Do No Harm by Jack Jordan @JackJordanBooks #DoNoHarm @SimonSchusterUK @Tr4cyF3nt0n #crime #thriller #PaperbackPublication #bookreview

yvonnembee Leave a comment

I am delighted to share my review today for Do No Harm by Jack Jordan. Today sees the paperback release of this book and I was delighted to receive a copy.

My huge thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers and the Publisher Simon & Schuster.

My son has been taken. And I’ve been given a choice…
Kill a patient on the operating table. Or never see him again.

The man lies on the table in front of me.
As a surgeon, it’s my job to save him.
As a mother, I know I must kill him.
You might think that I’m a monster.
But there really is only one choice.
I must get away with murder.
Or I will never see my son again.

I’VE SAVED MANY LIVES.
WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS?

MY REVIEW

This is a fabulous story that initially made me stop and think. You put your life in the hands of a surgeon, you trust them to do their best to keep you alive. But, what if that same surgeon then decides that you have to die while you are being operated on?

This is the story of heart surgeon Anna, a single parent, going through a divorce and her son has just been kidnapped. She will have to kill a patient to see her son alive again and get away with it. This is not just one story it is also woven into a story with another character. This second character is one that has a different past and different priorities than Anna.

What a brilliant idea the author had when he decided to use a surgeon as a murderer. Just the thought of this is chilling in itself. As I read through the alternating chapters between the main characters, the author gradually built up their histories, their lifestyles and their current struggles. Other characters are brought in and so the cast does expand, but not so much as to become overwhelming.

I am going to be a bit vague as there is so much more to this story than a simple “woman kills man during surgery” scenario, the author gives so much more for the reader to get caught up in. There is a strong mystery element as well as the obvious thriller and crime, but it is how someone can alter their attitude and their moral stance to save someone close to them.

The story is so well paced and the tension builds as police are investigating another crime, and this in itself has its own storyline. That one is just as heartbreaking as following Anna as she deals with a stressful job and her missing son.

This is tense and really has an addictiveness to it. It soon became evident that I would not be leaving this book to one side for long before I would pick it up again. I read this over the course of a day as I needed to know how things would pan out for all those involved.

If you are a fan of crime and thriller books then this is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jack Jordan is the global bestselling author of Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, and Night by Night and an Amazon No.1 bestseller in the UK, Canada, and Australia. After selling at auction in the UK and numerous foreign territories, Do No Harm is set to be the thriller of the summer in 2022. The idea for Do No Harm came to Jack after undergoing a minor medical procedure where he had to be sedated and trust strangers with his welfare. After the anaesthesia wore off, Jack began scribbling his notes, wondering to himself just how iron-clad a surgeon’s oath is, and what it would take to break it…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird @ChristinaRoseSB @BoroughPress #NetGalley #pandemic #scifi #dystopian #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird. This was published initially in 2021, at the time I had seen it out and being reviewed, but at the time I didn’t want to read it as Covid was still too prominent. However, a year on and it was obviously the right time because I really enjoyed it and thought it was a great book to read.

My huge thanks to Borough Press, a branch of Harper Collins, for granting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

This was a really great book to read and I do like the way the author approached the story and then went further with it. Not just the lead-up and during, but the after-effects of living in a world that had undergone huge changes.

When a mysterious disease starts in Scotland, Dr Amanda Maclean is ignored. She is just a female doctor and does not know enough to be making such a rash call that this is something to be worried about. It is brushed under the carpet. It then starts to spread. It affects only men and they are dying by the millions as it spreads around the globe.

This story was written before the start of the Covid pandemic in 2018/19, it was then published in 2021. A lot of what is discussed in this story did happen when Covid struck. Initially, it was seen as a problem on the other side of the world, governments were slow to react and as we know the pandemic was to kill millions around the world. The End of Men is a similar story and one that the author imagined prior to the pandemic.

This story is told from the perspective of different characters around the world. They are female characters as they now are prominent, not every man has died, and there are some that are immune. The race is on to discover where the virus started, what makes it spread, who are carriers and why only certain people live.

