Review: Day of theAccident by Nuala Ellwood

They say you killed...

BUT WHAT IF THEY'RE WRONG?

Sixty seconds after she wakes from a coma, Maggie's world is torn apart. 

The police tell her that her daughter Elspeth is dead. That she drowned when the car Maggie had been driving plunged into the river. Maggie remembers nothing.

When Maggie begs to see her husband Sean, the police tell her that he has disappeared. He was last seen on the day of her daughter's funeral.

What really happened that day at the river?

Where is Maggie's husband?

And why can't she shake the suspicion that somewhere, somehow, her daughter is still alive? 

I loved this book!!! At first I wasn't quite sure what was going on and then as the story unfolded things became clearer... I must admit though that I'd not quite got it all worked out until all was revealed. It really was a gripping read...… and I couldn't put it down. 

I don't want to give any spoilers away but what I will say is that you definitely need to read this book when it's released next year.

I was lucky to be given an advance digital copy via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion, and I can honestly say that it was brilliant!!

Review: No Time To Cry by James Oswald

Undercover ops are always dangerous, but DC Constance Fairchild never expected things to go this wrong.

Returning to their base of operations, an anonymous office in a shabby neighbourhood, she finds the bloodied body of her boss, and friend, DI Pete Copperthwaite. He's been executed - a single shot to the head.

In the aftermath, it seems someone in the Met is determined to make sure that blame for the wrecked operation falls squarely on Con's shoulders. She is cut loose and cast out, angry and alone with her grief... right until the moment someone also tries to put a bullet through her head.

There's no place to hide, and no time to cry.

I don't think that I have read any of James Oswald's other series..... and I'm really wondering why not??

I loved this book. The storyline was great and the plot and ending wasn't obvious from the start. It had me gripped and I couldn't put it down as I needed to know what was going to happen next. Our main character Con is just perfect and I could really picture her thinking what to do next, I do hope that some of the other characters that we have met also make a reappearance in future books too.

I'm very excited that this is a new series and I cannot wait until the next instalment is out for me to read. In the meantime I think that I'll catch up on the other series as I really do love the way that this book is written, it flows so well.

Review: Mother by Hannah Begbie

I was her mother.

I gave her a death sentence.

Those were the facts of it.

A devastating diagnosis. A deadly secret.

At three weeks old, Cath's daughter is diagnosed with a life-threatening condition. Their world implodes.

Will Cath's desperate actions save her daughter . . . or destroy her?

An explosive novel about obsession and the lengths we go to save the ones we love.

I enjoyed reading this, the storyline was good and I felt that it covered the topic well. I would imagine that many parents in the same boat find themselves becoming obsessive and researching the condition, finding it hard to speak to loved ones. 

I felt that the book was a mix of reality with story and thought that the author did a great job of combining the two. Quite an emotional read but worth it. 

Macbeth by Jo Nesbo

He’s the best cop they’ve got.

When a drug bust turns into a bloodbath it’s up to Inspector Macbeth and his team to clean up the mess.

He’s also an ex-drug addict with a troubled past.

He’s rewarded for his success. Power. Money. Respect. They’re all within reach.

But a man like him won’t get to the top.

Plagued by hallucinations and paranoia, Macbeth starts to unravel. He’s convinced he won’t get what is rightfully his.

Unless he kills for it. 

Absolutely brilliant...…. I'm a huge Jo Nesbo fan anyway but I just loved this! I couldn't put it down. the storyline was so fast paced I wasn't sure what was going to happen next and there's not many books these days that get me like that as I'm usually pretty good at working out what's going to happen!

I will admit that I've not read Macbeth by Shakespeare so have no idea how close the story is to that but it didn't matter, it literally had me gripped. 

Review: A Little Bird Told Me by Marianne Holmes

Besides, if you were one half evil, wouldn’t you want to know about the other half?

In the scorching summer of 1976, Robyn spends her days swimming at the Lido and tagging after her brother. It’s the perfect holiday – except for the crying women her mum keeps bringing home.

As the heatwave boils on, tensions in the town begin to simmer. Everyone is gossiping about her mum, a strange man is following her around, and worst of all, no one will tell Robyn the truth. But this town isn’t good at keeping secrets…

Twelve years later, Robyn returns home, to a house that has stood empty for years and a town that hasn’t moved on, forced to confront the mystery that haunted her that summer.

And atone for the part she played in it.

A Little Bird Told Me is Marianne Holmes’ debut novel.

