Month: September 2017

Blog Tour: The Missing Girls by Carol Wyer @carolewyer @bookouture

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Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: September 14, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller 

Blurb: 

One girl found dead. Another girl gone…


Long shadows danced on the tin walls. Inside the trunk lay Carrie Miller, wrapped in plastic, arms folded across her ribcage, lips sealed tight forever…


When a girl’s body is found at a Midlands storage unit, it is too decomposed for Detective Robyn Carter to read the signs left by the killer.


No one knows the woman in blue who rented the unit; her hire van can’t be traced. But as the leads run dry another body is uncovered. This time the killer’s distinctive mark is plain to see, and matching scratches on the first victim’s skeleton make Robyn suspect she’s searching for a serial-killer. 


As Robyn closes in on the killer’s shocking hunting ground, another girl goes missing, and this time it’s someone close to her own heart. 


Robyn can’t lose another loved one. Can she find the sickest individual she has ever faced, before it’s too late?


An utterly gripping and darkly compelling detective thriller that will have fans of Robert Dugoni, Angela Marsons and James Patterson hooked from the very start. You will not guess the ending!

I’m so excited to be hosting a stop on the blog tour for The Missing Girls today! 


Review: 

This is the third book in Wyer’s Robyn Carter series, I absolutely loved the first two books, Little Girl Lost and Secrets of the Dead and I think it’s safe to say this is my favorite book thus far. It’s clear to me that this is the type of series that gets better with each book, this is right up there with two of my other beloved Bookouture series, Robert Bryndza’s Erika Foster and Angela Marsons Kim Stone. If by chance you’re a fan of those two and haven’t read this I highly recommend doing so! 

Per usual this opens with a gripping prologue that instantly grabs your attention, a young girl wakes up disoriented and terribly scared and is quickly aware she’s in grave danger when she realizes she’s being held captive by a deranged individual. Throughout the book there are several chapters from the young girls who are being captured and killed that were chilling and menacing and brought that sense of darkness and danger to the story. 

It was so great to catch up with Robyn and her team again, she has a new supervisor now, Flint and it’s been a huge adjustment for her. The rest of the team are still intact and they’re all really growing on me, I still have a soft spot for Anna and Matt and Mitz is a really lovely man. Wyer delves even deeper into Robyn’s past, especially her relationship with Davies which is so nice as it shows her softer side and just adds to the solid characterization that’s already been established. There’s also more detailing her relationship with Davies daughter, Amelie and I love their special bond. 

Once again there is the same intricate plotting and meticulous attention to detail here, there were so many various threads that I had no clue how they would all eventually tie together. There was an onslaught of twists and turns as Robyn raced to catch a killer before he could strike again and the pacing is relentless and breathless. This hit on some very current issues with a cyber bullying angle that is every parents worst nightmare, it is insanely important to monitor teenagers social media usage. 

This was already a five star read for me before the last chapter and then Wyer threw a gigantic curveball that knocked everything on it’s head. While everything with the current case was wrapped up nicely things in Robyn’s personal life were sent into a complete tailspin, talk about one hell of a cliffhanger ending!! I am desperate to get my hands on book four now and cannot wait to see what happens next. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

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.


 


Little Girl Lost, the first book in the Detective Robyn Carter crime thriller series came out in January 2017.

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Blog Tour: Thief’s Mark by Carla Neggers @TLCBookTours

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Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: August 29, 2017

Publisher: MIRA

Genre:  Mystery, Romantic Suspense

Blurb: 

A murder in a quiet English village, long-buried secrets and a man’s search for answers about his traumatic past entangle FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan in the latest edge-of-your-seat Sharpe & Donovan novel 


As a young boy, Oliver York witnessed the murder of his wealthy parents in their London apartment. The killers kidnapped him and held him in an isolated Scottish ruin, but he escaped, thwarting their plans for ransom. Now, after thirty years on the run, one of the two men Oliver identified as his tormentors may have surfaced.


Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan are enjoying the final day of their Irish honeymoon when a break-in at the home of Emma’s grandfather, private art detective Wendell Sharpe, points to Oliver. The Sharpes have a complicated relationship with the likable, reclusive Englishman, an expert in Celtic mythology and international art thief who taunted Wendell for years. Emma and Colin postpone meetings in London with their elite FBI team and head straight to Oliver. But when they arrive at York’s country home, a man is dead and Oliver has vanished.


