Month April 2020

Willows Wedding Vows by Debbie Viggiano @DebbieViggiano @rararesources #rachelsrandomresources #Bookreview

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for Willow’s Wedding Vows by Debbie Viggiano. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

Wedding vows have never been this personal…

Willow has been living with marriage-shy Charlie for more years than she cares to remember and is old-fashioned enough to want a wedding band and a loads-of-sex honeymoon before stretchmarks and nipple shields.

So when the once-wary Charlie surprisingly goes down on one knee, Willow doesn’t question why her boyfriend is suddenly so keen to rush her into saying “I do”.

The first clue comes as Willow is zipped into her Cinderella dress, the second as she bobs into the wedding car, and the third as the Roller swings towards its fairy-tale destination… leaving a shell-shocked Willow desperately trying to figure out what to do next.

A bride can do anything she wants on her wedding day, but nobody expected her to do this…

Get your own copy at Amazon UK

The synopsis does a good job of laying out the basics for this story and if you are a fan of romance and rom-coms then I think you are going to really enjoy this one. While it does read as a rom-com, there is far more then meets the eye. Meeting the eye, well the least said about that the better, as a roving eye is probably more appropriate! There are certainly some chuckles as well as some eye-opener with this story… I seem to be a little fixated with eyes!!!

So, Willow is a lovable character who has been with long term boyfriend Charlie for several years. They live together and as his job is oh so much more stressful than hers, after all she is a librarian that may occasionally have to deal with disgruntled customers, yeah I wasn’t a fan of him in case you hadn’t realised!

He is successful and often has to attend meetings and is often away for weekends. His best mate Ben has just split up with his other half. Willow’s best mate, Emma has not had much luck in the boyfriend department, and even Emma’s Mum seems to single. It is only Willow and Charlie that seem to be the only couple. Oh, and I almost forgot Kev, well this is a character that had a quite a large part to play in the grand scheme of things.

Now as the story progressed I got to know more about Charlie and Willow, and I have to say the inclusion of the italicised comments are brilliant. They add a humorous tone and are definitely enjoyable.

The story goes through the high’s and lows of Willow and Charlies relationship, things are not as hunky-dory as they appear, but they are a solid couple aren’t they…

I really enjoyed the pace of this story, it had an easy flow and made for effortless reading. In no time I was caught up in the shenanigans of, well mainly Charrlie actually. Yes, this is a story about Willow, but the first half focused more on Charlie. It is later in the book that Willow takes the larger part and for good reason to.

This is not a straight-forward rom com, it has much ore to it and follows a very twisty route. The is a very large secret that I will admit to working out, but I think this was down to the hints that were gradually dropped and led me to follow the breadcrumbs as it were to successfully work it out.

A very enjoyable read and one I would definitely recommend for a lighter read but one that still has serious undertones. It has left me wondering why on earth I have not read any of this authors books before. I have purchased a few of her books and they are still to be read. I know I am not alone when I mention this!

Prior to turning her attention to writing, Debbie Viggiano was, for more years than she cares to remember, a legal secretary. She lives with her Italian husband, a rescued pooch from Crete, and a very disgruntled cat. Occasionally her adult children return home bringing her much joy… apart from when they want to raid the fridge, or eat her secret stash of chocolate. Follow her on Twitter

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

The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey @michaelcarey191 @orbitbooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n #dystopian #Bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey. This is an author who amazed me when I read The Girl With All The Gifts, so when I saw there was to be a Blog Tour for his lteast book I immediately jumped on board.

Let me show you what The Book of Koli is all about…

The Book of Koli begins a breathtakingly original new trilogy set in a strange and deadly world of our own making.

Beyond the walls of the small village of Mythen Rood lies an unrecognisable landscape. A place where overgrown forests are filled with choker trees and deadly seeds that will kill you where you stand. And if they don’t get you, the Shunned men will.

Koli has lived in Mythen Rood his entire life. He believes the first rule of survival is that you don’t venture too far beyond the walls.

He’s wrong.

This is the first book in a trilogy by this author and The Book of Koli got off to a great start. Set in a future earth where small defended settlements are the norm, strangers seldom seen and where the vegetation is just as vicious and wild as the animals.

Technology is the commodity of power and status, being able to use it sets you apart from the general population. It is this desire to own and wield a piece of tech from the old world that sets Koli on his future path.

I like the character of Koli, he is inquisitive and it at an age in life where he wants to know more. The author spends a good deal of time in the first half of the book giving background information, well as much as is possible as the story is told from the perspective of Koli, so the world as it is is through the eyes of Koli.

Koli is the teller of his own story, and it is a format I really liked as after all he is the main focus of the book. I got to know his daily routines, his friends and family as well as his wanting to know more. As well as this the author fills in more about the surrounding area and this I liked a lot. Using some place names that had been twisted over time so that they are still recognised but not quite right, sort of like Chinese whispers, gave a dimension to the story that added to the reading.