As much as I really enjoyed the beginning of the story, and this was really good, it was the recovery and adapting to the virus that really turned this story around for me. The author imagines so many scenarios that I had not even considered. There are the obvious ones about having a depleted workforce, of women retraining and having a prominent role in how countries are run and how they have new freedom, especially in countries where women were definitely not seen as equal. Yes, in some ways this story is about empowerment and also feminism but it is also about how people adapt to change.

A story like this is easy to relate to as we are still living with Covid. As we are adapting to the world after this pandemic it is nothing compared to how the author sees a world with a significantly reduced male population. Without men, it becomes a matter of how the human race will recover with a limited supply of males to help repopulate.

I liked this book a huge amount. Set in a future that is all too real to imagine and the way the author uses her story to envision a future that has changed drastically. This is one for those who like dystopian, futuristic and feminist viewpoints, it is a mystery and a thriller as the race is also on to find and develop a cure. It is one I would definitely recommend.

The really alarming thing about this book is that the author did imagine this prior to the Covid Pandemic. I have a copy of a letter sent via NetGalley detailing this…

Here’s a letter from Christina Sweeney-Baird: 

I first heard about corona virus as most people likely did; through snippets of news and emails from friends saying, ‘Have you seen this? So weird!’ For a number of weeks, it felt distant in that way so many foreign news stories do. Something awful and scary but ultimately a disease I would remain personally unaffected by.

 Only a few months on from those emails and news reports, I’m sitting in my flat in central London in lockdown. I leave the house once a day for exercise, and shop for food and other essentials once a week. I don’t know when I’ll next see my family in Scotland, my boyfriend who is living in Dubai at the moment for work or my friends and colleagues. Billions of people around the world are in the same position. I feel immeasurably fortunate to still be employed and to have recovered from suspected corona virus (I have not been tested but experienced the virus’s tell-tale cough, breathlessness and extreme fatigue after returning to London from a trip to Northern Italy). I know you’re meant to ‘live your truth’ through art and everything, but contracting corona virus was a step towards authenticity I could have done without.

 It’s an understatement to say it feels surreal that I wrote a book about a pandemic disproportionately affecting men just before a pandemic disproportionately affecting men swept the world. More than one person has half-jokingly called me Cassandra. When I started writing The End of Men in September 2018 it felt like the ultimate thought experiment. How far could I take my imagination? How would a global pandemic with an enormous death rate change the world? What would the world look like without men, or the majority of them? I wrote the first draft of the book in nine months, finishing with a burst of intense writing in June 2019. Now, as I edit the book for my editors wondering what this summer will bring, I find myself testing my imaginary world against the real one. I gauge the distance between what I have written and what is happening. As a writer of speculative fiction, this is not something I ever expected.

 I’m relieved that corona virus doesn’t have a death rate as high as the virus I have imagined in my novel, and that it will not kill nine in ten of the world’s men. The imaginary world I have written belongs safely in fiction, within the pages of a novel. Nonetheless, we are experiencing in real life the greatest pandemic of our lifetimes, which is more than I ever could have imagined in my wildest nightmares. I hope that by the time you’re reading this, there is a vaccine. I hope our healthcare systems survive and economies recover. I hope your loved ones are safe and that the world has returned to that wonderful, boring, nostalgic state I now crave: normality.

Christina Sweeney-Baird

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Hunted by Shalini Boland @ShaliniBoland @SecondSkyBooks #NetGalley #paranormal #youngadult #fiction #bookreview

yvonnembee Leave a comment

I am delighted to share my review today for the final book in the Vampires of Marchwood trilogy. Hunted by Shalini Boland brings the answers to the questions and settles old scores and while it has ended I am going to miss these books.

My huge thanks to Second Sky Books for granting my request to read these titles on NetGalley.

My name is Madison Greene and my boyfriend is a vampire. And not just any vampire, one with brooding good looks and a smile that makes my heart skip a beat. As I curl up against Alexandre’s side, our hands entwined, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Although our relationship hasn’t been easy. I’m human, so there were always going to be complications. But I thought we’d banished the demons from his previous life. I couldn’t have been more wrong…

Because there’s a new threat in the form of Nadia – a blue-eyed beauty who seems determined to do everything she can to break us apart. I trust Alexandre but I don’t trust her.

