Book 33 - Death Do Us Part by Steven Dunne

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Headline Release date: 05/05/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

Even death cannot part these couples . . .
DI Damen Brook is on a rare period of leave and determined to make the most of it by re-connecting with his daughter Terri. But with her heavy drinking proving a challenge, Brook takes the opportunity to visit a local murder scene when his help is requested.
An elderly couple have each been executed with a single shot to the heart and the method echoes that of a middle-aged gay couple killed the previous month.
With the same killer suspected and the officer currently in charge nearing retirement, Brook knows that he has little choice but to cut short his leave when forced by his superiors to take the lead on the case.
Brook believes that he can catch this ruthless killer, but already distracted by Terri's problems, is he about to make a fatal mistake and lead the killer right to his own door?

My Thoughts

I have had Steven Dunnes’ The Reaper on my Kindle for a while, been trying to catch up on my Netgallery reviews, so I haven’t had time to read it. I saw Death Do Us Part on Netgallery and the publishers blurb really made me want to read it. I didn’t even realise it was by the same author until I started it and my god I wish I had read The Reaper earlier.

This book is amazing, absolutely amazing. The characters were strong, the storyline was engrossing and absorbing and it felt so real. The dialogue was just like being there; I felt a part of the book and really couldn’t put it down and didn’t want it to end. It took me to many places and emotions, I gasped out loud on more than one occasion.
A must read book.

Quote from Book

“I was an only child, like you, and it used to bother me until I worked out that all they wanted was a reaction. After that, I stopped reacting even when they badmouthed my parents. I never talked to them, never sought their friendship. Nothing. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. They loved to see me get angry and aggressive, but I soon realised that when that happened they laughed and taunted me all the more. That’s what they enjoyed. That’s when they won. So I ignored them until they got bored and moved on to someone else.”

Next Review - Play Dead - Angela Marsons

Book 33 - Death Do Us Part by Steven Dunne

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Headline Release date: 05/05/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

Even death cannot part these couples . . .
DI Damen Brook is on a rare period of leave and determined to make the most of it by re-connecting with his daughter Terri. But with her heavy drinking proving a challenge, Brook takes the opportunity to visit a local murder scene when his help is requested.
An elderly couple have each been executed with a single shot to the heart and the method echoes that of a middle-aged gay couple killed the previous month.
With the same killer suspected and the officer currently in charge nearing retirement, Brook knows that he has little choice but to cut short his leave when forced by his superiors to take the lead on the case.
Brook believes that he can catch this ruthless killer, but already distracted by Terri's problems, is he about to make a fatal mistake and lead the killer right to his own door?

My Thoughts

I have had Steven Dunnes’ The Reaper on my Kindle for a while, been trying to catch up on my Netgallery reviews, so I haven’t had time to read it. I saw Death Do Us Part on Netgallery and the publishers blurb really made me want to read it. I didn’t even realise it was by the same author until I started it and my god I wish I had read The Reaper earlier.

This book is amazing, absolutely amazing. The characters were strong, the storyline was engrossing and absorbing and it felt so real. The dialogue was just like being there; I felt a part of the book and really couldn’t put it down and didn’t want it to end. It took me to many places and emotions, I gasped out loud on more than one occasion.
A must read book.

Quote from Book

“I was an only child, like you, and it used to bother me until I worked out that all they wanted was a reaction. After that, I stopped reacting even when they badmouthed my parents. I never talked to them, never sought their friendship. Nothing. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. They loved to see me get angry and aggressive, but I soon realised that when that happened they laughed and taunted me all the more. That’s what they enjoyed. That’s when they won. So I ignored them until they got bored and moved on to someone else.”

Next Review - Play Dead - Angela Marsons

Book 32 - Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All - Jonas Jonasson

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Forth Estate Published: 21/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

A madcap new novel from the one-of-a-kind author of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START AGAIN. AND AGAIN.

It’s always awkward when five thousand kronor goes missing. When it happens at a certain grotty hotel in south Stockholm, it’s particularly awkward because the money belongs to the hitman currently staying in room seven. Per Persson, the hotel receptionist, just wants to mind his own business, and preferably not get murdered. Johanna Kjellander, temporarily resident in room eight, is a priest without a vocation, and, as of last week, without a parish. But right now she has two things at her disposal: an envelope containing five thousand kronor, and an excellent idea . . .

