#Blogtour The Cruise by Catherine Cooper

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Cruise by Catherine Cooper.

About the Author

Catherine Cooper is a freelance journalist writing for many national newspapers and magazines, specialising in travel. She also makes regular appearances as a talking head on daytime TV. She lives in France with her husband and two teenage children. 

Her debut thriller The Chalet was a top five Sunday Times bestseller and spent three weeks in the Kindle top 100. The Cruise is her third novel. Follow @catherinecooper on Twitter

About the book

A glamorous ship. A mysterious cast of passengers. And a New Year’s Eve party that goes horribly wrong…

During a New Year’s Eve party on a large cruise ship in the Caribbean, the ship’s dancer, Lola, disappears. The ship is searched, and the coastguard is called, but there is no sign of her, either dead or alive.

Lola was popular on the ship but secretive about her background, and as the mystery around her deepens, everyone on board becomes a suspect. Who was she arguing with the night she vanished? 

Why did she come aboard the cruise in the first place? What was she running from?

Review

A floating city of pleasure and luxury becomes the scene of a tragic accident or was it intentional, either way someone is missing. The aftermath reveals secrets, people hiding secrets, people using secrets to threaten others - overall it seems as if the disappearance of one person starts of a type of unravelling in other people. Is it guilt? A killer, a blackmailer or is there a bigger picture?

It's a psychological thriller, a mystery with a sort of dual storyline, and the way they seem unconnected. The cruise ship, which in itself is an extravaganza of expensive living, and yet it is also becoming the scene of too many accidents and crimes. Simultaneously the story of a missing child, who reappears under traumatic circumstances with no memory of her life before she was taken.

The author does an excellent job of keeping the two stories completely separate for the majority of the book, so much so that the reader forgets one when they delve into the other, and vice-versa. Both so engrossing that there is no thought of why, or if they could be linked.

It's an engrossing read, and certainly one that makes me want to read more.

Buy The Cruise at Amazon Uk or got to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HarperCollins | pub date 10th November 2022 | PBO EB AUDIO. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Girl with the Emerald Flag by Kathleen McGurl

 It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Girl with the Emerald Flag by Kathleen McGurl.

About the Author

Kathleen McGurl lives near the coast in Christchurch, England. She writes dual timeline novels in which a historical mystery is uncovered and resolved in the present day. She is married to an Irishman and has two adult sons. She enjoys travelling, especially in her motorhome around Europe and has of course visited Ireland many times. Follow @KathMcGurl on Twitter, Visit kathleenmcgurl.com

About the book

A country rebelling - It’s 1916 and, as war rages in Europe, Gráinne leaves her job in a department store to join Countess Markiewicz’s revolutionary efforts. It is a decision which will change her life forever. A rebellion is brewing, and as Dublin’s streets become a battleground, Gráinne soon discovers the personal cost of fighting for what you believe in…

A forgotten sacrifice - Decades on, student Nicky is recovering from a break-up when a research project leads her to her great-grandmother’s experiences in revolutionary Ireland. When Nicky finds a long-forgotten handkerchief amongst her great-grandmother’s things, it leads to the revelation of a heartbreaking story of tragedy and courage, and those who sacrificed everything for their country.

Inspired by a heartbreaking true story, this emotional historical novel will sweep you away to the Emerald Isle. Perfect for fans of Jean Grainger, Sandy Taylor and Fiona Valpy.

Review

Nicky is searching for her identity and is very much in the process of discovering herself. It's probably a little bit of a standard rebellion the way she talks about and feels about her mother. She feels judged, and under constant supervision and criticism. The two of them clash a lot. In the midst of this coming-of-age and acknowledgement of self, Nicky goes on a journey.

The kind of journey that changes your views of the world, the past and even your own loved ones. Nicky uses her grandmother as a font of knowledge to research a rebellion that unbeknownst to her has impacted the life of her grandmother, and also the history of her family.

Gráinne, a young woman also on the cusp of discovering what she wants in life and who she is, is living in the midst of World War I, and is also heavily involved in the plans to change the political status quo in Ireland. A part of the historical path that to this day still shapes the fragility of a relationship built on a history of death and oppression.

I really enjoy watching an author grow, both in skills and in exploration of genre. Although this is still trademark past and present connects, this story shows the growth as it tackles an enormous historical event in Irish history. It was told without the shadow of the usual political perspective or the fury on both sides, instead the author takes it down to the level of people and their personal experience and perspective.

I think, if this is any indication, that the author will take it up a notch, and I am looking forward to it.

Buy The Girl with the Emerald Flag at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien

 

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour All That's Left unsaid by Tracey Lien.

About the Author

Tracey Lien was born and raised in southwestern Sydney, Australia. She earned her MFA at the University of Kansas and was previously a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. All That's Left Unsaid is her first novel.

About the book

They claim they saw nothing. She knows they’re lying. 1996 – Cabramatta, Sydney ‘Just let him go.’

