Month November 2023

The Ice Angel by Misha Herwin @MishaHerwin #fantasy #fiction #youngadult #publicationday #bookreview

yvonnembee 1 Comment

I am delighted to share my review today for The Ice Angel by Misha Herwin. This is the 6th book in the Letty Parker series and it is fabulous, to be honest, the whole series is fabulous.

I would like to thank the author for sending me the latest copy of her book for me to review. My opinion is my own and unbiased. I would also like to wish Misha a very Happy Publication Day 🙂

A frantic message from her absent Ma sets Letty on a perilous course to the northern lands, pursued every step of the way by vengeful Dark Ones. Once again her life is in danger – except that this time even Gabriel seems to have deserted her. Marooned and alone, in a land of ice and snow that is ruled by the cold and callous Ice Angel, Letty must rely on her wits and courage to survive. In Bristol, her fellow investigators at Letty Parker & Associates have problems of their own as Hepzibah battles Mr Murkstone, her sinister new guardian, for control of both her business and her beloved Aunt. Hepzibah’s entire world could be lost as she joins forces with Jeb and Mango in a desperate race to foil Mr Murkstone’s evil plans. Two friends a continent apart – both fighting the Dark Ones with everything at stake and so little time left to succeed.

MY REVIEW

This is the 6th book in this series and it is another absolutely fabulous story. This series is aimed at Young Adults, but Older Adult adores it. A mix of fantasy, mystery, action and adventure.

Letty Parher & Associates is a group that investigates mysteries and they have had some corkers over the previous books. This latest one though takes the danger up a notch as the Dark Ones have more of a sinister role to play.

Letty is sent a message that her mother needs help, this will involve her sailing to another country. Meanwhile, Hepzibah has her own troubles with her Aunt as a stranger seems to have got his foot well and truly in the door, and his nose into Hepzibah’s family business.

With the help of Mango, Jeb and others the group are trying their hardest to discover what exactly is going on. With the investigating teens split between two countries and with forces that they still need to understand, they certainly have their work cut out for them.

From the outset this book is action-packed, there are quick re-caps where necessary but the story flows from the first page right through. The Bristol of the author’s stories is one that has a whole range of creatures lurking, skulking and generally being a nuisance. There are also friendlies such as the dragons, Bears and a certain Gabriel.

The story flows back and forth from one case to the other, filling in important information and keeping up a breakneck pace. If you have read any of these books then you will be aware of the various phrases and characters, they are still around and more villains have been brought in. Such as the Ice Angel!

Having read and loved each of the books, this one is another fabulous episode. Full of drama, tension, danger, slinking, lurking and creeping. I know that young adult readers who pick this series up will enjoy it as much as I have. This is another book I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Misha Herwin is a writer of books for adults and children.
They vary from time-slip to contemporary women’s fiction, family saga and children’s fantasy adventures.
All her books are set in Bristol, whether real, imaginary or remembered from her childhood.

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

The Weatherman by Royston Reeves @royston_reeves @RandomTTours #psychological #thriller #crime @noexitpress #bookreview

yvonnembee 1 Comment

I am delighted to share my review today for a fabulously tense story. The Weatherman by Royston Reeves is one that you should take a look at if you like psychological crime thriller books.

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my copy of the book from No Exit Press publishers.

‘I’m going to tell you about the worst thing that ever happened to me.’

Will’s a nice guy. So when he takes a shortcut to the tube station after a few beers with his mates from work, he steps out of the way of the fellow who’s staggering towards him. But he – deliberately – moves back into his path. They knock each other as they pass.

Moments later one man is dead and another’s life is changed forever. Or is it? There are no CCTV cameras. There was no one else in the out-of-the-way alley. Maybe the world doesn’t have to end for Will after all.

But there’s always someone watching . . . and Will’s life is about to implode.

MY REVIEW

So, as the synopsis tells you, Will leaves the pub, bumps into a man and the man falls and dies. Instead of phoning the police, he decides to go home and say nothing. There is surely no way the police will be aware of what happened. He is right the police don’t really but someone is arrested and then Will is full of dread as things begin to unfold.

This was a great read, initially, I thought it was a bit slow and it did take a while before the major twists and turns started to build up the intensity of this story. But, my goodness, the author went full throttle with his story when it did.

Will is introduced as are his friends, the police detectives and another character. The synopsis does state that there is always someone watching and this watcher has a huge amount of tension and drama to add. It makes Will question himself and tests him to the limit. What will he do to protect himself and can he?

Will is a likeable character and he does come across as being down to earth. But this one event changes him, he becomes reclusive and withdraws. Past things are mentioned about his mental state and this works well within the story as it gives credence to how Will deals with things.

It is a scenario that you would think would never happen to you. What would you do? Will makes the wrong decision, but that does not mean that everyone will make the right decision. When faced with a scenario you like to think you would do the right thing. In this story though, Will goes further than just trying to evade what has happened and things start to become more twisted. The police are doing their job but there are some things that just don’t quite fit.

This is a tense story and one that gradually added more twists the more I read. It started as a slow burner for me but one that got under my skin so that I could not put it down. A fabulous story that became a one-sitting read and would appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and crime. I would definitely recommend it.

About the Author

Royston Reeves is a psychological thriller writer from Essex, England. After
spending years in advertising writing TV scripts, newspaper ads and billboards,
Royston’s first novel, The Weatherman, will be published in November 2023.
Reeves is the Head of Strategy for JOE Media and he currently lives in the Kent
countryside with his wife, Carly, and daughter, Hunter-Rose.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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

A Time To Die by Wilbur Smith @thewilbursmith @ZaffreBooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n #histfic #TheCourtneys #TeamWilbur #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for A Time To Die by Wilbur Smith. This is part of the Courtney series and the author brings the story into the 1980s.

My huge thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for arranging my copy of the book from Zaffre Books as part of their yearlong marketing feature.

Sean Courtney, ex-guerilla fighter in the Bush War, is now a man of peace, leading hunting safaris in Zimbabwe for wealthy men. His current client is Riccardo Monterro, a strong-headed man whose beautiful, strong-minded daughter Claudia has reluctantly accompanied him on the search for the greatest of all trophies: the old bull elephant Tukutela.

But the elephant, and Riccardo’s obsession, will lead them over the border into a Mozambique still devastated by civil war. What began as a rich man’s holiday will become a desperate battle for survival – and Sean must help them escape the most dangerous predator of all: Man

MY REVIEW

Once again this author brings an action-packed story to the Courtney series, this is 7th in the series and brings the series up to the 1980s.

Sean Courtney is one of the main characters in this book and it sees him running hunts Ricardo Monterro and his daughter Claudia are hunting for an old elephant. Claudia does not see this as a hunting trip but as a chance to spend time with her father. For her father, it is a chance to achieve something he has always wanted. Claudia is against hunting and this means she clashes with Seran often. All three are stubborn and have their own opinions. This is a way for the author to show the various opinions of the time regarding hunting.

The team delve into danger as they try, but fail to avoid the conflict between warring factions as they wander into Zimbabwe in pursuit of the hunt. In this period, South Rhodesia claimed its independence from the UK and became Zimbabwe under the leadership of Robert Mugabe. The decade was volatile and this made the hunt into this area dangerous.

While this book is part of the Courtney series, it can be read as a stand-alone as the author does not feed the history into the narrative. Sean Courtney is the grandson of Centaine de Thiry.

The book has the same action and adventure vibe as the previous and the essence of life at the time is very much in this story. There are some friendships formed and friendships lost in this book. Details of the character’s journey across the area are fraught with tension, and danger and this is felt in the story.

It was another fabulous episode in the series and one that I adored. I am aware that not everyone has the same feeling about this book and feels it lacks something, and I agree. It is still a fabulous read but when in close proximity to the others there is something missing.

If you are a fan of action, adventure, historical fiction and tense story lines then this is a book you should look at. Even though it can be read as a stand-alone I do recommend reading it in order as the series is fabulous. It is one I would happily recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wilbur Smith was the bestselling author of many novels, each researched on his numerous expeditions worldwide. His bestselling Courtney series includes Assegai, The Sound of Thunder, Birds of Prey, Monsoon, and Blue Horizon. His other books include Those in Peril, River God, Warlock, The Seventh Scroll, and The Sunbird.

His books have been translated into twenty-six languages and have sold over 120 million copies. Smith was born to a British family in Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, in Central Africa, and attended Rhodes University in South Africa. By the time of his death in 2021 he had published 49 books and had sold more than 140 million copies.

Wilbur Smith died at his Cape Town home on November 13, 2021. He was 88 years old at the time of his death.

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

EVE – How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution by Cat Bohannon @penguinrandom #NetGalley #feminism #anthropology #nonfiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution by Cat Bohannon. This was a fascinating book that tells how we have evolved over the millennia to the form we see today.