I loved this book, I couldn't put it down! I loved the fact that it was written in two parts - the past and the present and the way that the story came together by reading each part. The storyline was well thought out and I was surprised that this was a debut novel as it really was a great read. 

I loved the characters in the book; Robyn (Little Bird) and her brother Kit (Christopher) are our two main ones but there are also some outside characters that we get to meet and know. I loved the ending and I would love it if there could be a sequel to it but I'm not sure if we'd be able to have one that would be as brilliant.

Review: It Ends With You by S.K.Wright

'If I'd told the truth, it would have been fiction.'

Everyone loves Eva. Beautiful, bright, fun, generous - she's perfect.

So when her body is found in a ditch in the local woods the only thing anyone wants to know is: Who could have done this?

It has to be Luke, her boyfriend. He has the motive, the means, the opportunity and he's no stranger to the police.

Even though the picture is incomplete, the pieces fit. But as time passes, stories change.

Who could have done this? You decide.

It Ends With You is clever and compulsive. It challenges preconceptions, makes you second-guess yourself with each chapter, and it holds an uncomfortable mirror up to the way societies and systems treat outsiders.

I enjoyed this book however, it didn't grip me like some books do. I do understand that it is targeted at a YA audience and that could be the reason. The storyline was told over multiple people and utilised the use of social media too which was enjoyable to read.

I did have the killer worked our pretty quickly and was slightly disappointed with the ending as it seemed like things were left dangling...… could it be for a sequel?

Review: You Let Me In by Lucy Clarke

Nothing has felt right since Elle rented out her house . . .

I’M IN YOUR HOUSE

There’s a new coldness. A shift in the atmosphere. The prickling feeling that someone is watching her every move from the shadows.

I’M IN YOUR HEAD

Maybe it’s all in Elle’s mind? She’s a writer – her imagination, after all, is her strength. And yet every threat seems personal. As if someone has discovered the secrets that keep her awake at night.

AND NOW I KNOW YOUR SECRET

As fear and paranoia close in, Elle’s own home becomes a prison. Someone is unlocking her past – and she’s given them the key…

Spine-tingling, chilling, and utterly compulsive, YOU LET ME IN is the stunning new novel from Richard & Judy Book Club author, Lucy Clarke

I loved this book! It was brilliantly written and I genuinely had no clue who it was that was in Elle's house or what her secret was until it was revealed. There was multiple people who it could have been and there was some brilliant twists within the plot that related to Elle's younger years. 

I had to keep on reading as it had me in suspense, and I must admit that I loved the ending. I don't want to give any spoilers away but will say that its definitely worth reading.

A Boy in the Water by Tom Gregory

The poignant, life-affirming story of a determined boy, a visionary coach, and how the dream of a record-breaking Channel swim became reality

Eltham, South London. 1984: the hot fug of the swimming pool and the slow splashing of a boy learning to swim but not yet wanting to take his foot off the bottom. Fast-forward four years. Photographers and family wait on the shingle beach as a boy in a bright orange hat and grease-smeared goggles swims the last few metres from France to England. He has been in the water for twelve agonizing hours, encouraged at each stroke by his coach, John Bullet, who has become a second father.

This is the story of a remarkable friendship between a coach and a boy, and a love letter to the intensity and freedom of childhood.

This book is fabulous, I need to be completely honest and say that I hadn't read the description of the book and as it was an advance kindle copy that I read, I hadn't spotted that the cover said 'a memoir'. So I'm reading the book and just thought it was brilliant... it had me gripped and I finished it in less than a day as I just couldn't put it down!! It was as I got to the end that I thought 'maybe this is a true story' and indeed it was. 

The way in which it was written was really moving, Tom has clearly retained the emotions from that time and they come across perfectly, I will admit that I did cry towards the end. 

It truly is an amazing story.

Review: All the Hidden Truths by Claire Askew

This is a fact: Ryan Summers walked into Three Rivers College and killed thirteen women, then himself.

But no one can say why.

The question is one that cries out to be answered - by Ryan's mother, Moira; by Ishbel, the mother of Abigail, the first victim; and by DI Helen Birch, put in charge of the case on her first day at her new job. But as the tabloids and the media swarm, as the families' secrets come out, as the world searches for someone to blame... the truth seems to vanish.

A stunningly moving novel from an exciting new voice in crime, ALL THE HIDDEN TRUTHS will cause you to question your assumptions about the people you love, and reconsider how the world reacts to tragedy.

WOW!! I loved this book, at first  I must admit that I though it was a slow start but it soon picked up pace. I loved the way that it also included media reports/tweets etc within as it helped to give that extra layer. 