Those are words Ky Tran will forever regret. The words she spoke when her parents called to ask if they should let her younger brother Denny out to celebrate his high school graduation with friends. That night, Denny – optimistic, guileless Denny – is brutally murdered inside a busy restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, a refugee enclave facing violent crime, and an indifferent police force.

Returning home for the funeral, Ky learns that the police are stumped by her brother’s case. Even though several people were present at Denny’s murder, each bystander claims to have seen nothing, and they are all staying silent.

Determined to uncover the truth, Ky tracks down and questions the witnesses herself. But what she learns goes beyond what happened that fateful night. The silence has always been there, threaded through the generations, and Ky begins to expose the complex traumas weighing on those present the night Denny died. As she peels back the layers of the place that shaped her, she must confront more than the reasons her brother is dead. And once those truths have finally been spoken, how can any of them move on?

Review

Ky doesn't realise her advice to give her baby brother a little freedom ultimately ends up being one of a few elements that leads to his death. Coping with his tragic death is one thing but trying to understand why the people who watched it happen are unwilling to help bring his killer to justice, is quite another. She can't let it go.

It's a spectacular read - nuanced and layered. When you strip away everything and are left with just the crime there is the bystander effect, the string of decisions and coincidences that lead to the event, and the emotional minefield and destruction that is left behind after a violent death.

What surrounds the event is a poignant blueprint of life as a refugee in a society that relegates you to the bottom step, because of race and heritage. The magnitude of the impact of generational trauma and PTSD on those who have lived through it, and the children born to those who have experienced it.

Those experiences determine self-imposed rules, fears, anxiety and in this case even the look away and accept the fate or hand you have been dealt with by life attitude.

I enjoyed the story surrounding the core, and to be fair the actual death is probably the least important element of the premise, which is tragic in itself. A riveting read.

Buy All That's Left Unsaid at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: ‎HQ pub date 15 Sept. 2022. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Harper Collins.

#BlogTour The Replacement by Melanie Golding

 It's a pleasure to review this unexpected little gem and take part in the BlogTour The Replacement by Melanie Golding.

'Weaving together the trademark folklore inspiration that readers loved in Little Darlings, with the procedural narrative force of a brilliant mystery, this is the excellent and unnerving new novel from Melanie Golding.'

About the Author

Melanie Golding has a master’s in creative writing from Bath Spa University. She has taught writing in prisons and institutions for young offenders, as well as music in a school for boys with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Her novel Little Darlings has been optioned for film. A full-time, registered childminder, Golding splits her time between her childminding duties and her writing. 

Follow @mk_golding on Twitter and @melaniegoldingauthor on Instagram

About the book

When a small child is found wandering alone, the local shopkeepers call the authorities immediately. Twenty minutes later, the girl’s mother turns up, panicked and distraught. It doesn't take long to clear things up, and mother and daughter are soon reunited and sent on their way.

Miles away, the body of a man is discovered, floating in a bathtub, but the most surprising discovery of all is that he isn't dead. Despite his injuries, he is very much alive.

Two seemingly unrelated events. But as DS Harper begins to investigate, disturbing truths start to come to light that connect the man to the mother and child, and suddenly it’s not clear where the danger truly lies. Harper must find out, and quickly. Because someone, or something, is closing in and she needs to uncover the truth before it’s too late…

Review

This wasn't at all what I was expecting. It hooked me, reeled me in, and I loved it.

What kind of mother just leaves her toddler? A desperate one or one that changes her mind and comes back ten minutes later, by which time the police and social are involved. It takes some convincing, but eventually mother and daughter are reunited and allowed to leave.

Elsewhere DS Harper is investigating another crime, which at first glance is completely unrelated, until a connection is made between mother, child and man. A simple mystery and possible crime, becomes a taut psychological read with added element, which absolutely makes the story.

I think this is definitely becoming a trademark style of Golding, the way crime and human nature is merged with folklore and myths to create the kind of read that never quite lets you go. Merging the emotional fragility, the underlying violence, the unconditional love and the instinct for survival with the shimmer of belief we carry in our core - the result is a great story.

This is an author to watch, there is natural knack for creating tension, weaving threads and compelling storytelling.

Buy The Replacement at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎HQ pub date 11 Nov. 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Harper Collins.

#BlogTour Femlandia by Christina Dalcher

It's my turn on the BlogTour Femlandia by Christina Dlacher and I couldn't be more stoked. I loved this book!

About the Author

Christina Dalcher earned her doctorate in theoretical linguistics from Georgetown University. She specialized in the phonetics of sound change in Italian and British dialects and taught at universities in the United States, England, and the United Arab Emirates.

Her short stories and flash fiction appear in over one hundred journals worldwide. Recognitions include first prize in the Bath Flash Fiction Award as well as nominations for The Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and Best Small Fictions.

After spending several years abroad, most recently in Sri Lanka, Dalcher and her husband now split their time between the American South and Andalucia, Spain.

