Month: May 2017

May Wrap Up 

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Crimes Against a Book Club was a hilarious read! 

Any Day Now was a cute romance.

Dead Souls was another winner in the Kim Stone series.

Bad to the Bone was a good crime thriller with solid characterization. 

The Note was a creepy short story.

Into the Water was as good as I had hoped.

The Good Widow is an ultimate summer read.

Block 46 was a stunning read. 


The Promise of Provence was a lovely book.

The Butlins Girls was an adorable read.

Watching the Bodies was an awesome start to a new series. 

The Fact of a Body was a fascinating read.

I loved It’s Always the Husband.


The Simplicity of Cider was a lovely book.

The Honeymoon was an excellent psychological thriller. 

Ella’s Ice Cream Summer was wickedly funny.

The Girl Who Was Taken was a fabulous read.

Promises to Keep was another lovely read in this series.

Remember Me was a good psychological thriller despite some minor issues.

Not a Sound was a really good read with a unique lead.


The Weight of Lies was just awesome, I loved it!

Annie’s Lovely Choir by the Sea was such a fun read. 

I Promise You This was the final book in a series I really liked.

The Revelation Room was a thriller about a crazy cult!

Body Breaker was a fantastic read.

The People We Hate at the Wedding was a snarky, cynical read that I loved!

Be My Killer was a fun and entertaining thriller.


He Said/She Said was a dark, twisty thriller.

Secrets of the Dead was another great read in the Robyn Carter series. 

The Lost Letter was absolutely gorgeous. 

Underneath was a dark tale about a twisted relationship. 
May was another great month for me, I read 31 books and sadly my TBR has grown by at least double that 😂 

Starting tomorrow I’ll be posting some of my summer reading recommendations. Then next week, I’ll be posting my most anticipated summer releases. This time of year is my favorite as far as reading goes!

June is my first blogiversary and I have some awesome giveaways planned, mainly US friends, but I will have at least one that will be open internationally!! I’m planning on having a new giveaway once every week so stay tuned. 

I will also be hosting some giveaways on Twitter and Instagram as well so if you’re not following me there, make sure you do so you don’t miss out! 

How was the month of May for you? 

Blog Tour: Underneath by Anne Goodwin @Annecdotist

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Goodreads|Amazon|Amazon UK
Release date: May 25, 2017

Publisher: Inspired Quill

Blurb: 

He never intended to be a jailer …


After years of travelling, responsible to no-one but himself, Steve has resolved to settle down. He gets a job, buys a house and persuades Liesel to move in with him.


Life’s perfect, until Liesel delivers her ultimatum: if he won’t agree to start a family, she’ll have to leave. He can’t bear to lose her, but how can he face the prospect of fatherhood when he has no idea what being a father means? If he could somehow make her stay, he wouldn’t have to choose … and it would be a shame not to make use of the cellar.


Will this be the solution to his problems, or the catalyst for his own unravelling?


Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Underneath! 


Review: 

This was a truly unique read with a very dark premise. Steve and Liesel are both odd characters that have a very strange relationship, one of the weirdest that I have ever come across. It was fascinating in the same way that watching a train wreck is and I was gripped throughout this book. 

The structure of this was distinct in that it was broken up into six parts instead of a bunch of chapters. Each one began with a brief scene where someone is locked in a cellar and this addition added a real sense of menace to an already dark tale. It starts when Steve and Liesel meet and follows as their relationship quickly develops into something serious. Things unravel as quickly as they began when she flips the relationship on it’s head and decides that she does want children after all, something that they both had previously been vehemently against. The consequences of this decision are life changing for both of them and watching the events play out was quite the experience. 

This was a quick read as once I started, I was well and genuinely drawn in and hooked. Both Steve and Liesel were well formed characters, but Steve even more so as there were parts that flashbacked to his disturbing childhood. There was a really clever twist that shocked me and ramped up the intensity as well and this was an overall really absorbing read. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Review: The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor @JillianCantor

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Goodreads|Amazon|Author Website
Release date: June 13, 2017

Publisher: Riverhead Books

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Blurb: 

A heart-breaking, heart-warming historical novel of love and survival inspired by real resistance workers during World War II Austria, and the mysterious love letter that connects generations of Jewish families. For readers of The Nightingale, Lilac Girls, and Sarah’s Key.