I enjoyed meeting our characters especially the newly promoted DI Birch...… I hope that it's not the last we hear from her as there is definitely more stories that can be found from her life and career. 

The way the storyline was brought together was really well thought out, I couldn't wait to see how it ended.

Review: Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

What if the person you thought you knew best turns out to be someone you never knew at all?

Andrea Cooper knows everything about her mother Laura. She knows she's spent her whole life in the small town of Gullaway Island; she knows she's never had any more ambition than to live a quiet life as a pillar of the community; she knows she's never kept a secret in her life.

But one day, a trip to the mall explodes into violence and Andrea suddenly sees a completely different side to Laura.

Twenty-four hours later, Laura is in hospital, shot by an intruder who's spent thirty years trying to track her down. Now, Andrea must go on a desperate journey to follow the breadcrumbs of her mother's past. If she can't uncover the secrets hidden there, there may be no future for either of them…

Wow!! What a story..... I didn't know what was going to happen next!

I felt that the book gave enough background to make me feel that I was going though what Andy (Andrea) was experiencing with her. I genuinely couldn't wait to see how this ended and I can honestly say that I wasn't expecting it. 

The storyline is great, it is written from two points of view at times but it is not in the least bit confusing and helps to build the story up to come together.  

Honestly loved it!

Review: Bad by Chloé Esposito

She stole the life she wanted. Now someone wants to steal it back . . . Alvie Knightly may be waking up in the Ritz, but her life is no bed of roses. Firstly, she has the mother of all hangovers. Secondly, her beautiful, spoiled twin sister Beth has just been found dead in Sicily - and the police want Alvie for questioning. And thirdly, Alvie's hot new boyfriend has vanished with every penny of the millions they stole from Beth. But he picked the wrong girl to mess with. Alvie will pursue her ex to Rome in a game of cat and mouse that only one of them can survive.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned . . . But can Alvie get revenge before her crimes catch up with her?

This was an enjoyable book to read.... the storyline is somewhat far-fetched but if you don’t take it too seriously then it’s worth a read.

I must admit that I did find myself laughing out loud at some of Alvie’s actions and ‘thoughts’.

I haven’t read the first book in the trilogy but I’m unsure whether that matters or not, as it was readable as a standalone.

Review: The Possible World by Liese O'Halloran Schwarz

Ben is the sole survivor of a crime that claims his mother and countless others. He is just six years old, and already he must find a new place for himself in the world.

Lucy, the doctor who tends to Ben, is grappling with a personal upheaval of her own. She feels a profound connection to the little boy who has lived through the unthinkable. Will recovering his memory heal him, or damage him further?

Clare has long believed that the lifetime of secrets she’s been keeping don’t matter to anyone anymore, until an unexpected encounter prompts her to tell her story.

As they each struggle to confront the events – past and present – that have defined their lives, something stronger than fate is working to bring them together...

I really enjoyed this book, at first I wasn't quite sure that I could keep up with the three narratives, however I found it very easy to keep on track as we found out each of our characters stories. 

The story is a heart warming one, it was really well written and I loved finding out how our three characters were connected, I really enjoyed reading their stories and I couldn't wait to find out how it ended! 

Review: I Never Lie by Jody Sabral

I enjoyed this book, our main character Alex is an alcoholic and a news journalist, after a ropey live on air screening her career has been teetering on the edge. Young females have been getting murdered..... very close to where Alex lives, reporting on these murders could be Alex's last chance to continue her career... However, her drinking is getting more excessive and could the answer to the murders lie closer to home than she realises.

This book was well written and soon picked up pace. I liked the fact that it alternated between Alex and our other main character who's story was told via 'dear diary' extracts. The storyline was well thought out and I loved seeing how it built up towards the end. 

Review: Believe Me by JP Delaney

I loved this book, I read it virtually in one sitting.... I found myself engrossed quickly into the storyline and needed to keep on reading.

Claire Wright likes to play other people.

A British drama student, in New York without a green card, Claire takes the only job she can get: working for a firm of divorce lawyers, posing as an easy pick-up in hotel bars to entrap straying husbands.

When one of her targets becomes the subject of a murder investigation, the police ask Claire to use her acting skills to help lure their suspect into a confession. But right from the start, she has doubts about the part she's being asked to play. Is Patrick Fogler really a killer . . . Or the only decent husband she's ever met? And is there more to this set-up than she's being told?

And that's when Claire realises she's playing the deadliest role of her life . 