For me this does have the hallmarks of being the first book in a series, there are background details, some histories and explanations that are needed to be put in place to make what follows flow in a more understandable and coherent way. There are some good descriptions of plants, scenery, dangers and also how the community works as a whole.

The second half of the book gradually picks up the pace, still not a fast break neck pace, but one that worked for me especially as the pace of life is more walking and running speed. Everything about this book worked well and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

This is the story is of a boy who wants more and goes the wrong way about it, this gives it a coming of age feel but in a very dangerous world. The world that the author has created is so well done, descriptions of the unusual flora plants have been done so well. An edginess and nervous place where danger lurks, under, behind and above. A world that sounds okay within the walls of a community, but not outside them.

I do like a good dystopian read and this for me ticked the boxes. Having read and been amazed by The Girl With All The Gifts a few years ago I was glad to get back to this author, and I am aware that I do have other book of his still to read!

This is a book that I liked a whole lot, it was a little slower as there is a lot of groundwork that has been laid down. As a reader this works for me when I know there are more books to follow, and it suits the lifestyle of the people who live here. The book does finish at a good place but has definitely left me eager to read on with the other two books in the series.

The Book of Koli is a good read and one that I really enjoyed. It is a story that captivated me and one I would definitely recommend.

I also have the next book, The Trials of Koli, on pre-order and have to wait until September before it is released!

Image taken from Amazon UK

M. R. Carey has been making up stories for most of his life. His novel The Girl With All the Gifts was a word-of-mouth bestseller and is now a major motion picture based on his own screenplay. Under the name Mike Carey he has written for both DC and Marvel, including critically acclaimed runs on Lucifer, Hellblazer and X-Men. His creator-owned series The Unwritten appeared regularly in the New York Times graphic fiction bestseller list. He also has several previous novels, games, radio plays, and TV and movie screenplays to his credit.

Purchase your copy from Amazon UK

At the time of writing this post up one of Michael’s other books is on offer on Kindle – The Boy on the Bridge is 99p – here is the link

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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

Goldilocks by Laura Lam @LR_Lam @annecater #randomthingstours #Goldilocks #thriller #dystopian #Bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for Goldilocks by Laura Lam. This is not the Goldilocks that you will know from childhood stories, this Goldilocks refers to a Zone deep in space…

Let me show you more about the book…

A bold, thought provoking and high-concept feminist dystopian thriller.


Ravaged by environmental disaster, greed and oppression, our planet is in crisis. The future of humanity hangs in the balance – and one woman can tip it over.


Despite increasing restrictions on the freedoms of women on Earth, Valerie Black is spearheading the first all-female mission to a planet in the Goldilocks Zone, where conditions are just right for human habitation.


It’s humanity’s last hope for survival, and Naomi, Valerie’s surrogate daughter and the ship’s botanist, has been waiting her whole life for an opportunity like this – to step out of Valerie’s shadow and really make
a difference.


But when things start going wrong on the ship, Naomi starts to suspect that someone on board is concealing a terrible secret – and realises time for life on Earth may be running out faster than they feared…

This book was more than just a story about space travel and sci-fi. For me it was about the relationships between 5 women who basically steal a space ship, as you do, to start a new base on a far distant planet, it is their relationships with each other that made the story work so well for me.

It is set in the future, Earth is dying, climate control has left harsh conditions, diseases are rife and ever-evolving strains are becoming harder to treat… this sounds terrifyingly real at this point in our lives.

The story is set out in a before and now style and is set out in shortish chapters as it flits between the times. They are very easy to follow as they have been marked with dates and days.

Women are gradually being side-lined as men take the first steps into space travel to potentially find a new world where the human race can begin again, and hopefully not make the mistakes of the past. The five women are scientists and experts in their field, they are the ones that know the ins and outs of Atlanta, a space hub that will take them to a new planet called Cavendish.

The story starts well and I gradually got to know the two main characters of Valerie and Naomi. Valerie is the expert and leader of the group, Naomi is the biologist who is tasked with growing the food in her lab and then on their new home.

With any group, no matter how small in size, there is going to be some questions asked. There will be one who wants to take the lead and make decisions, there will one who blindly follows, one that sits on the fence and one that asks questions and these roles are soon realised as the story unfolds. This brings mistrust and threatens plans and adds a thriller style to the story. The dynamics between the women is really interesting and I liked how the author wove it well into the story.

With the current climate in the world, this is going to be a book that many may shy away from. There are mentions of disease and climate change and these are so relevant at the moment as we look at unprecedented changes. But I have to say I really enjoyed this book, it does have a little politics, there is some science but as I mentioned earlier this for me was a story about how the roles of five women change over a period of time. There were also some shocks along the way that added tension to the story.