My huge thanks to Penguin Random House for approving my request to read this title via NetGalley.

ONE OF THE GUARDIAN’S BIGGEST BOOKS OF AUTUMN 2023

‘Funny and very important’ Chris van Tulleken, bestselling author of Ultra-Processed People

‘Educates and emboldens’ Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

‘Should revolutionise our understanding of human life’ George Monbiot, bestselling author of Regenesis

How did wet nurses drive civilization? Are women always the weaker sex? Is sexism useful for evolution? And are our bodies at war with our babies?

In Eve, Cat Bohannon answers questions scientists should have been addressing for decades. With boundless curiosity and sharp wit, she covers the past 200 million years to explain the specific science behind the development of the female sex. Eve is not only a sweeping revision of human history, it’s an urgent and necessary corrective for a world that has focused primarily on the male body for far too long. Bohannon’s findings, including everything from the way C-sections in the industrialized world are rearranging women’s pelvic shape to the surprising similarities between pus and breast milk, will completely change what you think you know about evolution and why Homo sapiens have become such a successful and dominant species, from tool use to city building to the development of language.

MY REVIEW

I was intrigued when |I first saw this book and I was so glad I saw it as it was an amazing book to read. It is a non-fiction book but it is not dull and dreary, but instead, at times, humorous as the author takes the reader on a journey of the female body and how it has helped to shape the world.

I was already pretty hooked before I got to the first chapter after reading the introduction gave some great insight into the book and what was to potentially follow. If I had not read that, well the first chapter would have hooked me as I found out that medicines, trials and medical tests are conducted on males rather than females because it is easier. So if that is the case why are medicines made for the male sex and then used for everyone? Surely this makes medication generic rather than specific! With my mind blown at this point, I did have a quick look at the author. She is a researcher and author with a Ph.D. from Columbia University in the evolution of narrative and cognition.

The author brings so much more than science, biology and all that to this book. It has been done in such a way that it is like she is telling you what she has observed over time and how her research has brought her to her opinions in the book. When I say research, there have been many years of it, I think I read 10 years’ worth to produce this book. I have to say it shows because there are so many aspects that are covered that led from the first burrowing egg mammal to the form we see today as Humans. The author does focus on the female body, but she is actually telling the story of how homo sapiens have evolved over the millennia.

This is a fascinating book, addictive and really makes you think about your body and why things are as they are. If you like non-fiction that focuses on evolution, physiology, biology, anthropology and lots of other aspects then this is one for you. I thought it was very accessible as far as reading and understanding it went. Not too heavy on science. One I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cat Bohannon is a researcher and author with a PhD from Columbia University in the evolution of narrative and cognition. Her essays and poems have appeared in Scientific American, Mind, Science Magazine, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, The Georgia Review, The Story Collider and Poets Against the War. She lives in the US with her partner and two offspring.

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

My Week In Books (w/e 19th November 2023) #booklove #bookupdates #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 2 Comments

Hello and welcome to my weekly wrap-up of books I have read. The weather is a little inter-changeable at the moment, one moment it is sunny, next a downpour. It has made swimming interesting as the sea can be a bit bouncy but still good fun and I enjoy being in it even if it is a little bit chillier now.

This week I have read two books, but possibly three after I have written his post up.

Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200Million Years of Human Evolution by Cat Bohannon – the full review for this book will be out tomorrow so I will keep this short. It is a fascinating book and I can see why it has been so popular. It is an eye-opener and I learnt so much from this book and realised there was a lot I was unaware of or even thought about.

The Weatherman by Roston Reeves – this was a fabulous psychological thriller that started slowly but gradually became more and more intriguing and addictive. Full review next week as part of the Blog Tour.

Have a wonderful week ahead,

Happy Reading

Yvonne xx

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

Death at Paradise Park by Ross Greenwood @greenwoodross @BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley #crime #thriller #policeprocedural #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today for Death at Paradise Park by Ross Greenwood. This is the 2nd book in the Norfolk Murders series and what starts with one death soon develops into something much more.

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

The new instalment in the bestselling Norfolk Murders series!

When Alfie Hook settles down to eat his fish and chips by the Hunstanton seaside he hasn’t anticipated it is going to be his last meal. DS Ashley Knight and her Major Investigation Team are called to investigate and when they discover who Alfie is married to, they realise this case is not going to be straightforward.

