Month September 2021

The Therapist by B.A. Paris @HQStories #TheTherapist #psychological #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 1 Comment

I am delighted to share my review today for The Therapist by B.A. Paris.I have read several of this authors books and this latest one is deceptive and intriguing.

I received this book from the publisher HQ for an honest review.

When Alice and Leo move into a newly renovated house in The Circle, a gated community of exclusive houses, it is everything they’ve dreamed of. But appearances can be deceptive…

As Alice is getting to know her neighbours, she discovers a devastating, grisly secret about her new home, and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before.

Alice becomes obsessed with trying to piece together what happened two years before. But no one wants to talk about it. Her neighbours are keeping secrets and things are not as perfect as they seem…

The million-copy Sunday Times bestselling author B.A. Paris returns to her heartland of gripping psychological suspense in this powerful tale of a house that holds a shocking secret.

Purchase Links – Amazon UK

MY REVIEW…

Having read some of this authors books previously I was really looking forward to reading her latest one, The Therapist. The synopsis is brief but does hint a deception, secrets and obsession.

This was a book that I easily found myself enjoying, Alice is the main character and she has just moved in with her other half. He has bought a house in a gated community, even though they have been together for several months, due to work they have only seen each other at weekends.

The gated community is known as The Circle, it is a community that is quite close-knit and they are aware of what tends to go on. Alice is nervous about being the newcomer, but on the whole, she does find everyone pretty welcoming.

AS she gets to know people she gradually starts to settle, but something about the house isn’t right. The neighbours aren’t that forthcoming with what they know. So how will she get to the bottom of what she feels may be important, and also why has she not been told the details beforehand?

This is an excellent psychological thriller, it does have a series sense at times, but this was more a mystery that I needed to get to the bottom of. As I read further I got to know some of the neighbours, and I was not a fan of all of them. The author does such a wonderful job of seeding doubt into the reader that I never knew who if anyone was being completely honest and open.

The secrets and deceit are added to with a good amount of misdirection. I will say I had this sussed. Yeah, right I then changed my mind lol. I then again worked it out, but nowhere close to any of the reasons I thought they would be. Talk about a nice twist at the end with how the author dealt with a rather grand finale.

This was one of those intriguing reads from start to finish, Alice isn’t a straightforward character and her past is discussed and gives credence to some of her decisions in the story. This is one that I enjoyed and would have happily read in a couple of sittings, but work does tend to be a bit of a priority!

This is one for those who like a good twisted psychological thriller, it is atmospheric and a really good read. It is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

B.A. Paris is the internationally bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown, Bring Me Back, The Dilemma and The Therapist. Having sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide, she is a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller as well as a number one bestseller on Amazon and iBooks. Her novels have been translated into 40 languages, and Film and TV rights to Behind Closed Doors have been optioned. She is currently based in the UK.

Follow B.A. on Twitter and Instagram at @baparisauthor. You can also find her on Facebook, Goodreads, and BookBub.

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

Freecycling For Beginners by Misha Herwin @MishaHerwin @rararesources #contemporaryfiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Recycling For Beginners by Misha Herwin. I have read several of Misha’s books in the past and I was delighted to be able to grab a spot on the Blog Tour for her latest book.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot ont he tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous book.

The time has come for Jane to sell the family home. Downsizing to a flat means that everything must go, but her late husband’s favourite chair is far too precious for the tip.


Meanwhile, Robyn, balancing her precarious career as a portrait artist with raising an autistic son, is searching for a chair with panache that will allow her sitters to pose in comfort.


Elsewhere in the city, Tracey is clearing out her wardrobe at the same moment that divorced and cash-strapped Debbie is frantically seeking a prom dress for her daughter.


None of these women have ever met until Freecycle brings them together and their lives are about to be changed in ways they could never have imagined.

Purchase Links – AMAZON UK – US

MY REVIEW…

Jane decides that it is time to get rid of her late husband’s chair, too good to dump but not good enough to sell. She decides to advertise it on her local Freecycle site. From this chair, a connection is formed that stretches further than just one chair moving from one household to another.