It was a story that I could have easily read in one sitting. I found it to be quite addictive as I became more aware of little things creeping in to cause uncertainty. I really enjoyed this and it is a story that is quite easy to read and therefore would suit a wider audience that may not necessarily look at this type of book or genre as being part of there usual reading. I enjoyed it a lot and I would definitely recommend it.

Laura Lam is the author of several science fiction books, including Radio 2 Book Club selection False Hearts. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in anthologies such as Nasty Women, Solaris Rising 3, Cranky Ladies of History, Scotland in Space, and more.
Originally from California, she now lives in Scotland with her husband, and
teaches Creative Writing at Edinburgh Napier University.

Follow Laura on Twitter

Order your copy today from Amazon UK

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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

My Week In Books #Booknews #Bookupdates #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 15 Comments

Hello and welcome to my latest round-up of books I have read. Before I show you those let me show you what I have been up to this week.

I have been baking and gardening, and I was delighted to be able to get a bag of compost in with my delivery from our local wholesale suppliers. So as well as a big sack of flour, yeast, various other dried goods and veg I also got my compost. The delivery guy was great and said that during this outbreak “everyone has turned into either a home baker or farmer!”If you are in here in Cornwall or Devon then Westcountry Fruit Sales have a Bulk Buy site and you can them HERE

So baking wise, I have some chives growing in the garden so they got chopped up and went into Cheese and Chive Bread as well as making a Basic White loaf.

Also made some cakes, well you have to have a balanced diet after all… So coconut and cherry rock buns, traditional rock buns and ginger cake was the order of the day… The cakes I make are always a nice yellow as I use our own goose eggs.

The garden is coming on well, flowers and veg are slowly getting there. Now I may not have the prettiest garden garden fencing but it is essential for keeping the geese out, but also the dogs. They are little buggers for eating veg when it starts growing! And I love my garden by the way 😍

So lets get down to the books. Once again it has been an excellent week for reading, it also helped that I had a week off work, though i am now back. I quite enjoyed being home.

The Wave by Virginia Moffatt was a cracking read and when I saw the synopsis for it for the Blog Tour I immediately jumped on it. It is set in Cornwall and centres around a handful of individual people who have met by coincidence. Most of Cornwall is trying to evacuate, this group decide they are not going to make it to safety before a tsunami hit land. It is told from the perspective of each person and frequently changes person in the telling. I got completely wrapped up in this and my review is due shortly.

Wow! This was full of suspense and drama and had me hooked. The House on Rectory Lane by Staurt James was a great read and was another book I took on as part of the Blog Tour. It is about a family who move from the noise, hustle and bustle of London to a village. The house is old but seems perfect, but things start happening, odd comments from villagers and then… well I didn’t see that coming!

Jo Thomas has a new book coming out so of course I am going to read it. Escape to the French Farmhouse is a gorgeous book and I loved it. The story is of a couple who move to rural France, things go pear shaped and he leaves. Del, well she decides to stay, a hard decision to make as she is alone in a strange country but it is the best decision she makes. This is a stunning read and the focus, as well as the characters, is also on Lavender and its uses in cooking. Well as I already bake and I do have various lavender plants in the garden this hit the right notes for me and I will be experimenting with some lavender themed cakes soon. Fabulous book and review is due in a couple of weeks.

What an amazing book When All Is Said by Anne Griffin is. 84 year old Maurice Hannigan is sat at a bar, he will order 5 different drinks in a toast to the 5 people who have made a difference in his life. Each of these drinks represents a milestone or important landmark. With each drink the story of the person is told. This was such an amazing read and I loved it, a historical fiction as such as he remembers his life through the years. It is a poignant read and quite emotional. I will share my review over the next couple of weeks when I have a space between my Blog Tour posts.

Now Ross Greenwood is an author who definitely delivers, his new book The Soul Killer is dark and is deliciously devious and twisted. If you like twisted crime and suspense books then check this one out. This is a story that starts as two different threads that gradually merge. One thread is from the perspective of the investigators, the other thread from the killer. This is such a great way of getting into the head of a psychopath and makes for exciting reading. This is the 2nd book in DI Barton series, and somehow I missed that one, so I can say that The Soul Killer works well as a stand-alone.

What I listened to…

I finished listening to Gulliver’s Travels, while the narrator was good and I enjoyed it, I have to say I did prefer the book. It is one I have read a couple of times over the years. I think the book works better because a lot of the story is more Gulliver’s thoughts and observations and it is something I like as a reader. As a listener I think I prefer more drama, action and dramatic productions. This leads me nicely on to the next Audio I listened to…

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling is a free download for Audible members and as I have recently listened to the first Harry Potter book this seemed to be a good choice. It is a collection of stories and has a few narrators such as Jude Law and Warwick Davies, and this is where I like the mix of narrators and the dramatised versions as it helps to bring a story to life.

