Who's That Girl by Mhairi McFarlane . Review

When attending a work colleagues wedding things take a very drastic and unpleasant turn for the worst when the groom kisses main character Edie. Edie is a thirty something single female who is smart in all ways but that of love. From the opening chapter I could see this was going to be a really enjoyable book and that Edie was going to be a very likeable character. 

After the disastourous wedding Edie has to hide because the bride and her friends are out for blood and as they all work together it is going to be hell .

This was such a fun read , I really felt for Edie, she was put in a horrible position by a dispicable narcissist who is incapable of real love when she was looking for love in all the wrong places.

Then if that was not bad enough her work friends let her down and her sister is not that happy with her either.

Edie has gumption which is why I like her. What happened to Edie would have another person in a crumpled mess but she kept her chin up and kept moving forward, maintained her sweet nature and her values  . I loved her! If you enjoy an uplifting read this is the book for you. 

I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is being published April 2016

and will then be available from Lovereading and all other good bookstores  . 

Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading website:

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/9780007549481/isbn/Who-s-That-Girl-by-Mhairi-McFarlane.html

The French Lesson by Hallie Rubenhold . Review

The book is set in Paris during the French Revolution but even though the city is going through a war the beauty of Paris remains . The main character is Lady Allenham but that is not her real name, her real name in Henrietta  . When her love abandons her with instructions to move to England on board a ship she ignores his request despite the fear of the start of war there. She quickly finds herself in bother and need of assistance and it comes in a most unexpected form. Love and lust during the French Revolution was not an easy task, not knowing who to trust and what danger lay ahead was a daily struggle . Life was very uneasy and unpredictable making this story hard to put down, I needed to know if love was going to prevail or if after everything Henrietta went through was for nothing . 

I received this book for review from the lovely people at Lovereading.co.uk

This book will be published April 21st and will be available from Lovereading and all other good bookstores then. 

Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading website:

 http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/15481/The-French-Lesson-by-Hallie-Rubenhold.html

Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben. Review

I was so excited when I got a chance to read this and it did not disappoint !

The story is based around retired army captain Maya who retired with honourable dimisal from her job after a huge mistake was made . Home with her husband Joe and daughter Lily trouble and tragedy seems to follow her when her husband is gunned down . 

The story is written beautifully with a smart driven female as the main character. This woman is a force to be reckoned with and takes no rubbish from anyone , she protects those she loves with all her heart no matter what. Her personal traits are admirable but we quickly learn its her own back she needs to be watching . This was impossible to put down. If you have read books by this author before and enjoyed them then you are going to love this stand alone book that has a terrific ending that will leave you gobsmacked. 

I received this book by the lovely people over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is going to be published March  24th 2016 and will be available from lovereading and all other good bookstores then. 

Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading website:

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/9781780894201/isbn/Fool-Me-Once-by-Harlan-Coben.html

Tastes Like Fear by Sarah Hillary . Review

When a car accident happens after a young girl runs out in front of cars causing a lot of injuries and then disappears  it begins a search for the girl who they fear was a missing person but the numbers of missing persons in the area seem to be growing and the police are fearful about what is happening to these girls. Part mystery and thriller this book shows the grim side of life on the streets for young people , the danger they face daily and the chances they take with people they don't know. The plot was very good , the descriptions of the situations heartbreaking and the characters very memorable  . I would recommend this to all thriller fans. 

I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is going to be published in April 2016 and will be available from Lovereading and all other good bookstores then. Below please find a link to this book on their website:

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/15585/Tastes-Like-Fear-by-Sarah-Hilary.html

When She Was Bad by Tammy Cohen. Review

The story is told in two parts . The first is a family that has abuse at its centre and the second is about an ordinary office where the staff get a new boss. I had no idea for the longest time if or how the two stories could be linked. The abuse in the Egan family was terrible , I really felt for the children. Then in the office the boss , Rachel, is evil in heels! She seemed to gain pleasure from hurting people and making them afraid . This book gives us tiny glimpses about the past but it does not give up its secrets until the heart stopping last page. The different types of terror between these pages makes for an uneasy read , but it's completely impossible to put down. I hated the narcissist Rachel , she is completely unlikeable , but makes a great bad character ! The twists in the story surprised me and the entire plot came together very well at the end. If you enjoy mystery/ thriller books then I think you will really enjoy this. 

I received this book for review from the lovely folks over at Lovereading.co.uk.

This book is goin to be published in April 2016 and will be available from Lovereading.co.uk and all other good bookstores then.