Featuring one violent killer, two shrewd business brains and many crates of Moldovan red wine, Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All is an outrageously zany story with as many laughs as Jonasson’s multimillion-copy bestseller The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared.

My Thoughts

I have read all of Jonas Jonassons books and have always found them to be farfetched amusing tales. This one is no exception. It’s a story of Money, Greed and the Gullible. Although the characters are of a questionable moral attitude they are still likeable. Anders, Per and Johanna hop from one wacky adventure to another across Sweden, even forming a new religion. I like Jonas’ writing style its straight to the point, funny and original. Another success.

Next Review - Death Do Us Part by Steven Dunne

Book 32 - Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All - Jonas Jonasson

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Forth Estate Published: 21/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

A madcap new novel from the one-of-a-kind author of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START AGAIN. AND AGAIN.

It’s always awkward when five thousand kronor goes missing. When it happens at a certain grotty hotel in south Stockholm, it’s particularly awkward because the money belongs to the hitman currently staying in room seven. Per Persson, the hotel receptionist, just wants to mind his own business, and preferably not get murdered. Johanna Kjellander, temporarily resident in room eight, is a priest without a vocation, and, as of last week, without a parish. But right now she has two things at her disposal: an envelope containing five thousand kronor, and an excellent idea . . .

Featuring one violent killer, two shrewd business brains and many crates of Moldovan red wine, Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All is an outrageously zany story with as many laughs as Jonasson’s multimillion-copy bestseller The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared.

My Thoughts

I have read all of Jonas Jonassons books and have always found them to be farfetched amusing tales. This one is no exception. It’s a story of Money, Greed and the Gullible. Although the characters are of a questionable moral attitude they are still likeable. Anders, Per and Johanna hop from one wacky adventure to another across Sweden, even forming a new religion. I like Jonas’ writing style its straight to the point, funny and original. Another success.

Next Review - Death Do Us Part by Steven Dunne

Book 31 - Stalker - Lars Kepler

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: HarperCollins Published: 05/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

A video-clip is sent to the National Criminal Investigation Department. Someone has secretly filmed a woman through her window from the garden. The next day she is found dead after a frenzied knife-attack.
The police receive a second film of another unknown woman. There is no way of identifying her before time runs out.
When her husband finds her he is so traumatised that he cleans the whole house and puts her to bed. He may have seen a vital clue, but is in such an extreme state of shock that the police are unable to question him.
Psychiatrist Erik Maria Bark is called in to hypnotise him - but what the man tells him under hypnosis leads Erik to start lying to the police.
If the lights are on, a stalker can see you from outside. But if the lights are off, you can't see a stalker who is already inside the house.

My Thoughts

This was my first foray into Scandinavia crime novels and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Straight from the start you are sucked into this dark, brooding world that Lars Kepler has created. The characters are well written and believable each with their own problems but this doesn’t clog the book down with unnecessary waffle. Its not a quick 15 minute read but the chapters are manageable. Its very graphic in its description of the murder scenes, which I liked and it flows well and keeps you guessing most of the way through. I did guess who it was early on but didn’t understand why until the last chapter or two. The last few chapters were very good and made for an exciting ending. Yet another author to add to the growing must read list.

Next Review - Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All - Jonas Jonasson

Book 31 - Stalker - Lars Kepler

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: HarperCollins Published: 05/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

A video-clip is sent to the National Criminal Investigation Department. Someone has secretly filmed a woman through her window from the garden. The next day she is found dead after a frenzied knife-attack.
The police receive a second film of another unknown woman. There is no way of identifying her before time runs out.
When her husband finds her he is so traumatised that he cleans the whole house and puts her to bed. He may have seen a vital clue, but is in such an extreme state of shock that the police are unable to question him.
Psychiatrist Erik Maria Bark is called in to hypnotise him - but what the man tells him under hypnosis leads Erik to start lying to the police.
If the lights are on, a stalker can see you from outside. But if the lights are off, you can't see a stalker who is already inside the house.