What can I say.... even after reading the blurb and thinking that I knew what was happening….. I was wrong! It was a brilliant storyline and the twists and turns kept on coming. This is the first book that I have read from JP Delaney and it certainly won't be the last if they are all this good. 

I love how you get to know and bond with the characters, the story really had me feeling for our main character Claire as she really has suffered knock-backs in the past throughout here career. 

I don't want to give any spoilers away but I can honestly say that I loved the ending and I'm sure you will too!!

Review: Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh

WOW!!! I absolutely loved this book, I read it in less than 24 hours and just couldn't put it down - I almost considered not sleeping so that I could finish it quicker!!

So as the book suggests...… The serial killer isn't on trial - HE'S ON THE JURY

This was brilliantly written, the storyline just weaved and flowed easily with the picture of what had really happened building clue by clue. Kane is our criminal who has literally killed to get his seat on the jury, can he see the man convicted though?

Once again the star of the book is Eddie Flynn who ends up getting involved despite him not wanting too, once he realises that the client is innocent he takes matters into his own hands to help try and prove his innocence.

I don't want to give too much away about the rest of the storyline as I really think that everyone needs to read it themselves to find out. There were points when I was reading that I literally shouted out 'yes!, I'd forgotten about that' and 'oh my god' my friends who were with me told me that I couldn't tell them anymore as they wanted to read it!!

Review: You Were Made For This by Michelle Sacks

I’m not really quite sure what to make of this book if I’m honest. Although the storyline was well thought out, the ending was a bit bizarre for my liking.

Our main cast of Sam & Merry who are husband and wife are hiding secrets from each other even having moved from the US to Sweden to start a new life. Both have damaged/troubled backgrounds. Our third main character Frank is Merry’s childhood best friend.... however friend is a loosely used term as each hurts the other and have done across the years. 

The storyline is developed in such a way that you think you know where it’s going but what actually happens is far from what was expected. 

Review: Trust No One by Anthony Mosawi

I loved this book!! 

I couldn’t read it quick enough. It has a brilliantly written storyline when gets started right from the beginning... I quickly wanted to find out more. I loved the way that the story unfolded. Sara our main character was found aged 10 trapped in a bath full of water and the only thing she knew was her name.

There were only a couple of clues left but not much to go on. Her main problem...... who she could trust. The book really gripped me and I had to find out about Sara’s past. There are some other really great characters that were developed in the book and I would love to read more about them in another book.

It’s published on the 23rd August so grab a copy! It’s well worth it! 

I received an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

I loved this book!!

It was absolutely gripping, I couldn’t wait to read it... I totally loved the way that the story unfolded. I liked the main characters Charlie and Sam and enjoyed how we learnt about their history as well as about them now.

It had a mixture of emotions throughout ranging from sadness to comedy. I don’t want to give any spoilers away but the storyline was brilliant and I have no idea how the author came up with the storyline as it genuinely was put together brilliantly.

Review: Big Potential by Shawn Achor

Description:

Forget everything you thought you knew about being your best. It’s not about your own skills or talents. Instead, real success in work and life comes from your connections and relationships – the teams you build around you, the friends you make – and getting the best out of them. You hugely amplify your own potential by helping others around you to realise theirs.

A TED talk star with over 16 million views, Shawn Achor is one of the world’s leading experts on happiness and personal success – and author of the positive psychology classic The Happiness Advantage. Now, in this game-changing guide to greatness, he demolishes the myth of single individual achievement. With powerful stories, cutting-edge research and exclusive insights from Fortune 100 leaders, he shows how only by working with others will you ever reach your Big Potential.

Review: 

I got this book via netgalley and although I’d read the description at the time of requesting I’d completely forgotten what it was about by the time I came to read it.

I’ve not read Shawn’s previous books but I really like the way he writes, he’s really descriptive with the stories that he tells. I think that’s to make sure that you understand why he’s telling you what he’s telling you!

It’s a thought provoking book, with some really good topics and methods contained within it. It also makes a lot of sense. I’ve definitely taken some top tips from it to put into use.

Review: If He Wakes by Zoe Lea

I really enjoyed this book, it did however take me by surprise being set so close to home! It was lovely to read how the author had captured my home city and reading the detailing seemed to make it magical, I almost saw it the way an outsider would and that was lovely.

Our storyline is based around Rachel and Suzie, two friends who are also business partners. Who are both hiding secrets from each other about the men in their lives.

It was a great storyline and I loved the way that it developed, it was fast flowing and I soon discovered that I was at the end. Well worth a read.

Phew!!!