Below please find likes to this book on the Lovereading website:

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/15581/When-She-Was-Bad-by-Tammy-Cohen.html

Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf . Review

This story begins in the past in a small town and centers around a family, a husband called John ,wife, Lydia ,son Jack ,and daughter Amy. Fast forward to the present day and we meet Jack again. Jack has stayed away from his home town after a tragedy happened there in his youth . He never told anyone in his new life what happened so when he goes back with his wife after his aunt is seriously injured it opens up a whole Pandora's box of trouble and the problems he ran from so many years ago have found him again . I really enjoyed this book, the story is told in the present day by Jack's wife and she is a curious woman who is determined  to find out what really happened to make Jack leave but she is stirring up trouble .

This was a simmering pot from the very beginning, there is a real sense of unease while reading this book and the plot and characters are superb. I basically sat down and never got up until I finished this . It was hard to know who to trust in the story , making it completely irresistible. I recommend this for everyone ! Truly great!

I received this book for review from the Lovely people over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is being published in March 2016 and will be available from Lovereading and all other good book stores then.

Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading website:

 http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/15561/Missing-Pieces-by-Heather-Gudenkauf.html

Sleepless In Manhattan by Sarah Morgan . Review

This story is set in New York and centers around one woman called Paige ,and her best friends who after they are all let go from their jobs decide to start up their own business where each friend  brings her own unique qualities to the new venture. Paige was my favourite character , she is a special character  , she has had a tough life , spent a lot of time in hospital and it has left more then just phisical scars but she is really trying to make something of her life now . Jake is the love interest of Paige's in the story,a  business man with a heart of gold and I was really looking forward to these two getting together but there was always something coming up between them so it was a waiting game to see if they would actually get together. This was a very enjoyable story . I am looking forward to the next book by Sarah. 

I received this book from the lovely people at Netgalley.

This book is being published March 2016

And will be available from all good bookstores then.

Below please find links to this book :

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27190170-sleepless-in-manhattan

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleepless-In-Manhattan-Sarah-Morgan/dp/1848454554

Authors  Website:

http://sarahmorgan.com/books/sleepless-in-manhattan/

Little Boy Blue by M.J Arlidge . Review

When a murder is committed in the notorious Torture Rooms Club its up to DS Helen Grace to try and figure out who is doing this . Helen has her own interests in this bizarre case set amid the S & M club scene. In a world where its occupants come from every walk of life , they all keep their mouth shut as some have more to hide then others making it very hard to get leads in the case. The story is an interesting one, this unique club where so much is shared with strangers and similar minded acquaintances makes a great setting for a crime . Most  of the people have their identity hidden there and so it made it hard to figure out who it was and why someone would do it or could it be game that went wrong . This was a fast paced read and had an ending I was certainly not expecting , the characters were all pretty flawed , but their imperfections made them all the more human . If you enjoy stories about what goes on behind closed doors then I think you will really enjoy this intricate story told through the eyes of someone who's job is to find out secrets ,but who has plenty of secrets of their own. 

I received this book for review from the lovely folks over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is being published in March 2016 and will be available from Lovereading and all other good bookstores then.

Below please find a link to this bookon the  lovereading website. 

 http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/15617/Little-Boy-Blue-by-M-J-Arlidge.html

In My Mailbox

Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf

Little Boy Blue by M.J Arlidge 

Mother Knows Best by Karen MacInerney. Review

Meet Margie, busy mother , struggling wife and private investigator working alongside the colourful Peaches. 

Life is far from dull in Margie's life , her husband is gay and fighting the idea, her daughter is not liking her new school, her mother is in town for a visit and trying to have them all eating disgusting health food  , her work is getting her into all kinds of sticky situations and her friendships are teetering on the brink of collapse if she does not save them. This book was so much fun! I would not recommend reading it in public, save it for a time you can read it in private where chuckles of laughter can be fully enjoyed . I loved how I could not predict what would happen next. Seeing Margie put in difficult situations and often with hilarious consequences made this so much fun , but the other side of this likeable PI is the good mother, loyal wife, caring daughter and good friend which made this an all round fantastic read . I can't wait for book three in this series! 

I received this book for review through Netgalley. 

This book is going to be published 15th March 2016 from Thomas and Mercer. This book will be available from all good book shops . 

Below you will find links to Karen and her awesome books . Go check them out! 

Goodreads :

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26698959-mother-knows-best?from_choice=false&from_home_module=false&rating=3

Karen's website:

http://karenmacinerney.com/

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Knows-Margie-Peterson-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0157ZIX56

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick .Review

When Arthur's wife dies after over forty years of marriage and two children the dependable and likeable Arthur does not know what to do with himself so he maintains a strict regime that he sticks to each day like clockwork , the only interruptions being his female neighbour is continually trying to feed him. 

