Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts
THE NEW CHILLING, PROPULSIVE NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?
Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside—the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.
But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.
The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.
Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…
You won't be able to put down B. A. Paris's The Breakdown, the next chilling, propulsive novel from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors.
This book is written by the same author who wrote the hugely successful and horrific Behind Closed Doors. I believe after reading The Break Down that it has the immense ability to be another HUGE bestseller. I’ve not read Behind Closed Doors yet – my Mum bought it some time ago but I've not got around to reading it. Yet!
Anyway, I started reading The Break Down and I got to over 70% by the time I’d snuggled into bed - although I did have the lights on. I finished the rest off in the morning whilst enjoying my morning cuppa.
This book was so fast paced, and so utterly gripping that I could not put it down – literally! It usually takes me about a week or thereabouts to read a book with all my studying and life stuff getting in the way, so for this to have taken less than 24 hours really tells you how amazing this book is. I slept with the table lamps on next to my bed and I still managed to have nightmares! It really scared the hell out of me!
The story centres on Cass as she’s on her way home from a party – but decides to take a route through the woods to get home which her husband has asked her not to go through for safety. She passes a car that’s pulled over in a lay-by, so she stops but as the driver does nothing to signal distress she drives on home. The next morning she discovers from her husband (who had called her the night before with a migraine so he slept in the spare room) that there was a murder along the road by the woods last night. A woman in her car was murdered in the lay by. Safe to assume Cass discovers the woman she passed in the car is the same woman that was murdered.
Cass then has to deal with the grief as she'd recently met this woman, along with the guilt of not doing anything. She thinks she’s going mad. She forgets things and as her mum had dementia, understandably her fear is that she has early onset dementia too. Her husband makes her go to the doctors and gets pills to help calm her down. (Jeez – i’m not doing this book half as much justice as it deserves! But I'm trying to keep it mainly spoiler free for you!) There is so much going on in the book which is why I simply couldn't put it down, I just had to keep on reading! A long story short – Cass discovers that the people close to her are not who she thought they were but with her ‘early onset dementia’ can she figure it out in time? And I don't think it's as straight forward as you may think!
What scared me the most whilst reading this was the fact that the more I read, the more I was ‘becoming one’ with Cass. What I mean by that is that I was terrified to walk around my house without shutting the curtains and locking the doors. I slept with the lights on. This for me is a huge testament to just how good this book is. When a writer can capture the characters so perfectly, and not only take you along for the ride, but to literally capture you as well, well that's a huge achievement isn't it?
I was just so desperate for Cass to figure it all out. I wanted her to be OK and I wanted to just know who the hell killed that woman. I had theories but I admit I was wrong - brilliant twist! I also wanted to know why it was having such an effect on Cass – because Cass had no idea, so we were all clueless.
The ending was absolutely bloody brilliant! I was squealing with delight and grinning from ear to ear as I got all excited. I reckon I must have looked like I was a cross between winning the lottery and needing the loo!!!
I definitely will read any future books by B.A. Paris now. Without question. What it has made me question even more is just how well I know people around me…I feel like I’ve become Cass in that sense (and no, it's not related to Mental illness on either part - mine or Cass's!). It just really made me question EVERYONE around me. How well do I really know someone? Really?
Whilst I’d like to follow her story and catch up with her in 5-10 years into her future, I just think she deserves a break. Boy does she deserve a break. She deserves to live her life in peace and be happy – I feel like I’ve intruded on her life far too much already…look at me talking as though she is real! Look what it’s done to me!!
Have you read The Break Down yet? Or have you read Behind Closed Doors? Is Psychological Thrillers your cup of tea? What do you think of them? I’d love to know if you’ve read either of these books…Thank you for reading my post about this book. Definitely highly recommend you read this book.
Author | Lara Avery
Publisher | Hachette Children's Group / Quercus Children's Books
Genre | Teens & YA
Source | Review Copy
Published | 26th January 2017
Rating | 5/5
Summary
“They tell me that my memory will never be the same, that I'll start forgetting things. At first just a little, and then a lot. So I'm writing to remember.”
Samantha McCoy has it all mapped out. First she's going to win the national debating championship, then she's going to move to New York and become a human rights lawyer. But when Sammie discovers that a rare disease is going to take away her memory, the future she'd planned so perfectly is derailed before it’s started. What she needs is a new plan.
