Title: Counting Chimneys (Brighton Girls Trilogy 2)
Author: Sandy Taylor
Release Date: 10th June 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture who gave me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
'Counting Chimneys' is a lovely, heartwarming read that continues the story of Dottie Perks from Sandy Taylor's wonderful debut novel 'The Girls from See Saw Lane'. Here we reunite with Dottie as she's making a new life for herself in London, with a job she loves, good friends and a lovely boyfriend. But soon fate takes her back to Brighton and the past she thought she'd left behind.
'Counting Chimneys' introduces new characters who steal your heart from the moment you first meet them, as well as revisiting old friends. It's the perfect book to lose yourself in on a long, hot summer day. A gentle read, moving at times, and one that leaves you with a warm glow when you turn the final page.
Although I did find the story to be a bit too predictable at times, the richness of the characterisation made that less important than it might have been in the hands of a less capable writer. Beautifully written and a lovely continuation of the 'Brighton Girls Trilogy', I look forward to reading the conclusion to this fabulous story.
I would recommend 'Counting Chimneys' to anyone who enjoys a gentle, moving family saga that's easy to read, but is also full of heart and memorable characters.
A heartwarming 4 stars.
Monday, 6 June 2016
Thursday, 2 June 2016
Book Review - The Night Stalker by Robert Bryndza
Title: The Night Stalker (DCI Erika Foster book 2)
Author: Robert Bryndza
Release Date: June 2nd 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture who gave me an ARC of 'The Night Stalker' in exchange for an honest review.
I've been eagerly awaiting this second outing for DCI Erika Foster by Robert Bryndza, and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. The first book in the series 'The Girl in the Ice' is also available now.
'The Night Stalker' is an exciting, fast paced page turner of a novel. It's a heart pounding psychological thriller, with many twists and turns that keep you guessing right up to the last page.
I didn't think book 1 of this series could be topped, but here Robert Bryndza does it with ease. In DCI Erika Foster he has created a fascinating character who I look forward to hearing more of in the future.
A fabulously thrilling 4 stars. Highly recommended.
Author: Robert Bryndza
Release Date: June 2nd 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture who gave me an ARC of 'The Night Stalker' in exchange for an honest review.
I've been eagerly awaiting this second outing for DCI Erika Foster by Robert Bryndza, and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. The first book in the series 'The Girl in the Ice' is also available now.
'The Night Stalker' is an exciting, fast paced page turner of a novel. It's a heart pounding psychological thriller, with many twists and turns that keep you guessing right up to the last page.
I didn't think book 1 of this series could be topped, but here Robert Bryndza does it with ease. In DCI Erika Foster he has created a fascinating character who I look forward to hearing more of in the future.
A fabulously thrilling 4 stars. Highly recommended.
Wednesday, 1 June 2016
Book Review - A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton
Title: A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding
Author: Jackie Copleton
Rating: 4 stars
Release Date: May 2016
Thank you to the publisher and TBC who gave me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A beautifully written and moving tale about a time in history I knew very little about. I thought the back and forth between the past and present (through letters and diary entries) worked very well here. A difficult read at times, the unimaginable horror and anguish of what happened in Nagasaki in 1945 is palpable.
The secrets and lies that tore Amaterasu's relationship with her daughter apart are told with great skill and believability. Is the badly scarred man who turns up at her door 40 years after the bomb really her long dead grandson? Or has Sato delivered one last twist of the knife to the already broken Amateruso?
A book unlike any other I have read, 'A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding' is an emotionally charged and unsettling story that will stay with me for a long time to come. A recommended 4 stars.
Author: Jackie Copleton
Rating: 4 stars
Release Date: May 2016
Thank you to the publisher and TBC who gave me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A beautifully written and moving tale about a time in history I knew very little about. I thought the back and forth between the past and present (through letters and diary entries) worked very well here. A difficult read at times, the unimaginable horror and anguish of what happened in Nagasaki in 1945 is palpable.