My Thoughts

This was my first foray into Scandinavia crime novels and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Straight from the start you are sucked into this dark, brooding world that Lars Kepler has created. The characters are well written and believable each with their own problems but this doesn’t clog the book down with unnecessary waffle. Its not a quick 15 minute read but the chapters are manageable. Its very graphic in its description of the murder scenes, which I liked and it flows well and keeps you guessing most of the way through. I did guess who it was early on but didn’t understand why until the last chapter or two. The last few chapters were very good and made for an exciting ending. Yet another author to add to the growing must read list.

Next Review - Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All - Jonas Jonasson

Book 30 - Tastes Like Fear- Sarah Hilary

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Headline Release date: 07/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

The young girl who causes the fatal car crash disappears from the scene.
A runaway who doesn't want to be found, she only wants to go home.
To the one man who understands her.
Gives her shelter.
Just as he gives shelter to the other lost girls who live in his house.
He's the head of her new family.
He's Harm.

D.I. Marnie Rome has faced many dangerous criminals but she has never come up against a man like Harm. She thinks that she knows families, their secrets and their fault lines. But as she begins investigating the girl's disappearance nothing can prepare her for what she's about to face.
Because when Harm's family is threatened, everything tastes like fear...

My Thoughts

A very average crime thriller. A good plot but lacking any action with too many characters that where superfluous and ultimately made the book drag on to the point I lost interest in what was going on. I absolutely hated the Sol storyline, went nowhere. It gave absolutely nothing to the story or character development and the Gay cliché that was Dan was just as bad. I fail to see where the 5 stars have come from, perhaps the bloggers who review these books are scared that if they don’t wax lyrical they will be blacklisted by the publisher. It’s not bad, far from it, it’s just not mind-blowing as a lot of the reviews suggest.
>
Next Review - Stalker by Kepler, Lars

Book 30 - Tastes Like Fear- Sarah Hilary

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Headline Release date: 07/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

The young girl who causes the fatal car crash disappears from the scene.
A runaway who doesn't want to be found, she only wants to go home.
To the one man who understands her.
Gives her shelter.
Just as he gives shelter to the other lost girls who live in his house.
He's the head of her new family.
He's Harm.

D.I. Marnie Rome has faced many dangerous criminals but she has never come up against a man like Harm. She thinks that she knows families, their secrets and their fault lines. But as she begins investigating the girl's disappearance nothing can prepare her for what she's about to face.
Because when Harm's family is threatened, everything tastes like fear...

My Thoughts

A very average crime thriller. A good plot but lacking any action with too many characters that where superfluous and ultimately made the book drag on to the point I lost interest in what was going on. I absolutely hated the Sol storyline, went nowhere. It gave absolutely nothing to the story or character development and the Gay cliché that was Dan was just as bad. I fail to see where the 5 stars have come from, perhaps the bloggers who review these books are scared that if they don’t wax lyrical they will be blacklisted by the publisher. It’s not bad, far from it, it’s just not mind-blowing as a lot of the reviews suggest.
>
Next Review - Stalker by Kepler, Lars

Book 29 - The Missing Hours - Emma Kavanagh

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Century Published: 21/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

A woman disappears
One moment, Selena Cole is in the playground with her children and the next, she has vanished without a trace.
A woman returns
Twenty hours later, Selena is found safe and well, but with no memory of where she has been.
What took place in those missing hours, and are they linked to the discovery of a nearby murder?
‘Is it a forgetting or a deception?’

My Thoughts

Its not very often that something new comes along but with The Missing Hours, Emma Kavanagh has written a delightful story with an interesting storyline and unique lead characters. Dc Leah Mackay and DS Finn Hale are siblings as well as work mates and despite my original misgivings it really does work. The storyline is unlike anything I have read and the research that went into must have been immense. It is written from multiple view points, interspersed with reports from the Cole group. Again I had my misgivings but again they proved to be unfounded. I really enjoyed the book the only reason I didn’t give 5 stars was because I thought the ending seemed a little rushed. Having said that the ending was a surprise to me and not one that I had even entertained.