So the Memory Book is born: Sammie’s notes to her future self, a document of moments great and small. Realising that her life won't wait to be lived, she sets out on a summer of firsts: The first party; The first rebellion; The first friendship; The last love.
Through a mix of heartfelt journal entries, mementos, and guest posts from friends and family, readers will fall in love with Sammie, a brave and remarkable girl who learns to live and love life fully, even though it's not the life she planned.
A life-affirming, heart-breaking and dazzling novel for fans of All the Bright Places and The Fault in Our Stars.
Lara Emery has written a highly emotive book that tingles your heart strings throughout the book - right until the very last word. I admit that I cried at several intervals throughout the book, but please don't let that deter you from reading it. The Memory Book addresses a highly emotive illness that in it's more well known state touches so many lives. I'm talking about Dementia. But can you imagine that illness taking control of your body when you are just a teenager?
Sammie is a highly intelligent young lady who thrives on learning - she almost reminded me of Harriet from Geek Girl by Holly Smale - (I believe Harriet and Sammie would have made the best of friends had they been introduced to each other.) Sammie is ValeDictorian, she thrives on debates, on arguing her point, on memorising the most intricate details and statistics. But at 14 years old was diagnosed with a rare form of dementia.
The story details how she writes a Memory book so that if the dementia takes over (which she believes she can get better from) then she will have a way of remembering everything - and I mean everything!
The tender way in which Lara wrote about this topic can be only applauded, the delicate approach was clearly evident in the chapters that delved deeper into Sammie's experience. My heart slowly broke over the chapters as I felt that I was almost witnessing Sammie's battle with this rare form of dementia as it slowly took her hostage.
I urge everyone to read this book, especially if you enjoyed reading The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr (click the link to read my review). Without a doubt The Memory Book will move you and touch you deeply. This is definitely one of the books for 2017.
Congratulations Lara for not only writing a beautiful and emotionally delicate story that touches upon a very important condition, but for raising awareness of this rare form of dementia. Before reading this, I had no idea such a condition for young people existed.
Easily awarded 5/5 stars.
Title | Kindred Spirits
Author | Rainbow Powell
Genre | Young Adult
Publisher | Macmillan
Pages | 63
Rating | 4/5
'Everybody likes everything these days. The whole world is a nerd.'
'Are you mad because other people like Star Wars? Are you mad because people like me like Star Wars?'
'Maybe.'
If you broke Elena's heart, Star Wars would spill out. So when she decides to queue outside her local cinema to see the new movie, she's expecting a celebration with crowds of people who love Han, Luke and Leia just as much as she does.
What she's not expecting is to be last in a line of only three people; to have to pee into a collectible Star Wars soda cup behind a dumpster or to meet that unlikely someone who just might truly understand the way she feels.
Kindred Spirits is an engaging short story by Rainbow Rowell, author of the bestselling Eleanor & Park, Fangirl and Carry On, and is part of a handful of selected short reads specially produced for World Book Day.
I adored this short book that was an utter treat to read.
We meet Elena, who is attending her first ever "line-up" for the latest Star Wars movie.
Whilst the story is entirely based around waiting in line for the latest Star Wars movie to open what it features is much more than a waiting game. We see friendships form and moments that had me saying-out-loud "OMG This is just the CUTEST story ever!" Which in hindsight now makes me realise that at 28 years old - I'm becoming one of those "oldies" that teens find repulsive and annoying. Oops!
There were moments where I was laughing-out-loud especially when the cinema finally opened and Elena and her new friends were admitted to "FINALLY" see the movie they'd been waiting for.
Overall for a really short read (63 pages) it was such an engaging and fun read. It's made me want to continue reading more of Rainbow's work.
I'm awarding it 4/5 as I just wish the story was longer - but given the context of it being written for World Book Day, I can't complain too much.
Title | Love You To Death
Author | Caroline Mitchell
Publisher | Bookouture
Source | Review Copy
My Rating | 5/5
BLURB
‘I’m not your mother. You’re a monster. I don’t want you’
Women who gave a child up for adoption are being killed. A knock at their front door begins a nightmare from which they will never wake up.
For Detective Ruby Preston and her team, it is a race against time to connect the dots before the killer can strike again. But when Ruby receives a sinister email, the case takes a terrifying personal twist.
Could the clues to the identity of the killer lie in Ruby’s own past?
Who can she trust with her secrets?
And could Ruby be next?
Love You to Death is a serial killer thriller packed with twists.