Well, that is me done for another week and so I will wish you all a Happy and Safe week ahead.

Yvonne xx

The Wheelwrights Daughter by Eleanor Porter @elporterauthor @rararesources #histfic #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am so delighted to share my review for The Wheelwrights Daughter by Eleanor Porter. My huge thanks to Rachel for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous book.

Let me show you what it’s about…

Can she save herself from a witch’s fate?

Martha is a feisty and articulate young woman, the daughter of a wheelwright, living in a Herefordshire village in Elizabethan England. With no mother Martha’s life is spent running her father’s meagre household and helping out at the local school whilst longing to escape the confines and small-mindedness of a community driven by religious bigotry and poverty.

As she is able to read and is well-versed in herbal remedies she is suspected of being a witch. When a landslip occurs – opening up a huge chasm in the centre of the village – she is blamed for it and pursued remorselessly by the villagers.

But can her own wits and the love of local stablehand Jacob save her from a witch’s persecution and death…

A brilliant and accomplished novel that perfectly captures the febrile atmosphere of Elizabethan village life in an age when suspicion and superstition were rife. Perfect for fans of Tracy Chevalier.

This is a wonderful historical fiction story that is set in latter half of the 1500’s during Queen Elizabeth’s reign. This is an era of history that is rife with witchcraft accusations and the deaths of people who are seen to be practising the devil’s work.

The author has created a tale around Martha, the daughter of a village wheelwright in Herefordshire. Her mother is dead and there are rumours around surrounding her and also of her death. Martha is a young woman who is a Christian and she also makes up poultices and uses plants for their natural healing properties. While things are good then she is of use, but when things start happening suddenly the tables turn and fingers point leaving Martha to become the villagers scapegoat.

The finger of blame is supported by a hellfire and brimstone vicar, he is supposedly a man of faith but he really is an odious character. While he preaches the word of God he is also using faith as a game of politics to curry favour with those higher up the ladder than himself.

This is a wonderfully written story and I loved the way the author worked it. The contrasts of opinions and how they are formed without being based on facts are good, essentially if a person takes offence at a comment or a look then accusations can be made.

This has some good research behind it and it has all the right feels to it. The only problem… there is a bit of a cliffhanger…arrgghhhh I want need to know what happens next, so I will be keeping my beady eye out for the next book.

This is a good read and it has a slower pace that fits the time, there is a good amount of drama and I love the dynamics between the characters and the over-riding fear that comes out in their blaming and suspicions. A book I would recommend to readers who like historical fiction novels.

Ellie grew up in Herefordshire and now lives near the Malvern Hills. She’s taught in Hong Kong, London and Birmingham and published poetry and short fiction. Her forthcoming novel THE WHEELWRIGHT’S DAUGHTER grew out of walks on Marcle Ridge where a 1571 landslip is still visible and marked on the map as The Wonder. The book tells the story of a world torn by division, where new beliefs jostle with tradition, where to be different can cost you your life. It introduces Martha Dynely, who refuses to be crushed, even when the horizon crumbles and buries her.

Follow Eleanor on Twitter or visit her Amazon Author Page

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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

#Extract for A Thoughtful Woman by K.T. Findlay @KtFindlay @rararesources #promopost

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share an extract with you all today for A Thoughtful Woman by K.T. Findlay. Let me show you the synopsis and then I’ll share the extract…

They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but where’s the fun in that?
Artist Sally Mellors has planned the perfect revenge, but with two secret agents on her tail, and her best friends running the police investigation, getting away with murder is going to be tricky…


Everybody loves Sally. She’s a funny, generous, warm hearted friend, without a nasty bone in her body.
Isn’t she?


Unknown to her friends, Sally’s discovered another side to herself, cool headed and relentless, as she hunts down the three men who killed her husband. But Sally’s not the only one with an interest in the trio. Unknown to her, two agents have arrived in town, urgently hunting a missing man and his diary, which could blow their organisation apart. Their best leads are the very men that Sally’s hunting, and she’s getting in the way… 


The inspiration behind A Thoughtful Woman.
The justice system is an intriguing beast. We expect it to be fair, which is why we allow it to resolve our disputes instead of simply taking revenge ourselves, but watch an individual case play out in court and it can seem more like a high stakes game between lawyers than the pursuit of absolute truth. And if you think it’s a game, do you still accept the result if you lose? Is that still justice? At what point will a perfectly normal, perfectly decent person snap, and what happens when they do? Is it possible to plunge into the darkness of revenge and remain the normal, decent happy person you were before you started? Sally Mellors is about to find out. 