Next Review - Tastes Like Fear - Sarah Hilary

Book 29 - The Missing Hours - Emma Kavanagh

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Century Published: 21/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

A woman disappears
One moment, Selena Cole is in the playground with her children and the next, she has vanished without a trace.
A woman returns
Twenty hours later, Selena is found safe and well, but with no memory of where she has been.
What took place in those missing hours, and are they linked to the discovery of a nearby murder?
‘Is it a forgetting or a deception?’

My Thoughts

Its not very often that something new comes along but with The Missing Hours, Emma Kavanagh has written a delightful story with an interesting storyline and unique lead characters. Dc Leah Mackay and DS Finn Hale are siblings as well as work mates and despite my original misgivings it really does work. The storyline is unlike anything I have read and the research that went into must have been immense. It is written from multiple view points, interspersed with reports from the Cole group. Again I had my misgivings but again they proved to be unfounded. I really enjoyed the book the only reason I didn’t give 5 stars was because I thought the ending seemed a little rushed. Having said that the ending was a surprise to me and not one that I had even entertained.

Next Review - Tastes Like Fear - Sarah Hilary

Book 28 - Song of the Dead - Douglas Lindsay

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Freight Books Published: 24/03/16 Amazon uk link:Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

From the author of The Legend of Barney Thomson, recently released as a major motion picture starring two times Academy award-winner Emma Thompson, comes a dark, brooding new crime series.

Police detective Ben Westphall is burnt out and leading a quiet life in the North of Scotland. Things change when he is assigned to investigate the cold case of a UK national who disappeared in Eastern Europe under mysterious circumstances and who, despite being declared dead, has re-appeared, claiming to have been held for over a decade, various body parts having been harvested during that time. Westphall travels to Estonia, chasing leads and shadows that may lead to an international drugs and organ trafficking conspiracy.

My Thoughts

I like DI Ben Westphall. We could be friends. Being inside his head for a few hours was a joy, like being in a tumble dryer on intense setting. That’s good by the way. Of course he has his flaws and backstory, all of which are bearable and believable.
It’s a Dark and Atmospheric story with a splattering of dark humour. Whilst the pace is not a non stop rollercoaster, it is well paced with a few story arcs that are all brilliantly crafted that kept me reading and wanting more.
I loved the Dorothy storyline , really loved it. I hope it is an arc throughout the books in this new series. This is a series of Books I will defiantly be following.

“And then it happened. I cant think. I cant think what it was about, that moment. Why then? I was dozing on the couch, Gabriella sitting next to me watching Scooby Doo. That ordinary day. And it just happened. I went back in time.”


Next Book - The Missing Hours by Emma Kavanagh.

Book 28 - Song of the Dead - Douglas Lindsay

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Freight Books Published: 24/03/16 Amazon uk link:Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

From the author of The Legend of Barney Thomson, recently released as a major motion picture starring two times Academy award-winner Emma Thompson, comes a dark, brooding new crime series.

Police detective Ben Westphall is burnt out and leading a quiet life in the North of Scotland. Things change when he is assigned to investigate the cold case of a UK national who disappeared in Eastern Europe under mysterious circumstances and who, despite being declared dead, has re-appeared, claiming to have been held for over a decade, various body parts having been harvested during that time. Westphall travels to Estonia, chasing leads and shadows that may lead to an international drugs and organ trafficking conspiracy.

My Thoughts

I like DI Ben Westphall. We could be friends. Being inside his head for a few hours was a joy, like being in a tumble dryer on intense setting. That’s good by the way. Of course he has his flaws and backstory, all of which are bearable and believable.
It’s a Dark and Atmospheric story with a splattering of dark humour. Whilst the pace is not a non stop rollercoaster, it is well paced with a few story arcs that are all brilliantly crafted that kept me reading and wanting more.
I loved the Dorothy storyline , really loved it. I hope it is an arc throughout the books in this new series. This is a series of Books I will defiantly be following.

“And then it happened. I cant think. I cant think what it was about, that moment. Why then? I was dozing on the couch, Gabriella sitting next to me watching Scooby Doo. That ordinary day. And it just happened. I went back in time.”


Next Book - The Missing Hours by Emma Kavanagh.