Austria, 1938.

Kristoff is a young apprentice to a master Jewish stamp engraver. When his teacher disappears during Kristallnacht, Kristoff is forced to engrave stamps for the Germans, and simultaneously works alongside Elena, his beloved teacher’s fiery daughter, and with the Austrian resistance to send underground messages and forge papers. As he falls for Elena amidst the brutal chaos of war, Kristoff must find a way to save her, and himself. 


Los Angeles, 1989. 

Katie Nelson is going through a divorce and while cleaning out her house and life in the aftermath, she comes across the stamp collection of her father, who recently went into a nursing home. When an appraiser, Benjamin, discovers an unusual World War II-era Austrian stamp placed on an old love letter as he goes through her dad’s collection, Katie and Benjamin are sent on a journey together that will uncover a story of passion and tragedy spanning decades and continents, behind the just fallen Berlin Wall. 


A beautiful, poignant and devastating novel, The Lost Letter shows the lasting power of love. 

Review: 

This beautiful story is told through dual perspectives and they flow together absolutely perfectly. Kristoff’s story is an heartbreaking tale of love, loss and perseverance and Katie’s had some parallel themes as well. The two narratives were separately engaging in their own way and I was truly enraptured by both stories. Kristoff lived in a time of despair and fear, but he still managed to cling to hope and love. Katie is experiencing her own tough time as she is in the process of divorcing her husband while dealing with the loss of her father’s mental faculties as he struggles with memory loss. Both were equally well drawn and I grew to care about them deeply by the end. These two separate tales merge in a way that was poignant and wonderfully romantic. 

I was pleasantly surprised by how engrossed I became in Kristoff’s story, especially as he trained to become a stamp engraver. This is a topic that I know next to nothing about, but it’s oddly interesting and beautiful. It was mainly so compelling to learn about how secret messages were used in the stamps as part of the resistance to Nazi Germany, the resourcefulness is an inspiration. 

Cantor has a really evocative, gorgeous writing style that truly swept me away. Being reminded of the power and beauty of good old fashioned letter writing was so touching, especially in today’s day and age of a technology hungry world. This was such a romantic, epic love story that truly touched my heart, I’ll be thinking of the characters for months to come. It would be an ideal pick for any book club as there are many thought provoking themes to discuss and ponder. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

Blog Tour: Secrets of the Dead by Carol Wyer @carolewyer @bookouture

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Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK

Blurb: 

Three murders. Three innocent victims. What secrets did they share with their killer?


A bottle of bubble bath and colourful, plastic boats were scattered in small puddles on the floor. In the bathtub lay Linda Upton, fully-clothed, her lips a shade of blue, and her bloodshot eyes wide open.


When a young mother is found drowned in the bath, clutching a receipt saying ‘all debts paid’, Detective Robyn Carter knows it’s just the beginning of a harrowing case. She recognises the signs of a serial killer, and when a second victim with a receipt is found, her worst fears are confirmed.


With the local press whipping the public into a frenzy, Robyn is under pressure to solve the crime yesterday. But her team can’t find a link between the two bodies, and the cracks are starting to show.


Just when her leads have dried up, Robyn discovers an unsettling clue she thinks could unlock the case. But as she chases across the plush carpets and manicured lawns of the wealthy elite, honing in on the killer’s shocking motive, one of her own is put in terrible danger.


The press call him The Leopard for his stealth, speed and brutality. Can Robyn stop the most twisted killer of her career before it’s too late?


A heart-pounding, toe-curling, one-sitting serial killer thriller that will hook you from the first page till the last. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter.



I’m thrilled to be helping to kick off the blog tour for Secrets of the Dead today and I want to wish Carol the happiest of publication days! 