As the danger mounts, new questions arise about Oliver’s account of his boyhood trauma. Do Emma and Colin dare trust him? With the trail leading beyond Oliver’s small village to Ireland, Scotland and their own turf in the US, the stakes are high, and Emma and Colin must unravel the decades-old tangle of secrets and lies before a killer strikes again.


New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers delivers the gripping, suspense-filled tale readers have been waiting for. 

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Thief’s Mark! If you want to follow along with the tour check out TLC Book Tours for the full schedule.

Review: 

Thief’s Mark is the seventh book in a series featuring FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan but I haven’t read any of the previous books, I just decided to start here after hearing such good things about this series. There did seem to be very extensive back stories relating to not only the two main characters, but also the secondary ones and I have to admit I felt like I was missing out a little. Neggers did provide some background information as to past events, but I feel like if I had actually read the earlier books I would’ve been better prepared and informed about what exactly was going on, I was missing some subtle nuances. I don’t want to dissuade anyone from reading this as a standalone, just for me personally I feel I would’ve benefited and  enjoyed this one more had I been caught up. 

Sharpe and Donovan are wrapping up their honeymoon when they get roped into assisting an investigation surrounding an old cold case involving their sometimes friend Oliver. This was a multifaceted mystery, a good old fashioned whodunnit that was on the lighter side, there’s no gore or overly descriptive violence here. There are many various plot threads running through this book and when things came to a head it was unexpected and unpredictable. This has romantic elements and is very much a romantic suspense so if you like a dash of love in a murder mystery, you’ll like this one. I really liked both Sharpe and Donovan, I was sort of reminded of Catherine Coulter’s FBI series with Sherlock and Savich, just not as heavy, so if you like that series give this one a shot! 

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for my review copy. 

About the Author 


Carla Neggers is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 60 novels, including her popular Sharpe and Donovan and Swift River Valley series. Her books have been translated into 24 languages and sold in over 35 countries. A frequent traveler to Ireland, Carla lives with her family in New England. To learn more and to sign up for her newsletter, visit CarlaNeggers.com.


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Blog Tour: One Day in December by Shari Low @sharilow @Aria_Fiction

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Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: September 1, 2017

Publisher: Aria Fiction 

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

Blurb: 

By the stroke of midnight, a heart would be broken, a cruel truth revealed, a devastating secret shared, and a love betrayed. Four lives would be changed forever, One Day in December.


One morning in December… 


Caro set off on a quest to find out if her relationship with her father had been based on a lifetime of lies. 


Lila decided today would be the day that she told her lover’s wife of their secret affair. 


Cammy was on the way to pick up the ring for the surprise proposal to the woman he loved. 


And Bernadette vowed that this was the day she would walk away from her controlling husband of 30 years and never look back. 


One day, four lives on a collision course with destiny…


I’m so pleased to be hosting a stop on the blog tour for One Day in December today! 


Review: 

I loved the format of this one, just as the title says it follows one day in the life of four different people. I was slightly overwhelmed initially when the first page was a full list of all the characters but as soon as I started to read more I relaxed into the read and found it was actually really easy to follow. I figured out the characters lives and dynamics rather quickly and no issues keeping it all straight.  Things are broken into segments of two hour chunks and each of the four main characters have a chapter within each time period. I so love a story told from several viewpoints and I was so engrossed by this one as I knew each of them would experience something life changing but not knowing what was intriguing. I was very curious as to how their lives would intertwine or if they even actually would overlap. The structure made this a real page turner as I was always eager to see how the other characters were coming along while I was still wrapped up in the current chapter. 

In typical Low fashion she crafted a cast of wholly memorable, realistic characters, some more likable than others. While I truly came to care about each of them, I was most invested in Bernadette’s life. She was such an authentic, kind person who’s been trapped in an awful marriage for thirty years and I really wanted her to be free and happy! Caro was also so sweet and loving, she definitely tugged on my heartstrings as well. Cammy was a lovely man with loads of charm and then there was Lila. Ugh she made me so angry, she’s definitely a hard one to relate to but I was still captivated by her story. (And her appalling behavior) 

This was full of heart, humor and even some genuinely sad moments, a really emotional read. Low is a really fantastic storyteller and I loved how she wove all of the subplots together in the end. I’ve been a fan of Low for awhile now and this may be my favorite book so far! 