When tidying up one day Arthur comes across a strange bracelet.  It starts him on a journey to finding out more about the wife he knew little of and pushing his comfort levels to the maximum . He will learn things he never knew about his wife and without realising it he is starting to heal himself as he puts all his effort into this mystery and the new people who he lets into his life . 

This was such an uplifting and magical story told through the eyes of the very likeable Arthur. This man is a solid and reliable human and I could see why his wife stayed with him and loved him . With every charm on the bracelet he gets a little closer to knowing the love of his life and it is a beautiful story. 

I received this book from the lovely people over at Mira_UK

This book is being published the 7th April and will be available at all good book shops then. 

Below please find links to this book

Goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26722820-the-curious-charms-of-arthur-pepper

Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Curious-Charms-Arthur-Pepper/dp/184845435X

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman . Review

This is one of those books that you know right from the beginning is going to be awesome. The main character is called Frances , she lives next to Carys and Aled. They are all preparing to go to college and the worry and stress of preparing to get into college and sit exams is high. Throughout this process some have more support then others . I actually hated Aled and Carys mother, she was despicable , her behaviour and history with her kids was awful and my heart went out to them . 

Sexuality, friendship , family and education and mental health and abuse are some of the subjects covered in this thoughtfully written book . 

Reading this book , the importance of friendship became very clear , how it can hold you up when you are sinking from stress and abuse .

Radio silence was a podcast that Aled created to escape his life and reach out to others , especially those he most loved without doing it directly . This world he created on social media was an escape for him when his life was terrible , it was fun and used his exceptional creativity to the max that can't be measured by exam results . 

This book had it all ... inspiring broken characters , real life struggles that most people can empathise with and a memorable story . Loved this!

I received this book for review from the lovely folks over at Lovereading4kids. This book is being published February 2016 and will be available from Lovereading4kids and all other good bookstores then .

Brow please find a link to this book on the website:

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/9780007559244/isbn/Radio-Silence-by-Alice-Oseman.html/noredirect

The Mountain Can Wait by Sarah Leipciger. Review

This is a story set around a single father called Tom and his two children Curtis and Erin . Their mother Elka left them years ago and Tom is doing his best at being a parent but he can only do so much . I loved the setting of the story in Canada I could almost smell the trees and fresh air . What I liked least was Curtis , I felt nothing for this character or what happened to him but I did like Tom and Erin, Tom was a bit of a hero as far as I am concerned and Erin was an inspiring young woman who after having no mother figure turned out a well adjusted young woman . If you enjoy a story which is a mix of mystery, adventure and heartbreak with realistic family dynamics then this is the story for you .

I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is being published in March 2016 and will be available from Lovereading and all other good bookstores then. 

Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading website :

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/15562/The-Mountain-Can-Wait-by-Sarah-Leipciger.html

Giving Up

This morning was an eye opening experience for me , one that I can safely say I wish never to repeat . When help for a health issue is asked for and you spent a year waiting for it only to find that when it arrives it has changed so much now and become 100 % clinical without a human person with empathy behind it , just paperwork and a  do it yourself attitude it has failed .

 Don't get me wrong , you need to have a certain amount of do it yourself attitude with therapy as how else would it work but when you are sinking and struggling just to verbalise your situation , then what do you do ? 

I was only beginning  it and I was on the clock , there was a deadline , I was told there was just so many sessions . Could what was wrong be sorted and filed away within the deadline ? Who knows ? Has the health board in this country gone to hell ? Most definetly . Is it failing those most in need ? Every single day . 

I always had faith in getting help when something was wrong and when you got it if you put the work and effort in it would help . For me this has not now been the case. Now I would steer as far from it as I could . I begged for help for a year and when it arrived it was disheartening and has left the situation worse .

Trust with your therapist or councillor or any health provider when seeking help with strong emotional problems where you need to open up makes you vulnerable , when things go wrong with that person , like with any relationship it can leave you raw , and very untrusting and sometimes with nowhere to turn as it is in this case. 

What do I do now ?I don't know . 

Who do I go to? I don't know.

Can the trust come back ? No. 

At The Edge Of The Orchard by Tracey Chevalier. Review

This is the story about the Goodenough family who live in the black swamp. The mother and father have no real respect for each  other and their children see this. When their rage reaches its pinnacle one day ,one of their children , Robert , goes in search of a better life far away from this dismal and depressing place leaving all his family behind. 