Book 27 - The Dead House - Harry Bingham

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Orion Published: 28/07/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads link: Here

The Blurb

When the body of a young woman is found in an old 'dead house' - the annexe where the dead were stored before burial in medieval times - of a tiny Welsh church, it seems that past and present have come together in a bizarre and horrifying way. For DC Fiona Griffiths, the girl - a murder victim whose corpse was laid out with obvious tenderness - represents an irresistibly intriguing puzzle, given Fiona's unusual empathy with the dead. And when her investigations lead her to an obscure and secretive monastery hidden in a remote valley, she finds that the dead girl is far from the only victim of a sinister melding of modern crime and medieval religious practices. Only Fiona is capable of putting the mismatched pieces together in this disturbing puzzle, but immersing herself in this dark and obsessive world could threaten her fragile grip on her own sanity.

My Thoughts

This is the 5th instalment in the Fiona Griffiths series of books. I have to admit that I hadn’t read any of the previous books, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this one.
Fiona Griffiths is unlike any character I have ever read before. If I am being honest it took me around 20% of the book until I understood her and the authors writing style, but then BOOM, I was hooked. You always feel that there is a great sadness behind her character but at the same time she is happy. She is funny, loyal, and clever. I felt she could go over the edge at any moment but her work kept her from falling. She reminds me of Tony Hill in many respects. The supporting characters were well written and believable.
It’s a well knitted story with many strands that are all brought together at the end. There are two parts in particular that stand out for me and without giving too much away the Cave had me literally holding my breath and made me feel as if the walls were closing in on me. I really felt as if I was down there. The climax to the book is great reading and unexpected. Another Author I need to add to my read all pile.

Book 27 - The Dead House - Harry Bingham

Kindle Edition Cost: Netgallery Publisher: Orion Published: 28/07/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads link: Here

The Blurb

When the body of a young woman is found in an old 'dead house' - the annexe where the dead were stored before burial in medieval times - of a tiny Welsh church, it seems that past and present have come together in a bizarre and horrifying way. For DC Fiona Griffiths, the girl - a murder victim whose corpse was laid out with obvious tenderness - represents an irresistibly intriguing puzzle, given Fiona's unusual empathy with the dead. And when her investigations lead her to an obscure and secretive monastery hidden in a remote valley, she finds that the dead girl is far from the only victim of a sinister melding of modern crime and medieval religious practices. Only Fiona is capable of putting the mismatched pieces together in this disturbing puzzle, but immersing herself in this dark and obsessive world could threaten her fragile grip on her own sanity.

My Thoughts

This is the 5th instalment in the Fiona Griffiths series of books. I have to admit that I hadn’t read any of the previous books, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this one.
Fiona Griffiths is unlike any character I have ever read before. If I am being honest it took me around 20% of the book until I understood her and the authors writing style, but then BOOM, I was hooked. You always feel that there is a great sadness behind her character but at the same time she is happy. She is funny, loyal, and clever. I felt she could go over the edge at any moment but her work kept her from falling. She reminds me of Tony Hill in many respects. The supporting characters were well written and believable.
It’s a well knitted story with many strands that are all brought together at the end. There are two parts in particular that stand out for me and without giving too much away the Cave had me literally holding my breath and made me feel as if the walls were closing in on me. I really felt as if I was down there. The climax to the book is great reading and unexpected. Another Author I need to add to my read all pile.

Book 24 - Flawed - Cecelia Ahern

Kindle Edition Cost: NetGallery Publisher: Harper Collins Childrens Books Published: 24/03/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.
But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.
In this stunning novel, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society in which perfection is paramount and mistakes are punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

My Thoughts

I have never been a fan of dystopian stories; I find them a bit dull and lacking originality, there are so many of them.
This makes my decision to read this book a strange one. But read it I did and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story made me angry, nervous, tense and wanting to know how it was all going to end.
I felt an almost unreasonable hate for the leader of the guild Crevan and really wanted Celestine to bring the whole flawed system down. I enjoyed reading how Celestine changed through the book from a perfect unflawed model into what I hope will become a fighter who knows that just because you are told something is right, it doesn’t mean it is.
My only negative point is that I have to wait a year to find out how it all ends.