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

About the Author 


Shari lives in Glasgow and writes a weekly opinion column and Book Club page for a well-known newspaper. She is married to a very laid-back guy and has two athletic teenage sons, who think she’s fairly embarrassing, except when they need a lift.

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Blog Tour: 37 Hours by J.F. Kirwan @kirwanjf @TAsTPublicity

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Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: March 2017

Publisher: HQ Digital 

Genre: Thriller

Blurb: 

The only way to hunt down a killer is to become one.

Imprisoned by MI6 for two long years in solitary, Nadia suddenly finds herself free again. But there is a price to pay for her release. Another dangerous and near impossible mission – retrieve the Russian nuclear warhead stolen by her old nemesis, the deadliest of terrorists.

But he is always one step ahead, and soon Nadia finds herself at the front line of preventing London from disappearing into a cloud of ash. Only this time, she is ready to pull the trigger at any cost.

And with the clock counting down from 37 hours, time is running out…

I’m thrilled to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for 37 Hours! I have an extract from the book to share today.


Extract: 

Extract from 37 Hours, Chapter 1

Nadia heard the familiar rattles and clanks down the corridor. Steel bar gates unlocked, opened, locked again. Distant footsteps. Coming her way. She stopped her third round of push-ups and sat back on the wooden bench in the cell she’d barely left in almost two years. No visitors, no phone calls, no internet, no television, no papers. Books occasionally, classics. Minimal human contact.

They kept her in the dark, because they still weren’t convinced she’d given up all her secrets, and had classified her ‘need to know’ status as zero. They kept her hidden, afraid she’d talk about the Rose, and shame the British government over what it had created and almost let loose on its own kingdom. Afraid she’d let the public know they’d narrowly dodged a nuclear war with Russia. The government could invoke plausible deniability. Just another foiled conspiracy. But it wasn’t over. Cheng Yi was dead, but the unknown client was still out there. The threat was still real.

He would try again.

Maybe they’d keep her there for good. She’d killed two people. The world was better off without them, but British justice took a dim view of unlawful killing. British justice… She’d not seen a lawyer, nor been charged as far as she was aware. No visitors. She tried not to reopen that particular can of tarantulas; it never helped.

In the first six months, the thought of someone visiting her, Jake, maybe, or Katya, kept her going. But after a year the pain became unbearable. Nobody came. Nobody cared. And so she worked out, she read, and the rest were just bodily functions. She often sang the Cossack lullaby before lights out, just to practise using her voice, and to reach out to her older sister who used to sing it to her when they were young, soothing her while their parents screamed at each other downstairs. Nadia prayed Katya was all right, and comforted herself that above all, Katya was a survivor.

The sounds drew nearer, the tell-tale rattle of iron keys on a large ring. She knew the routine. She wiped sweat from her forehead with a mouldy towel, and stood to attention at the end of her cot, next to the washbasin. No mirror, no glass anywhere, a metal sink and lavatory in the corner. Light filtered through the misted glass and steel bars. She faced the solid metal door. Maybe she’d get coffee today. It would be cold, but that didn’t matter.

Footsteps grew closer. Two sets, not one. Another routine medical inspection? There hadn’t been an interrogation for months. Jake’s ice-bitch ex-lover and current boss, Lorne, had come regularly in the first nine months, until she could extract nothing new. Initially Nadia had played tough, until Lorne showed her photos of Ben’s funeral – the man who had helped her so much in the Scillies, yet asked for nothing in return – whereupon she’d cracked and told Jake’s MI6 handler everything she knew.

Lorne informed Nadia she would receive no visitors, because no one knew where she was: some British military high-security facility. Probably not even on the books. Nadia doubted anyone would visit even if they did know, after what had happened back in the Isles of Scilly. Unless it was to spit in her face, something she’d welcome after two years of solitary. But Jake must have known, and yet he never came. That was a kick in the stomach. And inevitably, she’d become angry. Now, after two years, it had cemented into a deep resentment. She might just lash out at the first unfortunate soul who came to see her.