Review: 

This is the second book in a series featuring Robyn Carter, I read Little Girl Lost at the beginning of the year and was blown away by Wyer’s debut as a thriller author. Not only is she an extremely talented romantic comedy writer, this second foray into a different genre has firmly cemented her place as a dominant force as a thriller author, what a multitalented woman. 

Robyn is still working as a DI and now that she’s found her groove again, she’s ready to keep climbing the ranks as she craves more responsibility and action. When she begins working a case where the victims are all found with a receipt that says, debts paid, she knows she is looking for a killer hell bent on revenge. 

I instantly connected with Robyn the first time around and this time as I learned more about her past, especially her time with Davies, I saw a softer, gentler side to her that appealed to me. The rest of her team is also interesting, I have a soft spot for Anna and Matt and the group dynamics were detailed more this time around. 

One of the things that impressed me so much in the first book was the way Wyer took so many unrelated plot threads and managed to merge them all together in a stunning way. Secrets of the Dead was plotted in the same meticulous manner and featured a large, diverse cast of characters making it very difficult for me to pinpoint who the killer really was. It also had the same fast and furious pacing with short chapters of the kind that keep you turning pages long into the night. 

It stays mostly in the present day with only a smattering of chapters told from the killers perspective via flashbacks. This was clever as it drew me in even deeper, steadily stringing me along as I was so interested in finding out what this persons true motivations were. It kept me on my toes and gave the book an edgy, suspenseful vibe that I liked. 

Wyer raised the stakes with this book, Robyn is the type of strong lead character that can easily carry a series and the more I read about her, the more I like her. She believes in following her gut instincts and doesn’t back down even when no one else agrees with her and I admire a person who has strong convictions. This is another winner for me and Wyer just needs to write faster so I can keep reading more about Robyn and team. 

Overall rating: 4/5

About the Author: 


As a child Carol Wyer was always moving, and relied on humour to fit in at new schools. A funny short story won her popularity, planting the seed of becoming a writer. Her career spans dry cleaning, running a language teaching company, and boxercise coaching. Now writing full-time, Carol has several books published by Safkhet and journalism in many magazines.


Carol won The People’s Book Prize Award for non-fiction (2015), and can sometimes be found performing her stand-up comedy routine Laugh While You Still Have Teeth.

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Review: He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly @mserinkelly @MinotaurBooks #WhoDoYouBelieve

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Goodreads|Amazon|Author Website
Release date: June 6, 2017

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

In the hushed aftermath of a total eclipse, Laura witnesses a brutal attack. She and her boyfriend Kit call the police, and in that moment, it is not only the victim’s life that is changed forever. Fifteen years on, Laura and Kit live in fear, and while Laura knows she was right to speak out, the events that follow have taught her that you can never see the whole picture: something, and someone, is always in the dark. 

Review: 

I love the blurb for this, it’s short, sweet and to the point, yet it still manages to pique your interest in just a few sentences. This was one of those reads where I think the less you know, the more you’ll enjoy the book, so I’m going to do my best to follow suit and keep my review on the shorter side as well. 

This is told in alternating timelines and from the perspectives of Kit and Laura, a couple who are eclipse chasers. It starts in 1999 when they attend a festival to see an eclipse and they stumble upon a sexual assault. They’re both horrified and don’t hesitate to report the crime.  It then flips forward fifteen years where they seem to be in hiding, they’ve changed their names and have a total ban on any type of social media. But what could have possibly happened to make them so afraid after they both testified at the rape trial as witnesses? After all, they did the right thing. But lies, secrets and betrayals are lurking in the shadows and nothing is as clear cut as it first appears to be. 

This was a slow starter, Kelly painstakingly lays the groundwork for some epic twists and turns later on down the road. It’s a methodical unraveling of events as she takes the reader down the rabbit hole to uncover the truth about that night in 1999. Then, at about the halfway point it morphs into a high intensity page turner as bits about what truly happen are revealed. This is where it became unputdownable for me. 