What Dawn-Tracy Thinks
I have been witnessing great things said about Caroline Mitchell yet I'd not read any of her work. I've read a couple of crime authors; Angela Marsons, Robert Bryzna, Kerry Wilkinson (All Bookouture authors), but I was lacking one in my collection. Fear of missing out (FOMO - is real you know), I decided that I wanted to dip my toe into her crime thrilling world and WOW was I rewarded for facing my fear.
Never before has a Crime Thriller had me so intricately hooked upon every single word and caused me to lay awake at 2-3am in bed just desperate to read more, but that is exactly what Caroline has achieved in Love You To Death. It's a storyline I've not had the pleasure of reading anywhere else before, so the fact that it had me tied to my bed, bound by the pages and words of this mind blowing story is a testament to the sheer impact this book will have upon you.
My initial response to having finished this book was posted on my twitter feed to Caroline and Bookouture was as follows;
"OMFG
just finished reading #LoveYouToDeath by @Caroline_writes ... What the hell do I do now I've finished?? 
@bookouture 
"So what caused this reaction in me?
Love You To Death is the first introductory book to DS Ruby Preston who is one of my new sheroes in the crime world - I think if she teamed up with badass DI Kim Stone (courtesy of Angela Marsons) there would be a whole new genre of wonder-woman heroes (Bookouture, we can do this can't we? We can get two fabulous authors team up for a ONE OFF special book can't we? - Do I need to get a campaign set up?) shaping up the crime thrilling fictional world.
I love Ruby because she is the girl who made a choice to better herself, she lived right next door to the criminal underground - literally - and happened to fall in love with their son, Nathan Crosby, and we see the delicateness of their fierce, protective love for one another throughout this book. It has a kind of Romeo and Juliet theme going in that it's a forbidden love, but as anyone who has ever been in love will say, sometimes you can't help who you fall in love with. Their bond is joined forevermore with the daughter, Lucy they had adopted.
But aside from her love life, Ruby has to contend with a serial killer named "Lucy" who is killing women who had their daughter's adopted. Is it the Lucy? Why is she doing this? Is it some sort of revenge? All Ruby can focus on is trying to save the next victim, and the victim after her and her daughter.
Ruby makes a deal with the devil aka Lenny Crosby (Nathan's brother) and asks him to hunt down her Lucy - she needs to know if it's her, but she should have known it would come at a cost, and a whole load of manipulation from the Crosby family - interfering "Mother-in-Laws" ring any bells?
Then she has her colleagues on her back or stabbing her in it! Can she trust anyone and if she can, just who has her back and who is the snake in the grass?
The twists and turns in this book are far to many to mention, but each grips you in and not once did I know who the killer was until the very end and the shock was explosive!
I'm glad Caroline left book 1 on a hook of how Ruby and Nathan's relationship and the revelation about their daughter hanging in the balance. I can't wait to pick up book 2 which Caroline has assured me today that is currently being edited!!!
OMG please don't make us wait much longer for book 2! This was incredibly twisted and tormenting with a satisfying breath of fresh crime thrilling air!
Hello Lovely!
How are you doing? I know it's been a long time since I last stopped by with some book talk but today, I'm really hoping that once you read my latest review you'll forgive me.
I've just finished reading a book by Katy Colins that was AHHHMAZING!!! It really was! So much so that even though I have book 2 on my kindle ready and waiting, I just HAD to HAVE a paperback copy. So that's what I did. I went out and bought the follow up book! It's rare that I do that, but this is one of those rare gems of a novel that I really loved and it really spoke to my tastes in fiction. So let's tell you all about it!
Publisher | Carina UK
Source | Review Copy
Purchase | Amazon
Rating | 5/5
This year it is time to find the place where you truly belong…
I hardly know where to start with this one because it was outstandingly brilliant from cover to cover. I love a storyline where the key character goes on a journey of discovery, either in travel terms, or within themselves, and this book I got both. I think a book becomes a part of you when you can relate and empathise with the characters. You can imagine the anguish they face, the pain they feel, the desire for change so passionately it almost consumes them, and you can definitely enjoy the journey with them - especially when it involves travelling to locations such as Thailand. I admit that before reading this book, I wasn't that fussed about whether or not I ever see Thailand with my own eyes, but now, I'm certainly open to the experience at some point in the future. For me, travelling is less about finding myself but more about sharing the journey and experience with people I love and care about. So we will see.