Her debut novel, VOX, was published in August 2018 by Berkley (an imprint of Penguin Random House) and has been translated into twenty languages.  The success of Vox was followed up by the equally successful novels Master Class, Q and now Femlandia. 

Follow @CV_Dalcher on Twitter, Visit christinadalcher.com

About the book

A chilling look into an alternate near future where a woman and her daughter seek refuge in a women-only colony, only to find that the safe haven they were hoping for is the most dangerous place they could be.

Miranda Reynolds always thought she would rather die than live in Femlandia. But that was before the country sank into total economic collapse and her husband walked out in the harshest, most permanent way, leaving her and her sixteen-year-old daughter with nothing. The streets are full of looting, robbing, and killing, and Miranda and Emma no longer have much choice—either starve and risk getting murdered, or find safety. And so they set off to Femlandia, the women-only colony Miranda's mother, Win Somers, established decades ago.

Although Win is no longer in the spotlight, her protégé Jen Jones has taken Femlandia to new heights: The off-grid colonies are secluded, self-sufficient, and thriving—and Emma is instantly enchanted by this idea of a safe haven. But something is not right. There are no men allowed in the colony, but babies are being born—and they're all girls. Miranda discovers just how the all-women community is capable of enduring, and it leads her to question how far her mother went to create this perfect, thriving, horrifying society. 

Review

I loved this book! This is going on my best of the year list. I enjoy the way this author has no qualms about venturing into areas a lot of authors steer clear of. There is no fear of treading into controversial topics and crossing boundaries, and in this case calling some bluffs.

Let's talk Femlandia, and believe me there is plenty to talk about. Miranda and her teenage daughter find themselves in the ruins of their previously privileged life and the breakdown of society as the world knows it. Food shortages, Mad Max dystopian violence is rampant, and the two of them decide to make a run for it before it's too late.

Enter the world Miranda's long estranged,and now deceased mother, Win created many years ago. Compounds filled only with girls and women. Miranda and Emma head for the closest one, but the safe harbour appears to be a shallow facade for something for sinister.

The author takes the concept of a woman only world and points out the obvious missing link - if you want to have a continuation of said concept you need men. In a destroyed civilisation without technology how do you ensure only women survive? There are also a few arrows aimed in the general direction of radical feminists and gender - it's a red hot topic at the moment. I think it's fair to say ... nah I'm not even going to go there. What I will say is the ending of this book speaks volumes about the core of women's rights and voices being silenced, by the patriarchy and those raised in and supporting said system.

I could talk about this book and the premise for ages. I can't wait to tell people about it and get their take on it. That's something you always take away from a book by Dalcher - plenty to talk about. Once again it's another cracking read. A grenade tossing, minefield dodging exploration of radical feminism, societal constructs and that good old chestnut - patriarchy.

Buy Femlandia at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. At Waterstones. At HarperCollins.

#BlogTour The Woman in the Woods by Lisa Hall

 It's my turn on the BlogTour The Woman in the Woods by Lisa Hall.

About the Author

Lisa loves words, reading and everything there is to love about books. She has dreamed of being a writer since she was a little girl - either that or a librarian - and after years of talking about it, was finally brave enough to put pen to paper (and let people actually read it). 

Lisa lives in a small village in Kent, surrounded by her towering TBR pile, a rather large brood of children, dogs, chickens and ponies and her long-suffering husband. She is also rather partial to eating cheese and drinking wine. Readers can follow @LisaHallAuthor on Twitter, Visit lisahallauthor.co.uk

About the book

She’s out there. Waiting for you. - When Allie moves to a quaint old cottage with her husband, it’s their dream home. Nestled in the village of Pluckley, it seems a perfect haven in which to raise their two children. But Pluckley has a reputation. It’s known as England’s most haunted village. And not long after the birth of their new son, Allie begins to notice strange things…   

 What’s the flash of white she sees moving quickly through the woods to the back of their house? And what’s the strange scratching noise from the chimney?

 As Allie discovers more about the history of their new home, she uncovers a story of witchcraft and superstition, which casts a long shadow into the present day. And not everything is as it seems. Her family might well be in danger, but it’s a danger none of them could have foreseen…

Bestseller Lisa Hall’s The Woman in the Woods is full of creeping unease and nerve-wracking tension, and will have readers on the edge of their seats…

Review

Allie has moved into a old place with a dire history she is as yet unaware of. She has a husband who is a bit of a workaholic and two young children - one of which is a new baby. She is tired, stressed and a little fed-up with people interfering with her life in general. Out of every corner the question of how she is coping is being forced upon her. 

Popping Co-codamol while you're breastfeeding  also isn't the done thing and certainly wouldn't be prescribed by health professionals to a nursing mother due to the codeine, but perhaps that is indicative of the downwards spiral Allie is heading towards. The question is whether she is being pushed in that direction by malevolent forces or is there something in the world around her with nefarious intentions?

