Category: Book reviews

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

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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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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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Blog Tour: Body Breaker by Mike Craven @MWCravenUK @caffeinenights

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Release date: May 25, 2017

Publisher: Caffeine Nights

Genre: Crime Fiction 

Blurb: 

From Debut Dagger Shortlisted Novelist Mike Craven

“Among the many fictional police detectives beset by grave personal and professional stresses, Fluke and his team standout.” PUBLISHERS WEEKLY


Investigating a severed hand found on the 3rd green of a Cumbrian golf course was not how Detective Inspector Avison Fluke had planned to spend his Saturday. So when a secretive unit from London swoop in quoting national security, he’s secretly pleased.


But trouble is never far away. A young woman arrives at his lakeside cabin with a cryptic message: a code known to only a handful of people and it forces Fluke back into the investigation he’s just been barred from.


In a case that will change his life forever, Fluke immerses himself in a world of new age travellers, corrupt cops and domestic extremists. Before long he’s alienated his entire team, made a pact with the devil and been arrested under the terrorism act.


But Fluke is only getting started. A voice has called out to him from beyond the grave and he has no intention of ignoring it.


“Everything you want in a British procedural: a dark world, a tangled case, a clear and logical solution, and a deeply flawed hero who’s still well worth rooting for.” KIRKUS REVIEWS 


“A forceful new voice in British crime fiction.” CARO RAMSAY (author of the Anderson and Costello novels) 


“Fluke is my favourite fictional detective.” MICHAEL J. MALONE (author of the Ray McBain novels)


I’m thrilled to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for Body Breaker today!


Review: 

I have a thing for flawed fictional detectives, I think it’s the rawness and vulnerability that’s usually hiding underneath a tough exterior, but by the time I had finished the first chapter of Body Breaker I knew that I had another favorite to add to my list after being introduced to Avison Fluke. This was so much more than an average police procedural, it had multilayered depth that made it truly memorable. 

It opens with a bang, Fluke gets called out to a golf course when a hand is discovered, so yes this is grisly at times. There was nothing added just for shock value though, there was a meaning behind every gory crime scene. As he starts to dig into the case, he’s shocked when there is a very personal connection between his own past and he’s even more bound and determined to find the killer.

Fluke and his partner and longtime friend, Towler have such a fantastic and well crafted relationship, it really feels genuine and their bond is wholly believable. In fact, the whole book is brilliant in the same type of way as it rings true throughout. The characterization is so deep and rich, I had such an honest sense of truly knowing who Fluke is and got a very insightful and in depth look at a man who is deeply and woefully endearing.

This book really kept me on my toes, there were red herrings galore and turns that knocked the breath out of me. I never could’ve pieced things together the way Fluke and his team did, it was very cleverly plotted and the ending was tidy, yet left wide open for a follow up book. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Noelle at CrimeBookJunkie and the publisher for my review copy. 

About the Author: 


Although he was born in Cumbria, Mike Craven grew up in the North East before running away to join the army as soon as he was sixteen. After training as an armourer for two and a half years (that’s an army gunsmith to you and I), he spent the next ten travelling the world having fun. In 1995 he left the army, and after a brief flirtation with close protection and bodyguarding, decided on a degree in social work with specialisms in criminology and substance misuse. In 1999 he joined Cumbria Probation Service as a probation officer, working his way up to chief officer grade. Sixteen years later, he took the plunge and accepted redundancy to concentrate on writing full-time, and now has entirely different motivations for trying to get inside the minds of criminals.

 

Mike’s first DI Avison Fluke novel, Born in a Burial Gown, was shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award and was published on 11th June 2015 by Caffeine Nights. Also available is his award winning collection of short stories featuring Fluke and his colleagues from the Cumbrian Force Major Incident Team, Assume Nothing, Believe Nobody, Challenge Everything. Body Breaker, the hotly anticipated follow up to Born in a Burial Gown, is out on May 25th.

