Month: February 2017

February Wrap Up 

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In the Shadow of Lakecrest  was a gothic historical fiction that I enjoyed.

Pretty Little World was a really fascinating read about a communal family. 

No Safe Home was a solid crime read.

Cross the Line was another great addition to this series.

Distress Signals was a fantastic psychological thriller.

The Lost Woman was a really interesting and intelligent thriller.

Don’t Look Behind You was the second book in a great series!

The Boy Inside was a sad look at a young mans journey in and out of prison.

Forever is the Worst Long Time was a very emotional and touching read. 

Friend Zone was a cute NA romance.

Lucidity was a unique thriller.

Revenge was a high brow, smut filled, deliciously fun book! 

The Devil Crept In was a terrifying and awesome read.

My Not So Perfect Life was an easy and light read.

Sealskin was a gorgeous story, a must read. 

Robbing the Dead was a great start to a new crime series. 

Blink was a fantastic psychological thriller. 

Parker was a sexy and fun read. 


I See You was an excellent psychological thriller. 

The Abattoir of Dreams blew me away, loved it! 

On Second Thought was a really fantastic story about two sisters.

The Promise was an electrifying thriller.

Winterscroft was a creepy supernatural thriller. 

Cursed was a really good Nordic Noir novel. 

Secrets We Keep was a gorgeous story about family secrets. 

Old Friends and New Enemies was the second book in a series I really like. 


Bad Little Girl was a really good psychological thriller.

I had another fantastic reading month, a book a day, can’t complain about that! I decided to start picking one standout book each month in the hopes that when I have to pick my top reads for the year it’ll be easier. It was tough to choose just one, I read some really awesome books this month, I know I had several five star picks! But the book that has stayed with me the most is….

The Abattoir of Dreams by Mark Tilbury! It was such a genre bending and emotional read, I just loved it. My review is linked above if you missed it. 

How was your month? Link me to your own wrap up if you have one. 

Blog Tour: Bad Little Girl by Frances Vick @franvicksays @bookouture

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Release date: February 22, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Blurb: 

‘I’m not safe – you have to help me…’


Little Lorna Bell is from a notorious family on a rundown estate. Everyone thinks she’s a nasty piece of work. The schoolchildren call her a thief. But Lorna’s hair is matted, her shoes pinch her feet and school teacher Claire Penny can’t help herself; some kids just need a bit more support, a bit more love, than the rest.


As the bond between teacher and pupil grows stronger, Claire sees Lorna’s bruises, and digs to uncover the disturbing tale behind them. Heartbroken, Claire knows she has to act. She must make Lorna safe. Just when Claire thinks she has protected Lorna, a chance encounter brings enigmatic stranger Marianne Cairns into their lives. Marianne seems generous and kind but there is something about her story that doesn’t quite add up. Why does she feel so at home, and why is Lorna suddenly so unsettled?


Claire has risked everything to save Lorna. But what can save Claire from the shocking truth?

Review: 

I’m delighted to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for Bad Little Girl. I’m one of the final stops, the other is over at Sincerely Book Angels, but catch up on the previous stops! 


This wasn’t a typical psychological thriller (I mean that as a compliment) it went much deeper and darker than most psychological thrillers that I’ve read before. It had a calmer sense of intensity that may have even unsettled me more than a super fast paced read. 

This is a book that I would describe as slow burning, the first half is setting the stage for what’s ahead and Vick spends a lot of time developing the characters of Lorna and Claire. Lorna is just five years old when it begins and Claire is a teacher at her school. Lorna seems to be neglected and possibly abused, and Claire is the kind of woman and teacher that just can’t stand for that. Over the years, they develop a bond, maybe even the type that’s inappropriate, but Claire’s intentions are good. I’m not really going to be discussing the plot much further, but I found their relationship to be both fascinating and disturbing. 