K.T Findaly chose this particular extract because “it’s a nice stand alone vignette that doesn’t give away any spoilers, but is actually a crucial moment in the story. In this extract, the police are trying to track down a dominatrix linked to murder victim Andrew Holmes. Detective Inspector Peregrin McEwan is pursuing a lead” Here is the Extract…

They were sitting together in Holmes’s office on Friday morning because Jenny had phoned him first thing, to tell him she’d found a locked personal diary in Holmes’s office safe. Peregrin took just thirty seconds to open the pretty lock strap with a paperclip, taking care not to damage it.

‘Yuk.’ said Jenny. ‘He might as well not have bothered having a lock at all!’

Peregrin laughed. ‘More for show than anything else these things.’

He opened the book and began to read. After just a minute his raised eyebrows and gaping mouth caused Jenny to ask him what on earth was in it. ‘I have to say,’ he said slowly, ‘that if this had been my diary, and I was writing this kind of thing in it, I’d have bought myself a much better lock!’

‘But why? What’s it about? Come on, I found it!’ demanded Jenny, trying to read over his shoulder.

Peregrin closed the book. ‘Just how much do you know about Mr Holmes’s personal life?’

‘Not a huge amount. Lives in the best house in Ornamental Estate, has a live-in manservant called Algy, likes his cars, likes single malt Scotch whisky and goes to the theatre a lot. That’s about it.’

‘So you don’t know anything about his romantic life?’ asked Peregrin, ignoring her use of the present tense.

‘I wasn’t even aware that he had one. He never talked about having an interest in a woman, or going out to dinner with one, or anything like that.’

Peregrin tapped the diary. ‘This book is a hell of a lot more personal than any of that! It basically documents his sex life on a weekly basis. Mind you, sometimes it was so exciting he just writes an exclamation mark!’

Jenny put her hand up to her mouth but couldn’t hide her smile. ‘Golly! It would have been funny if I’d read that!’

Peregrin smiled fixedly back. ‘Or you might have been seeing a doctor to fix your jaw after it dropped through your desk! I’m afraid I’ll have to take it away. Sorry about that.’

‘Oh well, I suppose that’s why I called you.’ said Jenny wistfully.

Near the back of the book, amongst the empty pages, Peregrin found a phone number. Not wanting to use the phone at the lawyers, he went to the Dalton police station and dialled it from there.

‘Good morning. This is Miss Helen speaking.’ The voice was warm, matter of fact and confident.

‘Good morning Miss Helen. My name is Detective Inspector Peregrin McEwan. I’m calling you because I’ve just found your telephone number in the diary of a man who seems to have been one of your clients.’

——————–

Peregrin returned to the MIR, and was instantly handed a list of professional ladies in Miss Helen’s line of work.

‘You might want to work your way through this little lot Perry.’ grinned Goodwin. ‘I’m sure they’ll give you something for your memoirs!’

Peregrin flicked quickly down the list until he came to Miss Helen.

‘I think I’ll start with this one if you don’t mind sir. I already have an appointment to see her at 1:15 this afternoon.’

‘Oooooeeeerrr!’ said Susan. ‘Aren’t you full of surprises?’

‘Ha ha ha.’ he replied. ‘Christ. It’s just like being back at school! As a matter of fact, I picked up Holmes’s diary from Jenny Wills this morning. It’s got Miss Helen’s name in it.’

Susan and Tony continued to laugh.

‘I’m sure I don’t know what you two are laughing at. You’re coming with me!’

Tony blanched, but Susan rubbed her hands together. ‘Oh goodie! Perhaps I’ll get some tips on how to keep you lot in line!’

Peregrine looked at her firmly, but that just made Susan laugh all the harder.

Well, I don’t know about you but I am definitely intrigued and rather amused by this extract 😯😂❤ and it has made me quite sad that I didn’t have the time to read it for the Blog Tour!

K.T. Findlay lives on a small farm where he dovetails his writing with fighting the blackberry and convincing the quadbike that killing its rider isn’t a vital part of its job description.

Follow on Twitter – Website – Facebook

Purchase Links – Amazon UK or US

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

Special Author Feature (Part 2) with Author – Amanda James @amandajames61 #AuthorTakeOver with @zooloo2008

yvonnembee

I am delighted to join in with Zoe in her fabulous Author Take Over, a fabulous idea that allows us readers to showcase some of the wonderful Authors out there. Over the past few days Zoe has been sharing reviews and posts for Amanda James and you can check out the posts on her blog at – Zooloo’s Book Diary.

Yesterday I listed three books that I have read you can read that post HERE.

So to continue with Mandy’s book. I read The Cornish Retribution

A snippet of my review… Samantha (Sam) is recently widowed and struggling to deal with various things. She decides to attend an school reunion and meets up with Penny and Dan. They haven’t seen each other for many years and when Penny and Dan decide to visit. They find Sam isn’t quite as financially secure as she thought she would be and so a business partnership is arranged though not everyone is quite so keen …

One thing I have discovered with this author, no actually there are two things… one is the ability to keep me dangling as she weaves her story and the other is the spectacular setting descriptions.