 

In March 2017, Mike signed a two book contract with the Little, Brown imprint, Constable, for his new series starring the National Crime Agency’s Washington Poe, an expert in serial killers and seemingly motiveless crimes. The first Poe book – as yet untitled – will be published in hardback in spring 2018.

 

Between leaving the army and securing his first publishing deal, Mike found time to keep a pet crocodile, breed snakes, get married, and buy a springer spaniel named Bracken. He lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne, where he tries to leave the house as little as possible. Mike is also one third of Crime Ink-Corporated, a trio of northern writers who take writing out for the community and host events such as England’s first Noir at the Bar.

 

Mike’s first DI Avison Fluke novel, Born in a Burial Gown, was shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award. He is a member of both the Crime Writers’ Association and the International Thriller Writers’ Association.

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Blog Tour: The Revelation Room by Mark Tilbury @MTilburyAuthor @Bloodhoundbook

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Release date: May 25, 2017

Publisher: Bloodhound Books

Genre: Crime Fiction 

Blurb: 

Ben Whittle’s father, a private investigator, has been taken captive by a cult whilst investigating the case of a missing girl. When Ben receives a desperate call from his father asking for help he is drawn into a dark underground world.


As Ben retraces the last known steps of the missing girl he discovers his only option left is to join the cult and rescue his father from the inside.


The leader of the cult, Edward Ebb, is a psychopathic egocentric who uses his position to control his small group of followers in The Sons and Daughters of Salvation. When he initiates Ben into the group it soon becomes apparent how sick and twisted Ebb is.


Ben must find his father and the missing girl, but the odds are stacked against him and time is running out.


Can Ben rescue his father and the girl and escape with his life?

And what is the gruesome secret concealed in the Revelation Room?


The Revelation Room is the first in a new series of psychological mystery thrillers.

I’m thrilled to be helping to kick off the blog tour for The Revelation Room today. I want to wish Mark Tilbury a very happy relaunch day as well. 


Review: 

I have a somewhat sick fascination with the idea of cults, they just intrigue me so when I read the blurb for this one, I just knew I had to read it. Having previously loved Tilbury’s The Abbatoir of Dreams I was eager to read some more of his work and this book had some of the great qualities that I enjoyed the first time around. 

Ben is a reluctant PI, his father Geoff is the one who does the real investigating and he normally just helps him around the office. When Geoff gets captured by a cult, the only way to save him is to join himself, but thankfully for Ben, his friend Maddie insists on joining with him. These two are pretty opposite as far as personalities are concerned, but somehow they work well together. He lacks self confidence and is terrified at the prospect of infiltrating the cult, while Maddie is more outgoing and confident, she’s ready for anything. Poor Ben really tugged at my heart strings, he has a stutter and was just the sweetest kid, I wanted to hug him and keep him safe. 

The leader of the cult, Ebb was the personification of evil, Tilbury sure knows how to craft some sadistic characters. How he managed to manipulate the members of The Sons and Daughters of Salvation is beyond me, but the things he says and does are both delusional and horrifying. There are definitely some gruesome and gory scenes, but there’s also plenty of witty black humor to lighten the mood. This was a quick read with steady pacing and a good flow along with great characterization and an interesting storyline. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher 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.


He’s always had a keen interest in writing, and is extremely proud to have his third novel, The Abattoir of Dreams, published, and The Revelation Room and The Eyes of the Accused re-launched, by Bloodhound Books.


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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Review: I Promise You This by Patricia Sands @patricia_sands #giveaway

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Release date: May 17, 2016

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

Blurb: 

Suddenly single after twenty-two years of marriage, the calm of Katherine Price’s midlife has turned upside down. Seeking to find her true self, she took a chance on starting over. A year later, she is certain of this: she’s in love with Philippe and adores his idyllic French homeland, where he wants her to live with him.