As I start digging into the truth to find out who Nadia really is, centuries-old secrets begin to unravel. And in order to set Alexandre free from the chains of his past, we must return to the ancient underground city of vampires to defeat Alexandre’s archnemesis once and for all.

Can I finally save Alexandre? Or will loving a vampire be the death of me?

MY REVIEW

After reading the first two books in this trilogy I was definitely eager to see what happened to Maddie and the rather unusual family at Marchwood. Maddie and her brother Ben have inherited Marchwood House and also discovered they have a family they knew nothing about. This family are o100 years old and are vampires. The previous two books have been brilliant at introducing the characters and then showing their journey together. Now, in this final episode, lives are at stake.

Once again the author has created a wonderfully addictive story. The previous books have followed a split timeline and with each book, the historical sections have got older and gone further back into history and time. This is where we begin to see some of the threads wrapping up and also to see what twists and surprises the author has had in store for us readers. I will admit now, I did not envisage the ending how the author did, but it does work brilliantly.

The journey from being alone to being part of a family has been a wonderful one. It has been fraught with danger but at the same time, it has brought these two branches of the family closer. Along with the two families, there is also Alex he was turned at the same time as the older members and is an important person in Maddie’s life.

Slipping back and forth between times is a great way of keeping up to date with present-day events, but also giving something more sinister that lurks from the past. I really enjoyed the way the author made the past events exciting and atmospheric with a sense of mistrust and an ancient being.

Even though this is a mix of horror and a fantasy book, the way it has been written is fabulous no matter what your age. There are some things in the books that reminded me of Twilight but this book also had a lot more uniqueness. There are several routes the author has gone down that make for riveting if at times quite a gory blood-fest. Among all this there is also a romantic element, this is one that has a good feel to it, while other is confusion and arguments there is also a sense of getting used to new situations and feelings. Of young adults finding their place and dealing with a whole array of challenges.

This final book had some great twists and it saw the series brought to its conclusion. It felt right and the author for me has finished it properly, by this I mean it does feel that their story is at an end. There is however a little opening that has been left, well you never know!

This has been a wonderful set of books and if you are a fan of horror, vampires, Young Adult stories, romance and vampires then you will enjoy this one. I am so glad I came across this series and I would definitely recommend this final book and the series as a whole.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shalini –  I write psychological thrillers and dark adventures, and I live in Dorset, England with my husband, two children and our dog. I only write reviews for books I enjoy!

See all the books in the series…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 26th March 2023) #booknews #booklove #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 6 Comments

Welcome to another weekly round-up of books I have read over the past week. It has been a mixed-genre week and I have read three amazing books.

I may be a bit hit-and-miss on social media this week and next, I am getting ready to go to visit Mum. I have various things to get organised for this and then I will obviously have the time I spend visiting. If I was more organised I would have all my reviews ready to go, I do have the reviews written but I need to set the posts up so not too bad.

Infinity Gate by M.R. Carey – I have been eager to start this book as I do adore this author’s stories. A science fiction story that spans the universe, well actually the multiverse. An infinite number of different versions of the earth are populated by different species, some barren, some worked by machinery and all different and unique in small ways. Following key characters and getting to grips with this first book in the series was amazing. I cannot wait for the next one to see what happens.

The Little Board Game Cafe by Jennifer Page is a lovely story about Emily, she decides to follow her dream of running a cafe but there are pitfalls and problems along the way. This is a story that is full of food, board games, good characters and a dash of romance.

Go As A River by Shelley Read – Oh this is a gorgeous story, it is more literary fiction as I learnt about Victoria and how she grew up in the 1960s in a small out-of-the-way town that is eventually drowned by the building of a dam. I adored this story and the description, emotions and lives of those directly involved with Victoria.

Back to my regular three books this week. I was sure I had read another one, but it seems not! I have looked through my list of books read but can only find these. Oh well, I am still very happy with three books 🙂

Have a great week ahead and Happy Reading

All the best

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share woud be amazing 🙂 xx

Forgotten Women by Zing Tsjeng @misszing @RandomTTours @Octopus_Books #nonfiction #womeninhistory #TheLeaders #history #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of Forgotten Women by Zing Tsjeng. This is a brilliant non-fiction book that I adored.