Doubt was the overwhelming feeling I had while reading this, I doubted Lorna and questioned her intentions, I questioned Claire and her motivations, it was a highly unsettling read and one that left me feeling unsure, but that sort of feeling is exactly one of the reasons I love psychological thrillers so much. This read like a deep character study, it had intellectual depth and both Claire and Lorna were so well developed and multilayered. There was the always one big question in the back of my mind, are people born bad or good? Or does how we are raised a factor? I’m not sure I can answer that, but this book will definitely give you loads to ponder. 

Overall rating: 4/5

About the Author: 

The only child of parents who worked at a top security psychiatric hospital, Frances grew up receiving disquieting notes and presents from the patients. Expelled from school, she spent the next few years on the dole, augmenting her income by providing security and crewing for gigs, and being a guinea pig for medical trials. Later jobs included working in a theatre in Manhattan, teaching English in Japanese Junior High Schools, and being a life model in Italy, before coming back to London and working with homeless teenagers and refugees.
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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #imwayr

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly post to share what you recently finished reading, what you’re currently reading, and what you plan on reading this week. It’s hosted by Kathryn at Bookdate.

What I Read Last Week: 


The Abattoir of Dreams was a pleasant surprise, I LOVED it!

On Second Thought was another awesome read by Higgins, she’s one of my favorite authors.

The Promise was another win for Kelleher, a very dark and edgy thriller. 

Winterscroft was a creepy, chilling supernatural thriller.

Cursed was an excellent Nordic Noir novel.

Secrets We Keep was a lovely story full of family secrets. 
Currently Reading: 


As I draft this, but probably a lie by Monday 😂

Up Next: 


What are you currently reading? Anything exciting this week? I had so much fun on my girls wine trip, but coming back to reality is never fun. So. Much. Laundry. It’s never ending. 

Blog Tour: Old Friends and New Enemies by Owen Mullen @OwenMullen6 @Bloodhoundbook

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Release date: January 25, 2017

Publisher: Bloodhound Books 

Genre: Crime Fiction 

Blurb: 

An explosive new crime thriller

The body on the mortuary slab wasn’t who Glasgow PI Charlie Cameron was looking for.


But it wasn’t a stranger.


Suddenly, a routine missing persons investigation becomes a fight for survival. As Charlie is dragged deeper into Glasgow’s underbelly he goes up against notorious gangster Jimmy Rafferty and discovers what fear really is.


Rafferty is so ruthless even his own sons are terrified of him.


Now he wants Charlie to find something. And Jimmy Rafferty always gets what he wants.


There is only one problem… Charlie doesn’t know where it is.


Review: 

Welcome to my stop on the Old Friends and New Enemies blog tour!


This is the second book in Mullen’s series featuring Charlie Cameron and I read the first one and really liked it, you can find my review here. Though you can read this as a standalone, I would encourage you to pick up the first book in the series as I really enjoyed the introduction to the characters and you’ll be missing out on some  important background information. 

Charlie has two cases going on at once, he’s hired in his role of a PI to search for Cecelia McNeil’s husband who went missing after their son committed suicide, then he goes to see if an un identified body is who he’s looking for and is shocked to discover it’s an old friend of his. Charlie has no idea how much danger this chance encounter will put him in and he struggles both personally and professionally as a result. 

This book had a darkly emotional feeling to it even more so than the first book as the case leads Charlie to have run ins with a local gangster family. He had such a personal connection to the case that it provided some really interesting insight into who he is now and who he was in the past. As his characterization delved deeper, so did that of the other players in the book. Pat is back as Charlie’s sidekick and he’s as charming and lovable as ever. Jackie who runs NYB, the bar where they all hang out and work is dating someone new (again) and Andrew the police officer who is also a friend of Charlie’s makes several appearances. 

The setting of Glasgow shined through beautifully once again and the dark humor that I loved in book one was back with a vengeance. I’m always really pleased when a series gets better with each book and it definitely happened here. The tension was more palpable, the storyline was grittier, and the stakes were higher as Charlie faced some serious betrayals. I’m really enjoying Mullen’s books and am very much looking forward to the third book to be released. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Bloodhound Books for my review copy.