The secrets and lies that tore Amaterasu's relationship with her daughter apart are told with great skill and believability. Is the badly scarred man who turns up at her door 40 years after the bomb really her long dead grandson? Or has Sato delivered one last twist of the knife to the already broken Amateruso?
A book unlike any other I have read, 'A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding' is an emotionally charged and unsettling story that will stay with me for a long time to come. A recommended 4 stars.
Tuesday, 3 May 2016
Book Review - Somewhere Inside of Happy by Anna McPartlin
Title: Somewhere Inside of Happy
Author: Anna McPartlin
Release Date: April 7th 2016
Rating: 5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who gave me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. Writing a review of 'Somewhere Inside of Happy' is not going to be easy. This is a book that made me laugh, made me cry and ultimately broke my heart. From the outset you know that Maisie Bean lost her teenage son, Jeremy, 20 years ago, but even so you find yourself desperately hoping that the outcome will be different. The characters come alive on the page and the use of language is remarkable and draws you in from the very first word.
I've reviewed books in the past and have said that they will stay with me for a long time to come and that the characters are unforgettable, but 'Somewhere Inside of Happy' is all of that and more. I feel bereft at having to say goodbye to Bridie, to Jeremy, to Rave, to Valerie, to Fred and to the unforgettable Maisie Bean. I didn't want it to end. I knew the denouement would be hard to read, but I had no idea just how much it would move me. That I would gasp out loud and cry buckets of tears, feeling every painful moment with Maisie and her family.
Beautifully written and filled with memorable characters, 'Somewhere Inside of Happy' is a book that I will never forget. There are no words to describe just how much this book has moved me. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. Simply remarkable.
Author: Anna McPartlin
Release Date: April 7th 2016
Rating: 5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who gave me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. Writing a review of 'Somewhere Inside of Happy' is not going to be easy. This is a book that made me laugh, made me cry and ultimately broke my heart. From the outset you know that Maisie Bean lost her teenage son, Jeremy, 20 years ago, but even so you find yourself desperately hoping that the outcome will be different. The characters come alive on the page and the use of language is remarkable and draws you in from the very first word.
I've reviewed books in the past and have said that they will stay with me for a long time to come and that the characters are unforgettable, but 'Somewhere Inside of Happy' is all of that and more. I feel bereft at having to say goodbye to Bridie, to Jeremy, to Rave, to Valerie, to Fred and to the unforgettable Maisie Bean. I didn't want it to end. I knew the denouement would be hard to read, but I had no idea just how much it would move me. That I would gasp out loud and cry buckets of tears, feeling every painful moment with Maisie and her family.
Beautifully written and filled with memorable characters, 'Somewhere Inside of Happy' is a book that I will never forget. There are no words to describe just how much this book has moved me. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. Simply remarkable.
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
Book Review - Kindred by Steve Robinson
Title: Kindred (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery 5)
Author: Steve Robinson
Release Date: April 2016
Rating: 5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who gave me an ARC of Kindred in exchange for an honest review.
In this 5th outing of the Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mysteries, we finally learn the true story behind JT's own family history. As a keen genealogist myself, I fell in love with these books from the very first one and 'Kindred' does not disappoint.
Fast paced and moving seamlessly between the present day and World War 2 Germany, this is the best one yet! Full of the twists and turns we have come to expect, but also incredibly moving at times, 'Kindred' takes you on a journey you would never have expected it to. My heart was in my mouth as the book gathered pace to reach its thrilling conclusion. I carried on reading long into the night as I just couldn't bring myself to put it down until the final page had been turned.
Jefferson Tayte is a warm, funny, lovable character, who you can't help but fall in love with. His research has a habit of getting him into all sorts of trouble, but I wouldn't have him any other way! If only my own genealogical research could be as interesting - but maybe not quite as dangerous!
A thrilling read and one I highly recommend. Steve Robinson is a gifted storyteller and I hope it isn't too long until we see more of the wonderful Jefferson Tayte. A very easy 5 stars.
Author: Steve Robinson
Release Date: April 2016
Rating: 5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who gave me an ARC of Kindred in exchange for an honest review.