Book 24 - Flawed - Cecelia Ahern

Kindle Edition Cost: NetGallery Publisher: Harper Collins Childrens Books Published: 24/03/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.
But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.
In this stunning novel, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society in which perfection is paramount and mistakes are punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

My Thoughts

I have never been a fan of dystopian stories; I find them a bit dull and lacking originality, there are so many of them.
This makes my decision to read this book a strange one. But read it I did and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story made me angry, nervous, tense and wanting to know how it was all going to end.
I felt an almost unreasonable hate for the leader of the guild Crevan and really wanted Celestine to bring the whole flawed system down. I enjoyed reading how Celestine changed through the book from a perfect unflawed model into what I hope will become a fighter who knows that just because you are told something is right, it doesn’t mean it is.
My only negative point is that I have to wait a year to find out how it all ends.

Book 22 - Sleep Sister - Laura Elliot

Kindle Edition Cost: Net Gallery Publisher: Bookouture Published: 30/03/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

Two childhoods destroyed.
One story they will never tell.
Until now.

Beth ran away from her family when she was a teenager. She left behind a terrible evil that took her innocence. She also left behind her sister, Sara.

When Beth returns home, she is shocked to discover her terrible secret is not just hers alone…she shares it with Sara. Under the shadow of a remote headland, the sisters make an oath they promise never to break.

Eva’s birth is a mystery that remains unsolved. Years later with her marriage in ruins, and her future uncertain, she realizes that to move forward with her life, she must first understand her past.

But while Eva is drawing closer to the truth about her roots, Beth and Sara’s lives are falling apart, crushed under the weight of the secret they carry. They must confront the past and face the darkness once more. But this time, their story will be heard.

My Thoughts

Well, I suppose the good run had to finish somewhere. Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. It’s a dark, emotional subject to read about and not one I shy from but I just found myself drifting off, I wasn’t submersed into the world Laura Elliot has created. The language and long sentence structure made it feel like an old novel and it put me off. I suppose I Just wasn’t the demographic this novel was aimed at.

Book 22 - Sleep Sister - Laura Elliot

Kindle Edition Cost: Net Gallery Publisher: Bookouture Published: 30/03/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

Two childhoods destroyed.
One story they will never tell.
Until now.

Beth ran away from her family when she was a teenager. She left behind a terrible evil that took her innocence. She also left behind her sister, Sara.

When Beth returns home, she is shocked to discover her terrible secret is not just hers alone…she shares it with Sara. Under the shadow of a remote headland, the sisters make an oath they promise never to break.

Eva’s birth is a mystery that remains unsolved. Years later with her marriage in ruins, and her future uncertain, she realizes that to move forward with her life, she must first understand her past.

But while Eva is drawing closer to the truth about her roots, Beth and Sara’s lives are falling apart, crushed under the weight of the secret they carry. They must confront the past and face the darkness once more. But this time, their story will be heard.

My Thoughts

Well, I suppose the good run had to finish somewhere. Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. It’s a dark, emotional subject to read about and not one I shy from but I just found myself drifting off, I wasn’t submersed into the world Laura Elliot has created. The language and long sentence structure made it feel like an old novel and it put me off. I suppose I Just wasn’t the demographic this novel was aimed at.

Book 21 - The Missing - C.L. Taylor

Kindle Edition Cost: NetGallery Publisher: Avon Published: 07/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them.
But should you…?
When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire, blames herself. She's not the only one. There isn't a single member of Billy's family that doesn't feel guilty. But the Wilkinson’s are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn't until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.
Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.
A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?
Sometimes those closest to us are the ones with the most to hide…

My Thoughts

I think after this one I am going to read something a little less stressful. Or not. I seem to have hit a streak of amazing books at the moment and this certainly continued with The Missing. At the risk of a copy and paste from previous reviews, I have said before that for me to really enjoy a book, and give it 5 stars I need to be inside the book. I need to feel the same things as the character and again with The Missing I did.

For the majority of the book I was tense, so tense it gave me a headache. I felt so sorry for Claire. Poor women didn’t know what the hell was going on, waking up here, there and everywhere. Not knowing if she was involved in her sons disappearance. Everyone she loved became a suspect in her mind, its no wonder her brain reacted the way it did.
It’s an evenly paced book with short chapter s and a cracking storyline with an ending that I completely got wrong.