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my gorgeous hardback copy of this book from Octopus Books.

Forgotten Women reaches around the world and its history to rediscover, retell and reinstate the lives of over 190 important and significant women. From Neolithic times to modernity, Zing Tsjeng has traced the women who have shaped their age and revolutionised society.


In this book lies the strength, lives and sacrifices of women who have refused to accept the hand they’ve been dealt and have changed the course of our futures accordingly.

MY REVIEW

This is a fabulous book that I have been reading over the past few weeks. The book focuses on women that have left their mark on history and have yet, to be forgotten over time. To be honest, there are a lot of people to who this has happened, but it is great to see a book that focuses on women. When history books mention great discoveries, inventions, observations, works of art, philosophy or any other sector, it does tend to focus on men. This does make sense as for so long in history women were seen as inferior, they were supposed to be humble and often not taught to the same educational level as their male counterparts. When you think of women who have made their mark and are mentioned or taught about in schools, there are very few compared to men.

This book is laid out in 7 chapters, the women mentioned have been categorised into these chapters-
Campaigners
Mavericks
Revolutionaries
Trailblazers
World Changers
Truth Tellers Visionaries.

The rogue in me automatically flicked through to the mavericks! Starting with Hatshepsut (c,1508-1485 bc) and finishing with Leticia Parente (1930-1991) takes you through centuries of history as well as around the world. Women from Egypt, Georgia, Mongolia, China, The US, India and many more countries are mentioned.

Each of the chapters is so interesting and whether you go through this book page by page or flick back and forth you will definitely find yourself becoming absorbed. I know I did! This is a book that is educational and enlightening. Great for fans of history in many subjects. Even though for many, many years women have worked and researched to enhance themselves, they were often seen as trouble makers, witches, bad mothers or wives or simply disillusioned, they still pursued their interests. Thank goodness they did as they have gradually paved the way for women today to have access to education and be able to choose and forge a career for themselves.

Some will see this as a book about feminism, but I see this as a book that shows how our world and opinions have changed. This is not the case in all countries around the world, but women have more support now to make that stand.

This is such an interesting book on an educational and historical basis. It is enlightening and I found so many people who I had never heard of before. This is very accessible and one that I have loved reading and will continue to pick up and re-read. I would definitely recommend this, it is excellent.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Check out the other stops on the Blog tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Taken by Shalini Boland @ShaliniBoland @SecondSkyBooks #NetGalley #youngadult #paranormal #romance c#bookreview

yvonnembee Leave a comment

I am delighted to share my review today for Taken by Shalini Boland. This is the 2nd book in The Vampires of Marchwood trilogy. You can read my review of the first, Hidden, HERE.

This has been republished by Second Sky, this is the sci-fi and fantasy part of Bookouture and Hatchett. My huge thanks to the publishers for granting my request this read this title via NetGalley.

Falling in love has never been so deadly…

From USA Today bestselling author Shalini Boland comes the addictive Vampires of Marchwood series. Perfect for fans of K.F. Breene, Sarah J. Maas and Tracy Wolff.

My name is Madison Greene and I was an ordinary teenager until I fell in love… with a vampire. Alexandre is tall, with a sexy French accent and mesmerizing eyes. He makes me feel protected, and he’s completely captured my heart.

At Marchwood House, our sprawling mansion nestled in the English countryside, we’re in our own perfect bubble together. But, in the blink of an eye, everything changes when an old enemy of Alexandre’s sets a trap and rips me away from my boyfriend’s arms.

The ancient demon takes me to his underground city, deep beneath the windswept desert. In the twisting tunnels and enormous vaulted caverns, there’s a bloodthirsty vampire around every corner. I’ve never been so terrified…

It seems like there’s no way out from this underground maze. My life is hanging by a thread, and every second I’m here is a step closer to death. I can’t just sit here and hope that Alexandre will rescue me.

Can I outsmart a city of vampires to escape from this hellish place? And will I ever see Alexandre again?

(Previously published as: Thicker Than Blood)

MY REVIEW

This is the second book in the Vampires of Marchwood trilogy and it follows so well from the first book. Where the first book was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed it, this second one really does give you something to get your teeth into, so to speak!