I thought this was a cracking read, especially because Hall takes you in multiple directions and as a reader you quite willingly follow where she leads you, only to be confronted with something else entirely. I have to say this story made me angry - a lot. Angry for Allie and the way she was treated. Angry at Allie for not telling people to get stuffed. 

The author delivers a great plot with an important message, and yet in the end the reader is also left with questions. Is the solution really that simple or is it just a temporary plaster? 

Buy The Woman in the Woods at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎HQ; pub date 30 Sept. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Pug Actually by Matt Dunn

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Pug Actually by Matt Dunn. 

'With over 400,000 copies sold in e-book, Matt Dunn's Pug Actually, is the heartwarming, hilarious, and strikingly perceptive story of the high and lows of modern relationships as seen through the eyes of a wise pug named Doug.'

About the Author

Matt Dunn is the author of numerous romantic comedy novels, including the bestselling The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook and A Day at the Office. he's also written about life, love, and relationships for various publications including The Times, Guardian, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Company, Elle, and The Sun. Follow @mattdunnwrites on Twitter

About the book

Loyal rescue pug Doug wants his adoring owner Julie to find unconditional love and happiness - and he knows she won't find either in the arms of Luke, her married boss and lover. Julie, reluctant to end things with Luke, fears that if she chooses to be alone, she will end up like her eccentric cat-owning neighbour. It's a prospect that horrifies Doug too.

Hopeful to help Julie move on - Doug looks to match-make Julie and Tom, a newly divorced V-E-T, who is perfect for her (despite his questionable occupation). There's just one problem: Julie and Tom can't stand each other.

Doug doesn't quite understand the quirks and complexities of human relationships, but he won't let that get in the way of his mission to bring Tom and Julie together. After all, being a 'rescue' works both ways...

Review 

Doug doesn't see himself as a rescue dog - in his mind he is the one in charge of his owner's happiness. If something is making her sad then it has to go, hence his dislike of her boyfriend. Doug wants him gone, and he is willing to stalk, threaten and intimidate if necessary.

It suits Doug just fine when the humans around him, get on board with his ( it's always his brilliant idea of course) suggestion to introduce Julie to the perfect man - the person she doesn't knows she is missing yet.

I have to admit this had me chuckling within the first few pages. The stand-off chapter is absolutely hilarious and so is Doug. He's like a little old man combined with an agony aunt, and all the dog traits to boot. The narration is so human-like and on point that it's easy to forget there is a four legged canine at the end of the voice.

I'm guessing I won't be the only one that hopes this isn't the last time we hear from Doug, and would love to see him on screen. Dunn writes and creates with a certain ease, that it's easy to forget you're in the middle of a fictional scenario.

Buy Pug Actually at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎HQ Digital; pub date 14 Oct. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Both of You by Adele Parks

Adele Parks is back with a cracking read again - it's my turn on the BlogTour for Both of You.

About the Author

Adele Parks was born in Teesside, North-east England. her first novel, Playing Away, was published in 2000 and since then she's had eighteen international bestsellers. She's been an Ambassador for The Reading Agency and a judge for the Costa and is a keen supporter of The National Literary Trust. She's lived in Italy, Botswana and London, and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey, with her husband and son.

Follow @adeleparks on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit adeleparks.com

About the book

Leigh Fletcher: happily married stepmum to two gorgeous boys goes missing on Monday. Her husband Mark says he knows nothing of her whereabouts. She simply went to work and just never came home. Their family is shattered.

Kai Janssen: married to wealthy Dutch businessman, Daan, vanishes the same week. Kai left their luxurious penthouse and glamourous world without a backward glance. She seemingly evaporated into thin air. Daan is distraught.

DC Clements knows that people disappear all the time – far too frequently. Most run away from things, some run towards, others are taken but find their way back. A sad few never return. These two women are from very different worlds, their disappearances are unlikely to be connected. And yet, at a gut level, the DC believes they are.

How could these women walk away from their families, husbands and homes willingly? Clements is determined to unearth the truth, no matter how shocking and devastating it may be.

Review

It's going to be a bit of task to review the way I would like to without giving the plot away, but hey ho I'm going to try because its such an interesting premise. 

Two women, completely different women, disappear without a trace. The only thing they have in common is the fact they are gone and they vanished around the same time. The reader gets a glimpse of one in captivity - the other fate unknown. Meanwhile the outside world thinks they have gone because they are disgruntled and unhappy with their lives. No one is really looking that hard. Their husbands aren't looking at all. Who wants to hurt Leigh or Kai? 

The juxtaposition of the two women who have nothing in common is the most intriguing element of the read. Leigh the loving wife who has become the caring stepmother. She is chaotic, frustrated with dealing with an ungrateful teenager and often wonders why she is still with her husband

Kudos to Parks she is getting better with each book, which is quite a feat seeing as she has already written some humdingers. Also for the clever double entendre in regards to the book title. This does not disappoint and has her trademark depth and moral conundrum written all over it and of course it's a great read.

Buy Both of You at Amazon Uk o go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : HQ pub date 27 May 2021.  Buy at Amazon com. At Hive.

#BlogTour The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan

 It's my turn on the BlogTour The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan.

About the Author

Sarah Morgan is an international bestseller and the Top Ten Sunday Times bestselling author of The Christmas Sisters and A Wedding in December. She has sold over eighteen million books worldwide.

Sarah lives near London, England with her family and when she isn't writing or reading, she likes to spend time outdoors hiking or riding her mountain bike.

Follow @SarahMorgan_ on Twitter,  on Goodreads, on facebook.com/AuthorSarahMorgan, Visit sarahmorgan.com

About the book

Kathleen is eighty years old. After she has a run-in with an intruder, her daughter wants her to move in to a residential home. But she’s not having any of it. What she craves—what she needs—is adventure.

Liza is drowning under the daily stress of family life. The last thing she needs is her mother jetting off on a wild holiday, making Liza long for a solo summer of her own. Martha is having a quarter-life crisis. Unemployed, unloved and uninspired, she just can’t get her life together. But she knows something has to change.

When Martha sees Kathleen’s advertisement for a driver and companion to share an epic road trip across America with, she decides this job might be the answer to her prayers. She’s not the world’s best driver, but anything has to be better than living with her parents. And traveling with a stranger? No problem. Anyway, how much trouble can one eighty-year-old woman be?

As these women embark on the journey of a lifetime, they all discover it’s never too late to start over. ..

Review

Kathleen is determined to grasp what's left of her life with both hands and live life to the fullest. To do so she needs someone as a companion and to drive her down Route 66. Martha seems like the perfect person, except Martha is a little generous when it comes to describing her many talents, including being able to drive properly. Kind of a prerequisite for being a driver though.

At the core of this story is a mother-daughter relationship. Liza and Kathleen are on two different wavelengths, both struggle to understand the other, which makes the emotional distance between them even greater. Liza doesn't understand why her mother would want to do something so risky at her age and she definitely doesn't understand why she is having this experience of a lifetime with a complete stranger.

I liked the way the stranger becomes the surrogate daughter and the friendship that blossoms between them is what should be between mother and daughter. You have the parallel drawn between the two relationships and clearly one is lacking.

It's a gentle, funny and emotional read. I can imagine a few mothers and/or daughters recognising the similarities and difficulties in their own relationships. Morgan really delivers the depth of emotion and in the characters, whilst keeping it light at the right moments. It's never too heavy and yet digs deeper when it has to.

Buy The Summer Seekers at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : HQ pub date 27 May 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Players by Darren O'Sullivan

 

It's my turn on the BlogTour The Players by Darren O'Sullivan.

About the Author

Darren O'Sullivan is the author of psychological thrillers, Our Little Secret, Close Your Eyes and Closer Than You Thin. He is a graduate f the Faber Academy and his debut novel, Our Little Secret, was a bestseller in four countries. He lives in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire where his days are spent either behind his laptop writing, in front of a group of actors directing theatre or rolling around pretending to be a dinosaur with his young son.

Follow @darrensully on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Amazon,

About the book

In this game it’s kill or be killed. A stranger has you cornered. They call themselves The Host. You are forced to play their game. In it one person can live and the other must die.

You are the next player. You have a choice to make. This is a game where nobody wins…

Review

This is the evolution of anonymity on the net. The sad thing is the majority will bay for blood and engage, especially if it isn't their life on the line. Fight club - the non-voluntary kind. Pitted against each other, what do you do? Do you commit the heinous to save many or keep your morality and send everyone to their graves.

Someone is playing an evil, murderous game with innocent people. Watching them destroy each other on command of a completely anonymous stranger. What is the endgame here? How many people have to die?

How quick people are to give up all their power, especially if someone or something they love is threatened. How fast they are willing to cross the boundaries and ignore their impulse control. What would you do? 

It's dark. Of course it is - it's O'Sullivan. I think he enjoys putting the worst of us on paper. Thinking up the kind of scenarios that will force readers to think about the choices they would make if they ended up in these twisted scenarios. The truth is everyone is capable, it just depends on the circumstance.

Temptation or pressure, life or death, regardless of who you are there will always be the moment when you have to make a choice. Do you kill, be killed or do you make a decision the host least expects? It's a read that teeters on the edge of insanity and control. Like I said it's an O'Sullivan.

Buy The Players at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : HQ pub date 13 May 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Wild Girls by Phoebe Morgan

 It's my turn on the BlogTour The Wild Girls by Phoebe Morgan

About the Author

Phoebe Morgan is an author and senior commissioning editor. She studied English at Leeds University after growing up in the Suffolk countryside. She has previously worked as a journalist and now edits crime and women’s fiction for a publishing house during the day, and writes her own books in the evenings. The Doll House was her debut novel. It became a #1 iBooks bestseller and spent over 8 weeks in the Kindle top 100. Her new novel The Wild Girls is out now.