Without giving too much away, I thought Billy was a little so and so and I’m glad it ended how it did. Oh, and it’s the first time I have cried whilst reading. The last chapter was heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.

Book 21 - The Missing - C.L. Taylor

Kindle Edition Cost: NetGallery Publisher: Avon Published: 07/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them.
But should you…?
When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire, blames herself. She's not the only one. There isn't a single member of Billy's family that doesn't feel guilty. But the Wilkinson’s are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn't until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.
Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.
A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?
Sometimes those closest to us are the ones with the most to hide…

My Thoughts

I think after this one I am going to read something a little less stressful. Or not. I seem to have hit a streak of amazing books at the moment and this certainly continued with The Missing. At the risk of a copy and paste from previous reviews, I have said before that for me to really enjoy a book, and give it 5 stars I need to be inside the book. I need to feel the same things as the character and again with The Missing I did.

For the majority of the book I was tense, so tense it gave me a headache. I felt so sorry for Claire. Poor women didn’t know what the hell was going on, waking up here, there and everywhere. Not knowing if she was involved in her sons disappearance. Everyone she loved became a suspect in her mind, its no wonder her brain reacted the way it did.
It’s an evenly paced book with short chapter s and a cracking storyline with an ending that I completely got wrong.

Without giving too much away, I thought Billy was a little so and so and I’m glad it ended how it did. Oh, and it’s the first time I have cried whilst reading. The last chapter was heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.

Book 20 - See How They Run - Tom Bale

Kindle Edition Cost: Net Gallery Publisher: Bookouture Published: 06/05/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

How far would you go to save your family?

In the dead of night, new parents Alice and Harry French are plunged into their worst nightmare when they wake to find masked men in their bedroom. Men ruthless enough to threaten their baby daughter, Evie.

This is no burglary gone wrong.
The intruders know who they’re looking for – a man called Edward Renshaw.
And they are prepared to kill to get to him.

When the men leave empty handed, little do Alice and Harry realise that their nightmare is just beginning. Is it a case of mistaken identity? Who is Renshaw? And what is he hiding?

One thing is clear – they already know too much.

As Alice and Harry are separated in the run for their lives, there is no time for breathe in their fight to be reunited. And with their attackers closing in, there is only a choice:

STAY ALIVE. OR DON’T.

My Thoughts

I truly believe that Bookouture are becoming one of the best Publishers of the Crime/Thrillers genre, they have some amazing talent and Tom Bale is without doubt one of the best.

Reading this book was like getting on a treadmill turning it on and finding that it is on full speed, you can’t stop it and when the timer stops it, you collapse in a heap exhausted. Right from the first chapter you are taken into a world full of suspense, tension and fast paced action.

Through every chapter my heart beat raised, I held my breath and felt the pain, hope and disappointment and that both Alice and Harry French were going through. I have never felt as involved in a book as this one.

You don’t get to know who Harrys’ favourite Spice girl is or any other superfluous background to the characters; it’s just a massive joy ride of an adventure.

Although I did receive this book for an honest review, I would buy it in Paperback and keep it to read over and over again.

Don’t make the mistake of starting this in bed, I did and ended up checking the doors were locked at 2am and hiding a hammer under my pillow.

Book 20 - See How They Run - Tom Bale

Kindle Edition Cost: NetGalley Publisher: Bookouture Published: 06/05/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads Link: Here

The Blurb

How far would you go to save your family?

In the dead of night, new parents Alice and Harry French are plunged into their worst nightmare when they wake to find masked men in their bedroom. Men ruthless enough to threaten their baby daughter, Evie.

This is no burglary gone wrong.
The intruders know who they’re looking for – a man called Edward Renshaw.
And they are prepared to kill to get to him.

When the men leave empty handed, little do Alice and Harry realise that their nightmare is just beginning. Is it a case of mistaken identity? Who is Renshaw? And what is he hiding?

One thing is clear – they already know too much.

As Alice and Harry are separated in the run for their lives, there is no time for breathe in their fight to be reunited. And with their attackers closing in, there is only a choice:

STAY ALIVE. OR DON’T.