But all that feels like a fantasy far removed from Toronto, where she’s helping her friend Molly, hospitalized after a life-threatening accident. Staying in her childhood home full of memories, Katherine wonders: Is she really ready to leave everything behind for an unknown life abroad? And if all her happiness lies with Philippe, will it last? Can she trust in love again?


Searching her heart, Katherine finds the pull of the familiar is stronger than she thought. An unexpected meeting with her ex, the first time since his cruel departure, and a stunning declaration of love from an old flame spur her introspection.


With sunlit backdrops and plot twists as breathtaking as the beaches of Antibes, author Patricia Sands brings her trilogy about second chances to a provocative and satisfying close that proves that a new life just might be possible—if you’re willing to let your heart lead you home. 

Review: 

It’s so bittersweet that I’ve come to the final book in the Love in Provence series! If you missed my earlier reviews here is The Promise of Provence and Promises to Keep. Thanks to the generosity of Patricia Sands herself  I have another fantastic giveaway where one lucky person will receive the entire series in ebook format! Enter via the Rafflecopter at the end of this post. 

I Promise You This picks up immediately where things ended in the second book, which thank goodness as it ended on a gigantic cliffhanger and I was desperate to know what happened! Due to a tragedy, Kat finds herself back home in Canada and is surprised by the conflicting emotions she’s experiencing upon her return home. She begins to question her decisions as of late and has many moments of doubt as she wonders if she’s been hasty in deciding to make France her permanent home. Once again, the way that Sands infused the reality of life into Kat’s story pleased me greatly as things were not all rainbows and roses for her, it was an accurate portrayal of what someone’s real life could actually be. 

Switching things up and having Philippe visit Canada was a nice change of pace as the first two books were primarily set in France. Seeing how he fit into Kat’s life was interesting and seemed only fitting as usually she was the one struggling with a language barrier and a completely different culture. I don’t want to say much about the plot, but as with book two there were some surprises and secrets that cropped up again. 

Though this was an ideal way to end this trilogy I’m still really sad to say goodbye to this series and the lovely characters that I’ve grown to know and love. I’ll especially miss reading all the gorgeous descriptions of the food Kat eats and the stunning locales she visits as Sands has a real knack for bringing the setting to life. If I didn’t already have the urge to visit France I most certainly would have developed one now and can’t wait until one day when I can experience it for myself! 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy. 

About the Author: 


Patricia Sands lives in Toronto, Canada, when she isn’t somewhere else. An admitted travel fanatic, she can pack a bag in a flash and be ready to go anywhere … particularly the south of France, for her annual visit.

Giveaway (Open internationally)

Blog Tour: Annie’s Lovely Choir by the Sea by Liz Eeles @lizeelesauthor @bookouture

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Release date: May 18, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Chick Lit

Blurb: 

Prepare to be whisked away to the Cornish seaside, where clear blue skies, crashing waves, and a welcoming choir await you. 


Annie Trebarwith has no family to tie her down, and she likes it that way. But when a letter arrives, unexpectedly inviting her to visit her great aunt Alice in her family’s ancestral home, curiosity gets the better of her and she travels to deepest Cornwall to meet the family she’s never known. 


Salt Bay is beautiful and Tregavara House imposing – but there’s no phone signal and some of the locals, like the gorgeous but brooding Josh, are incredibly grumpy. But Alice’s poor health compels Annie to stay, so to keep herself busy she relaunches the Salt Bay Choral Society. 


Annie is surprised to see how much the choir means to the community, and she even starts to break through Josh’s surly exterior. As she begins to put down roots in Salt Bay, Annie soon realises that there’s a lot to be said for finding the place where you belong after all… 


Annie’s Lovely Choir by the Sea is a heartwarming story about family, belonging and the healing power of music, perfect for fans of Alex Brown, Rachael Lucas and Carole Matthews. 

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Annie’s Lovely Choir by the Sea. 


Review: 

Have you ever picked up a book at just exactly the right time, it’s like the stars align and everything just fits into place perfectly? That’s what happened when I picked up this splendid book, it was the breathe of fresh I needed at exactly the right moment and I absolutely fell in love. 