Now, let me give you a little insight into exactly what Destination Thailand is all about. Georgia is a lovely character, one that I could easily be friends with, and one that I could empathise with. Her entire world gets turned upside down when the man she thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with announces he's actually been seeing another woman and what do you know... she's pregnant. So heartbroken Georgia is lost, hurt, upset, angry and feeling all kinds of pain. THAT I can understand. Every woman has been hurt by the one (or sometimes more than one) man who actually didn't deserve her anyway, and whilst we know that in time we DO accept that and praise that because now we have the most amazing man in our lives and couldn't imagine life without them - Georgia has to find that out for herself. In Thailand.
Her trip isn't exactly smooth seas...I actually wonder just how many adventures/journeys we take actually are smooth sailing? But, every step that Georgia takes is hilarious. I love a good book that makes me smile, giggle and laugh - AND want more. The situations Georgia found herself in were comical, and jaw droppingly funny. For instance from getting a nipple piercing following a rather alcoholic night, to almost drowning because she couldn't use her snorkel properly (probably more terrifying than funny!), and then there was the time that ... No I'm not going to spoil it for you.
Katy Colins has created such a beautiful, inspiring and lovable character in Georgia and I'm tremendously excited that Georgia returns in Destination India, and Destination Chile. I for one can't wait to travel along with Georgia to India and then Chile. I just wish & hope that Georgia might travel a little more ...
How are you doing? I know it's been a long time since I last stopped by with some book talk but today, I'm really hoping that once you read my latest review you'll forgive me.
I've just finished reading a book by Katy Colins that was AHHHMAZING!!! It really was! So much so that even though I have book 2 on my kindle ready and waiting, I just HAD to HAVE a paperback copy. So that's what I did. I went out and bought the follow up book! It's rare that I do that, but this is one of those rare gems of a novel that I really loved and it really spoke to my tastes in fiction. So let's tell you all about it!
Title | Destination ThailandAuthor | Katy Colins
Publisher | Carina UK
Source | Review Copy
Purchase | Amazon
Rating | 5/5
What if you had a second chance… to find yourself?
Instead of slipping on her something borrowed and tripping up the aisle to wedded bliss, Georgia spends her big day crying into a warm Sex-on-the-Beach, wondering where it all went wrong.
Forced to make a bucket list of her new life goals by her best friend Marie, it’s not long before travel-virgin Georgia is packing her bags for a long-haul adventure to Thailand.
Yet, Georgia’s big adventure doesn’t seem to be going to plan. There's strange sights, smells, and eating bugs. Plus she seems to fall for every traveller scam there is. Maybe her family is right and she really is too naive to do this alone.
But the good thing about falling apart is that you can put yourself back together any way you please. And new Georgia might just be someone she can finally be proud of…
The new favourite series for fans of The Curvy Girls Club, the Shopaholic series and Eat, Pray, Love.
I hardly know where to start with this one because it was outstandingly brilliant from cover to cover. I love a storyline where the key character goes on a journey of discovery, either in travel terms, or within themselves, and this book I got both. I think a book becomes a part of you when you can relate and empathise with the characters. You can imagine the anguish they face, the pain they feel, the desire for change so passionately it almost consumes them, and you can definitely enjoy the journey with them - especially when it involves travelling to locations such as Thailand. I admit that before reading this book, I wasn't that fussed about whether or not I ever see Thailand with my own eyes, but now, I'm certainly open to the experience at some point in the future. For me, travelling is less about finding myself but more about sharing the journey and experience with people I love and care about. So we will see.
Now, let me give you a little insight into exactly what Destination Thailand is all about. Georgia is a lovely character, one that I could easily be friends with, and one that I could empathise with. Her entire world gets turned upside down when the man she thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with announces he's actually been seeing another woman and what do you know... she's pregnant. So heartbroken Georgia is lost, hurt, upset, angry and feeling all kinds of pain. THAT I can understand. Every woman has been hurt by the one (or sometimes more than one) man who actually didn't deserve her anyway, and whilst we know that in time we DO accept that and praise that because now we have the most amazing man in our lives and couldn't imagine life without them - Georgia has to find that out for herself. In Thailand.
Her trip isn't exactly smooth seas...I actually wonder just how many adventures/journeys we take actually are smooth sailing? But, every step that Georgia takes is hilarious. I love a good book that makes me smile, giggle and laugh - AND want more. The situations Georgia found herself in were comical, and jaw droppingly funny. For instance from getting a nipple piercing following a rather alcoholic night, to almost drowning because she couldn't use her snorkel properly (probably more terrifying than funny!), and then there was the time that ... No I'm not going to spoil it for you.
