so it is not for the faint hearted. The pace is fairly quick and the killings start from the outset. The only thing I would maybe grump about would be the way the interaction/relationship plays out between our two main characters, Trask and Fitzpatrick. It is almost like a cat and mouse game with them to begin with and they are very cat on hot coals with each other yet they need to work together to figure out what is the obsession with this killer.

Another detail that will keep you hanging on is the motive the killer has is dragged out, in his chapters he makes it clear he blames Lucy for his vendetta and what happened and this is teased out in very small snippets throughout the book. Otherwise it is a book that keeps you going and interested until all is revealed. I like a book that ties up all loose ends and Rose delivers with this one, 4/5 for me this time.

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Author book launch - The Cry by Helen Fitzgerald

So a friend from my book group noticed that Helen Fitzgerald was going to be at Waterstones to launch her new book The Cry. I had never heard of this author so went off to have a nose, got her first book Dead Beautiful to see what her writing was like. You can read my review of this title by using the search box on the left hand side, I did try and link it in this post but the blog is having none of it today, apologies.

The tickets were free and it is always nice to go to an author event. This was one of the best events I have been to and I have seen a fair few author book events, both in the Waterstones in Glasgow and a few held in Sloan's pub. Normally you can get a ticket for free or sometimes you have to pay, it varies with each one. At Sloan's there is a bar where you can purchase your own drink, the previous Waterstone launches have been later so their wee cafe is closed and you can't get a refreshment. Me and my friends where the first to arrive as everything got set up. One of my friends, Kat, had been to a few of these but for Emma it was her first time.

Well Helen went over and above what any of the other authors did. There was glasses with water, fresh orange and wine available, complimentary as well as home made cakes and sweet pastries, homemade by her sister Rea. She had brought her family with her and they all put some plates and food on the tables and along with the staff ensured everyone had a drink. I believe there was other writers there that night also as I recognized some faces but couldn't put a name to anyone.

Helen gave the audience some background, read a little from the start of her book and then some from later on in the book, then took some questions from the audience. After the event had finished she announced she was going for a few drinks, said where and invited everyone to come along if they wished, how nice was that!

Back to the book, the story is very different from the one I read, this one concerns a family traveling on a long haul flight and they accidentally overdose their baby. The story follows on from what happens from there, I haven't read it but after the wonderful evening at Waterstones and hearing the excerpts from the book I have ordered it. I also bought some of her earlier work too, this is the power authors can have when they interact with their readers. I went there as a meeting point with friends and to hear about the new book and because it was a free event. After being treated so nice, exposed to her family and listening to her talk about her work I have not only bought her new book but bought three of her previous books. My advice to authors doing any events is by showing your readers a bit of appreciation for coming to see you, taking time to make things a wee bit more personable it benefits you in the long run. Even having the offer of a glass of water I feel would go a long way and to no cost of the author, as I say Helen Fitzgerald went over and above that and I loved that her family came and had some interaction with the crowd too. I would definitely go and see this lady again and my thoughts on her works will follow as I get to them.

The Cry is available from Amazon for £5.75 and from Waterstones although I am not sure how much they are charging for a copy as I forgot to buy mine on the night. The book is available to buy now. You can follow Helen Fitgerald on Twitter @FitzHelen she is also on Facebook and has a blog available online.

September giveaway - A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

This is a brand new copy of A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. It has a tiny wee mark on the top right side of the cover, residue from a sticker. Otherwise the book is in perfect condition and brand new, unread, see picture below.

As with the past few competitions I am using Rafflecopter, there are different options to enter and each option will give you extra names into the draw increasing your chances of winning. Good luck everyone and as always thank you for taking part. If you have any problems completing the form or any other problems please get in touch.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review - Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Blurb from Goodreads

The discovery of a dead infant in an Amish barn shakes Lancaster County to its core. But the police investigation leads to a more shocking disclosure: circumstantial evidence suggests that eighteen-year-old Katie Fisher, an unmarried Amish woman believed to be the newborn's mother, took the child's life. When Ellie Hathaway, a disillusioned big-city attorney, comes to Paradise, Pennsylvania, to defend Katie, two cultures collide -- and for the first time in her high-profile career, Ellie faces a system of justice very different from her own. Delving deep inside the world of those who live "plain," Ellie must find a way to reach Katie on her terms. And as she unravels a tangled murder case, Ellie also looks deep within -- to confront her own fears and desires when a man from her past reenters her life.