Blog Tour: Secrets We Keep by Faith Hogan @GerHogan @aria_fiction

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Release date: February 1, 2017

Publisher: Aria Fiction 

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

Blurb: 

Two distant relatives, drawn together in companionship are forced to confront their pasts and learn that some people are good at keeping secrets and some secrets are never meant to be kept. A bittersweet story of love, loss and life. Perfect for the fans of Patricia Scanlon and Adele Parks. The beautiful old Bath House in Ballytokeep has lain empty and abandoned for decades. For devoted pensioners Archie and Iris, it holds too many conflicting memories of their adolescent dalliances and tragic consequences – sometimes it’s better to leave the past where it belongs.For highflying, top London divorce lawyer Kate Hunt, it’s a fresh start – maybe even her future. On a winter visit to see her estranged Aunt Iris she falls in love with the Bath House. Inspired, she moves to Ballytokeep leaving her past heartache 600 miles away – but can you ever escape your past or your destiny? Two distant relatives, drawn together in companionship are forced to confront their pasts and learn that some people are good at keeping secrets and some secrets are never meant to be kept. 

Review: 

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Secrets We Keep. I loved this bittersweet story of love, loss and family secrets!


This was an utterly gorgeous story about two women that need to face their demons and move on from past mistakes.  Speaking of gorgeous, that cover is stunning! Kate is a successful lawyer from London who decides to visit her aunt and uncle in the quaint and charming town of Ballytokeep. Iris is the aunt and she’s been married for over fifty years and runs a hotel with her husband. Both women had some painful moments in their past that they’re trying to recover from and both have been heartbroken in a tragic way. When Kate arrives in town she is immediately swept away by the vast beauty of the town, but mostly she’s enchanted by the old bathhouse and decides on a whim to renovate it and leave her old life behind. As these two estranged relatives begin to get to know each other, old secrets come to the surface and they discover that maybe secrets aren’t meant to be kept. 

This is told primarily from Kate and Iris’ point of view, Kate in the present day and Iris in both the past and in the 1950’s. Two men also narrate a few important chapters; Todd an aging rockstar who is a typical bad boy in the present day and Robert a charming young man in the past. I loved the back and forth, the chapters from the past gave this a historical feel and as I kept reading I was eager to see how past and present would collide. 

Both Kate and Iris were easy to like, you could easily imagine being friends with either of them. Iris is a loving wife to her husband Archie, she’s a natural caretaker and a has a doting personality. Kate is worn out from her high profile lifestyle and craves peace and her first chance at a real family connection. The setting was breathtaking, Hogan’s writing style conjured up rich and vivid images of a seemingly idyllic place. I know Ballytokeep is a fictional place, but that didn’t stop me from longing to visit the bathhouse! 

Family secrets never fail to hook me and there were many unexpected moments as these mysteries were revealed. Reading this was like a breath of fresh air, I was captivated by the story, the writing and the lovely characters. Hogan infused so much warmth into this book even during dark moments and I was both satisfied and sad when I finished, but only because this beautiful book was over. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author and Aria Fiction for my review copy. 

About the Author: 


Faith Hogan was born in Ireland. She gained an Honours Degree in English Literature and Psychology from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate Degree from University College, Galway. She has worked as a fashion model, an event’s organiser and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.

She was a winner in the 2014 Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair – an international competition for emerging writers.

Her debut novel, ‘My Husband’s Wives,’ is a contemporary women’s fiction novel set in Dublin. It was published by Aria, (Head of Zeus) in 2016. ‘Secrets We Keep,’ is her second novel out on Feb 1st 2017.  

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Blog Tour: Cursed by Thomas Enger @EngerThomas @OrendaBooks

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Release date: February 15, 2017

Publisher: Orenda Books

Genre: Crime Fiction, Mystery/Thriller 

Blurb: 

When Hedda Hellberg fails to return from a retreat in Italy, where she has been grieving for her recently dead father, her husband discovers that his wife’s life is tangled in mystery. Hedda never left Oslo, the retreat has no record of her and, what’s more, she appears to be connected to the death of an old man, gunned down on the first day of the hunting season in the depths of the Swedish forests. Henning Juul becomes involved in the case when his ex-wife joins in the search for the missing woman, and the estranged pair find themselves enmeshed both in the murky secrets of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families, and in the painful truths surrounding the death of their own son. With the loss of his son to deal with, as well as threats to his own life and to that of his ex-wife, Juul is prepared to risk everything to uncover a sinister maze of secrets that ultimately leads to the dark heart of European history.