Katy Colins has created such a beautiful, inspiring and lovable character in Georgia and I'm tremendously excited that Georgia returns in Destination India, and Destination Chile. I for one can't wait to travel along with Georgia to India and then Chile. I just wish & hope that Georgia might travel a little more ...
Author | Fiona Gibson
Publisher | HarperCollins, Avon
Publication Date | 25th February 2016
Source | Review Copy
Rating | 3/5
**The laugh-out-loud bestseller is back with the only book to buy this Mother’s Day. Perfect for fans of ‘Outnumbered’ and Carole Matthews, Fiona writes about life as it really is.**
Forget about having it all. Sometimes you just want to leave it all behind.
Audrey is often seized by the urge to walk out of her house without looking back – but she can’t possibly do that.
She is a single parent. She is needed. She has a job, a home, responsibilities…and a slothful teenage son’s pants to pick up.
But no one likes being taken for granted – Audrey least of all – so the time has come for drastic action. And no one’s going to stand in her way…
I heard great things about this book and I was really drawn to the title because it sounded so fun! The cover is gorgeous!
Audrey has one of the most annoying teenage sons I have ever read about! He really grated on me and I just wanted to shout at him so much! He is the stereotypical lazy, self centred teenage boy ever!
However, saying that, The boy came good in the end - thankfully.
Audrey is a school dinner lady, and she has won the Dinner Lady of the Year award which gives her a prize that has options. Should she take the £5000 cash (her son would LOVE that!), or should she go away for a week and learn how to cook french cuisine with a celebrity chef?
Well, after some oohing and aahing (and getting a list of "things I need" in her birthday card from her son) she decides to go for the latter option. She meets some really interesting characters, gets flirted with the by chef and even gets herself tied to the bed posts much to her alarm!
The trip away gives Audrey food for thought and she questions her life and whether it's going in the direction that she actually wants it to. And with the right people.
There were a few aspects to the story that really grated on me, but I can see how they would be funny and highly entertaining - I was just I guess feeling so much empathy for Audrey that I didn't find much of it funny - at the time. I've already mentioned her son and his lazy ways. Well that gets worse. But she is also dating a guy who arranges to meet her on Motorway Service Station motels for a fumble. Its the only dates they really have. She discovers her has a notebook in his car with details of Junctions and Motorway numbers and initials next to it - Her son explained it to her because she found it confusing **Shocked face & combined eye roll**. Next on my list is that her son gives her the list of things he needs in HER birthday card, and whilst she decides to go for the week away rather than the cash, it really bugged me that she felt the need to leave cash on the table for her lazy son, and go out and do the food shop for him. And whilst she's driving there she wonders if he'll be OK and should she go back and be with him. I wanted to shake Audrey so hard!
OK so his girlfriend finds out she's pregnant whilst she's away BUT.... still. He can look after himself! I won't even mention the fact that this is the same son who microwaved his t-shirt to dry it!!
The book has a whole load more twists and turns in it and if I were to fully divulge it all I would spoil it for you. I already feel I've given far too much away, but I haven't. I promise. There is still the guy at her other part time job - the gardener, the old lady she cares for, the guy she meets on the cookery course, the BHS jewellery, and so much more!
I think you would really enjoy reading this book, even if you get as infuriated as I did, it was still a really good read and I would definitely read more of Fiona's work having never read any of her books before this one.
The thing with book reviews, it's all about the readers perspective, so whilst parts of it annoyed me, you might find yourself crying with laughter! So all I can say, is that if what I've written intrigues you, then go grab yourself a copy and enjoy!
Title | A Killing Moon
Author | Steven DunnePublisher | HeadlinePublication Date | 13th August 2015Source | Review CopyISBN | 9781472214898Purchase | AmazonA Page of Fictional Love Rating | 5/5For the young woman kidnapped on her way home from the pub, the nightmare is about to begin…Weeks after Caitlin Kinnear goes missing, the police are unable to break her case. Worse they are not even certain harm has come to her. But determined to pursue all leads, DI Damen Brook and his team begin to trawl through the murky world of cheap migrant labour. Convinced that the answers lie hidden within its depths, Brook soon begins to realise Caitlin is in terrible danger.When the body of another young girl turns up it becomes clear that Caitlin’s abduction might not be an isolated incident and the race is on to save her. But with time running out, can Brook put the pieces together and find Caitlin before it’s too late?