That was a lot of catching up to do!!!

I've been on holiday and that's great because it means that I get more reading done..... the downside is that my reviews pile up!!! Especially as I was out of service for most of the time that I was away.

I did manage to sneak a couple of reviews in but didn't realise quite how many books that I had read!!! Normal service will be resumed with reading and then reviewing straightaway.... it's too tiring typing lots up all in one go!

Review: Snap by Belinda Bauer

I loved this book!! I thought that the storyline was brilliant and I was able to read it at a fast pace which is good as I needed to find out what happened!!

The story focuses on Jack whose mother's car broke down three years ago and she went for help but never came back, his father left them and he was left to look after his two younger sisters alone. 

I really enjoyed the way that the storyline focused on a few different areas and different people and then as your reading you start putting the pieces together and then it clicks.

This really is a fantastic book and I'm so glad that I got the opportunity to read it via Netgalley - I'll definitely be looking out for more titles form Belinda Bauer in the future.

Review: Take me in by Sabine Durrant

I loved this book.... the storyline starts instantly and the more you read the more you realise is happening! I couldn't wait to finish it.

The story is written from two points of view - Marcus and Tessa, it starts on holiday where their son almost drowns on the beach and a stranger saves him..... but that stranger wants to be in their lives from now on. 

Both Marcus and Tessa are hiding their own secrets too and with all the pressure they are under they start to feel like someone is watching them.....but are they being watched?

I loved the way the story unfolded and I must admit I didn't see the ending coming and thought it was brilliant. Definitely a must read.

Review: Rise of the Hearts by Antoine Bonner

Well..... I don't really know where to start with this one!!

The story is based around Nathaniel, who is a loser at everything and a loner as he has no friends. He is given the chance to get everything that he wants but that chance comes with a price.

It's definitely a unique storyline which at times is completely unbelievable and at others really quite brilliant!! It took a long time for the storyline to develop and then it felt like no sooner had we finally found out what it was the book ended - rather abruptly for me. 

Its classified as horror/humour and that is true, I just don't however, think that it's for me.

Review: The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie Butland

I loved this book, it tells the story of Ailsa Rae, who has waited many years for a heart transplant..... she gets one but now she has to learn how to live a normal life.

I enjoyed the style that this book was written in, a mix of the past, present, blog posts and emails. all perfectly capturing the emotions that the author is trying to convey. There is happiness, sadness, family drama, romance and humour all brilliantly combined together - with a Tango thrown in too!!

It was great to see how Ailsa developed throughout the book and I must say that I'm sad that the story ended..... I'm hoping we get to hear more from her in a sequel.

Review: You We’re Gone by Tim Weaver

Well... I’m currently wondering where I’ve been!! How is this Raker #9 and I’ve only just discovered it!!! Absolutely brilliant... I need to go and read them all from the beginning now! 

Having no clue what the series was previously about I can safely say that you don’t need to read the others for it to make sense! The storyline had me gripped from early on and I loved how many layers there was to the story and finding the real culprit! 

It was well written and fast paced but didn’t feel rushed at any point and everything that was written was useful and contributed to the story.

Review: The Liar’s Room by Simon Lelic

I loved this book, I don’t want to give too much away on the storyline as it’s not out yet!! 

What I can say is I love the way that the story unfolds and you don’t quite know where it’s going... I certainly didn’t expect the outcome - having the realisation at the same time that our lead character did in the book! 

It was brilliantly written and kept me reading until late at night as I needed to finish and find out the truth!

Review: Time is a Killer by Michael Bussi

This is the story of Clotide, who escaped a tragic accident many years ago, now she has come back to show her daughter the scene of the accident but it’s not as it seems.... someone doesn’t want the truth to come out.

This was brilliantly written and it kept me intrigued right until the end. Whilst some parts were predictable it did keep me guessing and there was some twists and turns that I just didn’t see coming. 

As always I’d love to find out more about the characters as it’s well written and you get to like and know the characters as part of the story.

Review: The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton

I absolutely loved this book! 

The storyline is unique and focuses on Florence a high ranking police officer that is well known for her first case. It’s not just your typical whodunnit as the person responsible has been in prison for 30 years and it’s at his funeral that we at to find out the story of what happened all those years ago. 

It’s brilliantly written and fast paced... I could t wait to get to the end... the build up was fantastic and the ending had me surprised despite there being some very subtle clues along the way that I hadn’t realised were clues until the end!! 

I’d love to read some more from this author, the way she builds the characters and you get to find out about them really helps to develop a connection within the book.