BLOG TOUR ~ Mine by Clare Empson

Hi Everyone,

Today is my stop on the final day for the Blog Tour for Mine by Clare Empson where I have a review from her latest novel. I was thrilled to be asked by Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Readers who organised this tour in conjunction with Orion Books to take part along with some other fab book bloggers. You can find out who else has taken part in this fabulous Blog Tour at the end of this review so without further ado, here it is:

'Who am I? Why am I here? Why did my mother give me away?'

Meet Luke and his girlfriend Hannah, on the surface they seem to have a perfect life. He's an A&R man, she's an arts correspondent and they are completely devoted to their new-born son Samuel.

But beneath all this Luke has always felt like an outsider. So when he decides to search his birth mother Alice and finds her, the instant connection with her is a little like falling in love.

When Hannah goes back to work, Luke asks his mother Alice to look after their son. But Alice - fuelled with grief from when her baby was taken from her 27 years ago - starts to fall in love with Samuel. And Luke won't settle for his mother pushing him aside once again...

Well, what a read this was, I absolutely LOVED it. I wouldn't describe it as a psychological thriller more of a story of family, guilt, jealousy and relationships and at times was full of tension which are palpable on the pages. Told it a dual timeframe from both Alice's past to the lead up of Luke's birth and present. It also deals with the sensitive and hard-hitting issue of adoption which were dealt with perfectly and it was well researched and written in a very sensitive and compassionate manner. I don't want to say anymore incase I say something by accident but all I can say is go and get this to read over the Easter weekend, you won't regret it.

Mine is Clare's second novel, the first been Him which I will definitely read after reading this novel and they are both available in all good bookshops, libraries, on audio and on Kindle where they are both currently £1.99 and  at the time of the publication of this review but be quick as it's only for a limited time so grab it while you can but I can't wait to see what she produces next (no pressure, Clare).


HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

NEW RELEASE ~ The Secret of Eveline House by Sheila Forsey

In 1949 and into the 1950s the people of Ireland lived by a strict moral religious code. Little mercy was shown by the church, the state or indeed society on anyone who ignored this code. This is where this story begins.

The Secret of Eveline House is set in 1949 and the present day.

It’s 1949 in Draheen and playwright Violet Ward, her husband Henry a renowned jeweller, and their young daughter Sylvia have returned to Ireland from London to take up residence in Eveline House. 

But Violet has broken the rules. Her writing is banned in Ireland and labelled immoral. The people of Draheen are hostile to her. Her very being there outrages them.

In 2019 Emily O’Connor buys her dream house in Draheen. Eveline House is like a time capsule, locked up since 1950, still full of personal possessions and hauntingly beautiful photographs of the family that once lived there. A family that seems to have abruptly walked out of their lives and disappeared through the cracks of time.

Emily soon realises that Draheen is a town of cruel secrets – secrets which are about to impact on her life in ways she could never have imagined. 

Sheila Forsey is an honours graduate from Maynooth in Creative Writing. Her writing is inspired by Ireland’s complex and difficult past.

"A thrilling and beautifully written mystery, Sheila Forsey’s atmospheric page turner is alive with intrigue and mystery from first sentence to last." Niamh Boyce.

The Secret of Eveline House-Tangled-Secrets-ebook

BLOG TOUR ~ The Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd

Hi Everyone,

Today is my stop on the final day for the Blog Tour for The Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd where I have a review from his latest novel. I was thrilled to be asked by Anne Cater from Random Things Tours who organised this tour in conjunction with Thomas Hill and Transworld Books to take part along with some other fab book bloggers. You can find out who else has taken part in this fabulous Blog Tour at the end of this review so without further ado, here it is:

Meet Elissa, a twelve year old girl who loves chess and we meet her on the morning of her going to a chess tournament event with ith her Mum. They stop for breakfast on the way and then when they get to the tournament Elissa remembers there's something she left in the car, she asks her Mum for the keys, her Mum wants to go out with her but she says she'll be fine, she goes out but she's abducted never to return......

As her abductor’s behaviour grows more erratic, Elissa realises that outwitting strange, lonely Elijah is her only hope of survival. Their cat-and-mouse game of deception and betrayal will determine both their fates, and whether either of them will ever leave the Memory Wood.....