Review: 

I’m so pleased to welcome you to my stop on the Cursed blog tour today! I’m sharing today with Never Imitate so please visit there as well. 


This is the fourth book in Enger’s Henning Juul series but my first book and man do I want to go back and catch up now! I wasn’t confused by jumping in at this point, but the characterization was so great in this book that I just know I’m missing out by not reading the first three. 

Henning is the ultimate flawed protagonist with so much baggage. He’s currently on leave from his job as a journalist and he’s haunted by the death of his six year old son, Jonas. My worst fear is losing one of my children, I just cannot imagine it, so seeing him so desperately searching for answers as to who set the fire that killed his son was something I could completely understand and respect. The only thing that keeps him going most days is that he’s getting so close to getting justice for Jonas. As he continues to follow leads, he’s dealing with his ex wife and Jonas’ mother, Nora. These two broke my heart, their grief is heavy and palpable and their relationship is so complex. Nora is also a journalist and she’s investigating the disappearance of Hedda, an old friend from school. When their two separate investigations collide, shocking betrayals and secrets are revealed. 

There were several threads running throughout this book and I was hard pressed to see how they would all fit together, but Enger brilliantly weaves them together in the end. I’ve come to love the gloominess and oppressive feelings associated with Nordic Noir and Enger hits on both levels. The pacing here was fantastic, it wasn’t too fast or too slow, it kept me engaged and turning pages like a maniac. The tension kept mounting and mounting until things all came to a head in a spectacular conclusion. Then there was the very end, I’m talking about the last line, oh my God did that throw me for a loop!! I’m frantic for the next book, well done. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy.

About the Author: 


Thomas Enger (b. 1973) is a former journalist. He made his debut with the crime novel Burned (Skinndod) in 2009, which became aninternational sensation before publication. Burned is the first in a series of 5 books about the journalist Henning Juul, which delves into the depths of Oslo’s underbelly, skewering the corridors of dirty politics and nailing the fast-moving world of 24-hour news. Rights to the series have been sold to 26 countries to date. In 2013 Enger published his first book for young adults, a dark fantasy thriller called The Evil Legacy, for which he won the U-prize (best book Young Adult). Enger also composes music, and he lives in Oslo.

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Blog Tour: Winterscroft by Anita Waller @anitamayw @Bloodhoundbook

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Release date: February 24, 2017

Publisher: Bloodhound Books

Genre: Supernatural Thriller

Blurb: 

When the beautiful Lavender is killed in a tragic car accident her family and fiancee Matt are left devastated. As the year’s pass and wounds begin to heal Matt, who has remained close to Lavenders family, meets Beth and falls in love again. When the happy couple announce their engagement it sparks a series of bizarre and disturbing events. Then when Matt and Beth make plans to wed at Lavenders family home, Winterscroft, the frightening truth becomes apparent. Lavender is back. And she is not happy. From the bestselling author of 34 Days comes a tale of love, death and revenge.
Review: 

Happy publication day to Anita Waller,  I’m thrilled to be kicking off the blog tour for Winterscroft! 

One of my reading goals for 2017 was to branch outside of my go to genres and try something new, so when the lovely Helen Claire from Bloodhound Books was looking for people to review Waller’s latest book and I saw it had supernatural elements, I was convinced. I’m so glad that I’ve been experimenting, I loved this book! 