This was a dark thriller that really got under my skin. It explores some heavy themes about rape and the way victims are portrayed and treated that are unsettling. The whole book has a sense of unease as you constantly change your mind about whose version of events you believe and who is really trustworthy and reliable. I loved the constant guessing game and the twists were perfectly executed. The ending was chilling, right down to the final sentence, it left my mouth hanging open in shock and awe. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Minotaur Books for my review copy. 

(Looks like I didn’t really keep it short and sweet after all! 😜😂)

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: 


I loved The Weight of Lies, definitely a standout for May.


Annie’s Lovely Choir by the Sea was such a sweet, light read.

I Promise You This was the final book in a series that I loved, there’s still time to enter my international giveaway! 

The Revelation Room was an interesting read about a crazy cult.

Body Breaker was an awesome crime thriller.

Be My Killer was a fun read, reminiscent of an older horror movie.

The People We Hate at the Wedding was a snarky, witty read about a highly dysfunctional family. 
Currently Reading: 


Up Next: 


I’m not actually sure what I’m reading this week, we’re leaving for Mexico on Thursday so I don’t have anything set in stone. Im thinking The Sunshine Sisters and The Party will be fun beach reads though! 

I hope everyone has a great week and I apologize in advance for not being around as much this week. 

How was your week? 

Review: The People We Hate at the Wedding @Flatironbooks @GrantGinder #PeopleWeHate

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Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: June 6, 2017

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Genre: Contemporary Fiction 

Blurb: 


Relationships are awful. They’ll kill you, right up to the point where they start saving your life.


Paul and Alice’s half-sister Eloise is getting married! In London! There will be fancy hotels, dinners at “it” restaurants and a reception at a country estate complete with tea lights and embroidered cloth napkins. 

They couldn’t hate it more.


The People We Hate at the Wedding is the story of a less than perfect family. Donna, the clan’s mother, is now a widow living in the Chicago suburbs with a penchant for the occasional joint and more than one glass of wine with her best friend while watching House Hunters International. Alice is in her thirties, single, smart, beautiful, stuck in a dead-end job where she is mired in a rather predictable, though enjoyable, affair with her married boss. Her brother Paul lives in Philadelphia with his older, handsomer, tenured track professor boyfriend who’s recently been saying things like “monogamy is an oppressive heteronormative construct,” while eyeing undergrads. And then there’s Eloise. Perfect, gorgeous, cultured Eloise. The product of Donna’s first marriage to a dashing Frenchman, Eloise has spent her school years at the best private boarding schools, her winter holidays in St. John and a post-college life cushioned by a fat, endless trust fund. To top it off, she’s infuriatingly kind and decent.


As this estranged clan gathers together, and Eloise’s walk down the aisle approaches, Grant Ginder brings to vivid, hilarious life the power of family, and the complicated ways we hate the ones we love the most in the most bitingly funny, slyly witty and surprisingly tender novel you’ll read this year. 

Review: 

If you like snarky humor and watching a train wreck of a family unravel at the seams then I’ve got another great book to add to your summer reading list! First of all, the title/cover combination is pure gold, this is a great book to pick up this summer. It’s light, but has a bite due to its sardonic nature. This is a modern, cynical look at the dynamics of a highly dysfunctional family that could not be more entertaining. 

It’s told via alternating points of view, primarily through the eyes of Paul, Alice and Donna though you do hear from just about every character at some point. Every single one of them is deeply flawed and not very likable, but watching their relationships was utterly fascinating. These people do not hold anything back, they are brutally honest and at times it’s painfully awkward, but again absolutely entertaining as a reader. 

This has some racy, risqué scenes but it’s also infused with the type of humor that speaks to my soul. The writing is acerbic, intelligent and scarily insightful and is always filled with snark. It’s really witty and engaging, I read it pretty quick and can’t tell you how many times I vacillitated between giggling and being horrified. The way this family behaves is appalling! I think the book succeeded at what The Nest tried (and failed) to do. 

If I had one (minor) issue it would be that there was very little time at the wedding and I’m a sucker for drama at a wedding! At the end of the day though, this book isn’t really about a wedding, it’s about a really messed up family, so I’m not mad. 
Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Flatiron Books for my review copy. 