As the characters were gradually introduced I did wonder how the connections would be made, they came across as nice, normal people…but what is normal? By the end of the book I had been manipulated into various beliefs and thoughts that had me chopping and changing as I read. I have to say the baddie was one that made my skin crawl as I discovered who they were and why they were doing the things they did. You will certainly work out your favourites.

Next up was The Feud

Here is part of my review… There is such an underlying sense of malice throughout this story, it gives it such a suspenseful edge. Using the feud as the basis for the story, then adding and expanding on it makes it such a compelling read. The malice gradually increases as the story progresses and it made me wonder how far a person would actually go.

I loved the way this author took the feud to various extremes. She uses family members and friends like chess pieces and has a fabulous way of moving and manipulating them into place. I found friends were manipulated, the truth was distorted and twisted in this old vendetta. On Matt’s arrival in the village sparks off the revenge and family honour and it is just the tip of the iceberg as revenge turns in vengeance.

The I read Dark Deception

And yes part of my review… What starts as a basic story about a married couple gradually turns into something far deeper, each chapter seems to add more intrigue and the suspense is slowly and surely ramped up.

I did have a couple of theories as I was reading, I will admit one of those theories turned out to be right. But the journey to whittle my theories down to the right one was fabulous. Even when I proved right there was more to come, more twists and turns than one of our Cornish lanes!

This is such a brilliant read and I think the author has definitely created a fabulous psychological thriller. The storylines are wonderfully interwoven with the characters involved. Even when I thought I had a handle on the story the author deftly sidestepped me and had me avidly turning pages to discover what was going to happen next.

Now this is also another favourite one. I did mention that The Calico Cat was my favourite, but this one was as well. But they are two very different reads, so I am having two favourites, just because I can 😁

Now there is a further book to add to my list, but I’m not sharing or showing you anything abut it as it has not yet been released. I have read it and it is fabulous and dark and twisty and I loved it. You will have to wait until the beginning of May xx

Amanda has written since she was a child, but never imagined that her words would be published, given that she left school with no real qualifications of note apart from an A* in how to be a nuisance in class. Nevertheless, she returned to education when her daughter was five and eventually became a history teacher. Then in 2010, after many twists and turns, the dream of becoming a writer came true when her first short story was published. Amanda has written many short stories and has six novels currently published.

Amanda grew up in Sheffield but now has realised her lifelong dream of living in Cornwall and her writing is inspired every day by the dramatic coastline near her home. She has sketched out many stories in her head while walking the cliff paths. Three of her mystery/suspense novels are set there, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Summer in Tintagel and the Behind the Lie. Rip Current is also set in Cornwall and will be published by Bloodhound Books in April 2018.

Amanda, known to many as Mandy, spends far more time than is good for her on social media and has turned procrastination to a fine art. She can also usually be found playing on the beach with her family, or walking the cliff paths planning her next book.

Follow Amanda James on – Website – Twitter – Facebook

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

Special Author Feature (Part 1) with Author – Amanda James @amandajames61 #AuthorTakeOver with @zooloo2008

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to join in with Zoe in her fabulous Author Take Over, a fabulous idea that allows us readers to showcase some of the wonderful Authors out there. Over the past few days Zoe has been sharing reviews and posts for Amanda James and you can check out the posts on her blog at – Zooloo’s Book Diary.

I have read a few of Mandy’s books and the first I read was Behind The Lie.

Here is a snippet of my review…

Well what a book, I do admit to falling for the synopsis, and it did it’s job and did not disappoint. We meet Holly and Simon West, husband and wife and expecting twins. But they only take their daughter Iona home, their son, who was to be called Ruan, didn’t survive. Holly has had a troubled past, and when she starts to think and then believe Ruan is actually alive her husband and her best friend Demi start to believe her past is not quite her past and believe she is suffering from depression, well some people try to be supportive.

There are a quite a few characters in the story that have known Holly and Simon before they were married, and they have different opinions that are expressed throughout, this gives a really good background to the characters and the dynamics between them. The plot was good, but I do admit to being correct on a few thoughts as I was reading, but to be perfectly honest that really didn’t matter as I was more interested in how Holly dealt with the situations as they arose. It was Holly on her journey that was intriguing me as well as my being a witness as she transformed from a self doubting, beholden to her husband type of woman, to a strong, resilient woman who is willing to put her family first regardless of the risk. There were also a few things I didn’t expect and and a couple of great twists. It was all told at a good pace that kept me frantically reading until the last page.

After I had finished this book I knew I would be back to read more, so the next one was Another Mother…

Her is part of my review…

Lu is your average almost 30 something, dead-end job and a bit of a loner, she is also adopted. After the recent death of her adoptive mother she decides this is the thing she needs to give her the push to actually find her birth mother. When contact is made, Lu makes the decision to make the visit to meet her mother in Cornwall. Things seem to go well and a tentative relationship is struck between mother and daughter. As they get to know each other a little more the cracks start to show.