Maddie did not expect to share her house with a long-lost and unknown section of her family. As far as she was aware it was just her and her brother Ben, but it turns out she does have more and they are vampires. The first book laid the foundations and this second book takes on a brilliant turn of pace and ups the ante for all involved. When Maddie is kidnapped, her vampire boyfriend Alex knows where he has to go. What follows is a cat-and-mouse game across Europe and back to Turkey, where Alewx and his friends were first turned.

I adore the way the author uses a duel timeline for these books, not only do they give a good idea of the trials of the present-day setting, but they also take the reader back in history. This is where they first became aware of the vampires. The story focuses on a young woman as well as those who live in a Marchwood House. It is such an interesting story and one that I really enjoyed, how a young woman manages to survive. It is also a chance to see how far Alex will go to save Maddie, and yes what she will do to try to save herself.

There are some things that are reminiscent of Twilight, but only small bits. The general feeling of this series is something older and dangerous at play and there are some wonderfully tense and edge-of-your-seat scenes.

This is a horror as there are vampires, so there are sections of blood and guts. But this is also a story about a family coming together and learning to adapt to new surroundings, even though they can only see these surroundings at night!

This story has a good pace to it and it brings the characters together and shows how they get on. It is not all easy though and there is some tension at times but there are things that the author has thought about that make these books very addictive. It has left me eager but also sad to read the third and final book.

This is a really good book, it has tension, a good atmospheric eerie and creepiness that I really liked. A sense of family and friendship and building trust. Ideal for those who like stories aimed more at Young Adult readers but also works incredibly well for older young adult readers! I would definitely recommend this book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shalini – I write psychological thrillers and dark adventures, and I live in Dorset, England with my husband, two children and our dog. I only write reviews for books I enjoy!

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

After the Burning by N. S. Ford @nsfordwriter #dystopian #thriller #shortstories #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for a collection of short stories. After the Burning by N.S. Ford is a wonderful selection of dystopian fiction.

“Things did not vanish. They were cleansed away.”

Five spine-chillingly plausible tales for our times. In a society without books, a labourer makes a shocking discovery. An artist starts an underground club for art made by humans instead of artificial intelligence. Parents who refuse to have their baby implanted with a communications chip must fight for their rights. A child goes on a school trip to the extinct natural world. Just before a general election, everyone becomes addicted to a new superfood.

A must-read collection of dystopian stories. They are works of fiction but, unless we act now, will soon be a reality.

MY REVIEW

This is a fabulous book of short stories that have a dystopian theme. I do like this genre and to have a story that gives a glimpse into a possible future is always scary and it also makes for very addictive reading.

The five short stories are a great mix and each one is a different topic but within the umbrella of dystopian fiction.

A story about school trips in a futuristic world is an eye-opener and also rather sad when I sat and thought about it. This is one that I do think is a possibility if things don’t change.

The story of the artists really caught my attention and this is one that again I can see happening as AI becomes more and more prevalent in our society.

Technology is something that is always developing so the story of having a computer chip implanted is another one that I really enjoyed. I didn’t expect the twist in that one!

Books are a big part of my life and are something that I cannot imagine not having. So reading about the discovery of a box and its contents was interesting as well.

The one I really enjoyed was the superfood story. This is something that did for a small part remind me of the book Soylent Green (if you know, you know!) but wasn’t quite as macabre but still shocking.

Overall these are well-written and really imaginative. They are short but detailed with nice twists to them. With collections of short stories it is difficult to rate as some I like more than others but all of these were good. This is a book I would happily recommend if you are looking for some entertaining and eerie dystopian stories.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

N S Ford is a book fanatic, blogger and cat lover who lives in the UK. She is the author of two cross-genre psychological thrillers, ‘We Watch You’ and ‘They Lie Here,’ plus a new collection of dystopian short stories, ‘After the Burning’.

Many thanks for reading my review, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Summer at Green Valley Vineyard by Lucy Coleman @LucyColemanauth @emblabooks #Netgalley #contemporaryfiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for Summer at Green Valley Vineyard by Lucy Coleman. I have read several of this author’s books and her latest one is another fabulous read.