The author has used the act of offering items that still have use and life in them for free. From this, she has then woven such a fabulous story that delves into the lives of various people. An artist, a single mum, and a very stressed mum. None of the women knows each other, but it is the chair that brings in a link to them.

I loved everything about this story, it gave a glimpse into the lives of the characters, their homes and their families. Bringing up children, tackling problems with finances, with illness and then the general coming and going of life, work, and love. Relationships can be brittle and there are times when you need support, sometimes it can be a simple act of kindness that can make the world of difference to someone. From the smallest act of help to giving a large amount of time, the author has included it in some form within this story of stories.

It is a story of different lives and therefore different threads, these have been tweaked and nurtured wonderfully by the author. This was a wonderful book that I adored, the stories of each family were emotional but in very different ways.

This is one for readers who like a good heart-warming contemporary fiction story about families doing what families do. An absolutely wonderful book and one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Misha M Herwin is a Staffordshire based writer. When not writing she runs workshops for adults and children, including youth groups at the New Vic Theatre, and events such as the 6×6 Story Café for Stoke Libraries. She spends what spare time she has with family and friends, reading, working in her garden and baking. Scones are a speciality.


Social Media Links – FACEBOOK – TWITTER – BLOG

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 (w/e 26th September) #booklove #booknews #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 4 Comments

Some of you may have already seen this post, I mistakenly hit the wrong button and it went live yesterday afternoon. Don’t want you to think you were having a deja vu moments 😮😂

Welcome to my weekly wrap-up of books I have read. I know I seem to say this at the end of every month… but seriously… how are we in the last few days of September already!!!

You can tell we are starting to get into autumn now, I have noticed leaves starting to fall and most noticeably my veg garden is now empty. I am still picking raspberries but that is it as far as homegrown veg goes. Things took ages to get going and then suddenly its all over.

The flowers beds are still looking good, but not quite as colourful as they did a few weeks ago, dahlias, fuchsias, petunias and antirrhinums are still giving a good show. It is almost time to start pruning various shrubs and trees back and getting them back into some sort of shape again. Indoor cyclamen are starting to show new buds so they have been re-potted, just need to find some space on the window sills for them!

Right, so what have I read this week…

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When fellow Book Blogger NS Ford got in touch to see if I would review her book I immediately said yes, the synopsis looked right up my street. We Watch You is a wonderfully intriguing psychological thriller, a story of secrets and misdirection and one that I had a great time reading. Full review will be later this week.

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Any regular visitor to my blog will be aware that I do love Tony Forder‘s books. He has a new one called The Huntsmen and it is also the stat of a new police procedural series. My goodness this is a dark crime thriller featuring Detective Royston Chase, and Tony being Tony doesn’t hold back with this character or indeed the storyline. A dark, deceptive, twisted and addictive story.

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When I saw there was a Blog tour for Gill Paul‘s new book I immediately signed up, I didn’t read the synopsis either. The Collector’s Daughter – A Novel of the Discovery of Tutankhamun’s Tomb is a fabulous historical fiction story that I loved. This has a duel timeline, one being 1922 the other 1972, it is the story of Lady Evelyn Herbert. She was a real life figure and the author has fictionalised a story around the facts. Full review will be up next week.

Three fabulous books for me this week.

Have a wonderful week ahead,

Take care

Yvonne xx

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

A Lifetime Ago by Jim Ody @Jim_Ody_Author @QuestionMarkPress @zooloo2008 #ALifetimeAgo #crime #bookreview

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I am delighted to share my review today for A Lifetime Ago by Jim Ody. This is the first book in a new series, a crime mystery story that I really enjoyed.

My huge thanks to Zoe at Zooloo’s Book Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy via Question Mark Press.

This is a tale about how the events of one day have such catastrophic consequences on the future.

Hudson Bell is a consultant for the police. A former DI, he spends his days helping to find missing children.