Annie was the type of character that I formed a bond with right away, she’s so well formed that it was very easy for me to imagine her leaping from the pages and entering my real life. Oh how I wish she would, I just adored her. She’s very closed off and likes to keep to herself as she doesn’t really believe in the idea of family. It was always just her and her mom and now that her mom has passed away, she’s perfectly content on her own and knows that forming deep bonds and meaningful relationships only leads to headaches and trouble. When she decides to go meet her aunt for the first time she really goes out of curiosity and expects that it’ll be a quick trip and then she’ll get back to her life in London. But she didn’t anticipate meeting an irresistible cast of colorful characters in Salt Bay.

The characters were all absolutely engaging and lovable (with the exception of one) and I couldn’t possibly pick my favorite, I equally enjoyed all of them. Kayla is an Aussie barmaid with a wicked sense of humor and loads of charm. Josh is a moody hunk who tends to rub Annie the wrong way and she refers to him as a Cornish pirate which while hilarious, conjures up quite an alluring image. Alice is her aunt and was a dear, sweet woman and the residents of Salt Bay were all highly eccentric and wholly entertaining. 

There were some surprises as far as the plot line is concerned as there was a secret family history that comes to light as well as enough warm moments to leave me feeling cozy and content. Despite the title the choir isn’t the sole focus, rather it’s more about Annie and how her ideas about family and life in general shift and of course there is a cute romance. It was a totally outstanding debut that made me giggle and maybe even tear up a few times, I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a super fun, light read. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Bookouture for my review copy. 

About the Author: 


Liz began her writing career as a journalist for newspapers and magazines before moving into the health sector as a communications manager and press officer. The low point of her career was abandoning an interview with Cliff Richard after two questions because she was about to faint – her excuse is that she was newly pregnant at the time.


Liz is from Gloucestershire but now lives by the sea in West Sussex with her husband and grown-up daughter. She spends a lot of time meaning to meditate, avoiding exercise, and missing her son who lives in London.

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Review: The Weight of Lies by Emily Carpenter @EmilyDCarpenter

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Release date: June 6, 2017

Publisher: Lake Union 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

In this gripping, atmospheric family drama, a young woman investigates the forty -year -old murder that inspired her mother’s bestselling novel, and uncovers devastating truths—and dangerous lies.


Reformed party girl Meg Ashley leads a life of a privilege, thanks to a bestselling horror novel her mother wrote decades ago. But Meg knows that the glow of their very public life hides a darker reality of lies, manipulation, and the heartbreak of her own solitary childhood. Desperate to break free of her mother, Meg accepts a proposal to write a scandalous, tell-all memoir.


Digging into the past—and her mother’s cult classic—draws Meg to Bonny Island, Georgia and an unusual woman said to be the inspiration for the book. At first, island life seems idyllic, but as Meg starts to ask tough questions, disturbing revelations come to light…including some about her mother.


Soon, Meg’s search leads her to question the facts of a decades-old murder. She’s warned to leave it alone, but as the lies pile up, Meg knows she’s getting close to finding a murderer. When her own life is threatened, Meg realizes the darkness found in her mother’s book is nothing compared to the chilling truth that lurks off the page. 

Review: 

I found another gem of a book that y’all need to add to your summer reading lists ASAP! This was such a compelling read, I simply devoured it and it could be the ultimate definition of a page turner. It has a totally unique and fascinating premise, characters that ranged from the relatable to the odd and scary,  and a stunning atmosphere that was creepy and gorgeous at the same time. Don’t forget a crazy, multilayered mystery that goes back forty years and a hint of romance, what more could you want?!

This was a book within a book, what I like to call bookception, don’t be hesitant and assume it’s confusing because it’s not at all. Meg is the daughter of a super famous author best known for her cult classic, Kitten. It’s a classic seventies horror novel (think Carrie) and has a huge fan base. The formatting was genius and really gripped me, in between each chapter from Meg in present day you get excerpts from Kitten as well. I loved the kitschy vibe of these sections and if Mrs. Carpenter could go ahead and make Kitten a full length novel that would be great! The similarities between Kitten and what was actually happening in Meg’s life were eerie and awesome. 