Well, what a read this was, I absolutely LOVED it. It was dark, creepy, twisted and full of action. I even felt it had a slight touch of the Saw movies to it in a way. The sociopath/kidnapper character was absolutely brilliant, very well written and cleverly constructed. They were everything you'd expect with a sociopath - cold, calculating, manipulating and has no regard for anyone's feelings or who they hurt on their path of destruction. At times, I could feel I was right there with the two little Elissa. I loved the character Elissa, she was so clever, smart and a real kick-ass little kid. I did love the character Elijah but as the story unfolded I grew to actually detest him and I loved how Sam was able to write such a character. I don't want to say any more incase I ruin it for anyone but all I'll say is get this to read, you won't regret it.

The Memory Wood is Sam's debut novel which is available in all good bookshops, libraries, on audio and on Kindle where it is currently £0.99 at the time of the publication of this review but be quick as it's  only for a limited time so grab it while you can but I can't wait to see what he produces next (no pressure, Sam).

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

BLOG TOUR ~ The Liar's Daughter by Claire Allan

Hi Everyone,

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for The Liar's Girl by Claire Allan where I've a review from her latest novel. I was thrilled to be asked by Sanjana Cunniah from Avon Books to take part along with some other fab book bloggers. You can find out who else has taken part in this fabulous Blog Tour at the end of the review so without further ado, here it is:

Meet Joe McKee, a man who left his wife and young daughter when his marraige broke up, moved in with another woman named Natalie and her daughter Heidi but when Natalie tragically dies not long after he moved in, he made a promise to stay in the house and look after Heidi and bring her up as his own, he is seen as a pillar of the community, a great fella altogether with everything he's done.

However, a few years later Joe has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and he is brought home to Heidi's house where she has to look after him in his remaining time. His daughter Ciara is contacted and she doesn't care or want to know anything about him seen as he walked out on her and her Mum all those years ago but when she has a chat with her partner she decides to go and see him.

Joe dies and arrangements are made for the traditional Irish wake, friends and family are left reeling at how cancer could have taken this much-loved man so soon. As the mourners gather, the police do too, with doubt being cast over whether Joe’s death was due to natural causes. Because the lies that Joe told won’t be taken to the grave after all – and the truth gives his daughters the best possible motive for killing him…

Well, I absolutely LOVED this. It was fantastic, I was gripped from the first few pages, that prologue had me hook, line and sinker and I couldn't read the book fast enough to find out how it all panned out. It was cleverly researched and constructed. Told over a dual time span, then and now, it is told from two main characters perspectives, Ciara and Heidi with a few of the other characters thrown into the mix. This story had it all from family, betrayal, secrets, lies, protectiveness to more sensitive and hard-hitting issues which were handled quite sensitively and I found I had a little tear in my eye at the end.

Claire Allan is well known for writing women's fiction for a long time but with no respect to her novels, she has definitely found her calling as a Crime/Thriller writer. She just keeps getting better with each novel she turns out and I'm struggling to say which is her best as they're all brilliant page turners. I can't wait to read her next thriller (no pressure, Claire). This is a definite must read especially if you're heading away for a few days just make sure you throw this in your case, especially if you're going to the beach.

The Liar's Daughter is Claire's fourth thriller novel which is available in all good bookshops, libraries, on audio and on Kindle where it is currently £0.99 at the time of the publication of this review but be quick as it's  only for a limited time so grab it while you  can as you definitely won't be disappointed.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

BLOG TOUR ~ A Dark Matter by Doug Johnson

Hi Everyone,

Today is my stop for the Blog Tour for A Dark Matter by Doug Johnson where I have a review from his latest novel. I was thrilled to be asked by Anne Cater from Random Things Tours who organised this tour in conjunction with Orenda Books to take part along with some other fab book bloggers. You can find out who else has taken part in this fabulous Blog Tour at the end of this review so without further ado, here it is:

Set in Edinburgh we meet the Scelfs, a well known family in the area and proprietors of a long-established funeral home business and on top of that Private Investigators. When the patriarch Jim dies, the business is left to three generations of women, his wife Dorothy, his daughter Jenny and his granddaughter Hannah to take over both businesses which leads to an unexpected series of events. Dorothy discovers mysterious payments to another woman which suggests that Jim wasn't the husband she thought he was.  Hannah's best friend Mel goes missing from University, where is she and will Hannah and the police find her in time? And what seems like a simple adultery case that Jenny takes on leads to something stranger and far darker then any of them could have imagined. As all three women struggle to terms with their grief and manage the businesses which threaten to overwhelm them, secrets from the past start emerging which change everything.