My huge thanks to Embla Books for granting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

How gorgeous and wonderful is this cover. I can almost feel the sun’s rays 🌞

A beautiful vineyard. A new beginning. A summer that will change their lives forever…

Linzi arrived at Green Valley Vineyard nine years ago, in need of a fresh start. In the lush emerald countryside and ripening grapes, she finally has a place to call home.

But Linzi’s world is rocked when the owner announces he is retiring, and his grandson is taking over.

When Elliot Montgomery first sets foot at Green Valley, Linzi’s worst fears are realised. He’s stepped straight out of the boardroom in shiny shoes and a tailored suit. How will a numbers man like him ever understand the magic of what they do here?

Elliot has his own demons, carrying the grief of his father’s death. Despite their differences, he has come to the vineyard for a new beginning, much like Linzi once did.

As the summer unfolds, Elliot and Linzi find themselves in an uneasy alliance while old secrets threaten to be revealed.

Could more be about to bloom here among the twisting vines than they ever thought possible?

MY REVIEW

This was an absolute delight to read. I do enjoy this author’s books so it was great to pick up her latest one. Working in a vineyard sounds like hard work, but for Linzi, it is her dream job. She is single, works hard and enjoys being out in nature and in the fresh air. When the grandson of the current owner is brought in to take over the running of the property there are worries. Will he change things, will he interfere or will the ethos of the vineyard, restaurant and hotel be ruined by his own vision? Elliot has already been told that he needs to work with Linzi, she will be a valuable asset and she is also knowledgeable.

This is a gorgeous book to sit and read during these nice sunny spring days that we have had recently. It was so easy to imagine how Linzi found pleasure and serenity in her job. Even though things could change she has a feeling of belonging to Green Valley Vineyard and do some of the main staff there. People are on edge as he spends a lot of time going through the accounts and seeing where money is being spent, what works, what doesn’t and of course how to improve the business? This is the thing though, with his background he will see this as a business and it is not just that, it is a place where people feel welcomed, at home and more importantly respected.

Elliot has a tough job on his hands. Taking over a business he wasn’t expecting to means he knows very little about it. He is going to have to learn and learn fast if he is to make things viable.

There has obviously been some good research done for this book and the author brings this into the story with details about grapes, vines, growing, nurturing and also the end product of the wine itself. I found this really interesting and it was a great part of the story. Bringing someone with knowledge together with someone who hasn’t is great. Both of the main characters have knowledge in their own fields, but they also need to understand the priority and responsibilities of the other. This leads to them working, chatting and discussing plans and possible future projects.

As they get to know each other they form a respectful friendship, both realise quickly that they will need to work together and with the odd gentle nudge from Linzi, Elliot starts to understand the passion of those who work there.

I adored this book a lot and there is more to this story than someone coming in to make a profit from vines. Each of the characters has their own demons and there are things that they are not really honest about with themselves, never mind sharing. As the story evolves they do start to break down some of these barriers.

I love being outside in my garden, but my goodness the author definitely works Linzi and Elliot hard. They seem to be constantly on the go, but this actually works well for their characters. For me, anything less would not make them the versions the author has in mind for them.

This is a fabulous book and if you have read any of this author’s previous books then you know you are in for a treat. A gorgeous contemporary fiction story that I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lucy Coleman always knew that one day she would write, but first life took her on a wonderful journey of self-discovery for which she is very grateful.

Family life and two very diverse careers later she now spends most days glued to a keyboard, which she refers to as her personal quality time.

‘It’s only when you know who you are that you truly understand what makes you happy – and writing about love, life and relationships makes me leap out of bed every morning!’

If she isn’t online she’s either playing with the kids, whose imaginations seem to know no bounds or painting something. As a serial house mover together with her lovely husband, there is always a new challenge to keep her occupied!

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

MY Week In Books (w/e 19th March 2023) #booklove #bookupdates #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 3 Comments

Welcome to another weekly update of books I have been reading. It has been a nice week and we have had the odd day of nicer weather to be able to make a start on getting things in order in the garden. General tidying up and getting the veg bed ready.

As for the books, well I have had another really good week as far as reading goes. I have managed 5, one of which I have been reading over the past couple of weeks as it is a non-fiction.