My Review

It starts with a birth in the Amish barn, a young woman giving birth to a child. It then goes to the same barn a little later and the body of a baby being discovered and the police soon arrive. The story unravels with a young girl denying pregnancy and birth despite evidence to the contrary and the police looking to charge her with murder. Ellie, her distant cousin comes in as her attorney, reluctantly, to defend her and finds herself as much a prisoner as Katie, in the Amish farm as she tries to build a defense with no modern technology. Is Katie guilty of killing a baby she denies all knowledge of, will the truth out and can Ellie defend someone she knows is lying to her.

I feel bad saying I enjoyed this book as one of the main events is the murder of a baby however I couldn't put it down. I know very little about the Amish community so it was nice to have a bit of education in that respect. There is also some medical terms throughout the book, not in large parts, but as a student I found this really interesting too.

Katie is a young woman and comes across as a wee girl at times as she is so innocent. The mystery is there from the start as to what happened to the baby and we are teased along as the case progresses and Katie is interviewed by psychologists. Slowly Katie's memory is teased to reveal what she actually remembers whilst the story also focuses on Ellie and how she adjusts to living with the Amish people.

There are so many levels, I felt, to this story and relationships explored and budding. The pace goes along in some parts slowly but always enough to keep you drawn in. There are a few surprises in store and as always I love how Jodi writes so if your a fan this one is sure not to disappoint, 4/5 for me this time.

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Review - Filth by Irvine Welsh

Filth by Irvine Welsh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 6 days

Publisher - Jonathan Cape

Blurb from Goodreads

With the festive season almost upon him, Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson is winding down at work and gearing up socially -- kicking off Christmas with a week of sex and drugs in Amsterdam. There are irritating flies in the ointment, though, including a missing wife, a nagging cocaine habit, a dramatic deterioration in his genital health, a string of increasingly demanding extra-marital affairs. The last thing he needs is a messy murder to solve. Still it will mean plenty of overtime, a chance to stitch up some colleagues and finally clinch the promotion he craves.

But as Bruce spirals through the lower reaches of degradation and evil, he encounters opposition -- in the form of truth and ethical conscience -- from the most unexpected quarter of all: his anus. In Bruce Robertson, Welsh has created one of the most corrupt, misanthropic characters in contemporary fiction and has written a dark, disturbing and very funny novel about sleaze, power, and the abuse of everything. At last, a novel that lives up to its name.



My review

Oh dear Lord what on earth can I say about this book! I have read some of Irvine Welsh before, it was years ago but I remember it being rude, naughty, disgusting and this one is no different unless it is to say it is bigger and badder on each level. Our "star" of the book is Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson and one of the vilest human beings to ever walk the earth. He is a corrupt police officer, nasty, vile, a sexual deviant and those are probably his better points!

There has been a murder with possible racist motives which Bruce has to try and solve in between going on vacation to Amsterdam, take illegal drugs, battle intestinal issues, a skin condition and women troubles. As the case goes on, Bruce gets drawn into darker ventures as his fight for power and his grip on sanity hangs in the balance.

I can honestly say this book would offend just about, if not every single person, I know! Racist, sexist, bestiality, prostitution, sexual deviancy are just a few things touched on. I picked this book up as the movie is due to be released soon and I am worried I may hate James McAvoy as he is playing Bruce. The story pushes all the pc boundaries and through certain bits of the book there would be text covering the story underneath with text within bracket like illustrations, as the book goes on this becomes clear what it is but it irritated me as you had to guess the words underneath.