Well, where do I start with this one other than I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. It was delicious-illy dark, tense and addictive read where I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It was great to have a main cast of three women who were all heroes in my eyes by the time I turned the last page. They were unforgettable characters and I was delighted when I realised that this is the start of a new series which is certainly addictive and welcomed. To be honest I was so shocked when things were revealed towards the end of the book, I couldn't believe it, bravo Doug for revealing what you did and I can't wait to read the next instalment featuring the Scelfs (no pressure).

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

I briefly met Doug at the Theakstons Crime Festival in Harrogate on one of the evenings in July last year but he was on his way to get some food but hopefully I'll get to say a proper hello again one day.

A Dark Matter is available from all good bookshops,libraries, on audio and on Kindle where it is currently £3.79 at he time of publication of this review so go and pick it up as you won't regret it.

REVIEW ~ Big Woods by May Cobb

It's 1989 when ten year old Lucy disappears the sleepy town of Longview in Texas where there have been a string of other unsolved kidnappings and Lucy's parents, the police, and the community all brace themselves for the worst news, assuming her body will soon be found in Big Woods just like the others.

But Lucy’s fourteen year old sister Leah, starts having dreams about Lucy and these dreams reveal startling clues as to what happened. Leah begins her own investigation where no-one seems to believe her from the police to her parents but she soon she meets a reclusive widow who may hold the key to finding Lucy but this is only if she can find the courage to come forward.

Well, I didn't like it, I absolutely LOVED it. It was such a brilliant debut novel, packed full of mystery, emotion, thrills and spills, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Set over a 3 month period and each chapter alternating between Leah and the widow I had to find out would she find her little sister Lucy or would she be too late?

This novel delves into the paranoia surrounding cults in the 1980's and everything in the novel had a definite 1980's nostalgia to it. It even read like it was a novel from the 1980's not 2019, May has everything researched and well written to a T! I'd even go as far as to say I'd love to see this as a movie.

Big Woods is a dark read in places but is an emotionally charged thriller where I felt an enormity of grief and sadness in parts of the story too especially with Leah and Lucy's parents and what it did to them but also gives you hope of the magical bond between these sisters and a small town's dark and sinister secrets. I'll definitely be more cautious when I go walking in forests again (just incase) after reading Big Woods.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Big Woods is available in all good bookstores, libraries, on audio and on Kindle where it is currently £8.15 at the time of publication of this review.

BLOG TOUR ~ The Mothers by Sarah J Naughton

Hi Everyone,

Today was my stop on the Blog Tour for The Mothers by Sarah J Naughton where I've a review from her latest novel. I was thrilled to be asked by Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Readers in conjunction with Trapeze Books to take part along with some other fab book bloggers. You can find out who else has taken part in this fabulous Blog Tour at the end of this review so without further ado, here it is:

Five Women.
They meet at their NCT Group. The only thing they have in common is they're all pregnant.

Five Secrets.
Three years later, they are all good friends. Aren't they?

One Missing Husband.

Now the police have come knocking. Someone knows something.

And the trouble with secrets is that someone always tells.

Well, where do I start with this review only with I LOVED it. This book mainly centres around 2 characters Bella and her husband Ewan. The chapters alternate between present time and over the last 3 years and right upto the events where we discover what has actually happened with the missing husband. The police are on the case where we meet DI Iona who is told in the present time where she is asking questions of all the friends where she soon discover that things don't seem to add up and she suspects that the five friends know more than they're letting on.

As the story unfolds we see a side to Ewan that I wasn't very keen on & did feel sorry for Bella and her son Teddy. The past is all told from all five women's point of view and as the tension builds as to what happened I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and when what happened to the husband is finally revealed I was left open mouthed, I didn't see that twist coming which I loved as nothing worse guessing what's going to happen before you finish. There were plenty of twists and shock and throughout this read but the finalone was a jaw dropper. I've read a few books by Sarah and I've loved each one of them and she is becoming one of my favourite thriller writers and I can't wait to see what she does next.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

The Mothers is available in all good bookshops, libraries, on audio and on Kindle where it is currently £3.99 at the time of publication of this review.