The atmosphere had me completely absorbed, Meg travels to the hotel Kitten was based on and it’s now a ramshackle pit with only a handful of people working there. It was simultaneously spooky and beautiful and I fell right down the rabbit hole alongside Meg as she tried to untangle a massive web of lies her mother wove. Doro is the hotels owner and part of the inspiration behind the book and was such a complex and interesting character as well. 

This was a total binge read despite the complicated structure, it made me turn the pages faster as I grew desperate to know not only what Meg would uncover but also how Kitten ended. I’m blown away by how flawlessly Carpenter plotted this, it’s truly impressive. There is a lot of diversity here as the island has ties to Native American history which was a totally appreciated addition by me. I think it’s safe to say that Carpenter is the queen of Souther Gothic fiction, this book was a marvel.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy. 

Review: Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf @hgudenkauf

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Release date: May 30, 2017

Publisher: Park Row Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

A shocking discovery and chilling secrets converge in this latest novel from New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf 


When a tragic accident leaves nurse Amelia Winn deaf, she spirals into a depression that ultimately causes her to lose everything that matters–her job, her husband, David, and her stepdaughter, Nora. Now, two years later and with the help of her hearing dog, Stitch, she is finally getting back on her feet. But when she discovers the body of a fellow nurse in the dense bush by the river, deep in the woods near her cabin, she is plunged into a disturbing mystery that could shatter the carefully reconstructed pieces of her life all over again.


As clues begin to surface, Amelia finds herself swept into an investigation that hits all too close to home. But how much is she willing to risk in order to uncover the truth and bring a killer to justice?


New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf has been described as “masterful” and “intelligent” and compared to Lisa Scottoline and Jodi Picoult. Introducing her most compelling heroine yet, she delivers a taut and emotional thriller that proves she’s at the top of her class. 

Review: 

This is the second book I’ve read by Heather Gudenkauf and while I struggled with my first attempt, I’m so pleased to say that I enjoyed this one much more. While this wasn’t one of those crazy, twisted thrillers that I’m usually drawn to, it was still a highly entertaining read. 

This opened with a fantastic prologue, Amelia gets hit by a car and is badly injured and is now deaf. Fast forward to two years later and her life has changed drastically, and NOT for the better. Besides adjusting to life with a hearing impairment, she’s separated from her husband, David and stepdaughter Nora, she isn’t a nurse anymore, she’s battling an addiction to alcohol, and she’s living alone in an isolated house in the woods. Amelia was a highly original and unique protagonist and I’m always excited about something new and fresh in fiction. Seeing how she adapted to life with her impairment was really interesting and I think Gudenkauf handled the portrayal accurately and sensitively. 

After Amelia finds her old friend Gwen’s body she develops an obsession with finding her killer and starts looking into it on her own. An amateur detective always draws me in and when they have a partner like Amelia did in her service dog, Stitch, I’m hooked. He was such a great addition to the story and I loved watching the bond between him and Amelia. 

I’m a fan of Gudenkauf’s writing style, it’s sharp but still conveys a wide variety of emotions and fantastic descriptions. The visual descriptions were outstanding and I like to think Gudenkauf used this as a tool to show how Amelia had to rely more heavily on her other senses due to her hearing loss. This was pretty fast paced and suspenseful but not your typical thriller, I would say it’s an emotional thriller rather than a classic thriller. The author created an unforgettable cast of characters who I really liked and felt connected to and delivered a solid mystery that I didn’t quite figure out. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

Review: Remember Me by Lynda Renham @Lyndarenham

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Release date: March 24, 2017

Publisher: Raucous Publishing 

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb: 

A new neighbour becomes a new friend. She looks up to you. She admires you, but is it you she wants? You begin to wonder if she wants your husband, or even your child. But then you realise, she wants your life. 