May and her son go on a road trip to celebrate his birthday; Robert and Nadia buy their dream house by the sea.

But as each look to enjoy a new life, none of them can shake off what happened on that fateful day. One of them blames the others and will stop at nothing to seek revenge.

One accident and five lives changed forever.

Purchase Links – AMAZON UK – US

MY REVIEW…

This is a fabulous introduction to Hudson Bell in this new series. Hudson is an ex-Detective, he was a well respected and esteemed man. However and the incident has left him traumatised, he now works as a consultant. This suits him better and he can still help those in need.

Hudson is one of those characters that is trying to overcome events from the past. Often this is one of the things with a police-style story, but I have to say that the background the author has woven for Hudson is definitely traumatic. Even though he is not directly involved with the day to day police work he does get cases handed over. They are cold cases and they involve missing children.

This is a story that flits across timelines and between characters, I did find this kept throwing me as I don’t always read the chapter headings. My fault entirely, it did make me have to backtrack a couple of times, so be warned – read the headings!

This isn’t a simple or straightforward case, this case, in particular, has been nagging at Hudson. It is one that is not straightforward and it definitely has twists. This becomes even more twisted as the other characters bring their sections into the story.

I did like the character of Hudson, he definitely grew on me as discovered more about him. There is another character, Jez, he is brilliant, has no filter, says what he thinks and is at times hilarious. Jez adds a sounding board element, as well as being a quick release from the tension of the story. I did like the interaction between these two, Hudson definitely needs Jez in his life.

This is quite a fast-paced story that will keep you reading, when you think you have things sussed, well you won’t have! Twist upon twist, they just kept coming. Nothing is quite as it seems and this makes it a very intriguing read. I did think it wrapped up a little too quick.

This is one for those that like crime thrillers that have a police element to them, it does have a bit of a Private Detective feel and I liked this. Looking forward to seeing where this series goes, It is one I would happily recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Jim writes dark psychological/thrillers, Horror and YA books that have endings you won’t see coming, and favours stories packed with wit. He has written over a dozen novels and many more short-stories spanning many genres.
Jim has a very strange sense of humour and is often considered a little odd. When not writing he will be found playing the drums, watching football and eating chocolate. He lives with his long-suffering wife, three beautiful children and two indignant cats in Swindon, Wiltshire UK.

Follow him at – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – Amazon

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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

The Farmhouse by L.B. Simpson @stimsonink @QuestionPress @zooloo2008 #TheFarmhouseOfPeaceandPlenty #mystery #bookreview

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I am delighted to be one of the Book Bloggers opening the Blog Tour today for The Farmhouse by L.B. Simpson. This is an atmospheric, gothic, mystery story that I really enjoyed.

My huge thanks to Zoe at Zooloo’s BookTours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this book via Question Press.

The house, for all of its solitude, seemed incredibly noisy

The Farmhouse, having stood against time and history for nearly 160 years in the Virginia countryside, was forgotten and abandoned until Kyle and Jenny Dowling moved in during the summer of 1972.

The Dowlings, married just a year, were struggling to repair their broken marriage. It was to be the perfect place, away from it all, to heal their relationship. Jenny would write and Kyle would tend to minor renovations. The rent was cheap.

The realtor warned them, however, against staying beyond the final days of fall.

Purchase Link – AMAZON UK – US

MY REVIEW…

This was a wonderfully atmospheric, slightly eerie story that was a quick read at just 125 pages long. The author didn’t hang about with setting the tone, right from the off, there is unease to the house that Kyle and Jenny first view.

For this couple it is the chance to try to rebuild their marriage, Kyle found this run down and unloved farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, a rural property that they plan on renting cheaply and decorate so an acceptable level for it to be sold on.

Jenny is a writer and Kyle is an ex-schoolteacher. Jenny is the more sensitive of the two and does notice things, movements on the periphery of her vision, shadows, noises and unexplained things. This adds to the atmospherics as the author focuses on Jenny and the story that the house is seemingly trying to get out.