Blog Tour: Follow You by Richard Parker @BookWalter @Bookouture #BeMyKiller

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Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: May 26, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller 

Blurb: 

You set the trap. Now you can’t escape.


When an online prank goes viral and triggers a spate of gruesome murders, documentary maker Hazel Salter watches in horror. But then Hazel’s childhood friend, Meredith Hickman, is the next victim and Hazel knows she has to find out what happened to her.


Is it one killer or more? Random acts of violence, or part of a bigger, twisted plan?


The police have no leads, but Hazel has a theory – one she’ll stop at nothing to prove – and she also has a film crew. She’ll make a documentary, catch the killer, and give Meredith justice.


Her stage is the abandoned amusement park where Meredith was found. 


Her cast are the family and friends the killer left behind. 


And her crew? They keep disappearing, one by one…


A shocking, ‘just-one-more-page’ thriller with the most twisted killer you’ll ever meet. This book will hook you from the first page and keep you guessing long into the night. PERFECT for fans of James Patterson, Mo Hayder, and Chris Carter.

I’m so excited to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for Follow You today! I’m sharing the day with one of my favorite bloggers, Joanne at My Chestnut Reading Tree so make sure you stop over there and see what she thought as well. 


The premise for this one instantly hooked me, even before I read the chilling opening chapter. Speaking of the first chapter, last week Richard and the lovely Kim Nash hosted a really interesting Facebook Live where he read the first chapter, so if you missed it and want to get a feel for the book, it’s a great place to start! Social media as the hunting grounds for a serial killer was a really clever basis for this book, @BeMyKiller is a Twitter account that went viral when people that used the hashtag or tweeted the account were murdered based on the taunts they used. Tweet saying the killer is gutless and you may find yourself literally gutted. Many people were scared to use the hashtag for this tour, but I’m being brave! 😜

This has the vibe of an old slasher movie, think 80’s movies like The Nightmare on Elm Street and Child’s Play mixed with the campy feel of 90s horror movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. There was the same large cast of characters in a perfect atmospheric setting, this used an old, abandoned amusement park. In fact, this book is begging to be turned into a movie, it would be great! 

This is not for the faint of heart, it’s gory, graphic and has some highly original murder scenes. Some of them are seriously twisted, if you’ve read this you’ll know why I’ll never be able to look at a mobility scooter the same way again, yikes! I was constantly on the edge of my seat as I wondered who the next victim would be, the tension was fantastic and there were some parts that were real nail biters. 

This was very fast paced and creepy with plenty of twists and turns along the way. I had heard before I read it that it was one of Bookouture’s darkest books to date and I would have to agree, it’s pretty depraved! It was also a whole lot of fun, highly entertaining and left me guessing up until the end. 

Overall rating: 4/5

About the Author: 


Parker is an ex TV script writer, script editor and producer who now writes dark, stand alone thrillers. His first novel, Stop Me, was nominated for a Dagger Award. The movie rights to his second, Scare Me, have been bought by Hollywood studio Relativity Media with screenplay completed by Wentworth ‘PRISON BREAK’ Miller and his third, Stalk Me, rode high in the US and UK Amazon charts.

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Bombshell Books have a big announcement! @bombshellpub

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I’m so excited to be sharing some big news from Bombshell Books today! 


Bombshell Books

After launching with the hilarious The Queen of Blogging, Bombshell Books are back with two new authors and three fabulous novels.

Therese Loreskar returns with her sequel to The Queen of Blogging – The Queen of New Beginnings.

In 2014 she was signed by a Swedish publishing house before being signed by Bombshell in the summer of 2016. Her novel, The Queen of Blogging, received overwhelming feedback and the book was referred to as a modern Bridget Jones. Therese has since had four bestselling children’s books. Her never-ending energy for writing and entertaining people is her biggest trait.

Therese lives in the countryside on the west coast of Sweden. She has a big and busy household with her husband, two children, deaf cat, five hamsters and a grandmother. When she is not busy writing stories she enjoys nature, people, history, redecorating the house without permission and all other kinds of creativity. The Queen of New Beginnings will be published on August 10th this year. 