When Sharni and Tom move into 24 The Pines, it seems like Clare and Chris have the perfect neighbours. Sharni is always there to help, especially with childcare for Clare’s two-year-old, Ben. But Clare can’t shake off the feelings of anxiety that assail her whenever Sharni is near. Is Clare just being overprotective, or are her feelings justified? As Sharni‘s influence touches everyone around her, Clare finds herself fighting for her sanity as well her family. 

Review: 

Oohh what an addictive read! Once I started I didn’t put this one down, and despite one minor complaint, I loved every second of this read. Clare and Sharni were both woman who clearly had very dark, troubled pasts and trying to figure out which one of them was actually reliable was so fun. Clare is so fragile and already unstable, so when Sharni moves in next door, something about her immediately sets her on edge. Already a highly anxious person, Clare delves into full blown paranoia and I love nothing more than a erratic, edgy narrator. 

Things are told from Clare’s point of view until the halfway point when it flips to Sharni’s perspective and while I liked seeing things from her side, it was pretty repetitive. It basically, albeit more quickly, retold chunks of what you’ve already read from her eyes. I think it was definitely necessary to hear from her, I just wish it would’ve been done differently. It disrupted an otherwise fantastic flow to the story, BUT once the timelines merged it was very intense until the end. 

There were also brief sections from a therapy session between one of the woman and a doctor and I really liked trying to figure out which woman it was. This wasn’t predictable in the slightest and has plenty of killer twists and turns that surprised me. This book is pure entertainment of the best kind as long as you don’t think too hard about plausibility and the like. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

Review: Promises to Keep by Patricia Sands @patricia_sands #giveaway

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Release date: October 13, 2015

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb: 

The painful memories from her life back in Toronto will never be distant enough, but Katherine Price finds peace under the autumn sky in the South of France…and a deepening, dizzying love with Philippe. Together, they savor the delicacies and splendor of life, toasting to a future filled with happiness and hope—a life far away from the heartache they both knew so well.


But during a trip to the charming village of Entrevaux, a strange note turns into a dangerous car chase. Philippe reveals he has a troubling secret—and the couple’s new life together threatens to crumble before it can begin. Now that Katherine has everything she’s ever wanted, is she about to lose it all?


Promises to Keep is the heartfelt second addition to award-winning author Patricia Sands’s Love in Provence trilogy—and a stirring reminder that it’s never too late to be joyfully surprised by love, life, or even yourself. 

Review: 

Promises to Keep is the second book in a series, I reviewed the first book earlier this month, The Promise of Provence and adored it! Book two was just as delightful and I have a giveaway to win a copy of the first book, there’s a Rafflecopter at the end of this post.

This begins right where things left off in the first book, Kat is still in France and trying to settle into her new life with Philippe. She is so changed from the woman she was in the first book, she’s much more calm, centered and sure of herself and I really enjoyed seeing her in her happy place. Andrea and Molly are back as well, albeit briefly mostly through phone calls with Kat, but it was still nice to get a peek at what they were up too.

One of my favorite things about the first book was the combination of the gorgeous setting and the mouthwatering descriptions of the food and Sands still captured both in book two. It was also nice to see how things were progressing for Kat and Philippe after their fairytale beginning when real life sets in. They’re very much in love and both of them desperately want to make things work, but they face some obstacles along the way.

This book was much more mysterious than the first, there were secrets and some family history and drama that I really appreciated and I loved learning more about Philippe’s history and the culture of such a fascinating place. It ended on a HUGE cliffhanger and I’m so happy that I’m starting the third book soon, I’m dying to know what happens next! Again, this is a perfect summer read and one that I devoured.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

About the Author: 


Patricia Sands lives in Toronto, Canada, when she isn’t somewhere else. An admitted travel fanatic, she can pack a bag in a flash and be ready to go anywhere … particularly the south of France, for her annual visit.


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