The isolation of the farmhouse and the general run down and old decor certainly add to the story. The house is actually a character in its own right. I know if this was me, I wouldn’t agree to live here if my husband had suggested it. I wouldn’t have quite said on your bike, I would have grabbed the bike and pedalled away as fast as I could!

While this is a spooky story, I didn’t find it too far up the scare scale, it is a good medium and I think I would say there is more intrigue to the mystery. With a house that is very old, there is going to be a rumour or two. The area is devoid of additional characters so in some respect this does give it the feel of a locked-in mystery and it has been done well.

This was a wonderful read and one that I happily sat and read over 2-3 hours. It has a good suspense feel and is full of mystery. It is one I would happily recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

L.B. grew up in a one stop-light town in central Idaho. After earning a Bachelor of Art’s degree in cultural anthropology from California State University-Chico, she uprooted herself to begin a new life in Washington, D.C., where she began a varied career in professional communications in private business and education.

“I’ve always had a passion for photography, travel, writing, and history. I am thrilled to now be creating works of fiction that allow me to share these passions with others. One of my favorite parts of the writing process is the historical research required to bring authenticity to my characters’ lives.”

This is her fifth book and the second in her standalone series: Tales from the Parlor Room–a collection of gothic and ghostly tales.

She currently resides in Virginia where she enjoys cemetery walks, visiting abandoned and haunted places and working on more ghostly tales.

Follow her at – Facebook – Instagram – Website – Amazon – Pinterest – Twitter

Check out the other stops on the Tour…

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

The Seamstress of Warsaw by Rebecca Mascull @rebeccamascull @SpellBoundBks @zooloo2008 #TheSeamstressOfWarsaw #historicalfiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 7 Comments

I am absolutely delighted to share my review today for The Seamstress of Warsaw by Rebecca Mascull. This is an amazing book that I adored, poignant, emotional and just simply fabulous.

My huge thanks to Zoe at Zooloo’s Book Tours for my spot on the blog Tour and for arranging my e-cop of this stunning book from the publisher SpellBound Books.

1940
London
A man learns a shocking truth about his past.
Warsaw
A mother writes a diary as the ghetto walls go up.
From the bombed streets of London, to occupied Warsaw, to the Polish forests bristling with partisans, will their paths cross?
Will their pasts be reconciled?
And will they survive the deadly assaults on their freedom and their lives?

THE SEAMSTRESS OF WARSAW is a tale of endurance and loss, family and blood, stories and histories, that questions the nature of who we are and where we are going, when the road ahead is burning.

Purchase Link – AMAZON UK or US

MY REVIEW…

When Daniel discovers that he is not who he thought he was, it leads him on a journey at one of the worst times in history to travel. Leaving his home in London her manages to get to Poland to try and find his real family. It is 1940, the family he is looking for is Jewish.

It always sounds so wrong when I say how much I enjoyed a book especially when it is one within this time in history. The persecution of the Jews, the atrocities, the danger for everyone in Europe no matter their belief, their ethnicity or their country. I did, however, really, really enjoy this story.

This is a story that has two sides to it, one is from the perspective of Daniel, the other his Polish mother, Helena. Having two perspectives is great, especially when neither is aware of what has happened or is happening to the other.

The story details so many awful and desperate ways people survived the ghettos, as the Jewish people were crammed into appalling conditions. This is hard reading, but the author has done it in such a way as to get across the imagery and being visceral rather than dramatic. This gives a sense of quiet belief and hope amidst the horror.

The story is very moving and emotional, and I found myself wanting and hoping for various scenarios to unfold. The story is wonderfully paced and also frustrating as opportunities and moments are missed.