Forgotten Women by Zing Tsjeng – is a brilliant book and looks throughout history at women that have left an impression in various fields. I was fortunate to receive a hardback copy of this for the upcoming Blog Tour and I have to say it is definitely worth it. Having a physical book makes it easy to just pick up and flick through until something catches your eye. If, however, you are anything like me you will soon get sidetracked doing this and actually read it in sections. The full review is at the end of the week.

Hunted by Shalini Boland – this is the third and final book in this series and it has been an excellent one to read. I have read all the books and really enjoyed them. This final one has tension and danger and is a thriller right the way through. Full review of this book will be next week.

A Truth for a Truth by Carol Wyer – this is a series that I adore, its main protagonist is Detective Kate Young. She is an intriguing character and I do suggest that this is a series you read in order. There is an ongoing plot and also the way Kate behaves and acts is something you did, in my opinion, need to understand form the beginning. They are also fabulous books. This one has Kate on the edge, her moral compass is a little off-kilter and she is so vulnerable. The full review will be at the beginning of next month.

Summer at Green Valley Vineyard by Lucy Coleman – I do adore this author and her books are engaging and just wonderful to read. This one follows a change at a vineyard in Wales. It is a family-run business and it is one that several of the workers have a huge amount of respect for. What will happen when the new manager comes in, how will he change things and will he understand the ethos behind the vineyard. A full review of this gorgeous book will be tomorrow, although you can grab a copy today as it has just been published.

An Unexpected Guest by Hannah Ellis – I have read this series from the beginning and it is a shame that the author will be moving on to another project. I do hope that she returns to this series at some point. Each book has focused on one of the members of the Treneary family who live on the Scilly’s. It is the turn of Jago, he has been in New York and has returned to the islands. If you have read any of these books then you know there will be something crop up to throw a spanner in the works! Full review in a few weeks as part of the Blog Tour.

A bit more of a mix and not so much on the dark or criminal side.

Have a wonderful week ahead,

Happy Reading and Take Care

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Hidden by Shalini Boland @bookouture #NetGalley #youngadult #fantasy #bookreview

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for Hidden by Shalini Boland. This is the first book in the Vampires of Marchwood series, it has been re-released by Bookouture under their fantasy and sci-fi division called Second Sky. This was a great book and laid the foundations well for the next two stories. I will be sharing my reviews of those over the next week or so.

My huge thanks to Bookouture for accepting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

A paranormal romance that spans the centuries from modern England to 19th century Paris and ancient Cappadocia.

Madison Greene is in foster care until one day she inherits a fortune, she inherits a house, she inherits a cellar full of danger.

Alexandre Chevalier lives in 19th century Paris. On an archaeological expedition, he discovers a lost underground city where his life changes forever.

Their lives entwine, but this is only the beginning…

MY REVIEW

Imagine being in foster care with your younger brother when you get a visitor to say you have inherited some property. That property turns out to be a mansion and there is plenty in the way of funds to allow you to live a life you really have only ever imagined. Turns out there is a catch, the property is home to a family of vampires.

When Maddie and her brother move into this huge house she starts to investigate, I mean you wouldn’t you? She finds herself in a cellar where there she discovers clothing, papers, paintings and other items from the previous owners and there are also some beautiful statues.

Following a duel timeline, I discovered how the residents in the cellar came to be there. An expedition that went fatally wrong and discovered a truth that no one thought possible. Filling in the past and present details, the author weaves a wonderful story, while it is aimed at young adults I really enjoyed this one as well. There are some wonderful moments where stereotyping vampires comes into conversations.

The story isn’t just one of a young woman who gets a house and meets vampires, there is something far more than that to this story. It is the beginning of a series and so this book lays the foundations for what will follow. It gives the reader a chance to begin to connect to the main characters and this is done in a slow way, not too many at once but all the time keeping the story flowing.

This is a mystery and horror as well as a fantasy and romance story. I do think young adult readers are going to really enjoy this one. It is imaginative and also edgy. It is one to keep an eye out for and one I would happily recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shalini Boland – writes psychological thrillers and dark adventures, and I live in Dorset, England with my husband, two children and our dog. I only write reviews for books I enjoy!

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx