#BlogTour Innocently Guilty by Ashling Bourke

It's my turn on the BlogTour Innocently Guilty Ashling Bourke.

About the Author

Ashling Bourke spent most of her childhood growing up in Malawi which is a central source of inspiration for her debut novel ‘Innocently Guilty’. 

She now lives in Scotland and is studying at university whilst developing her debut novel into a series.

Follow ashlingbourkebooks.com at Twitter or abourkebooks on Instagram

About the book

‘Innocently Guilty’ is a highly engaging and extremely entertaining first novel full of intriguing characters, international adventure, love and passion, secrets and a chilling mystery at its core. Lottie and Emily are best friends, who want more than anything to have the perfect boyfriend but when a boy is found dead and all eyes are on Lottie, an African adventure awaits that unexpectedly reveals the answers she seeks. This was so not part of the plan.

Review

It's party time for three best friends, but for one of them the opposite gender is more important than the friendship, which is the beginning of a nightmare for one of them.

Lottie has a crush on Robbie and is looking forward to spending time with him, unbeknownst to her someone has plans to make her evening one to remember. Meanwhile her friends feel a little forgotten, even to the point of wanting to make sure Lottie remembers who they are.

First person narrative generally works a little better when the 'I' remains the same person consistently, as opposed to changing who the I is referring to every chapter. At the very least a chapter heading alluding to who I is referring to would be easier. As it stands the reader needs to read at least a paragraph each chapter to figure which one of the three girls the I is referring to each time. It's confusing and disrupts the flow.

It's a YA story, a tale of petty jealousy and irresponsible actions, of the shallowness of teenage friendship. How one decision made in the heat of the moment can change lives forever, but it's also about a young girl reflecting on her actions. Being forced to confront her own privilege, stereotyping and bad attitude.

It needs more depth and more attention to detail when it comes to style and voice.

Buy Innocently Guilty at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : The Conrad Press pub date 15 Feb. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Loch by Dee Taylor

 It's my turn on the BlogTour The Loch by Dee Taylor.

About the Author

Dee Taylor is now a professional artist, after spending most of his career in the advertising profession as art buyer at two of London's top ad agencies. 

His many artistic achievements include designing a now famous flag for the Romney Marsh area of Kent in south-east England. Dee’s other passions are angling and Loch Ness.

About the book

‘The Loch’ is set on the shores of Loch Ness. It’s a harrowing, unforgettable tale of courage and romance, unfolding between the backdrop of the Scottish Highlands and in the murky depths of the loch itself. 

With drama escalating in suspense, this entertaining and thrilling novel is the story of a former stripper from the Aberdeen clubs emotionally torn between two men: a deep sea diver from the oil rigs and a highlander with a violent and tragic past. There is greed and horror in a search for Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite gold within the ever-present menace of the fabled creature of the Loch.

Review

Tina and Jack take a trip to give their relationship another chance. It's rocky, it's complicated and it's abusive. Tina believes she isn't worthy, ergo doesn't recognise the abuse she is subjected to. However that element doesn't play into the premise, because it's romanticised in the story.

They accidentally encounter something at the Loch that captivates and it is the beginning of a hunt for a myth. To prove its existence or to gain notoriety and money - that is the question. They cross the path of treasure hunters, who aren't interested in playing fair, but are invested in finding out what Jack and Tina know.

I absolutely get the fascination of The Loch Ness Monster and the mystery surrounding it. I think it's something the majority of people wonder about. Is it all speculation, a tourist gimmick, an observation or event blown completely out of proportion. Or is it a myth based on true experiences? 

Taylor has captured the way people are drawn into the mystery, myth and speculation, then added the mystery of a Jacobite gold hoard to this mystery come thriller. I wasn't keen on the way Tina was depicted though. She becomes the punching bag, the hole to violate and all her interactions with the many male characters are of a sexual, abusive, intimidating and non-healthy nature. Being a stripper doesn't equal whore, being a stripper doesn't equal worthless and being a woman doesn't equal constantly being the shit at the bottom of a man's shoe.

It's a fast paced often brutal and graphic read, with some great scenes when it comes to describing and interacting with the myth. It could do with a little less toxic stereotyping, but aside from that it is an interesting read.

Buy The Loch at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: The Conrad Press pub date 6 Jan. 2021. Buy at Amazon com. Hive uk.

#BlogTour Danger by Robin Nye

It's my turn on the Blogtour Danger by Robin Dye.

About the Author

Robin Nye has had a life-long interest in writing. 'Danger' is his first full-length novel. Leading a busy life in the commercial and voluntary sectors, he has plotted numerous stories over the years when travelling the world but has never had the time to write in earnest until now. He's already well advanced with his follow-up Hunter and Selitto novel.

About the book

'Danger' is a riveting, fast-paced thriller that ranges from the leafy countryside of Kent to the windswept shores of the Black Sea and to the dramatic coastline of Cornwall. At its heart, 'Danger' is a compelling story depicting the hopelessness, desolation and suffering of those caught up in people-trafficking across Europe. A guest goes missing from a five-star country hotel, sparking an investigation which leads DI Sarah Hunter and DS Ted Selitto of Kent Police to the discovery that young girls are being trafficked from Eastern Europe to the UK for exploitation in the sex industry. 

As the body count rises, Hunter and Selitto find themselves caught up in a ferocious war between gangs of ruthless traffickers, each vying for supremacy in this sordid world. But will Hunter and Selitto be able to identify the mastermind who controls the UK operation before he can be silenced forever?

Review

Hunter and Selitto are called to the scene of a disappearance. It looks as if something akin to a crime has happened. The hotel guest has disappeared and the room suggests something nefarious happened to him. This is the beginning of a thread leading towards terrible crimes - young girls exploited, humiliated and broken all in the name of money.                                                                         

The story is set in one of the most prevalent modern crime ring scenarios of our times. The human trafficking rings, who cater to all by kidnapping and forcing predominantly young women to work as sex slaves. Young girls who are ripped from their homes and deposited in a foreign country with no recourse to escape the clutches of the deviants.

The numbers of just how many victims remain a calculated guess, but one thing is sure they are invisible victims from countries who neither have the resources or the inclination to put a stop to the trafficking.

The author gives a good insight into how vast and widespread a problem this actually is, how organised and ruthless these gangs and organisations are. Goodness knows how many victims become dark statistics and Jane Does.

I thought the book was a little on the long side, it could have been more condensed, but hey-ho.  Hopefully we will see more of this sleuthing duo in the future.

Buy Danger at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher‌‌: The‌ ‌Conrad‌ ‌Press‌ ‌pub date 14‌ ‌Aug.‌ ‌2020. Buy at Amazon com. Hive. Bookshop org. Waterstones.

#BlogTour Ravishment by James Walker

Today it's the last day on the BlogTour Ravishment: The first diary of Lady Jane Tremayne by James Walker.

About the Author
James Walker - Retired lawyer, and still active charity worker, living in Kent,with a keen interest in
European history, who's published six novels including Aliza, My Love and Ravishment.

'My first book, Ellen’s Gold is a historical drama set in the early nineteenth century. This was followed by My Enemy, my love set in the First World War and I think he was George, a drama also set in that era. I then published Shamila, a story of forbidden love between a Moslem and a non-Moslem, set in the near future, before in the last year publishing Ravishment, which is whodunnit, set in 17th century England. Finally, this was followed by Aliza, my love, which is set in Nazi Germany.'

Follow James Walker on Goodreads, Buy Ravishment

About the book
A 17th-century whodunnit - It’s 1653 and Lady Jane Tremayne has inherited the estate of her late husband.

When a young woman is raped, as Lady of the Manor, Jane decides to investigate, assisted by her closest friend, Lady Olivia Courtney. Then the stakes are raised when the rapist strikes again.

More than just a whodunnit, this is an absorbing tale of a brave woman living in dangerous and unique times.

Review
Lady Jane Tremayne is shocked to discover when a young girl is sexually assaulted that she believes it was a gentleman of good standing. She is eager to get the word out so the other women can keep themselves safe and is interested in finding the fiend who did this. She isn't even above investigating the crime herself, and no man is above suspicion.

Set in 17th century England the story is also infused with the political and religious unrest of the time, where supporting one monarch can mean a death sentence only a few months or years later. Alternatively staying silent about affiliations can also cast a shadow of suspicion or cowardice over someone.

The title of the book really says it all: ravishment - the crime of forcing a woman to submit to sexual intercourse against her will. It's paradox that it can also mean: a feeling of extreme pleasure or satisfaction. That in itself hints at the way sexual crimes, especially against women, are viewed by the public and perhaps more so by men in general.

What is really disappointing is the fact that opinions towards these type of crimes haven't really changed very much or the way the general public is often eager to blame the victim. Just the fact that a pregnancy resulting from a rape was considered an affirmation of consent. That's without the whole she must have invited the advances of the gentleman in question. Same old same old, eh.

This is the first in the Lady Tremayne series and hopefully not the last, especially given certain things mentioned in the last chapter.

Buy Ravishment at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : The Conrad Press; pub date 30 May 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy from Conrad Press.

#BlogTour The Greenbecker Gambit by Ben Graff

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour The Greenbecker Gambit by Ben Graff.

About the Author
Ben Graff is a writer, journalist and Corporate Affairs professional. He is a regular contributor to Chess and Authors Publish. He is not a grandmaster but did draw with one once.