My Thoughts

I truly believe that Bookouture are becoming one of the best Publishers of the Crime/Thrillers genre, they have some amazing talent and Tom Bale is without doubt one of the best.

Reading this book was like getting on a treadmill turning it on and finding that it is on full speed, you can’t stop it and when the timer stops it, you collapse in a heap exhausted. Right from the first chapter you are taken into a world full of suspense, tension and fast paced action.

Through every chapter my heart beat raised, I held my breath and felt the pain, hope and disappointment and that both Alice and Harry French were going through. I have never felt as involved in a book as this one.

You don’t get to know who Harrys’ favourite Spice girl is or any other superfluous background to the characters; it’s just a massive joy ride of an adventure.

Although I did receive this book for an honest review, I would buy it in Paperback and keep it to read over and over again.

Don’t make the mistake of starting this in bed, I did and ended up checking the doors were locked at 2am and hiding a hammer under my pillow.

Book 19 - The Silent Twin - Caroline Mitchell

Kindle Edition Cost: Net Gallery Publisher: Bookouture Published: 14/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads link: Here

The Blurb

I’m alone in the dark, please can you find me …

Nine-year-old twins Abigail and Olivia vow never to be parted. But when Abigail goes missing from Blackwater Farm, DC Jennifer Knight must find her before it’s too late.

Twin sister Olivia has been mute since Abigail’s disappearance. But when she whispers in Jennifer’s ear, Jennifer realises it is Abigail’s voice pleading to be found.

A damp and decaying house set in acres of desolate scrubland, the farm is a place of secrets, old and new – and Jennifer must unravel them all in order to find the lost girl. But could Olivia’s bond with her twin hold the key to finding Abigail? And can Jennifer break through her silence in time to save her sister’s life?

A darkly gripping, page-turning thriller that will enthrall fans of Rachel Abbott, Alex Marwood’s The Wicked Girls and Mark Edwards.

My Thoughts

Well, what do you know, she’s only gone and done it again. This book was a truly great trip into the unknown. At some points I was holding my breath waiting to see what happened and importantly the ending was pretty decent with no plot holes or loose ends.

Its an cliché that’s very over used, and I make no apology for using it, this book was a “page turner” of the highest quality. What I want from a book is emotions. I want to be in the story, I want to see the characters in my mind, I want the story to exist.

Caroline Mitchells’ writing took me on a dark, suspenseful rollercoaster of a story that took me to the town of Haven threw me around a bit and them dumped me back into my armchair. Loved it.

Book 19 - The Silent Twin - Caroline Mitchell

Kindle Edition Cost: Net Gallery Publisher: Bookouture Published: 14/04/16 Amazon uk link: Here Goodreads link: Here

The Blurb

I’m alone in the dark, please can you find me …

Nine-year-old twins Abigail and Olivia vow never to be parted. But when Abigail goes missing from Blackwater Farm, DC Jennifer Knight must find her before it’s too late.

Twin sister Olivia has been mute since Abigail’s disappearance. But when she whispers in Jennifer’s ear, Jennifer realises it is Abigail’s voice pleading to be found.

A damp and decaying house set in acres of desolate scrubland, the farm is a place of secrets, old and new – and Jennifer must unravel them all in order to find the lost girl. But could Olivia’s bond with her twin hold the key to finding Abigail? And can Jennifer break through her silence in time to save her sister’s life?

A darkly gripping, page-turning thriller that will enthrall fans of Rachel Abbott, Alex Marwood’s The Wicked Girls and Mark Edwards.

My Thoughts

Well, what do you know, she’s only gone and done it again. This book was a truly great trip into the unknown. At some points I was holding my breath waiting to see what happened and importantly the ending was pretty decent with no plot holes or loose ends.

Its an cliché that’s very over used, and I make no apology for using it, this book was a “page turner” of the highest quality. What I want from a book is emotions. I want to be in the story, I want to see the characters in my mind, I want the story to exist.

Caroline Mitchells’ writing took me on a dark, suspenseful rollercoaster of a story that took me to the town of Haven threw me around a bit and them dumped me back into my armchair. Loved it.