Follow @Phoebe_A_Morgan on Twitter, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit phoebemorganauthor.com

About the book

It’s been years since Grace, Felicity, Alice and Hannah were together – The Wild Girls, as they were once called, are no longer so wild. Alice has settled with a new baby and partner. Hannah is now a teacher. Grace has gone to ground. Only Felicity seems to have the same spark she once had.

And now Felicity has invited them all on the weekend of a lifetime – a mini-break in Botswana to celebrate her birthday, a chance to put that night two years ago behind them, when things went so very wrong between them, and their bomb-proof friendship was shattered for ever.

But on arriving at the luxury safari lodge, a feeling of unease settles on Grace, Hannah and Alice. Felicity isn’t there to meet them. There’s no sign of the party she promised. The awful phone signal means that they are on their own, in the wild…  It’s a weekend with a difference. But who is hunting who?

Review

This some kind of messed up - I tell ya. It's enough to put anyone off having friendships or friendship groups. Perhaps this group of women should consider going their separate ways, then again after they have their jolly weekend trip they may never see each other ever again.

Felicity has invited her three best friends to celebrate her birthday, who can say no to a trip to Botswana - all expenses paid. Hannah doesn't want to leave her young child and her husband, Alice can do with a break from her toxic relationship, and Grace is the mouse who goes along with what the others say.

Morgan does like a secret left hook, especially when you're not expecting it and it's completely out of the blue. You think you know who the bad guy is, but do you really? Or is it a case of everyone has their secrets and is willing to do anything to keep them buried?

It's a captivating psychological thriller with a bit of Bates Motel vibe. The hunted have no clue they are in the sights of a vengeful person with no remorse. It gives readers the perfect balance between crime read and psychological thriller, and why hanging onto old friendships like the old pair of jeans you fit in twenty years ago in the hopes you will eventually lose ten kilos you gained might not be the right thing to do.

Buy The Wild Girls at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : HQ pub date 15 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Waterstones.

#BlogTour Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff.

About the Author

Graff is the author of novel Raft of Stars. His fiction and essays have appeared in Image and Dappled Things. Andrew grew up fishing, hiking, and hunting in Wisconsin's Northwoods. After a tour of duty in Afghanistan, Graff earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

Follow Andrew J. Graff on Amazon, Visit andrewjgraff.com

About the book 

It’s the summer of 1994 in Claypot, Wisconsin, and the lives of ten-year-old Fischer “Fish” Branson and Dale “Bread” Breadwin are shaped by the two fathers they don’t talk about.

One night, tired of seeing his best friend bruised and terrorized by his no-good dad, Fish takes action. A gunshot rings out and the two boys flee the scene, believing themselves murderers. They head for the woods, where they find their way onto a raft, but the natural terrors of Ironsforge gorge threaten to overwhelm them.

Four adults track them into the forest, each one on a journey of his or her own. Fish’s mother Miranda, a wise woman full of fierce faith; his granddad, Teddy, who knows the woods like the back of his hand; Tiffany, a purple-haired gas station attendant and poet looking for connection; and Sheriff Cal, who’s having doubts about a life in law enforcement.

The adults track the boys toward the novel’s heart-pounding climax on the edge of the gorge and a conclusion that beautifully makes manifest the grace these characters find in the wilderness and one another. This timeless story of loss, hope, and adventure runs like the river itself amid the vividly rendered landscape of the Upper Midwest.

Review

Being the polite and dutiful grandson he is, Fish leaves his grandfather a message telling him what they've taken, why they have to leave and what they did. Killing someone is secondary to making sure his family doesn't worry about him too much, although that's debatable given they are really young and have run away.

For me this had a nostalgic Stand By Me feel to it. A story of friendship, which threatens to break and equally grows stronger in the duration of this story and journey. Two boys bound together by fear, tragedy and also by the bonds of friendships.

As they embark upon said journey or escape, they see the world as only two young children can - in a heightened fantastical fashion. It's tinged with the fact they have both been forced to embrace the world of adult problems in their own way. Fish through the lack of his father and Bread because of the violence he experiences at the hands of his own father.

It's contemporary story with the flair of a literary read. If the characters were a little older I would say it's also a coming-of-age story, however I think what I will take away from it is the truth of true brotherhood and a family grown through grief and tragedy.

Buy Raft of Stars at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : HQ pub date 23 Mar. 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Waterstones.

#BlogTour The Best is Yet to Come by Katy Colins

 

It's an absolute pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Best is Yet to Come by Katy Colins.

About the Author

Katy Colins learned there is always a second chance in life. Jilted before her wedding, she sold all she owned, filled a backpack and booked a one-way ticket to the other side of the world.