Follow @GreenBGambit on Twitter, on Amazon, LinkedIn, on Goodreads, Buy The Greenbecker Gambit

About the book
‘I only feel truly alive when the chess clock is ticking and the patterns on the squares in front of me are dancing in my head. Very little else gives me the same feeling. Nothing else, that does not involve a flame.’

Tennessee Greenbecker is bravely optimistic as he sets out to claim what he sees as rightfully his – the title of world chess champion. But who is he really? Is he destined to be remembered as chess champion or fire-starter? Either way, might this finally be his moment?

Review
Given the very public meltdown of a very rich celebrity at the moment and the way people are divided about the interpretation of his words and actions - I find this an interesting parallel. Is it the ramblings of a man suffering from mental health issues or is it just a man and his particular view of the world and the place he holds in it. A view that is considered bizarre and unacceptable because it doesn't align with the norm.

Are our own views not guided and driven by society, those who raise us and govern us. What happens to rebels, misfits and rejects? Are they not wrapped up and labeled with a sign saying crazy for all to see and sneer at?

With that in mind Tennessee deserves a more detailed assessment and not just a brush off, which his brother does in such a monumentally worldly way. You don't live your life the way I expect, ergo end result disappointment and judgement.

What or who is Tennessee Greenbecker? The unacknowledged chess champion or a pyromaniac, perhaps a combination of both - the chess player with a penchant for starting fires.

I like the way Graff thinks and writes. For me this is a venture into literary fiction, but without the pomposity of the attempt to be said genre. The narration by Tennessee is nothing short of highly entertaining - I choose not to see it as internal dialogue of a deluded man, but rather the words of a man consumed by his own world. Not the lonely, often dangerous and erratic man. The genius, the expert, the misunderstood - may his name be remembered throughout history.

Buy The Greenbecker Gambit at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: The Conrad Press; pub date 16 April 2020. Buy at Chess and Bridge Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Space Academy by Hannah Hopkins

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Space Academy by Hannah Hopkins.

About the Author
 In 2017, Hannah Hopkins released a self-published novel entitled 'The Split'; the story of four teenagers navigating life after Earth as they journey through space to a new planet. Two years later, the book was picked up by 'The Conrad Press' and re-vamped as 'Space Academy,' with a new cover, new title and new additions to the story. 'Space Academy' was released in 2020, kickstarting Hannah's career as a writer.

Hannah is currently busy writing a historical fiction novel with a feminist twist. She spends the rest of her time working at a University and caring for her two young children in the UK.

Follow Hannah Hopkins on Facebook, on Instagram, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit hannahhopkinsauthor.co.uk, Buy Space Academy

About the book
It's the year 2100. Earth is dying. A young woman, Elsie, has risked everything to get her newborn son, Will, aboard 'The Mayflower' - a spaceship that will transport a select number of people to a new planet they can call home. Elsie’s luck takes a turn when she discovers the captain of 'The Mayflower' is an old friend. He allows her to board with her son, giving them a place on the luxurious Floor One, where they live amongst the most honoured of 'The Mayflower’s' passengers.

Thirteen years later, and Will is ready to start school at Space Academy, an institute specialising in subjects such as Alien Studies, Technology, and Rocket Control. While a pupil there, Will starts to uncover secrets about his father's death, becoming wrapped in a mystery that he and his friends must solve if they are to have any hope of saving humanity from the threat that lies in wait.

Review
Will has plenty of questions about is father and his death. He throws a mention in here and there to get his mother to finally fill him in on the details. What is worth staying so tight lipped about? What is his mother hiding?

I thought the historical parallels were interesting - naming the ship The Mayflower and having only the chosen be part of the saved race. Humankind is on its way to reboot, rebuild and live in space. The handpicked crop of people, which is quite elitist and also no different from life before the catastrophic changes. So much for save the world and its inhabitants.

The Mayflower has echoes of the Titanic on her maiden voyage, whereby the worth of human is dictated by which floor they live on. First floor is the elite and the further down you get the less money your parents have in their pocket.

It's a YA sci-fi dystopian read with a space mystery vibe. Will and his teenage gang of friends are navigating the space boarding school experience, which includes the same kind of opportunistic bullies, hierarchies and distinctions of class remaining firmly in place, despite the end of the world. You would think the human race would change just a bit to suit the new circumstances instead of carrying on with the same destructive patterns and habits.

Where did the alien animals come from and how do they know they are animals, as opposed to the actual species of alien. Seems a wee bit colonialist to presume humans are the only species out there in the great open space. There are plenty of unanswered questions and a lot of ideas left with a bare frame and lack of substance. Just minor hiccups in an otherwise pacy read.

Buy Space Academy at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: The Conrad Press; pub date 4 May 2020. Buy at Amazon com.