A wonderful, wonderful story that captivated and enthralled me. It is one that is a journey of discovery, hope and of survival. I think if you like historical fiction set during WWII and that has historical facts and some wonderful research then this one will be for you. It is a story I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Rebecca Mascull is an author of historical novels. She also writes saga fiction under the pen-name of Mollie Walton. 
Rebecca’s latest book under the Mascull name is coming on September 18th 2021, THE SEAMSTRESS OF WARSAW, the powerful tale of two people unknowingly connected to each other, caught up in the whirlwind of World War II, whose perilous journeys we follow from the Blitz to the Warsaw Ghetto and beyond, published by SpellBound. 
Mollie Walton’s The Ironbridge Saga series is set in the dangerous world of the iron industry: THE DAUGHTERS OF IRONBRIDGE (2019). The second book in the trilogy is THE SECRETS OF IRONBRIDGE (2020), set in the brickyards of the 1850s. The third book is set in the coalmines and servants’ quarters of the 1870s: THE ORPHAN OF IRONBRIDGE (2021). All three are published by Bonnier Zaffre. Mollie’s next trilogy will be set in WW2 North Yorkshire and the first book of this saga will be out in March 2022, published by Welbeck. 
Her first novel as Rebecca Mascull, THE VISITORS (2014) tells the story of Adeliza Golding, a deaf-blind child living on her father’s hop farm in Victorian Kent. Her second novel SONG OF THE SEA MAID (2015) is set in the C18th and concerns an orphan girl who becomes a scientist and makes a remarkable discovery. Her third novel, THE WILD AIR (2017) is about a shy Edwardian girl who learns to fly and becomes a celebrated aviatrix but the shadow of war is looming. All are published by Hodder & Stoughton. 
She also completed the finishing chapters of her friend and fellow novelist Vanessa Lafaye’s final work, a novella called MISS MARLEY, a prequel to Dickens’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL. This novella is published by HarperCollins. 
Rebecca has worked in education, has a Masters in Writing and lives by the sea in the east of England. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund, based at the University of Lincoln. 

Follow her at – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

Check out the other stops on the Tour…

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

My Week In Books (w/e 19th September) #booknews #booklove

yvonnembee 4 Comments

Welcome to another weekly update of books I have read over the past week. It has been a week where nothing much has happened, a plod along week if you like 🙂

Here is what I have read…

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The Seamstress of Warsaw by Rebecca Mascull is a stunning story. The story of a man trying to find the truth of his life that leads him to the Jewish Ghettos of Warsaw during WWII. An absolutely amazing read, full review on Wednesday as part of the Blog Tour.

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The Farmhouse at Peace & Plenty by L.B. Simpson is a relatively quick read at 125 pages long. It is quite atmospheric not too spooky, more mysterious and intriguing. I’, not saying too much about this one as the review is up later this week as part of the blog tour.

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A Lifetime Ago by Jim Ody is another book that has the review later this week. This is the first book in the Hudson Bell series, an ex-detective now works as a consultant for the police. Using the skills he developed over the years as a detective, and with the help of Jez on the tech and computer side of things this duo make quite a team. Keep an eye out for the Blog Tour.

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The Unravelling by Polly Crosby is such an atmospheric and stunning story of a young girl and an elderly lady. Set on a desolate island where mystery and sadness leave questions to be answered. This is a gorgeous story and one that I adored. My full review will be next week as part of the Blog Tour.

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Freecycling For Beginners by Misha Herwin is another gorgeous story. It begins with a chair offered, tatty, old but still with a bit of life left in it. This chair is the opener for a wonderful story that allowed me to glimpse into the lives of others. Fabulous characters and an emotional story that I adored. Yes, you guessed it, full review as part of the Blog Tour next week.

Another week of fabulous reading and wonderful stories.

Wishing you all a great week ahead,

All the best

Yvonne xx

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

Rachel Ryan’s Resolutions by Laura Starkey @LauraStarkey @emblabooks #contemporaryfiction #publicationday #bookreview

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I am delighted to share my review today for Rachel Ryan’s Resolutions by Laura Starkey. This is the first digital publication from Embla Books.