This starts off more like a contemporary fiction and then slowly it morphs into an absolutely amazing psychological story…this story changes, it steps up a gear and the depth the plot is revealed. Here I think the author has done a great job of building up the thought of something not being quite right and when the twist finally shows itself bloody hell was I shocked, really didn’t see it coming and caught me completely unawares.

By this time I was hooked on this author and the next book I read was The Calico Cat…

Now this is my favourite book (so far..) and here is what I thought… Oh this is a book that I adored and so very different to the couple of other books I have previously read by this author. Set in beautiful Cornwall I got to meet Charlotte, or Lottie as she prefers to be called, and learn of her story. She tells of her family life from a teenager to present day. There have been changes, teen rebellion but also of a dramatic change in her family that still has a hold over her and her feelings. Lottie is not quiet or timid, she is quite vocal in her beliefs and extremely principled with a very matter of fact way in her conversation and thoughts, with an interesting way of voicing her opinion. I would say she is the sort of person that would be very easy to misunderstand, but that is the way she is and it is quite refreshing.

This is a gentle amble around the Cornish coastline and also Lotties life, it mixes elements of the dramatic landscape and personal heartache with hope and moving forward, with new starts and beginnings. The plot and story of how Lottie and those in her life has been done in a wonderful way that gradually drew me in. I wanted to know more about her and why she reacts the way she does, it held my attention and I loved being immersed in her world for the few hours it took me to read it. 

I have read a few more of Mandy’s books and come back tomorrow and I will share the rest that I have read.

Amanda has written since she was a child, but never imagined that her words would be published, given that she left school with no real qualifications of note apart from an A* in how to be a nuisance in class. Nevertheless, she returned to education when her daughter was five and eventually became a history teacher. Then in 2010, after many twists and turns, the dream of becoming a writer came true when her first short story was published. Amanda has written many short stories and has six novels currently published.

Amanda grew up in Sheffield but now has realised her lifelong dream of living in Cornwall and her writing is inspired every day by the dramatic coastline near her home. She has sketched out many stories in her head while walking the cliff paths. Three of her mystery/suspense novels are set there, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Summer in Tintagel and the Behind the Lie. Rip Current is also set in Cornwall and will be published by Bloodhound Books in April 2018.

Amanda, known to many as Mandy, spends far more time than is good for her on social media and has turned procrastination to a fine art. She can also usually be found playing on the beach with her family, or walking the cliff paths planning her next book.

Follow Amanda James on – Website – Twitter – Facebook

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

Betrayal by Adam Croft and Steven Moore @adamcroft #politicalthriller #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today for Betrayal by Adam Croft with Steven Moore. This is the second book in the Sam Barker series, and as is my usual, I have not yet read the first so I can say it works well as a stand-alone.

Let me show you what this one is all about…

In Edinburgh, the British Prime Minister prepares to launch a worldwide project to tackle climate change. But there’s a far more sinister motivation behind her plans.

After successfully thwarting a terrorist attack in London a few months earlier, Sam Barker is tasked with investigating a scheme which will turn his life — and the world — upside down.

As he delves deeper into the network of players, Sam uncovers a conspiracy which leads to the one person he loves the most — his son.

But in revealing the facts, Sam risks flushing out a far more sinister, unknown enemy — a rogue agent inside The Firm who will stop at nothing to stop Sam from exposing the truth.

This is the second book in the Sam Barker series, and yes as is the norm for me I have not read the first. The advantage is that I can say that Betrayal works well as a stand alone, in fact when I started the book I had managed to convince myself this was the first book!!!!

Sam Barker works for The Firm, he has been tasked with looking into the main supporter of Ecohope, and umbrella for several countries to unite and help with the climate change problem. From the outset the course is set as it emerges that there are some that will benefit from this union and there will be those that sadly loose.

Sam, it seems is ideally placed as his son Benji is a student of the man he is supposed to be looking into. As Sam delves further the waters muddy and not everything is as it seems. Power, corruption and political gain are the front runners in this not so eco friendly venture.

I liked the style of this story and its quick pace. The first chapter is fast and to the point before handing over to the second chapter and the story that follows. Yes this is about climate change but there is not too much. The main focus is on Sam and his search for the people at the controlling end.

This is the first time I have met Sam and I do like him, there are other characters that I don’t trust. My mind always mistrusts people that are a little slim with the facts, especially when it against a character I like, I will let yo find who that is!

AS I said this is the second book and it worked very well, I didn’t feel I was missing any vital details. It is a crime thriller with a political and environmental slant that was very enjoyable reading. It is one I would recommend.