When Winterscroft begins, it’s 1991 and a young woman named Lavender is killed in a car accident with her grandparents. Her family is devastated, she left behind two sisters, Violet and Rose and her parents Alan and Flora. Then we switch to six years later and though they still desperately miss Lavender, they have all moved on with their lives. She was engaged to a wonderful man named Matt and he’s stayed close with the family. He’s found love again with Beth and is getting married. From the moment he tells the family of his plans, there is an ominous undertone to the story, it seems Lavender is back…

This book scared the daylights out of me and I mean that in the best way possible. I’ve never had any type of supernatural encounters myself, but I know people who have and it sounds frightening, especially when the presence is angry. There was a lot of subtlety here, little things would happen and I wouldn’t pay it much attention, then later it would all click into place. It was very easy for me to get completely wrapped up into the lives of this family, they were good, solid people with plenty of faith in God. I felt awful for them as strange and scary things kept happening to them and at various points, they were in real danger. Shivers. 

This was a really quick read for me, once I started I had a hard time putting it down as I wanted to know how they would all fare. Getting rid of an extremely angry dead woman is no easy feat and I was shocked by the way it all ended. Waller has a very fluid writing style that really captured and held my attention throughout and the atmosphere she created within the walls of Winterscroft (the family home) was chilly, tense and enough to give me goosebumps and set my heart to pounding. If you like supernatural or paranormal novels, Winterscroft will be right up your alley. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Bloodhound Books for my review copy. 

About the Author: 



Anita Waller


Anita was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and has lived all her life there. She has three adult children and seven grandchildren ranging in age from 9 months to 21 years. Anita and Dave have been married almost 49 years!


She wrote Beautiful in 1985 and had it accepted for publication. They were the contract stage when the publishing house went into liquidation.


Like many another book it ended up in the loft until two years ago when she resurrected it, retyped all 100,000 words (it was orginally written on an Amstrad 8256 and all she had was a hard copy!) and sent it off to Bloodhound Books.


She is now retired from my life of being a Patchwork Tutor and HGV driver’s wife and concentrates on patchwork for the pleasure of it and writing. She started writing at around the age of 8 – she clearly remembers writing ‘novels’ at that age which were actually short stories split into chapters!


Anita’s genre is murder – but murder with a good reason behind it!

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Blog Tour: The Promise by Casey Kelleher @CaseyKelleher @bookouture

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Release date: February 17, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Thriller

Blurb: 

Family ties can be deadly…


THE PROMISE


Two sisters. One murder. And an unbreakable bond.


Growing up in squalor with their drug-addicted prostitute mother, sisters Georgie and Marnie Parker have had to endure the very darkest side of life. 


When their mother is sentenced for brutally murdering a client, Georgie and Marnie’s already precarious lives are blown apart and they now share a terrible secret. Sent to a children’s home, the sisters hope this might finally be their safe haven after years of neglect. But they soon discover they’re in real danger.


Desperate to find a place of safety, Georgie and Marnie run for their lives, but end up in the hands of Delray Anderton. A violent London gangster and notorious pimp, Delray has big plans for beautiful teenager Georgie, seeing her as a chance to make some serious money.


Fiercely protective of each other, Georgie and Marnie must escape the clutches of a man who will do anything to keep the sisters for himself. And, they must keep the promise they made to each other – no one can ever know the truth. 


A gritty, shocking and gripping thriller that will engross fans of Kimberly Chambers, Martina Cole and Jessie Keane.

Review:

I’m delighted to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for The Promise. Today is the last day and I’m sharing it with the lovely Chelle’s Book Reviews, do check out the previous stops on the tour. 


Kelleher has managed to write yet another electrifying, dark and twisted book. I’m beginning to appreciate a good thriller more and more lately, not just a thriller with a huge mystery. Though this earns a firm spot in the thriller category, there were some surprising elements that I wasn’t expecting, making for a riveting read. 

This one was heartbreaking on so many levels. Georgie and Marnie have had such a sad and tough life. Their mother Josie is a prostitute and a drug addict who can’t seem to get it together and be the mother that her children deserve. The poor little things have witnessed some horrifying stuff that no one, much less a child should ever see. This is an extremely dark and gritty read, there are several instances of abuse and at times it was very hard to read. But what kept me going was my concern for these sweet girls, I so badly wanted them to be well taken care of. 