In this 5th outing of the Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mysteries, we finally learn the true story behind JT's own family history. As a keen genealogist myself, I fell in love with these books from the very first one and 'Kindred' does not disappoint.
Fast paced and moving seamlessly between the present day and World War 2 Germany, this is the best one yet! Full of the twists and turns we have come to expect, but also incredibly moving at times, 'Kindred' takes you on a journey you would never have expected it to. My heart was in my mouth as the book gathered pace to reach its thrilling conclusion. I carried on reading long into the night as I just couldn't bring myself to put it down until the final page had been turned.
Jefferson Tayte is a warm, funny, lovable character, who you can't help but fall in love with. His research has a habit of getting him into all sorts of trouble, but I wouldn't have him any other way! If only my own genealogical research could be as interesting - but maybe not quite as dangerous!
A thrilling read and one I highly recommend. Steve Robinson is a gifted storyteller and I hope it isn't too long until we see more of the wonderful Jefferson Tayte. A very easy 5 stars.
Saturday, 16 April 2016
Book Review: Maladapted by Richard Kurti
Title: Maladapted
Author: Richard Kurti
Rating: 4 stars
Release Date: 7th April 2016
Thank you to THE Book Club and the publisher who gave me an ARC of 'Maladapted' in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't too sure what to expect when I started this book, but it captured my imagination from the first page and didn't let go until the final page was turned.
Set in what is possibly a not too distant future, 'Maladapted' is an exhilarating YA novel, filled with memorable characters who you quickly come to care about. Cillian and Tess are thrown together by circumstances beyond their control, with the story slowly unraveling until it comes to its thrilling conclusion that leaves you gasping for more.
'Maladapted' is a beautifully written book that I enjoyed immensely. I hope to read more by Richard Kurti in the future.
A fabulous 4 stars. Highly recommended.
Author: Richard Kurti
Rating: 4 stars
Release Date: 7th April 2016
Thank you to THE Book Club and the publisher who gave me an ARC of 'Maladapted' in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't too sure what to expect when I started this book, but it captured my imagination from the first page and didn't let go until the final page was turned.
Set in what is possibly a not too distant future, 'Maladapted' is an exhilarating YA novel, filled with memorable characters who you quickly come to care about. Cillian and Tess are thrown together by circumstances beyond their control, with the story slowly unraveling until it comes to its thrilling conclusion that leaves you gasping for more.
'Maladapted' is a beautifully written book that I enjoyed immensely. I hope to read more by Richard Kurti in the future.
A fabulous 4 stars. Highly recommended.
Thursday, 17 March 2016
Book Review - Tuesday Falling by S. Williams
Title: Tuesday Falling
Author: S. Williams
Release Date: 5th March 2016
Rating: 4 stars
'Tuesday Falling' is a fast paced thriller that kept me gripped from beginning to end. The title character is a fascinating kick ass vigilante heroine who you can't help rooting for, even though you know you probably shouldn't.
Detective Inspector Loss is the man given the task to bring Tuesday to justice, but he is also a man who has lost his way since the death of his daughter three years before. The hunt for Tuesday will not only be a difficult one, but will also take him on a journey that he would never have expected it to.
With an added technological twist, this book is as clever as it is thrilling, and though extremely violent at times, as the story unfolds you begin to understand and empathise with Tuesday as she wreaks her revenge on those who have done her wrong.
An impressive 4 star read and one I highly recommend.
Author: S. Williams
Release Date: 5th March 2016
Rating: 4 stars
'Tuesday Falling' is a fast paced thriller that kept me gripped from beginning to end. The title character is a fascinating kick ass vigilante heroine who you can't help rooting for, even though you know you probably shouldn't.
Detective Inspector Loss is the man given the task to bring Tuesday to justice, but he is also a man who has lost his way since the death of his daughter three years before. The hunt for Tuesday will not only be a difficult one, but will also take him on a journey that he would never have expected it to.
With an added technological twist, this book is as clever as it is thrilling, and though extremely violent at times, as the story unfolds you begin to understand and empathise with Tuesday as she wreaks her revenge on those who have done her wrong.
An impressive 4 star read and one I highly recommend.
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