I was rather excited to read this book when it arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago. In fact I'd say that I also felt a little scared... because it's a hefty book to read, and I knew it was one that would grab my total attention.
I've never read anything by Steven Dunne before, so I had not had the pleasure of meeting DI Damen Brook... but when I did I instantly loved him. Not in a mushy romantic kind of way, but in a "wow this guy kicks ass!" kind of way. I was instantly drawn in by the plot and the characters and each and every one of them, although some were bad... OK a lot were bad, I still liked them and saw how they each were adding value to the plot. The chemistry between Brook and his team is brilliant, and I loved how he called in 'favours' with the chief superintendent.
The story line itself is a raw, and pretty awful one in that it's horrible to think that crimes like this actually go on in our world...but they do and it makes you grateful for the work... jeez the sheer amount of work that goes into investigating and bringing these big headed vile beings to justice.
The team piece together evidence of foreign students going missing... female students. There is a connection between these disappearances, and it's not until you reach almost the end... (I'm not saying where exactly - so no skipping chapters!) that you fully understand the connection between them. I will say that some of these women might in fact be found dead... some may survive... but Who? How? and When? Well, you'll just have to read this book to find out.
I honestly really enjoyed it, and have already put the other 4 books in the series on my Christmas Wish List.... Santa, I've been a very good girl this year .... Not sure if Santa even reads my blog but had to mention it just in case.
Anyway, Please, if you like crime novels, mysteries, enjoyed watching programs like; Broadchurch, The Bill (I know... I'm ancient), CSI, etc then you definitely need to read this book. Ahhh just go read it already!
When a rapist is found mutilated in a brutal attack, Detective Kim Stone and her team are called in to bring a swift resolution. But, as more vengeful killings come to light, it soon becomes clear that there is someone far more sinister at work.
With the investigation quickly gathering momentum, Kim soon finds herself exposed to great danger and in the sights of a lethal individual undertaking their own twisted experiment.
Up against a sociopath who seems to know her every weakness, for Detective Stone, each move she makes could be deadly. As the body count starts to mount, Kim will have to dig deeper than ever before to stop the killing. And this time - it’s personal.
Fans of Rachel Abbott, Val McDermid and Mark Billingham will be gripped by this exceptional new voice in British crime fiction.
DAWN'S THOUGHTS
I'm not really a crime novel fan, but I'm willing to read new genres. Something about this book just didn't sit right with me, and having had time away from reading it, and paying no attention to the reviews pouring in, I managed to chat with my Mum about it.'A nauseating detailed and compelling follow up to "Silent Scream" - Fans of intense crime will NOT be disappointed.Angela Marsons brings Crime, the Black Country and fiction to an all new and darker level of sinister and sickening acts and lands it on our bookshelves'. ~ Dawn Brierley, A Page of Fictional Love
From this discussion I've cemented my feelings about the book and have to say that for reasons I'm not going into, I won't be fully reviewing the book like I did before out of respect, but what I will say is that yes it's good. I can see why crime fiction fans will love it.
I found this time around, the only part of the plot that wasn't clear (for me) right up until the end was who had been in the room (you will understand if you read the book). I felt very much as if I were on a rollercoaster as the scenes and crimes and the background scenes changed too much for me.
However this is my personal preference, and perhaps shows that I should stick to chick lit and leave the sociopathic characters in fiction to those who have enough stomach for them.
Welcome back to Day 3 of Harper Impulse Fortnight. I hope that you've been visiting all the lovely blogs taking part, I know that all us bloggers are having an absolute ball!
I apologize for yesterdays lack of posting but as wonderful as modern day technology can be, for me, yesterday it wasn't all that wonderful at all. So to make up for it, i'll be doing a DOUBLE posting today. I may have to do a few days of DOUBLE posts simply because I have SO many wonderful and amazing authors and books to share with you all!
Today, we kick off with a Book Review.
Title: Manhattan Millionaire's Cinderella
Author: Sun Chara
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Format: Paperback & eBook
A Page of Love Rating:
"Will their wedding night be a one-night stand or a merger for keeps?
I apologize for yesterdays lack of posting but as wonderful as modern day technology can be, for me, yesterday it wasn't all that wonderful at all. So to make up for it, i'll be doing a DOUBLE posting today. I may have to do a few days of DOUBLE posts simply because I have SO many wonderful and amazing authors and books to share with you all!