The footsteps stopped right outside the door. A double-clank as the deadbolts retracted. A small scratchy noise as someone slid the latch and peered through the glass eyehole. The door didn’t open. Nadia stayed absolutely still. Come on, you bastards, give me my bloody breakfast! The routines of each day were sacrosanct, propping up her sanity. Still the door didn’t open. Voices, muffled, she couldn’t make anything out. A high-pitched cry, female, stifled.

Nadia was suddenly gripped by panic. What if they were going to kill her? Take her outside, shoot her and bury her? Nobody would know; no one would care. She clenched her teeth and fists, suppressed the fear. This was England, not Russia. But her arms and legs tensed like coiled springs, just in case.

The heavy door swung open slowly. She smelled her sister Katya before she saw her, the perfume she knew so well. Katya walked around the door, into full view, tears sliding down her cheeks as she held out her arms.

‘God, Nadia, I’m sorry it took so long.’

But Nadia was already in her arms, squeezing her, gripping her, two years of pent-up emotions erupting. The anger fled, chased away by a deluge of relief. She shook so much she couldn’t speak. Katya whispered soothing noises while the guard waited patiently. Nadia’s face was wet, like the rain she hadn’t felt in two years. She gathered herself, knowing this visit would be kept short. She wiped her eyes and cheeks, and spoke to her sister urgently, taking in every line of her face, details she might have to remember and savour for another two years.

‘How long can you stay?’ Nadia asked. ‘How long have we got?’

Katya bit her lip then pulled Nadia’s face tight to her chest, struggling to get the words out. ‘Time to come home, my Cossack,’ she said.

Nadia’s legs gave way.

 About the Author: 


In his day job, J. F. Kirwan travels worldwide, working on aviation safety. He lives in Paris, where he first joined a fiction class – and became hooked! So when a back injury stopped him scuba diving for two years, he wrote a thriller about a young Russian woman, Nadia, where a lot of the action occurred in dangerously deep waters. It was the only way he could carry on diving! But as the story and characters grew, he realised it was not one book, but three… 

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Review: When We Were Worthy by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen @marybethwhalen @LUAuthors

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Release date: September 12, 2017

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Contemporary Fiction 

Blurb:

A win brought them together, but loss may tear them apart.


When the sound of sirens cuts through a cool fall night, the small town of Worthy, Georgia, hurtles from triumph to tragedy. Just hours before, they’d watched the Wildcats score a winning touchdown. Now, they’re faced with the deaths of three cheerleaders—their promising lives cut short in a fatal crash. And the boy in the other car—the only one to survive—is believed to be at fault. As rumors begin to fly and accusations spin, allegiances form and long-kept secrets emerge.


At the center of the whirlwind are four women, each grappling with loss, regret, shame, and lies: Marglyn, a grieving mother; Darcy, whose son had been behind the wheel; Ava, a substitute teacher with a scandalous secret; and Leah, a cheerleader who should have been in the car with her friends, but wasn’t. If the truth comes out, will it bring redemption—or will it be their downfall?


Review: 

Ahh small town Southern life never fails to fascinate me and Worthy, Georgia is the type of town you envision when you hear small town USA. Football is life for the residents and cheerleading is a close second, so when three cheerleaders are killed in a tragic car accident after a Friday night game the town is shaken to it’s core. The accident is just the beginning of the scandal, this tiny town has secrets and the gossips don’t even know the half of it.

This is told through the eyes of four different people directly affected by the accident; Ava, Marglyn, Leah and Darcy. Ava is the substitute teacher at the high school and is married to one of the towns prominent residents. Marglyn’s daughter, Mary Claire is one of the cheerleaders who dies, Darcy is the mother of the teenaged boy who was driving the other car involved in the accident and Leah was best friends with the girls who passed. Each woman is grieving in their own way and each has secrets they would rather not be revealed to the scrutinizing, critical eye of Worthy’s busybodies. I love when books have an ensemble cast, the birdseye view it provides is always enlightening and appealing to me. It showed how devastating the event was in so many ways for so many people and I was able to empathize with all of them. 

I can see why this is being compared to Liane Moriarty, while this isn’t a traditional mystery there were mysterious elements that reminded me of her books. I found myself most invested in Leah and Marglyn, they both broke my heart. Leah really should’ve been in the car with her girlfriends and you’re left wondering where she really was that fateful night right up until the end. I identified with Marglyn as a mother, the unimaginable happened when her daughter was taken away and that type of pain is something I pray I’ll never experience. How do you move on from the loss of a child?