With more than half a million books sold to date, Adam Croft is one of the most successful independently published authors in the world, and one of the biggest selling authors of the past year.

Following his 2015 worldwide bestseller Her Last Tomorrow, his psychological thrillers were bought by Thomas & Mercer, an imprint of Amazon Publishing. Prior to the Amazon deal, Her Last Tomorrow sold more than 150,000 copies across all platforms and became one of the bestselling books of the year, reaching the top 10 in the overall Amazon Kindle chart and peaking at number 12 in the combined paperback fiction and non-fiction chart.

His Knight & Culverhouse crime thriller series has sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide, with his Kempston Hardwick mystery books being adapted as audio plays starring some of the biggest names in British TV.

In 2016, the Knight & Culverhouse Box Set reached number 1 in Canada, knocking J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child off the top spot only weeks after Her Last Tomorrow was also number 1 in Canada.

During the summer of 2016, two of Adam’s books hit the USA Today bestseller list only weeks apart, making them two of the most-purchased books in the United States over the summer.

Before writing full time, Adam had previously worked as an internet marketing consultant, delivery driver and professional actor.

Adam has been featured on BBC Radio, The Guardian, The Huffington Post, The Bookseller and a number of other news and media outlet.

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

My Week In Books #Booknews #Bookupdates #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 4 Comments

Welcome to another week of bookish updates of what I have read over the past week. Last Sunday was Easter, me and him went out for a walk in our local area, I had already got my weekly book round-up post scheduled so I didn’t add the photos then… well if I’m being honest I forgot about adding them until midweek when I finally remembered to download them off my camera.

So here are a few snaps…

  • The Manacles & Manacle Bell – visible at low water and site of many wrecks
  • Across to Falmouth Bay
  • The perfect reading nook!

So what did I read this week… I was quite surprised by how many books I had read this week, 6 books no less, how did that happen?..

I was delighted to read Adam Croft‘s latest book Betrayal. This is the 2nd book in the Sam Barker series and does work well as a stand-alone, I know this because I haven’ read the first. Now I do like the character of Sam and I did get glimpses into him being a decent bloke, though vulnerable. This is a thriller that does have a slant towards the political and environmental, and for me it worked well as it is more thriller. Keep an eye out for my review this week.

A non-fiction book next, this is Our House Is On Fire by Malena and Beata Ernman, Svante and Greta Thunberg and is the story of a family told from the perspective of the mother Malena. I did dither about wanting to read this one, but my curiosity got the better of me when I requested it. This is an eye-opener of a story of a family that has its own problems, and how they overcome them. It was written prior to Greta’s school strike and was released just after it. There is obvious mentions of climate change, but the first half of the book is quite heartbreaking. It is the second half that goes into the ecological side and the family’s involvement, it wasn’t too preachy and it was a book I really enjoyed.

I read Missing by A.D. Hay as part of the upcoming Blog Tour, a cosy mystery as such that is very quick paced. It is a novella and so is ideal for a one-sitting read. The main protagonist is James Laronde, an editor of a local newspaper who takes on a story writing role and ends up looking into murder, kidnapping and lies. A good quick read.

After reading a few darker book I was looking for something lighter and read The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove by Kellie Hailes. This was a gorgeous read and just what I needed. A property developer is wanting to redevelop the slightly run down shops and dwindling Herring Cove. Not everyone wants to sell up and they have their own reasons for that, but why should said property developer decide to help with some odd-jobs in the local book shop when his aim is to knock it down… A lovely heartwarming rom-com that I thoroughly enjoyed.

This mystery cover is for The Cornish Connection by Amanda James. I have read an ARC of this book and yes I have seen the cover, but as it is not listed on Goodreads or Amazon I am only sharing the barest of details. Mandy is self publishing this cosy mystery book and it is a fabulous read, I loved the atmospherics of it as well as the main story and the characters were great. Keep an eye out for my review in the beginning of May when it is released… well I did say barest of details lol!

This is the second time I have read a book by Trevor Williams and Dreaming of Italy is a wonderful story. Dreaming of Italy is the name of a movie and it is the job of Emma to scout out the perfect shoot locations for the film. She is aided by various people, one of which gets her pulse race. She is a workaholic, even though she says she’s not, and hasn’t really bothered with relationships in the past. A gorgeous setting that has been so well described and made me want to visit all the areas mentioned. Keep an eye peeled for the Blog Tour in May.

AUDIO-BOOKS…I finished listening to Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling and really enjoyed it, Stephen Fry was a brilliant narrator. I am currently listening to…

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift and narrated by David Hyde Price. This is a book I have read a couple of times and I am enjoying listening to it, it does have a slower feel to it and I do remember the book feeling this way as well, but still enjoyable listening as I follow Gulliver.

Well that’s me done for another week, and all that is left is for me to wish you all the best and Happy Reading.

Yvonne xx

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