Her solo travels inspired her to pen 'The Lonely Hearts Travel Club' series and saw her dubbed the 'Backpacking Bridget Jones' by the global media. And, in a stunning twist of fate, Katy found her happy-ever-after by marrying the journalist who shared her story with the world.

She now lives in the middle of England with her husband. John, and two young children.

You can find out more about Katy, her writing and her travels at www.katycolins.com or @notwedordead on social media platforms.

Follow Katy Colins - @Notwedordead on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy The Best is Yet to Come

About the book

Sometimes it’s the things we don’t say that we need others to hear the loudest . . .

Izzy has always taken everything in her stride but motherhood is proving more difficult than she thought. She keeps telling herself it’s just a phase but the dark clouds are starting to appear.

Neighbour and widower Arthur might be in the winter of his life but he’s not ready to be packed off to a care home. He’s determined to do things his way.

When Izzy hears about Arthur’s big move, she offers to help. But Arthur isn’t telling her the whole story. It takes courage to admit you need a friend and when you feel invisible, all you need is a ray of hope. After all, what if the best is yet to come?

Review

Izzy probably expected motherhood to be more like the many books she read, the stories she heard, but unfortunately it's nothing like she imagined. No blissful moments of serenity staring at the beautiful slumbering baby. No picket fences and frilly aprons. Instead there is no sleep, a screaming baby and the feeling of complete failure.

Across the street is Arthur, a lonely old man who is finding it increasingly difficult to cope by himself. He isn't looking forward to the inevitable life in a care home. The two of them inadvertently end up recognising what troubles the other, even if they don't quite realise what they need themselves, and so begins a friendship of sorts.

It's a beautifully honest and emotional read, perhaps more so because it is based so close in reality. Two isolated worlds become intertwined and in a way they save each other. The overwhelmed young mother and the lonely elderly gentleman, both on the cusp of giving up and feeling completely alone. How could they possibly help each other to take one more step each day and to not give up.

I loved the simplicity of the read and how relatable it is and will be to so many readers. Nothing overly complex or speculative - just simple desperation, loneliness and isolation. It speaks volumes about the way people in society acts with each other, the way we ignore neighbours and concentrate on ourselves and on our own survival. We leave so many behind and in situations they are unable to save themselves from. This story is a perfect example of that. It's a really good read.

Buy the Best is Yet to Come at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : HQ; pub date 18 Mar. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#AudioBlogTour Growing Season by Seni Glaister

 Today it's my pleasure to take part on the BlogTour for the Audiobook of Growing Season by Seni Glaister, narrated by Kristin Atherton.

About the Author

Seni Glaister worked as a bookseller for much of her career before founding WeFiFo, the social dining platform, in 2016. Her first novel, The Museum of Things Left Behind, was published in 2015. Mr Doubler Begins Again was published in 2019. She lives on a farm in West Sussex with her husband and children.

Follow @SeniGlaister on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon,  Buy Growing Season

About the audiobook

After a life-saving operation leaves Sam unable to have children, could a rural cottage be the fresh start she needs? Or is she running away from her problems? For her husband Danny, this was never part of the plan. He likes predictability. The countryside is just a bit, well – wild. But he wants Sam to be happy, even if he isn’t.

If only Danny could tell Sam what is going on in his head. If only he knew what was really going on in hers. If only they knew that they’re equally afraid of what happens next. Can the couple find a way to face the future together, or have they already grown too far apart?

Review

Sam and Danny relocate to the country, which is a bit like two fish out of water. At the same time the two of them seem to be disconnected from each other. Living the same life together, but on entirely different paths and wavelengths.

The story of two people who live with their own version of the truth, which doesn't always gel with that of the other person. Blame, guilt and responsibility become burdens carried by both, but not in equal measures. Grief for something lost, but perhaps never wanted. Guilt for their part in the deception and loss. It's complex just like life is and certainly the way relationships are.

For me this was a story about reconnecting, not only with yourself, but also with your surroundings. It's also about the people in a relationship redefining what that relationship means to each of them and how they can relate to each other with more understanding going forward. We live in societies that have a 'work comes first and everything else is secondary' kind of attitude. Everything moves fast and there is no room for any fun, taking a breath, and most importantly no time left to enjoy the world around us. It's normal to treat nature like a body part that is always there and always supposed to be there. To ignore the beauty, peace and tranquility of a rural area.

For me it lacked the emotional spark of Mr Doubler Begins Again, which is an excellent book if you haven't had the chance to read it yet. This is a lot more straightforward, earnest and perhaps even more realistic when it comes to the relationships. Perhaps the honesty and the lack of pandering to the masses, and the idea that love always conjures up a fluffy unicorn, is what makes this read.

Buy Growing Season at Amazon Uk , Audible UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ; pub date 20 Aug. 2020. Buy at Amazon com. 