While this is a heavy subject, there is so much heart as it’s about these women being able to find hope in the face of tragedy. They find a way to keep going, Worthy is nothing if not a town that’s strong and resilient. This was a gripping, emotional read from an extremely talented author who captivated me from the start. I just realized I still have another one of the authors books, The Things We Wish Were True to read so look for that as a TBT pick from me very soon! 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

#CoverReveal Her Last Secret by Barbara Copperthwaite @BCopperthwait @bookouture

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Happy Monday everyone! I’m so thrilled to be able help reveal the cover for Barbara Copperthwait’s Her Last Secret! 

Blurb:

There are some secrets you can never tell.

The last thing to go through Dominique Thomas’s head was the image of her teenage daughter’s face and her heart lifted. Then the shot rang out. 

They were the perfect family. Successful businessman Ben Thomas and his wife Dominique live an enviable life, along with their beautiful children; teenager Ruby and quirky younger daughter, Mouse.               

But on Christmas Day the police are called to their London home, only to discover a horrific scene; the entire family lying lifeless, victims of an unknown assailant.

But when Ruby’s diary is discovered, revealing her rage at the world around her, police are forced to look closer to home for the key to this tragedy.

Each family member harboured their own dark truths – but has keeping their secrets pushed Ruby to the edge of sanity? Or are there darker forces at work? 

This dark, gripping psychological thriller will have you holding your breath until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Sometimes I Lie, and The Girl on the Train will be captivated. 

This one sounds fantastic, I can’t wait to read it! 

Now for the reveal…..


Isn’t it striking?! ❤️ You can preorder on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

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 Scarred Woman was a great Scandinavian crime read. 

The Lies Within was a great police procedural that also had psychological thriller and legal thriller elements. 

I Hate Everyone But You was a cute YA story told entirely through texts and emails. 

Something Like Happy was such an inspirational read.

My Husband’s Son was my TBT pick and I loved it!

Lie To Me was fabulous, one of my favorite reads this year! 

Something Like Family was a heartbreaking and heartwarming read, really beautiful. 

Stillhouse Lake was a really entertaining read with a great premise. 
Currently Reading 


Up Next 


I’m not sure what my TBT pick will be yet, lord knows I have plenty to choose from hahaha.

How was YOUR week?! 

Blog Tour: House of Spines by Michael J. Malone @michaelJmalone1 @orendabooks

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Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: September 1, 2017

Publisher: Orenda Books

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb: 

Ran McGhie’s world has been turned upside down. A young, lonely and frustrated writer, and suffering from mental-health problems, he discovers that his long-dead mother was related to one of Glasgow’s oldest merchant families. Not only that, but Ran has inherited Newton Hall, a vast mansion that belonged to his great-uncle, who appears to have been watching from afar as his estranged great-nephew has grown up. Entering his new-found home, he finds that Great-Uncle Fitzpatrick has turned it into a temple to the written word – the perfect place for poet Ran. But everything is not as it seems. As he explores the Hall’s endless corridors, Ran’s grasp on reality appears to be loosening. And then he comes across an ancient lift; and in that lift a mirror. And in the mirror … the reflection of a woman … A terrifying psychological thriller with more than a hint of the Gothic, House of Spines is a love letter to the power of books, and an exploration of how lust and betrayal can be deadly… 

I’m so pleased to be hosting a stop on the blog tour for House of Spines today! 


Review: 

You may remember me raving last year about A Suitable Lie so to say I was thrilled to read House of Spines would be an understatement. While the two books couldn’t be more different in terms of the plot, there was the same sense of being utterly consumed by this book that I had while read ASL. Malone has the uncanny ability to get under your skin and his writing style is so eloquent and fluid, it’s a captivating experience to read his work. 

 Almost from the moment that Ran enters Newton Hall he is thrown off balance, the house has a profound and powerful affect on him, some good and some not so good, but he is enchanted nevertheless. He was a sympathetic character though his reliability is highly questionable as he suffers from mental illness making me wonder whether the unexplainable things he’s experiencing are real or part of his delusions as a side effect of being bipolar. The lines between fact and fiction are constantly blurred which gave the whole book an unsettling, creepy vibe. 

