Tag: netgalley book review

Advance #bookreview Right Here Right Now by Georgia Beers #romance #fiction #LBGT #Netgalley

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Lacey likes to have her life in a familiar routine, which is disturbed when a new company moves into neighbouring office space. When she meets Alicia there is instant attraction for them both but as they get to know each other hurdles crop up until the biggest hurdle from Alicia’s past threatens any future they could have together.

A slow burn get to know the characters romance that was easy to read and intrigued me to find find out what happens to our two protagonists. I’m not a regular reader of LBGT/lesbian romance but I did enjoy reading this romance novel.

This book will be available to buy from Amazon from 12th December 2017

Links To Book:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Goodreads

#Bookreview The Truth and Lies of Ella Black by Emily Barr #contemporary #fiction #mystery #Netgalley

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I wasn’t sure where this book was headed as the original description did not prepare me for the strange rollercoaster ride this story embarked on.

Seventeen year old Ella Black is not very popular in school has two friends, Jack and Lily, and overprotective parents. In addition to this she has a psychological alter ego she calls Bella (Bad Ella) who surfaces from time to time making Ella do abhorrent things she cannot control. One day whilst at school Ella’s mother shows up and takes her out. The next thing Ella knows is she is headed to Heathrow and boards a plane to Rio. Once in Rio a dark family secret, eventually, is uncovered and Ella finds herself unable to be around her parents who kept it from her.

I would say this is probably the most unusual story I have inadvertently picked up this yet and after finishing it, I’m still not sure how I feel about this book. I found Ella a difficult protagonist to connect with and the plot was not easy to buy into, apart from that it was well written and I did finish it.

Links To Book:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Goodreads

#Bookreview Final Girls by Riley Sager #horror #thriller #Netgalley

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Quincy Carpenter is the sole survivor of a killing spree that took place ten years ago at Pine Cottage. The press have dubbed her A Final Girl putting her in an exclusive group of three girls who have survived similar ordeals. However, when one of the girls is found dead Quincy is shaken, however her world starts to unravel when the third shows up.

This story is told from Quincy’s point of view in the present with flash backs to ten years ago told in the third person. It seems increasingly likely that Quincy is an unreliable narrator the more you get into the story but all my hunches and predictions fell by the wayside as I read this intriguing thriller.

A definite page turner that will give you goosebumps once you overlook the premise that there are only three female sole survivors of crimes of this nature, who could be dubbed Final Girls in a continent as large as the USA.

Links To Book: 

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Goodreads

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#BookReview The Stepmother by Claire Seeber

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When Jean meets her Prince Charming and they decide to marry, it’s not his first marriage and there are the children to consider, his twins and her son. Despite the challenges, Jean can’t believe her luck, until she moves in and everyday life starts with the Kings-her husband, his children and his ex-wife.

As clever as the intrigue aspect of this book is, I could barely stop myself from finding Jean a total drip. I’m not one to get turned off by flawed or damaged characters but I had to take the aspect of the story where a woman with previous poor relationship experience, who has been a single mum, decides marrying someone she barely knows is a good idea. 

That aside, once she has made the decision, when she isn’t quite getting on with one of the children, chooses to ignore caution and move into the old family home anyway, taking her university age son with her. 

Anyway, these misgivings aside, it came as no surprise to me that this wasn’t going to have a fairy tale ending in fact reading about the marriage and how it turned sour was not entirely unpredictable. However, what managed to redeem the story for me was the real bombshell of what was going on in this dysfunctional and broken family before Jean came along with her naivety and gullibility. 

By the time the book wraps up, you have to hand it to the author, well played!

Links To Book:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Goodreads

Advance Book Review: Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris

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When Grace accepts Jack’s proposal of marriage, she can scarcely believe that he is willing to share their home with her sister, Millie, who has Downs Syndrome and will need to live with them once she reaches eighteen. However, it isn’t long until the illusion of Jack and marital bliss is shattered for Grace.

This story is narrated by Grace and split into past and present, starting with the present and an idyllic dinner party for friends hosted by Jack and Grace. The perfect evening, which we later learn is filled with cracks as we get to grips with Grace’s back story.

I read this book in one sitting, because it is that compelling and gripping. However, there was something that irked me, it seemed a little too easy for Jack to persuade various professionals in various fields that Grace wasn’t credible. Also the deterrent of being locked in a red room with violent images, just didn’t seem scary enough to induce the sort of fear psychopath, Jack, craves in this day and age of graphic violence, although maybe I’m missing the subliminal triggers of fear and the deeper manipulation of our antagonist, in which case it should be better written into the story.

Despite a couple of my own personal misgivings about the plot I would still recommend this easy and gripping read.

This book is available for pre-order and will be released on February 11th 2016.

Links To Book:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Goodreads

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Book Review: The Silent Ones by Ali Knight

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Olivia Duvall is locked up in a high security hospital for the disappearance and murder of five young girls. she won’t speak of her crimes or the whereabouts of the girls leaving the families in turmoil. Darren is Carly Evans younger brother, Carly is one of the girls who went missing, ten years have passed and his mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer, the clock is ticking to find out about his sister so Darren assumes an alias and applies for a job as a cleaner at the hospital holding Olivia, but will be come close enough to this cold and calculating killer to actually get any information about Carly?

This crime thriller started off very well as I was intrigued by Olivia and just why she was as controlling as she appeared and although the book gave some insights into Olivia’s life, I felt that the story lost focus from it’s most intriguing character. The Story of the disappearance of the girls was compelling and it was hard to see how all the pieces of the puzzle fitted together, but although there was quite a twist the book didn’t answer all the questions that arose and I assume that’s because a sequel will be tackling the next phase in the story.

Overall quite a promising thriller and I hope the next instalment keeps the intrigue going.

Links to Book:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Goodreads

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Book Review: The Other Child by Lucy Atkins

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This compulsive psychological thriller tells us about Tess a freelance British photographer, single mother of one son, Joe, who marries an eminent paediatric cardiac surgeon, Greg and relocates to Boston. As well as uprooting her life and career, Tess is pregnant but Greg never wanted children and Tess is not certain his feelings to her pregnancy have changed but she remains optimistic that he will fall in love with their baby once he or she arrives.

However, the move to America is hard work as are her neighbours and Joe faces difficulties settling in. Tess soon discovers odd incidents, which make her question how well she really knows the man she has moved for.

I was consumed by this gripping read and this book is another example of why I love the psychological thriller genre so much. Well written and completely plausible this one will chill you.

Links to Book:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Goodreads
Netgalley

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Book Review: Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes

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Detroit PD Detective Gabi Versado leads the investigation into the most troubling murder scene she has ever had to deal with. The death of a child mutilated and attached to animal remains. Who could do such a thing? However, the situation worsens as another bizarre murder scene comes to light and it appears there’s a serial killer mutilating bodies across Detroit.

I really wanted to like this horror thriller and although we start off knowing where the bad guy is, it lost some of the malevolence and frightening suspense and atmosphere in preference to a more arty bohemian content. Initially this read as a crime thriller until you read more about Clayton Broom but it wasn’t enough to make this thrilling or scared for me. I do enjoy horror books from Stephen King, Susan Little and James Herbert but this just did not reach the high notes of fear and anticipation I associate with these authors. The book appealed to me primarily because of it’s cover but the storyline just wasn’t strong enough for me to recommend it to my blog readers. The parallel stories of Cas and Layla were engaging and kept it more interesting but I list interest in TK well before the end. Most of the action seems to occur from 78% to the end of the internal affairs report. I’m glad I kept reading just to read the conclusion but I am unlikely to pick up a future title by this author.

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