A second body is found in gruesome circumstances at the nearby Paradise Caravan Park, but the team struggle to connect the two victims. Even after hours of interviews with the residents, and many questionable stories, to the police’s frustration, all their alibis check out. What are they concealing?

As the bodies mount up and the leads get ever more complicated, Ashley and her rookie partner Hector Fade finally join the dots. But then it’s a race against time to stop the killer striking again…

Bestselling Ross Greenwood is back with an unputdownable seaside thriller, perfect for fans of Mark Billingham, Ian Rankin and Peter James.

MY REVIEW

After reading and loving the first book in this series I was eager to see what was next on the cards for DS Ashley Knight and her team. When a local man is found dead in his van behind a fish and chip shop, well, it does sort of look like it is going to be a case that is not going to throw up too many surprises. Well, that is what I initially thought, but the author took such an amazing and complex route to get from the beginning to the end. I should mention I did not read the synopsis for this book before requesting it.

It starts with one body that then leads the team to Paradise Park, a holiday complex that houses tourists as well as more long-term guests and owners, with lodges and all the things you would expect of a site of this sort. The thing you don’t expect is a second body at the park or what follows…

Along with Ashley, you will get to meet the rest of her team. There is a good mix and there is already a good sense of camaraderie. Even Hector, the newbie is getting to find his feet. With such a complex case on their hands, it is a case of all hands to battle stations as such. With so many things to deal with and the bodies mounting up you would think the team would have more to go on. The links they have are tenuous and this makes for excellent reading. There wasn’t a point in the story where I thought I actually knew who did what. I am wondering if the author was the same as he wrote I and if he was following the characters. It is a complex caseload for the team, but I have to say the author did an amazing job keeping it easy to follow.

There is quite a few characters in this story but they soon become memorable, some have more of a part to play than others, but they all have something to input. This made for an intriguing story and one that felt tense throughout.

This is a fabulous second book in the series and it is one I would definitely recommend to fans of police procedurals, crime and thriller reads.

About the Author

I was born in 1973 in Peterborough and lived there until I was 20, attending The King’s School in the city. I then began a rather nomadic existence, living and working all over the country and various parts of the world.

I found myself returning to Peterborough many times over the years, usually when things had gone wrong. It was on one of these occasions that I met my partner about 100 metres from my back door whilst walking a dog. Two children swiftly followed. I’m still a little stunned by the pace of it now.

Fifty Years of Fear book was started a long time ago but parenthood and then after working in sales management all my life, i randomly spent four years as a prison officer. Ironically it was the four a.m. feed which gave me the opportunity to finish the book as unable to get back to sleep I completed it in the early morning hours.

I’ve now written five further books. My second book, The Boy Inside, was picked up by a publisher, and Lazy Blood is also out. All my books are thought provoking, and told with a sense of humour. Reading the reviews has been great.

The first three books are stand alone, however, some of the characters cross over, and you can see how at times, their lives overlap.

Abel’s Revenge is something a bit different. It’s a modern day love story set against the backdrop of an escalating serial killer. There’s a whodunnit element to it, and some smiles along the way.

Shadows of Regret was inspired by my time on the women’s side of the jail in Peterborough, and analyses the close relationship between victim and villain. You won’t have read a book like it.

I hope you enjoy reading them.

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

My Week In Books (w/e 12th November 2023) #booklove #bookupdate #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 2 Comments

Hello and welcome to my weekly round-up of books read. I am a day later this week as I had a Blog TOur scheduled for yesterday. I am not a fan of posting more than once a day, so moving this post along another day is easier.

I have only read two books this week, I don’t know where the time has gone!

Death at Paradise Park by Ross Greenwood – this is the second book in The Norfolk Murders series and it is fabulous. It is a complex case that the team have to solve and it is so full of intrigue. My Full review will be out later this week.

Private Inquiries: The Secret History of Female Sleuths by Caitlin Davies – this is a wonderful book that charts the job of Female Investigators over the years and up to the present day. The full review was out yesterday.

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

Private Inquiries: The Secret History of Female Sleuths by Caitlin Davies @CaitlinDavies2 @RandomTTours @TheHistoryPress #truecrime #nonfiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for a fabulous non-fiction book. Private Inquiries: The Secret Life of Female Sleuths is the second book I have read by this author.

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for arranging my copy of this book from the publisher The HistoryPress.

The female private detective has been a staple of popular culture for over 150 years, from Victorian lady sleuths to ‘busy-body spinsters’ and gun-toting modern Pls. But what about the real-life women behind these fictional tales – what crimes did they solve, and where are their stories?