Listening Length - 10 hours and 54 minutes, Author - Seni Glaister, Narrator - Kristin Atherton, Whispersync for Voice - Ready, Audible.co.uk Release Date - 20 August 2020, Publisher - HQ, Program Type - Audiobook, Version - Unabridged, Language - English.

Read my review of Mr Doubler Begins Again by Seni Glaister.

#BlogTour The Man I didn't Marry by Anna Bell

 It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Man I Didn't Marry by Anna Bell.

About the Author

Anna Bell lives in the South of France with her young family and energetic Labrador. When not chained to her laptop, Anna can be found basking in the sun in the summer, heading to the ski slopes in the winter (to drink hot chocolate and watch - she can't ski) or having a sneaky treat from the patisserie - all year round!

Follow @AnnaBell_writes on Twitter, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit www.annabellwrites.com, Buy The Man I Didn't Marry

About the book

What happens when the man she married can’t remember her?

Ellie has the perfect life: a happy marriage, a gorgeous daughter and a baby on the way. But when her husband Max develops amnesia, he forgets everything about the last five years . . . including their relationship.

Now the man she said ‘I do’ to has become a stranger, and she has no idea why. Yet Ellie is determined to reconnect and find her Max again – he has to be in there somewhere, right?

As they get to know one another afresh, Ellie finds herself seeing Max clearly for the first time. But then she discovers that before his memory loss, Max was keeping a huge secret from her. Will their new beginning prove to be a false start, just as it seemed they might fall in love all over again? 

Review

Ellie is a happily married mother of one with another on the way. She is married to her best friend's brother - a bit of a hunk. Everything is going to plan until her hubby suddenly without any reason appears to forget the last few years. He forgets their marriage, their child and many other things that keep their relationship ticking along.

The foundations of her entire marriage are cast into doubt, as self-esteem and issues of self-doubt rise to the surface with the new status quo between Max and Ellie. He doesn't remember falling in love with her, which makes her doubt he ever did. He doesn't remember his daughter or the child his wife is carrying. It's a bit like having to live with a complete stranger you have shared your most intimate moments with, but he doesn't remember any of them.

I thought it was really interesting how the author delivers or perhaps intended to deliver the story initially as a light-hearted read. Funny and awkward at times, painful and heart-wrenching at others. However what actually happens is that the story gets a wee shovel and starts to dig it's own depth along the way. 

The premise questions everything about a seemingly stable relationship and destruction of said stability by erasing memories. In doing so the simplest of actions, the smallest words and the most fleeting of moments are thrown into complete and utter chaos. It was a read that convinced me the further I read.

Buy The Man I didn't Marry at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ pub date 4 Feb. 2021. Buy at Amazon com. Hive. Bookshop org. Waterstones.

#BlogTour The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood.

About the Author

Robert Thorogood is the creator of the hit BBC One TV series Death in Paradise, and he has written a series of spin-off novels featuring DI Richard Poole.

He was born in Colchester, Essex. When he was ten years old, he read his first proper novel - Agatha Christies Peril at End House - and he's been in love with the genre ever since.

He now lives in Marlow in Buckinghamshire with his wife, children and two whippets called Wally and Evie.

Follow @robthor on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy The Marlow Murder Club

About the book

To solve an impossible murder, you need an impossible hero…

Judith Potts is seventy-seven years old and blissfully happy. She lives on her own in a faded mansion just outside Marlow, there’s no man in her life to tell her what to do or how much whisky to drink, and to keep herself busy she sets crosswords for The Times newspaper.

One evening, while out swimming in the Thames, Judith witnesses a brutal murder. The local police don’t believe her story, so she decides to investigate for herself, and is soon joined in her quest by Suzie, a salt-of-the-earth dog-walker, and Becks, the prim and proper wife of the local Vicar. Together, they are the Marlow Murder Club.

When another body turns up, they realise they have a real-life serial killer on their hands. And the puzzle they set out to solve has become a trap from which they might never escape… 

Review

Judith likes to enjoy her me time, which includes swimming in isolation and wandering where people least expect her to. On one of her excursions she hears shouting and then what sounds like a shot from her neighbours house. She believes someone was murdered, but the police think she is imagining things.

She decides to start sleuthing herself, because the police are clearly incompetent and don't have any common sense. One could say her sleuthing methods are a little like an elephant in a shop full of china. She ropes fellow minded individuals into her attempts to capture a killer and the Marlow Murder Club starts to develop.

This is written in typical Thorogood style. He seems to have a recipe for a very laidback and funny cosy mystery. It's exactly the right read when you want uncomplicated fun with a wee bit of murder thrown in for free. If this ever gets picked up for television they better get the casting right.

I hope this is the beginning of many encounters with this unusual club and I think I shall be channeling  Judith, especially the Judith we meet in at the start of the book. Buying a cape will be on the list of items I need to do. 

I'll end this review on this note - it takes one to know one.

Buy The Marlow Murder Club at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ pub date 7 Jan. 2021. Buy at Amazon com. Hive. Bookshop org. Waterstones.