I would also like to wish Laura a very Happy Publication Day xx

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In January, Rachel Ryan’s New Year’s Resolutions are fairly predictable. Exercise more, put money into savings before spaffing it all on clothes, remember ridiculous rule that potatoes don’t count towards your 5-a-day…

Before long, though, the year ahead of her is very much not going to plan. When the creative agency Rachel works for is taken over, one of the new suits in the office is very familiar. And very handsome. Surely it can’t be… Jack Harper. The man she has spent years trying to forget. Not only is Rachel now working with him, she has regular sightings of the gorgeous woman Jack cheated on her with – who happens to be plastered to the side of every London bus.

Thank goodness for Tom, who is always there to listen (and pour wine). But when work stirs up her most painful memories, her best friend makes a major announcement and Jack dials up the charm, Rachel starts to question everything.

As life throws her a world of crazy, will Rachel have to make some very different resolutions?

PURCHASE LINKS – Amazon UK – Book Depository – Kobo – Waterstones

MY REVIEW…

Rachel Ryan works as a copywriter and lives with her best friend, Anna. Anna and Will are an item and have been a few years, Will shares a house with Tom. The four are great friends, and have regular drinks, nights out and are like family.

When there is a re-shuffle at work, Rachel is surprised when her ex from years ago arrives. He is one of the team members who is part of merging and creating new and exciting accounts. This is almost like a make or break time for Rachel.

The story is based on Rachel and her plan for her future. Like most, she does set her resolutions for the start of the new year. Like most, she also doesn’t necessarily get started on them, to she alters them.

This did feel like a light-hearted sort of a story. It did take me a while to get to understand Rachel, and actually, not all the characters n the book know much about her or her past, so it does kind of make sense. I did find as the author revealed more about Rachel, that she did start to come out of her shell. It really didn’t help with her ex coming back on the scene. I did find that the further I got into the story the more I grew to like her.

This is a story of hiding, of trying to be quiet and not seen. Happy within a small group of close and trusted friends where it’s safe. Unplanned events throw Rachel’s life into turmoil, she believes her actions are right but she seemed to be just treading water. It takes a bit of a blowout and for things to crash before she can see clearly once again.

This is a story that I really enjoyed, it got better the further I read and I found myself getting quite involved with how things were going to play out. This is one for those who like a more modern contemporary fiction story and it is one I would happily recommend.

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

The Lion and The Unicorn by Tom Ward @TomWardWrites @unbounders @RandomTTours #dystopian #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Lion and The Unicorn by Tom Ward. This is a dystopian speculative fiction story that was very atmospheric.

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

A literary dystopia – speculative fiction rooted in the tradition of P. D.
James’s Children of Men, Orwell’s 1984, Blade Runner and The Plague Dogs, for
fans of Rachel Heng’s Suicide Club, Emily St John Mandel’s Station Eleven, and
John Lanchester’s The Wall

London, 2054. After a devastating global pandemic and a bloody revolution,
Britain’s new government imposes peace by stringently dictating the nation’s
cultural intake. In the quest to create better citizens, everything from the
television we watch to the clothes we wear is strictly policed. As part of the unit
tasked with upholding these so-called ‘Bad Taste Laws’, H. and his partner,
Bagby, have their work cut out.


When former reality TV star Caleb Jennings is found murdered, some suspect it
could be a simple vigilante slaying. But, as H. digs deeper into the killing,
Bagby’s association with old revolutionary figureheads is called into question.
With the help of Caleb’s estranged sister, the museum curator Kate Faron, H.
must navigate a Britain in which paranoia and suspicion of the unknown are
rife, all the while dealing with the mysterious tech behemoth Vangelis, new
revolutionary murmurings, and the legacy of Kate’s biologist parents.
Compelled by what he uncovers, H. begins to question his loyalty to the state at
a time when national stability couldn’t be more precarious.

MY REVIEW…

This is a story that is set in 2054, so not really that far in the future. A pandemic has struck and there has been a revolution. The author has built up a dystopian England where things are banned that are considered to be bad taste. A political thriller where citizens are dictated to, where certain clothes, music, film and alcohol are illegal.