Today, we kick off with a Book Review.
Author: Sun Chara
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Format: Paperback & eBook
A Page of Love Rating:"Will their wedding night be a one-night stand or a merger for keeps?
Global real estate mogul, Cade Sloan should've listened to his own advice: trust no one, and never a woman…especially not his 24 hour bride gone AWOL with his millions. Nina, mousy secretary turned sexy vixen, will repay every penny with interest…
When Cade gears up for a takeover, there's sweet hell to pay. Nina owes her husband a wedding night and he’s hell bent on collecting… his way, his time, his pleasure."
DAWN'S THOUGHTS:
Reviewing this for Harper Impulse Fortnight, I thought i'd never get the review posted in time, however, once I started reading I simply couldn't put it down. I read it within under 24 hours and enjoyed every passionate page that I turned.
Cade Sloan is my latest heart-throb hunk in the fictional world, and even today - 2 whole days after reading it I'm still swooning. He might not be every woman's idea of a hunk, but for me, I adored him! But saying that I have always had a thing for a tall, rich powerful man who is the right side of Grey. I for one thought Nina was a very lucky woman to be in his presence, actually, I could be slightly jealous of her!
However, Nina is a very feisty, sarcastic - (girl after my own heart there) and determined woman. Starting out as Cade's secretary she is propositioned by Cade into marriage. The deal is, marriage for money. They marry, he gets money, and she gets a cut. However, it all turns somewhat dramatic when Nina overhears Cade on the phone after they are married. She thinks he's talking in derogatory terms about her. But I always say; "never eavesdrop a phone call - you'll never know both sides" (unless its on speakerphone which it wasn't).
A year later after Nina skipped out on him following the phone call and Cade in all his manly glory - I swear I can imagine him in a Hercules costume - pursues Nina and demands that she be his Cinderella - in and out of the bedroom.
I had so many laugh out loud moments with Nina, and can honestly say that her wit, sarcasm and personality is very like my own. There are two scenes that stand out to me and still have me laughing as I write this - much to the amusement of my Mother. In the one scene, Nina describes how she really embraces the 'Cinderella' role she's playing by not wearing proper clothes and cutting holes in a potato sack after emptying it out and wearing that. :)
The other scene had me literally coming to the conclusion of how I would best describe this passionate, romantic and laugh out loud. Nina has the job of attending a posh do with Cade and rather than be the dolly bird on his arm that is wearing a glamourous ball gown, she goes all Pretty Woman on us. Literally looking like a hooker. read that scene and you will laugh so much!
I had so many laugh out loud moments with Nina, and can honestly say that her wit, sarcasm and personality is very like my own. There are two scenes that stand out to me and still have me laughing as I write this - much to the amusement of my Mother. In the one scene, Nina describes how she really embraces the 'Cinderella' role she's playing by not wearing proper clothes and cutting holes in a potato sack after emptying it out and wearing that. :)
The other scene had me literally coming to the conclusion of how I would best describe this passionate, romantic and laugh out loud. Nina has the job of attending a posh do with Cade and rather than be the dolly bird on his arm that is wearing a glamourous ball gown, she goes all Pretty Woman on us. Literally looking like a hooker. read that scene and you will laugh so much!
It was at this moment that I knew that Manhattan's Millionaire Cinderella was Pretty Woman meets James Bond!I really enjoyed reading this, and think that you would too which is why I am awarding Manhattan's Millionaire Cinderella by Sun Chara 4 beautiful Page of Fictional Love Hearts.
Book Title ~ Geek Girl 4 : All That Glitters
Author ~ Holly Smale (Twitter) (Facebook)
Publisher ~ HarperCollins Childrens Books
Format ~ Paperback / eBook
A Page of Love Rating~
BOOK DESCRIPTION ~
“My name is Harriet Manners, and I am still a geek.”
The fourth book in the award-winning GEEK GIRL series.
Harriet Manners has high hopes for the new school year: she’s a Sixth Former now, and things are going to be different. But with Nat busy falling in love at college and Toby preoccupied with a Top Secret project, Harriet soon discovers that’s not necessarily a good thing…
DAWN'S THOUGHTS ~
With not much to go on with the book's blurb and having NEVER read any of the Geek Girl books (I know - I have no idea how I have never read one before either), I had absolutely NO idea what to expect. This is book 4 in the Geek Girl series, and having not read books 1,2 or 3, it didn't matter. I think you could quite easily read this on it's own, but you'll probably want to order books 1, 2 and 3 as well because if you're like me, you'll only end up wanting to read them anyway.