The house itself was an additional character as it seemed to have a distinct personality and moodiness that shifted just like it would in a person. The atmosphere was claustrophobic, tense and chilling most of the time but there were also moments where Ran himself would be in a chipper mood and the house would follow suit.

 This was such a bewitching read that was still very much a psychological thriller but with it’s own unique spin, I’ve never read anything quite like House of Spines before. It was dark, twisty and intense with the lyrical prose that I’ve now come to expect from Malone. I highly recommend this one to anyone looking for a fresh, remarkable read! 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

About the Author 


Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country, just a stone’s throw from the great man’s cottage in Ayr. Well, a stone thrown by a catapult. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. His career as a poet has also included a (very) brief stint as the Poet-In- Residence for an adult gift shop. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize (judge: Alex Gray) from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie’s Call (a non-fiction work about successful modern-day Scots); A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage and The Bad Samaritan. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number one bestseller. Michael is a regular reviewer for the hugely popular crime fiction website http://www.crimesquad.com. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller.

Review: Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine 

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Release date: July 1, 2017

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.


With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.


But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop. 

Review: 

I love the premise of this one, the idea that a woman is married to a sadistic serial killer and has no idea. Yes, it does seem a little far fetched that she never once went into the garage where he tortured and killed young women, but just go with me here, it’s worth it. Why is it worth it? Because Caine sure knows how to write one hell of a thrilling roller coaster ride, this was highly entertaining and super intense! 

Gwen and her kids have been on the run for years but they’ve finally settled in Stillhouse Lake and are actually starting to get comfortable. I loved this setting, it was a creepy little small lakeside town and the perfect backdrop for the story. The isolation added to the mounting tension and sense of uneasiness, I feared for the Royal families safety the entire time.  Gwen doesn’t trust anyone and I found myself questioning everyone as well, the residents of Stillhouse Lake are a tight knit community that are wary of outsiders, so there was a mutual feeling of distrust and paranoia. 

This is steadily paced until the last ten percent or so when everything comes to a head in an exhilarating conclusion. There was a killer twist in the end that sets things up perfectly for the next book in the series and I can’t wait to read it! 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

Review: Something Like Family @heatherburch @LUAuthors

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Goodreads|Amazon|Author Website
Release date: September 12, 2017

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb: 

Abandoned by his mother when he was young, twenty-two-year-old Rave Wayne knows all about loss. That doesn’t mean he’s used to it. After he’s dumped by the girlfriend he assumed he’d spend his life with, Rave is longing more than ever to connect.


Then, as if by miracle, he receives an invitation from his grandfather, a man he thought was long gone, to come for a visit in rural Tennessee. Loyal, honest, and loving, dear old Tuck is everything Rave could have hoped for. He’s family. Soon, Rave finds himself falling for a down-to-earth local girl, and he thinks his life is finally coming together.

But the past isn’t through with Rave. When his mother returns after many long years, looking to reconcile the terrible mistakes that once defined her, Rave struggles to put together the unsettled pieces of his heart. Will this once-estranged family be able to come together to understand the meaning of unconditional love, the fragile bonds of family, and the healing power of letting go?

Review: 

What a beautiful, moving story this was! I fell head over heels in love with the characters and the gorgeous setting of small town Tennessee and was quite emotional when I was finished reading and it was time to say goodbye, Rave and Tuck stole a little piece of my heart. 

While this book had a really great storyline what made it special for me was the characterization. Rave and Tuck were very well crafted and Burch really made them come to life. Rave is a young man who’s entire life has been a struggle. When he is at one of the lowest points of his life he gets word that his grandpa, Tuck is alive and wants to meet him. Rave was told that he was long dead so the opportunity to meet him seems unreal. Rave’s mom has been gone for years and he thought she was the only family he had in the world. Tuck is a lonely old man with a heart of gold and watching these two begin to build a relationship was inspiring and so lovely. There was an authenticity to their relationship as well as to their personality traits and characteristics that rang so true to real life. 

At it’s core this is a story about forgiveness and second chances and the power and meaning of family. It was simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming and brought out so many emotions in me, I laughed, I cried, I reflected and I loved every minute. There is also a sprinkling of light romance as Rave meets and falls in love with Becca that was so sweet and tender. This was my first Burch book and I can’t wait to read more of her highly evocative, gorgeous books!

Overall rating: 4.5/5

I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought’s Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.