There are a wide variety of characters in this book and many of them are downright awful, but along the way I may have changed my mind about a few. Josie was a hard woman to like, she cares more about herself and what she wants than what her children want or need. From the start I hated her, but as I began to learn more about her history and what drove her to make the decisions she made, I understood why she was this way. Her life hasn’t been easy and there were times when she really did think that she was doing right by her girls even if she really wasn’t. 

This was a harsh and difficult read, but in the end still a very enjoyable one for me. There was loads of action and the pacing was lightning fast and utterly absorbing. I compared her last book, The Taken to an action movie and this had the same gripping qualities. If you’re not adverse to reading about the sad reality of abuse and neglect, give this a try. 

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to Bookouture for my review copy. 

About the Author: 


Born in Cuckfield, West Sussex, Casey Kelleher grew up as an avid reader and a huge fan of author Martina Cole. 


 Whilst working as a beauty therapist and bringing up her three children together with her husband, Casey penned her debut novel Rotten to the Core. Its success meant that she could give up her day job and concentrate on writing full time. 


 She has since published Rise and Fall, Heartless, Bad Blood, The Taken and her latest release, The Promise. 

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Review: On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins @Kristan_Higgins

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Release date: January 31, 2017

Publisher: HQN Books

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Blurb: 

Ainsley O’Leary is so ready to get married—she’s even found the engagement ring her boyfriend has stashed away. What she doesn’t anticipate is being blindsided by a breakup he chronicles in a blog…which (of course) goes viral. Devastated and humiliated, Ainsley turns to her older half sister, Kate, who’s struggling with a sudden loss of her own.


Kate’s always been the poised, self-assured sister, but becoming a newlywed—and a widow—in the space of four months overwhelms her. Though the sisters were never close, she starts to confide in Ainsley, especially when she learns her late husband was keeping a secret from her.


Despite the murky blended-family dynamic that’s always separated them, Ainsley’s and Kate’s heartaches bind their summer together when they come to terms with the inevitable imperfection of relationships and family—and the possibility of one day finding love again.


Review: 

Every time Higgins releases a new book and I finish reading it I think, this is her best one yet, it’s my favorite, she’s topped herself again. She’s that’s good you guys, her work gets stronger and she was already extremely talented to begin with. I don’t even have to read the blurb for her novels, I’m reading it no matter what, but when I did read the blurb for this one I was thrilled. Her last book, If You Only Knew was also about sisters and she has such a gift for writing about these complicated relationships with humor and insight. 

This flips back and forth from both Ainsley and Kate’s point of view, which I love, multiple narrators are my thing and Higgins does this flawlessly. Ainsley is the younger sister and she’s been dating the same guy for eleven years. She knows they’ll get married one day, but life keeps getting in the way. When she gets dumped instead of proposed to she’s shocked and humiliated. Did I mention that he chronicles this in his blog and it goes viral? Yikes. Kate is the older sister and after decades of being single she’s finally found love and married Nathan. Bliss is short though when he dies in a freak accident and she’s devastated and broken. Ainsley and Kate have never been close, but can they lean on each other when they both need it the most? 

What makes Higgins book standout to me is the amazing characters she creates. I completely related and felt a deep connection to both Ainsley and Kate and by the end I felt like they were both friends of mine. Their journeys are messy, heartbreaking, raw, honest and so very real. Besides the sisters, this book is chock full of fantastic secondary characters that you’ll both love and hate. From Eric the pompous ass who dumped Ainsley, to Daniel the Hot Firefighter and Jonathan, Ainsley’s  robotic like alien boss, to my favorite, Gram Gram. She is so sassy, she’s shamelessly looking for love and not too proud to use Tinder, she cracked me up! Leo and Jenny from If You Only Knew also make several appearances and I adored checking in with them. 

Reading a Higgins book is like eating my ultimate comfort food for me, they just always make me feel warm and cozy by the end. Her books are full of so much heart, you can’t help but feel as if you’re experiencing what the characters are right along with them. If you haven’t read any of her books yet, I urge you to give them a shot. You can pick up any of them, but as I said earlier, I feel like they get better with each one, so start with If You Only Knew then try this one. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, in fact I think you’ll discover your new favorite author. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Claire at Little Bird Publicity for my review copy. 