With not much to go on with the book's blurb and having NEVER read any of the Geek Girl books (I know - I have no idea how I have never read one before either), I had absolutely NO idea what to expect. This is book 4 in the Geek Girl series, and having not read books 1,2 or 3, it didn't matter. I think you could quite easily read this on it's own, but you'll probably want to order books 1, 2 and 3 as well because if you're like me, you'll only end up wanting to read them anyway.
I have to say that I bloody love Harriet Manners, and if I could tweet her and tell her that I would... in a heartbeat! Seriously she is amazing! (although she'd tell me off about my use of so many exclamations marks). I really identified with Harriet, she is like the twin sister I never had yet I always knew was missing from my life. If I could have gone to school with Harriet, we would have soooo been best friends. Although she is definitely smarter than me, I still think I could hold my own up there with her.
I have never highlighted so many amazing passages in a book as I did with this one. Seriously, my kindle looks likes someone's gone uber crazy with highlighters! I will be posting a few of my favourites on my blog and featuring them in my side bar - yep, I'm a Geek Girl too! Which just got me wondering, I wonder if Geek Girl Harriet will ever start a blog... maybe she could be in a book about her blog and she could share all the numerical and geographical information about hits, comments, unique views, and posts being viewed across the world. ...
Anyway, In book 4, we travel with Harriet as she is super psyched with the prospect of a new year at school - in sixth form. Everything's going to be different this time, she's going to make friends and no one will be looking at her in that weird way anymore. Toby is her stalker friend but he's behaving strangely - yes, more strangely than usual, and then there is her best friend who's got a new boyfriend and is so in love and never available anymore. Everything has changed, and then when things couldn't appear to be anymore different yet definitely not the same, that advert poster appears on the bus stop and everything changes. Or it could be the dinosaur cookies she bakes...
Harriet gets a new modelling assignment and jets off to Marrakesh with a snake, monkey, camel and a drama queen who shouts at her. But underneath the stillness of the stars and among the sand dunes Harriet remembers Lion Boy. Her heart is breaking but she believes it was the right thing to do and when she feels lonely she writes him a letter. But does he ever receive them?
With old friends unavailable and new friends being... well friendly, Is Harriet right to trust them? Can people really change?
I have to give Geek Girl 4, 5 squidgy love hearts out of 5 because I simply adored it and found my inner Young Adult. I'm 26 years old and through Holly Smale, I have found a whole new love for books that I should have read and would have read when I was in high school. I can say that without a doubt, my friends really would have adored these books. A memory of my high school years was being (luckily) in a form group that consisted of majority highly intelligent peers, we were the high achievers and being a 'geek' was cool, funny at times, tease worthy among ourselves, and bloody respected.
One memory of my high school years was when A series of books came out focusing on teenage pregnancy because that was the issue being faced in schools and society. My mum bought them me because 1) she wanted to read them herself, and 2) because it was a book she thought I should read. I read them, and whilst reading them at school my friends, my peers were intrigued and wanted to read them too. And so these books became more and more well thumbed and battered as they were passed about us girls in my form. The boys smirked at us for reading them, but they even 'stole' a copy the once to read. Now, over 10 years later after reading those books, 1 out of our little group of 7 has children. The rest of us... well we're still without child. I think, along with common sense, and a maturity to life, reading those books helped.
I love that Holly has made being a Geek AKA Intelligent and Knowledgeable, cool and aspire worthy of among our teens and young adults of today. Far too much of 'reality' has placed beauty high above brains in recent years with the influx of realty TV, glamour models branding perfume, make-up, clothes etc, and even as 'far' back as WAGs being the 'Career Dream' of many girls. Seriously, I taught in a school and this one class had both a WAG wannabe and a Geek Girl. They are both beautifully intelligent girls, but one favoured beauty above brains and vice versa. I know both these girls who are now in high school are going to have a wonderful future ahead of them, but knowing that there is a chance that these girls are reading books like Holly's make me live with hope for the future.
YA books DEFINITELY have a place in our society and our shelves, and we should encourage Young Adults to read these books, because they have the power to not only entertain us in the short term, but to impact us in the long term. So go, buy Geek Girl 4, and any of the other Geek Girl books, read them and then pass them onto a Young Adult you know.
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