Dismissed as ‘Mrs Sherlock Holmes’ or amateurish Miss Marples, mocked as private dicks or honey trappers, they have been investigating crime since the mid-nineteenth century – theft, fraud, burglary, missing persons, blackmail, drugs, robbery, romance scams, industrial espionage, and murder.

In Private Inquiries, Caitlin Davies traces the history of the UK’s female investigators, uncovering the truth about their lives and careers from the 1850s to the present day.

Women like Victorian private inquiry agent Antonia Moser, the first woman to open her own agency; Annette Kerner, who ran the Mayfair Detective Agency on Baker Street in the 1940s; and Liverpool sleuth Zen Scott-Archer, who became the first woman president of the World Association of Detectives.

Caitlin also follows in the footsteps of her subjects, undertaking a professional qualification to become a Private Investigator, and meeting modern Pls to find out the reality behind the fictional image.

Female investigators are on the rise in the UK – and despite the industry’s sleazy reputation, nearly a third of new trainees are women. After a century of undercover work, it’s time to reveal the secrets of their trailblazing forebears.

MY REVIEW

This book is a fabulous read and it delves into the lives of female private investigators. Very little is really known about them, and to be fair, very little is mentioned about their male counterparts. The author decides to take a course to find out about what is entailed, she also tries to shadow someone and soon discovers it is not as easy as she thought it would be.

What makes someone decide to be a PI, well for some, in the early days it was to earn money and it gave them a chance to prove that they could look after themselves. For those in service as maids, cleaners and the like it was easier as they are unremarkable, not noticed and are generally not seen. This appearance, or rather the lack of appearance gave women the upper edge as they were able to go into people’s rooms to tidy and clean, make beds, snoop through any papers, and maybe drill a couple of discrete spy holes while they do the dusting.

In the early days, there was no register or any sort of control over the role of PI’s, they came and went and some were scammers, others blackmailers and there were the odd few who set people up. For the most part, a PI was utilised for discovering affairs so that a divorce could be obtained as well as many other things.

Over the years the role of PI has changed and there are protocols and laws in place that are adhered to. These are there to protect both the PI and the client. As times have changed so have their roles, not just tracing people who are lost, but also serving papers, finding lost relatives and also to look into cold cases.

The author looks at different women over the decades up to today. This is an area most of don’t really think about and if we think of PIs we think of the fictional ones. As a reader, I can name several investigators from fiction but I could not name a single real-life one.

This is where the author takes the reader on a journey through the history books, newspapers, footage, and interviews to help discover more. From the earliest known female investigators who worked for others to those who decided to work for themselves. This book charts the various activities employed, the way things have changed, the laws and also the lives of the women.

This is a wonderful book and if you are a fan of true crime then this one would probably appeal. It is one I would definitely recommend.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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

A Savage Feud by Heather Atkinson @HeatherAtkinso1 @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley #crime #thriller #gangland #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today for A Savage Feud by Heather Atkinson. This is a brilliant book and one that fans of gangland crime thrillers should have a look at, this is the 2nd book in the series and I would definitely recommend reading the first book.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of the book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley.

In Glasgow’s Haghill, the Savage sisters strike fear into the hearts of their enemies the Alexanders.

Firmly ensconced in the criminal underworld, Carly and Jane Savage, along with girl gang the Unbeatable Bitches, their uncle Eddie and their cousins Dean and Harry, are finally making good money, running dubious errands for the notorious Tallan brothers.

Rod and Neil Tallan wield almighty power over their patch, and their reputation for ruthless revenge on traitors is legendary. The Savage sisters feel invincible until trouble arrives in the form of Jack Alexander. Recently released from notorious hellhole prison, nicknamed Monster Mansion, he’s dangerous, ambitious, and broodingly handsome. Could he persuade the Tallans that the Alexanders are more useful than the Savages?

But as the Alexanders know to their cost, you should never underestimate the Savages, and when their family are under threat, there’s no one more dangerous than a Savage sister…

MY REVIEW

I read Savage Sisters a while ago and loved it, I was eager to get my hands on the next book in the series. A Savage Feud is impressive, action-packed and at times brutal, making it ideal for fans of gangland crime thrillers.