I can't say I enjoyed this book as I was offended far to much by it but it has to be said Irvine Welsh is a genius for bringing characters to life and making your skin crawl with their vileness. You can see the character and the picture is painted so well it is as clear as a movie playing in your head. Please note this is a Scottish novel and the speech is written in slang for large parts which some people may struggle to get through. 3/5 for me this time and as before I would read Irvine Welsh again but I think I would need a drink or three to blunt the offensiveness.

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Review - Dead Lovely by Helen Fitzgerald

Dead Lovely by Helen Fitzgerald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Publisher - Faber and Faber

Blurb from Goodreads

Krissie and Sarah had been best friends since they were children. But cracks start to appear when Sarah and her husband Kyle who have been trying unsuccessfully to have a baby and Krissie accidentally becomes pregnant following a drug-fuelled dalliance in a Tenerife toilet cubicle. Then one night friendship turns to betrayal, and to murder.


My Review

The book starts with Krissie and an admission of adultery with her best friends husband and the murder of her best friend Sarah. How is that for an opening first page! The story then bounces back to when Krissie, our main character, finds out she is pregnant and it is Sarah who helps her through it. This leads to an opening on Sarah's story and her husband who is also Krissie's friend of old. we get a background on their relationships then back to what is happening and reverting back to relevant history. Sarah has problems conceiving which leads to issues with her husband Kyle and they are all dealing with issues. They decide to go on a camping trip together, which is where the story starts initially and then goes back to a chunk of the book later, where everything takes a dark turn.

This could be one of the most bizarre books I have read or at least up in the top ten. It starts off with dark humour, a build up of their friendship and all the carry on in between. It then just takes a crazy turn where it stretches the imagination to be believable, body excretions are involved in a graphic and stomach turning way and everything goes crazy.

You can't help but keep going as you want to know where the story will end up, I honestly couldn't see where this was going to go. It is incredibly crazy, over the top with it's madness although only after the camping trip really as before that it was just a story laying foundation between the characters. I have an author event in Waterstones which is why I bought this book to see the way the author writes. As this is her first book I can't wait to see how her writing has progressed and what the new book is like. This one I would say if you don't go for a tale that goes a bit over the realms of believability with mentions of body excretions and are easily offended avoid this one. Sex is mentioned a few times throughout and again I can't stress enough about body fluids also there is a pedophile story branched in as well, just an fyi. I am not sure how her other novels compare but this one I feel is a 3/5, certainly for the bulk of the story.

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Review - The Make by Jessie Keane

The Make by Jessie Keane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Publisher - Harper

blurb from Goodreads

Murder, loyalty and vengeance collide in Jessie Keane's gritty fourth novel.


Life is good for Gracie Doyle – running her Manchester casino keeps her busy. Until the police turn up at her door one day and her world is turned upside down. She is given news that her two estranged brothers have been viciously attacked. George is in hospital on a ventilator and worringly, Harry is missing.


Gracie has no option but to leave the good life and dip her toe into the murky waters of her East End past. She leaves for London in an attempt to avenge her brothers and in doing so uncovers some unsavoury secrets about the lifestyle they've been leading. Their little games have got them into big trouble with the wrong people…


She must keep her wits about her and try to find Harry, or it could prove fatal…



My Review

Gracie Doyle is our main character and where the story starts off. She runs her own Casino in Manchester and life is good. The police inform her that her estranged brother is on a ventilator and may not survive after a vicious attack whilst her other brother is missing. Gracie receives her own threats and heads to London to see what her brothers have been up to and dragged her into. Soon she realizes that this is serious and begins to do some digging before she becomes the next target.

I have to be honest, I have enjoyed Jessie Keane's last two books I read but this one was quite a struggle. It starts off fairly quickly with enough to grab your attention but I just felt it was slow going in a lot of places. It starts present day in December with Gracie, then skips into the recent past to cover Harry and George, her brothers, and what happens with them to lead up to recent events.

When things kick off it does hold your attention but really that is all, I struggled between giving this a 3 or 2 star rating. I finally went with a 3 star as it is a decent read but I feel it does pale in comparison to her other work I have read and enjoyed. I will read her other work as I do enjoy her writing style but if your just about to try this author I would start with another book, 3/5 for me this time.

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