About the Author: 


Kristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of 16 novels, which have been translated into more than twenty languages. Her books have received dozens of awards and accolades, including starred reviews from Kirkus, The New York Journal of Books, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Booklist. She is a five-time nominee for The Kirkus Prize for Best Work of Fiction, and her books regularly appear on the lists for best novels of the year of many prestigious journals and review sites.

 

Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, their freakishly beautiful, entertaining and sarcastic children, two overly frisky rescue dogs and an occasionally friendly cat.


Blog Tour: The Abattoir of Dreams by @MTilburyAuthor @Bloodhoundbook

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Goodreads|

Release date: February 28, 2017

Publisher: Bloodhound Books 

Blurb: 

The past is never far away. 


Michael Tate has not had an easy life. With his father in prison, and his mother dead, Michael was sent to Woodside Children’s Home. 


Now an adult, Michael wakes up from a coma in hospital suffering from amnesia and paralysis. 

Confused and terrified, he is charged with the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend, Becky. He also learns he attempted to end his own life.


Detective Inspector John Carver is determined that Michael is sent to prison.


With no way of defending himself, Michael isleft in his hospital bed awaiting transfer to remand.


But then strange things begin to happen and hischildhood comes back to haunt him. 


Can Michael ever escape the past?


Will he ever discover the truth about Becky’s murder?


And why is DI Carver so eager to make him suffer? 


The Abattoir of Dreams is a bitter sweet story of murder, innocence and abuse.

Review: 

I’m am beyond excited to welcome you to my stop on the Abattoir of Dreams blog tour! This book was so fantastic and it’s earned itself a spot on my top reads of 2017 list, I was blown away by everything about this one. 


Tilbury is a new author to me and while the blurb sure grabbed my attention, I had no idea what kind of treat I was in for. For the first time I didn’t even post what genre this book fits into, it’s far to special to be slotted into place. Sometimes a book will be labeled as one thing on Goodreads but after reading it I may add in another that I think it’ll fit under, but this time? This book cannot be properly filed into one, two or even three appropriate categories. It honestly has something for everyone, there’s suspense, a bit of horror, romance, supernatural elements and enough thrills to keep your heart racing. 

It opens with Michael waking up in a hospital with no memory and he only knows a few things for sure; that he is paralyzed and what he is told, and what is revealed is enough to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Supposedly he brutally murdered his girlfriend and then jumped off of a building, but he doesn’t even remember Becky, much less killing her. Then strange things begin to happen to him at night, is he dreaming, maybe a side effect of the pain medication he’s taking? It’s all very eerie and unsettling but beyond fascinating. I couldn’t wait to find out what had really happened and the way it was revealed to the reader and Michael was sharply clever. 

The subject matter here is very dark and disturbing, it’s truly not for the faint of heart. There is abuse of every kind imaginable, it’s graphic and horrifying, but if you can stomach that, this is a must read. It evoked a wide range of emotions within me from shock, horror, sadness and tears all the way to laughter and warm moments, it was a hell of a ride. The characterization was excellent and even though I didn’t discuss all of the characters in detail, that doesn’t mean that this isn’t chock full of them, rather that I want you to discover them for yourself. The good ones will squeeze your heart and have you rooting them on, and the villains will make your skin crawl and want to vomit. (I mean that as a compliment, Tilbury has created some bad guys that may be the most despicable characters I’ve come across in years) This was a gritty and twisted read with so much heart and now if you’ll excuse me I’ll be on Amazon buying Tilbury’s other books. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Bloodhound Books for my review copy. 

About the Author: 


Mark lives in a small village in the lovely county of Cumbria,although his books are set in Oxfordshire where he was born and raised.


After serving in the Royal Navy and raising his two daughters after being widowed, Mark finally took the plunge and self-published two books on Amazon, The Revelation Room and The Eyes of the Accused. 


When he’s not writing, Mark can be found trying and failing to master blues guitar,and taking walks around the beautiful county of Cumbria.

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