Carly, Jane and Rose Savage are sisters, they live with their ailing father and have recently been reunited with their Uncle Eddie and his sons Dean and Harry. Jane is the leader of a girl gang and works with her cousins and Carly, who work for the Tallan Brothers. The Tallans run debt collecting, own bars, and pubs and are generally the kings of their little empire. They are not to be messed with, but it appears someone is.

There is another family causing waves, the Alexanders, one of which is Carly’s ex, and another who has just got out of prison. The family are getting a bit more cocky and are pushing boundaries. It makes others wonder why this sudden increase in their behaviours and overall manner.

This is fantastic reading and it had me eagerly turning pages. There is a lot of mistrust in this book as you would expect for the subject matter, but this goes deeper than that. There are unseen forces at work and while the characters seem to be getting things worked out something else will happen to throw a curve ball at them.

While this is a story about territory, gangs, affiliations and loyalty, at the heart of it is family. The Savage family protect their own with their all and they definitely live up to their name. Within their community they seem to be well respected, but in other places not so much. As they collect money and do the Tallan’s bidding, there is something that feels off. A gut feeling for them or something that doesn’t quite go as it should makes them edgy. As they have to work they are also aware of how open they are, but they do have friends who will come when called for. But with the mistrust in the air, can they really rely on those they know?

The author has done such a brilliant job with this story, she has shown determination in her characters and you can’t help but like them and loathe the others. The story has a great amount of tension, danger and the odd battle, both physical and battle of wills.

This is one for fans of hard-boiled gangland crime thriller reads. It is loaded with action, set in Glasgow’s Haghill and full of the local vernacular. It is a brilliant story and once again has left me eagerly awaiting the next book! It is one I would definitely recommend, and if you have not read the first book then you really should because it is great as well.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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

Justice by Kerry Kaya @KerryKayaWriter @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley #crime #thriller #gangland #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today for Justice by Kerry Kaya. This is the 3rd book in The Tempest series and it is a brilliant book. I would suggest reading this series in order simply because each book is brilliant.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of the book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley.

Here comes trouble…

Despite being raised by the notorious Murphy family, Terri Tempest has somehow turned out to be a lovely girl. But when Terri has enough of the abuse from her Uncle Michael, she runs away and takes refuge with Rina and Archie Taylor who own a local pub.

Terri knows she’s a Tempest by blood, but she’s terrified of her half-brothers Ricky and Jamie. Their reputations are even worse than the Murphys.

But when tragedy strikes at the pub, Terri blames herself. She knows there’s only one way to get her revenge and justice and that means joining forces with her brothers and the family firm.

Can Terri prove she is Tempest by name and by nature? Or will she be the Tempests downfall?

Blood will be spilled, but Tempest blood is thicker than most.

MY REVIEW

This is the 3rd book in The Tempest series and we move away from Tracy Tempest and her sons Ricky & Jamie, although they are part of this story, instead, the focus is on Terri. She is a Tempest, but her mother Bianca is a Murphy. Bianca had an affair with Tracy’s husband and Terri was the result. The mUrphy family are not the greatest and Terri’s Uncle Michael doesn’t hold back with his feelings towards her. But, then, neither does Bianca! When she decides that she has had enough she runs away and is taken in by the owners of a pub. Archie and Rina.

This is another explosive book in the series and it was great to see how the main Tempest family were going to react when Terri stepped into the picture. Terri has always been aware of who her family is but she has kept out of the way because they are The Tempests, they are trouble, and they are a strong family who rule their turf with a strong determination.

When another person decides to start making waves things start to change. Terri gets to see another side of people and she also gets to see what she can do. There are other people that are in this story from the previous books and the author does bring up past events to keep you up to speed. I have to say that you would be missing out on some great stories if you decide to read this one as a stand-alone because the previous books are brilliant.

Anyway, I digress… this book sees the family having to make a stand, but who is behind things and why is going to make for some very tense scenes. This author does not hold back, after all these a gangland crime books and so there is a certain amount of bloodshed, violence and anger. Saying that though, the author does get the balance right and goes so far with explanations and then leaves the reader’s head to fill in the gaps!

The character of Terri is fabulous, she is vulnerable but when she finally has something to fight for then watch out. She is a character who has a lot to give and she shows that she can hold her own when it matters and she has found her niche and who she is. This is her story that sees her with nothing and making a stand for the right reasons and it is great to see. I do look forward to seeing what she gets up to next or how she is involved in future books as I know she is going to be a force to be reckoned with.

Another brilliant story in this series, a fast-paced, addictive, gangland thriller through and through and one that I would definitely recommend.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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