Guardian book prize shortlisted author, Suzie Tullett, signs with Bombshell Books.

Suzie Tullett is an author of contemporary humorous fiction and romantic comedy. She has a Masters Degree in Television & Radio Scriptwriting and worked as a scriptwriter before becoming a full-time novelist. Her motto is to ‘live, laugh, love’ and when she’s not busy creating her own literary masterpieces, she usually has her head in someone else’s.

Suzie lives in a tiny hamlet in the middle of the French countryside, along with her husband and two Greek rescue dogs. You can find Suzie on Twitter: @SuzieTullett or you can visit her website: suzietullett.com 

Her heart-warming romantic comedy, The Trouble with Words, will be published on July 29th this year. 

Debut author, Callie Langridge, joins Bombshell Books.

Caroline was born and brought up in Berkshire. After a brief teenage spell in the depths of Lancashire, she moved back to London. Having left school at 16, she studied drama before embarking on a career in marketing. This saw her work in music marketing in the heady days of Britpop in the late ‘90s. She unleashed her creativity in the design of window displays and marketing campaigns for the leading music retailer. More recently she has followed her passion for social history and currently works in marketing for a national historical institution, promoting projects and running events.

On hitting her thirtieth birthday, she decided finally to take her A levels and gained A’s in English Literature and Language, and Film Studies –not bad when working full time –and this spurred her on to take the first of many creative writing course. A few years later and she has had a number of short stories published and plays performed at theatres and venues across London. Caroline lives in London with her long-term partner and an ever-growing collection of antique curiosities. Her beautifully written and heart-wrenching debut novel, A Time to Change, will be published on September 24th this year. 

Bombshell Books is an imprint of Bloodhound Books. Bombshell publishes brilliant women’s fiction and is on the look out for new authors. We want stories that will make you laugh, cry and fall in love. For more information visit our website –www.bombshellbooks.com

#CoverReveal Little Gray Dress by Aimee Brown @AuthorAimeeB

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Title: Little Gray Dress
Author: Aimee Brown
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Publisher: Crooked Cat Books
Release Date: August 2nd, 2017
Pre-Orders Available: Early July

Blurb:

Emi Harrison has avoided her ex-fiance, Jack Cabot, for nearly two years. Her twin brother Evan’s wedding is about to end that streak.
From bad bridesmaid’s dresses, a hyperactive sister-in-law, a mean girl with even meaner secrets, and too much to drink, nothing seems to go right for Emi, except when she’s wearing her little gray dress.
When she speed-walks into Liam Jaxon’s bar, things get more complicated. He’s gorgeous, southern, and has no past with Emi. He may be exactly what she needs to prove for the last time that she doesn’t need or want Jack!
Her favorite little gray dress has made an appearance at nearly every major event in Emi’s adult life. Will it make another grand appearance when she least expects it?
Pre-Order the Book in early July.
*for a notification when the books pre-order is up, sign-up for her author newsletter.
About the Author:
Author Bio:

Aimee Brown is a writer and avid reader, often blogging her thoughts on chick lit books. Little Gray Dress is her first novel published. She’s currently studying for her Bachelor’s degree in English Writing. She spends much of her time writing her next book, doing homework, raising three teenagers, binge watching shows on Netflix and obsessively cleaning and redecorating her house. She’s fluent in sarcasm and has been known to use far too many swear words.

Aimee grew up in Oregon but is now a transplant living in cold Montana with her husband of twenty years, three teenage children, and many, many pets.

She would love to hear your thoughts on Little Gray Dress! If you want to chat with her she’s very active on social media.

Author Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Sign-Up for her Newsletter

Participate in the Book Tour:

Aimee would love to have you as a part of this upcoming release day book tour!
If you’d like to sign-up to review the book during the tour or post a feature, author q&a, author guest post, excerpt, or giveaway, click the image below to sign-up.

Or — sign-up here —> http://authoraimeebrown.com/little-gray-dress/