This was a story I took my time over, there were various aspects of this story that did sort of remind of other novels or films. I think because of this the story came across being set in a darker, gloomy era. This does have quite a strong political aspect to it in regards to what is seen as being politically correct.

There are elements of Big Brother, global catastrophe, potential genocide, loss of habitat and wildlife. So not the most cheery of stories but my goodness it was very addictive. The story is set in this grim future with the main character of H. He and his partner work for the department that upholds the law regarding bad taste. As the synopsis mentions, Bagby does have connections to those involved in the past revolution, therefore eyes and fingers point his way when a body is discovered.

The story is one that reminded me of the old style PI stories of the 1930’s, for me H became someone in the style of Phillip Marlow or Sam Spade, it is just the atmospheric and style of the character that made me think this. It may seem quite odd that for me I got the dystopian vibe through some of the gadgets, but I still found myself thinking of the older style.

This is a mix of mystery, politics, thriller, dystopian and police procedural. Not too heavy on the future as such but enough to remind that it is indeed set in the near future. This is quite an accessible novel and one that may well dip into the sci-fi genre but please don’t be put off by it. I really enjoyed this, the pacing was great and it had quite an suspicious nature to it as I wasn’t sure who I could entirely trust. I liked H as a character and I really felt for him as he tried to put many different pieces of this everchanging puzzle together. As he found one piece the puzzle changed and he found himself on the back foot once again.

A riveting and very captivating story that I got on with so well. It is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Tom Ward is an author and features writer, writing for publications including
Wired, Esquire and National Geographic.


He has won the GQ Norman Mailer Award, the PPA New Consumer Magazine
Journalist of the Year Award, and has been shortlisted for The People’s Book
Prize. He is also a graduate of the Faber Academy.

Check out the other stops on the Tour…

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

My Week In Books ( two week update) w/e 12th Sept) #booklove #bookupdates #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee

A double update this week for the books that I have read. I don’t seem to have had as much time for reading as I normally do. I have also noticed my concentration levels have taken a bit of a dip, I think this is due to feeling more tired recently. But, I am still reading so I am not too bothered 🙂

w/e Sunday 5th September…

Three Words For Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb was a stunning read. You can read my full review HERE.

I read Lethal Ties by Helen Christmas for the Blog Tour, a addictive and powerful story. Full review HERE.

Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian was a mystery with a great psychological edge to it. A great read and my full review is HERE.

w/e Sunday 12th September…

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Armchair Explorer by Lonely Planet

My Review…

his is a fabulous book that will appeal to lovers of music, film and literature. This book is broken down into continents, and then each country is listed alphabetically.

This book is brilliant for me. As a book reader, I often look for books from around the world. Listing 5 bokos from the classics to more modern titles gives me a good introduction to the literature of each country. Along with this I can then explore further and look for films and also check out the playlists for music.

There is also a photo for each country, not necessarily a photo of a capital city or a scenic view either. There are a few countries that do have an “In-Depth” page, where there is a little more information about a person or group that has been influential in some way.

This is a great book for either flicking through or sitting and reading through. It is a very well laid out reference book that is also very interesting.

I do think this is a really good book and the hardback version is really nice. It is a book I would definitely recommend. 

The Lion and The Unicorn by Tom Ward is a story set in the 2054 in England. A dystopian mystery that I really enjoyed. This is a mix of political big brother style themes, undercover, police procedural and murder. Full review tomorrow as part of the Blog Tour.

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I have only just finished reading the Seamstress of Warsaw by Rebecca Mascull and it is a fabulous story. This is the story of two people who seemingly have nothing in common, WWII has revealed a connection. This connection will lead a young man on a dangerous journey. The other other person is trying to survive amidst the the persecution. This is a strong story that I absolutely adored. Full review next week as part of the blog tour .

There we are, all done.

Have a wonderful week ahead,

All the best

Yvonne xx

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