We catch up with him through the years with letters he writes to his family as he continues his adventures. 

The story is beautiful and tragic , truly grim at times , but Robert is risiliant and does not let all the bad things in life keep him down. The story was definetly a journey with Robert , through years and people he meets and it made great reading . If you are a fan of the author already then I recommend this if you are not then please pick this up! 

I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is going to be published in March 2016 and will be available from lovereading and all other good book shops then. Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading website. 

 http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/9780007350391/isbn/At-the-Edge-of-the-Orchard-by-Tracy-Chevalier.html/noredirect

Direct Hit by Mike Hollow . The Blitz Detective . Review

If you love stories about the war then you will really enjoy this story set in London at that time . The story is based around Detective Jago whos work just got a whole lot more complicated when a crime scene gets destroyed by a German Bomb. The crime is a lot more complicated then it at first seems and as the deceased is a very respected member of the public it becomes a real 

mystery why this person was killed and why he was found where he was. The book was filled with interesting characters, some with shady pasts , who made this a fun read as well as informative about that time in history, it felt true to that time. There is also a love interest which made it even more enjoyable and I can't wait to see if that goes further in the next  book called Fifth Column . The setting and Jago make this a great story , I definetly want to read more in this series!

I received this book for review from the lovely folks over at Lovereading.co.uk

The second book in this series is going to be published March 2016 and will be available from Lovereading and all other good bookstores then. 

Below please find a link to the above book on the Lovereading website. 

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/13988/Direct-Hit-by-Mike-Hollow.html

For The Most Beautiful by Emily Hauser . Review

For anyone familiar with their Greek mythology/ history  from school this new take on this familiar story was very enjoyable . Many Greek gods and goddesses are mentioned here and at the centre of the story is the women of Troy . Part coming of age story , part war , it is fascinating with a mystical element to the story that was very enjoyable . A story about Gods and mortals is always going to make an interesting story and this one did not disappoint .  The time and setting of the story has a real escapist feel to it and these women made great female characters as their bravery was commendable even when they met with tragedy and heartbreak but kept their dignity . I recommend this for all fans of Greek legends . 

I received this book for review from the lovely folks over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book was published  in January 2016 and is available from Lovereading and all other good bookstores now. Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading website:

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/15380/For-the-Most-Beautiful-by-Emily-Hauser.html

Eden Gardens by Louise Brown . Review

This is the story about one British family in Calcutta in India. The main characters are Maisy and her mother. Maisy's mother drinks a lot and she is a prostitute who does her work in the same place she lives leaving her daughter vulnerable .  As Maisy grows up , the apple does not fall far from the tree,  as her love life is almost as traggic and heartbreaking as her mothers . The discriptions of the area they live in , and the oppressive heat and smells made this a book you almost feel .  It left me uncomfortable and glad I lived in a country that is cold most of the time . These women are resilient and flawed , they face life head on despite how much it knocks them down , and their strength is admirable . Love , family and friendship is at the centre of this story and you can see how it is that which holds these women up when their life is not going to plan. 

If you enjoy books with strong female lead characters set in exotic locations around war times then this book is for you. 

I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is going to be published in April 2016 and will be available from Lovereading and all other good bookstores then.

Below please find a link to this book on the Loverading website:

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/9781472238177/isbn/Eden-Gardens-by-Louise-Brown.html

In My Mailbox

These two review books I received from the lovely people over at Lovereading.co.uk.

The first book above , Tastes Like Fear by Sarah Hilary is a thriller featuring D.I Marnie Rome

This intriguing book is called Six Tudar Queens , Katherine Of Aragon, The True Queen by Alison Weir. Needless to say I can't wait to start these!  

Reviews of both these books will follow soon.

Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase . Review

I love stories about big old houses in the country so this book interested me right from the beginning. The story is told in the past and present but both stories are entwined around the large Black Rabbit Hall. This is an eerie place that holds many secrets and saw many things, it is almost like a living thing itself, its presence is so heavily felt throughout the book. In the past a family tell the story of their life there and in the present there is a young couple called Lorna and Jon who are about to get married.  

There is a sense of dread that builds slowly from the beginning of the story to the end. You feel something bad is going to happen but you don't know what it is going to be ,so the sense of unease carries on until things begin to come clearer. 

I really enjoyed this book and if you love books set around creepy houses that leave you feeling jumpy when reading them then this is the book for you.

I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is going to be published in May 2016 and will be available from Lovereading.co.uk and all other good bookstores then.

Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading website.

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/14537/Black-Rabbit-Hall-by-Eve-Chase.html